Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 842

The building where the nobles were being investigated was bustling with people. Not only were all the central families involved, but each family had also brought numerous witnesses.

The only small mercy was the imperial family’s decision to confine them to reception rooms instead of prison cells. Count Charlotte and his wife sat on the sofa, looking utterly worn out.

“My dear, what on earth is going on? I don’t know how long we’ll have to stay here,” the Countess fretted.

“They won’t let us go easily. It’s not just any charge, but treason. They’re worried about what might happen if they release us outside the palace,” the Count replied, his voice grim.

“We have no intention of doing that. Isn’t there a way to prove our innocence? Now that the Magic Department is back to normal, we could use something like a Truth Serum,” she suggested, hope flickering in her eyes.

“Do you think His Majesty would allow that?” he countered, his tone skeptical.

“Huh?”

His Majesty was likely calculating how much control to exert. Wasn’t this a tempting situation? Once trapped in the palace, there was no escape. They might even be forced to confess to crimes they didn’t commit.

The Countess murmured, tears streaming down her face. “Those fools have gone completely mad. It would have been better if they had just gambled. I don’t know how they managed to ruin our family in a single day.”

“A single day…” the Count echoed, his mind racing.

That’s right. A single day.

There were too many suspicious circumstances. Although they claimed to have acted under Ian Hielo’s magic, the time between the formation of the plan and the action was too short. There hadn’t even been any actual armed conflict within the palace.

“It feels like a trap,” the Count muttered. However, one thing bothered him: Ian Hielo, that man.

“It’s possible that His Majesty implicated Ian Hielo in this as well… The conflict between the palace and the Magic Department was at its peak, so it’s not impossible.”

“Whether it’s a setup or not, the fact remains that they conspired and committed treason. Instead, it would be better to settle the matter as the palace wants. Hand over the wool and jewelry crafting rights to the palace, and sell the land near the mansion at a low price,” the Countess suggested, her voice laced with resignation.

“Wait and see. There’s nothing more disadvantageous than being the first to make an offer in a deal,” the Count cautioned.

The Count stroked his wife’s hair, then gently brushed it away from her ear. He then plucked off one of her bright red earrings and walked towards the door.

Knock knock.

“Is anyone out there?” he called out.

“What is it?” a guard replied, poking his head into the room. The Count cleared his throat a few times, then cautiously beckoned him inside. He handed over his earring and whispered, “Go to where Ian Hielo is imprisoned and tell him my name. It seems there are some unfair aspects to the current situation, so if Sir Ian has anything to say, please relay it. If you do a good job, I’ll give you the other earring as well.”

The guard looked at the jewel in his hand and nodded slightly. It was an accessory worn by the mistress of a central noble family. It was worth at least a year’s salary, wasn’t it? The guard pocketed it, then carefully went outside, making sure no one saw him.

“Hey, is it shift change?” he asked another guard.

“Yeah. Good work,” the other replied.

It was almost time for the shift change. That’s how the world works! If the shift change had been a little earlier, he wouldn’t have had this opportunity, would he?

The guard pretended to return to his post, then changed direction.

*Swoosh.*

The underground prison where Ian Hielo was held wasn’t far from the main palace. As the guard entered the building, he noticed that it was quieter than usual.

‘That’s strange,’ he thought.

The building where the nobles were held was as noisy as a marketplace, but here, there were hardly any officials coming and going. Even though it was daytime, it felt eerie.

The guard cautiously looked around, trying to find where Ian Hielo was. Since it wasn’t his assigned area, he had no choice but to search one by one. If there was anyone passing by, he could have subtly asked.

“Hmm?” he murmured.

Then, he reached the end of the corridor. A prison cell. He thought, ‘Surely not here,’ and peeked inside.

“What are you doing?” a voice demanded.

“Oh, you startled me!” the guard exclaimed.

A magician approached with a frown. Unlike his hurried steps, his voice was quiet and low.

“I asked what you were doing. I informed you beforehand that this is a restricted patrol area. Don’t you know that this is where a magician is imprisoned?” the magician questioned.

