Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor - Chapter 158

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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 158. Hasha, See You Again
-Near Karenna, in the village of Danil, fugitives from Astana—Vyas and his grandson Hasha—were discovered. Attempts at persuasion were made, but ultimately they were eliminated. The villagers also confirmed the bodies, and in preparation for a possible investigation team being dispatched from the imperial palace, poison containing food poisoning components was introduced into the well.
This matches Hasha’s testimony. I confirmed the names of those involved in the tragic incident that occurred in Danil.
-Baretto.
He is Minister Wesley’s steward. It appears he took the lead and handled the matter together with several people from the Magical Support Division.
‘Not many people are involved. The mages included are mainly those who handled necromancy research within the Magical Support Division. That much means they were aware it couldn’t leak to the outside.’
I then handed over a research report that had been submitted on the topic of “The Limits of Necromancy.” It was research that had been ongoing for several years already, yet the progress was abysmal. There seemed to be some results with animals, but there were no successful cases of the forbidden necromancy that Wesley desired—the kind that could be cast on the living.
-The results of applying necromancy to the living are as follows: The targeted body either rapidly decays, or even if intact, cannot endure for long before experiencing self-collapse and loss of control, making it no different from applying necromancy to the dead. (P.S.) It is possible to transfer the soul of the target one wishes to bind to another body. However, this is not necromancy but falls under the expanded forbidden magical realm and requires further research.
I frowned. It matched my current situation perfectly. Due to the forbidden magic Naum had cast, I had crossed space and time to enter the body of an unfamiliar “illegitimate Ian.”
-However, it cannot be confirmed whether the original abilities and sense of self are transferred when a soul is moved. Especially if the target is a different race or a mana user (mage, mage knight, etc.), the results cannot be predicted.
The person who submitted the report seemed unaware that Wesley’s target was Prince Gail. As I examined the document line by line, my finger stopped.
“Wait.”
When a soul is transferred through forbidden magic, whether abilities are also transferred is unknown? I had been assuming the mana I’ve been using all this time was my own. I had learned that magic resonates with the soul, not the body.
But I realized that was merely a theoretical academic perspective, and it had never been confirmed whether it actually applied to forbidden magic.
‘Then there are two possibilities I can infer. Either the soul was transferred and I can still use my abilities, or—’
…the illegitimate Ian was originally a mana user.
I rubbed my eyebrows in slight surprise. And slowly, very slowly, I recalled the moment I had awakened in the backyard of Count Bratz’s estate. Surely at the beginning, I could only open my mana, couldn’t I?
‘That’s right. If it resonates with the soul, I should have been able to use all the magic I knew from the start. But as time passed, the more I opened my mana, the more my limits grew, until now….’
“Ian, are you deaf? Romandro keeps knocking on the door!”
That was the moment. Berik’s deeply furrowed face came into view. He was half-sprawled across the desk, flicking his hand sharply as if to tell me to get my head on straight.
“Minister Ian?”
“Ah, Romandro.”
“If you’re busy, should I come back?”
“No. No, it’s fine.”
I smiled and covered the documents. From inside, Berik was shouting for him to come in, but I hadn’t responded, so Romandro had just kept knocking.
Romandro looked around the chaotic ministerial office in astonishment—clearly relieved that this wasn’t his superior’s office.
“What brings you here?”
“It’s nothing urgent, but the estate sent word…that they’ve found a mercenary company to send Hasha and the Astanans back to their homeland.”
While I could speak casually up to the rank of count due to our relationship, the ministerial position seemed to be a line I couldn’t cross. As Romandro spoke formally, Berik snickered mockingly.
“Why are you talking like that? ‘Found…that they’ve found’? Ha ha!”
“Be…be quiet, you fool.”
“Romandro. When it’s just us, speak as you normally do. If you speak like that, it’s difficult for me to understand the content.”
Romandro cleared his throat and cooled his flushed face.
“Are these mercenaries trustworthy?”
“I was worried about that too. Mercenaries tend to be rough characters, don’t they? But they’re people Viviana had dealings with during her field work, so they’re reliable.”
“Then it should be safer than a merchant company in many ways. Is this a primary contract or secondary?”
“Obviously secondary. They’re heading to the continent’s end to hunt monsters, and since Astana is on the route, they accepted the request.”
“That’s good. When do they depart?”
“That’s the thing—it’s rather urgent. They say they’ll leave tomorrow at the earliest, or within three days at the latest. I know you’re busy with your new position, but wouldn’t it be good to make time to say goodbye to Hasha?”
Now that I thought about it, it had already been several days since I hadn’t been to the estate. I picked up my outer robe and nodded.
“What about you, Romandro?”
“Me? I was just about to leave.”
“Let’s go together. Berik, will you stay here?”
“Huh? Why me?”
I gestured for Romandro to hurry along. With my appointment as Minister secured, the immediate crisis had been averted. Until a new batch of the Sildamwater was produced and Prince Gail’s curse came before the tribunal, I had only one task ahead of me.
‘To make the Sildamwater work in my favor.’
It might also benefit Prince Gail in the end, but for now, keeping him alive was the same as securing a safe position for myself.
Creak.
“Minister Ian. Are you leaving? Won’t you have a beer?”
“Come on, even if others don’t, we should!”
“We can’t just finish the day with paperwork!”
“Keep it down. You drink beer every day anyway.”
“It’s free when we drink on a day like this! Captain Heil, say something!”
“…Minister Ian. Are you really leaving for the day?”
The inner circle certainly operated differently. I hadn’t even taken a few steps from my office before passing through the Magic Operations Department. I smiled and straightened my collar.
