Margrave’s Bastard Son Was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 597

“Hmm.”

Tweller stood near the forest’s edge and reached out a hand, trying to discern the location of the invisible boundary.

As he cautiously moved step by step, he reached a point where something strange was detected. The flow of air turned cold.

*Swish.*

And, as expected, his hand was pushed back, just like the mages before him. The space was distorted.

Berick, who had come up beside him, exclaimed in amazement, then began punching the air enthusiastically.

“Wow, what is this? It spits you right back out!”

“Be careful, Berick.”

“What’s there to be careful about? Oof!”

*Thwack!*

His light, flailing arm movements ended up hitting his own face.

As Berick retreated, clutching his nose, Tweller clicked his tongue and looked towards the camp. They had been well-bound just a moment ago, so who had released them? The Magic Division and the Imperial Guard seemed too busy conferring to notice.

“I flew as high as I could, but it’s the same. Entry is impossible within a certain range!”

“As you said, there were forests along other routes as well. The problem is that it blocks all the paths leading south, and we’ll have to compare it to the maps one by one to see if it’s a forest that was originally there.”

“I’ll take care of that. I’m good at reading maps. Ian, we need to check if it’s just people who can’t pass through. Should we try shooting some magic?”

“What if it flies back at us? Didn’t you see Berick get hit by his own fist just now?”

“He got hit? Seriously, he’s always digging his own grave. But he’s him, and we can block it. How many capable mages are here that you’re worried about that?”

“I’m saying that because we don’t know how the magic will return. If it comes back amplified, it’ll be hard to handle.”

The Magic Division was busy again as soon as they left Agiar.

An unheard-of, mysterious phenomenon. Even the mages, who were considered the epitome of wisdom, were flustered, and there was nothing the Imperial Defense Department could do to help. If they rashly stepped in, they would only cause more confusion. It would be best to go back, but they said that it was no different there…

“Search the vicinity. If it’s a phenomenon that suddenly appeared, there must be someone who knows about it.”

“Yes, Minister.”

At Tweller’s command, mounted soldiers scattered in all directions.

The rest kept their distance and watched the forest, while Berick, tireless, kept running into it and being pushed back. He seemed to believe that if he kept bumping into it, a way would appear.

“Berick! Get out of there! We’re going to shoot some magic.”

“Ugh! Damn it! Ugh, this is kind of infuriating.”

“Get out of there. I won’t take responsibility if you die.”

As the mage flicked his fingers, Berick lowered one eye and mocked him, telling him to try and kill him if he could. The mage clicked his tongue, then put his hands together and shot magic slightly upwards.

*Ziiing! Ziiing!*

*Whoosh!*

A bright beam of light shot straight out, and when it reached the forest, its trace disappeared and it returned.

Ian watched this and frowned, as if puzzled.

“It’s coming back at a consistent angle. It’s like a giant mirror.”

It was a kind of ‘reflection’ concept. A giant mirror forest that sent back anything that came into it.

Was it magic? But he had never heard of magic like this. Not the mages, and not even Ian.

“If it’s not magic, is this some kind of hallucination?”

“I don’t think so. There are tens of thousands of Bariel soldiers here; it wouldn’t be easy to put them all in a hallucination. More than that, it’s impossible for it to keep going like this. Rather than a hallucination… it’s closer to a physical concept, wouldn’t you say? Like a kind of barrier.”

“Ian, what should we do? There’s no way.”

“If we go back, well, we’ll have to go all the way back to Agiar and take the border. It’ll take up to two weeks longer than expected.”

Supplies were secondary; they didn’t have time. There was the Rutherford problem, and the missing Philia. They had too much to lose to waste time on the road.

Ian listened to the mages’ opinions and stared at the forest entrance.

“Ian, what’s wrong?”

“…Something’s strange.”

“What is it?”

“The path and the forest entrance are well-connected.”

“Why is that strange?”

“The forest is rejecting the entry of outsiders. But unlike that, the entrance is too well-maintained. In the current situation, there shouldn’t even be a path to enter.”

“Huh? Now that you mention it…”

Ian was right. Unlike the phenomenon that kept pushing them away, the forest entrance was wide open. The path was smooth, and there were traces of someone having passed through it for a long time.

“Could it be waiting for a specific person other than us to enter?”

“Who would that be?”

“How would I know? That’s a stupid question.”

*Clatter clatter!*

*Neigh!*

It was then. The sound of hooves was heard in the distance. It was one of the soldiers who had gone out to search the area at Tweller’s command, and he was carrying a gaunt old man in his arms.

“Minister! A local resident!”

“Was there a village?”

“It’s not really a village, but an old man living alone in a hut. He’s a little hard of hearing, so he can’t understand unless you speak loudly.”

“Slowly, put him down carefully.”

He was so old that he looked like a living corpse. The old man looked around, not knowing what was going on, and licked his toothless gums.

“Old man, can you hear me well?”

“…What?!”

Contrary to his appearance, his voice was quite sharp and strong. Tweller leaned in further and shouted again.

“Can you hear me well?”

“I can hear, of course! Who are you?”

“I am Maxim Tweller, Minister of the Imperial Defense Department of Bariel. I have a question for you. Do you know when this forest in front of us appeared?”

