Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 649

Endless green stretched out.

Ian felt the wind as he looked around at the distant scenery. The Wizard’s Forest was wider and denser than he had imagined. Aside from the mountain birds flying by, there was no sign of any other life.

Berik, who was pushing through the undergrowth below, shouted loudly.

“Ian! Can you see anything?”

“No. Nothing at all.”

“How did that bastard Zaira live in a place like this?”

“There must be a separate entrance and path to the forest. The border area probably hasn’t been developed because there are no people coming and going.”

Ian said, landing lightly. He could have gone straight to the royal palace, but if the Luswena army entered Hielro through another route in the meantime, it would be a disaster.

The surest way was to first capture the vanguard of the Luswena army at this forest, then figure out their movements and deal with them step by step.

Anyone with the name of Luswena would not be allowed to set foot on the land of Bariel. Ian swore that.

“The forest is too dense to see from above. We have no choice but to find a path from below.”

“You mean, I have to work harder to clear the weeds?”

“You’re smart.”

Berik grinned and then cut down a tree branch with a swish, clearing a path. Then he suddenly asked.

“But why the place where the wizards lived?”

Waiting for the Luswena vanguard here? Okay, that makes sense. But he didn’t know why they were looking for the village where Zaira had lived.

Ian, who was slowly following behind Berik, looking for any traces, opened his mouth.

“If the wizard returned to Luswena, they would have a complete understanding of the current situation in Hielro.”

“I guess so? They would have reported everything in detail, right? But you said the wizard used forbidden magic. Wouldn’t he be dead?”

“Death itself could be a report. It means that the battle in Hielro was not easy, so we can predict the situation at the border.”

In reality, they were completely annihilated, but in Luswena, there was enough room to interpret it that way.

Then there was only one option left for them. Before reinforcements arrived from the center, they would launch an all-out attack following the wizard.

In particular, Hielro and Mereloph were strategically vital points that had to be passed before moving to the center. The outcome of the war would depend on whether or not they could occupy the two territories.

“So, whether Hielro fought well or not, the fact that the wizard returned like that means Luswena has no choice but to attack quickly?”

“Yes. Luswena will come rushing in with all their might. There is no better opportunity. Because they believe that I and His Majesty are in Kalamat. And they have a wizard, black armor, and a dragon.”

That’s why they were looking for the wizard’s base. Zaira and his family would have packed their belongings before defecting to Bariel, but their village was a place that had been part of Luswena’s history. There would be something left behind.

“If the new wizards of Luswena have passed through this place, we need to know even more.”

“I see. I don’t really understand.”

“…If you don’t understand, make it a habit to memorize it.”

“That’s why I’m working hard! Tearing off the stems!”

How many wizards would there be? He had roughly figured out the number of dragons and black armor, but the variable was the wizards. Were they so loyal to Luswena that they would use forbidden magic? Or was it for another reason, like Zaira’s grandmother?

Ian was confident even if a dozen or so wizards came, but forbidden magic was a different story. If it intervened, things would get messed up.

‘Now, there will be absolutely no mistakes.’

He would not allow even a single blade of grass in Bariel to be crushed by the enemy’s hands. He would protect the smiles of everyone he had faced.

“Huh?”

Finally, something that could be called a path appeared. It was a fork in the road. Ian chose the south, which was the direction of the Luswena capital, and it was the right decision. Soon, he discovered a small, charming village of huts.

The village had roofs covered with moss and vines, and walls made of oak. There were traces everywhere that looked like they had been practicing drawing magic circles.

“Oh, it’s smaller than I thought.”

“Let’s look around. Berik. Over there.”

“What would I know even if I looked? I’ll see if there’s anything to eat.”

Berik took charge of the residential area, and Ian checked the public facilities. It seemed like they were in such a hurry when they defected that all sorts of papers and objects were scattered on the floor.

