Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor - Chapter 162

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

Chapter 162. Because You Are Like a Wildflower
“Hena, a messenger bird has arrived.”
“From where? From Merelrof?”
“No. It appears to have come from the capital. The seal pattern is similar to the one the master sent before.”
I accepted the letter with my gloved hands. My hair was pulled back neatly without a strand out of place, and my clothes were clean and orderly. The image of that starving boy who once lived near the red-light district had long since vanished.
I smiled brightly and gave the servant an order.
“Give the messenger bird cool water and feed, and prepare a comfortable place for it.”
“Yes, Hena.”
As the servant bowed and disappeared, I hurried upstairs to my office. I thought I had become more composed, but it seemed I still had a long way to go. The way my feet moved uncontrollably at the mere thought of hearing from my master proved it.
“Is Nersaren inside?”
“He is. However, Philia is with him as well.”
“Please inform them at once. I’ve brought a letter from Count Ian.”
The Cheonryeo Tribe warrior guarding the door nodded.
Who could have predicted that Nersaren and Philia would end up like this? Moreover, not long after Ian departed for the capital, Philia had returned to the forest.
Knock, knock.
“Nersaren, it’s Hena. A letter from Count Ian has arrived.”
But just days later, Nersaren, who had spent his days treading only desert sand, came to the forest himself and brought her back. He had her use the newly renovated master’s quarters and gave her tasks like tending the garden, adding weight to her life. Weight meant to keep her grounded, to prevent her from flying away—a stable existence.
At first, Philia seemed burdened by it all, but at some point she had melted perfectly into the mansion and became indispensable. To all of them, and to Nersaren.
“Come in.”
“Pardon me.”
Nersaren was sitting at his desk, turning through documents. His expression was impassive, without the slightest hint of disturbance. It contrasted sharply with Philia’s face on the sofa, which was flushed red.
“A letter from Count Ian?”
“Yes. There are quite a few letters in one envelope. There’s something to send to Countess Merelrof as well, but the messenger bird seems exhausted, so I plan to deliver it personally.”
“There’s nothing wrong, is there?”
Nersaren murmured with concern. This was only the second contact since Ian left for the capital.
The first had been a notification that he had been granted the surname ‘Hielo’ and that his territory’s name had changed accordingly. Since there wasn’t a single line of personal message, both Philia and I had been unable to hide our disappointment at the time.
“If something were wrong, it would be…”
As the color drained from Philia’s face, I calmly called her name to calm her.
“Philia, there’s nothing to worry about. There’s also something from Berik. It’s not a letter but a drawing, though he put quite a bit of effort into coloring it. If it were urgent, that wouldn’t be the case.”
“That’s right, Philia. Don’t worry. There’s something for you too.”
“For me?”
Nersaren naturally called her name and pulled her arm, seating her on his lap and reading each word aloud to her. The tenderness of the gesture was truly touching. I gazed at the distant mountains as if my eyes were open but saw nothing.
“He’s asking if you ever noticed magical talent in him when he was young. Besides the golden eyes.”
“No. I, I had no idea Ian had such talent. I simply…”
As Philia delved into the past, her words grew longer. The word ‘talent’ had sparked something in her memory. Nersaren gestured to me to prepare pen and paper.
“When Ian was very young, he went on an errand to a merchant house. He came back with a red flowerpot then—”
“Silask.”
“Ah, yes. That’s right. When he brought it back, the person who gave him the flowerpot praised him greatly, saying he had ‘talent.’ I naturally thought it was about his chores, but thinking back on it now, the nuance didn’t seem to be about that.”
The woman furrowed her brow, as if trying to squeeze out even a single drop from her dried-up memories.
“That is all.”
“It will likely prove helpful to Count Ian.”
“Is there perhaps anything else? A greeting, perhaps?”
“There is. He writes that Philia should rest comfortably at the estate. Though imperial matters keep him from writing often, she should know his heart remains close to hers.”
At Nersaren’s words, Philia’s face bloomed with radiance.
