Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 865

“That little one’s eyes were quite something.”

One of the men chuckled, pouring himself a drink. He was referring to Ian, whom they had just met.

Crony took out a cigarette, nodding in agreement. Such a small child, yet he looked at them so directly.

“His eyes are just like his mother’s.”

“Indeed.”

They ran their hands over the bed, sofa, and under the desk, checking for listening devices. After confirming there were none, they relaxed on the sofa and poured themselves drinks.

“He doesn’t seem like he’ll last long, does he?”

“He looks like he could die any minute.”

Clink. They lightly clinked their glasses, celebrating.

Once the lord was dead, the rest would be a piece of cake. His wife was just a naive woman living a leisurely life in the countryside, unaware of the world.

Moreover, her son was only five years old. Once they dealt with the wife and took custody of him as his guardian, everything would go according to plan.

‘If the child dies, the assets will be up in the air. It’s much easier to manipulate a five-year-old than to deal with the next heir.’

“Lord Crony, how is His Majesty’s health these days?”

At the question, Crony looked up. The Emperor’s constitution was naturally weak, so he couldn’t be said to be doing well. However, seeing Hadel lying there like a dried twig, he seemed to be doing okay. Crony chuckled and shrugged.

“It’s the same as always. Everyone seems to be sick. It’s as if they have no energy despite having the most precious things in the world before them.”

Crony’s mockery made the group burst into laughter. The previous emperors would never have imagined that their descendants would be so weak, living only to breathe without contributing anything to the country.

“And how is the Minister of the Imperial Defense Department doing?”

“Yes. He’s bored because the world is so peaceful.”

“Oh, my! What a scary thing to say!”

Knock knock.

While they were joking around, the servants brought in the food. One of them, Haena, pretended to carry dishes while constantly looking around. She was checking where their luggage was, whether it was locked, and so on.

Crony unfolded a napkin on his lap and suddenly asked Haena,

“Are you his personal attendant?”

“Pardon?”

“I asked if you are Lord Ian’s personal attendant.”

He had recognized her as the servant who was with Ian earlier.

Haena was startled and took a step back.

“Yes. I’m mostly in charge of matters related to the young master.”

“It seems your master is displeased with me.”

“…He’s a bit shy.”

“Bring him here later. It would be good for us to get closer.”

Once his parents were dead, he would be his guardian, so he couldn’t be so hostile. At Crony’s arrogant command, Haena gave a vague answer in a subdued voice and left the room.

Squeak.

As soon as the door closed, Haena gritted her teeth and muttered to herself.

“Seriously, who does he think he is, telling people to come and go? Even if he’s young, he’s still the young master of this mansion. And by lineage, he’s his uncle.”

“Hey, why are you so worked up?”

“How can I not be?”

“Still, he’s a guest. And the young master is too young. If you get involved, you’ll only get a headache.”

‘Ugh, is that supposed to be comforting?’ Haena was about to retort when a chilling sensation swept past the back of her head.

The servants casually turned around, pulling the trolley, but Haena was frozen by the strange feeling.

‘Why are they taking the side of a stranger?’

They were guests they had never seen before, weren’t they?

Haena suddenly remembered Philia’s suspicion that the lord had been poisoned. A chill ran down her spine. On one hand, she vaguely denied it, thinking, ‘Surely not,’ but on the other hand, the attitude of her colleagues was too suspicious.

“Haena?”

“Ah, I’m coming.”

Haena hesitated, then followed them, glancing back at the firmly closed guest room.

* * *

“Me?”

“Yes. He’s very, very arrogant. He said he’s from the Imperial Defense Department. Are all those who work for the country like that?”

Haena clenched her fists, trembling. She didn’t like Crony telling Ian to come and go, but as a subordinate, she couldn’t refuse to deliver the message.

Ian, who was eating chocolate cake, paused as if thinking, then nodded.

“Alright. While I talk to them, Haena can look around the room. Make sure to find any suspicious items.”

“Are you sure you’ll be okay without me?”

“What are you talking about? Of course, I’ll be fine.”

Ian skillfully cut the remaining cake and asked,

“Where are they now?”

“They’re having breakfast in the bedroom. It seems they drank too much last night. They don’t seem to have any intention of moving.”

“That’s good. Let’s go.”

“Are you really going? Not waiting for the young master to call you to the reception room?”

“If I show such disrespect to an elder, Mother will be in a difficult position.”

Haena watched Ian walk bravely ahead. Looking at his small back, she couldn’t figure out what he was thinking.

Step, step.

Ian stood in front of the guest room door. Then, he clenched and unclenched his fists for a moment. It was a fidgeting action to relieve tension.

Knock knock.

“Excuse me. It’s Ian.”

“Oh, my. Please, come in.”

The smell of wine hit him as the door opened. They had clearly drunk a lot last night.

They were having breakfast with haggard faces, though it was actually closer to lunchtime. They all looked surprised that Ian had actually come.

“Good morning, Uncle.”

“Did you all sleep well? Was the bed comfortable?”

“Yes, thank you. The soil is so fertile that the wine tastes very good. It was much more luxurious than the Clifford wine. Ah, but that’s a taste you shouldn’t know yet, Uncle.”

