Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 822

Ian stared out the carriage window for a long time, clearly lost in heavy, complex thoughts. He remained silent even when Romandro asked if his departure from the palace had been properly authorized and what his future residence would be.

Hee-ing!

Their carriage sped through the darkness for a while before finally arriving at their destination: the residence of the merchant guild where Romandro had been purchasing magic stones.

“What business brings you here? This is the Abel Merchant Guild,” a guard asked, approaching with a wary expression. Romandro turned to Ian, unsure of why they were there since he had only been told to come along.

Ian lowered the window and gave the name of the fictitious person Romandro had created.

“I am here to receive the magic stones I ordered. My name is Eli Wagner.”

“Yes? At this hour?”

“Is there a problem?”

“Ah, no, it’s just… The guild master is currently out. If you didn’t make an appointment, you’ll have to wait.”

The guild master, Abel, had been urgently summoned to the Imperial Palace. He was likely in a heated discussion with Quintana and Kayla in the meeting hall, convened by the Emperor, regarding the monopoly of magic stones.

However, Ian nodded as if this was a good thing.

“The payment has already been made, and I’m just here to pick up the goods. I have no intention of chatting with the guild master.”

“Well…”

“Or is the Abel Merchant Guild a small shop run only by the guild master and a guard? If that’s the case, I’d like to cancel the transaction.”

There should be a representative for situations like this, so he was telling them not to be so frustrating. The guard, realizing his mistake, saluted lightly and apologized.

“No, sir. Please, come inside.”

Ian strode into the building, following the guard. The sudden arrival of a guest woke the sleeping guild members, who lit lanterns.

Shortly after, the deputy guild master, with a swollen face, greeted Ian.

“Hello, ahem, good evening, Mr. Eli Wagner. I apologize, I just woke up, so my voice is…”

The deputy guild master, about to add that his voice wasn’t great, blinked in confusion.

‘Wait a minute. Am I still half-asleep?’ The striking blonde hair, green eyes, remarkable appearance, and the unusually high-quality fabric of his clothes… This, no matter how you look at it, isn’t it Ian Hiel?

“A-are you perhaps the Minister of the Magic Department?”

“The goods?”

“Gasp!”

He didn’t deny it. How did this happen? The deputy guild master was flustered, his eyes darting around.

The guild master was absent due to a summons from the Imperial Palace, specifically to discuss the issue of restraining the Magic Department. And yet, here was the Minister of the Magic Department, using the name Eli Wagner?

“Um, Minister Ian.”

“Are you still half-asleep?”

He was asking for the goods, but the other party kept talking nonsense. It was enough to be annoyed. However, even considering this, Ian’s tone was different from usual.

Romandro noticed that Ian’s mood was a bit sharp. Something must have bothered him at the Grand Conference.

“We paid you, and you just need to hand over the goods, so I don’t know why you’re hesitating. If it’s not ready yet, you’d better say so quickly. I’m very tired right now.”

“No, sir! The goods are all prepared!”

The other party was the Minister of the Magic Department, Ian Hiel. The unprecedented genius magician, called the absolute power of the empire. Even if he were to set the entire guild ablaze, no one could save it. Not even the Emperor.

“T-this way!”

Ian followed the deputy guild master downstairs. The lower floor was quite spacious, with boxes stacked neatly behind hanging cloths. It was a space used solely for storing goods.

“Fifteen large boxes, regardless of the size of the Idgal [a substance that nullifies magic], and two boxes of high-grade and mid-grade magic stones as requested in the list. If you open them, you’ll see they’re sorted by weight.”

At Ian’s gesture, the deputy guild master opened the boxes to show him. They were filled with amber-colored Idgal.

War byproducts that were clearly created by his own hands. There was no need to question their authenticity. Ian glanced over them and nodded as if to say it was enough.

“Where should we move them?”

“Dispose of the Idgal here, and the rest to the Magic Department.”

“Excuse me?”

The deputy guild master, who was closing the box, stared blankly as if he had misheard, but Ian was firm.

“I said dispose of the Idgal here.”

“Um, Minister?”

“Get some people. Grind it into fine powder and dispose of it. Since you’re a guild that handles magic stones, you should have the right tools.”

It would take a long time to process all the Idgal spread throughout Gaia, but even this much would mean that all the Idgal in the center would be cleared. Romandro urged the deputy guild master, who was standing there blankly.

“What are you doing? Are you going to charge for that too?”

Idgal was a special substance that nullified magic. As the Minister of the Magic Department, ordering its disposal was the right thing to do. However, given the situation, it felt more like he was ‘committing’ rather than ‘ordering,’ which was unavoidable.

In the Imperial Palace, they were fiddling with magic seal stones to restrain magicians. Romandro knew that this was the only way to provoke the other side while also countering them.

“No, sir. I’m just surprised. Do you know how much this is worth? If there’s any misunderstanding in the delivery process-”

“Misunderstanding? I bought it, and I’m disposing of it. Who would add anything to that?”

“W-well, I understand. I’ll prepare it.”

The deputy guild master ran outside, wondering what was happening on this moonlit night. He gestured to his subordinate and whispered.

“Send someone to the guild master in the Imperial Palace. Tell him that Minister Ian has disposed of all the Idgal. This is no ordinary matter. And send the kids down with the crusher.”

“Understood.”

Ian leaned against the wall, waiting quietly for the deputy guild master. His gaze was fixed on the Idgal fragments.

What was he thinking so deeply about? Romandro couldn’t guess. It was just deep and dark, as if he was commemorating the Idgal fragments that would soon turn to dust.

“Ian.”

Romandro hesitated before calling Ian’s name with difficulty, as if trying to hold onto his sanity by remembering his name.

Then, Ian’s darkness vanished as if it were a lie.