Whenever I saw her smile, I recalled the desert monsoon—that rare downpour that falls once every few decades, blanketing the sand dunes with white flowers in breathtaking beauty. She had caught my eye like a wildflower, but now she was the flower that had consumed me entirely.
“Would you like to write a reply yourself? I’ll help you.”
“Yes. I’d love to. I really want to do that.”
“And I’d like to tell him about our meeting as well.”
“…That would be wonderful too.”
At her beaming smile, Hena raised her hand as if dazzled by light. She had been beautiful even in the gutter, but now that she had found love, she was radiance itself.
“But what if Ian objects?”
Philia asked carefully, fidgeting with her pen. She adored Nersaren deeply, but lacked the courage to defy her son. At her words, Nersaren chuckled and shook his head immediately.
“That will never happen. Count Ian is a wise man.”
Seeing Philia’s relief, Nersaren felt reassured as well.
Yet I could not shake the worry lodged deep in my chest. Though I spoke with such certainty, strictly speaking, this had nothing to do with ‘wisdom,’ did it?
‘What will Ian think….’
Feeling an unfamiliar emotion for the first time, Nersaren gently clasped Philia’s small hand.
* * *
“Philia is getting married? To Nersaren?”
Romandro’s jaw hung open with no sign of closing. And for good reason—what in the world was this….
“Why? They’re perfect for each other. Philia is beautiful, and Nersaren is impressive. Of course, compared to Kakan he’s a bit small, but he’s still a warrior among warriors!”
At Berik’s words, Romandro’s expression grew even stranger. ‘Small’? No matter that Nersaren held the position of strategist, could one truly call him ‘small’?
“Mind your own body. You little runt.”
“What’s wrong with me?! This is all practical muscle!”
“Ian, in any case, how will you compose your reply?”
Romandro ignored Berik and carefully observed his expression. I could detect no emotion in the way he turned each page of the letter. The atmosphere made me feel I should read the mood carefully, and my heart grew anxious.
“…Ian?”
“…Nersaren.”
“Well, I, it’s not really my place to meddle, but… wouldn’t it be wonderful if Philia found a good person and became happy? Now that we’re bound closely with the Cheonryeo Tribe, I truly see this as auspicious. Of course, there will be those in the imperial palace who view it unfavorably.”
The father of Ian, Minister of Magic and lord of Hielo Territory, is a barbarian. When he first set foot in noble society, he was scorned for his lowborn origins.
But if his new father were Nersaren? What would people say? It was predictable. Ian and Romandro knew they were true warriors, but the central nobility neither knew nor wished to know.
“It is certainly surprising.”
“But Hielo Territory is very far from here. If we keep silent, no one in the capital need ever know.”
“You seem to hold Mother—I mean, Philia—very dear, Lord Romandro.”
“Of course! Hasn’t she suffered enough?”
Romandro added while clearing his throat repeatedly.
“And truthfully, I saw this coming.”
“What?! You’re lying! You were completely shocked just now!”
“No, when Philia and Nersaren met at the estate entrance. I sensed it then—that mysterious spark, that electric feeling. I detected it, you see.”
“Ian! He’s lying. He didn’t know—he’s just pretending he did.”
“You rascal! You’re serious!”
Ian pondered for a moment, then dipped his pen in ink. He had decided what to write in his reply. Romandro, who had been bickering with Berik, suddenly pulled his head back to check the contents.
“If the nobles learned of this, it would certainly become the talk of the town. But would that truly pose a problem?”
He was not the newly appointed ‘Ian,’ but ‘Ian Hielo,’ the Minister of Magic. No matter what gossip circulated behind closed doors, it would be nothing more than idle chatter.
“On the contrary, this is fortunate. True alliances are forged through marriage, after all. Especially the Cheonryeo Tribe—they are known for their exceptional devotion to family, are they not? It will bring great joy to my mother as well.”