“Ah, it’s not that. I haven’t been on duty long, so I made a mistake. I wanted to ask for directions, but there’s hardly anyone passing by… Please let it slide this once,” the guard stammered.

“Your name and affiliation?” the magician pressed.

“K-Kepim. I’m from Sector 6,” the guard replied, his voice trembling slightly.

The magician’s eyes narrowed, as if trying to find something suspicious. He stared at the guard for a long time, as if looking into his mind, then nodded.

“Go quickly. It’s to the left when you go out,” he instructed.

“Thank you!” the guard said, relieved.

“Lower your voice. Forget that you even came here. It’s for your own good,” the magician warned.

“Of course. Thank you,” the guard replied, then disappeared in a flash. The magician, watching him, crossed his arms and sighed softly.

‘I emptied the building so that Sir Ian wouldn’t be uncomfortable. I didn’t expect this. He’s not awake, is he?’ the magician thought.

Inside the cell, fortunately, Ian was sleeping soundly in bed. Perhaps the night walk had been tiring, as he showed no signs of waking up. Well, he had been through a lot of physical and mental hardship. It wasn’t bad for him to sleep well.

One of the few good things about the underground prison was that it didn’t get any sunlight. If there was a good bed and bedding, the quality of sleep was quite good. He knew this from experience.

“Hmm,” the magician murmured.

The magician opened the cell door and lightly touched Ian’s forehead. He felt a slight fever. His Majesty’s concern that he didn’t look well was true. He murmured worriedly, “Please recover quickly, Sir Ian.”

Meanwhile-

*Tap tap!*

The guard, who had gone outside the building, took a rough breath and looked back, just in case the magician was chasing him.

Fortunately, after confirming that no one was there, he felt relieved and fiddled with the earring in his pocket. Then, he thought. It was truly strange.

‘What in the world is going on?’ he wondered.

Luxury tables, sofas, and even a bed. Things that were rarely seen in a prison were placed inside the cell.

Ian Hielo was a traitor, so how could that be possible? Was he being treated well because he was the Minister of Magic and a war hero?

‘Even so, really. Unbelievable!’ the guard grumbled and headed towards his post. Even while doing so, he kept glancing back, worried that the magician might be chasing him.

Although he hadn’t been able to make contact with Ian Hielo, he should probably relay the information to the Count at the next shift change. Otherwise, he might have to return it instead of getting another one.

* * *

“Wouldn’t it be better to bring Minister Tweller into the palace?” Siao Shi asked, handing over a report.

Jin nodded lightly, as if he had been thinking about it as well. In order to appoint a new Minister of the Imperial Defense Department, Minister Tweller’s resignation was necessary first.

However, his resignation required proper courtesy and an honorable retirement ceremony. This was a long-standing custom, but in Tweller’s case, it was even more so due to his recent contributions in the war.

“Let’s discuss it at the meeting. Has everyone gathered?” Jin asked.

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Siao Shi replied.

It was time for the grand council to begin. Since it was the first meeting since the rebellion, it was expected that there would be a lot of discussion. Jin set off for the grand council hall with Siao Shi, and soon found the bustling Magic Department.

“Acorella, Grand… Minister!” someone called out.

“What’s with ‘Grand Minister’?” Acorella retorted.

“No, why is the report changed? I clearly revised and submitted it,” the person complained.

“I didn’t like the numbers, so I reverted it. If you don’t like it, what? You become the minister,” Acorella replied, her tone challenging.

“Yes, I will become the minister. Please step down,” the person retorted.

“Without an inauguration ceremony?” Acorella asked, a smirk playing on her lips.

“You’ll be the first minister to step down without an inauguration ceremony. Congratulations,” the person said sarcastically.

“Damn it! You wanna mess with me?” Acorella exclaimed.

Acorella and the magicians, each with a stack of documents tucked under their arms, bickered as they climbed the stairs.

Seeing that, it really hit him that Sir Ian had stepped down. Jin sighed softly and entered the grand council hall after a brief pause.

“Yes, hello. I’m Acorella, the new Minister of Magic. You all know my face, right? Yes, yes, nice to meet you,” Acorella announced, her voice booming.

