Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor - Chapter 161

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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 161. Your Mother
‘There is a way to break the curse.’
I didn’t need to shout or gesture for attention. With that final statement, everyone inside focused on me.
Nakina felt the atmosphere come alive for the first time in her life. Like a massive force, it seemed to drift and flow according to my intentions.
“Count Ian Hielo. You say the curse can be broken? Two mages created it by burning souls—is such a thing truly possible?”
At some nobleman’s cry, I looked toward him calmly, as if asking why he was so surprised.
“There is no other choice. It will be possible, and we must make it possible. We cannot leave Prince Gail in this state, can we? Since the fate of Bariel and the imperial house rests upon this matter, the Department of Magic will do everything in its power to resolve it.”
My firm response was filled with conviction. There would be only one outcome—the curse would be lifted, without exception.
Prince Gail let out a small laugh without realizing it and swept his hair back. Not even knowing what his true curse was, yet making quite an interesting move.
“Those are kind words indeed.”
“Prince Gail. It is my duty.”
I placed my hand over my chest and saluted. It seemed I had achieved everything I wanted today, so I remained composed even in this sudden situation. I had converted the curse into a protective barrier, and had I not also secured the support of House Hyman without announcing it? I had successfully freed myself from the stranglehold that Marib had held over me.
“Count Ian Hielo. Tell us then. How can Prince Gail’s curse be broken?”
The Prime Minister gestured lightly, urging me on. The Emperor and Deilaina were also watching me. Though it seemed unreal that the future of Bariel rested upon this small, beautiful boy.
“First, I wish to inform you that the curse placed upon Prince Gail is a forbidden magic. There will be considerable trial and error.”
I flicked my hand and created a small sphere of mana. As the surroundings brightened, deep shadows fell across my features.
“The curse is this shadow. The positive and negative of magic—it operates on the same mechanism as the two inseparable sides of a coin.”
The mana of the one who cast the curse, the incantation, the target, and the result it would bring. A curse, after all, is merely a subset of magic.
“How would you eliminate the shadow?”
“To eliminate the shadow? Shine a stronger light upon it—”
“Precisely. We neutralize the curse with a force stronger than the forbidden magic cast by Wesley and the Steward.”
Wesley herself couldn’t overcome it in normal circumstances, and now with forbidden magic layered on top by two mages—how could anyone manage that? Even I couldn’t. More precisely, even if the entire Department of Magic threw itself at it, there was no certainty. As the mages stirred uneasily, the audience also murmured with anxiety.
“Alternatively, there is a method of covering shadow with shadow. But let us set that aside… I must ask you, Prince Gail.”
“Anything.”
“Did Wesley attach any conditions? If the curse has conditions attached, we might resolve it by fulfilling them.”
‘Prince Gail, you shall ― and ―, eternally ―.’
Prince Gail suddenly recalled her final voice. Though days and nights had passed relentlessly, somehow each memory remained vivid. He shook his head calmly.
“…There were none.”
“I understand. If I may be so bold, I am grateful that Wesley is a mage. Had she been a shaman, I would not have dared attempt this.”
I stepped forward before the Emperor and bowed once more. I humbly requested that His Majesty hear my opinion.
“Your Majesty. Regarding this matter, I ask that you command absolute secrecy within the palace, allowing no information to leak to the outside. The people of Bariel, and certainly not neighboring nations, must learn of this.”
There are many who wait only for Bariel’s decline. Should rumors spread that Prince Gail’s life is connected to this, chaos would ensue. From assassination at the smallest scale to war at the largest. The Emperor nodded in deep agreement.
“Furthermore, the Department of Magic shall apply and adapt conventional curse-breaking methods to find a path forward. For smooth investigation, I ask that you entrust the Department of Magic with control and command authority over this matter.”
Having assumed office mid-crisis, authority was scattered. The Imperial Guard who had been at the scene, the administrative branch that stored previous records and processed documents in place of the former Department of Magic head, and so forth.
Deilaina hid her face behind her fan, barely concealing her bewildered expression.
‘Certainly no ordinary person. Are all mages like this? Wesley as well—they are like beasts.’
It was the moment the Department of Magic’s standing, which had diminished, came alive again. A statement that made everyone realize what they had tacitly forgotten—that without them, there would be no Bariel. The Emperor had no grounds to refuse. No reason to, either.
“Your reasoning is sound. From this moment forth, all command authority regarding the Wesley incident is entrusted to the Department of Magic’s head, Count Ian Hielo. All who hear my command shall cooperate with the Department of Magic, follow its orders, and conclude this matter with haste.”
At the Emperor’s words, everyone seated rose and placed their hands over their chests. At the same moment, the Emperor coughed violently and bent forward. Deilaina gasped and supported the Emperor’s arm.
“Your Majesty!”
“…Let’s call it a day.”
“That sounds good, Prime Minister!”
At Deilaina’s call, the Prime Minister brought his gavel down sharply. It was the signal to conclude all proceedings. The Emperor departed with the support of his attendants, and the conference hall descended into chaos in an instant.
“Prince Gail!”
That was when Melania rushed toward Prince Gail, clutching the hem of her voluminous dress. Her eyes, glistening with tears, seemed remarkably pure in that moment.
Crash! Clang!
“Oh my, goodness.”
Melania stumbled as if she’d stepped on her own dress hem, shattering a vial of Shildam elixir that sat on the table. Prince Marib’s expression hardened, his lips pressed firmly together in disbelief.
“What should we do?”
“It’s fine. Are you hurt?”