And not merely a warrior, but Nersaren—the chieftain’s brother and strategist. This would forge an unbreakable bond of trust between Hielo and the Cheonryeo Tribe. It would become the foundation to compensate for the military losses suffered from Bratz and the Central Army before.
“We must offer our sincere congratulations. This is a joyous occasion.”
“Yes, joyous! Truly joyous! I’ll write a separate congratulatory letter myself.”
“Me too, me too! And I’ll draw something!”
The moment Romandro heard Ian’s affirmative response, he clasped Berik’s hand and cheered. Honestly, when Hena had tearfully sent off the warrior, he had anticipated that someday a union through marriage would occur.
‘Though I never imagined it would be Philia.’
In any case, this was a good turn of events. Yes. Setting aside political calculations, this was something to celebrate on a human level. Ian knew well how much hardship Philia had endured. He smiled gently as he looked at the hastily written letter.
-Ian, my son. I love you. I miss you. Hena, Nersaren, and everyone at the estate are all doing well and happily. Thanks to you, I too am happy. Ian, how are you? Are you happy? Never forget that your mother is always with you. I wish to hold you in my arms, healthy and safe. My dear boy. I love you.
A mother’s love was indeed so poignant. Ian found it not merely unfamiliar, but rather somewhat wondrous.
‘Though she passed away when I was very young, the memories that remain are all rather insignificant.’
Was it because of a noble’s political marriage? To recall the faces of his biological parents, Ian had to conjure the faded family photograph hanging in its frame itself. He had no other memories besides that.
“Ian, what is it? Has the ink dried?”
“No. I was merely pondering how to begin my response. And there is something curious—my mother’s letter contains no mention of the marriage. I suspect she will first seek my permission and then propose the engagement.”
Perhaps Philia was thinking of it merely as informing him of the relationship? At Ian’s playful remark, Romandro burst into a foolish laugh.
“Hehehehe! Hehe! Well, well, no matter how much of a warrior one is, love makes even the strongest adorable.”
“By the way, Lord Romandro. Have you learned about that matter?”
“Ah yes. You mean regarding the Haiman House?”
Romandro patted his cheeks repeatedly to calm his excited spirits. Then he nodded, acknowledging that Ian’s words were correct.
“The Haiman House is conducting an unofficial engagement, it seems. It has become a fait accompli. Given all the curses and gossip that have surrounded them, it appears they will make it official once the situation stabilizes.”
Romandro twisted his beard and furrowed his brow.
“But lately, strange rumors have been circulating.”
“Regarding the Haiman House, sir?”
“They’ve placed an unusually large order for mana armor. Why, didn’t you see it back then? The armor worn by bank guards—the kind that allows one to face a hundred enemies single-handedly.”
“Me! I totally covet that!”
Berik shouted, raising his fist. Ian had been amazed watching him lift heavy chests filled with gold coins with a single hand. Ian twirled his pen lightly and tilted his head in thought.
“Is there a branch expansion underway?”
“Usually they only increase by two or three branches annually, but this time the order is said to reach one hundred sets. As a result, the delivery orders for the Imperial Guard have been delayed, I hear. For now, it’s merely rumor. The mana stone supply is likely the same, no? Captain Akorella hasn’t mentioned anything unusual?”
“Recently she’s been preoccupied with focusing on Luron stones.”
“The mana stones used in armor are mid-grade, but I’ve heard complaints that supplies are nearly exhausted. Look into it.”
“Yes, I shall.”
Ian smiled warmly and thanked him for the information. He had a rough idea of what it meant that the Haiman House was preparing mana armor.
Ian finished the letter he had been writing to Philia and took out fresh paper.
Whoosh.
-Lord Nersaren. I have received your letter. Please take good care of my mother. Just as you have sworn eternal love, I hope that eternal alliance shall dwell between Hielo and the Cheonryeo Tribe.
And, prepared for any unforeseen circumstances, he added a postscript.
-When the day comes and the frost melts, the thin ice of this place will shatter. At that moment, will you stand with me? In the name of alliance, and in the name of my father.

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