Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 82

Several days later.

“Sir Ian! Sir Ian!”

Ian was reading a book in front of the fireplace. At Hanna’s call, Ian turned his head and immediately checked the letter in his hand.

A familiar design and seal. It was from Mereloff.

“Has Mereloff contacted us again?”

“Yes, this time they said they need a reply right away, and a servant is waiting downstairs.”

“It’s only been a week.”

Beric, who had also been relaxing by the fire, got up with a rustle. After causing such a ruckus that day, he had returned to his normal daily life as if nothing had happened. Fortunately, there were no aftereffects or unusual symptoms.

‘What is his body made of, really?’

Ian glanced at Beric as he received the letter. Beric, unaware of the gaze, jumped down and came closer to Ian.

“What is it? Read it quickly.”

“Alright, don’t rush.”

The seal was stamped. The handwriting was not the butler’s, but someone else’s, which meant that the Count of Mereloff had written and sent it himself. Beric glared and leaned in, but all he could see was yellow paper and black letters.

“What does it say?”

“…They want to trade for more Gula.”

“I knew it. How could they do anything with just one bag? Especially since it was the smallest bag, right?”

“Did the messenger say anything else?”

“It seems there was a robbery at the mansion.”

“A robbery?”

Of course, there had been an intrusion targeting Gula in Bratz as well. It was something that could naturally happen, but considering the conversation he had with the Countess of Mereloff, he couldn’t help but think it was a trick of hers.

“What about the messengers?”

“They went to the kitchen to ask about the cooking method.”

Hanna added quietly, and Beric snorted. When they were dismissing it as worthless weeds, they couldn’t get enough of it now. Ian folded the letter in half and placed it on the table.

“Alright. If they want it, we should give it to them again.”

“Shall we prepare the bags?”

“Yes, but this time, tell them that one servant’s worth is not enough. We won’t sell a bag for less than fifty gold coins. Instead, we will give them better quality ones than before. Also, add that it’s winter, so we have no choice.”

“Yes, Sir Ian.”

“I will write the details in a letter. Where is Lord Romandro?”

“He went out this morning. He should be back soon.”

Ian rummaged through the drawers with his left hand. Inside were the materials he had recorded with Romandro while sharing information about Mereloff.

‘At that time, how much did we say to ask for when they requested a re-trade?’

Romandro, who was a reconstruction expert, had calculated it. He had determined how much Gula was needed, considering the size and overall situation of the Mereloff territory.

‘100 bags would be enough for the mansion to eat comfortably for a month, with half being planted and half being cultivated. The planted half will also multiply enough to be distributed equally to the people of the territory after a month.’

‘Does anyone in Mereloff know that Gula dies when it gets snowed on?’

‘Well, maybe not. After all, they need to be interested in it in the first place.’

Ian remembered Romandro’s words and unfolded a new piece of paper. He then wrote a trade request for 100 bags at fifty gold coins per bag, totaling 5,000 gold coins.

“100 bags, that’s a lot. When will we move all of that?”

“If a large transaction is made, that will be the last one. Mereloff will have the ability to cultivate and consume Gula on their own. Of course, after this winter, Gula will be overflowing throughout Bariel.”

“So, since it’s the last trade, should we increase the quantity or raise the price? We need to do one of those, right?”

“Yes. And considering the Count of Mereloff’s personality, he would psychologically prefer to buy in bulk at a lower price.”

Besides, Romandro’s calculation method wasn’t completely nonsense. It was a proposal based on some kind of basis. If the Countess also pushed him a little from the side, it wouldn’t be too difficult.

Ian carefully wrote the proposal and handed it to Hanna.

“Here you go.”

“Yes, Sir Ian. I will deliver it right away.”

“Oh, and give the servant some Gula to eat on the way.”

Besides the Mereloff couple, there probably aren’t many who know the taste of Gula. Those who have tasted the fruit are bound to be greedy. At Ian’s words, Hanna nodded and asked.

“By the way, will you continue to prohibit trade among the territory’s people?”

“Why do you ask?”

“Well, it’s not a big deal, but it seems that the people of Mereloff keep asking for trades, so we are having a lot of trouble deciding what to do.”

Since they are full and have enough to eat, they now have the desire to fill their pockets instead of the warehouse. They are being offered money, but they can’t sell, so how wasteful is that? As soon as spring comes, there will be plenty of places to spend money.

“Hmm.”

Ian nodded as if he understood. If the contract with the Count of Mereloff is finalized, it might be okay to open up trade. After all, the ban on personal trade was only for this day.

If the timing is right, he might be able to give the Count of Mereloff an even bigger surprise…

“Or, how about selling only roasted Gula?”

“Roasted Gula?”

“Yes. If we roast the Gula seeds and sell them, they can’t be cultivated, so they can only be used for consumption, right?”

At Hanna’s words, Ian’s eyes widened. He had just found a very big hint in those words. He smiled and gently patted Hanna’s shoulder.

“I understand. I’ll discuss it with Lord Romandro as soon as he returns.”

“Yes. I’ll go deliver the letter right away!”

As Hanna went outside, Beric tilted his head and asked with a serious expression.

“But Ian.”

“What is it?”

“What if Mereloff says fifty coins is too much and brings soldiers or something? People are ruthless when it comes to food. If they go crazy, will there be another battle?”

