Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 907

“Master!”

The butler rushed over and pulled back the blanket. Lato showed no reaction. The still air made it clear that he was no longer breathing.

Ian was shocked, of course, and Hana and Romandro also stepped back in dismay.

“Is there anyone outside!”

“What is the matter?”

“Quickly, quickly, get Doctor Bergin!”

“H-Huh! Yes, I understand!”

The servants, who had been catching bugs in the hallway, rushed over, assessed the situation, and scattered.

Ian looked at Romandro, unsure of what to do. There was no chance to speak to the butler, who was constantly checking on Lato.

“Master, ah, Master…”

“U-Um, excuse me-”

At Romandro’s call, the butler turned, sniffing. Ian, Hana, and Romandro noticed. Though he was sobbing, the butler hadn’t shed a single tear.

Romandro quickly grasped the situation.

“While I am saddened by Lord Lato’s passing, it seems you are in disarray, so we will leave the mansion first.”

They could come back for the funeral.

But the butler stopped them.

“No. I am sorry, but I would like everyone to remain in the mansion.”

“Why?”

The butler hugged his master’s body and murmured in a sorrowful tone.

“Although the elder master was not well, he was perfectly fine just a moment ago. Please stay until the death certificate is issued.”

A death certificate requires a cause of death. In other words, they were to stay in the mansion until the cause of death was determined.

“Look here, are you suspecting us right now?”

Romandro didn’t want to raise his voice in front of the deceased, but he was so dumbfounded that he raised his voice. The butler shook his head again, saying that wasn’t the case.

“That is not my intention. However, since the young master is currently away, there is no family member with the authority to make decisions, and Ian Hadel is the only blood relative, albeit distant, so I would like him to oversee the situation. Once the death certificate is properly issued, I can take care of the funeral procedures.”

Since his words were reasonable, Romandro couldn’t argue and just glanced at Ian.

Ian fiddled with the Idgal [a magic stone that nullifies magic] and business card in his pocket and looked back at the two of them.

“There’s no helping it. It’s just a matter of waiting for the doctor to come and issue the death certificate, so let’s wait a little longer.”

It wouldn’t take more than an hour or two. Romandro sighed softly and pulled a chair over for Ian.

“…”

The ticking of the wall clock’s second hand sounded particularly loud. The butler stopped crying, and a strange silence filled the room.

Swoosh.

The butler straightened the blanket, recalling Cronie’s message.

“If Ian Hadel visits, his father will stop breathing. This is all for the sake of the family, so do not be afraid or agitated.”

The butler glanced at the bouquet of flowers on the table, recalling Cronie’s next message.

“Doctor Bergin will write the death certificate himself. So, before the doctor arrives, be sure to place the gift that Ian Hadel brought near the table.”

All preparations were perfect. He didn’t know how the young master intended to keep that child, but he must have his reasons. The butler anxiously checked the clock, waiting for the doctor.

Tap!

Since the door was open, the sound of footsteps in the hallway could be heard clearly. He’s finally here! The butler’s face lit up as he rose to greet the doctor.

A moment later, a plump doctor entered, looking around the bedroom.

“Oh dear, this is terrible.”

“You’ve arrived, Doctor.”

“Yes. What terrible news all of a sudden.”

‘All of a sudden, my foot. He was an old man who was about to die and was just cleaning up his surroundings.’ Hana frowned as she thought that.

One person followed Bergin in. The butler raised his eyebrows as if he had never seen the face before, while Hana, Romandro, and Ian looked pleased.

“Hello, I’m Philia.”

It was Philia. Her blonde hair was tied back as always, and she looked elegant and beautiful.

Bergin clicked his tongue, looking displeased, and introduced Philia.

“Oh, she’s a doctor who has been helping me with my work recently.”

“I heard the news that Lord Lato had passed away, and I thought I might be of some help, so I asked to come along. I specialize in herbal medicine.”

“Ah, yes, yes…”

The butler shook Philia’s hand, looking at Bergin as if asking what was going on. If another doctor was present, wouldn’t he be unable to write the death certificate as his master wanted?

As expected, Philia immediately picked up the bouquet of flowers placed next to the table and examined it.

“I know that Lord Lato doesn’t have any allergies, butler. Is that correct?”

“Yes, but his health has been very poor lately…”

“I’ll take this to check. It’s my specialty, so there shouldn’t be any problems, Doctor Bergin.”

“…Very well.”

As Philia collected the bouquet, Ian finally realized that he had almost fallen into a trap.

Cronie was the kind of person who would definitely implicate him in Lato’s death. Whether intentional or not, he was the kind of person who would try to push Ian into the blame for the death, even a little bit, to create a justification.

Reaching that thought, Ian began to wonder if Lato’s death was also a play orchestrated by Cronie.

“Philia.”

“Do you know her?”

The butler reacted sharply to Ian’s call. Philia shrugged her shoulders and answered nonchalantly.

“I treated Ian Hadel’s father before. It’s been a while, Ian.”

It was right to pretend to be distant from each other. Otherwise, Cronie’s side would suspect Philia’s involvement.

Ian nodded slightly.

“…Yes, it’s been a while.”

“What brings you here? Are you perhaps waiting for the death certificate?”

“That’s right.”

“I understand. Please wait a moment.”

Philia said that in a businesslike tone, then glanced at Bergin, who had come with her. As if telling him not to hold everyone up and to quickly issue the death certificate. Then, she stood firmly beside him and closely watched what Bergin was doing.

“Death, confirmed.”

