Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 885

“…Wasn’t this supposed to be a department store?”

Ian asked, looking up at the small, dilapidated building. It looked so run-down that he wondered if it was even safe to enter. On closer inspection, it seemed to be leaning slightly. The words ‘Joy Department Store’ were half-fallen off, rusted with age.

Hanna gently hugged Ian and looked back at Romandro.

“It looks like it’s going to collapse as soon as we step inside.”

“Oh, hush, it’s fine. It’s fine.”

Romandro reassured them, leading them to the department store’s management office. Next to the window, a large sign read, ‘MUST READ! Please present your ID!’

Knock, knock.

“Is anyone there?”

At Romandro’s knock, a small window slid open, and an old man poked his face out. What was a bit surprising was that the background behind him was completely dark. Only pitch-black darkness filled the space, making it impossible to see the inside of the management office.

“ID.”

The old man roughly glanced at their IDs and nodded as if to say they could enter. Ian looked puzzled at the overly simple procedure.

“Why do you check IDs? You just glanced at them.”

“This Joy Department Store is full of unimaginable and bizarre things. Some items can be very dangerous depending on how they are used, so criminals or certain individuals under state surveillance are prohibited from entering. That manager, despite how he looks, is said to never forget a face he’s seen.”

So, that meant he could tell who was allowed in just by glancing at them. Romandro opened the door to the building.

Squeak.

“……!”

Small shops lined both sides of the hallway. They ranged from tiny spaces of about a square meter to large general stores that made one’s jaw drop.

Ian unfolded the department store map. It was poorly maintained, with scribbled lines and rough notes, making it a mess to read.

“There’s no need to look at the map here. There are many hidden shops and many that aren’t properly registered. The only way to navigate is by asking around.”

“By the way, is it true that there are 10 floors here? The inside looks very different from what we saw outside.”

It was clearly a narrow, five-story building from the outside.

Romandro chuckled, wrinkling his nose.

“It’s a department store that sells magic, after all. It’s registered as a five-story building with the country, but magicians and sorcerers have illegally expanded it, making it completely different from its exterior.”

“Illegal expansion… yet they screen for criminals. That’s odd.”

“Hahaha! You’re right, now that you mention it.”

Romandro laughed in agreement.

However, this place, Joy Department Store, was the leading center for new technology development and the distribution of magical goods in Gaia. It was a place where magicians and sorcerers from all over the world gathered to share information and make money. From the country’s perspective, they could turn a blind eye to illegal expansions.

“Why not move to a larger building?”

“We tried to push for that, but as I mentioned, there are too many hidden shops. It’s hard to even keep track of their numbers, and the ‘Joy Merchant Association’ is already struggling to manage it, so it’s best to leave it as is.”

“How old is it?”

“It’s not that old. It was built by magicians who gathered after the ‘Great Demon War’ [a major conflict in their world], like Vergos, Clifford, and Luswena. This way. The shops that Energes students frequent are mostly on the third floor.”

Hanna and Ian held hands tightly and stuck close behind Romandro.

The strange people they had seen in the center were nothing compared to the incredible individuals here. There were beast-like creatures walking on two legs, and even people riding cows in the narrow hallways.

“There are a few shops run by the Magic Department as well.”

“A few, you say?”

“Haha.”

As expected, it was impossible to know. It made one wonder if this was okay.

Ian, now on the third floor, looked around at the long line of shops. It seemed that many Energes students came here, as there were quite a few customers in school uniforms.

“You buy your uniform here, then your bag at the next shop, and then your school supplies and miscellaneous items. The route is perfectly planned.”

Ding-dong.

As they entered the uniform shop, the owner, who was taking a big bite of a sandwich, looked up in surprise. Who could it be at this hour?

“What brings you here?”

“I came to a uniform shop to buy a uniform. If it’s mealtime, I’ll come back later.”

“Ah, no! Please tell me your size. I’ll get it for you right away.”

Energes was a place where incidents and accidents frequently occurred. The students were already full of energy, and with abilities different from ordinary people, it was common for uniforms to get torn or have holes in them. Therefore, the shop owner had many sizes of clothing prepared in advance.

