Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor - Chapter 125

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 125. The First Aristocratic Mage
Deilaina and the women of the imperial family simultaneously drew out their opera glasses. Though the mana verification ceremony was a rare event, they were always those who kept the Magic Ministry close at hand. They were women who had witnessed magnificent mages like Wesley at every important occasion….
“Look at that.”
“It’s impossible. My goodness, it’s so beautiful.”
“The true light of divine blessing!”
Everyone forgot all propriety, their mouths half-open, unable to tear their eyes from Ian’s gestures. Each time his right hand traced an arc, light accumulated all around as if blessings were descending from above.
“…Truly sacred.”
Deilaina murmured without realizing it. Everyone in that place could feel it. This was a fantasy that would never come twice in a lifetime. And thus they had encountered a true fantasy.
Shhhhh!
Ian calmly continued creating the light of divine blessing. It flowed from the platform, spreading to where the nobles stood, and seemed as though it would consume the entire imperial palace.
Thump! Ping!
“Recollectio!”
In that moment, the conductor of the imperial palace orchestra, who had stopped in shock, snapped his baton to signal everyone to regain their senses. The pianist reflexively pressed the keys and resumed playing, while the cellist and violinist immediately focused on the ensemble.
Whether the notes were drifting in response to Ian’s wavelength, or whether the mana was coming alive in reaction to the music, no one could tell.
Whoosh!
Boom! Bang!
“Recollec—! Tio!”
Because of the visual stimulation, the conductor led the music with even more passion than usual, and the performers felt their minds reeling from the ecstasy they hadn’t experienced in a long time. The banquet hall seemed to be displaying exactly what a “perfectly beautiful moment” truly was.
“Ohhh!”
“…This is impossible.”
“This is mana! Remarkable, truly remarkable!”
The nobles reached out toward the mana seeping between them, lightly dodged, or turned their heads as if enchanted. As the orchestra’s music reached its crescendo, deep blushes bloomed on the faces of the people.
“Your Majesty, can you see well?”
“Hmm….”
Deilaina suddenly came to her senses and held up the opera glasses to the Emperor. The Emperor, whose vision was poor, only moved his lips without responding. As Deilaina held the glasses up, she suddenly glanced at the princes beside her.
“Ha.”
Prince Marib’s reaction was little different from the nobles below. With his hands on the railing, he couldn’t tear his eyes from the divine light and its beauty, while Prince Gail….
‘…Wesley.’
His gaze was fixed on Wesley, who stood beside Ian looking flustered. Deilaina lightly covered her face with her fan, stealing glances at Gail repeatedly.
‘How could those be the eyes of a man looking at his beloved?’
It wasn’t her place to say such things, having the Emperor as her husband, but Deilaina had always been amazed by Gail’s ferocity. At times, anxiety would grip her, fearing his sharp intensity might harm her own sons.
“Mother.”
“Yes?”
Then, Prince 5 Jin, sitting in the back on the opposite side, gently tugged at his mother’s arm. His silver hair gleamed pure white as it caught the mana light of the banquet hall.
“Arcen cannot see well through his opera glasses.”
Deilaina glanced back slightly. Prince 4 Arcen was looking down at the first floor through Jin’s glasses. She gently stroked Jin’s hair and smiled.
“Yes. You yielded to Arcen. How kind you are.”
Then she turned her body again to focus on attending the Emperor. That wasn’t what he meant to say, but as always, his mother ended the conversation by praising his younger brother Jin’s sacrifice.
“This Ian is truly remarkable.”
While Arcen continued to murmur exclamations of admiration, Jin stared blankly into empty space. He felt as though he alone existed in a different world.
* * *
Meanwhile, I felt a thin layer of sweat trickling down my back. Opening one’s mana was akin to releasing the energy of one’s entire body. I slowly withdrew my mana while casting a glance at Wesley.
“I…”
Her bewildered expression was truly a sight to behold. That helpless, flustered countenance was utterly raw and unguarded. I brushed back my hair, damp with perspiration, and offered her a subtle smile. As if to say, isn’t this enough?
Whoosh.
I lifted my hand from the surface of light and straightened the divine radiance. Though my mana was fading, it lingered like slowly dissipating mist, leaving traces in its wake. The conductor, witnessing this, matched the tempo and gradually brought the music to a close.
Boom!
The moment the passionate pianist struck the keys, I began to sing.
“For the glory of Bariel.”
“For the glory of Bariel!”
As I placed my hand over my chest in salute, the nobles erupted in cheers and applause without hesitation. For people of such nobility, their welcome was remarkably fervent. It was praise infused with genuine spirit, incomparable to what Wesley had orchestrated moments before.
Clap clap clap!
I approached Wesley and extended my hand. She bit her lips firmly, barely suppressing the urge to seize me by the collar. She wanted to demand an explanation—how had I managed to dissolve the magical circle’s incantation?—but…
“…Viscount Ian Hielo. Truly magnificent mana, I must say.”
What could she do? The Emperor and everyone in the banquet hall were watching us both. She offered me the back of her hand.
“I shall await your application to the Magic Division.”
I placed a kiss upon the back of her hand, then descended from the platform without hesitation. The moment I stepped down, young nobles surrounded me, their excitement barely contained.
“Viscount Hielo! That was truly a magnificent illusion!”
“Let me shake your hand first, yes? You’re not a mage yet, correct?”
“One isn’t called a mage until receiving a departmental assignment. But tell me, which division will you choose? With power like that, you could pick whichever you wish.”