“Once the Idgal is taken care of, Romandro, please return to the mansion. I will stay at a nearby hotel.”

“Why? Let’s go together.”

“It’s really not possible now.”

Ian smiled faintly.

“The rumor that I disposed of the Idgal will spread quickly. It will reach His Majesty’s ears. It could become the flashpoint that unites the chaotic Imperial Palace due to the magic seal stone discussion.”

“Ian, I don’t understand how things are going.”

“I will not enter the Imperial Palace until that discussion is completely abandoned. It’s a kind of protest.”

Ian crossed his arms and sighed softly. Unexpected things had happened, but he was relieved that the big picture remained unchanged.

“Romandro, listen carefully. What comes next is important.”

“What comes next? Really? What was all this until now?”

“Tell the magicians my instructions. Under no circumstances should they enter the Imperial Palace.”

Ian and the other magicians couldn’t keep the Imperial Palace empty. Soon, the Imperial Palace would surely issue a return order. At that time, they must not enter.

“Make sure to tell them that it is my order.”

“I understand.”

Even if they were to be questioned for disobeying the return order later, it would be due to the minister’s instructions, so the magicians would not be harmed.

Ian felt that the real ‘operation’ was just around the corner.

‘If the Imperial Palace finds out that the magicians’ refusal to return is due to my orders, they will have no choice but to dismiss me.’

If Ian was dismissed, everything would flow very naturally. Then, he would openly appeal his injustice to those around him, and the nobles would watch the situation with bated breath.

‘Then, I just need to leave a small opening.’

That he could not accept the Imperial Palace’s decision. That he still had power, and that this was a clear mistake by the Imperial Palace.

Then, nobles who sympathized with Ian would surely contact him.

‘Those who weigh the political situation rather than the dignity of the Imperial Family, and who harbor knives in their hearts.’

Ian just needed to gather them all and present them to the Emperor in the Imperial Palace.

Then, Jin would solidify his power by suppressing the rebellious magicians and nobles, and with this as a stepping stone, he would become the iron-blooded Emperor that Ian knew. Then everything would…

“Um, we’ve brought the crusher.”

“Okay.”

‘Are you really going to destroy all of these precious things? Oh my, how much is all of this worth…’ The guild members asked again with their eyes, but Ian was firm. They eventually had no choice but to start moving the Idgal in the boxes.

“Romandro, when you go back to the mansion, please don’t come out as much as possible.”

“Then Ian, what about your work?”

“I’ll take care of my own work.”

Ian smiled faintly, as if he was worried about everything.

“Um, what about Lady Melania?”

“The Lady shouldn’t be at the mansion?”

“Hmm? That can’t be. I haven’t received any contact?”

“She’s a clever woman. She knows that her presence will not be of any benefit, so she must have already left the mansion and gone into hiding, waiting for another opportunity.”

Was that really the case? Romandro was curious, but he flinched and covered his ears at the sound of the Idgal being crushed.

Grrr! Grrr!

Crush!

Ian watched every moment of the Idgal turning into fine powder. He hoped that not a single grain would remain and that it would flow away somewhere in the world.

* * *

“She’s gone.”

Jin pinched his forehead at the report from the Imperial Guard. His hand was bandaged, but a little blood was still seeping out.

“Are you sure?”

“According to the tavern owner, it hasn’t been long. Eirin, who went to work, went out to sweep the alley and disappeared without a trace.”

The owner was tearful, saying that she was a diligent person and that her disappearance was suspicious and worrying.

They had searched for witnesses, but it was useless. There was no information. She had literally vanished. In an instant.

“It will take time to search more thoroughly.”

“Ha.”

Honestly, he thought it was a lie. He had believed in the back of his mind that what Ian had presented was just a means of pressuring each other, or a way to avoid responsibility.

He was confused. More than the fact that Eirin had disappeared, it was the fact that Ian had used it. ‘Was the Ian I knew really him? Truly?’

‘I wish the war hadn’t ended.’

Would this not have happened? Where did it all go wrong? As Jin continued to pinch his forehead in silence, the guards exchanged sympathetic glances.

Knock knock.

“Your Majesty, the Prime Minister has arrived.”

The Prime Minister, who had been under house arrest, had returned after being summoned. He bowed deeply to the Emperor and spoke with a look of pity.

“I apologize, Your Majesty. The Imperial Palace is in chaos, disturbing Your Majesty’s peace of mind. It is all my fault.”

“Spare me the pleasantries.”

Jin replied curtly. He hadn’t called him to chat. He had called him to somehow resolve the current situation.

“I am sorry, Your Majesty, but there is no way.”

“You speak so comfortably. It seems your house arrest was quite pleasant.”

“I heard that Minister Ian has left the palace. Once someone leaves, they are unlikely to return easily. He will not return until his opinion is accepted, and the magicians will agree with him. There is no way to win against the magicians who are standing firm.”

The Prime Minister sat on the sofa and added with a sigh.

“Therefore, in my opinion, the only way is to dismiss Minister Ian and elect a new minister to rebuild the Magic Department-”

Jin frowned. Dismissing Ian from his position as minister would be like letting go of the reins. Was that really the best option?

“No.”

He shouldn’t be pressured like that. Jin knew that Ian was not someone who could be handled that way.

“…We have to do the opposite.”

What did Ian value?

Even while his work was suspended, he had ordered the magicians to leave the palace so that they would not be caught up in unnecessary disturbances. He was silent about his own rights, but he reacted strongly to the rights of the Magic Department.

“Listen, everyone. I will issue an imperial order.”

The answer was simple. Just as Ian had Eirin, Jin would take control of the Magic Department. And if possible, it would be okay to shake things up a bit.

“I order the Magic Department. Anyone who does not follow the instructions of the Imperial Palace will be dismissed from their position.”