“The cause of death…?”

Bergin glanced at the table where the bouquet had been. He was going to write something like allergic respiratory distress or an unknown toxic reaction, but with Philia present, that was impossible. She was a specialist in herbal medicine.

“…A detailed autopsy would be necessary, but I don’t know if Lord Cronie would agree. From the outside… it seems to be due to a pre-existing condition.”

“Then I’ll write it as such.”

Swoosh.

Philia recorded on the chart, and Bergin fell silent. Romandro seemed to have grasped the situation and lightly pushed Ian’s back.

“Ahem, then that’s settled, right? It seems we’re in the way, so we’ll go out first. Please prepare the carriage once the death certificate is issued.”

“Ah.”

The butler tried to stop them, saying something, but Hana and Romandro didn’t look back and took Ian out of the bedroom.

They quickly went down the stairs, passed through the reception room, and sat on the bench in front of the front door, looking around for the carriage. Ah, there it is!

“Ian, did you find anything in the study?”

“Yes. I think I need to take it to the Arena Minister.”

“Then let’s go straight to the Imperial Palace.”

It was well past quitting time, but it was an issue unrelated to the Magic Department. It was the same for the mages, but the ministers lived in their offices without the concept of quitting time.

As he walked toward the carriage, Ian turned his head and looked up at the mansion window. He could see the servants moving busily.

“Philia…”

When did Philia come to the center? And how did she reappear so timely?

He had many questions, but he knew he couldn’t ask them right now. So, Ian quickened his pace toward the carriage, clutching the items in his pocket.

* * *

“Minister Arena!”

“What is it now?”

Arena closed the document as if he was tired of it. Not a single day went by without something happening, so whenever his aide called him urgently, he felt a surge of annoyance.

The aide urgently handed over a report.

“The Deputy Minister of the Imperial Defense Department has been found.”

“…Has been found?”

That expression is a bit strange, isn’t it?

Arena bit his lower lip and flipped through the report.

“He was found dead at his villa. It seems to be a suicide. There was a suicide note next to him.”

“A suicide note…”

Arena read the transcribed content. He had killed the Minister of the Imperial Defense Department, it was all a wrong choice born of greed, he realized it too late, and he would take all the disgrace and die for his family, blah blah blah.

Arena sighed softly and asked.

“What about the handwriting analysis?”

“Yes. It’s in progress.”

But as everyone expected, there would be no problem with the handwriting. Because Cronie had meticulously planned everything from start to finish.

“Ah, this is troublesome.”

At this rate, the case would be closed as Cronie wanted. Since the culprit was dead, the right to prosecute would be extinguished, and no objections could be raised.

If only he could buy a little more time. So that he could reveal that it was Cronie’s doing. Arena muttered, rubbing his forehead.

“What about the movements of the Imperial Defense Department? Are they recommending Cronie as the minister?”

“Given the current trend, I think that’s likely.”

“It wouldn’t look good to end the war like this.”

A complete end to the war in the North. The war hadn’t even properly started.

Of course, that was what the Emperor wanted, and the Imperial Defense Department was using it as a means to consolidate power, but there was another eye watching. The imperial citizens.

“If the war is ended vaguely in conjunction with the appointment of the Minister of the Imperial Defense Department, there will be talk.”

“Ah, Minister.”

“Yes?”

The aide pursed his lips as if he was in trouble.

“There’s one more piece of news.”

“What is it? You’re making me anxious.”

“Lord Lato Alphart, Lord Cronie’s father, has just passed away.”

At that, the pen rolled off Arena’s hand.

‘He’s made up his mind.’

This changes things. It was as if the justification for the withdrawal was being built up step by step.

Since Cronie was known to have no other siblings, Cronie was also the only person who could hold Lord Lato’s funeral.

“…I’ll be right there.”

“Yes, probably.”

Was all of this a coincidence?

Arena sighed deeply and tapped his forehead. He could clearly see that Cronie was up to something behind the scenes, but it was frustrating that he couldn’t find any evidence.

“His Majesty has ordered that the news of the death be delivered by magic, not by messenger bird.”

“Ha. Yes, yes, that’s how it should be.”

For the Emperor, who wanted to quickly end the war and return to daily life to maintain his power, Cronie’s return was something he had been eagerly awaiting.

Arena stretched roughly and gave instructions.

“I’ll open the portal by tomorrow, so tell the kids to calculate the formula and set it up in the backyard. We just need to deliver the letter, right? Let’s keep it small.”

“Yes, I understand.”

“And the Deputy Minister’s body, are they going to do an autopsy?”

“I think they will, at least formally… I haven’t heard anything about it. Since it was a dishonorable death, the bereaved family wants to settle it quickly.”

“Bullshit.”

Ts. Arena muttered a curse and completely closed the report.

As things stood, the possibility of the Magic Department intervening in the investigation had completely disappeared. He had intended to use the Truth Serum to interrogate the Deputy Minister, but he had died like this…

Knock knock.

“Yes, don’t come in.”

Arena joked reflexively. After a long time, the door didn’t open, so Arena and his aide exchanged puzzled glances.

“…?”

Usually, mages would just barge in, ignoring the warning? So, the aide opened the door himself.

Creak.

“Ah.”

Ian Hadel was standing there awkwardly. As if he didn’t know what to do.

“Can I come in? I have something to tell you.”

“Ian Hadel? Come in! Come in!”

Oh, crap! Arena was startled and got up to greet him personally. Only then did Ian cautiously step into the minister’s office.