Ian smiled, and Crony paused. Look at this? Just yesterday, he was shy and wary, but now he was smiling? What was this little one thinking? He took a bite of bread and asked,

“Have you had breakfast, Uncle Ian?”

“Yes. I even had dessert. By the way, you’re all from the capital, right?”

“That’s right.”

“Lord Crony and some others work in the Imperial Palace, I hear.”

“That’s correct. I work in the Imperial Defense Department, and this one works in the Ministry of Justice.”

Ian clapped his hands together as if impressed.

“I heard that not just anyone can enter the Imperial Palace.”

“You flatter us.”

It was indeed flattery. Maybe if it were the previous emperor, but not the current one.

“If you don’t have any other plans for today, could you teach me something? It’s not often that we have such esteemed guests from the capital, so I would really appreciate it.”

He was talking about an academic discussion.

Crony glanced at his group. They didn’t have a set schedule, but they weren’t so free that they could sit around and chat with a five-year-old. They were planning to patrol the territory.

“Unfortunately-”

“I’m currently reading an introduction to Neo-Naturalist philosophy. And in addition, I’m learning about the recent ‘problem and discussion regarding the relocation of the temple’ in the capital. Since I only have one tutor, it’s my wish to hear the opinions of many people directly.”

Ian added, and the group burst into laughter. It was absurd. How could such a young child be reading an introduction to philosophy?

And it was far too early for him to discuss social issues. They assumed he had picked up some things somewhere, but it was just a childish attempt to appear intelligent.

Crony also asked as if testing him,

“How far have you read in the introduction to philosophy?”

“Zayer, Dolbin, and Hapkaene.”

“……!”

“I oppose the relocation of the temple. The Carbo Temple has been in that place for thousands of years and is a sacred place deeply connected to the Imperial Family. No matter how many rare minerals are found nearby, money cannot buy historical value.”

Silence fell. Someone dropped their bread with a thud, and someone else just blinked as if they had misheard. Was that really a five-year-old?

“……Was his birth registration wrong?”

“What did you just say?”

“No, nothing. Ahem. It was a slip of the tongue.”

The man waved his hand at Ian’s question. Realizing that the atmosphere had shifted, Ian added,

“My mother will also be pleased. She will be grateful to the ‘guests’.”

They had come under the guise of a sick visit, but they were still guests staying at the mansion, weren’t they? With the owner lying there, would they just eat and drink wine that was better than Clifford’s? They should spend time with the young master and repay the favor, shouldn’t they? Ian’s bright eyes seemed to say so.

Eventually, one of the group said,

“It, it would be good to spare some time.”

“Yes. Well, it’s not like we have a pressing schedule.”

“Thank you. There’s a reception room downstairs. Please come there after you finish your meal. I’ll be waiting.”

Ian smiled and closed the door, and sighs of bewilderment erupted from all around.

“Haha! Did you see that? How did Lord Hadel have such an intelligent son?”

“Wow, I thought I was still drunk.”

“Me too. My son could barely do addition and subtraction at five.”

“Lord Crony, isn’t it amazing? If he’s raised well, he could really-”

Everyone was talking in amazement when they suddenly stopped. Crony’s gaze, fixed on the closed door, was ominous.

“If he’s raised well, what?”

“Ah, that’s-”

“A child should have the charm of a child.”

Why keep him alive? Wasn’t it to raise him well and use him as they pleased, instead of his parents? But if he was so abnormally intelligent, it wasn’t good. No, it was rather troublesome.

Crony didn’t say a word as he slowly finished his meal. No one there knew what thoughts were going through his mind.

“Ah.”

Meanwhile, Ian, who was going downstairs, stopped in surprise. Haena, startled, approached him and placed the back of her hand on the child’s flushed cheek.

“What’s wrong? Are you sick?”

“Haa. This is bad.”

“Your cheeks! Your cheeks are so red. Should I call a doctor?”

“…I made a mistake.”

“Pardon?”

Ian mumbled, biting his lip as if embarrassed. The child’s cheeks were as red as apples.

“It wasn’t Hapkaene, it was Hakapne.”

“Wh-what do you mean?”

“…Zayer, Dolbin, Hakapne.”

“Pardon?”

She still didn’t understand even after hearing it again. Haena tilted her head. Ian shook his head as if it was nothing and went down the stairs.

“Prepare some refreshments. They’ll be down soon after they finish their meal.”

“Ah, yes, yes!”

Haena looked down the stairs and quickly called out to Ian.

“Hey, Lord Ian!”

“Yes?”

“Be, be careful.”

Haena had seen Crony behind Ian. Ian didn’t seem to notice because he was nervous, but the way he was looking at the child was ominous.

And above all, the chilling sensation she had felt yesterday.

“There might be several traitors in the mansion.”

At those words, Ian’s eyes widened. As if she had said something absurd.

“Of course.”

“Pardon?”

“It was my father, not someone else. I’ve been cared for by so many people, and to have come this far while deceiving them means it’s not the work of just one or two people. Haena, be careful too. Even while I’m keeping them busy, there might be other eyes watching.”

Tap!

Ian said that and went downstairs.

Haena stared blankly at him, then shook her head vigorously. Then, she clenched and unclenched her fists, just like Ian had done. She felt the tension gradually easing.

“…Yes. Young master. I will be careful.”

It was time to show her skills.