“Next time. I have urgent matters.”
“Ah, what a shame. Is there nothing you’d like to entrust to us?”
“Tell Captain Akorella to submit detailed real-time reports on the newly manufactured Sildamwater. Also, gather and organize the personal information of all mages who handled summoning magic in the Magic Support Division.”
At my instructions, Nakina scribbled with her pen and acknowledged.
“And you may hold your gathering today. Put it on my account.”
At those words, Tomi dropped the documents she was holding. Nakina did the same, letting her pen fall as she froze in place, her eyes sparkling.
“Have a good trip, Minister!”
“Yes! Awesome! Let’s get the special set today!”
“Thank you! I hope you won’t be shocked when you see tomorrow’s receipt! We love you!”
“We’ll finish today’s work within an hour.”
“Captain! You really do know what’s up!”
While the three of them bustled about in agreement, I walked toward the exit with a smile. Every mage I passed bowed their head in greeting.
Whoosh.
“Minister. Good day to you.”
“You’ve worked hard.”
“Yes, you’ve done well.”
Romandro smiled with quiet pride from behind me. After all, I had succeeded Minister Wesley, who had ranked fourth in the imperial palace hierarchy, and Romandro was my close friend! He couldn’t stop boasting to himself.
* * *
“Mini. Don’t you think we have enough food now?”
“Well, there are just so many people.”
“I’ve already paid for the meals, so don’t worry. Tell everyone to grab an extra set of clothes. The wind will be fiercer once we cross the border.”
Romandro’s estate was utter chaos. Viviana and Mini rushed about preparing for Hasha and the Astanans’ long journey, creating an atmosphere of bustling activity. I smiled as I heard the noise from downstairs filtering through the doorway.
Knock knock.
“May I come in?”
“Come in.”
“Ian, what are you doing? We’re almost finished preparing downstairs.”
Berik had stuffed his mouth full of food. Judging by the handprints on his shoulder, it seemed he’d been caught stealing from the Astanans’ lunch boxes and taken a blow for it.
“I was writing a letter to send to Hielo.”
“To the borderlands?”
“Yes. If you have anything you’d like to say, tell me. I can add it to the letter.”
The letter was being sent to Hielo—more precisely, to Philia, my biological mother. There was a possibility that I, a bastard son, had originally been a mage user, and I wanted to ask her various things about that.
‘When I bought the flowerpot at the park, it seemed like I was seeing golden eyes for the first time, but who knows. Perhaps there were peculiar behaviors from childhood that I’ve forgotten.’
I flicked away the ink seeping from the pen’s tip. Sensing an intense gaze from beside me, I turned my head without thinking.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“I’m thinking about who to send a message to.”
Berik lay prone on the bed with a serious expression. He had no family, no casual friends he’d kept in touch with. The first real connection he’d made with someone was with me, wasn’t it?
“If you have nothing to send, you don’t have to.”
“I want to send something, but I don’t know who to send it to or what to say.”
“Hena would be good, Nersaren would be good, Kakan would be good too. The replies might be slow, but aren’t all the warriors in the Great Desert your friends?”
That was when it happened.
-Ian, are you inside?
“Hasha.”
-We’re ready. We’re about to depart.
Hasha’s call reached me. I set down my pen and went outside. The house that had been bustling was now empty. All the luggage had been moved to the garden.
-Ian, parting like this makes my nose sting with sadness.
“Hasha, don’t cry.”
I wiped the moisture from the dog’s eyes with my own hands and laughed. Though we hadn’t known each other long, the fact that I felt such reluctance to part meant we were truly family.
-I shall return to my Astana, stabilize the factions, and obtain a new body. Then I will come to meet you again, Ian.
“That’s something to look forward to.”
-I was truly grateful. Truly grateful.
.
“Hasha! What about me? Let me say goodbye too.”
At Berik’s words, Hasha laughed softly and embraced him as well. If Berik hadn’t hugged him so tightly that he nearly crushed him, it would have been a truly touching farewell.
-Oh, take the brooch off for me.
“If you wish, you may take it with you. Should any problems arise, use it as travel money. If circumstances are favorable, you can return it to me when you go back to Astana.”
The mana stone brooch hanging from the dog’s neck. As Hasha grinned in gratitude, a sound of wailing erupted.
“Oh my, safe travels to you all! Waaah!”
“Master, please stop. People will think someone has died.”
“No, I’m just so sad to see you go. Sniff! Hasha! Hasha!”
It was Romandro. His eyes were swollen, and he kept sniffling. As Hasha laughed and ran toward him, he knelt down and wailed his farewell once more.
“Goooo! Safe travels! Hasha! It was truly wonderful to meet you!”
-I owe you much. Romandro, may you always be well, and may your wife have a safe delivery. I shall go to my Astana and offer prayers to the Great Nature.
Hasha lightly shook off the fur dampened by Romandro’s tears. He said his final farewells to Viviana and Mini, then nimbly leaped onto the mercenary company’s carriage.
-See you again.
“Yes. See you again.”
“Gack—ack! Sniff, sniff! Sniff! Hasha!”
“Ah, Romandro. Your nose is running.”
“Sniff!”
Neigh!
The mercenaries bowed respectfully to Viviana, then urged their horses forward. One by one, the carriages departed from Romandro’s estate in orderly succession. Through the windows, the hands of the Astanans waved in farewell. Each of them clutched the joy of returning home.
Clop, clop, clop!
Hasha kept his face visible through the window until the very end, and I remained at my post until they vanished into mere specks in the distance.
With that, all who were meant to depart had gone.
Now, it was time to attend to what remained.

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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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