As Tweller pointed to the forest, the old man blinked and replied.

“A forest is a forest, what do you want to hear? That we’ll all be okay?”

“…It seems to have appeared recently, but we can’t enter because of a mysterious force blocking us. If you know anything, please tell us everything. Then, with a small token of our gratitude, we will safely return you to your home.”

“My hearing isn’t bad! I understand everything.”

The old man waved his hands and gave nonsensical answers, and Tweller looked perplexed. Was this the only civilian in the area? He looked like he was having a hard time living alone.

“There must be a guardian nearby.”

It was an order to find someone again.

Just as the soldiers were about to turn around, Berick approached and squatted in front of the old man. Then, he cupped his hands and shouted.

“Granny! What’s that?”

“Huh?”

Berick’s question echoed loudly, and the mages covered their ears in annoyance.

“He can’t understand anything but Burgosian [referring to the local dialect], you idiot!”

“Isn’t it the same even if you speak properly? It’s the same whether you say it this way or that way. Granny! We want to go there, tell us if you know anything!”

Just as the mages were about to click their tongues, what do you know? The old man clapped his hands loudly and answered.

“You! You’re not a Burgosian!”

“Can’t you tell by looking? We’re from Bariel.”

“So that’s why the forest appeared! You! You! Because of you, Purpato was startled, you! Die! Yah! Yah!”

The old man grabbed Berick’s hair with his bony hands and started shaking him. It didn’t hurt, but it was annoying, so he tried to pull his hands away, but the mages seized the opportunity and grabbed Berick’s hair along with the old man and shook him. It was a strategy to appease her.

“Grandma, Purpato is the name of a city. What are you talking about? What do you mean it appeared because of Bariel?”

“Purpato foresaw the downfall and showed himself! Because of you! Go back to Bariel right now!”

The old man fell backward while grabbing Berick’s hair, and everyone was surprised and supported her waist. It seemed that the anger was too much for her weak body to handle. Even in her fading consciousness, the old man kept muttering.

“Go back, ask for forgiveness from Purpato… go back, leave Burgos alone, you imperial bastards…”

“Ian, she’s fainted.”

“Damn it! Are you all crazy? Why are you pulling his hair together?”

“We were trying to agree with the old lady. Did it hurt?”

“I’ll find the bastard who pulled my sideburns, whoever it is! Ugh.”

Berick bent over and rubbed his head, and Ian looked back and forth between the fainted old man and the forest entrance.

He didn’t know the details, but it seemed that-

“It seems that there is a guardian deity that the natives of Purpato follow.”

“A guardian deity?”

“It’s called a guardian deity, but no one knows its true nature until they see it.”

It could be a spirit or a fairy, or even a monster.

In any case, the outline was roughly drawn. A transcendent being that protected the surrounding area had appeared to stop Bariel’s southward advance. To prevent them from moving forward, to prevent Bariel from digging into the land of Burgos any further.

Ian suddenly remembered a case he had heard somewhere.

“It’s rare, but I’ve heard that it’s a phenomenon that often appears in countries on the verge of collapse. There was a brief commotion about it in Bariel as well.”

“In Bariel? Which Bariel?”

“…Bariel 100 years from now.”

But at that time, it wasn’t on such a large scale. There were so many unreliable rumors mixed in because it was during a war.

“Then what should we do?”

“We have to persuade or eliminate the owner of the forest.”

There must be someone the forest wants. It appeared to stop the Bariel army, so if their master entered, they might allow entry.

“When you say master-”

Everyone’s eyes turned to Jin.

In response, Jin, who had been watching the situation from inside the carriage, opened the door and slowly got out. The mages, as well as the Imperial Guards, shook their heads in disgust.

“Are you talking about me?”

“Your Majesty, that won’t do. There must be a trap hidden inside.”

“Yes, we don’t know what will happen inside. Absolutely, absolutely not. Your Majesty cannot go in alone.”

“It would be better to go around the road, even if it takes more time and effort. Your Majesty’s safety cannot be exchanged for anything.”

“Yes, it would be better to turn the horses around and go back now…”

Jin put his hand on his sword hilt and looked at Ian. It was a look asking what to do.

Ian thought for a moment, then bowed his head.

“May I try?”

“Sir Ian?”

Ian was also the master of Bariel. The owner of the forest might see him as suitable. If entry was allowed, he would go and try to persuade, appease, or deal with it.

Of course, there were many other advantages. It was safer and more reassuring for him to go than for Jin to go, and the only way to quickly get to Toolun was to quickly clear the way.

“Of course, if Your Majesty allows it.”

As Ian bowed, Jin lightly chided him.

“…There’s nothing to allow or not allow. It’s the truth, how can it be otherwise.”

“Then, I’ll be back.”

Ian walked towards the forest without hesitation. As soon as he reached the boundary, he whispered to the owner of the forest.

“…I am Ian Verosion, Emperor of Bariel. I wish to see the owner of the forest, so release the barrier.”

*Swish.*

Ian carefully reached out his hand. Then, unlike before, he was able to walk forward without being pushed back.

The surprised mages and Berick rushed in all at once, but-

*Ziiing!*

“Oh, shit!”

“Open the door, damn it! Let’s go together!”