Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor - Chapter 181

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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 181
The Eyes of an Angel
“….”
“What about the painting?”
Why wasn’t there an answer?
As I cracked open my eyes, I saw Berik’s face twisted into an awkward smile. My task had been to escort Captain Akorella and bring back the painting safely, yet his hands were empty.
Berik supported my back while humming nervously.
“I’m bringing it right now?”
“Berik.”
“No, I—what?! I thought you were dead, what?!”
His excuses tumbled out frantically. I was relieved to be alive and well, but he should have rushed here faster if he’d known. Since the enemy was completely annihilated, there was nothing to boast about, and consequently, nothing to excuse either.
“Enough, Berik. Go fetch the painting.”
“Ah! Right! You’ll be shocked when you see it, really! It’s enormous? And the eyes, they just spin like this, like this? By value, I’d say it’s worth about one pig. Mm-hmm.”
“You’re making me repeat myself.”
“Yes, sir. Going now.”
Berik rolled his eyes around while offering some incomprehensible explanation. He scrambled to his feet at my rebuke, but then Captain Akorella’s shout echoed from afar.
“Hey, Berik, you madman!”
“What? Right! It’s coming along fine!”
“If you leave this here, what am I supposed to do? Huh?!”
“Is everyone alright? Why did the portal suddenly disappear, gasp! B-b-borderland people, where did they come from?”
Tomi, who had been holding the front of the painting, froze at the sight of the chaos. Corpses piled like hills and blood flowing endlessly. The sudden appearance of borderland people was shocking enough, but the presence of wounded mages felt equally out of place.
“W-what happened here?”
“It’s a long story to explain. First, we need to organize the situation. Warrior, move the painting to the inner building.”
“Yes, Count Ian.”
Whoosh.
A nearby warrior took the painting from Tomi’s hands. Just as Tomi was about to warn him to be careful, the warrior lifted the painting effortlessly with one hand and climbed the stairs. Though the two of them had struggled to carry it, it looked like mere newspaper in the warrior’s grip.
“Captains, assess your personnel and reconstruct and maintain the protective barriers. Captain Akorella, follow me.”
As I commanded while gesturing through the central lobby, Captain Akorella followed close behind, whispering.
Tap, tap, tap!
“Count Ian, we encountered Prince Gail on the way to retrieve the painting. He had been hiding in the Third Imperial Palace and approached us when he saw us.”
At her words, my footsteps came to an abrupt halt.
Didn’t this imply so much? That Prince Gail’s forces had been decisively repelled by Prince Marib, and the reason why he was hiding in the Third Imperial Palace among all the many palaces.
“So Prince Gail also knows of the Emperor’s secret passages.”
“Since he was romantically involved with former Minister Wesley, he likely picked up on it even if he doesn’t know the details.”
“But when you were moving the painting, he made no attempt to stop you? There seem to be no signs of combat.”
Captain Akorella’s hair was drenched with sweat, but it was from labor, not from battle. She lowered her voice further as she reported.
“Prince Gail asked me to relay a message. He wishes to meet discreetly if the opportunity arises. It seems to be a request regarding the entrance to the imperial palace.”
Not a chance in hell. The fire had barely been extinguished, and now he wanted to bring in outside forces to set the palace ablaze with chaos again? I let out a dry laugh and asked back.
“He’s not one to make hopeless requests.”
“No, sir. So I set several conditions.”
“Tell me everything without omission.”
I stopped in the corridor and leaned against the wall. My legs had gone weak, but Akorelra didn’t notice. My posture and movements were too natural for that.
“Information regarding His Majesty the Emperor’s secret passages. And—”
“Hmm.”
It didn’t particularly interest me. Since the passages were constructed with magic, it was only a matter of time before the mages uncovered them with a little effort. With Prince Marib now captured, time was on our side. More importantly, if the Emperor learned of the situation, there was a high chance he would reveal himself.
“The management, authority, and delegation of the mana-sealing stones currently held in the imperial palace. Honestly, I nearly lost my mind the moment I heard this.”
Akorelra’s voice, with emotion carefully suppressed, rang with sincerity.
Supreme above supreme. These weren’t mere gemstones—they held such profound significance for mages that their value couldn’t even be measured on the same scale.
“As you know, Prince Gail possesses the most mana-sealing stones in the current imperial palace. If we read the situation correctly, we could capitalize on this crisis to advance the glory of the Magic Division.”
Though she spoke calmly as if it were nothing, I could easily guess what thoughts were running through her mind.
“Do you want to research the mana-sealing stones?”
“Yes. I want to bite, tear, taste, and savor them while uncovering the principles of the sealing stones….”
She had let her true feelings slip out without realizing it. As Akorelra trailed off and stiffened her posture, staring blankly ahead, I pulled out the amber-colored gemstone from my pocket.
“Take it.”
“What is this?”
“A new type of mana-sealing stone created by Prince Marib.”
“What?! How is that possible?”
Akorelra let out sharp breaths through her nose and cried out. It was an exclamation caught between astonishment and jubilation, awe and curiosity.
“Since its mechanism of action appears different from existing mana-sealing stones, you and the mages of the Mana Stone Management Division are to descend underground and begin research immediately. Several mages, including Nakina, have been unable to channel their mana after being struck by arrows made from these stones, so exercise particular caution.”
“Unable to channel their mana?”
