Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor - Chapter 188

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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 188. Equivalent Exchange
“I am Ian Hielo, Minister of the Magic Department. Are you Duke Gaudino Haiman?”
At my call, Haiman’s head turned slowly. As our eyes met, I could confirm with certainty that I had never seen him at the New Year’s gathering. It was a face one could never forget once seen.
“Minister Ian Hielo, I see. I am Duke Gaudino Haiman.”
A peculiar man in his middle years. Beneath neatly swept hair lay a broad forehead, angular brows, and a sharp nose that were far from ordinary. Yet what was even more extraordinary was his eyes—the whites were barely visible. The oppressive atmosphere seemed to emanate not from the Haiman name itself, but from his gaze.
“Have you been waiting long?”
I did not offer my hand first. By rank, he was a station I could not presume to match, but in the current situation, Haiman was one who had threatened the imperial palace, and I was the one responsible for managing the aftermath. Recognizing this, Haiman smiled gently with courtesy.
“It is nothing compared to the efforts of Minister Hielo. Ah, this is my youngest daughter, Princess Melania. We meet for the first time, I believe. I look forward to your acquaintance.”
Haiman already knew that Melania and I had met before. Yet introducing her as though we were strangers was a subtle denial of Prince Gail, the connection between Melania and me.
Even if one had acquaintance in society, it was the mark of propriety to act as though meeting for the first time at official gatherings.
“It is an honor to meet you.”
Princess Melania greeted me while lightly gathering her green-hued dress. Her eyes that briefly met mine were smiling. Her manner of smoothly following her father’s lead was remarkably natural.
“Though this may be our first meeting for you, I have actually seen you before. I went to submit a report at Prince Gail’s residence and caught sight of you from a distance.”
I laughed while pressing my lips to the back of Melania’s hand. I maintained propriety while directly referencing the connection to Prince Gail. Both father and daughter showed an unnatural discomfort, as though they had anticipated my response.
“Count Hielo. In fact, that is why I hastened to the imperial palace. I hear that Prince Marib and Prince Gail have engaged in most unseemly conduct. Thus my position has become difficult. I wish to make my case directly to His Majesty, but your mages are blocking the way.”
He was asking to be granted an audience with the Emperor. Instead of answering, I gazed into Haiman’s dark pupils. With the whites barely visible, I could not immediately discern where his gaze was directed.
‘How much does he know?’
If he had not yet made contact with Deilaina, he would not know of the Emperor’s suspension. Since no one had left the imperial palace, he would not know that Marib had struck the Emperor.
My answer now would be information to him, and the moment he left this room, it would become his course of action.
“There has never been, nor will there ever be, a history of a traitor being granted audience with His Majesty.”
At my words, Haiman’s jaw clenched tightly. I had withheld information about the Emperor’s condition while confirming that the charges for the disturbance within the palace had been determined.
“Therefore, if you have anything to say in your defense, say it to me.”
I subtly revealed that I was the current person responsible for the imperial palace. Haiman lifted his head stiffly and asked.
“Are both Prince Marib and Prince Gail safe?”
“I cannot say.”
If Prince Gail were alive, the Haiman family’s defense would naturally lose all validity. Because I offered no information, Duke Haiman’s eyes narrowed. He then carefully broached the subject.
“…It is a misunderstanding. It is true that Melania briefly had relations with Prince Gail, but the mana stone armor was provided to assist the Imperial Army’s military research. I never anticipated it would be used in such a manner.”
I could have countered that the Imperial Defense Ministry had sided with Marib, but saying so now would be equivalent to informing Haiman of the absence of palace forces. Sometimes silence could pierce an opponent’s heart more deeply than rebuttal, and this was such a moment.
“Thus, I promptly detected the suspicion and recovered half of it to address the matter. I wish to inform His Majesty of this directly.”
“As I said, that is not possible.”
“Is this the Emperor’s will?”
