Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 738

“Ah, the market.”

Banusa was quite perplexed to learn that Ian had been taken by the market authorities. *How was she supposed to interpret this?*

As she trailed off, the mages, who had been searching all over, turned their attention to her.

“What’s wrong?”

“Well, the market here is run by a rather special person.”

“Special? He’s just some market-”

“He’s the king’s father. Biologically.”

“Huh!”

Everyone’s eyes widened in surprise. It was an entirely unexpected connection.

*Well, if he hadn’t fallen from the sky, the king would have parents too.* It wasn’t that surprising that he’d take a position of power, riding on that influence.

The problem was that the king was a puppeteer.

“We, we shouldn’t be doing this here. If he’s the king’s father, he’s definitely connected to the king. We’ll be found out immediately.”

“Yeah, that’s right, Captain. We went through all that trouble to sneak in, and it turns out we didn’t need to.”

“Isn’t Ian-nim in danger?”

“Let’s go! Right now-!”

Banusa stopped the mages from running out. Hale and Acorella also calmed the mages, telling them to stay put.

This wasn’t just anywhere; it was the capital of Toolun, right in the heart of enemy territory. They had entered the king’s range of attack, so they had to move carefully. Otherwise, they’d be too busy dodging sudden needle-like attacks from the air, and all their plans would fall apart.

“Ian-nim will surely figure it out.”

“That’s right, you guys. Who do you think Ian-nim is?”

“W-well, that’s true.”

“If he thought it was dangerous, he would have turned back immediately. If he’s late, it means he’s decided it’s worth approaching. Either way, we have no choice but to wait here.”

“What if, what if he’s in a dangerous situation? What if he’s waiting for us to come?”

“We can go after assessing the situation. And haven’t I told you repeatedly? If Ian-nim is in danger, there’s not much we can do even if we go.”

The mages, realizing the reality of the situation, pressed their lips together. They wanted to argue, but they couldn’t, and they didn’t want to admit it, but they had to. If Ian was in danger, there was very little they could actually do to help.

Banusa clapped her hands lightly to get their attention.

“Alright, alright. Don’t worry too much. The market manager wouldn’t have been caught by puppetry.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Even though he’s his biological father, the king has never mentioned his father even once since entering the palace. Not even unofficially. In my personal opinion-”

Banusa paused for a moment. She hesitated whether to speak or not, then sighed and blurted it out.

“It seems like the king wants to erase his father.”

“What happened?”

“I don’t know the details, it’s just my guess.”

“Could you not say things that are neither here nor there?”

“It’s not useless information. That’s why Ian-kyung decided to enter the mansion.”

Hmm. The mages sat together, putting their heads together. How could they naturally observe the mansion’s movements?

“I’ll send someone to check the situation.”

“Even so, wouldn’t it take some time to find out what’s going on inside the mansion?”

“Just wait that long.”

“No!”

The mages shouted and jumped up.

Banusa’s eyes narrowed as she watched them. Looking at them now…

*‘They’re not worried about Ian-kyung.’*

It was like their faces were full of life. The worry that something might have happened to Ian had disappeared, and now they seemed to want to see ‘Ian’s condition as a slave.’ Like, for example, that damn ribbon.

Banusa was about to say something but stopped.

*‘Come to think of it, I’d probably be the same. He’s our direct superior, so how much pent-up emotion must there be? Releasing their frustrations like this is… human.’*

Banusa leaned back in her chair and asked. It didn’t seem like they would all stay still, so they needed to decide how to proceed.

“No, if you do that, Ian-nim will scold us later!”

“Then what are we supposed to do?”

“I’m saying we should think of another way, you idiot!”

“Who are you calling an idiot?”

It was a bit much that they were all just raising their voices.

But spending time like this was a good option for Banusa. Going outside for no reason….

“Going outside-”

At that moment, Acorella, who had been quietly pondering with her arms crossed, opened her mouth.

She flicked the unlit cigarette in her mouth and her eyes sparkled. It was as if she had come up with a very good idea.

“We have those slave traders we moved here, right? Find them and bring them here.”

“Then what?”

“First, we beat the shit out of them.”

“Gasp.”

The mages covered their mouths in shock. They hadn’t expected a normal method, but this was beyond their imagination. *If she hadn’t become a mage, she would have definitely been a thug in some back alley.*

Acorella smiled, not understanding why they were so surprised.

“It’s natural for the seller to go and say hello. We can say we came to check if there are any defects.”

“Will that work?”

“That’s how we’ll do it inside, and we’ll use a different method outside. Even if he’s the king’s father, he’s still just the market manager, right? Not a lord, but a public servant who lives off the trust of the citizens.”

*Chik.* Acorella blew out smoke smoothly and bit down on her cigarette with her front teeth.

“Outside, we’ll just flip the script.”

“Acorella-nim, I don’t really understand.”

“From what I saw, it wasn’t a checkpoint, it was just outright robbery. If this keeps up, all the merchants will stop coming, and everyone except the well-off will starve to death, you know?”

“W-well, that’s true.”

“Bariel is pushing in from below, and it’s going to be a problem if things keep going like this. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“No.”

Acorella sighed at the unnecessarily confident answer.

“Spread the rumor that all the merchant guilds have withdrawn and won’t come near this place anymore.”

*Oh?* The mages looked at each other, mouths agape. It was a plausible method.

