Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 703

KWA-AANG! KWANG!

PEONG! PYEONG! PYEONG!

Eileen’s mind went blank. The earth shook and split with a deafening roar. Tree branches whipped violently, and stones and sand shot into the sky, falling like rain.

As the barrier core buried beneath the earth revealed itself, it exploded on its own with even the slightest impact, creating secondary tremors.

“No-!”

‘Is this really okay?’ Eileen wanted to question Beric, but she couldn’t. She couldn’t glare at him because the wind made it hard to open her eyes, and she couldn’t say a word because dirt kept getting into her mouth.

‘This is driving me crazy!’

This isn’t Burgos; it’s Toolun. Eileen couldn’t even guess what the consequences would be for provoking the enemy without orders from above. She barely managed to reach out and grab Beric’s sleeve.

“Huh?”

“Stop it!”

“Why?”

KWA-AANG! KWANG!

The explosions seemed to answer Beric’s question. ‘It’s exploding just fine, what’s the problem?’

Eileen looked up at him with a bewildered gaze. As the tremors subsided, a familiar white building appeared behind Beric. The white temple, Masantar.

“Hmm. The square shape makes it look perfect for cutting up.”

“You need to go back now.”

“You know, when do I retreat?”

Beric grinned and stepped inside the broken barrier. Then, the thin barrier that remained like a spiderweb shattered with a ‘crack’ and disappeared.

“When the retreat order comes from above.”

‘But technically, aren’t you lower in rank than me?’

Beric said this and strode towards the temple. Priests who had been fleeing were scattered everywhere. Some had fainted from the explosions, while others had died.

“No, wait! Sir Beric!”

“I’m a pro at this kind of thing, so don’t worry, I’ll make a quick escape when it’s time. And isn’t that Banusa, or whatever his name is, the one who might be helpful to Bariel, captured?”

‘Then I should bring him along.’

Beric turned around with his huge magic sword slung over his shoulder. Then, Cedric, who had been hiding behind a large tree, approached, making his presence known.

“If you’re scared to go in, stay here. But give me the letter. And Cedric, you protect the woman.”

“…Yes.”

Cedric replied a beat late, acknowledging the order. He thought Beric was just a simpleton who got flicked on the forehead by Commander Jayrut, but the power he had just shown was truly awe-inspiring.

‘I too…’

A powerful force that far exceeded the limits of humanity. Would he ever gain such power? The thought made Cedric’s eyes widen. He felt a surge of joy from deep within his chest.

“No! Please take that back!”

Cedric’s mind snapped back to reality at Eileen’s shrill voice. Her face was flushed as she faced Beric calmly.

“It’s not because I’m afraid. I just meant that it’s right to follow the orders from above. Such words are an insult to a Bariel soldier.”

“Hmm.”

Beric rubbed his chin lightly, then pondered. Now that he heard it, it did seem that way.

“Sorry.”

Eileen’s eyes widened, surprised that he would apologize so readily. The venom drained away, and her eyes returned to their original pure state.

“Orders from above, okay. I acknowledge that too.”

“I, I am grateful that you corrected yourself.”

“But isn’t that over there asking for a fight?”

Eileen looked towards the river at Beric’s gesture. And soon, she was faced with water that was darker than ever before.

“… !”

Now that it was revealed that the temple was the source of the polluted water, they were blatantly releasing even darker water. It was like a final struggle, or perhaps a provocation. As if to say, ‘even if you find out, nothing will change.’

Eileen felt her heart sink.

“Those-!”

‘Those bastards!’ How many people would die because of that? It was as if they were trying to kill the entire Gaia [the world].

Beric pointed to the edge of the temple with his fingertip.

“They’re watching us, right?”

The white-robed priests were watching them from afar. As if they were a pack of beasts that had invaded their front yard. Eileen bit her lower lip.

“That’s them asking to be destroyed. It’s rude to refuse.”

Taat!

Beric said this and dashed towards the temple. Eileen tried to stop him, shouting something, but she paused when she saw the black river.

‘It’s a matter of time.’

As time passed, the river would spread further and seep deeper into the ground.

Eileen gritted her teeth and ran, drawing her sword.

“Over there-”

“It’s okay!”

Not towards where Beric went, but towards the river.

Cedric couldn’t even grasp what the woman was trying to do. So, he doubted that she would really jump into the river, but-

Splash!

Eileen didn’t hesitate and threw herself straight into the polluted water. Then, she spread her arms wide, covering herself in the black water. To increase the area of contact with the water, even by a little. Then, she took a deep breath and submerged herself completely.

“Huh?”

Bubbling, Cedric gauged Eileen’s life by the small bubbles. ‘Isn’t this poison? Is this okay? She’s the woman the Emperor likes, right?’ Beric didn’t even tell him what to do in this situation and just left; he really is a bastard.

Then, Cedric suddenly realized that the black river was becoming lighter. Specifically, around where Eileen was.

‘…It’s being purified.’

The boy just stood there blankly, watching in amazement. He had wondered why the Emperor had taken a liking to this woman, but now he felt like he understood a little.

“Puhah-!”

“Is there anything I can do to help?”

“Yes, I’m fine.”

“Please tell me if you need anything. Protecting you is my order from above.”

