Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 863

“Young Master Ian?”

The child’s attention snapped back at his tutor’s call.

Ian gripped the pen firmly in his small hand and traced the letters without complaint. When the tutor gave him a curious smile, checking his expression, Ian pursed his lips.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright. Shall we take a break?”

He was just a five-year-old child. It was remarkable that he sat so calmly and studied, but it was truly astonishing that he was trying so hard to concentrate.

The tutor placed a chocolate cake in front of Ian, which had been on the table.

“It’s your favorite chocolate cake, young master.”

When Ian raised an eyebrow, the tutor nodded as if he understood. He piled whipped cream generously on top of the cake.

“If you eat too much, it will damage your teeth.”

“Don’t worry. I’m brushing my teeth diligently.”

“That’s a relief.”

The tutor rested his chin on his hand and watched the child. The way he munched happily was unmistakably that of a five-year-old, but the blue eyes he occasionally showed were surprisingly mature and felt unfamiliar. Was this the dignity of a noble?

“About my father.”

“Yes, I heard doctors came from the capital?”

“What did they say about his illness?”

“Ah.”

The tutor trailed off, looking troubled. He had been strictly ordered by the Madam not to mention the Lord’s health to Ian.

However, Ian narrowed his eyes as if urging him to speak.

“Didn’t you teach me the duties of a child? To respect, honor, and love my parents.”

“Yes, I did.”

“Then tell me quickly. Why is my mother so afraid that she won’t say anything about my father?”

Ian, holding his fork, declared in a stern tone.

“If you don’t help me, I won’t be able to study properly because of my worries about my father. I’ll forget how to write letters, and numbers won’t make sense.”

“Where did you get such an absurd idea?”

“Hmph. We’ll see if it’s absurd or not.”

Ian ate the cake as if showing off, his eyes slightly narrowed.

But the tutor couldn’t help it either. How could he tell a five-year-old child that his father was on the verge of death?

“That’s not right, young master. If you finish your cake, we’ll start the next lesson.”

Ian gave him a blatantly dissatisfied look, but the tutor didn’t budge.

Eventually, when the two-hour lesson was over, Ian stormed out of the study without even saying goodbye.

‘Why is everyone keeping it a secret?’

He could worry about his father too, and comfort his mother, couldn’t he? If there was a valid reason, he would understand, but it was truly unfair to keep it a secret just because he was young.

“Young master! Young master!”

“Don’t follow me!”

“Oh dear, where are you going alone?”

He tried his best to outrun the servant, but it was impossible. Ian eventually gave up, panting, after running to the back garden of the mansion. The servant was also wiping away sweat, looking exhausted.

“Young master. You’re getting faster every day.”

“I told you not to follow me-”

Rustle.

It was then.

Ian sensed a presence in the bushes. The servant seemed to have noticed it too, as they both looked in the same direction at the same time. Was it an animal from outside? When Ian nodded, the servant cautiously approached, his steps hesitant.

“A, a, a rabbit came in?”

“I wish it was a rabbit. Hmph.”

“Young master, why are you so grumpy? I’ll check it out. Shoo!”

When the servant poked the bushes with a wooden stick, something flinched.

“Kyaa!”

It was Philia, a woman with blonde hair and green eyes. She turned around with a flustered expression, leaves stuck all over her hair.

“Oh, h, hello.”

“Gasp! Aren’t you a guest from the capital? What are you doing here?”

“Ah, yes. I just had something to check.”

She brushed off her clothes and stepped out of the bushes. She was holding a bunch of weeds in her hand, which Ian watched with interest.

“Something to check?”

“My major is herbal medicine.”

“So?”

“Well…”

Ugh. Should she say it?

When Philia awkwardly smiled and closed her mouth, Ian frowned. He was already upset from being ignored by the tutor, and now Philia was acting like this.

Philia, immediately noticing the child’s disappointed look, crouched down and explained.

“Oh, don’t look so tearful, young master.”

“Tearful? Who?”

“The Lord’s illness is very complex. That is, it’s not just one or two diseases. I was checking if there were any poisonous herbs in the mansion that could be causing the illness.”

Philia explained step by step, matching the child’s eye level. But she had overlooked one thing: Ian was a much smarter child than others his age.

“That means-”

The child’s eyes widened.

There could be poisonous herbs that cause diseases. But there were many people in the mansion, including himself and his mother. Yet, only his father was reacting to it and became seriously ill? Wasn’t that strange?

“Are you saying my father ate it separately?”

“No. I’m just checking various possibilities, so it’s not something to be certain about.”

“Explain in detail.”

“Well, young master.”

“If you don’t explain, I’ll go to your teacher right now and discuss this matter.”

“Eeeh?! How could you?”

She thought he was a kind child, but how could he say such scary things? When Philia stepped back in shock, Ian approached and grabbed her arm.

“So, please?”

Why was it? Philia couldn’t refuse Ian’s request firmly. She glanced at the servant with a troubled face, and when the servant also showed that he couldn’t stop her, she sighed helplessly.

“Let’s sit down for a moment. I’ll explain briefly.”

“Thank you.”

Ian and the servant crouched down facing Philia. She laid out the weeds she was holding one by one and explained.