“But who will do it?”

“Since ancient times, kids have been good at spreading rumors.”

Acorella grinned and looked into the corner. The children of the Banusa family, who had been listening blankly to Acorella’s words, flinched and shrank back in surprise.

“W-we will?”

“Yeah. Shall our little ones go?”

“W-why?”

“We’ll be in big trouble if we’re found out!”

“That’s right. We were told to hide!”

Then Acorella’s eyes curved like a crescent moon.

“Aww, it’s okay, it’s okay! You can’t hide forever. Now that we’ve come this far, those worries are meaningless. Isn’t that right, Banusa?”

Banusa sighed and put her hand on her hip. It wasn’t entirely wrong, but it wasn’t easy to just let it go and agree.

Then Acorella put her arm around her shoulder, telling her to think differently.

“It’s not just about destroying the royal palace. If you want to properly overturn and change your country, it’s good to start working from the outside. Especially since the market manager is the king’s father, right? That says it all. Isn’t that right?”

It was a cold, hard truth. It was time to start moving in earnest. In this critical situation, even small hands had to help.

When Banusa, half-decided, turned around, the children also noticed her determination and nodded. They would ignore the orders of the crazy pink-haired woman, but they would do their best to follow the orders of their head of the family, Banusa!

“Are you going to be okay?”

“…Yes, Head of the Family! Just leave it to us!”

“Okay. Thank you.”

The children took a moment to catch their breath and then ran outside, and Acorella nodded to the mages.

“What are you doing? Aren’t you going?”

“Huh?”

“Go and bring back those traders. Chop chop!”

“Ah! Yes, yes!”

*Thump thump!*

They were probably congratulating each other for barely escaping the mages and patting each other on the back. But sorry, what to do? It’s not over yet? Even the mages, with fire in their eyes, rushed out, and Acorella opened the door to the storeroom below the stairs.

“Hmm. There’s a lot of good stuff.”

Shovels, pickaxes, brooms, etc. It was full of miscellaneous household tools. Acorella picked up a broom and stretched her hand high.

“It’s time to protest!”

* * *

*‘Why are they acting like that?’*

The mages were mixed in with the crowd, continuing to shout slogans. Looking closely, it seemed like they were enjoying it a bit. It was something they couldn’t do in Bariel, after all.

Aris, noticing Ian’s sigh, widened her eyes and brought her face closer.

“Are you scared?”

“Yes. I’m scared.”

*In many ways, of his subordinates.*

Aris giggled and wrapped her arms around Ian’s arm.

“It’s okay! It’s safe here! With just one order from my father, those guys will immediately fall flat and be unable to do anything!”

The child’s reaction was pure and just as cunning. It was all she had seen and heard since birth, so what could she do?

As if to prove the child’s words, the market manager’s soldiers marched out in formation in front of the mansion. They warned with their spears, and the citizens retreated as if they had no intention of harming them.

“Listen to us! We’re just asking you to listen to our words!”

“Are those the words of people who come in a mob and cause trouble?”

“You’re in the same boat as us! That’s too much!”

“This is the market manager’s mansion! Not some dirty back alley!”

“What does that matter? Even the highest person in the country was born in the darkest place!”

“Shut up!”

*Thwack! Thud!*

The commotion eventually led to a clash. A light push on the shoulder was the signal. In the crowd of people mixing together, not knowing who was on whose side, the mages kept hitting and running, raising the heat.

Aris watched the scene with amusement, stomping her feet enthusiastically.

“Wow! They’re fighting! They’re really fighting!”

At that moment, a carriage turned around and entered the back of the mansion, avoiding the commotion. He couldn’t see it properly, but Ian noticed a strange movement there.

He glanced at Aris, but she was just throwing small decorations out the window and shouting.

*‘Is there anything else I can find out?’*

It seemed impossible through the child, and if he had to turn to someone, it would be her father, the market manager.

Ian quietly got up from his seat and went outside. Aris, distracted by the view outside the window, didn’t even notice Ian leaving, and continued to jump around excitedly.

*Creak.*

*Taking care of a child is really not easy. Jin wasn’t like this when he was young. He was such a quiet and dignified child.*

*Thump thump!*

It was then. A man who was walking across the hallway turned back and looked at Ian. The two recognized each other at the same time.

“You-!”

“You are?”

It was the slave trader who had helped the mages. His face was blue and severely swollen, but Ian recognized him immediately.

He looked around to make sure no one was there and whispered to Ian.

“Are you alright?”

“…I’m fine. But you don’t look so good.”

“Don’t even mention it. What, haa. Never mind. I’ll tell you later. I think I have trauma now, and I can’t even walk the streets properly.”

“No. You don’t have to tell me. I’m not really interested.”

“……”

*He really is the leader of the crazy ones.* The trader said inwardly, tears welling up.

“The mages sent me to find out how you are doing, sir. They’re going to try to withdraw from the deal if possible, but it won’t be easy.”

“Withdraw from the deal… I see. Since there are no defects.”

“…Yes, yes. Well. That’s right. If you have anything to tell them, please do. I will tell them everything.”

Ian pondered for a moment, then turned his head and brought his face close to the trader’s ear.

“I will set fire to the mansion tonight. It will be the first signal to the royal palace, so tell the mages to be ready. And please, don’t do anything foolish.”