Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 614

The Bariel soldiers, having entered Kalamat Castle, held their heads high. The sheer size of the royal palace in the distance was truly immense. It stood majestically on a steep incline, as if trying to reach the sky. It was clear that neither foreign invaders nor even the common people could easily approach it.

Neigh!

“Push! Push harder!”

“It would be better to divide the load and carry it up!”

“They’re still coming up from behind! We can’t stop!”

On the path leading to the royal palace, the soldiers pushed, sweating profusely as they supported the back of the carriage. How on earth did the Burgos royal palace manage its supplies? The supply carriage, pulled by two horses, moved precariously, creaking with each step.

“Haa.”

“Eirin, are you alright?”

“Yes, I can manage.”

Eirin, supporting the carriage with her back, took in the panoramic view of Kalamat spread out below. Despite the refreshing sight, one word was enough to describe her impression.

‘Barren.’

It looked as if withered, black vines were tangled haphazardly. A life force that was not dead, but not much different from it. She had felt it since she first entered the castle gate, and seeing it with her own eyes made it even clearer.

“That Damon bastard, I thought he had a terrible personality… it’s because he lives in a place like this. Has he ever even tried to go outside?”

“Commander Acorella, stop grumbling and put in a little more effort. You’re the only one who keeps tilting.”

“What can I do if the carriage is heavy?”

“You have enough magic to move it. Is that even a question?”

“Berik! Berik! Earn your keep! Something’s rolling down there!”

“Do you think I’m a dog? The guy below can pick it up!”

“Tsk! Hurry up!”

“There are things to put down below anyway! Tell them to wedge it in there!”

Large carriages and important items were being moved by mages and magic swordsmen. It was clear why Lady Danit and the Royalist officials had set up their base on the outskirts of Kalamat. Unless they were mages, it would take too much effort to travel back and forth.

Ian, who was checking the overall formation from the sky, turned his head at the sound of someone approaching. The main gate of the royal palace had been flung wide open.

“Welcome.”

The Royalist officials came out to greet the Bariel soldiers in person. Those who had reached the flat ground breathed a sigh of relief and wiped away their sweat, while those who were about to reach the high ground gritted their teeth and pulled on the ropes.

“We have been waiting for you. Where is His Majesty the Emperor?”

“He is on his way, but I will inspect the interior first.”

“Of course. Please, come this way.”

“Royal Guard, forward.”

It was necessary to understand the structure of the royal palace first. At Ian’s gesture, the Royal Guards quickly entered the palace.

Berik was among them.

“Yes!”

“Berik, you crazy bastard! It’s heavy!”

All sorts of complaints poured out on Berik as he threw down what he was carrying and ran off.

Whoosh.

The mages also flew in, following the magic swordsmen, to check for any possible traps or dangers.

The vast banquet hall. The floor, walls, and ceiling were all made of marble, giving it a chilly feel. It was more than just clean; it was empty. There were no decorations to be seen.

“Just in case you might misunderstand, the royal palace has been well-preserved even during the civil war,” Jorge, the leader of the Royalists, added. He said that it had only borne the weight of ten years, without being looted. He went on to say that the aesthetic of emptiness was a taste passed down through the Runkvis family.

Ian walked slowly, looking at the portraits of the kings hanging on the wall. At the very end, there was a portrait of Damon Runkvis, looking quite young.

“…Once His Majesty the Emperor arrives, we will tidy up the surroundings for a while and then convene the meeting.”

He looked quite different from the Damon Ian had seen at the Bariel Magic Tower. Ian looked up at the mysterious purple eyes in the portrait and murmured.

“The first matter to be discussed will be the distribution of magic stones.”

“The distribution of magic stones, you say?” Jorge asked back, surprised by the unexpected topic.

Bariel had occupied Kalamat, the capital of Burgos, without bloodshed, and everyone was on edge about the new dynasty that would be established. But magic stones? They seemed puzzled as to why that was the topic of the first meeting.

“Are you aware of the construction project of the Magic Department’s annex that has been going on for a long time?”

“Yes, well, I’ve heard of it.”

There were rumors that the Emperor was leading the construction of the Magic Department’s annex to strengthen his control. But it was just vague information he had picked up in passing.

“It is a major project that both His Majesty the Emperor and I, as the Minister of Magic, have been working on for nearly ten years. However, due to the Burgos civil war, the trade of magic stones has been suspended, and the construction is currently halted.”

Jorge, who had been listening quietly, had a glint in his eyes. He thought that the Minister of Magic was giving a meaningful hint to the Royalist side.

The first thing Bariel was asking of Burgos was magic stones. Jorge pondered for a moment and then spoke.

“The mining has stopped due to the civil war, but the ownership of the mines also needs to be re-established. Especially the mines near Kalamat, where many soldiers have passed through over the past ten years. First, we will inform those who own the mines on our side. Magic stones… what kind exactly do you need?”

“Acorella.”

“Yes! Yes! Yes!”

Acorella, who had been standing far away, heard him as if she were a ghost and flew over immediately. Then, she took out a stack of papers, about three or four, from her pocket and began to rattle off.

“First, to put it simply by grade, the most urgent is one type of high-grade rare stone, you know? The mining process is tricky, so it takes a bit of time, so it’s best to check this one first. It’s called Erectosia 12.1, it was originally 12, but the ones from Burgos are more flammable than the original ones-”

“Give it here.”