“It’s for a child.”

“…Huh?”

When Romandro showed Ian, the owner smiled awkwardly, looking perplexed. It was the first time in the shop’s history that they had faced such a challenge.

“Are they… a small person?”

“No, he’s human. Five years old.”

“Five years old……”

What was the smallest size they had? The owner told them to wait a moment and brought out a uniform from the deepest part of the warehouse. …It was a bit big?

“Don’t you have anything smaller?”

The sleeves covered his fingertips, and the pants covered his shoes. It was roomy and comfortable, but still.

“When is your enrollment, by any chance?”

“Next week.”

“This fabric isn’t ordinary. The manufacturing process is also very complicated. You’d have to wait at least one to two months……”

What should they do? Ian looked up at Romandro in confusion, but the owner waved his hand, saying it was okay. Then, with very skillful hands, he folded the sleeves and fixed the pants, adjusting the fit.

“Sir, don’t children grow taller every day? It seems like it’ll fit perfectly in a few months, so it’s fine as it is. It’s normal to dress kids a bit bigger.”

“Ah, sir?”

“Uniforms aren’t cheap, and while I’d like to sell as many as possible, if you’re an Energes student, you’re the future of the empire, so I can’t do that. I can’t allow it. Here, take this.”

Tap, tap. The owner straightened the child’s collar and winked. It looked very neat, and even though it was a bit big, it was cute and tidy.

Ian and Romandro looked at Hanna at the same time. Her opinion was important in this matter.

“Hmm.”

Hanna rested her chin on her hand, her eyes gleaming, and then nodded slightly. She concluded that the owner’s words were all reasonable and that the size was just right, not too big to be inappropriate.

“Well, it’s not bad.”

“Great! We’ll take it.”

“Yes, thank you! I’ll pack it up right away.”

What a strange family. Were they not father and son? The owner asked as he packed the uniform into a bag.

“By the way, what kind of ability does your child have to be admitted to Energes?”

“He’s a mage.”

The owner’s hand, which was about to tie the ribbon, stopped.

“Wh-what did you say?”

“…A mage.”

“Are you, perhaps, the first noble-born mage?”

When Ian nodded, the owner took out a brass bowl from under the counter and banged it with a spoon. At the sudden strange behavior, Romandro and Hanna stepped back, shielding Ian.

“Ian Hadel! The first noble mage has arrived!”

Bang, bang, bang! The noisy commotion caused the shop owners in the shopping district to peek out one by one. Then, without exception, they rushed to the uniform shop to greet Ian.

“Oh my, goodness. He’s so small.”

“Nice to meet you, Mr. Hadel. I’ve heard the rumors. Ah! I’m Del, who runs the general store over there. I’ll be at your service often.”

“May I have a handshake?”

“Wipe your hands before you offer them.”

“Mr. Hadel, if you come to our shop, we’ll offer you the highest quality at a reasonable price. What do you need?”

As the owners swarmed around him, Ian stepped back, flustered, accepting handshakes and greetings. Then, the uniform shop owner pushed the other owners away and bowed deeply.

“I apologize if you were surprised. I heard the rumors about the first noble mage, but I didn’t know you were enrolling in Energes. Well, you’re still young, so it’s right that you’re going to school. The Magic Department is actually quite normal when you look at it this way.”

“…But why is everyone acting like this?”

Wasn’t the welcome a bit excessive? It was a bit overwhelming.

At Ian’s question, the owners’ eyes widened at the same time.

“Don’t you know? Mr. Ian is the first mage to enroll in Energes. Mages are the most talented people in this world. Not only in the Magic Department but also in Energes, you’re sure to make a big mark, so we’re greeting you in advance. Everyone here makes a living thanks to Energes. Hohohot!”

He didn’t understand what was going on. Ian was led by the shop owners, visiting each shop in a daze, and the shopping bags in Hanna and Romandro’s hands kept piling up.

“Ethan. Look at that.”

