Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 598

It was silent. A forest of silence where not even the rustling of leaves could be heard.

Ian, who had been walking forward, paused, feeling as if his presence was being erased. Unlike the forest’s entrance, which had welcomed outsiders, the interior was not clearly defined. If he wasn’t careful, he could easily get lost.

‘It would be better for the forest’s owner to reveal themselves than for me to keep moving.’

*Swish.*

Ian leaned against a suitable rock and sat down. A world where not even a breeze blew, as if time had stopped. As if to show he was watching, Ian lit a small flame with his fingertip and whispered softly.

“Show yourself, owner of the forest. As you’ve seen, we don’t have much time.”

If the worst were to happen, he would have no choice but to burn this place to the ground and clear a path.

Although he had already entered the opponent’s territory, he didn’t feel any instinctive pressure. He was confident that he could subdue them easily and without difficulty.

*Click.*

It was the moment Ian took out his pocket watch to check the minute hand. In the forest where no sound could be heard, a rustling movement was felt.

When Ian turned his head, there stood a small deer with a mix of blue and purple hues. After a brief moment of hesitation at the unexpected sight, Ian greeted it with an imperial bow and spoke to it.

“Are you the owner of the forest?”

It didn’t seem to be a fairy, and a spirit? Its energy was too pure to be a monster.

The deer slowly moved its long legs and approached Ian. Unlike its warm and gentle aura, its voice was full of power.

-Those who disturb this land, turn back at once. You will not be able to pass through this forest.

Ian, who had been listening quietly, tapped the spot next to him, signaling it to come closer. Then, the deer, which had been wary for a while, approached him step by step.

“I apologize for disturbing your land. However, this is a command from the gods. We have come to bring order to the chaotic state of Burgos due to the civil war. If you are not a monster, do not act against the will of the gods.”

-…The cries of the nearby humans continue to be heard. It pains me to hear them pray, beg, and cry out to be saved. From the very beginning, I have been the owner of this land and the heart of those people. For no reason can I allow you passage.

The deer’s attitude was quite firm. As he was pondering what to do since it didn’t seem to be backing down, Ian realized that the deer hadn’t mentioned ‘Burgos’.

“What is the extent of your land? The boundaries on the earth have changed and disappeared hundreds, thousands of times in human history. It doesn’t seem like you would place meaning on something so finite.”

-My land is everywhere the forest grows.

Ian tilted his head for a moment, recalling the map. The forest, as identified by the mages through reconnaissance, was located in various places nearby. That meant most of the surrounding area was under the deer’s jurisdiction. Ian looked into the deer’s mysterious golden eyes and said,

“Isn’t what you want to protect not Burgos, but those who live their lives? The Bariel army is treating them humanely and does not desire unnecessary bloodshed. It has been so until now, and it will continue to be so. I swear this on my name and everything I have.”

It was clear that the guardian deity worshiped by the residents of Purpato, including the old man, was this deer. If he could get its permission, entering the castle would be very easy.

“The choice is yours. Will you open the path and quell the chaos, or will you hold out to the end and amplify their screams?”

The deer, as if it had grasped the situation, only pricked up its ears and looked at Ian.

-Since you say you will swear, I will set a condition.

“I’ll listen. But keep in mind, the situation is not so lenient that I can accept all demands.”

-…Not a single Purpato person must die due to your command. They are the ones who have spoken to me for a long time.

Hmm. That’s tricky. How could that be possible when two great nations are at war? To meet the condition, no battle itself should occur, which meant it was the same as telling them to pass through Purpato.

As Ian pondered, the deer added.

-And do not damage the areas where the forest grows. If you keep these two conditions, I will allow Bariel to pass, and I will give you a proper reward.

“What do you mean by reward?”

The deer came closer to Ian and whispered.

-I am known by the names Purpato, the Earth, Burgos, and the Deer Who Listens to Prayers. If you keep the conditions, I will also bestow upon you the ‘Blessing of Purpato’.

“What happens when you receive the blessing?”

-I will bestow good fortune upon those who pray for you.

Ian made a judgment. If good fortune were to befall those who prayed for him, it would be the same as good fortune for himself. It was a proposal that promised to grant a cycle of good fortune.

Ian’s eyes narrowed. When dealing with transcendent beings, one needed to be even more careful. They were beings who could play with human destiny with mere wordplay.

“To be clear, is it correct that ‘no Purpato person should die due to the command of Ian Verosion’?”

-That is correct.

“Then, what is the definition of ‘damaging the forest’?”

-It means ‘that plants and animals do not survive to see the next season’.

It wasn’t a bad offer. Just as he was about to say he would accept, the deer flashed its golden eyes and leaned its head forward in front of Ian.

-However, if you break this, I will bestow upon you the ‘Curse of Purpato’. The curse is…….

Ian’s expression subtly distorted as he listened to the deer’s whisper. But Ian quickly weighed the pros and cons and made a decision.

“I accept the offer.”

He thought it was worth it. Compared to the retreat of tens of thousands of Bariel soldiers and the resulting waste of time.

As the deal was made, the deer kissed the back of Ian’s hand. As if the seed of a contract had been planted, green leaves instantly sprouted and obscured Ian’s vision.

*Whoosh!*

The surroundings soon became quiet. The deer was nowhere to be seen, and only a silent world remained. Was it over? Had the path opened?

‘I’ll know when I go back.’

