Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor - Chapter 173

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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 173. Jin, a Precious Child
Silver hair, blue eyes, and a wound carved from the right temple to the left jaw. This is the face of the next Emperor as I remember it. The future of the twin who had always been by my side from birth has diverged in this moment. As if cleaving Jin’s face in two.
“Prince Marib, step back.”
I warned Marib. That child is my bloodline. Because that child exists, I am born in the future. In another sense, he was my true family, a dignified existence that someone like Marib could never harm.
Whoooosh.
The natural wind and the flow of air created by my mana meshed together smoothly. I gazed at Jin and extended both hands toward him. As if calling him to come to me.
….
Jin, tears streaming down his face, turned to look at Deilaina. Arcen remained cradled in her arms, frozen in shock. There was no place for him in his mother’s embrace.
Thud!
“…Jin!”
…!
Leaving Deilaina’s cry behind, Jin rushed past Marib’s sword. Thump, thump—his heart pounded so fiercely it felt like his mind was shaking. Afraid that someone would grab him if he looked back, the boy clenched his teeth and ran with all his strength. His vision blurred with what might have been blood or tears, but it didn’t matter.
The place where he would be held stood firm and waiting.
Crash.
I knelt to receive Jin as he rushed toward me. The embrace that enfolded him was desperate. Save me, it seemed to plead. Help me, abandoned by my mother and brother.
“Are you alright?”
I examined the child’s face carefully. The wound carved from his right temple to his left jaw ran deep. Tears continued to stream from his blue eyes.
“…Count Ian.”
“Dry your tears. Your Highness is precious.”
At my gentle words of comfort, the child finally burst into tears. My hand patting his back was particularly soft. Because I had been the same. What Emperor goes through life without scars? Just as Naum had comforted me when I hid away to cry, I could only soothe Jin’s tears.
“Ian. Hand Jin over.”
Then Marib’s sword pointed at me. Jin’s life was the price Deilaina had paid. To raise the morale of the faction and to make clear that there was no turning back, I had to cut off Jin’s breath.
Jin sensed the killing intent directed at him and flinched.
“That is impossible.”
“Not content with betrayal, you obstruct as well?”
“That is a misunderstanding. Is this situation not the result of Your Highness stealing the Emperor’s seal?”
“Silence. If you had not conspired with Gail, I would have disposed of that brat long ago. There would have been no need for you to come here.”
Whoosh.
I lifted Jin into my arms. At the same moment, hair fluttered softly. Golden and silver strands swayed together. As if showing that they stood in the same place.
“Have you not considered that if it were not for me, Prince Marib would have been the one disposed of instead?”
“Insolent!”
“Kyaaaah!”
Clang! Clang!
At Marib’s shout, the soldiers drew their blades. Deilaina crouched down to protect Arcen, and Berik and Xiaoxi also took combat stances.
….
Xiaoxi held a dagger in hand while glancing at Jin and Arcen. Silver hair and blue eyes. Certainly the same child I saw at Gail’s quarters the day before. I was startled at first thinking they were twins, but the aura they gave off was distinctly different, making them easy to tell apart.
‘So that is Arcen. That prince.’
Cunning. Just meeting his gaze made one sense danger. Did Arcen recognize Xiaoxi as well? His expression became subtle for a moment. Perhaps it was a misunderstanding.
Swish.
Marib, who had maintained the tense standoff, suddenly sheathed his sword. Instead, he shouted at Jin while aiming for the nape of the crouching Deilaina’s neck.
“I must take someone’s life right now. Jin, if you do not come, I will kill your mother instead.”
“Kyaaaaaaah!”
Deilaina screamed as though she might lose consciousness. Jin’s body flinched, but I covered the back of my head with my hand as if to say not to listen.
“I, Count Ian.”
“No one can substitute for His Highness. His Highness’s safety weighs far heavier and is far more precious than the screams of these wretches.”
At my murmur, Jin’s eyes widened. It was something I had never heard before. He had lived his entire life regarded as an implicit curse of the imperial family.
Prince Marib dangled his sword and openly tempted Jin.
“If Arcen dies, Jin, it will be because of you. The prophecy shall come to pass as foretold.”
A ridiculous threat indeed. When I let out a soft laugh, Jin felt strangely at ease. It felt as though there was nothing to worry about despite the urgency.
“It was His Highness Marib who drew the sword, so how can this be attributed to His Highness Jin? You seek to end all of Bariel’s fate with your own hands. How impressive—your people shall surely sing your praises.”
Even as I spoke thus, I resolved to investigate the prophecy again. Jin carried the bloodline of Bariel, yet I could not fathom why such a curse had fallen upon him.
Prince Marib let out a hollow laugh and without hesitation raised his sword.
“So be it? You have chosen this path.”
But in that moment.
Crash!
The nearby wall shattered to pieces, and dust swirled violently. At the sudden impact, Prince Marib retreated with his guards.
From the hazy dust emerged a massive suit of black matte armor. Berik’s eyes sparkled with excitement.
“That’s it! That’s the one!”
The symbol of Hyman Bank—the mana stone armor responsible for security. It guaranteed a hundred-to-one advantage and more, a trump card capable of securing victory in any battle. I did not know who was inside, but it was certainly Prince Gail’s force.
“Your Highness Marib!”
“Evade!”
“It’s Gail! Stand your ground!”
