Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 840

“So, what did His Majesty say, Prime Minister?”

The Prime Minister, having returned to his office, took off his coat and remained silent for a moment. His aide, puzzled, watched him. The Prime Minister then gestured for everyone to gather around. The atmosphere was unusual. Well, it had been chaotic ever since the rebellion, to be honest.

“There will be a major personnel reshuffle.”

Everyone paused at the Prime Minister’s words. Some looked as if they had been expecting it. A stir went through the department, but the Prime Minister didn’t stop it.

“Inform each department of this and tell them to submit personnel recommendations.”

“Yes, I understand.”

“And summon Minister Quintana to my office.”

Everyone pursed their lips slightly. This meant that the Prime Minister would also be stepping down after this task. The current Minister of Administration, Quintana, was the most likely candidate to succeed him.

As the officials bowed and retreated, the Prime Minister sat down in his chair and sighed softly.

‘Something’s off.’

He knew this time would come, but he hadn’t expected it to be like this. And more than anything, Ian Hielo’s rebellion? He had been on guard, but it was hard to believe that the man had actually made such a choice and met such an end.

It was like a solid, sturdy tree being felled by a negligible breeze. Even if the entire Magic Department had stood against him, it was too easy…

‘Ian Hielo is definitely not the kind of person to do this.’

A man who would see anything through once he set his mind to it. It was suspicious that he had been subdued without any armed conflict after having rebelled and entered the Imperial Palace.

Even if his health wasn’t good, he was Ian Hielo. To put it coldly, there was nothing he couldn’t achieve if he put his mind to it. Even usurping the throne.

‘And above all, His Majesty’s reaction is suspicious.’

Even though he had once cared for him, there was no resentment towards Ian. Rather, he even seemed relieved… The Prime Minister frowned, as if he couldn’t understand.

“Hey.”

“Yes, Prime Minister.”

“Which department is in charge of the investigation right now?”

“If you’re referring to the rebels, it’s the Imperial Guard and the Magic Department. It seems that the opponent is quite formidable.”

“Hmm. Are there any special circumstances?”

“No, not yet. Why do you ask?”

“It’s nothing.”

The Prime Minister waved his hand as if to dismiss it.

But in his mind, an absurd hypothesis kept popping up. For example, that Ian Hielo had deliberately done this for the Emperor…

‘That’s impossible.’

A bright seventeen-year-old boy, why would he go that far?

The Prime Minister cut off his thoughts and opened his documents. There was no need for him to worry about it now. If necessary, the time would come to raise questions later.

The Prime Minister put it aside and focused on his work. The day he would leave the Imperial Palace was not far off. Finishing his long journey in the Imperial Palace well was as important to him as Bariel [the name of a place or kingdom].

* * *

“Barsabe! Did you hear?”

“You scared me. Hear what?”

Barsabe asked, rubbing his shoulder as if tired, on the way back from searching the last central noble’s mansion.

The squad members seemed excited. ‘Those bastards, did they not work and just play around? Why do they look so happy?’

“Finally! Finally, there’s a personnel reshuffle!”

“Huh?”

“His Majesty the Emperor has declared it. He’s going to appoint all new people to major positions, including the Prime Minister. The Imperial Guard is included too. We’re finally getting out of the Beric First Commander system! Hahaha!”

The squad members cheered, waving their fists excitedly. How much suffering had they endured because of Beric’s dictatorship as commander? Anyone who became commander alongside him would no longer have to see that dirty sight! They were determined to become commanders at all costs.

“Starting today, it’s special training!”

“Special training, my ass. We have tons of work to do, what nonsense are you spouting? It’s always the mediocre ones who are the most annoying.”

Thud.

It was Beric. He hit the squad members on the head one by one with a file, gesturing for them to disperse.

“Barsabe, did you send the confiscated items right away?”

“Yeah. I’m on my way back after finishing up.”

“Good work.”

Beric flipped through the report while standing. Sometimes he held it upside down, but admirably, Beric quickly turned it the right way to read it.

Barsabe stared at him. Beric, who was scribbling his signature with a pen held carelessly, raised an eyebrow as if asking why.

“Why?”

“Is something up?”

“What?”

“I know you. This rebellion. Is something up?”

Beric tapped Barsabe’s forehead with the rolled-up document. It was a warning to stop speculating.

Barsabe also admitted that he had gone too far and apologized.

“Then tell me first. Why are you so okay?”

“Geez. I’m okay, and you’re still making a fuss.”

“I’m worried. I was really afraid you’d suddenly whisk Ian away right before the execution and run away.”

“Hmm. That wouldn’t be bad. But Ian wouldn’t come with me.”

‘There, see! I knew it!’ As Barsabe was about to retort, Beric crossed his arms and asked.

“If I tell you, will you believe and follow me?”

“What?”

“After hearing about Ian, I thought you should know. You were the last one to talk to him, right? So, you lost your memory of Ian last.”

What was he talking about? Barsabe paused, looking puzzled. ‘Was he crazy? Had he gone mad from being too heartbroken over Ian?’ Barsabe’s gaze was filled with pity, beyond suspicion.

Beric narrowed his eyes, realizing the emotion.

“That’s not it.”

“It’s not? You’re really not crazy?”

“What I’m about to say is something His Majesty also knows. Besides being the last person to forget Ian, you’re a colleague who will go with me. I want you to know.”

“Why, why are you doing this? Really.”

“Aren’t you going to be a commander? There’s no one else useful besides you.”

Barsabe was secretly pleased to receive Beric’s recognition, but he was shocked by the following words.

“Ian is the Emperor from Bariel 100 years in the future. He’s the Ian Verosian everyone’s been talking about.”

