Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 931

932. White Envelope

“Indeed, the number of monster attacks has decreased sharply.”

In the Grand Assembly Hall.

The ministers wore satisfied smiles as they reviewed the report submitted by the Magic Department. Just a few years ago, when the attacks were at their peak, the damage near the Bariel border and in other countries was considerable. But somehow, as time passed, the monsters had diminished. The ministers praised Arena, relieved that they no longer had to live in fear.

“The Magic Department has worked very hard.”

“Yes, it’s all thanks to the Magic Department’s efforts. If we continue like this, we can restore peace to Gaia.”

“Then, how about we gradually lift the restricted areas we set up in the south? There happens to be a gold mine there, and we’ve suffered quite a bit of economic loss.”

“Let’s see… monster attacks have been limited to just three in the past six months. What do you think?”

“I agree.”

“Me too. I concur.”

“What are your thoughts, Minister Arena?”

The Emperor’s seat remained empty. Arena glanced at the vacant throne once before joining the ministers’ discussion.

“I agree as well. From now on, the Imperial Defense Department can take the lead. The monsters that have appeared in the past few months have all been low-level, so the Magic Department will only intervene in emergencies.”

The mages standing by inwardly cheered at Arena’s words. Finally, they wouldn’t have to run around everywhere! With the reduction in the Magic Department’s management of rifts, they could return to their daily lives!

While the mages suppressed their smiles, the Imperial Defense Minister, Freddy, stroked his chin. Then, reluctantly, he replied,

“Yes, we will do so.”

Ten years ago, when the Imperial Defense Minister, the Vice-Minister, and even Crony, who was the leading candidate for the next minister, died in quick succession, the department fell into chaos. It was a level of chaos akin to a national emergency. Factions formed, and they went through a period of turmoil as they tried to outdo each other in their ambition for advancement.

Fortunately, the Magic Department was the main power in the Imperial Palace at the time, so it remained their own internal war.

“Minister Freddy, do you have anything else to say?”

Arena asked pointedly.

She had long noticed that Freddy was aiming for the position of Imperial Defense Minister, and she also knew that he wouldn’t be able to do anything even if he got the position. The North and Astana. The Imperial Defense Department and the Magic Department. Wasn’t the current structure one where they each held onto the other’s weaknesses? The already chaotic Imperial Defense Department wouldn’t have the strength to challenge the Magic Department.

“No, Minister Arena.”

Still, Freddy was quite clever. After becoming minister, he didn’t exactly bow down, but he did lower himself enough not to offend Arena. Thanks to that, he had managed to keep his position.

This balance of power was truly exquisite. If it weren’t for the monster outbreaks, the Imperial Palace would have been more peaceful and stable than ever.

“Then, let’s end today’s meeting here.”

“Shall we? Thank you for your hard work.”

“Yes, everyone, you’ve done well.”

The ministers rose from their seats and left the meeting hall, but Arena remained seated, flipping through documents. Among the mages who were puzzled by this, Ian was the first to sit down across from her.

“Please, sit down, seniors.”

Arena not leaving meant that there was something they needed to discuss among themselves.

Ian was the only mage besides the heads of each department, but no one questioned it. Ian had been attending the Grand Assembly as the portal manager since long ago, since ten years ago.

Besides, honestly, though no one was saying it, everyone was thinking of Ian as the next minister. Of course, that was a distant future matter.

“You haven’t forgotten about the incident where the Imperial Defense Department tried to target Idgal, have you?”

“How could we forget that?”

It was the incident where they tried to betray the Magic Department by joining hands with a northern minority tribe.

However, the testimonies of the minority tribe and Astana conflicted, and to make matters worse, the monster outbreaks continued, so the matter was eventually dropped. The Imperial Defense Department wasn’t dangerous enough to be checked like that.

“Now that the monster management has been transferred to the Imperial Defense Department, they might start acting up again.”

“M-Minister, is it alright to say that?”

“What does it matter? No one’s listening. Why? Are you going to go and snitch?”

