Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 930

“That way!”

Soldiers, holding torches, pointed into the forest. The light scattered and flickered in the darkness, accompanied by the strange echo of footsteps.

Thump, thump, thump.

The sound was clearly not human, nor did it resemble any animal they knew.

Thwack!

“This way! Drive it this way!”

Bariel soldiers, fanned out, chased their quarry through the darkness. They wielded exceptionally sharp swords, crafted from a material unlike ordinary steel. Lighter and seemingly less substantial, these were the weapons of the Dera tribe. The tips of the blades were stained with blood.

Screeeech!

The monster, fleeing across the forest floor, found itself facing a sheer cliff. Its thin, spindly legs made climbing impossible, but facing the soldiers meant certain death. If only they didn’t have those weapons! Those insignificant humans it used to devour whole!

Whoosh!

The soldiers watched in dismay as the spider-like monster began to ascend the cliff. It was not only high but nearly vertical.

“Come down, you monster!”

“Ah, we almost had it…”

“Go around and climb up!”

“Is there even a path?”

“Rookie, you stay here and keep watch!”

The soldiers scrambled left and right, searching for a way up. The rookie soldier remained in the darkness, watching the grotesque monster’s back.

Ten years ago, the sudden opening of rifts had unleashed monsters across Gaia. The flood of monsters, previously relegated to the tales of elders, had returned, and the memory of their terror was still fresh in everyone’s minds.

Screech.

The monster, having barely reached the top of the cliff, was about to take its first step onto the ledge.

Swoosh.

A foot lightly landed on the monster’s leg. The touch was so gentle that the monster paused, raising its head.

“……”

A blue-eyed boy with platinum blonde hair fluttered in the wind. His expression was so cold that even the moonlight behind him seemed to chill. There was an aura of mystery about him, and the monster was mesmerized.

“Ian-nim!”

The rookie soldier’s shout from below snapped the monster out of its trance, and it lunged at the boy. Dozens of thin legs shot up, aiming for his neck and heart.

But at that very moment-

Zzzzzing!

His blue eyes turned gold.

With a mere tilt of his head, Ian immobilized the monster. He had cast magic without any incantation or magic circle.

Kuh-erk!

The monster’s body stiffened, and it could only manage a groan. Dozens of eyes darted around, searching for an escape, but there was none at the edge of the cliff.

Thud.

Ian lightly nudged the monster with his foot, and it fell like a drugged insect.

Thump! The rookie soldier, startled by the loud impact, drew his sword and ran towards the monster. He wasn’t a mage, but with his blade, he could finish it off-

Whoosh!

「Restraint」.

Ian muttered the activation word, pointing behind the rookie soldier. A huge shard of light descended from the sky.

Thud!

Whoosh!

Then, something hot, sticky, and unpleasant splattered on the soldier’s back. He turned in surprise to see a monster with its mouth agape and its head severed, lying right behind him. He hadn’t noticed it approaching in the darkness.

“……!”

The soldier, his heart pounding, turned back. He intended to finish off the monster that had fallen from the cliff. But-

Kieeeak!

In that short time, the monster had recovered and lunged, its legs raised.

The soldier reflexively swung his sword, but the monster easily dodged it and sharpened its claws, aiming for the gap. The poisonous claws were about to reach his throat.

Whoosh!

Ian, who had somehow descended, slashed the monster’s arm with his sword. Or rather, its leg? Regardless, the monster, its limbs severed, fell backward with a painful groan, spraying dark red blood like a fountain.

When blood splattered on Ian’s cheek, he frowned in disgust and plunged his sword into the monster’s heart. It convulsed a few times before dying completely.

“……”

The surroundings fell eerily silent. The quiet was broken by the soldiers’ shouts.

“What was that sound?”

“Oh, there it is!”

“Is it dead? Let’s go down!”

The soldiers who had gone up the cliff belatedly confirmed the monster’s fall and were making a commotion as they returned.

Meanwhile, the rookie soldier, who had been frozen in fear, belatedly thanked Ian.

“T-thank you, Ian-nim.”

“…Are you alright?”

“Ah, yes.”

“From now on, stay alert.”

“…I-I’m sorry.”

Ian wiped the monster’s blood off his hand and turned away. In that brief moment, his eyes had returned to their blue color.

Shortly after, Ian returned to camp and immediately requested a bowl of water to wash his hands and face.

“Ian, you’re back?”

A mage, who was writing a report inside the tent, greeted him cheerfully. He chuckled as he stood, noticing Ian’s messy clothes.

“Looks like you got some blood on you.”

“It was your turn today, senior.”

“Ugh. I’m injured here, so it’s hard for me.”

“…Don’t act cute.”

When the mage showed his injured arm and clung to him, Ian pushed his face away, annoyed, and finished washing up.

“Was it just one today?”

“There were two. They were reported monsters.”

“Oh, really? Then we can assume there are no more monsters in the nearby area?”

“I suppose so?”

“Hmm. There are definitely fewer monsters this year. Right?”

The appearance of monsters, which had gradually increased over the past 10 years, peaked in the 7th and 8th years. There were instances where hundreds of monsters appeared at once, devastating entire territories, and times when they surged across the border simultaneously.

Of course, each time, soldiers armed with Dera weapons were the first line of defense, followed by mages providing support, so they were dealt with without major damage.

“That’s what I’m saying.”