Through a half-open drawer, he could see magic stones and all sorts of potions that had been used for research. After looking at them, there didn’t seem to be anything special…

Creak.

The wall seemed to be slightly loose, so he pulled it, and it opened like a door, revealing a hidden basement. It seemed to be a place where old books were stored, as the smell of rotten paper and soil mixed together and rushed up at once.

Ian slowly took a step, and picked up a book that was particularly glossy.

–

‘It’s a book published by the Carbo Temple.’

The place where Jin was born, and the sacred temple of Bariel that started from Riversaid. Come to think of it, it wasn’t that far from here.

Judging by the condition of the book, it must have been a product of exchanges at least 100 years ago. Ian dusted it off and carefully turned the pages.

Sarak.

It was a kind of guide that organized the mindset and rules of the priests. It seemed that the Luswena wizards had studied the book because they had the commonality of ‘following God’.

Ian skimmed through it, and then focused on a part that someone had underlined.

-…In the eyes of God, the greatest achievement that a human body can achieve is love, and the only way to embody love is sacrifice. All actions that involve sacrifice are considered to have God’s permission. Even if it challenges his authority.

Sarak.

-…To sacrifice oneself is as contradictory as hot ice. If the combination of the two words comes to your mind, take a deep breath and face your inner self. Is it truly a sacrifice, or is it greed?

What does this mean? Ian frowned, feeling like he knew something but it was still blurry. He looked through the rest of the pages, but there was nothing particularly recorded.

Ian tore out the problematic part and folded it into his pocket, and thoroughly searched the inside of the basement. Most of it seemed to be neatly organized, so it seemed that Zaira and his family had not been able to pay attention to it when they defected.

“Ian-ah!”

At that moment, Berik’s shout was heard from outside. When he went out, Berik was looking up at the sky as if he had sensed something, and the tips of his ears were constantly twitching.

“What’s wrong?”

“…Something’s coming. I can hear a sound.”

Then he kept twitching his ears.

Ian lowered his posture, hiding his presence. Who else would be looking for an abandoned village other than them? He had a bad feeling.

Soon, the source of the noise became clear.

“……!”

What Berik heard was not the vibration of the earth, but the flow of the sky. The two felt something constantly moving back and forth between the dense leaves, and immediately looked up at the sky.

Giant wings, blue scales, tremendous speed……

“Dragon.”

Shhh!

Kyak!

It was hard to see because the scales were camouflaged, but it was clear that its mobility was considerable. It was clear that it had been sent ahead for reconnaissance purposes.

The dragon circled the vicinity of the Wizard’s Forest several times, then turned its body in the direction it had come from. It was going back.

“Ian, what should we do? Should we catch-”

Berik asked, looking at Ian, but then stopped for a moment.

“…Ian?”

Ian’s eyes were gleaming. Like a beast that had found its prey, his golden eyes were shining.

Ian didn’t take his eyes off the dragon, and took a few steps slowly as if he was possessed, then exploded his magic and flew into the sky.

Ziiing, ziiing!

Poong!

“Ian!”

It was instantaneous. He tried to catch up, but he couldn’t even dare. Berik just watched Ian fly towards the dragon with his mouth open. Holy, shit!

Swaaaak!

Ian flew behind the dragon and gathered magic spheres with all his might in both hands. The dragon, sensing his presence, changed its course, but Ian didn’t care and accelerated further, closing the distance.

And then-

Kwaang! Kwaaang!

Kieeeek!

Hot flames burst several times in the clear sky.

The dragon bared its sharp fangs and lunged at Ian, and Ian clenched his teeth and extended his fist towards the dragon’s snout. The moment the dragon’s mouth was about to engulf Ian-

‘Idgal.’

Hundreds of sharp Idgal [a type of magical construct] extended and pierced the dragon’s head. Unlike the dragon’s whole body, which was covered in hard scales, the inside of its snout was only soft flesh, which was the dragon’s only weakness.