“Hey! Beric!”

“It’s true. His Majesty and the Magic Department all know. That’s why things are progressing like this. The stupid, idiotic nobles, Ian’s play, the stabilizing Imperial Family, the officials who will all be replaced…”

And so on, and so forth.

Barsabe’s mouth opened slightly. It was too absurd to be called nonsense, wasn’t it? In fact, there was a lot of talk about Ian’s rebellion both inside and outside.

“Follow me.”

Beric took Barsabe with him, saying he would show him with his own eyes. Where were they going? The underground prison? To make him face Ian?

But where they arrived was the Magic Department.

“Beric. What brings you here?”

“Where’s Acorella?”

“In the Minister’s office.”

“I can’t get used to it.”

“Neither can we.”

The mages, chuckling, passed by, giving Barsabe a brief greeting. It wasn’t the kind of attitude they should have in the current situation, with Ian, whom they had followed like family, imprisoned.

Knock knock. Beric opened the Minister’s office door wide at the same time as knocking.

“Don’t come in!”

“Yo- Acorella.”

“I said don’t come in!”

Acorella was struggling with a mountain of documents, holding her head in her hands. She had spent her whole life in the lab, grinding, mixing, and boiling magic stones, and now she was suddenly trying to deal with piles of paper. It must be hard.

“Commander! No, Minister! Stamp it here, not there!”

“Call me Minister, damn it!”

“No, why do you keep stamping only the magic stone-related documents correctly? Huh? Don’t fix that! We have enough magic stones already!”

“Not enough! I know better!”

“What do you know? Stamp it here, I said!”

“Ughhhhh!”

Crash! Bang!

Shatter!

It was a complete mess. The mages and Acorella were pulling the documents from both sides, tearing them, and the stamp was flying here and there.

Barsabe doubted whether what he was seeing was really the Magic Department. Even a back alley market would have more order than this.

“Where did Romandro go?”

“He said he was going to visit his mansion for a bit, ah! Really! Commander!”

“Minister, you guys!”

“This won’t do. We need to replace the Minister.”

“Beric, why are you standing there? It’s distracting.”

“Is it distracting because I’m standing here? Look at the state of you guys. Anyway, do you have any of that memory potion left?”

At the mention of the memory potion, the mages who had been rampaging stopped at once. Acorella also adjusted her crooked glasses, her eyes sparkling. Like a miner who had found a gem.

“We dooo? Whyyy?”

“Give me one. I’ll give it to Barsabe.”

“Oh, this way! Come this way!”

“Ah, wait a minute. I-”

“Don’t be shy, come this way.”

Barsabe tried to refuse, waving his hand, but the mages were relentless. Acorella roughly tidied her messy hair and rummaged through the drawers.

“That’s right. Officer Barsabe should know too. If you’re going to serve His Majesty for the next thousand years.”

“Did, did His Majesty drink this too?”

“Why? Don’t you believe it? Or do you think I made another crazy potion and am controlling His Majesty and the Magic Department? Huh?”

Acorella smiled slyly, holding the potion between her fingers.

Because she looked so unimpressive and ridiculous, Barsabe couldn’t bring himself to say yes. That His Majesty had succumbed to such a person… This was his own fault.

“I don’t like that look in your eyes.”

Acorella sniffed and threw the potion at Barsabe.

Barsabe reflexively caught it. She looked back and forth between Beric and the mages, feeling perplexed.

“It’s up to you whether you drink it or not, but just know that the truth is different.”

The moment Beric said that-

Knock knock.

“Don’t come in!”

Someone knocked on the door, and Acorella, as usual, refused the visit. But the door opened regardless. Acorella rolled her eyes as if she was going crazy.

“Huh? There are a lot of people?”

The visitor this time was Romandro. He gestured to the people following him, urging them to hurry.

“Excuse us.”

“Hellooo.”

Vivianna and Bibi were there. The two smiled awkwardly and hid behind Romandro.

“What brings you here?”

“Well, Acorella. You have some memory potion left, right?”

“Huh?”

Everyone blinked in bewilderment, and Romandro pleaded.

“I want my wife and daughter to know too. They care deeply about Ian. More than anything, Bibi is worried that it’s all because of the novel she wrote. If it’s okay, I’d like them to drink some.”

“Ah. I see. Miss Bibi especially must be. Just a moment. There should be some left.”

While Acorella was rummaging through the cupboard, the mages were busy correcting the reports she had approved without permission.

Watching this scene, Barsabe fiddled with the potion in her hand. Thinking that it was a very strange situation.

But it wasn’t over yet. Soon, there was another sound of people arriving.

Knock knock.

“Haa.”

Acorella shouted as if she had given up.

“Come in!”

Who was it this time? Everyone looked back, curious.

“Ah. You have many guests.”

It was Siao Shi. He paused, looking flustered at the busy scene.

Was it not about the memory potion this time? Everyone quietly kept their mouths shut, just in case. If the fact that they had drunk Acorella’s potion leaked out, they didn’t know what they would hear.

But Siao Shi calmly asked.

“His Majesty told Commander Acorella to go get something to eat. I don’t know exactly what it is, though.”

He said he would find out once he went…

As Siao Shi muttered, Acorella grinned. Yes! She snapped her fingers and pointed to the remaining chairs.

“Okay, line up. We’re a bit backed up with orders right now.”

Siao Shi looked around as if trying to understand the situation and slowly went to sit next to Bibi.

While Bibi’s family and Siao Shi were awkwardly greeting each other, Barsabe was still clutching the potion in her hand. Thinking that something was really strange.