Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor - Chapter 140

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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 140. A Dog is Best for Finding People
In Prince Marib’s office after Ian’s departure, the Steward who had been summoned at dawn rushed inside, his hair still disheveled and ungroomed.
Knock, knock.
“Your Highness. It is Paal.”
“Enter.”
Prince Marib sat by the window in an unusual manner, his gaze fixed outward as if searching for a path through darkness.
“Viscount Ian Hielo has just been here.”
“Ah, yes.”
“He said Prince Gail will cast out Wesley.”
“Pardon?”
Did I mishear something? Paal rubbed his face with dry hands, trying to shake off sleep. Prince Gail cast out Wesley? That would be like breaking his own wings, would it not?
“That makes no sense. Did Count Ian truly say such a thing?”
“He said we would understand once we see the results of the personnel meeting next week. While I find it difficult to believe, the way he spoke suggests something is certainly afoot.”
The Steward grasped why Prince Marib had summoned him so urgently. He was to discover what situation would force Prince Gail to abandon Wesley. What must be protected at the cost of discarding Wesley could very well become Prince Gail’s Achilles’ heel.
“And is there any way to obtain a Truthserum Potion?”
“It is possible, though it will take time. Otherwise, regarding the Truthserum Potion, perhaps Count Ian could—”
Prince Marib had first and last seen the Truthserum Potion at a report meeting regarding commercialization. Some were still under research, and the Magic Division had been reluctant to reveal them hastily. The Steward trailed off with a small exclamation.
“You intend to use it on Count Ian, Your Highness.”
“No matter how I think about it, something feels unsettled.”
How to put it. Though his head was bowed, I felt he was regarding me as an equal. For instance, not a single one of the orders Prince Marib had given to Ian had been properly executed. The directive to apply to the Mana Stone Management Division, the order not to supply Luron Stones, and so on.
‘The logic is sound, the reasoning valid, yet something about it itself rankles me.’
A piece on a chessboard. Naturally, it should have neither will nor self, yet with each move, I feel as though I am receiving unsolicited advice. If I merely follow along, I will lose my own center and judgment.
“Pay particular attention to the movements of Prince Gail and Wesley. The personnel meeting is next week, so if they act, it will be apparent quickly. Also, observe who within the Magic Division contacts Prince Gail most frequently after Wesley.”
That person would be Prince Gail’s next Minister and his second wing. The Steward bowed his head in acknowledgment of Prince Marib’s command.
“Ah, and Your Highness, there has been contact from the Rutherford Merchant Company. They say they will pass through Hawan again and enter Bariel within this year. It seems they anticipate summer to autumn.”
“Rutherford? Has so much time already passed?”
Prince Marib removed his glasses and gently rubbed the bridge of his nose. An organization he unofficially patronized, old acquaintances, and alchemists.
“The letter contained no other information. There was no accompanying Mana Stone either, so a reply seems impossible.”
Whoosh.
The Steward handed a small letter to Prince Marib, adding that it was far too crude to be believed as a report coming to a Prince.
“Did they find ‘it’?”
“It seems they did. Had they failed to obtain it, they would have included a note about it. Very well. This is a matter to concern myself with only in the latter half of the year anyway.”
A merchant company’s nature was to buy, sell, and transport commissioned goods. The fact that they would come through Hawan to the center of Bariel as before was proof that they had fulfilled Prince Marib’s request.
‘They will pass through Merelrof as before via Hawan.’
Certainly, much time had passed. The owner of Merelrof was dead, and Bratz beside it had become Hielo territory. Prince Marib chuckled softly and placed the letter in a drawer.
* * *
Ian and Romandro arrived at the estate as dawn broke. After changing clothes, Ian returned to the Magic Division while Romandro went to the Administrative Division to monitor the situation. The moment Ian stepped down from the carriage, Berik, who had been waiting, yanked the door open roughly.
“Iaaaan!”
“You fool, you’ll wake the whole neighborhood!”
Romandro tried to cover his mouth with his finger, but it was useless against Berik. Berik came running at full speed, then stopped abruptly, looking Ian up and down. The bloodstains covering his clothes were the reason.
“What, what is it, Ian? Why are you like that?!”
“It’s fine. No need to make a fuss.”
“This isn’t your blood, is it? It’s the other person’s?”
“It’s mine.”
“Tsk, why did you come in after getting hit outside? What bastard did this?!”
Lanterns lit up on the second floor of the mansion as well. It was clear that Mini and Viviana had awakened from the commotion. Romandro shot Berik a reproachful look before hurrying inside. I followed suit. Berik spun around in circles, constantly searching for my injuries.
“What blockhead did this to you? Huh? Shouldn’t you see a Doctor?”
“Oh my, Lord Ian! Good heavens!”
“Mini, I’m sorry for waking you. I need to leave right away—prepare some clothes for me.”
Mini, still in her nightclothes, froze in shock. But she quickly came to her senses and rushed upstairs to prepare my departure. I pushed away Berik, who continued squawking beside me.
“Our Ian Hielo, Viscount! A Viscount, no less! A Mage! Someone so rare in this world! Should I kill that bastard? Or break every bone in his body!?”
“You didn’t fail in your guard duty, so I won’t blame you for it. Stop now—my head aches.”
“Ah, right. Hehe.”