“Let’s wager on it! The Magic Support Division is the finest, so I’m betting on that! Viscount Ian Hielo, let’s see each other often from now on.”
“Ah! Wouldn’t you be the first noble mage in history?”
A barrage of praise assaulted my ears relentlessly. I simply smiled and accepted their accolades. But as the crowd continued to press in, leaving me unable to take a single step, I looked around in mild distress.
“Viscount Ian Hielo. I have a message for you.”
Then, a familiar voice emerged from the throng. It was Romandro. I seized the moment, nodding to indicate my apologies.
“My apologies. Just a moment.”
“Oh! You must return quickly!”
I held aloft a wine glass carried by a waiter as I pushed through the crowd. By holding the glass, I signaled my unavailability for approach. Thanks to this, we managed a dramatic reunion, and Romandro swiftly cleared a path, guiding me outside. Once I caught my breath, I sipped the wine to quench my thirst.
“Romandro. Your summons came at a most opportune moment.”
“Ian, you! Kheuk!”
“Ha ha. Surely you’re not crying?”
“Wow, I’ve never witnessed such a magnificent sight in all my years. Viviana should have seen it too, alas. It was truly extraordinary!”
Romandro trembled with his fists, as if unable to believe what he’d seen. When I searched for a handkerchief to wipe away my sweat, he offered his own instead.
“Oh, thank you.”
“Right! And do you know what this means?”
“What is it?”
“You’ve become the first noble mage in the Bariel Empire! You’ll go down in history! Truly, my heartfelt congratulations!”
The first noble mage. The title felt natural to me. It had been the same in my previous life. And ultimately, it was that very achievement that had elevated me to the Emperor’s throne.
“…I see.”
“Huh? Why is your reaction like that?”
“It doesn’t feel real yet.”
“The timing worked out perfectly. If you’d arrived without the New Year’s gathering, I would have regretted it greatly.”
Like Wesley, there were many mages who gained recognition for their magical abilities and rose to positions of court official—or minister—or received titles through their accomplishments. But I was the first to enter the department already bearing a noble title.
‘Of course, even a hundred years later, I remained the first.’
I had been the first, and now I was the first again.
A strange feeling washed over me, and I smiled faintly. Romandro scratched his beard awkwardly in response.
“Did I get too excited?”
“Not at all. I’m grateful you’re so pleased. By the way, where is Berik?”
“Huh? Berik?”
The two of us stared blankly at each other. An awkward silence hung in the air. Romandro had assumed Berik would naturally be with me since I’d brought him along, while I’d thought he’d be with Romandro since I’d gone down before the confirmation ceremony.
“This… this is driving me mad.”
Romandro muttered in horror, his teeth chattering. The thought that a reckless fool was wandering alone among such distinguished persons was absolutely appalling.
“Quickly, quickly, let’s search—!”
“Ian~!”
Just as Romandro was about to rush into the banquet hall, Berik came bounding lightly down the opposite corridor. His face was unusually flushed, as if he’d managed to obtain and drink some wine along the way.
“I’m here!”
“You fool, what are you doing wandering around alone?”
“Huh? Did I want to do that?”
“Did you cause any trouble? And why are your fingers like that?”
“This? It’s worth a week’s worth of meat side dishes.”
Romandro, unable to understand what he meant, fretted nervously, worried it might be a wound from some accident. Berik confidently held out his index finger to me as if to make me remember.
*Snap!*
“So this is what ‘earning your meal’ means? Not bad.”
“I won’t forget the meat side dishes. Where were you?”
“They took me through the passage where the Oracle’s Light came in. I waited there until it was finished. And I saw something really interesting?”
“Something interesting?”
It seemed he hadn’t seen the illusion since he’d been in the back passage. At my question, Berik rolled his eyes and mimicked a sharp woman’s voice. With the alcohol in him, his imitation was remarkably natural.
“All of you who drew the magic circles, come out! How exactly did you do this work? Blah blah blah, this and that! Do you all want to die!?”
“…Surely you’re not imitating Minister Wesley?”
“Aha! It’s exactly the same, right? She was grabbing her subordinates like catching rats. Just watching from hiding made my legs tremble.”
“It’s nothing alike.”
“Huh? Really? Should I try again?”
Romandro glanced around cautiously and covered Berik’s mouth, while I fell silent in thought. Based on the handwriting in the Oracle’s Light magic circle, it was clear that multiple mages had collaborated to create it.
‘I had assumed Wesley had secretly intervened, but it seems that’s not the case. It means more people than I thought are aware of the irregularities in the magic circle.’
However, that person named Nakina had clearly intended to help me. If they’d known there was a problem with the magic circle itself, they wouldn’t have acted that way.
‘This means there are factions even within the Magic Department.’
Those directly led by Wesley who actively took charge of work, and conversely, those who belonged but remained on the periphery. Then again, every department naturally had its political factions.
‘That’s right. If it weren’t for Naum, I wouldn’t have adapted when I first entered the Magic Department.’
My thoughts spiraled, eventually reaching even a hundred years into the future. It was at that moment when Romandro and Berik were bickering noisily.
“Viscount Ian Hielo.”
The Chamberlain stood with his head bowed low, calling for Ian. Ian understood precisely what the man’s appearance signified.
“If you would spare us a moment, I shall escort you to the second floor.”
An honor had been bestowed upon him—the privilege of standing in close audience with the Emperor himself and the members of the imperial family. This suggested that my magical prowess had left an extraordinary impression upon them. I handed my empty wine glass to Berik and nodded in acknowledgment.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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