Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 719

“Chief.”

“What is it?”

“It’s the Bariel army. They’re coming this way.”

The Landarin village also noticed the approach of the Bariel army.

The chief, who had been sipping tea, carefully set his cup down and looked at the man with his dim eyes. A brief silence. As the chief struggled to rise, the people next to him helped him up.

“…Bring me my staff.”

“Yes, Chief.”

“And tell everyone to come outside. There’s no point in hiding.”

At the old man’s instruction, people moved quickly. The smoke rising from the chimneys stopped, and cloths were hung over the windows.

The people, led by the chief, gathered in the village square and waited for the Bariel soldiers to arrive. Their appearance was so orderly that the soldiers, upon seeing them, were taken aback and hesitated.

“Welcome to Landarin Village.”

“…This is a first for such a welcome.”

“How could we pretend not to notice when the Bariel flag is flying so high from afar? I am Bakutu, the chief of Landarin Village. If you ask us to move aside, we will move aside, and if you ask for food, we will provide it. So, please, just spare our lives.”

The soldier who had gone out to scout the village felt a bit deflated. It was obvious that such a small village could not resist. But this kind of surrender was unexpected. They had expected the village to be abandoned and its people to flee.

The soldiers dismounted and looked around.

“Are all the villagers here?”

“Yes. It’s a small village of about 400 people.”

“Tsk, they have no pride.”

A Bariel soldier muttered with a sneer. They were on their way to capture the Toolun capital, yet here they were, groveling and begging for their lives. Did they not care what happened to their country? Well, it was better for them, though.

“It’s so small, there’s nothing more to see.”

“Chief, cut off a bit of your hair. We’ll report it.”

At the soldiers’ command, the chief nodded.

“Bring a dagger and a fine cloth.”

“Yes, Chief.”

“Please wait a moment, guests of Bariel. I will add the cloth as a sign of respect.”

At his words, the soldiers laughed even louder. It wasn’t even a lord’s sign of surrender, yet this mere chief was trying to save face?

“Enough. How can we present your respect to the Emperor?”

“Ah, I see. I was presumptuous.”

…It’s the main force led by the Emperor, the chief thought as he bowed his head.

And at the same time, a question arose. Among the paths leading from the south, there are several large roads that the main force could use. But weren’t most of them blocked due to the recent natural disasters?

‘They had information. Then they must have come up through one of the villages in the south, but did they say anything about us?’

“Before you leave, would you like to have a drink?”

“Ah. No, thanks. What makes you think we trust you?”

“If you’re going to offer something, offer something other than water.”

Like jewels, for example. As the soldiers chuckled, the chief bowed even lower and said,

“If we do, will you speak well of us?”

“Of course. We’ll report that you’re spineless and desperate for life, and that we can pass by without any trouble.”

The chief was curious. Did the capital know about their advance north?

If they did, they would have surely sent soldiers. Then they would have no choice but to come down the path that connects to Landarin Village.

“…Wait a moment.”

The chief slowly rose and turned around. The villagers, who had been kneeling with him, subtly raised their heads to check the chief’s face.

A firmly set mouth, and a silent gaze that seemed to be giving instructions. They immediately understood what the chief wanted and nodded carefully.

“Hurry.”

“It’s a precious item, so it will take time to bring it from the depths of the warehouse. Is there a set time limit? If so, I will later-”

“You fool! Later what? Do you think it will reach my hands if you bring it later? We just need to get back before sunset, so move quickly!”

Talking nonsense, tsk. The soldiers clicked their tongues and sat down on the chairs in the square, and the chief bowed deeply before slowly retreating.

“I understand.”

It was then. The neck of a soldier, who had been sitting without suspicion, was torn off. The attack was so quiet and sudden that the soldier sitting right next to him only realized it when he saw the blood splattering.

“Wh, what!”

“Cough, cough!”

And then, something sharp pierced his open mouth as well.

The villagers were still kneeling on the ground, pretending to surrender. How could this be happening?

Even amidst all this, the soldiers were dying one by one without knowing why, and the horses they had ridden were just snorting and watching the scene.

“They’re all dead, Chief.”

“Clean up. Polish the armor and hide it, just in case, and get rid of the bodies without a trace.”

The chief instructed, looking at the air. Upon closer inspection, drops of blood were floating in the air, pressed down. Seeing this, the chief scolded.

“I told you to be careful not to get blood on it.”

“I’m sorry. I was in a hurry.”

“Be careful.”

Swoosh.

People appeared from nowhere. Seven in total. They were a mix of men, women, and children, and their appearances were no different from ordinary people.

“What should we do now?”

“The villagers will clean up the bodies, and you will take the mirrors and go down the mountain, moving around. The goal is to create a chaotic array of light to make them think there’s something there.”

“Understood.”

“We will hold them back until reinforcements arrive from the capital, and if they try to pass this way, we will cut them off. It’s good that the Emperor is there. If we take care of him, the Bariel army will have no choice but to retreat.”

“C, can we do it? They seem to be so many.”

“We have to make it happen. This is our land.”

At the chief’s answer, the villagers nodded with determination. Some wiped away tears, and others crushed the soldiers’ bodies in anger.

