Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 83

“First of all, the very starting point of the drug party was advantageous for Gail. Even though slaves are treated as mere objects, they are still people with thoughts and feelings. Since Gail sent them, there’s no way to know what kind of individuals these slaves are.”

“And if they refused, it would be seen as directly rejecting the Imperial family’s apology. More importantly, reducing their manpower would be a burden on the family regardless.”

And that wasn’t all.

Not only did he effectively convey his opposition to drugs, but he also managed to lessen the shame of being defeated by the prince. It was a sharp move, leaving no room for counterplay.

“If they’re uncomfortable with the slaves the prince gave them, they can just sell them at the slave market and buy new ones.”

“The slave market isn’t always open in the capital. And as I said, it’s a ‘gift’ directly from the prince, so how can they sell them? It would clearly give others a reason to hold them accountable later.”

After hearing Romandro’s explanation, Beric nodded, indicating he understood a little.

“He perfectly asserted his presence while keeping the nobles in check. Was it Wesley? The head of the Magic Department.”

“That’s right. He has immense authority in magic. No one even knows how old he is. There’s nothing known about him besides his name.”

When Ian goes to the capital, he will surely meet her. Ian, as a mana user, was destined to become a valuable asset to the Magic Department in the future. So, naturally, his superior would be Wesley, and they would inevitably clash.

“Anyway, the more I think about it, the more amazing his move was.”

“Actually, His Highness Gail is a bit sharp-tempered and doesn’t get along with His Highness Marib, but if you think about it, he’s quite a combative person. I don’t know why the two of them are so eager to tear each other apart.”

“It can’t be helped, can it?”

The heir and the challenger threatening his position.

It was a natural relationship. Even if they were brothers from the same womb, it was natural for them to be at odds, especially since they had different mothers.

“The two of them probably know it too. They have what the other lacks. I think that’s why they’re even more on edge.”

“What kind of person is His Highness Marib?”

“His Highness Marib is…”

Romandro carefully chose his words, but there was no suitable way to describe him. He was more confusing and unpredictable than His Highness Gail.

As Romandro’s answer dragged on, Beric tilted his head back, saying it was enough.

“Okay, whatever. Who cares? It’s better to prepare to welcome the Count of Mereloff.”

“Right. Beric, now that you mention it, go and get moving.”

“Ah, seriously! The doctor said my fatigue is severe!”

“He also said he was amazed at how quickly your wounds healed.”

Ian smiled and sent Beric out. Then, suddenly, he pondered over Gail’s incident and asked.

In the capital, there wasn’t actually a place called a slave market. The time when slave traders stayed in the capital was like a market day. Of course, transactions were secretly taking place, but those were mainly for exchanging existing slaves.

“By the way, about the slave traders going to the capital. Do they pass through Mereloff?”

“Hmm? I don’t know. They wander around so many places. They probably pass through Mereloff. If they come through the Hawan Kingdom, that’s the only way, isn’t it?”

‘Well, since Lady Rien Mereloff and a man named Clark are said to be of slave origins, it’s natural that slave traders come and go in Mereloff.’

Ian tapped the table with his fingertips, lost in thought. Romandro, as always, glanced at him, then neatly organized the gifts to send to his family.

* * *

Another day passed.

“When are you planning to go to the capital?”

Hanna asked as she poured warm tea.

From the border to the capital, it took fifteen days by carriage. Considering it was winter, it would be good to set a departure date soon.

That meant that the end of the year was a little over a month away.

“I don’t know yet. I need to start preparing soon.”

“When you go, you’ll be staying at Romandro’s place, right?”

“If the Imperial Palace provides accommodation, I’ll stay there, but if not, I’ll probably do that. I’ll let you know when I go.”

As Ian said that, he felt a little uncomfortable. He had been determined to go straight to the Magic Department’s annex without hesitation once he entered the Imperial Palace.

He was going to investigate the traces of Naum’s magic and find the answer to this reincarnation. If he found a way to return to his original time there, Ian would do so without hesitation.

That meant that leaving Bratz Territory would be the last time he saw them. Ian lowered his head to his book, trying to hide his complicated thoughts.

“The Imperial Palace. Just thinking about it makes my heart flutter. They say it’s the most beautiful palace in the world. The outdoor garden is covered with a glass dome, so when it snows, it’s like being inside a giant igloo.”

“Ah, yes. There is such a garden.”

“Really? Do you know about it?”

“…No. I heard about it too.”

Ian unintentionally agreed, then misspoke. Hanna laughed at his bland remark and continued to chatter.

“And there’s a room where it rains when you want it to, and a room where flower breezes blow all year round.”

“Did Romandro tell you about it?”

“Yes! Of course.”

What Hanna described must be the place where the Magic Department was located. Unlike ordinary rooms, many supernatural things happened there. Even he, the emperor and a magician, could not know every corner of it in detail.

“When you go, when will you be back?”

“Hmm. I don’t know.”

Ian smiled faintly. If Emperor Ian disappeared, would the original owner of the body, the illegitimate son Ian, return? He couldn’t dare to guess anything, and he couldn’t be sure.

Knock knock.

“Come in.”

“Sir Ian! Um, there’s a guest.”

At that moment, the door opened hastily with permission. Ian calmly nodded. There was only one place they could be from.

“Is it the Count of Mereloff?”

“Yes. That’s right. The couple came together.”

“Okay. Show them to the drawing room. And call Romandro too.”