Beric’s eyes sparkled as he said that. It seemed like he wanted another hole in his stomach as soon as his wound healed.

“You seem excited.”

“How could I be? I’m so scared! I’m so scared that my heart is pounding. Or should I say, thumping?”

Beric chuckled and took a deep breath of the burnt Gurut leaf smoke. He looked like a well-fed predator, warm and full.

“Beasts and humans may have many differences, but they certainly have commonalities. Do you know what the biggest one is?”

“I don’t know.”

“Even when they attack an opponent, they instinctively know. ‘I can’t go that far.’ ‘I shouldn’t cross that line.’ Life is precious to both humans and beasts.”

“Hahaha! True! With me standing here, of course. Who would dare to come here? The Thousand Knights are still here, even if there are only a few left. Hahaha!”

Beric laughed, thinking he was being praised. He was kicking the cushion with his feet, looking very proud. He seemed to be in a good mood, so Ian decided not to correct him.

‘What I mean is the center. The center, Beric.’

What Ian was trying to say was the Imperial Palace.

A noble waiting for the Emperor and his advisors to acknowledge him and grant him a surname. If they attacked Bratz at this timing, it would be the perfect time to be misunderstood. It would be misunderstood that Mereloff was trying to absorb Bratz by eliminating the central power to increase their influence.

‘If they touch us, they’ll be easily caught. They clearly saw how the Derga and Bratz families were destroyed when the central army came down, so they will try to avoid that consciously.’

Thud!

Ian closed the drawer with a sound and picked up his book again. The reply would probably come later today, or tomorrow at the latest. He expected that the Count of Mereloff himself would move, not a servant.

Knock knock.

“Ahem! Sir Ian, I’m back.”

“You’re back. You went out.”

“I was buying some gifts for my wife and baby.”

Romandro entered with a cheerful smile. His hands were full of packages. It was pitiful how he kept glancing at Ian, probably because Beric’s prank that day had gone too far.

“Lord Romandro. I told you I’m fine, right?”

“Who said anything? It’s just that you always have dead fish eyes.”

“Huh? Really? Ian, do my eyes look like that?”

“They do look a bit out of it sometimes.”

“Maybe the Count of Mereloff’s bad temper is also because of drugs?”

“I don’t think so. The Countess was waiting for winter. She’ll probably start soon.”

A hallucinogenic anesthetic that slowly infiltrates over a month, causing death by hyperventilation. Romandro shook his head as if it was truly terrible and muttered.

“Is it because it’s the border? She’s a very bold woman.”

“It also means she’s cornered.”

Beric looked at Romandro’s gifts and asked.

“Does the center not do things like this?”

“The center? They do it more!”

“Then why do you say ‘because it’s the border’?”

The center, where more than half of all nobles gather. Of course, scandals break out every other day in the center of the social scene. Romandro twirled his mustache and grumbled.

“But these days, everyone does it in villas or at masquerade balls, in secret places. His Highness Gail once…”

Gail. Ian didn’t expect Romandro to mention the name of the second prince. When Ian urged him to continue, he smiled awkwardly.

“I flinched without realizing it. In the palace, you can’t even mention his name. There are so many people watching and listening, and it’s easy to be distorted.”

“I understand.”

It was the most fiercely divided place in the world. It wasn’t easy for Romandro, a subordinate of the first prince Marib, to mention that name.

“Anyway, His Highness Gail once, when was it? Last year? He caused a bloodbath at the party of the Duke’s nephew who was addicted.”

“A bloodbath?”

To maintain power, a prince who is not a successor needs to build connections with the nobles first. Each of them will become a source of power. But he caused a riot at the party of a crippled Duke’s nephew?

A man who craves power so much that he would later start a rebellion?

“He killed all the slaves of those who were high on drugs and couldn’t distinguish reality.”

“Is that possible?”

“It was possible. Because he did it. Don’t you know? You should have heard about it, even if you’re on the border?”

There are those who live outside of the world, even when the world is turned upside down. Ian was like that at that time. What does it matter if the Emperor changes? He was too busy trying to make a living.

“Of course, each family was in an uproar. After all, they were their assets. Drugs are a crime, but it was something everyone did openly, and more than anything, if the Imperial family did that to the nobles, it was the same as a show of force.”

“How did they resolve it?”

“Money.”

“Excuse me?”

“They bought all the slaves they killed and sent them to them.”

“That crazy bastard.”

Unlike Beric, who muttered in disgust, Ian was very surprised and couldn’t speak. Romandro, realizing this, sighed and smiled faintly.

“Actually, I have been by His Highness Marib’s side for a while, but His Highness Gail is not ordinary either.”

Slaves are things that can be bought and sold. As long as they are properly compensated, there is no problem, but the point was that they were slaves given by ‘Gail’.

“He’s really amazing in many ways.”

“Actually, from that time on, His Highness Gail’s followers definitely increased. The rumor that Wesley, the head of the Magic Department, provided the money made his line even more solid.”

“What is it? Why did his power increase because of that? If it were me, I would have said he was a crazy bastard and fought him.”

“Beric. Be grateful that you’re on the border. Even portraits in the Imperial Palace have ears.”

“So, explain it to me.”

As Beric scratched his ear, Ian sighed and explained the meaning. He dared to say that even Ian, who was the Emperor, could describe it as ‘a surprisingly perfect political move’.