It was hard not to notice. Energes lower-grade students were whispering as they spotted Ian.

“That kid must be Ian Hadel. The one who’s enrolling in Energes this time.”

“He doesn’t look like a mage.”

“It’ll be a miracle if he can even speak properly. He’s living a really easy life. Born a noble, and then discovering his talent at just five years old.”

“He’s so annoying. Heh heh.”

Energes was a place where only the most talented among geniuses gathered. A well-known child like Ian was bound to attract jealousy. It was even more so because they were still children.

“How great can he be?”

“Will he be in our classes?”

“That’d be fun. Wouldn’t it, Ethan?”

The male student called Ethan stared at Ian for a while, then strode over and greeted him.

“Hi?”

Who was this? He looked up at Romandro and Hanna, but they were already so loaded with packages that they couldn’t see in front of them. Ian had no choice but to carefully take the hand that Ethan offered.

“I’m Ethan. I’m a fourth-year at the Energes Academy.”

“Nice to meet you. I am Ian Hadel.”

“……?”

Ethan flinched.

Why was he talking like that?

“…Uh, nice to meet you.”

“But what brings you here?”

“I came out with the others to buy some things, and I heard the commotion, so I came to see, and it was you? I’ve heard the rumors. Let’s acknowledge each other when we see each other at school.”

There was a slight hint of arrogance in his words, but Ian didn’t mind. He just tilted his head, looking puzzled.

So, was there anything else to say? When Ian stared at him, Ethan couldn’t continue and gave an awkward smile.

“…Well, see you.”

As Ethan turned and disappeared, Romandro peeked out from between the piles of packages. He had heard all of the children’s conversation.

‘They’re already starting to size him up.’

As expected of Energes students.

Just from the conversation, he seemed like a rather reckless upperclassman. To speak informally to Ian, a noble, on their first meeting and say ‘let’s acknowledge each other’… So, it was ‘mutual equality’ from the start, huh?

‘Tsk! What a hopeless fellow. Ian is going to attract all sorts of people when he goes to school.’

But unlike Romandro’s worries, Ian was looking down at his hand without much thought. His hand was tingling. It was the hand he had shaken with Ethan.

‘Why did he squeeze so hard?’

Did that mean he was that happy to see him?

It was then that someone suddenly spoke to Ian, who was standing there in a daze.

“Ethan’s class. He’s an aspiring alchemist, and his grades are in the mid-upper range. He likes to meddle in everything, so he has a lot of connections. He’s also very talkative.”

“……?”

“He’s not someone you’d want to be close to, but he’s good to use when needed, I guess?”

A woman with pink dumpling hair, orange eyes, and freckles. She had a rather striking appearance.

“Was that too blunt of an assessment?”

“…Who are you?”

“Ah, I’m the owner of the mineral shop in the corner over there. I handle magic stones that Energes students use for experiments and research. I came out when I heard that Ian Hadel had arrived. Would you like to visit my shop sometime?”

It wasn’t a place he needed to visit right away. But he had some questions and was curious, so Ian nodded.

You must come back soon, young master! Leaving Romandro and Hanna, who were buried under the packages, the child followed her.

Squeak.

Unlike its narrow exterior, the interior was filled with various magic stones. As Ian looked around in wonder, the owner winked, telling him to be careful.

“You shouldn’t use magic carelessly here. There are all sorts of things, and the department store might explode.”

“…I’ll be careful.”

“What would you like to see first?”

“It’s not that, but I have a recording magic stone, and I was wondering if it’s possible to do work to clarify the sound quality?”

“Of course. It depends on the type of magic stone, but it’s mostly possible. Do you have it with you now?”

“No. Later.”

He actually had it with him, but he was cautious about entrusting it to someone he had just met. It contained a recording of Cronie’s group’s conversation, so it would be better to ask when he had gained some trust.

Then, Ian’s gaze fell on an amber-colored gem in the corner.

“What is that?”

“Ah. That’s Idgal-”

The owner carefully picked up the gem with her finger and whispered.

“It’s a bit dangerous for a mage…♡ Would you like to see it?”