Ian didn’t stop and kept creating Idgal, and the dragon, pierced by an almost infinite number of Idgal, eventually fell into the forest.

Kuuung!

Due to the weight of the Idgal mass, it seemed that the entire forest was vibrating. Berik ran to where the dragon had fallen to check its condition.

“Ugh, it died before it even fell. Ian, are you okay?”

Ian just brushed off the sleeves stained with the dragon’s blood, and seemed fine.

“I’m fine. It seems like it was still young.”

“Yeah. It’s nothing compared to Kyu.”

It was definitely for reconnaissance. And just one. If there had been several, Ian would have been a bit annoyed. Berik looked up at Ian, leaving the limp dragon behind.

“But if this was for reconnaissance, they would have noticed something was wrong in the Wizard’s Forest since this guy died.”

“I guess so.”

Ian muttered, neatly folding his sleeves, and then looked up at one side of the sky. He looked like a priest preparing for a solemn ritual.

Berik, who didn’t know what was going on, just blinked, and then climbed to the top of the tallest oak tree and looked in the direction Ian was looking. Berik’s eyes narrowed.

In the distance, something could be seen.

“What is that, what is that?”

“It’s a dragon.”

“Yeah, yeah. I can see that it’s flying.”

“And black armor too.”

“Huh? Really? Ah, you bastards, it’s good to see you.”

Three dragons were flying. On their backs, swordsmen in black armor were riding like beasts, one on each.

Ian lightly shook his hands and assessed his surroundings. Behind him was all desert. And below was the Wizard’s Forest. In front and to the sides, the reeds of midsummer were lush.

‘Air battle… Three dragons. Three black armors.’

It wasn’t necessary, but it seemed like it would be easier with Berik.

Ian hesitated for a moment, then came down and looked around. Then he stood among the densely packed oak trees and knelt on one knee.

“Ian, what are you doing?”

“Shhh.”

When Ian raised his finger, telling him to be quiet, Berik followed suit and closed his mouth. If Ian told him to do it, he had to do it, what else!

The forest was quiet, and the sound of huge wings flapping could be heard faintly in the distance. Ian waited calmly, and Berik also realized what he was trying to do.

“Ian, they’re coming.”

“Yeah.”

The moment the dragons passed over their heads. Ian quickly created Idgal.

A giant net extending from the earth. Thin golden Idgal strands passed through the trees and flew into the sky, and soon they were tightly woven together.

Swaaaak!

“……!”

The flying dragons and black armor swordsmen were startled and stopped, but it was already too late. They had no choice but to lower their altitude to avoid the Idgal net falling below.

To be precise, it was more accurate to say that they fell because they were caught in the net. The dense trees on the sides and the unknown golden net above made flying very difficult.

“W-what is this?”

“Hey, are you okay? It’s Idgal!”

“Idgal? Why all of a sudden……”

As they tried to break the Idgal net by swinging their swords, they heard an unfamiliar presence.

Sasaak!

The sound of a nimble beast crossing through the bushes. The black armor swordsmen looked around, not knowing what was going on, and then simultaneously looked at each other and shouted.

“Behind you!”

‘Behind me?’

Ziiing! Ziiing!

Ian and Berik, who had been hiding in the bushes, flew out and exploded their magic. In Berik’s grasp was a red, hot magic sword, and in Ian’s grasp was a brilliant Idgal sword.

“Berik!”

“I know!”

The weakness of the black armor was the head. Ian and Berik clenched their teeth and swung their swords as close as possible.

The black armor swordsmen also reflexively swung their swords, and the dragons, feeling threatened, struggled and shook their bodies back and forth.

Kwaaang! Kwang! Kwang!

A huge gust of wind, so powerful that it broke a giant oak tree, struck. Mushroom clouds rose, and gray smoke covered the sky.

Meanwhile, in a distant place. Martin, the Minister of National Defense of Luswena, who was watching this scene through a telescope, frowned.

O