At Ian’s signal, Beric spat out the gurut leaf [a type of chewing leaf] he was chewing into the fireplace. Then, he straightened his collar and checked the sword at his waist. Hanna did the same. She quickly checked Ian’s collar, buttons, and knots to make sure they were correct.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes, let’s go.”

“S-Sir Ian. Is there anything else I need to prepare?”

“The tea has already been served, so bring out some simple food with Gula.”

“Yes, young master.”

Taptap.

Chaak!

Ian drew the curtains and looked down. Behind the carriage that the Count and Countess of Mereloff had arrived in, servants were waiting. It was a large scale for a sudden visit. ‘They must be thinking of finalizing the deal today.’

“Not bad.”

“What is?”

“It means they’ve come halfway.”

“So, what does that mean?”

Beric tilted his head and asked, but Ian didn’t seem to want to answer. As they went down to the drawing room, the servants were already lined up in the hallway, looking flustered.

“Sir Ian!”

“Sir Romandro.”

Romandro, who had rushed over after being called by Hanna, had clearly been sleeping. He blinked, pressing down on his messy hair.

“The Count and Countess of Mereloff are here?”

“Today is the day.”

“Good. I’ll play my part well.”

The two exchanged glances and made a resolution. Then, as the servant opened the door, they greeted the Count and Countess as if nothing was wrong and approached them.

“Count Mereloff and Countess! How have you been? What brings you here without notice?”

“Ahem. I hope we’re not interrupting you while you’re busy.”

“Not at all. Is there anything more important than the Count’s visit?”

Ian politely shook hands with the Count. The Countess offered her hand with an even brighter smile, and Ian kissed it without hesitation.

“I’m sorry for coming so suddenly. But the matter is a bit urgent, and I thought it would be better to talk face to face. Especially since it’s been a long time since you visited Bratz, Count.”

“I see. Please, have a seat.”

At Ian’s guidance, Count Mereloff sat down awkwardly, puffing himself up. He was a very thin man, but he seemed to have gained a little weight. Was it because of Gula?

“Did he eat all the Gula by himself?”

“Shh! Sir Beric!”

Beric whispered to Hanna, who had seen it. She poked him in the side for using such vulgar language.

Instead of the Count, who was reluctant to speak first, the Countess softened the atmosphere.

“Gula is truly a delicacy.”

“I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

“I heard that the commoners here are crazy about eating it, and I can guess why. The taste is so different depending on how you eat it.”

The Countess was very smooth. There was no trace of a secret deal between them.

“Did the Count like it too?”

“Yes, well, it wasn’t bad.”

Even if there hadn’t been a robbery, they would have come. Eating just a little bit once or twice a day eventually led them to dig up the seeds they had buried in the ground.

“I’m glad to hear that.”

Since they had roughly grasped each other’s intentions, the rest was obvious.

Ian clasped his hands together and leaned back. He wanted to give off a relaxed atmosphere compared to the stiff Count and Countess of Mereloff.

“I assume that your visit today is also for the Gula trade. Am I right?”

“That’s right, Sir Ian.”

As the Countess of Mereloff agreed, the Count spoke in a low voice.

“You calculated well?”

“What do you mean?”

“The amount of Gula needed. After considering it, I’m sure we need about 100 sacks to both cultivate and live on. So, it seems like this will be a large transaction, but I was curious why the price is like that, so I came to find out myself.”

“That’s right, Sir Ian. If you think about it, this is the second transaction, and it’s a large purchase, so I think it’s right to lower the price. What’s the point of being good neighbors?”

Romandro cleared his throat, trying to find a chance to interject, but it wasn’t easy. Ian winked at Romandro, signaling that it was okay.

“First of all, the reason why the price cannot be lowered despite the large purchase is that Gula is a food ingredient that can be stored for a long time. It’s not a crop that needs to be sold off quickly because you’re worried about it going bad.”

“So, you have more stock.”

“So, there’s no reason to actively sell it. We can just store it and take it out when we need it.”

The way he calmly refuted was firm. It was like subtly saying that there would be no price negotiation.

Count Mereloff’s face stiffened, and the Countess nodded subtly, gesturing that she understood.

“Also, trading Gula with Mereloff means that we are giving up a portion of our consumption, so it’s both a gain and a loss.”

“A loss? You’re saying it’s a loss now when things you picked for free in the mountains and fields have turned into fifty gold coins?”

“I’m sorry, but the things we got from the mountains and fields have already disappeared into the stomachs of the territory’s people. What we’re giving you now are crops that they have worked hard to produce.”

He didn’t give in an inch. The Count tried to add something, but Ian ignored him and continued.

“And do you know? Gula grows in dry sand or water, but it dies if it gets snowed on.”

Judging by their expressions, they didn’t know. Ian used his fingers to gauge the timing.

“It’s the kind of weather where it wouldn’t be strange if it snowed anytime. It’s obvious that the harvest of Gula will be limited. We also need to build a greenhouse after selling a large quantity to make up for the harvest, so we need to get that much value. I believe that Count Mereloff will understand this decision for the people of the territory.”

When Ian went to get crops for relief, he didn’t raise the price for the same reason. Ian was the same. It meant ‘a reasonable line’ created by the situation, and he smiled faintly.

“Therefore, I cannot trade for less than fifty gold coins. This is in accordance with the will of His Majesty the Emperor, who tried to rebuild this place, and for the people of the territory.”