Just as Prince Marib sought Prince Gail, so too did Gail seek Marib. The assault poured forth immediately upon Prince Marib, and Riama, one of the three commanders, opened her mana to construct a defensive formation.
Crash! Bang!
Clang! Clang!
With each clash of blade against blade, heaven and earth trembled. Heavy waves erupted rapidly, shaking all around, and screams filled with terror were swallowed in the chaos.
I exchanged glances with Berik and Xiaoxi.
“Berik, Xiaoxi!”
“Okay!”
“….”
Whoosh!
We had secured the twin princes—specifically, the next Emperor’s person. Before becoming entangled in battle again, the order was to hurry back to the Magic Division.
The two of them rushed forward and dragged the collapsed Deilaina by the arm.
“Go limp if you want to live!”
“Kyaaaaaaah!”
Berik hoisted Deilaina onto his back and ran, while Xiaoxi cradled Arcen. Meanwhile, Jin and I slipped out of the garden first. Prince Marib’s soldiers blocked our path, but they could not stop us.
“Where do you think you’re going!”
“Your Highness, close your eyes.”
Zzzzzing. Zing.
Boom!
In an instant, the soldier’s head flew backward. Jin squeezed her eyes shut and buried her face in Ian’s chest. It felt the same as when she’d touched the mana sphere before—soft, warm, and somehow comforting.
“Ian! This is way too heavy!”
“Berik! Come to the front and run!”
“Ugh, I’m telling you it’s heavy!”
They needed to escort Jin from both sides. Berik came scrambling over and ran ahead of them, while Ian shot light across the sky.
Whoosh! Boom!
If Tomi and Nakina saw the signal, they would come to meet them.
As they ran on like this for some time.
Jin cracked open her eyes at an unfamiliar presence.
Patter patter!
Over Ian’s shoulder, she locked eyes with Arcen, who was being carried in Xiaoxi’s arms and following behind. Her brother was glaring at her with cold, unreadable eyes. The killing intent was so thick that her heart sank.
Xiaoxi could guess at Arcen’s gaze from the look on Jin’s face.
“My apologies.”
With that, she covered Arcen’s face with her hand, blocking his view. The boy twisted his lips but said nothing more.
“Count Ian!”
“Tomi, Nakina! Check if anyone is following us!”
Tomi and Nakina flew through the sky and caught up with Ian’s group. They reported that there was no pursuit, then guided them to the safe zone of the Magic Department.
“Count Ian has arrived!”
“Count Ian! Over here! My goodness, the Princes too!”
“Are you alright? There’s so much blood….”
“Where did your upper garment go?”
“The Prince’s face! Doctor! Call a doctor!”
“No. Berik, you fool! Why are you holding Deilaina like that?”
“How am I supposed to carry something this heavy?!”
The moment they entered the protective barrier, Berik practically dropped Deilaina and Ian exhaled heavily. Then, still holding Jin, he went straight into the infirmary. Mages swarmed around them in chaos.
“Oh my, such a delicate face….”
“This is Prince Jin. Disinfect the wounds.”
“What madman did this to the Prince’s face!”
“It was Prince Marib’s doing.”
“Ah. I see. Well, come this way, Prince Jin.”
It was the first time. When something went wrong, she was being cared for before Arcen. Jin gripped Ian’s sleeve tightly without thinking. But when she saw his smile, she slowly released her grip.
“I’m fine, Your Highness. These are all trustworthy people, so I’ll wait outside.”
Jin nodded and was led away by the mages, while Ian rolled his stiff shoulders and stepped outside. Romandro was pouring water on Berik’s sprawled face.
“Cough, I’m seriously dying!”
“The meat you eat in a day is probably heavier than that.”
“It’s all digested. Seriously. This is insane. I’d rather kill a hundred people.”
Ian surveyed the interior of the Magic Department. More refugees had arrived in the meantime. Amid the chaos, Arcen stood alone, seemingly wanting to say something. He approached, but Heil blocked his way.
“Minister Ian. We’ve confirmed the mana flow of the Three Great Masters. Riama was last sensed near Lady Deilaina’s palace—”
“I came directly from there, so that’s correct.”
“Jairot definitely did not enter the palace. The problem is Beols.”
Heil’s brow furrowed. The results were so peculiar that he couldn’t comprehend them.
“His Majesty suddenly departed from his quarters to the Third Palace, then moved to the Second Palace with extraordinary speed. If His Majesty were being attended, such a route would be impossible. The movements are inexplicable.”
I shared his confusion, but only for a moment. Then something clicked into place. I let out a soft exclamation and spun around.
“Count Ian?”
I ignored Heil’s call and scanned the surroundings as if searching for something.
Countless paintings hung upon the walls.
I rubbed each one with my hand, examining them one by one.
‘A situation dire enough to strip the seal from his own son. The Emperor surely possesses secret passages known only to himself. Just as I do.’
When I faced Chroni’s assault, I had utilized my own hidden passage. Given the century-long gap between us, the method wouldn’t be identical. But the principles and structure should be similar.
“What are you searching for?”
“…Berik!”
“Ah, what! Surely not!”
“Snap out of it and get up.”
Berik rolled across the floor in protest, but there was no helping it. While I whispered instructions to him, Arcen sat to the side, continuing to observe me.
“….”
And watching him was Xiaoxi.
Tangled gazes descended upon the Mage Department, yet no one noticed. The sounds of battle from outside grew increasingly fierce.

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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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