“I’m alright, Minister Ian. I apologize.”
“…No, Miss Melania. As long as you’re unharmed, that’s all that matters.”
His smile was eerily graceful. He had clearly broken the remaining Shildam elixir to prevent any further dispute over it. A truly aristocratic way of handling matters. I inwardly clicked my tongue, but outwardly I simply smiled along with Melania.
“Count Ian.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Prince Marib called me over with a frown, as if he couldn’t bear to watch any longer. His gaze had softened slightly—he had recognized his own emotional mistake from moments before.
“Come to the palace later.”
“Understood, Your Highness.”
What Prince Marib currently lacked was the Emperor’s trust. But since I, the Minister of Magic, had even secured the Emperor’s support, I couldn’t afford to lose him over baseless suspicion.
“Prince Marib. It was a pleasure to see you again.”
“…Indeed, Miss Melania.”
Melania greeted him pointedly, and Prince Marib reluctantly nodded. There was palpable disdain in his gesture. Once he disappeared from view, she dropped her smile and grasped her dress hem.
“Prince Gail, I’ll wait for you in the carriage.”
“I’ll follow shortly.”
Behind us, Prince Gail’s followers were enthusiastically discussing the recent events. Once Melania had gone, I organized my documents and asked him a question.
“Is there something you wish to say?”
At that question, Prince Gail laughed quietly. Then, hidden by the commotion, he whispered so no one else could hear.
“Lifting my curse? It was truly amusing—seeking an answer without even understanding the problem.”
He certainly knew how to strike at one’s weakness. Since I knew the curse was false, there was no way to prove whether I’d merely spoken the words of lifting it. If that were the case, the Magic Ministry would gain considerable power through the achievement of saving Bariel. Without any cost or sacrifice.
“I’m glad I could provide even a small measure of amusement, Your Highness. Since you stated it was a curse limited to an individual, there would be no need to understand the nature of the problem, would there?”
Moreover, I could even resolve Prince Marib’s troubles, making it easier to gain his trust. All I needed to do was lift the curse with appropriate timing and performance.
“Please honor what you promised. The documents regarding drugs and merchant guilds connected to Prince Marib. If you hand them over, I’ll do everything I can to make things convenient for His Highness.”
Prince Gail pulled out a cigarette, raising his eyebrows. He seemed to be enjoying himself.
“Of course. I’ll hand them over within a short time.”
“Thank you.”
“But I’m not sure how much help that will actually be to you.”
Prince Gail exhaled smoke with a low chuckle. When his followers called out to him, he cast me a “see you later” glance and turned to leave. He disappeared along with his subordinates, who were contemplating how to conduct themselves going forward.
“Minister Ian, shall we go as well?”
“Yes. You all did well today.”
“Not at all, sir. We merely sat there. Still, it’s a relief that the immediate crisis has been averted.”
Nakina swept away the shattered glass fragments with her foot, muttering softly. I stepped outside with them, turning over Gail’s words in my mind.
‘How much the information will actually help remains uncertain?’
I furrowed my brow. If I had to guess, troublesome hypotheses kept surfacing in my thoughts.
‘I’ve buried it, but the situation remains precarious. The fact that Gail mentioned the merchant guild to Marib is proof of that. I considered it almost my last card, but now that I’ve shown it….’
It meant entering into an all-out confrontation. The mutual restraints that had been interlocking twisted and tangled until they were on the verge of exploding. Now, for both Marib and Gail, it was both an opportunity and a crisis to eliminate each other.
I felt the beginning of an irreversible clash approaching.
‘I could also expose Marib’s information.’
Then it wouldn’t be something only I knew, so Gail’s words that it wouldn’t be of great help ring true. Marib is also sharpening his blade beneath the surface. If Gail makes his move like that, the outcome is hardly unclear.
Whoosh.
“Minister Ian. What’s wrong?”
“I need to reorganize the entire schedule of the Magic Ministry.”
“Pardon? Why is that?”
Offensive magic or defensive magic. When the storm sweeps in, it would be good to cultivate the strength to hold the center steady. Even if there are no immediate results, it’s better than doing nothing.
It was when I continued walking without answering.
Tap-tap-tap!
Rapid footsteps rushing toward me. Nakina and Tomi startled and moved to block, then hesitated. The face of the red-haired man dashing forward was familiar.
Zing! Boom!
“Ow!”
“Why do you construct a defense barrier only to abandon it?”
“Because it’s Berik. Berik, is your nose okay?”
“Ugh, ugh! Seriously! Damn it!”
He had driven his head straight into the defensive barrier Heil had created. Berik tumbled forward, clutching his nose, and I noticed a letter in his hand.
“Berik. I told you that charging recklessly in the palace will bring you trouble.”
“I don’t care, I don’t know. Just look at this quickly. It’s a letter from Hielo, but Jeonseogoo said it was Viviana’s, so he accidentally opened it.”
The reply came quite quickly. I recognized the neat handwriting on the envelope as Hena’s. It seems she hasn’t neglected her studies.
Berik rubbed his reddened nose and added.
“And she wants to get married.”
“Married? Who?”
“Ugh, damn. My nose hurts so I can’t speak properly. That, with the Cheonryeo Tribe.”
Married to the Cheonryeo Tribe?
I recalled Hena’s tearful face when the Cheonryeo Tribe departed from the border. She certainly seemed to have someone on her mind.
“Isn’t Hena too young to marry?”
I’m not her parent, and if she wishes it, I wouldn’t stop her. At my murmur, Berik only sniffled his nose.
“Not Hena.”
“…?”

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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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