“No, I’m saying we should maintain decorum.”

“A guy who walks around with ink stains on his face is talking about decorum.”

Cough. The mage coughed, roughly wiping his face at Arena’s remark.

“Anyway, I recently received some information.”

“Information?”

“The Black Merchant Guild.”

Ian was the most responsive. The Black Merchant Guild was the name of the merchant group on the business card found in Crony’s mansion ten years ago. The one that was with Idgal.

“The Black Merchant Guild? Why now, all of a sudden?”

“That’s what I’m saying. Well, we were too busy back then to look for them, and Crony died, so it was put on the back burner. I happened to hear about it recently while trading magic stones with a merchant group going to and from Hawan.”

If it was heard through magic stone trading, then Ako would know too. The mages nodded eagerly, waiting for Arena’s next words.

“Crony and the Black Merchant Guild were close.”

“Really?”

They had expected it, but it was still surprising to hear it confirmed. How had they managed to hide so completely without a single piece of news until now?

Arena explained.

“Maybe it’s because of what happened to Crony, but the Black Merchant Guild seems to have gone into hiding back then, changed their name, and completely laundered their identities. The merchant who gave me the information said he recognized the face of one of the guys working under them. This part needs to be verified.”

One of the mages cautiously raised his hand to ask a question, his eyes glancing at Ian.

“But, Minister, do we need to pursue the Black Merchant Guild? Crony is already dead, and the situation is over.”

It was a question about whether it was necessary to go to the trouble of digging into the Black Merchant Guild. The other mages nodded lightly in agreement.

“That’s right. It’s a closed case. But the Black Merchant Guild gave Crony information, didn’t they? How else would Crony have known about the clue to Idgal’s burial site from Astana? He might have gotten the information through the Black Merchant Guild, so we need to confirm the reality of the other party. Don’t you think?”

“That’s true, but-”

“And sorry, but it’s not over yet, you guys.”

Arena smiled and crossed her arms. A significant number of Crony’s faction remained in the Imperial Defense Department. Although it had been completely reorganized into a new organization, people don’t just disappear.

‘It’s reassuring to have some kind of control.’

Chaos never disappears. The reason the Imperial Palace had been peaceful was that everyone’s attention had been turned outward due to the monsters.

But now, the Imperial Defense Department would be in charge of this, and what if the monsters completely disappeared as a result? The Imperial Palace would become noisy again in many ways.

‘There’s also the matter of His Majesty the Emperor.’

Fortunately, the Emperor was still clinging to life, but his grip was too frail. The old Emperor was ready to leave the world at any moment if the gods called him.

What would happen in the Imperial Palace if he passed away? It would be a more complex, dirty, and chaotic situation than the Imperial Defense Department’s uproar.

“What do you mean it’s not over?”

“There is, something like that. Anyway, why is preparation preparation? It’s preparation because we do it in advance. Okay, who will go investigate the Black Merchant Guild? Fortunately, the merchant and the suspected forces are all currently staying in central Bariel.”

Ah, they thought they could relax a bit after putting down the monster work, but what a bolt from the blue. The mages looked at each other, hesitant to speak, when Ian volunteered.

“I’ll do it.”

“I’ve been watching, and these guys keep dumping everything on Ian?”

“Huh? We didn’t say anything?”

“Since no one else is volunteering, the youngest is being forced to take the initiative!”

“Is Ian someone who would be forced to take the initiative?!”

“Well, that’s true too.”

Arena, who was about to slam the desk with a pile of documents, sat back down. Then, Ian continued in a calm tone.

“Since I was the one who found the Black Merchant Guild’s business card, I’ll finish it. And if there’s a need to enter Crony’s mansion again, there won’t be any procedural issues if it’s me.”

After Crony’s biological father, Lato Alpat, died, the mansion had remained empty. A large amount of taxes had accumulated as debt, and no one had inherited it yet.

Ian had refused once, but his right to claim the inheritance was still valid. In other words, he had a reason to enter the mansion.

“Hmm. Are you really okay with that?”

