Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 802

“Open this door!”

“I warned you, Sir Siao Shi!”

Thud! Bang!

A man from the Davion family banged on the door roughly. Knowing they were inside, yet being met with such silence was no different than ignoring the Davion family.

The knocking on the door grew more violent, and just as he was about to throw a full-force punch,

Whistle!

The door suddenly opened, and someone appeared. The man’s fist stopped just short of his cheek. They had expected Siao Shi, but it was a stranger. Not a servant, it seemed?

The man looked puzzled, still holding his fist up, and Ian glanced at his hand, as if asking how long he was going to keep doing that.

“Wh-who are you?”

“I think that’s what I should be asking.”

“L-Lord, over there-”

The man turned around and asked for help. A man in luxurious attire, who had been standing far away, recognized Ian and rushed over in a fluster.

“Minister Ian?”

“Ah, Lord Davion. I didn’t realize you came with them.”

It meant that he didn’t expect a Count to be so rude as to bang on someone else’s door. The Count coughed awkwardly and pulled the men back.

“What brings Minister Ian here?”

“I have as important a reason as Lord Davion has for visiting Sir Siao Shi’s mansion. Would you like to come inside?”

“Well, my daughter Chloe is….”

“This way.”

Ian personally guided him inside. He pointed the way with one hand and held the doorknob with the other. It was a gesture that implied only the Count was allowed to enter.

The men couldn’t say a word at the naturalness of his actions and just stared at the closed door.

“Chloe!”

The Count called out to his daughter as he entered the drawing-room. But Chloe was glued to Siao Shi’s side, her eyes narrowed. *Is this why they say raising children is useless?* [A common saying expressing disappointment in children’s behavior].

The Count saw the tea set on the table and felt a stiffness in his neck. Why was there a tea set that was clearly Chloe’s taste here? His daughter had clearly left empty-handed.

“Please, have a seat.”

“Well, thank you for the offer, but I’ll decline. This isn’t a situation where we can sit and have tea together. Chloe, stop making a fuss and come with your father. What a disgrace.”

He was so embarrassed that he couldn’t lift his head.

Frankly, it was safe to say that her marriage prospects in Bariel were over. Now, the only options left for Davion were royals or nobles from other countries….

‘All the neighboring countries of Bariel are devastated.’

Except for Cliffopo, all the monarchies had collapsed. He didn’t know if Chloe had considered this, but things had become very frustrating.

“Lord.”

Ian sat down first, crossing his legs. As if to say, *are you going to keep standing there when I offered you a seat?* He took a sip from his teacup, as if he wouldn’t say it twice, and Romandro chimed in.

“Yes, yes, Lord. Please, sit down here.”

“Ahem. Even Romandro is here.”

“Oh, Romandro, you’re quite famous, huh?”

“Shh. You come here too.”

Romandro pulled Berik by the collar and moved back.

Ian put down his teacup and smiled, comforting the Count.

“You must be sad to send away your precious youngest daughter of the Davion family.”

“Yes. I am very sad. She is the most precious child I have ever raised. But she’s acting stubborn, making ridiculous demands as if she caught some strange wind on the battlefield. It’s just….”

Chloe gripped Siao Shi’s arm even tighter. Then, Siao Shi straightened his posture and bowed his head to Lord Davion.

“I apologize, Lord.”

“Hmm! How can you do this when you know you should apologize?”

“Don’t say anything to Siao Shi! I told you, if I go home, I’ll be locked up and won’t even get to eat!”

“You’re the one who didn’t eat!”

“Whatever!”

The Count shouted, and Chloe raised her voice as if she wouldn’t lose. Berik and Romandro, who had moved back, glanced at each other with amused expressions.

“I apologize, Lord. It’s my fault.”

As Siao Shi took a low stance, the Count rolled up his sleeves, ready to argue. The more he thought about it, the more he thought Siao Shi was a truly hateful fellow.

Meanwhile, Ian calmly sipped his tea amidst the commotion, remaining silent.

“No, let’s be honest here, Sir Siao Shi. You shouldn’t be doing this. You have nothing, you’ve achieved nothing, yet you dare to take the daughter of the Davion family?”

“Why does Siao Shi have nothing? His Majesty has promised to appoint him as a minister.”

“A mere minister, what is that!”

Whoa. Berik and Romandro hugged each other’s arms and paused. Siao Shi and Chloe also held their breaths, and the huffing Lord Davion belatedly covered his mouth in surprise.

That *mere minister* was right next to him.

Clink.

As Ian put down his teacup, Lord Davion turned pale and stammered.

“Th-that, uh, M-Minister Ian.”

“A mere minister….”

Even though he just muttered it casually, the Count felt like he was losing his mind. He wanted to turn back time and bite his own tongue.

“Ah, no, that’s not what I meant. You are the ones who are working harder than anyone for Bariel. What I meant was, well, there are more than one or two people on the Davion family payroll, aren’t there?”

“Are you saying there are many nobodies in the Davion family?”

“Well, it seems there are more duds than meets the eye.”

“Oh dear. You must be deeply troubled.”