“It appears to be a temporary phenomenon, though that’s merely speculation. Since the amber-colored arrows scattered outside are all fragments, collect them and proceed with the investigation.”
“I will, yes, I’ll look into it right away.”
Akorelra swallowed hard and stammered. Then, cradling the gemstone as though it were the most precious thing in the world, she bowed deeply. Her footsteps as she rushed out were urgent.
Tap-tap-tap!
“Um, Count Ian! About that painting. It’s definitely drawn with liqui-stone, and according to Berik, the angel’s eyes were moving. I’m certain it’s what you were looking for.”
“I see. Look into it.”
“Yes. Then, Mana Stone Management Division! Mobilize!”
Leaving her shout behind, I entered the conference room.
A quiet space with no one else present.
The painting was leaning diagonally against the left wall.
‘Akorelra and Tomi transported the painting, yet Prince Gail didn’t stop them. That means he had already verified it. And since it’s merely one entrance among countless passages, he likely thought it didn’t matter.’
I stepped back slightly and scanned the painting thoroughly.
I had used such passages myself when I was Emperor—back when Chroni’s rebellion occurred—to escape the imperial palace.
“Your Majesty. Can you hear me?”
There was no response. But I knew it was a deliberate silence. The Emperor was likely sitting in the darkness. Therefore, he was certainly watching the location where the painting hung simultaneously.
“I know you’re inside. This is an uncomfortable place for you to be, so come out. Is Beols there with you as well?”
Again, no response. To an outsider, I would appear mad. I hesitated for a moment, then spoke Prince Marib’s name.
“Prince Marib has been captured.”
With that, I was telling him to manifest now and take control of the situation. At that moment, the leftmost angel’s eyes looked directly at me.
-…Is that the truth?
A chilling voice. The octave was so high that it was hard to believe it belonged to an elderly Emperor. Ian offered a light salute and nodded.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
There were no pictures drawn with liquistone in the Magic Ministry. Even if there were, only the opposite wall would be visible, so visual information would be extremely limited. The only sounds would likely be explosions or loud noises. The Emperor seemed unable to grasp the situation in detail.
“Are you with Beols? Is he unharmed?”
So the Emperor must have sent Beols to scout the surroundings. In each moment, Heil detected it and tracked his movements.
“You may come out now, Your Majesty. Everything is finished and it is safe.”
But the Emperor only blinked his eyes, staring down at Ian.
-Show me both Marib and Gail. I cannot leave until then.
At this unexpected response, Ian’s brows furrowed involuntarily. I had never imagined this. Shouldn’t an Emperor hasten to show himself and settle the situation as a matter of proper virtue?
But he was now telling Ian to prove his safety. Despite having no prior exchange with Ian whatsoever.
“Your Majesty.”
Ian suddenly recalled the records of his unusually long life. I wondered how he had lived so long while withered like an old tree, and now I understood—it was because of his nature.
A pitiful Emperor who feared death like divine punishment, prioritizing his own safety over the restoration of the imperial palace.
“Does Prince Gail not follow Your Majesty’s will? You need only come out yourself and act as you wish.”
-I cannot trust them. Marib poisoned me, and Gail mobilized the nobility’s forces without consultation. Both my sons have not merely carved out their father’s heart—they have shattered it to pieces.
So this was the condition of the ‘deal’ the Emperor had made to back Gail. Politically push out Marib, but prohibit any military force that could disturb the palace—in other words, threaten the Emperor’s safety.
Yet corpses of the nobles’ reinforcements lay scattered throughout the imperial palace.
“…So please come out and declare the stripping of princely status from both of them. Your Majesty, there is nothing to fear.”
How absurd. An Emperor who required such coaxing and coddling. The angel in the painting asked again.
-If I strip Marib and Gail of their princely status, Arcen and Jin remain. Do you wish for Arcen to become the heir?
Ian suddenly noticed the Emperor’s nuance was subtle. As if he knew well that Arcen lacked the qualifications. Ian’s gaze lowered for a moment.
“No. If Prince Marib had remained steadfast, I would establish another heir to strip him of legitimacy, but circumstances are different now. For now, it would be best to leave the position vacant and decide after the chaos settles.”
I wished to strongly advocate for Jin as heir, but all matters have their procedures.
‘If I support Jin now, the Emperor will suspect me further and hide even more. It is the right moment. A moment when even if the Emperor were assassinated, it could be dismissed as the flow of history.’
The Emperor knew. Right now, Ian was the one receiving situational support comparable to his own in the imperial palace. If he desired to seize power, an act of treason such as cutting down the Emperor could easily occur. That is why he sharpened his vigilance further and tried to discern Ian’s true intentions.
‘For Jin to be recognized as a true heir beyond Arcen, the Emperor’s support is absolutely necessary.’
With this thought, Ian prostrated himself with dignity. I was willing to do so for Jin’s future and the future I remembered.
“Your Majesty. Please manifest yourself and care for the imperial palace. Everyone is waiting only for you.”
A long silence followed. Ian lifted his head at the sudden presence he felt. It was Beols. He still regarded Ian with a cautious gaze.
“Count Ian. Please rise.”
“Your Majesty?”
A single letter in his hand. It was covered in blood.
“…Is this the blood of His Imperial Majesty?”
“…From now on, listen carefully to what I say. This is a request His Majesty left for me and for Bariel.”

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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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