“Be careful of the invisible ones. There are mages in Bariel.”

“Yes, we understand.”

The seven people disappeared again. Only faint footprints indicated that they had left the village.

The chief looked at the height of the sun as he watched the bodies being dragged away.

“Once it’s cleaned up, I’ll send someone to the Bariel main force around sunset. We’ve bought ourselves about six hours for now. Fabi, who is the fastest, go up to the capital. Tell everyone that the Bariel soldiers have arrived.”

“Yes, Chief. I’ll prepare.”

The chief sat down on a chair and rubbed his staff with his hand. It was a gesture that dulled his anxiety and impatience. His family, who were assisting him, knelt down and asked.

“Are you alright?”

“Of course. I’m fine.”

What’s so precious about an old man’s life? The chief took a breath and patted his family’s shoulders.

“It’s sparkling! It seems the invisible ones are shaking the mirrors.”

“…I see.”

Something was constantly sparkling around the entrance of the village. The intervals were irregular, and it was coming from various places.

Meanwhile, the Bariel main force clearly saw this as well.

“Minister, something keeps sparkling.”

“Yes. I see it.”

Tweller looked at it closely with a telescope, but he couldn’t find any clues.

“I don’t see any people. Is it a shield?”

“I don’t know. We can’t tell right now. We’ll wait until the scouts return.”

They would know when they returned.

But unlike expected, the scouts were late to return. They showed no signs until the sun began to set and turn into twilight.

‘Something’s strange.’

At that moment, Tweller frowned.

“Someone is coming out of the village!”

“Are they the scouts?”

“I don’t think so. It’s one person.”

Tweller looked at the approaching person through the telescope. It was a bit dark, so he couldn’t identify him right away, but it seemed to be a villager.

He gestured to the officer next to him to check what was going on.

Tap tap!

“Stop!”

“E, excuse me! I am a person from Landarin Village. Are you, by any chance, the Bariel main force?”

The officer frowned at the unexpected words. The scouts had entered a while ago, so why was he talking as if he was seeing them for the first time?

The man hesitated and shouted, keeping his distance.

“The villagers are wondering and afraid of why you are staying here. If you are going to the capital, please pass by. We will not resist, and we will give you everything you ask for.”

“The scouts entered the village this morning.”

“Huh? What are you talking about?”

The man looked confused at the officer’s words.

“I came here because you were just staying here without saying anything? Did you see the scouts enter the village?”

Due to the terrain, they couldn’t see the entrance to the village, but it was certain that the scouts had gone in. He had ordered them to.

The officer was confused and pointed his sword at the man. He was terrified, raised both hands, and trembled.

“Wh, why are you doing this? Please spare me. All the villagers are begging you.”

“Are you truly saying you didn’t meet the scouts?”

“Yes, yes, I swear to the heavens. Or else, would I be crazy enough to come here?”

The officer told the soldiers to hold the man and then turned around.

Tweller, who had heard the situation, frowned.

“The scouts didn’t enter?”

“Yes, I think it might be because of that sparkling thing from earlier. Isn’t it like the shield we saw in Vergos and Purpato?”

Something was suspicious. Tweller looked at the sky, which had completely darkened, and ordered the man to be brought to him.

“Bring him closer.”

The man was dragged away by the soldiers. He was afraid, but it was okay. His mind was filled with the chief’s instructions.

“If they drag you in to investigate this matter, don’t worry. It means there are no mages in the main force to investigate the mysterious power. Even if you get caught, we will rescue you. It’s okay. Understand?”

The special ability passed down to the chosen ones of the village, invisibility. Even now, his friend might be with him.

The man was relieved, but he deliberately trembled to make his acting thorough. The fear that couldn’t be completely erased made it very natural.

Swoosh.

The tent was pulled back, and Tweller and the officers’ gazes focused on the man from Landarin Village.

“You said you’re from Landarin Village. What’s your name?”

“Ford.”

“Alright, Ford. The Bariel scouts entered the village a few hours ago to contact you. But you say you didn’t see them, which is strange. Is that the truth?”

“Y, yes, it’s the truth. We were actually waiting for them. We were planning to surrender and beg for our lives, so we were anxiously waiting for them to come. But as time kept passing, the chief told me to come and check the intentions of the main force.”

“I see. We saw something sparkling around the village during the day. Do you have any idea what it could be?”

“S, something sparkling?”

The man pretended not to know.

“I don’t know. …Ah, sometimes people from the capital come down and investigate the surroundings as if they are looking for something, maybe it’s that.”

“What is it?”

“Th, that, they didn’t tell us either…”

“Make them lower their guard. Make them complacent by groveling. And make them suspect that something was planted in the capital for defense. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Our goal is to hold them back for even a moment.”

Tweller stroked his beard and narrowed his eyes.

‘It seems like he’s lying.’

His long-standing intuition was telling him. That guy was lying.

But it was all ambiguous to say for sure. The situation, the circumstances, the evidence. Tweller gestured to his subordinates.

“Hold him. I need to report to His Majesty the Emperor and ask for his opinion.”