Berik scratched the back of his head with an embarrassed laugh. He’d gotten drunk and passed out, only to have his master return covered in blood. Before being scolded, he’d tried to take the offensive first. But separate from that, his genuine shock and worry were also real.
“But really, how did this happen? Does it hurt?”
“A side effect of the magical potion. There was no pain, so there’s no problem. By the way, where is Hasha?”
He hadn’t gone out during the day either, and there was no sign of him at dawn. Berik scratched his ear and merely shrugged. How could he know Hasha’s whereabouts when he’d only just woken up hearing the carriage?
“I don’t know.”
“…What?”
I paused mid-button. I’d heard he went out frequently lately, but never this late. More importantly, Hasha was a clever boy. Now that he’d come to the capital, he should understand the need to hide and avoid Wesley’s faction.
“Romandro! Mini!”
“Huh? Yes, yes.”
Romandro, who had been exchanging words with Viviana, hurried down. Mini did the same. I accepted the fresh clothes and asked.
“Mini, do you know where Hasha might have gone?”
“Hasha only went back and forth within and around the neighborhood.”
“He’s never been out this late before?”
“No. Though there have been times I’ve gone to sleep before he returned, so I thought perhaps he did the same today. Has Hasha not come back yet?”
If something happened to Hasha in this situation, it would be troublesome. The boy was the only surviving witness who could testify to the forbidden necromancy. I’d met with Gail and Marib and lit the fuse—soon, Hasha would receive a summons as well.
The problem was I couldn’t predict when that would happen.
“Hasha has disappeared?”
“Not disappeared exactly, but something seems to be wrong.”
“Oh goodness, I’m losing my mind, losing my mind!”
“The fortunate thing is that I’ve already secured testimony through the brooch, but it will be difficult for that to be accepted as objective evidence. For now, it would be best to dispatch people as quickly as possible.”
Mini, who had been listening quietly, startled and covered her mouth. The mention of the brooch brought something to mind.
“Why do you look like that?”
“That is…”
“Mini, we don’t have much time.”
“It’s about the brooch. Hasha has it. More precisely, it’s hanging on a necklace.”
It was to record fragments of the past that came to mind from time to time, even when sitting still. Layering testimony upon testimony, as it were. Romandro frowned as if troubled, but my expression brightened instead.
“Hasha went out wearing it?”
“Yes, probably. And since this is an upscale residential district where civil servants live, stray dogs without owners get rounded up. If he’s going to wander around, he needs a marker like that.”
“Hmm, could he have ventured beyond the neighborhood and gone far? That would make him an easy target instead.”
If a shiny collar hung around the dog’s neck, there was a possibility he’d been threatened by vagrants or ruffians. As Romandro wailed while clutching his cheeks, I waved my hand dismissively.
“Go fetch the leather bag.”
“The leather bag? Wait, just a moment!”
The brooch Count Derga had fastened to my chest. It was capable of tracking location simultaneously with recording. A directional needle made from mana stone of the same quality as the brooch, not a compass needle, would tell us roughly where Hasha was.
Click.
“H-how do you read this?”
“Since it’s a low-grade mana stone, I don’t know the details either. We can only estimate based on direction and the intensity of the light.”
The directional needle of the compass’s mana stone pointed north. The light’s intensity was faint, but not yet extinguished. It meant he was quite far away.
“Berik.”
“What?”
Whoosh!
I tossed the compass to Berik, and he caught it reflexively. But then he jumped in alarm as if he’d touched something he shouldn’t have, flinging it onto the sofa. He’d understood my command.
“You want me to go?”
“Then should I go instead?”
“The distance isn’t shown. How would I know how far to go?”
“It’s bound to be within the central district. If you happen to cross beyond the center, send word to the estate and continue tracking.”
“Kids tend to get late when they’re having fun! Especially children!”
“You’re the youngest here.”
“That’s funny! You’re the youngest, aren’t you?”
“Ah. I suppose so.”
Right. I’d forgotten I was living my second life. As my response trailed off briefly, Berik sprawled across the sofa and began to whine.
“Go find Hasha, and if there are those who threatened him, do as you please, Berik.”
As I muttered while straightening the clothes I’d changed into, Berik’s ears perked up.
“Kill them or spare them, beat them or stab them—handle it as you see fit.”
“…What about releasing my mana?”
“Of course not. They won’t be at that level.”
Since he’d left before receiving Mayor Karenna’s letter and hadn’t returned, it was probably not Wesley’s doing. And above all, if it were her work, I would have sensed it by now. It was more likely he’d gotten caught up in some unfortunate incident.
“No changing your story later.”
“Think things through properly.”
“Of course! How clever am I!”
As Berik grinned with sparkling eyes, Romandro pressed his forehead. That boy had absolutely no self-awareness. I hurried my preparations for work as dawn broke.
“Now, Berik. Bring Hasha back safely. Then I’ll give you a reward.”
“What kind?”
“Have you ever eaten a whole pig by yourself?”
Boom! Crash!
The moment my words finished, Berik bolted outside. He dashed to the right, then quickly realized that wasn’t the right direction and veered left instead.
“I wonder if we can really trust him with this.”
“Dogs are the best at finding people, after all.”
I nodded as I watched the dawn sun rise. Just as much had happened to me throughout the night, perhaps Hyasa had experienced her own share of events as well.

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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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