Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 8

The Second Luncheon

‘We can use rumors.’

‘Rumors?’

Ian glanced at Molin, as if to say, ‘I’m about to give you the answer you want, so listen carefully.’

‘To be precise, rumors that fulfill desires. Like, if you eat it, your skin will become smooth, your hair will become shiny and thick. Or that it helps with weight loss or gain. Or, if it’s said to be effective for pregnancy, people will be scrambling to eat it.’

Regardless of whether they are men or women.

In fact, this was a method frequently used by the Central Office. It’s a very basic yet effective way to shape public opinion and correct market imbalances.

‘Interesting. But the citizens of the Imperial Palace are sharp and clever. They’ll quickly see through a false rumor. What will you do then?’

Mac asked, wetting his lips with sherry. That wasn’t a problem either.

‘We just need to set up guards.’

Ian stood his index and middle fingers on the table, representing human legs. And then, he circled around the tableware, swaggering.

‘Set them up elaborately, but create a few loose holes. It’s human nature to covet precious things. Even if what they’re guarding is just dog poop, they’ll be greedy and steal it. They’ll wonder what it is that the high-ranking people are guarding day and night. By then, even if you try to stop them, you won’t be able to, and everyone will naturally come into contact with it. But.’

‘But?’

‘These are just secondary issues. The fundamental problem is whether a substitute food source will actually emerge.’

Molin, Mac, and Degore felt like static electricity was running through their minds. The Central Office was where all the most talented people of the Empire gathered. It meant that many people had seen it.

It was an answer that could be expected from those who had accumulated some knowledge, but they had never seen a child who had barely shed his childishness answer so brilliantly. And wasn’t this the child who had been wandering the red-light district until recently?

Only then did the three men realize what the first issue they should have considered was.

‘Should the second son really be allowed to cross the border instead of the first?’

They had overlooked it. Or rather, they were arrogant. They assumed that because he was an illegitimate child from the slums, he would naturally be inferior.

Whether he knew it or not, Ian smiled brightly and brought the steak to his mouth.

‘It tastes great, as expected.’

‘Y-yes, it does. I think it’s even better because the weather is nice.’

What started as a light luncheon had now taken on a different atmosphere. Ian noticed that everyone was paying attention to him.

‘For now, that’s enough about gula [a type of food].’

Now was the real time. Ian wanted to explore why Derga had been scheming through letters and whether there was a chance to go outside the mansion.

‘Do you enjoy writing, Ian?’

The conversation started again. Mac asked Ian, but his gaze naturally shifted towards the Countess and Chel. Even though they had come to see Ian, it would be rude to focus the conversation too much on one person.

‘I’ve heard that the Countess is an expert in literature. I expect your children to be extraordinary as well.’

‘Oh my, you flatter me. It’s just short writing. But you, Sir Mac, have written two books, haven’t you? I’m embarrassed to receive praise from someone like you.’

Degore interjected at her modesty.

‘Countess, you don’t need to be like that. In my opinion, Sir Mac is much better at writing letters than books. Anyone who receives his letters ends up crying and declaring their love.’

‘Degore! Your jokes are too much.’

‘Hahaha! Ian, try asking Sir Mac for help when you write letters. It will be very useful.’

The way he winked playfully was extremely comical. The Countess laughed heartily, as if she found it very amusing, but Derga’s expression was unusually dark. The content of the conversation was very uncomfortable.

‘The Cheonryeo tribe requested your handwritten letter.’

The timing was perfect, wasn’t it? It was as if he knew that Ian had to write a letter. Did he know? If so, how did he find out?

Derga wet his lips with wine and made the first move.

‘Actually, there was a message from the Cheonryeo tribe.’

‘Oh? Is that so?’

‘They asked for Ian’s handwritten letters to be sent periodically.’

Derga carefully chose his next words.

‘We’re going to use the identity verification potion anyway, so I don’t know why they’re so worried. The barbarians are like beasts, so I can’t understand them at all.’

Mac smiled brightly and supported Derga.

‘Beasts are always wary of the world. That’s how they live. They only follow the order of strength. Isn’t it common for the chief you met in the spring to be replaced by the fall?’

Only strength. A community where all hierarchies were determined by strength alone. The chief had to accept challenges at any time, and death was the only thing that brought peace.

‘If they didn’t have such a temperament, Bariel would have been even more troublesome.’

How fortunate that they were regulating their own population. Ian asked at Mac’s words.

‘Then, is the current chief of the Cheonryeo tribe a rival of the chief? Or a subordinate?’

The Cheonryeo tribe had been defeated before Ian’s enthronement, and their status was low. Occasionally, desert travelers would go missing, and it was assumed that it was either a sandstorm or the work of the Cheonryeo tribe.

So, the information he had was very fragmented and basic.

At Ian’s question, Mac shook his head.

‘No. It’s neither. The tribal leader is an old woman named Winchen, and she’s so old that her age is unknown. The chief changes almost every day, but she has held the position of tribal leader for a long time.’