As Ian was about to stand up, adjusting his collar, he suddenly noticed the majestic trees. If he didn’t want to create conflict with the Purpato people, he would need proof that he had received the deer’s permission.

*Swish.*

Just in case, he should take a few branches from this mysterious forest. If possible, rare flowers or fruits would be good for persuasion, but all he could see were leaves and branches.

The moment Ian broke off a branch, everything around him scattered and disappeared like a mirage, and a gust of wind immediately swept through. It was connected to the outside world.

* * *

“Ha, damn it. How long has it been since Ian went in?”

“13 minutes and 34 seconds. And to add to that, you bastard, you’ve been asking every minute. If you’re going to do that, you take the watch, you moron!”

“I hate looking at watches, it’s too hard. So how long has it been now?”

“44 seconds! You blockhead!”

*Thwack!*

Accorella couldn’t hold back and punched Berick in the back of the head. Usually, everyone would have told them both to stop, but that wasn’t the atmosphere now. Everyone was anxiously waiting for Ian, their eyes fixed on the entrance of the forest.

“What if it’s something similar to the Abyss?”

“Are you going to say something unlucky? And the Abyss is down there underground, and this is right here on the ground, what are you talking about!”

“It distorts space, who’s to say it can’t distort time?”

“Commander Accorella! This bastard keeps talking nonsense! Please shut his mouth!”

“Everyone, shut up and wait!”

“Knock knock, is anyone there? We’re Sir Ian’s subordinates. Can’t we come in together? Knock knock. Can you hear us? We’ll enter politely. Hello?”

“If you’re not going to let us in, at least let us see what’s going on inside!”

“Damn it, yeah! Owner of the house, come out now!”

“Berick, good job! Shout louder!”

“Did you not hear me when I said shut up and wait?!”

“Open up! You bastard!”

*Swish!*

No matter what Accorella said, Berick, who was furious, threw a straight punch. If an attack came back, he would just dodge it. After getting hit a few times, he had a rough idea of how to handle it.

But-

“Huh?”

This time, his arm extended straight out.

As Berick paused in surprise, the mages simultaneously turned their heads. They had sensed Ian’s presence.

“Sir Ian!”

Ian, holding a few branches in his hand as if he had just gone on a picnic, lightly waved them. The mages pushed Berick aside and rushed to surround him. The barrier that had been on the forest had disappeared.

Realizing that, the lush leaves disappeared like a mirage, and the surroundings brightened.

*Poof!*

“Are you alright? Did anything happen inside?”

“I’m, I’m sorry, but how old are you now?”

“And what are the branches for? Why, why are you carrying these? It’s scary.”

“Are you hurt anywhere? Was the owner of the forest inside? No, but they’re so stubborn! We asked so many times to let us in!”

“H-Have you perhaps dealt with them?”

Amidst the flood of questions, Ian only smiled. Then, after calming everyone down, he looked for Jin. Reporting was more important than exchanging greetings.

“Your Majesty.”

“Sir Ian! Are you safe?”

“Yes, I am safe. Fortunately, the owner of the forest was a pure-hearted being. As expected, it seemed to be a variant of the indigenous god worshiped in Purpato, but although I cannot define its existence for certain, it was not a monster.”

“Is that so? That’s a relief. The forest has disappeared. Did you open the path?”

“Probably. But there were conditions.”

Ian told Jin about the conversation he had with the deer. Do not kill the Purpato people. And do not damage the remaining forest.

Jin’s reaction to this was the same as Ian’s.

“Do not kill the Purpato people? How is that possible during a war?”

“Yes. It seems that it only applies to killings caused by the command of ‘Ian Verosion’. Still, as a sign of respect to the being who showed us kindness, I think it would be best to just pass through Purpato, Your Majesty.”

“I’m worried about leaving the rear too exposed when advancing to the capital, Kalamat.”

“Then, how about reinforcing the troops in Agiar to keep Purpato in check and under surveillance? Above all, they seem to be people who sincerely worship their indigenous god, so if we convey his will, we can avoid conflict.”

“That makes sense.”

“I will move in that direction first.”

Jin nodded in agreement.

It was truly a mysterious world. Just moments ago, the huge forest that had been blocking them had disappeared in an instant, and a transcendent being who sought to protect humans had manifested even in the midst of war.

Thinking this, Jin tightened the reins of his horse, and once again, the Bariel flag was raised high.

*Booo-!*

*Boo!*

The rest was over. At the signal to move again, the soldiers rose and reorganized their ranks. The mages once again trotted up to Ian and received the branches he was holding.

“By the way, Sir Ian. What are these?”

“I broke them off from inside the forest. It seems they remained because I broke them off before the forest disappeared. I’ll show them to the Purpato people as proof, so keep them safe.”

“Yes, yes, I understand.”

“Ian, are you okay?”

At Berick’s last question, Ian smiled brightly and nodded. He was carrying both a blessing and a curse, but yes. He was okay. Ian nodded to him and ordered him to join the Imperial Guard.

“We will depart!”

“The obstacle that blocked Bariel has disappeared!”

“Let’s go! Waaah!”

The soldiers raised their weapons and shouted, entering the path they had not been able to enter before. Do not kill the Purpato people, Jin kept reminding himself of that condition.

Soon, the walls of what was presumed to be Purpato could be seen in the distance.

“Your Majesty.”

And a report from the Imperial Defense Department, who had sent scouts to assess the situation ahead.

“They are waiting in Purpato, fully armed.”