Ian, wiping his face with a towel, agreed. This phenomenon was occurring not only in Bariel but throughout Gaia. Contrary to expectations that monsters would become more rampant, in the 10th year, they appeared sporadically, in small numbers, and with reduced individual power.

The mage smiled as he picked up his pen to write the documents.

“It would have been great if you had been around a few years ago.”

It was a common joke among mages. If Ian had been actively involved in combat when monsters were rampant, things would have been much easier.

Ian was impressive back then, but the current Ian was beyond words. His remarkable growth was something that made all the mages shake their heads in disbelief.

“Why didn’t you persuade the Minister?”

“I did. More than a hundred times. But he was adamant that it was absolutely not allowed until you were over fifteen, so what could I do? He was ready to nail my mouth shut if I said anything more.”

Ian chuckled faintly at the mage’s jest. A low and pleasant laugh. Just hearing it seemed to calm the mind.

It was strange. He had been living in the rough Magic Department since he was five years old, but how could he laugh so elegantly? Was this what they meant when they said noble blood couldn’t be hidden? The mage rested his chin on his hand and stared at Ian, who raised an eyebrow.

“Why are you doing that?”

“Oh my, when did you grow up so much?”

It was that same old line again. Ian waved his hand as if to say enough and asked.

“Aren’t you going back right away?”

“It’s until tomorrow, right?”

“The mission is over, so I don’t think it matters.”

“Ah, please, Ian. Let’s take it easy. You! With this refreshing and clear air and the scenic view of the forest, do you want to go back to that musty Magic Department? When you go back, all you’ll smell is the spit of those groaning humans?”

“I’ll tell your seniors exactly what you said when I get back.”

“Tell them! It’s not like I made anything up.”

“And here, you misspelled this.”

“Where? Huh?”

“The Minister said he’d kill you if you made another mistake, so be careful.”

“Wow, this is scarier than monsters, so scary.”

The mage crumpled the paper as soon as he checked the typo and threw it away, starting to write again from the beginning. Ian, realizing he wouldn’t be able to return today, changed into comfortable clothes.

Swoosh.

As he took off his shirt, the pendant hanging around his neck slid down to his chest. It was a gift from the Emperor 10 years ago. Along with the request to freeze him under his own judgment if anything happened to him.

‘But nothing like that has happened in the past 10 years.’

Ian now knew how to use freezing magic, and the Emperor was older than he was in the past, but strangely, his condition had not worsened. As if mocking those who had predicted that he would be in mourning within a few years, he stubbornly clung to life in his bed.

‘No matter how I think about it, it doesn’t seem like a coincidence.’

When Crony disappeared, the Emperor survived. Freddy was appointed as the Minister of the Imperial Defense Department, and the department was reorganized, but their heyday was short-lived. As the monster attacks decreased, their role also diminished.

‘Could Crony have been involved in the Emperor’s health as well?’

He couldn’t say for sure. He was a man who would even kill his own father.

But when Crony disappeared, the forces that had been secretly working for him in the dark also vanished completely. Peace had returned to the Imperial Palace.

Crack.

Ian turned around at the sudden sound. Somehow, the pen nib had bent, and the ink had burst. The mage was frozen with ink all over his face, and Ian was speechless, his mouth agape.

“I-Ian…”

“…Go away. I’ll write it.”

“Ian. I can’t see.”

“You’ll see when you open them.”

Ian pushed the mage away and took out a new pen, starting to write the report in his place. His handwriting was neat and tidy.

* * *

“Well, well?”

Arena rested her chin on her hand and examined the report. Ian stood there looking composed, while the mage had ink stains all over his face.

“Ian was supposed to be in charge of dealing with the monsters, right?”

“Yes. That’s correct.”

“But Ian also wrote the report?”

“……”

Ian knew that lying wouldn’t work, so he remained silent. Arena shook her head and sighed.

“…You dumped the work on the rookie, didn’t you?”

“No! I was attacked by ink-”

“Get out!”

“Eek!”

The mage fled from the Minister’s office, and Ian bowed and was about to turn around.

“Ian.”

“Yes, Minister.”

“Nothing unusual lately, right?”

Unusual? Ian tilted his head at the sudden question. Arena shrugged as if it was okay if there was nothing unusual, and Ian calmly closed the door.

Squeak. Thud.

As soon as the door closed, Arena slumped onto the desk and whined to her aide.

“Ah, is Ian going through puberty these days?”

“Why do you think so?”

“He’s so polite with his honorifics!”

“…He’s always been like that.”

Arena added in a voice close to a scream.

“He only works!”

“What else would he do in the Magic Department?”

“Haa, I don’t know. You’ve changed too. The old Ian doesn’t feel the same. Do you know that he doesn’t do a spin when he falls out of the portal anymore? Look at the report too! It’s as neat and tidy as an 80-year-old man!”

“…Is that a compliment or an insult?”

“You don’t know, you don’t know anything…”

Was this what it was like to raise a child? It felt like just yesterday that five-year-old Ian was here, but now Ian, who was quite the young man, was both admirable and regrettable.

Moreover, since his coming-of-age ceremony was approaching, Arena was very interested in Ian’s ‘nature’. In other words, she was worried about whether she had ‘raised him well’. The aide thought it was a useless worry.

“……”

Meanwhile, outside the door, Ian, who had overheard this, stopped in his tracks. The two of them continued to bicker, unaware that their conversation was leaking out.

‘Minister is something else.’

Ian moved on with a faint smile. His platinum blonde hair fluttered as he walked.