Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 901

The Black Sprout

“Ian.”

At Hans’s call from behind, Cronie’s grip loosened. Cronie looked at Hans and Naum, a puzzled expression on his face. After a slight nod, they approached. Ian’s expression was terrible.

“What’s wrong?”

“Who are they?”

Cronie straightened up and asked. He wore a formal smile, but the contempt in his eyes was clear.

No, perhaps he had no intention of hiding it in the first place. Judging by Hans and Naum’s attire, it was obvious they were neither nobles nor palace staff.

“Surely, they aren’t my uncle’s friends?”

*Where has the honor and dignity of a noble gone, associating with such common children?* Cronie seemed to be asking.

Ian frowned slightly and replied,

“They are my friends.”

“Oh, my! Count Jacques promised to look after my uncle like his own child. How can he be so negligent?”

If it were true that Ian was associating with commoners, he could formally raise an objection. Legally, there might be no issue, but socially and morally, there was.

At the mention of Count Jacques, Ian’s eyes sharpened for a moment.

“Please don’t speak like that. Count Jacques is taking great care of me. And these are my friends, Energes students, and new magicians.”

“Ah. New magicians?”

Cronie subtly repeated, as if it were news to him. *Does this mean the number of magicians has increased again?*

Sensing the clear intent to extract information, Ian changed the subject.

“Please inquire formally with the Magic Department for details. And Sir Cronie-”

Ian looked directly at Cronie and replied,

“I will not go to the north.”

Ian liked the center. Count Jacques’s residence was affluent, and there was much to learn at Energes and the Magic Department. Moreover, he had made many kind and interesting connections, so even if someone else had proposed it, he would have refused.

But to go with Cronie? There was no reason to accept.

“…Is that so.”

Cronie chuckled softly. It was impossible to know exactly what that laugh meant. However, Ian felt as if something between him and Cronie was breaking.

“Understood, Uncle. Then, please take care.”

It was his last chance. Cronie turned his back and left the Magic Department without a second glance. The gazes of the magicians watching from afar slowly followed Cronie.

“Ian, what’s wrong?”

Hans and Naum also approached Ian, watching Cronie’s retreating figure. Judging by the way they addressed each other, they seemed to be family, but they were so cold, almost as if they were about to cut each other.

Ian smiled, saying it was nothing.

“No, it’s nothing. Sorry for making you hear unnecessary things.”

“It’s okay. But that guy is really annoying. Is he a soldier?”

“Yeah. Did you finish looking around the annex?”

“Ah……”

Hans and Naum nodded awkwardly. Well, looking around the building was quick, and most of the time was spent looking at the books. Then, Hans spoke as if he had remembered something.

“Ian, I saw a strange book earlier.”

“What kind?”

While answering Hans, Ian’s gaze was fixed on the Magic Department. He was looking for Arena. He felt that what Cronie had just said was meaningful, and it was best to discuss it with the Minister.

“It’s titled , and it’s said to be Ian’s story.”

“Ian? Me?”

*No way. That can’t be.* Hans shrugged.

“Maybe it’s another Ian? Judging by the title, it’s the chronicle of Ian Hielro.”

“Ian Hielro……”

Ian blankly repeated the name. It felt like he had heard it somewhere, but also not. If he had the ability to never forget something he had seen once, like Hans, he would have remembered it right away.

“Do you know it?”

“No, I don’t. Where did you learn it?”

“Anyway, if you’re interested later-”

“Minister!”

Ian waved his hand as he found Arena. Arena, who was passing by with a report under her arm, stopped and turned her head slightly at Ian’s call.

“Hans, Naum! Just a moment!”

“Ian? Ian!”

“You can go ahead if you’re busy!”

*Thud!*

Ian said that and ran towards Arena. *Isn’t it you who is busy right now, Ian?* Hans and Naum looked at each other, trying to gauge each other’s thoughts.

“Hans, what should we do?”

“Let’s wait a bit and then go.”

“Yeah. We’ll meet again tomorrow.”

Hans at Energes, Naum at the Magic Department-

It was something they could ask again then.

They sat on a bench in front of the annex and watched Ian’s back as he explained something to Arena. Arena listened for a long time, then handed her report to her aide and took the child to her office.

* * *

“Is there a disadvantage if you don’t go north?”

Arena sat on the desk and repeated the child’s question. *What kind of nonsense was this?* But Ian asked again with a slightly stiff face.

“As I said, is there a disadvantage if I don’t go north? Either personally or for the Magic Department itself.”

“Where did you hear such a thing? I saw that Commander Cronie came to see you for a while.”

“Yes. He proposed that I go to the north.”

“Ah-?”

*That crazy, insane bastard.* He actually brought that matter up in front of the child? Arena was smiling, but inside, she was imagining separating Cronie’s head, chest, and stomach into three parts to calm her anger.

“But what did you hear that made you worry about a disadvantage?”

