Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 72

Mereloff the butler’s day always began the same way.

He would tidy the bedding as soon as he woke up, oversee the servants to confirm their morning duties, and organize various letters to be sent to the office while breakfast was being prepared.

All of this had to be done before the morning sun rose.

Knock knock.

“Are you awake, Count?”

Upon hearing Count Mereloff’s reply, the butler opened the door and entered the bedroom. It was the innermost of three rooms. Leaving his wife, who had yet to stop coughing, behind, the Count was already dressed neatly.

“The weather is definitely getting colder.”

“I will have the fireplace cleaned.”

Count Mereloff checked the letters on the tray one by one. Most of them were just formal letters for maintaining social relationships.

“What is this?”

“Ah, my apologies.”

The Count was holding up a reply from Ian. Since the master was indifferent to congratulatory messages, it was also the butler’s role to take care of external reputation.

Count Mereloff muttered, brushing it off casually.

“You are unnecessarily diligent.”

Then, the Count’s hand stopped. Ian had sent a reply not only to the Count but also to the Countess. Without hesitation, the Count broke the sealing wax and checked the contents.

“This is…”

He looked utterly perplexed. His prominent brow ridges became even more pronounced. The butler sensed a wariness in his tightly narrowed eyes.

“This is addressed to Rien?”

“Yes, he knew that Your Lordship had no intention of sending a congratulatory message, so he sent it instead. The Madam is very particular about her role as a supportive wife.”

Count Mereloff placed it on the table and just stared at it intently. The more he did, the more cold sweat trickled down the butler’s back. He couldn’t believe that the day was starting like this.

“It seems he sent a gift as well.”

“I selected some unused items from the warehouse.”

“Personally?”

“…Yes.”

“He personally selected them and even sent a congratulatory message? And Ian received it with great pleasure? Have the two of them met separately?”

The butler shook his head lightly but with conviction.

It was just a pile of scrap metal that they didn’t even know existed. Even if the greetings exchanged were polite, the Count, being a noble, would know better that they were not sincere.

Rustle.

The sound of the Countess tossing and turning in the innermost bedroom was particularly loud. Today, it wasn’t just the butler who was having a bad day.

“That would not have happened, Count.”

“When Ian came to the central mansion, did you not meet him?”

“Ah, I did encounter him when I went to see him off. But it was very, very brief, and we didn’t exchange any words.”

The butler added desperately, as if making excuses, but it seemed to have fallen on deaf ears. The Count’s already dark face turned even more bloodless. It was clear that his blood pressure was rising.

“Good morning.”

At that moment, the Countess walked out of the inner bedroom in light clothing. Yawning like a cat, she snatched the letter from the Count’s hand.

“Why are you reading something that was addressed to me without permission?”

“Look here, Rien.”

“Let’s see, what does it say? Hmm. He says he genuinely likes it. Should I be happy about this or not? Hahaha.”

The Countess laughed as if she didn’t care about her husband’s unusual mood. The butler turned his head away as if vowing not to look, and the more he did, the more twisted the atmosphere in the bedroom became. It was the effect created by the infinitely light and the infinitely heavy.

“Prepare the meal.”

“Yes, Count.”

“I want to have venison steak today.”

“Yes, Madam. I will prepare it.”

“You said that last time, but you didn’t serve it, did you?”

“…I apologize. I will correct it.”

It was an autumn without the joy of harvest. The mansion was always abundant, so there were no problems with the kitchen operations, but it was often difficult to obtain ingredients that had to be sourced externally in just one day.

Especially venison, like now.

Countess Mereloff sat on the edge of the table and casually asked her husband.

“Honey, I heard that the Bratz people are all growing and eating gulla. They say it tastes surprisingly good?”

“They’ve become beasts from hanging out with beasts. Do they eat such things because they have nothing else to eat?”

“Even if that’s the case for us, the situation is different for those below us. Lord Ian said he wants to see us to express his gratitude, so should I go and visit him?”

“Where? To Bratz?”

Count Mereloff’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. But the Countess nodded as if she had nothing to hide.

“Well, do you think I would go anywhere else?”

“Nonsense. Every year at this time, you whine the same thing. There’s nothing to eat, and so on. The merchant caravan from the Hawan Kingdom will be here soon, so just endure until then. Why do you all lack the ability to learn? Tsk tsk.”

Why would they lack the ability to learn? Because they did, the number of people farming each year decreased, and the number of estate residents opening entertainment or lodging businesses only increased. Even with winter approaching, there were many who relied solely on the merchant caravan and did not prepare.

‘…There are problems both inside and out.’

The butler bowed his head and left the bedroom. Countess Mereloff just smiled at him, not saying anything else.

“Honey.”

As soon as the door was completely closed, Rien placed her hand on her husband’s shoulder and asked. The Count’s mood was still at rock bottom.

“By the way, when is the caravan from Hawan supposed to arrive?”

“Why do you ask that?”

“Can’t I ask?”

“…I received word that they will depart in a month.”

“A month from now. Then they have to cross the mountains, so a month and a half? No. Maybe a month and a week…”

The Count’s gaze became even more fierce at his wife’s muttering. She was an unpredictable woman even normally, but lately, it had become worse.

“I hope they come soon.”

She said that and slipped out of the bedroom. A man who was wiping the window in the hallway paused and looked towards the door. The woman glared at the man with an expression that was not just cold but murderous.