“In order, these are Hasangcho, Daekkotpulcho, and Dorongcho. They’re not special, and they can be found anywhere in the mountains and fields. However, their effects change greatly depending on the manufacturing method.”

Philia added, lightly resting her chin on her hand.

“It must have been about 100 years ago. There’s a country called Hawan in the northeast of Bariel. Have you heard of it?”

“I’ve heard of it.”

“Many things from the East and other countries come through Hawan. Among them… there are also very bad medicines mixed in.”

Drugs or aphrodisiacs.

Philia couldn’t bring herself to say these words to Ian, so she spoke indirectly. Ian, however, was muttering ‘Is it a drug?’ to himself without any hesitation.

“It was even used in the assassination of the former emperor, so it was a very terrifying poisonous herb at the time. But as time passed, research on it progressed actively, and now it’s commonly used by the public, often mixed with Hasangcho, Daekkotpulcho, and Dorongcho.”

“Are you saying that my father is exposed to that manufactured poison?”

“As I said, it’s just one possibility. If you look at the symptoms independently, there’s a basis for suspicion.”

“What about my mother?”

“…Not yet.”

Actually, it wasn’t ‘not yet.’ Philia wouldn’t report to the Madam in the future either. If necessary, she would report to her teacher, Kelly. Because she didn’t know who the culprit was. If the Madam was the mastermind… it would be quite troublesome.

Then Philia became anxious. It was because she could picture the child asking ‘Why?’ soon. What should she say?

“Don’t tell her.”

“Yes?”

Ian pondered something for a moment, then added quietly.

“I trust my mother. But I don’t know about the other people in the mansion. If you report it unnecessarily, you might get targeted, so investigate quietly.”

Philia paused, not immediately understanding Ian’s words. And soon, she realized that she had been ‘cared for’ by this five-year-old child. She also realized that the child’s mind was much deeper than she had thought.

For a moment, Philia was impressed, but then she looked around with an uneasy face. It was a dangerous statement. If someone had heard it, they could be punished.

Just then, Philia noticed a servant. It was the child’s servant. Then Ian waved his hand, telling her not to worry.

“It’s okay. Haena is a trustworthy servant.”

“…Young master. Do you trust me?”

When the servant called Haena, her eyes sparkling, stuck close to Ian, Ian pushed her away. Then he looked around. Fortunately, there didn’t seem to be anyone passing by in the back garden.

Ian thought.

‘My father fell ill last summer. The traitor didn’t kill him at once to avoid suspicion. Since the target didn’t die, they have no choice but to watch him closely.’

The traitor was still in the mansion. Ian clenched his small fist and wiped away the rising tears. Seeing this, Haena was restless and comforted the child, and Philia also hugged him, not knowing what to do.

“It might just be my worry, young master.”

“Yes, young master. If it was poisoning, the doctors wouldn’t have missed it all this time. The Lord was always a bit unwell. Don’t be too afraid.”

“I’m not afraid.”

“Yes?”

Ian wiped his tears with the back of his hand and frowned. Afraid? Why would he be?

“I’m angry.”

The very fact that someone dared to harm his father in the mansion. And the past time he had spent not knowing anything because he was too young.

‘I need to find out who did it. And when the situation is somewhat clear, I need to tell my mother.’

“Philia.”

“Yes, Young Master Ian.”

“Thank you for telling me.”

The child calmly expressed his gratitude. No one had easily opened their mouth to him, but thanks to Philia, he was able to grasp the situation to some extent. She smiled awkwardly.

“I don’t know. I don’t know if I did the right thing…”

“I’ll say it clearly. You helped me.”

“Is that so?”

Philia rested her face on her knees. Was it because the suspicion of the Lord’s poisoning was spreading, or was it because of the unusually cold-looking Madam?

Philia felt her heart leaning towards this small child. Somehow, he was admirable and pitiful at the same time…

“Then, see you again.”

Ian said that and turned around, then strode towards Philia. Then he handed her a handkerchief and urged her.

“You have a lot of dirt on you.”

“Thank you, young master.”

As Ian strode away, Haena followed behind him, bowing her head.

Philia watched their backs for a long time before gathering the weeds and getting up. There was only one thing she had to do now: find out the Lord’s illness. It was the moment her goal became clear.

Meanwhile-

Tap!

“Young master. Let’s go together!”

Ian felt his mind becoming complicated. If it was poisoning, would it be from the kitchen? Who came last summer? He couldn’t remember. Who was suspicious? That didn’t come to mind easily either.

He was thinking that he had to find the culprit no matter what.

“Oh? It seems we have guests.”

“Guests?”

“It’s a carriage I’ve never seen before…”

Ian reached out his arm to Haena, and Haena naturally picked up the child so he could look out the window. Well-dressed nobles were greeting the butler.

“Butler. It’s been a while.”

“Welcome. How have you been?”

“Well, we’re the same as always. We came to visit the Lord, hearing that Lord Hadel’s health has deteriorated.”

“Thank you. Please come to the reception room. The Madam is waiting.”

The man, who was being guided by the butler, suddenly raised his head and looked towards the window. Ian, who had made eye contact for a moment, stopped without realizing it, and quickly went downstairs. The man who saw that gave a sly smile.

“Crony, sir?”

“Yes. Let’s go.”

His little uncle was only five years old, wasn’t he? How cute. Crony entered the mansion with his party.