Jorge, sensing that Acorella’s words would go on for a while, snatched the papers. Then, he checked the locations of the deposits first, not the names of the magic stones.

“One type of mid-grade magic stone is buried in my territory.”

“Really? That’s great! Let’s go mine it right away!”

“And the high-grade magic stone… hmm. I’ll have to check, but I suspect it’s currently abandoned. A landslide occurred in that area a few years ago, and it hasn’t been restored yet.”

“We will discuss it in detail at the meeting. Is there anything else we should know?”

Acorella clenched her fists and pushed her face forward, but she was completely ignored. Then, Acorella’s lively eyes gradually began to flicker.

At the signal of her sudden extreme anger, her subordinates slowly approached her. Just in case something happened, they had to stop her.

“Other than the magic stone issue, His Majesty has no special instructions. If anything is decided before the meeting, I will let you know again.”

“Yes, I understand. We will be using the East Wing, so please let us know if there is anything.”

“By the way.”

Jorge paused and turned back.

“What about the backlash from the residents of Kalamat?”

“Backlash?” At Ian’s question, Jorge burst out laughing.

As before, they had no choice. How could those who lived by begging in the territories interfere with the tide of history? He shook his head as if there was nothing to worry about.

“There’s nothing to worry about. Well then, I’ll be going.”

Swoosh.

Acorella still watched Jorge’s back with sparkling eyes. A moment later, as soon as he disappeared around the corner, she whispered through her teeth.

“He’s got no manners. And he seems a bit stupid.”

What was the reason Bariel declared war on Burgos? It was the execution of Rutherford, the center of the anti-Royalist faction. Bariel had successfully achieved that, quickly cleared the northern region, and entered the capital.

“Isn’t it more important to discuss what to do with the remnants of the anti-Royalist faction in the north, and how to solve the resulting bandit problem? You have to finish that before you can rebuild the country. Idiot.”

“Judging by his statement about the right to execute Rutherford, he doesn’t seem to be completely clueless. But from what he just said, it seems he thinks the people without a central figure have no power.”

“Still. He’s so clueless. Has it been that long since he’s been without a superior?”

“Commander Acorella was like that when Ian wasn’t around.”

“Damn it! Shut up. You’ll die.”

The reason they mentioned magic stones first, leaving other important matters aside, was because they were going to die anyway. It was a sure and quick way to find out about the owners of the deposits and the mining situation through the officials.

“Ian, now that I think about it, wouldn’t it be better for a dimwit like that to become the king of Burgos? We share a border, and if Burgos gets too big in the future, it will be a problem.”

“You might think so, but there is a limit to how foolish one can be. If someone who doesn’t know themselves or their opponent holds power, it becomes more troublesome.”

If the Emperor left Burgos and Bariel’s attention turned to Toolun, their actions would become unpredictable. It was better to have the Holin family, who knew their place well and had family in Bariel, as the right person.

Ian opened each drawer in the study, hoping to find something more, but they were all empty and clean.

“Ian. His Majesty the Emperor will be entering the palace soon.”

“I understand. I’ll do a final check. Did you receive the royal palace blueprints?”

“Yes, we received them as soon as we entered the palace and examined them thoroughly. There are no problems.”

“Divide into two groups and examine them in detail. There must be secret passages or spaces. Acorella, clear the surroundings.”

“Understood! You guys, do a good job!”

“Ugh. Commander, you shouldn’t say things like that.”

Soon, the Emperor’s soldiers poured into the palace. Siao Shi gave Ian a light nod, and Ian brushed past him, acknowledging his hard work with a glance.

Tap tap!

Soon, Siao Shi and his subordinates began to investigate the internal structure, focusing on the East Wing where the Royalist officials were stationed.

“Search every nook and cranny.”

“Yes, Siao Shi!”

Amidst the busy soldiers, Siao Shi slowly walked towards the reception room. Without hesitation, he flung open the door, and the Royalist officials who were sitting on the sofa, smoking cigars, turned around with puzzled expressions.

“Wh-what’s going on?”

“…”

Judging by how flustered they were, they must have been discussing something related to Bariel.

Siao Shi quickly memorized the faces of the men in the reception room. One, two, three, four. Where were the others?

“We are inspecting in preparation for any possible situation. My apologies.”

“Ahem. No, look here. Where would we hide any troops here? Please make some noise next time!”

“…Where are the others?”

“I’m not sure, but they must be somewhere in the East Wing. By the way, what is your position?”

“…Excuse me. Please rest.”

“H-hey-!”

Siao Shi closed the door without answering the question. Some of them did not hide their displeasure, but well, there was nothing they could do.

“I heard there were a total of seven officials, but three are missing. Check it out.”

“Yes, Siao Shi.”

They were somewhere in the East Wing.

Siao Shi went down to the lower level of the East Wing in search of any sign of them, and soon found a group of soldiers moving supplies. Just as he was about to pass them-

“Excuse me. I’m going through.”

Chloe’s voice was heard.

Chloe, with her arms crossed, carefully turned her body and passed through the narrow space, and her peculiar gesture caught Siao Shi’s attention.

She was someone who had been bothering him since before. Siao Shi immediately followed Chloe, and soon he spotted her meeting someone.

‘…That person is.’

“Oh! What is it?”

“Just a moment, I need to…”

“Okay! I always like people with a challenging spirit. Come this way.”

Unexpectedly, it was Acorella.”