Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 609

“Ah, miss.”

It was a servant’s voice, calling her. Kayla stared at the door, not answering.

The tone was different from usual. She wondered if something had happened to her mother, who had gone to meet the Variel army, but that was unlikely given the time. How long had it been since they left?

“What is it?”

No, perhaps they had encountered bandits on the way? That could be a problem.

The moment she touched the doorknob, she instinctively became alert. She didn’t know why. The thought of bandits she had unconsciously conjured sent an unpleasant signal, but she couldn’t pinpoint the exact cause.

Kayla gripped the doorknob silently and listened outside.

“It would be best if you came out for a moment. We have guests who wish to see you.”

The servant’s voice was a little farther from the door. She guessed someone was standing there. Could it be that those foolish royalists had decided to confront her? It was a choice that wouldn’t help them at all.

Kayla frowned and carefully stepped back.

“Understood. Tell them to wait a moment. I’m changing my clothes.”

“Yes, miss.”

Kayla immediately scanned the surroundings through the window. The street was dark. Among the royalist officers’ carriages, she saw a horse with the Kalamat guard flag. It seemed to have just arrived to deliver a message.

‘Whatever it is, that’s why they want to see me. Damn it. I need to know what it is to respond.’

If she fled rashly over something minor, she would stir up trouble, and if she was careless, she didn’t know what the consequences would be.

Kayla pressed her forehead and continued to look out the window. There had to be something that could give her a clue. Please, please…

“Ah.”

Then, in a dark corner of the alley, she saw royalist guards gathered in small groups, talking about something. Then they took out the swords at their waists and started examining them.

Kayla was immediately certain.

‘I’ve been caught.’

The low-grade weapon supply issue had been exposed.

If that was the case, the situation was completely reversed. Whether she was a Variel noble or a Luncvis collateral [a relative from a less important branch of the family], the royalists would want to kill her and her mother immediately, without any negotiation.

Playing around with military supplies during wartime was an unforgivable act of treason. Of course, Kayla had her own reasons, but who would care?

Squeak.

Kayla cursed under her breath and carefully opened the window. She would get out, but there were two ways. She could climb the wall to the roof and escape through the next building, or she could go straight down and steal a horse to run away.

She grabbed the window frame and pondered for a moment.

‘I’ll go down.’

Kayla climbed onto the window frame with her longsword on her back. Then, with all her might, she stepped onto the opposite tree branch.

The rustling sound made the royalist guards turn their heads, but Kayla was able to hide her presence thanks to the thick leaves.

Whoosh!

She landed lightly, hid behind a carriage, and surveyed her surroundings.

There were about ten men waiting outside. All were armed, and as they were in charge of guarding the officers, they were definitely skilled. She had no chance if she faced them head-on.

Thump! Thump!

Then, there was a dull noise from above. It was the sound of the door being broken down because Kayla hadn’t answered.

The men outside looked up, wondering what the commotion was, and Kayla used that opportunity to take out a dagger and cut all the horse reins.

‘There’s no time.’

Once they realized she was outside, search parties would flood the area. It was better to break through head-on before that happened.

Kayla mounted the nearest horse and threw her dagger at the horses on either side.

Neigh!

“Why are they suddenly like that?”

“Huh? The reins? The reins are loose!”

“There! Hey! It’s the young lady! Hey! She’s here!”

“What are those idiots doing outside-!”

“Chase her! Chase her!”

They all rushed over, but the startled horses were running around, so they couldn’t approach easily and just shouted. Kayla lay close to the saddle and pulled the reins hard.

“Hyah!”

The horse, which had been rearing up, immediately galloped forward. Just following where its feet led, cutting through the wind.

She wanted to direct it, but this was the outskirts of Kalamat. She didn’t know the way. She just followed the natural paths.

“Catch her! Catch her!”

“She’s a spy! Catch her and kill her!”

Clatter! Clatter!

As expected, the pursuers quickly caught up. They shot arrows from behind, and Kayla swung her sword to deflect the incoming projectiles. She didn’t care if she got hit in the arm or thigh, but if the horse got hurt…

Neigh!

“Ugh!”

As if her worries had manifested, someone’s arrow pierced the horse’s thigh. The horse stopped and shook violently, and Kayla struggled to avoid falling off. Go! Please, go!

Whizz! Thwack!

But because of the arrows constantly flying from behind, Kayla eventually fell off her horse. The horse limped away and disappeared from view.

‘Ah… Damn it.’

“Got her! Where do you think you’re going?!”

“You’ve had fun ripping us off, haven’t you? You better be prepared. We’re going to have some fun too.”

“Tie her up so she can’t escape. It doesn’t matter if her ankles are cut off, just make sure she’s tight.”

As the men chuckled and approached, Kayla straightened her posture and took a fighting stance. Her fierce eyes shone clearly through her disheveled hair.

“Come on.”

“Look at this noble lady putting on airs? You’re different, aren’t you?”

“You think you’re confident because you did some sword fighting in the duke’s backyard? I’m so embarrassed, my legs are shaking. Hahaha!”

“You’ll know if it’s sword fighting or not when you get cut. Come if you can.”

Kayla tensed her eyes to hide her nervousness, but she felt like this was the end. Was this her unavoidable fate? But she had no intention of being captured so easily.

“I’ll kill at least one of you here.”

“What?”

“…At least. I don’t do things that only benefit others.”

Kayla’s warning made the men laugh. She was a woman with no physical strength or experience, but her guts were as good as any dog bone in the training grounds.

A man lowered his sword as if to show it off and approached her, taunting her as if he could catch her with his bare hands without any weapons.