“Clark, make sure the windows are sparkling clean. Guests from the Hawan Kingdom will be arriving in a month.”

“…Yes, I understand.”

The man named Clark just nodded and replied that he understood. He kept wiping the windows, repeating to himself. A month from now, Hawan Kingdom departure. A month from now, Hawan Kingdom departure….

* * *

After Kakanthir left, Ian focused on the full-scale investigation of Mereloff in his office. There was nothing more important than knowing the enemy on the battlefield. Before contacting Mereloff, it was advantageous to know as much detail as possible about them.

“By the way, about Countess Mereloff.”

“The Countess?”

Romandro’s subordinate flipped through the report and tilted his head in confusion.

“We’ve confirmed that her name is Rien Mereloff, but we don’t know where she’s from.”

“You mean you don’t know her family?”

“Not only her family, but we also don’t know exactly what her social status was. It’s been three years since they got married, and the wedding was so small that many of the estate residents found out about it later.”

Listening to Romandro and his subordinate’s conversation, Ian raised his head. No matter how simple it was, it was a Count’s wedding.

“That means there was a significant difference in social status.”

“I think so too. Could she have been a commoner?”

“Hmm. I wonder.”

Ian shrugged, recalling the strangely smiling face of Countess Mereloff. It was certain that she was an outsider. And above all, she knew about the dripper, so she couldn’t have been of ordinary origin.

“Has the merchant caravan departing from the Hawan Kingdom been identified?”

“It’s called the Illak Caravan, and it’s a caravan that travels every five years. The total number of people, including the caravan leader, is about 100.”

“It’s not as big as I thought.”

“Instead, there are many who rely on it because its route is fixed.”

It was a method where individuals or small caravans paid to join and ensure their safety. Since the number was over fifty, it could be considered a scale of about 150 to 200 people.

“It is said that large and small caravans will continue to arrive every fifteen days, starting with the Illak Caravan.”

“Then, it’s important to catch those guys in the beginning.”

“If they accept our patronage, it will be quite easy for us.”

It was Nersarn’s words. He flipped through the documents, slowly pointing at the letters as he read. Since it was Bariel, it took him longer to check than others.

“They are not personnel who can respond in an emergency, and above all, wouldn’t they be a burden?”

“I think so too. Then, we should start setting the date. They will try to arrive before winter, so at the latest…”

“Ah, I know the date.”

Romandro’s subordinate raised his hand happily.

“They will depart from the Hawan Kingdom in a month, so the rumor has spread that they will arrive after the time it takes to cross the mountains.”

“The rumor has spread? Where?”

“From Mereloff.”

Upon learning the exact date, Romandro and his subordinates shouted that it was done and encouraged each other. Only Ian remained silent, unable to smile.

“Is there a problem?”

“It only takes ten days to get here from the Hawan Kingdom.”

“No, no. That’s not the problem. I was wondering if there are no bandits around here.”

Especially, bandits. A merchant caravan has many mercenaries, but that also means they have a lot of valuables. If they announce the timing in advance, they could become targets for bandits. If bandits get involved, it could disrupt the plan. It would be best to cross as quietly and quickly as possible.

“Hmm. Bandits. Wouldn’t they be gone due to the aftermath of the battle?”

“And they need to announce the expected arrival time so that the estate can prepare for it.”

Ian nodded, feeling a bit uneasy. Yes. It was important for the caravan or Mereloff, but it was irrelevant to Ian.

“Okay. Then let’s start the process…”

Thump thump thump! Thump thump! Thump!

It was then. A loud vibration echoed from the end of the hallway. Someone was approaching at a rapid pace. It was not a pace that could be considered a normal human’s.

Romandro and his subordinates quickly reached for their swords, but Ian, Nersarn, and Berik calmly closed their documents.

Wham!

“You’re here?”

Berik was the first to greet her.

“You have no manners.”

Nersarn lightly scolded her.

“Soo.”

“Aaaah! Why me!”

Her face was flushed as she clenched her fists. As soon as Kakanthir returned to Cheonryeo, he had sent Soo here.

“Well, you’re loud as soon as you arrive.”

“Berik! It’s you! You recommended me, didn’t you?”

“What power do I have? Can’t you see me now? While everyone else is working at the table, I’m lying crumpled on the sofa.”

“Why! Why me? Huh? It’s already cold outside the desert, and you’re telling me to climb the mountains now? I don’t even know what those mountains look like!”

“Liar.”

“Shut up, Berik! I’m not in my right mind right now!”

Ian got up from his seat and greeted Soo. Her eyes, looking up at him with heavy breaths, were full of resentment.

“Why do I have to go all the way to the Hawan Kingdom and infiltrate the merchant caravan! Are there so few talented people here?”

So, that’s why they called her, who was eating and playing well, here! She should have known when Kakan passed the meat to her plate. Oh my god, oh my god! The Hawan Kingdom!

Ian smiled brightly and nodded.

“Yes. There are no talented people. No matter how much I think about it, there is no one more suitable than you. Take a breath and I will tell you the plan in more detail. Kakan must have told you roughly, right?”

At those words, Soo held her forehead and couldn’t help but lament.

“Ha, roughly. Very roughly. Infiltrate the caravan and release the gulla poison.”