‘Ah. That means…’

Ian murmured, as if surprised.

‘She must be the spiritual pillar of the Cheonryeo tribe.’

That was the correct answer. He understood everything perfectly, even with just one word! Mac couldn’t hide his admiration.

‘From what I’ve heard, the entire tribe considers her to be someone who is connected to the heavens. She has a very special ability.’

‘Ability? I heard they despise magic.’

‘It’s a bit difficult to call it magic, and if you had to compare it, it’s similar to a gypsy. She’s blind, but she can distinguish truth from falsehood with her voice.’

Ah. Ian gently curved his eyebrows.

‘A blind tribal leader who sees the truth.’

Now he understood Derga’s intentions.

Gurut leaves were definitely contraband. It was an item that could not be brought in by any means. If Ian smuggled them in properly, it would be a huge profit. It was a plant that the Cheonryeo tribe always took with them when they went into battle.

Whether it was to increase the military power of Bratz or to reduce the fighting power of the Cheonryeo tribe, it would be an opportunity to tilt the angle of victory towards Bratz.

But what if he was caught in the middle?

Ian would be questioned by the tribal leader. He would confess that it was purely for his mother’s sake. If the Cheonryeo tribe protested, Bratz could apologize with the deaths of Ian and his mother. It was unrelated to the Count, so they could appease them with a suitable amount of compensation.

‘Is there a possibility that the Cheonryeo tribe will declare war because of this?’

It was still unlikely. Still.

The destruction of Bratz was in the next generation. There must have been a reason for it then. He could guess that a full-scale war was impossible right now.

‘You must have heard about the tribal leader as well, Count. Isn’t that right? Count Derga?’

‘Yes, well. Actually, I’ve never seen the tribal leader myself.’

Derga coughed a few times and glanced at the child.

‘But how does that kid know?’

The tutor had reported that Ian was undoubtedly dull, but the occasional flashes of brilliance were suspicious. He couldn’t even guess what thoughts were going through that small head.

‘The more I hear about them, the more amazing they seem.’

Ian noticed his gaze and smiled even more brightly. So that he couldn’t find a single trace of suspicion. As Ian continued to cut his steak naturally, Derga soon withdrew his suspicious gaze.

But what to do about this?

Now that he had already figured out Derga’s intentions. If Ian stood before the tribal leader, everything would be revealed.

‘Well, not that I plan to do that.’

After that, meaningless conversations were exchanged and scattered with the wind. Laughter erupted around Mac, Degore, and the Countess.

‘So, His Highness the Second Prince Gail said, “Throw that arrogant brat into the pigsty right now!”‘

‘Oh my, heavens! Did he really say that?’

‘Yes. He’s such a belligerent person.’

‘Ohoho! How terrible!’

Then, Ian suddenly turned his head in confusion.

Molin, Mac, and Degore were officials dispatched from the Central Office. All public officials followed the Emperor and the official successor and carried out their duties. The fact that such people had been away from the capital for several months was significant.

Either they were so important that they had the Emperor’s trust, or they were people who had been removed from key positions.

In fact, Derga, who was not familiar with the situation in the capital, had no way of knowing, but Ian had a strange hunch.

‘Why do they keep mentioning the Second Prince?’

The official successor was the First Prince, so their lord should naturally be the First Prince as well.

Of course, it wasn’t that the other princes didn’t have followers, but most of them would be far from the center of power.

However, the three men had been constantly talking about the Second Prince Gail.

‘Ian, what are you thinking so deeply about?’

‘No, I was just enjoying your stories, so I kept listening.’

‘Is that so? I must have been mistaken. Your face is so solemn. Haha.’

Molin subtly diverted Ian’s attention. His face was smiling, but the way he scrutinized the child was sharp and persistent.

Was the golden eye he had seen during their first luncheon just an illusion? He had heard that magic users had superior intellectual abilities compared to ordinary people. If so, perhaps…

‘Count Derga.’

Molin said, wiping his mouth with a napkin. As if it were a signal, Mac and Degore stopped talking.

‘I felt it last time as well, but Ian’s knowledge is so impressive that I’m constantly surprised. It must be thanks to the Count and Countess’s excellent educational policies.’

‘…You flatter us.’

‘So, I have a small request to make.’

At those words, Derga nervously drank his wine.

That sly old man. How many times had he made things difficult with the word ‘request’?

A brief silence fell as Derga chose his words. And Ian did not miss this moment.

‘Would you like to see my room?’

Ian asked playfully.

It wasn’t a noble-like way of speaking, but it was a child’s playful act with courtesy. It was not elegant to point it out with a serious face. Countess Mary was just glaring at the back of Ian’s head, as if her mouth was itching to say something.

‘That would be nice, but this time it’s something else.’

Everyone in the family, including Count Derga, focused their attention on Molin’s mouth. Only Mac and Degore were composed, as if they had already expected it.