“Tsk, a spy with so much pride.”

“Come and I’ll kill you.”

“If you say that, am I supposed to stop? Hahaha!”

As he turned to his colleagues behind him and mocked her, Kayla rushed forward without hesitation and swung her sword. The well-sharpened blade cut through the man’s neck in one go.

Thwack!

As blood spurted and the man collapsed forward, clutching his neck, Kayla quietly corrected her words.

“Not one, but two. You’ll die.”

“You, you damn Variel scum!”

“No need to hold back! Kill her!”

Kayla focused her mind and stared straight at the blades flying towards her. Her skill in dodging each one was extraordinary.

Wasn’t a ‘young lady’ supposed to be someone who just sipped tea in the backyard? The men were surprised for a moment, but blood spurted again from the tip of Kayla’s sword.

“Aaaargh!”

She had slashed his face.

She got up, her hands trembling, and placed them on the ground. The more blood that stained her hands, the narrower the place she could retreat to became. She had come prepared, but now that reality was in front of her, her body trembled with a fear that she couldn’t handle.

‘It’s okay.’

It’s okay to be afraid. This is a natural phenomenon.

As Kayla charged again with a shout, the men rushed at her simultaneously. Kayla’s sword, which had collided head-on, flew away, and theirs broke in half.

“Damn it. It’s not sugar powder, why does it break so easily?”

It was indeed a low-grade weapon. The men grabbed Kayla by the hair and roughly slapped her cheeks.

Smack!

After several blows, her vision blurred, and her mind went blank. Kayla eventually lost consciousness.

* * *

“I’ll go back first.”

Danit quickly grabbed her dress and bowed her knees. There was no chance of it happening, but unexpected situations always occurred, didn’t they?

Danit had experienced all sorts of things in the chaotic Burgos over the past ten years. As Ian said, it was never bad to be careful, so she felt relieved to return with the Emperor’s message as soon as possible.

“I will greet His Majesty again with Kayla. At that time, I will present His Majesty with the news of the dismantling of the royalist cause and the disbandment of the Kalamat garrison as a gift.”

So, she was telling the Emperor not to be so relaxed and to come down near Kalamat quickly.

“It seems that the possibility wasn’t so low after all.”

“Are you talking about the bandits? It’s unlikely, but it’s always good to be careful.”

“Yes, if you are worried, madam, I will order a mage to escort you to Kalamat. How is that?”

The madam paused for a moment and then nodded. This was not a favor. She was definitely intending to ‘confirm’ if something had happened to Kayla. If the royalists took her hostage, Danit’s options would change, so she was trying to prevent that in advance.

“I would be grateful if you would do that.”

Danit smiled and covered her face with a fan. Whatever the intention, it was good to use everything she could right now. If Kayla was in danger, wouldn’t a mage be a great help?

“Hail.”

“Yes, Ian.”

“Escort the madam to the vicinity of Kalamat.”

“Understood. I will go with Nakina.”

As Ian’s permission was given, Nakina appeared from among the mages. She asked for a moment of understanding from Madam Danit and then put her hand under her leg and lifted her into her arms.

“Oh my!”

“Excuse me, madam. Hold your dress well. It would be embarrassing if it flipped over.”

“I’ll be back soon.”

Ziiing! Ziiing!

As Hail and Nakina activated their magic and flew into the sky, Chandet stared blankly at the scene. Was she just going to leave him alone in the Variel camp and go like that?

“I, I! Madam!”

Chandet’s cry scattered weakly, and the mages looked back at him with eyes that seemed to say, ‘Oh, he was there too.’

But Ian, Jin, and Tweller didn’t give any other orders. Since he was the ‘hostage’ that Madam Danit had brought, they decided it was right to keep him in their hands.

“Sir Chandet, you will move with us. It would be good if you could lead the way with the advance party.”

“Ah, yes, yes. Understood, Minister of Magic.”

“Then, let’s prepare. Everyone, move out!”

The advance of the Variel army, which had stopped for a moment, began again. At this rate, they would probably arrive by tonight.

Whoosh!

“Ugh!”

Meanwhile, Madam Danit was flying through the sky, holding tightly onto Nakina’s neck. She was surprised by the speed, but soon realized that mages were excellent means of transportation. Could she make money with this somehow?

As she was thinking that, Nakina pointed down with her head.

“Do you see that, madam?”

“What?”

“A limping horse. It doesn’t seem like there are any houses nearby.”

“Oh…”

Something felt ominous. As they flew a little further, she saw a pool of blood in the middle of the road. Judging by the two marks, it seemed like two people had died.

“Just a little, just a little faster.”

“Yes, this is the maximum speed right now.”

“Please.”

“Understood. Captain Hail!”

Ziiing! Bang!

The explosive force propelled them forward. Danit closed her eyes tightly. And soon, she began to see the small mansion where they had been staying. But the atmosphere was unusual.

“Huh? There!”

“It’s a mage! A mage!”

“Is that Madam Danit? Hey! Madam Danit is back.”

She landed in the garden, escorted by Hail and Nakina. Soldiers, fully armed, stood facing her. Danit gripped her dress tightly and calmly said,

“I have brought the Emperor’s message. Are the royalist guests still staying here?”

“We were waiting for you. Do you have something to say?”

“…Where is Kayla?”

“Kayla? Your daughter?”

“I don’t know. Where did she go?”

As the men chuckled, the smile disappeared from Danit’s eyes. She strode towards the closest man and immediately slapped him across the face.

Smack!

“You bastards, can’t you understand what I’m saying? I asked where my daughter is.”