“There was nothing special, but the atmosphere……”

“Atmosphere?”

It was too subjective a standard. As Arena raised an eyebrow, Ian added,

“That’s also true, but I don’t understand. Sir Cronie has no reason to leave the center right now. Rather, if you think about it, he shouldn’t leave.”

“What’s the basis?”

“My father is ill. And he has personal matters to attend to.”

That is, the demonic beasts he had unleashed to kill Ian Hadel, himself. The bandit group, the people he had planted in Energes, and the fact that he was trying to seize the property.

But, to stop everything he was doing and go north? In Ian’s opinion, even if there was an order from a superior, it was a situation where he should ask for reconsideration.

“I am asking because it is not clear in many ways.”

“Hmm, I see.”

Arena also stroked her chin with her finger and pondered for a moment.

“First of all, there is no disadvantage. From the Magic Department’s point of view, it’s a loss if you go north. If a newbie who still has much to learn goes north and causes an accident? There will be a lot to deal with.”

In fact, they had used that as an excuse to get rid of someone once.

“Personally, Ian Hadel, you know best, right? But from a third party’s point of view, there doesn’t seem to be anything particularly concerning.”

“…Is that so?”

“Yes, it is.”

Arena winked and smiled.

Ian sighed in relief. He had refused, but he was worried that some unknown trick might harm the Magic Department. Arena tapped her pen with her fingertip, watching Ian.

“Ian.”

“Yes, Minister.”

“You worry too much.”

“Yes?”

Arena crossed her arms, looking puzzled.

*Isn’t that so? What if the Magic Department is harmed?*

“It’s me and the commanders who are responsible for the Magic Department, not a newbie who just came in and is managing inventory.”

No matter how much Cronie schemes and plots behind the scenes, the Magic Department will be solid.

“Even if there is an impact, it’s our share. Ian Hadel, it’s not your responsibility. Do you understand what I mean?”

It meant that he shouldn’t feel guilty because he had no responsibility for anything that happened in the palace. He was just a five-year-old child.

“You just need to learn your work diligently and live well, like you are now. And sometimes bring in magicians. Oh, then I have nothing more to wish for.”

Arena playfully said, stroking Ian’s head, and Ian nodded with a small smile.

“Okay, then stop worrying! Go home! It’s rare to hear me tell you to go home, you know?”

“Yes. I understand. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Okay. Go safely~”

Until Ian politely greeted her and closed the door, Arena maintained a smiling face.

*Squeak.*

*Thud.*

Although she frowned and clicked her tongue as soon as the door closed.

She pressed her temples with a scowl. *That bastard Cronie, if he was going to leave, he should have left quietly, but he was making a fuss until the end.*

‘But, Ian Hadel’s suspicion is not entirely unfounded.’

Arena also did not expect Cronie to go on the northern expedition. *What to say.* It was true that going north was a good opportunity for those belonging to the Imperial Defense Force, but considering Cronie’s nature, she had expected that he would not want to be away from the center.

‘What could be happening here that he would leave the center?’

There must be a separate reason why Cronie is going.

Arena called the aide who was waiting outside.

“Are you there?”

“Yes, Minister.”

“Gather some news from the Imperial Defense Force. It seems that Commander Cronie has been appointed as the commander of the northern expeditionary force, the internal atmosphere, and things like that.”

“Ah, I’ve also heard something about that.”

“Good. What is it?”

Arena raised her chin as if to tell her to speak quickly.

“Originally, there was a rumor that the Deputy Minister would go, but suddenly, Commander Cronie was appointed. The officers have no particular reaction, and the Deputy Minister was quite displeased.”

“Ah.”

*I see.* Cronie was trying to get into that position by working with the Minister and pushing aside the Deputy Minister. If he successfully completed this northern expedition and returned, the Deputy Minister would be no problem.

“Still, just in case, I will investigate further.”

“Yes, gather all the information you can. It seems our youngest is very worried.”

“Are you talking about Ian Hadel?”

“Yes. Is it because he’s a noble? He keeps trying to shoulder something.”

Arena’s last words were closer to a soliloquy. The aide nodded, wrote down Arena’s instructions in his notebook, and found Ian Hadel walking alone in the distance.

‘Is he going alone?’

He thought he should call a carriage separately for him. But then, Hans and Naum, who had been waiting, ran to Ian, and Romandro and Barsabe, who had been waiting while doing other work, also found Ian. The aide smiled and wrote down Arena’s instructions in his notebook.

*Scribble.*

There were instructions, so he would investigate, but it was highly likely that what he knew was all there was. Cronie was aiming for the Deputy Minister’s position – that was the source and center of all the rumors.

‘The Imperial Defense Force, it’s surprisingly transparent here.’

But soon, it was revealed that Arena, the aide, and the entire palace were wrong. The black seed that Cronie had been harboring had sprouted.