He was asking if there had been a direct imperial command. No one could claim to have given an order that the Emperor himself had not directly commanded. When I was at the frontier, had I not rejected Chielronia, who brought the letter of title appointment, on that very basis?
“It is the will of the imperial house.”
I evaded with an answer that was vague yet certain. Haiman covered his daughter’s hand with his leather-gloved hand. Melania regarded me with an unflinching gaze.
“I am deeply remorseful. I acknowledge that while unintentional, I bore some involvement in this incident. I shall offer the utmost compensation and will exert every effort to follow any path that preserves the honor of House Haiman.”
Compensation rather than reparations? Reparations involved legal punishment, while compensation was paid when assuming moral responsibility for other matters.
‘The choice of words is subtle and sharp.’
The audacious attitude of one who dared participate in treason yet believed he would keep his life. It came from one who knew Haiman’s standing better than anyone.
Judging from the scheme to place his daughter on the Empress’s throne, there was ample room for him to interfere in imperial authority as well.
‘Indeed, it would be wise to keep watch over him alongside Arcen.’
Ian frowned as if to make a point, muttering under his breath.
“It seems Your Grace believes the Empire’s security can be purchased with gold. No matter how full the coffers, they are but pebbles before centuries of Bariel authority.”
“Bariel’s authority was built upon those very pebbles.”
“I apologize, but an investigation into the connection between House Haiman and Prince Gail will commence shortly. Rather than ‘compensation,’ you need only pay ‘reparations’ commensurate with the investigation’s findings.”
Reparations always carried additional penalties in their wake—from minor revocation of titles or reduction of authority to imprisonment or execution at the extreme. At Ian’s words, Duke Haiman gestured with his hand. A subordinate approached and handed him a tobacco pipe.
“…Are Deilaina and the twin princes unharmed?”
The quiet question escaped with wisps of tobacco smoke. The Duke’s dark eyes swept across Ian with calculated precision, gauging the situation.
“They are safe.”
“If I cannot have an audience with His Majesty, I wish at least to see Deilaina.”
“That is not permitted.”
“Not permitted?”
At Ian’s words, Haiman’s lips twisted slightly. As if he had caught a crucial thread. To deny permission meant it was not Deilaina’s will, but entirely Ian’s own—did it not?
“Why?”
“For the purpose of maintaining order within the imperial palace.”
“Count Ian. If outsiders were to observe this, they might mistake it not as Prince Marib and Prince Gail causing disturbance, but as you orchestrating a coup.”
“Ahem! Cough!”
At Haiman’s words, Romandro, who had been listening from behind, let out a displeased cough. Haiman’s escort knights also sensed the shift in atmosphere and frowned. In the thickening tension, Haiman spoke again with deliberate calm.
“Tell Deilaina that the Duke of House Haiman requests an audience.”
The implication was clear—if she refused, he would treat the suspicion as fact.
“Very well. However, only Your Grace is permitted, excluding Princess Melania, and the palace guards will accompany you. But understand this—you cannot deny the suspicion that you conspired with Prince Gail.”
Ian rose from his seat and delivered the remaining instructions. He had entered as he pleased, but leaving would be another matter entirely. Even the Emperor himself could not contact the outside world until the palace was restored to order.
“Is there a party waiting for Your Grace at the palace gates?”
“There is.”
Precisely—a knight order standing by with orders to rescue him if no word came within a day. Like walking into a tiger’s mouth while securing a safety line at the waist. Ian continued, as if he had anticipated this.
“We will complete initial restoration within four days. Until then, no one may leave the palace, so I shall have the gatekeeper relay this matter instead. Then.”
Creak.
With that, Ian departed outside. His footsteps gradually faded, leaving only profound silence. Melania leaned back against her chair and sighed.
“What shall we do, Father? Prince Gail appears to still be alive. And Prince Marib is quite something too. They turned the imperial palace upside down, yet couldn’t manage to kill one person.”