“Minister Acorella, please sit over here,” Minister Rayburn said, gesturing to a seat.

“Oh my, how kind. Minister Rayburn. You didn’t seem like this before. I guess people change when it’s time for them to go?” Acorella remarked, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

“Oh my, what are you saying? When it’s time to go!” Minister Rayburn exclaimed, taken aback.

“That’s rude! Acorella Grand, no, Minister!” another minister interjected.

“Why are you all so sensitive? I’m just talking about a major personnel reshuffle? You’re getting too worked up over a remark made by the Grand Minister of the Magic Department as a greeting,” Acorella said, her tone teasing.

“G-Grand Minister?” the minister stammered.

“You said it yourself. Gra-Grand Minis-ter…” Acorella repeated, emphasizing each syllable.

Jin stopped in his tracks at Acorella’s booming voice coming through the door. Just as the attendant was about to announce the Emperor’s arrival, Jin raised his hand to stop him.

It was Acorella’s first time entering the grand council as a minister and making a greeting. Whether it was a greeting or not was a bit ambiguous, but it was right to give her some time.

‘Even when I was talking to Sir Ian, I had no worries,’ Jin thought.

Sir Ian had said that there were many talented people by his side in the Bariel Empire, so there would be no problem. If he had seen this, his words might have been a little different.

Jin listened to Acorella’s fierce scolding for a while, then signaled that it was enough. The attendant cleared his throat and announced inside, “His Majesty the Emperor is entering!”

*So please shut up!* It felt like they were saying that, and Jin smiled wryly.

As Jin entered, the ministers who had been insulted by Acorella coughed awkwardly, looking displeased. But what about Acorella herself?

“Have you arrived, Your Majesty!” she exclaimed, her eyes sparkling, pure and innocent, as she sent a look of deep loyalty.

The ministers were aghast at the sight, their mouths slightly open. They knew she was crazy, but wasn’t she a truly multifaceted madwoman? On the other hand, the magicians seemed to have already given up, looking unfazed.

“Good morning,” Jin said, his voice calm.

“Good morning!” Acorella replied energetically.

Apart from the energetic Acorella, the greetings of the others were somewhat subdued. That was because the rebellion and the personnel reshuffle were making them uneasy.

Jin looked around, signaling the start of the meeting.

“Everyone, take your seats,” he instructed.

“Yes, Your Majesty,” the ministers replied.

“You all know that we will be discussing a very important matter today. It is the first step in resolving the chaos in the palace, so I hope everyone will be cautious. Let’s start with Acorella, the Grand Minister of the Magic Department,” Jin announced.

“I’m ready!” Acorella exclaimed.

*Crash!* She confidently jumped up, causing her chair to flip backward. The magicians casually grabbed the chair and set it back in place.

“First, I’ll tell you the order of the reports. It’s about the rebellion charges against former Minister Ian Hielo, the process, and the results of the suppression. Next is the opening of the portal for the return of Minister Tweller of the Imperial Defense Department, and then…” Acorella began, her voice clear and confident.

The attendants pricked up their ears, focusing on the atmosphere inside. They had thought she was just crazy, but once the meeting started, she was doing her job properly.

*Tap tap!*

“Excuse me, where is His Majesty?” an official asked, rushing in, looking for the Emperor.

The attendants gestured towards the meeting hall. “He just entered the meeting. Where are you from?” one of them asked.

“I’m from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Haa. I’m a little late. It’s a message that must be delivered directly to His Majesty,” the official replied, out of breath.

“It’s the Magic Department’s turn now, so please wait until the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ turn. By the way, what is it about?” the attendant inquired.

“Ah, that’s-” the official began, holding up the paper in his hand. The attendants leaned closer.

“Proelka? Where is that?” one of them asked, puzzled.

It was a letter from a country they had never heard of. The official also seemed to have looked it up once, as it was an unfamiliar country name. He replied in an unusual tone, “It’s from the Southern Kingdom! It’s a place we only knew existed because we had no contact with Bariel, but wow… isn’t it amazing? Ah. The sender is called ‘Taoma’.”