Eileen chuckled and stared at the temple. Then, she suddenly wondered about Clark’s whereabouts. He wouldn’t have been able to enter the barrier, so he must be somewhere in the forest. But there was no response, so she didn’t know what he was doing. Beric had turned the area upside down, so had he been swept away and mutated?

“What’s wrong?”

“There was someone who came up here with me, but I can’t see him. His name is Clark, and I’m worried about him.”

“Ah, Mereloff’s boyfriend?”

“Who?”

“I don’t know exactly. That’s what my senior called him.”

KWA-AANG! KWANG!

As soon as Beric was mentioned, another roar came from the temple. As if to say, ‘I’m here!’ He really is so uncouth.

“Welcome the guests, you pseudo-bastards!”

Thud thud!

Beric smashed every decoration he could see as he entered the temple. There were a few people standing at the entrance, but they hid inside when they saw Beric approaching.

A strangely quiet space. Beric suddenly felt that something was off.

“Huh?”

It was too easy. There wasn’t a single person blocking him, and the temple entrance was wide open. As if they wanted him to come inside.

Beric grinned and shouted loudly.

“You idiots! How much experience do you think I have?! I won’t fall for this!”

KWA-AANG! KWANG!

‘I’ll smash it up nicely outside and then go back!’ It was the moment Beric was about to swing his magic greatsword.

There was movement at the temple entrance. The priest who had just gone in was bringing someone out. ‘Who is it?’ Beric’s greatsword stopped in mid-air.

“You are a rude intruder.”

“It’s weird if an intruder is polite. But who are you?”

“I am the High Priest of the Masantar Temple, Rajuda.”

“Ah. Raju…”

Beric trailed off, as if he understood something. Not knowing the meaning, Rajuda scolded him with a stern gaze.

“You must be a warrior of Bariel.”

“Hmm. Don’t you know?”

Watching Ian during the war, he saw that revealing his identity was like using a card. ‘Hmm… But since Eileen is worried, should I pretend not to know first?’

“It seems you are someone who doesn’t even know who you are, so you probably don’t know about the inviolability agreement. This is a sacred temple. Why are you causing such a commotion?”

“What kind of sacred temple has sewage flowing out of it? Shut up and take that and shove it in your mouth.”

The priest standing next to Rajuda gasped, his mouth agape. He had never seen anyone so vulgar. High Priest Rajuda’s face also hardened, and he warned in a low voice.

“Do not speak so carelessly. You will be punished by the heavens.”

“It’s okay! If I stick next to you, I won’t be punished by the heavens. It’ll be too busy hitting the top of your head, you know.”

He was someone who couldn’t be reasoned with. High Priest Rajuda clicked his tongue and turned his body.

“Everything the temple does has meaning. If you want to stop it, come inside and try to stop it yourself. Though the gods will not allow it.”

“Yeah, you’re full of it! You pseudo-bastards always have ‘god, god’ on your lips-!”

Chwaaak!

“Why are your actions always like that!”

‘Where are you trying to go? You walked out on your own, so I’ll cut you down nicely!’ Beric jumped powerfully into the air and swung his sword.

High Priest Rajuda turned his head and glanced at him, then rolled up his sleeve and extended one long, white finger.

Peeng-!

“Huh?”

Then, Beric’s body stopped in mid-air. Other than moving his facial muscles, he felt like his entire body was pressed down and unable to move.

High Priest Rajuda slowly approached Beric and muttered.

“It’s truly difficult to understand foolish people. If they had understood when spoken to, they wouldn’t have made things so complicated.”

“Ah, so if we don’t listen to you, we’re all fools?”

Despite the disadvantageous situation, Beric was composed. No, he even seemed a little amused. After all, there were few who had bound him like this with a single flick of a finger. ‘It’s been a while since he’s met a strong one!’

“Is that why you got pissed and ran away here?”

“…What do you mean?”

High Priest Rajuda’s brow furrowed.

“No, there’s a priest with the same name as you in Bariel. He said ‘God doesn’t exist,’ blah blah blah, but in the end, it didn’t work and he died.”

Beric’s eyes sparkled. ‘Is he getting scratched? Isn’t he?’

“But recently, we found traces of a priest named Rajuda who said the same thing in Burgos. Are you both the same person? The regulars here are good at regressing [reverting to a previous state].”

He was referring to Rutherford and King Damon. Unlike in Bariel, the claim in Burgos seemed to have worked quite well, but that was it. Beric whispered with a smirk.

“But you know what?”

‘You, who shouted ‘God doesn’t exist.”

“Thanks to you, Ian was able to expose Arsen’s identity. I guess you’re the type who doesn’t think about the aftermath? You really gave the dog the porridge you cooked [a saying meaning you helped someone who ended up betraying you]. Thanks.”

As Beric’s laughter grew lower, High Priest Rajuda’s face grew colder. He carefully rolled up his sleeve and placed his finger on Beric’s forehead.

“…Wouldn’t you be the one who doesn’t think about the aftermath?”

“Ha, a flick on the forehead? Okay, come on. I’ll take it properly.”

Suck! Beric clenched his teeth as if preparing. He didn’t know what it was, but if this was released, he would beat him to a pulp.

High Priest Rajuda looked at him for a moment, then-

Teing!

He unleashed an unknown force again.

A small breeze, barely enough to drop a single leaf. But the enormous power concentrated at his fingertip was more than enough to shatter Beric’s entire body.

O