“Yes, yes, I am. Anyway—”

Count Davion calmed himself, wetting his parched throat. After taking a breather, his agitated emotions subsided.

“Anyway, Siao Shi, I hope my daughter at least meets someone with a territory so she can live comfortably.”

“Siao Shi also has a territory.”

“What?”

Count Davion frowned suspiciously. A territory? As far as he knew, Siao Shi was just a noble with a title.

Chloe turned to Siao Shi, as if to show off, and replied,

“He recently purchased one. It’s a remote territory of about 500 acres. There’s still some payment left, but it’s not something my father needs to worry about for appearances.”

“500 acres? Ha! Remote? And what? Some payment left? You go and find some trash and spout nonsense. A territory isn’t something you can just get by asking, I suspect you’ve been scammed.”

“Father!”

Chloe gestured towards Ian with her eyes, but the Count, still fuming, didn’t notice the signal. Berik and Romandro simultaneously smacked their foreheads, groaning as if they were going crazy.

“It’s not a scam.”

“Huh?”

Ian leaned back on the sofa armrest and added quietly. There was a hint of a smile, which made it unsettling.

“It’s not a scam, it’s a transaction.”

“What, what do you mean?”

“That trashy territory is actually the Hielo Territory.”

The Count froze. Literally, he didn’t even blink or breathe. Chloe cautiously tapped her father’s knee, but there was no response.

“I’ve been negligent in managing the territory and needed a suitable person. I proposed that Siao Shi take over until a proper delegate appears. Hielo is in the remote area, but it has mines in Monne and is a good piece of land in many ways.”

“Y-yes…”

“Siao Shi and Lady Chloe care deeply for each other, and all the concerns you had were misunderstandings, so wouldn’t it be better to be a little more generous?”

“Um, ahem.”

“Or, are you still misunderstanding?”

As Ian’s tone lowered, the Count flinched and waved his hands, trying to deny his previous statements about a ‘mere minister’ and a ‘trashy territory.’

But if he backed down here, he might really have to send Chloe off without a proper agreement.

“E-even though he’s been emancipated, the Davion family has never married someone from a slave background.”

“We’ll write that history!”

“Chloe, can’t you just stay quiet!”

Count Davion was now making excuses to Ian, not Siao Shi. Strangely, Ian’s opinion was driving the situation more than the people directly involved.

“Yes, in fact, not just the Davion family, but no prestigious family has ever done that.”

“That’s exactly my point!”

“So, I can assure you on that matter.”

Assure? How funny. Count Davion felt even more uneasy at Ian’s words.

“W-what do you mean?”

“Look at Siao Shi’s eyes.”

Count Davion glanced at Siao Shi. Brown and gray eyes. Right! He didn’t like that either. It was a mixed color like a mutt.

“That odd-eye is a trace of the Raali family, who were meritorious subjects during the founding of Bariel.”

“Huh?”

It was Berik who made the puzzled sound. Romandro quickly covered his mouth. Fortunately, the Count was so dumbfounded that he didn’t know what to say.

“W-what are you talking about?”

“It is said that Duke Raali had brown and gray eyes. His descendants also inherited the same eyes. If the lineage hadn’t been cut off by the epidemic, the Raali family’s mansion would still be standing somewhere in the center.”

Raali? He had never heard of that family. But judging from Ian’s attitude, it didn’t seem like a lie. He wasn’t the type to spout a long, obvious lie.

“That doesn’t make sense. What does that have to do with Siao Shi? If you have odd eyes, does that mean you’re all from that lineage?”

“Do you have proof that he isn’t?”

“Huh?”

Ian smiled languidly and asked again.

“Proof that he isn’t.”

To make a claim, you needed supporting evidence. Ian had brought up Siao Shi’s odd eyes, so those who refuted it would have to bring their own evidence.

“He, he came from the slave market!”

“Yes, that’s right. I can’t tell you how heartbroken I was when I saw Siao Shi then. The bloodline of a meritorious subject was living in oppression. So, I paid the price myself and even emancipated him. Otherwise, why would I have done that? Or, am I a fool?”

“F-fool?”

As another potential blunder was about to be added, Count Davion was shocked.

Berik, watching this, sniffled. *That’s all a lie.* How much work was there back then? They just bought him because they needed Siao Shi at the time.

Cornered, Count Davion looked at Siao Shi, gesturing for him to say something. Surely, he wouldn’t shamelessly use that as a shield? But Ian beat him to it.

“Siao Shi doesn’t know about this.”

“Ha! Look here, Ian!”

“Minister Tweller seems to know about this. Or perhaps—”

Ian tilted his head delicately, as if he had been hurt. Romandro, seeing this, knew it was over and unconsciously made a cutting motion on his neck. With Ian acting like that, who could win?

“Do you think I’m lying?”

At Ian’s decisive blow, the Count’s face turned ashen. In his heart, he wanted to strongly affirm it. *Yes, of course! Spit it out! If you’re going to make up a story, at least make it plausible! Stop it. You’re shameless! Damn nonsense!*

But the Count moved his lips and barely managed to answer.

“…N-no, of course not…”