“No need to worry. Deilaina is the answer.”
“Deilaina?”
Haiman slowly recounted his conversation with Ian, muttering to himself.
“Consider this. If Marib and Gail are stripped of their titles for treason, the next heir would be the twin princes. They would be strong candidates for the next emperor. But they are still far too young.”
“Deilaina would step in as regent.”
“Precisely. Then naturally, the true power of the imperial palace would rest with Deilaina. But judging by Ian’s conduct, the situation is clearly tilting in that direction. For now, she will remain in the background under the guise of restoration, but if this momentum continues, it will become burdensome.”
Above all, Ian’s attitude toward Haiman was openly hostile. Certainly, some of the loose-minded bureaucrats in the palace would wish to continue leveraging Haiman’s value.
‘Whoever suppressed Marib and Gail—only Haiman is suited to check them. I should push in that direction and seize the opportunity.’
Though Haiman was unaware that Arcen and Jin had parted ways, he had successfully drawn a situational conclusion. Meeting with Deilaina would make everything far clearer.
“Sigh. What a mess this is. Both Prince Marib and Prince Gail coming to this. A failed investment.”
Melania sipped her tea with a weary tone.
“Would things have been different if we had known earlier that Prince Marib was connected to the Rutherford Company?”
Rutherford—a mysterious merchant guild composed of alchemists. It was where Prince Marib had procured amber-colored raw stones, and it was also a place with which Haiman had conducted long-standing dealings. Given how secretive and unpredictable the organization was, I never imagined it would have connections to the princes as well.
“No. My dear, the process may have changed, but the outcome will remain the same. History’s choice is absolute.”
I learned too late. After conspiring with Prince Gail, I became aware of Rutherford’s flow of processed stones. Upon investigation, I found it connected to Prince Marib, and soon I could infer that Haiman was preparing something equivalent to a mana-sealing stone for Marib’s hands.
‘If Gail won, that was fine. If Marib won, I could attach myself to that side through Rutherford as a intermediary. That’s why I only sent half of the mana-stone armor.’
I walked the tightrope, but it snapped. Fortunately, my betrayal of Gail would bring them another opportunity.
“Go and find out the schedule for a private meeting between Deilaina and myself.”
“Yes, Duke.”
Tap.
Along with the name Rutherford, Princess Melania recalled that child she had seen in the borderlands. The face of Ian Hielo was superimposed over her fading memory. Since I had thought them similar, it did not easily fade away.
* * *
Meanwhile, Ian’s group emerged outside. Romandro opened the carriage door and asked with concern. No matter what, he seemed genuinely worried about having Ian meet with the Haiman family and Deilaina.
“Given the situation, I’m not sure if it’s wise to have them meet. Aren’t they troublesome individuals even when handled separately?”
“To share a boat means to share will and weakness. There is nothing to fear simply because the vessel grows larger. The larger it becomes, the more exposed it is to attack no matter where it’s struck. To create justification for restraint, one must pair those who possess leverage.”
“That may be true, but…”
“And that earlier conversation yielded considerable harvest.”
“Hmm? A good harvest? Really?”
Romandro seemed uncertain. And understandably so—they had entered as outsiders with a blank slate. I was the one holding the information.
Regardless of what conversation took place, it was natural to think that the imbalance favored Haiman.
“They told me directly.”
“That’s strange. I’ve never left my position.”
“From an external perspective, they would believe I have usurped and taken control. All speech is the expression of thought. It means they are considering that as a method to reverse the situation.”
Romandro’s jaw dropped. It made no sense, yet it made perfect sense! If uninformed citizens of the empire heard fabricated rumors, there would certainly be damage. Especially to Jin’s succession.
“Smile, Romandro. The situation is not unfavorable.”
I leaned my head against the window and smiled faintly. Following suit, Romandro awkwardly lifted the corners of his mouth. Clatter-clatter, the carriage carrying the two of us rushed toward the Magic Department.

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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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