“It’s not a problem.”

They were free from troublesome work! The mages inwardly cheered again. They would rather smash monsters than go around gathering information and sneaking around… they really hated that kind of thing.

However, Ian’s thoughts were different.

‘The Minister is right. To keep the Imperial Defense Department in check, it’s good to dig up all of Crony’s possible wrongdoings. And who knows? I might find a clue about my parents’ death.’

Crony was currently recorded as a fallen soldier and was resting in people’s memories. To reveal his true face to everyone and correct it, it was important to find the evidence that had been buried over the years.

‘And more than anything, they are still clearly there.’

Crony’s henchmen who had threatened His Majesty the Emperor.

No one had been purged from the Emperor’s inner circle. It was probably because they had stopped their activities and gone into hiding as soon as Crony died, but if they dug into the Black Merchant Guild, they might find a clue about them.

“Okay, then is today’s meeting really over?”

As the mages cracked their necks and shoulders, preparing to get up, Arena clasped her hands together and sharply narrowed her eyes.

“No. There’s still one more thing.”

“H-One more thing?”

This was a mess. The monsters had calmed down, but why was the Magic Department’s workload constantly increasing? The mages reluctantly sat back down.

“W-What is it? You’re scaring us.”

“It’s a very important matter.”

“Don’t try to create a dramatic atmosphere.”

Arena remained silent for a long time, then whispered in a low voice.

“Romandro.”

“Yes?”

“Hasn’t Romandro been acting a bit strange lately?”

Suddenly? The mages, and even Ian, raised their eyebrows in confusion. They had been too busy with work to pay attention.

“Well, he seems to have gained a little weight?”

“Ah, now that I think about it, he hasn’t been at his desk much lately. He keeps trying to go somewhere. He’s someone who hates moving around so much.”

“He seems to be getting along well with the administrative department?”

Arena’s eyes flashed sharply.

“I think he’s going to apply for a department transfer.”

“Huh? Why?”

“I don’t know! You guys just said it! He has a lot of interaction with the administrative department! Last time, he told me he was taking a half-day off and went to the administrative department?”

“Oh, come on, no way.”

“No. My gut feeling is certain. Romandro is secretly thinking about something else.”

Romandro was one of the core personnel of the Magic Department. He wasn’t a mage, but if he was gone, the work would be a complete mess.

The mages exchanged glances.

“Shall we get up?”

“Yeah. Let’s do it.”

“You guys! This is a really important issue!”

“No, it’s not, you always have bad hunches.”

“Right, Ian?”

Ian gave a faint smile, saying he didn’t know, and organized his documents.

Shortly after, the mages left in a rush. Until they returned to the Magic Department, Arena continued to fret about Romandro’s department transfer.

“Those impudent brats, calling the Minister’s hunches bad…”

Squeak.

Arena opened the Minister’s office door with a frustrated groan. And there, she faced a familiar face. It was Romandro. He stood there with an awkward expression. Ian, who was following with documents, also stopped in surprise.

“Ah, Minister.”

“R-Romandro?”

The white envelope in Romandro’s hand. Arena’s face turned pale, and Romandro scratched his head apologetically.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to tell you so suddenly.”

“Wait! Romandro, what’s wrong? Is there a problem? Or have you been working too long? I’m sincerely advising you, that’s a really bad choice.”

“Huh?”

“No, no. Absolutely not.”

Arena refused, making an X with her hands, and Romandro looked quite flustered.

“Why, why do you say it’s not allowed? I have the right to choose.”

“You do. But you’ll regret it. I’ve heard things here and there. It’s not as good as you think?”

“Minister!”

As the conversation between the two became subtly strange, Ian subtly took the envelope from Romandro’s hand. After checking the contents, Ian raised his eyebrows as if surprised.

“Minister.”

“Oh, yes! Ian, burn that! Right now!”

“This is a wedding invitation.”

“Tear it- huh?”

“It’s a wedding invitation.”

A white envelope with cute drawings on it. Romandro pouted, looking tearful.