Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor - Chapter 195

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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 195
Mailideaili
Crash! Bang bang!
“Mailideaili! Open the door!”
Though heavily pregnant, Viviana was undeterred.
She left her horse and Berik at the entrance, then bounded up the stairs two at a time and shook the iron-barred window. Mini hovered anxiously around her, worried she might injure herself.
Creak.
“Who is it?”
A voice came from behind the double-locked door. In a place where breaking news was everything, they were extremely wary of competitors and found unexpected visitors suspicious.
The faint sound of typewriter keys clattered from within. It seemed publication was underway. Viviana quickly slipped her identification through the iron bars and answered.
“I am Viviana, residing on Westground Avenue 2. I was formerly an advisor for Imperial Palace Reconstruction and am currently on leave. My husband serves as Steward to the Minister of Magic.”
Westground was an upscale residential area where imperial bureaucrats primarily lived. The man verified Viviana’s face against her identification and nodded, returning it to her.
“What is your business?”
“I have information to report regarding the Imperial Palace.”
“You said your husband is a Steward to the Magic Ministry? His name?”
The man’s eyes narrowed as if testing her. He had verified the identification, but this was standard procedure.
“Romandro.”
This was precisely why Ian had asked Viviana to come. While conveying Romandro’s safety mattered, more importantly, her credentials were solid enough that her report wouldn’t be easily dismissed.
The man glanced at her protruding belly and stubbed out his cigarette.
“Since Prince Gail was attacked in the night, the Imperial Palace has cut off all contact. We received word from inside.”
“What word?”
“Prince Marib seized the Emperor’s seal and incited a rebellion. Prince Gail also participated in the power struggle, but both are now being suppressed under the direction of the Magic Ministry.”
The man dropped his cigarette, his mouth falling open in shock.
After several seconds of silence, he fumbled urgently with the lock and threw the door open. Instantly, the stale stench of coffee and cigarettes wafted out—the smell of those burning their souls at typewriters.
“Is that… is that truly the case, Countess?”
“His Majesty is safe. At five o’clock this afternoon, once matters are settled, the palace gates will open. Please release an extra edition before then.”
Viviana clicked her pocket watch open to check the time. There was no margin for writing, printing, and distribution. She looked up at the man and added quietly.
“Right now, only Mailideaili knows this. I’m about to go inform Pirasurfing as well. Which of you breaks the exclusive first is up to you. And be sure to include this phrase in your extra edition.”
“Wait! Wait!”
As Viviana showed Ian’s note and turned to leave, the man urgently grabbed her shoulder. Mini’s eyes flashed dangerously as she roughly knocked his hand away.
“How dare you grab her!”
“My apologies, my apologies. I was just startled. But is everything you just said truly accurate? If not, we’ll lose our heads. Literally.”
“This is a handwritten letter from Minister of Magic Ian Hielo. Once five o’clock arrives and the gates open, everyone will know. There will be no value in it as breaking news, will there?”
It was a demand to stop talking nonsense and start printing. The man turned back and shouted to his colleagues.
“Everyone, stop writing!”
“Why? We’re almost done.”
“Different information just came in. The instigators are Prince Marib and Prince Gail.”
Viviana frowned in confusion. What were they talking about? The man awkwardly lit a fresh cigarette and examined Viviana’s letter again.
“Two days ago, didn’t a black hole appear in the sky? There are widespread rumors that the Magic Ministry sealed the Imperial Palace and orchestrated something inside. Well, our informant said something similar.”
“An informant? Which informant?”
“I’m afraid I cannot disclose that.”
“Is it for the protection of your informant, or is it that the source’s identity is not respectable enough to reveal?”
The man merely chewed on the stub of his cigarette. He hadn’t said it was the latter, but it was unmistakable.
“You are those who report only the truth.”
“Madam, it’s been four days. We print dozens of editions a day, and we’ve waited four days. There’s been no word from the Imperial Palace, so we must write something—even questions. And if it’s true, all the more reason. Of course, we weren’t planning to print it officially, just as a pamphlet.”
-Those who fabricate in the chaos have taken over the stage
Viviana read the afterimage of those Ian had warned her about in his note. The man and his colleagues discussed something while staring at the paper threaded into the typewriter. When Mini, flustered, called out to her mistress, Viviana tore the paper from the typewriter without hesitation.
Rip!
“Madam!”
“Miss!”
She threw the torn paper to the floor. If the Mailed Daily was writing such an article, there was a high probability that other outlets were in a similar situation.
‘Then rather than wasting time running around everywhere, I should have them print an extra edition here first.’
It was a kind of game of intuition.
Other news outlets would also have written uncertain articles and be keeping their antennae alert to any movement from the Imperial Palace. If the truth was reported first, the fabricated articles would naturally be discarded.
“You are fortunate.”
“Madam, what do you mean?”
“Because you are the first to approach the truth. Since the two young Princes clashed and one was subdued, you must know who holds the real power in the Imperial Palace now.”
Of course it would be the Magic Ministry, and their leader Ian Hielo at that. They had instinctively realized they were caught up in something extraordinary, and they also recognized that it carried opportunity with it.
“I cannot allow fabricated scraps of paper to plunge Bariel into chaos. Let the Mailed Daily print the extra edition first. Then when the gates open at five, I will personally convey your merit to Minister Ian.”
“In what manner…?”
“Request exclusive priority publication rights for everything that has occurred in the Imperial Palace over these four days.”
“Is that… possible?”
When Viviana nodded firmly, everyone in the office murmured again. Her husband was the Steward of the Magic Ministry, so it wasn’t entirely unreasonable. It was infuriating how they schemed among themselves.
“Miss.”
“Shh.”
Mini grasped her arm worriedly, but Viviana was resolute. Ian would understand this degree of overstepping. First and foremost, wasn’t it more important to reveal the truth?
“But if you refuse—”
Boom!
Just then, an inexplicable explosion erupted outside. The journalists flinched and kept glancing between Viviana and the window. They wondered if it was something related to her.
“I cannot guarantee your safety.”
“W-what do you mean by that?”
“I have shown my credentials, Ian has sent a letter in his own hand, and I have brought a Mage Knight as my subordinate. Everything proves and guarantees it! And yet you refuse? That means you intend to plunge Bariel into chaos with false information. I will report this judgment to Ian.”
Viviana deliberately emphasized the words “Mage Knight.” She was subtly making clear that if necessary, she would have no choice but to resort to force.
The man and his colleagues exchanged glances and brought out a piece of paper.
“Write us a certificate. Exclusive publication rights.”
“Regarding the events of these four days.”
“Yes. If you write it, we will too.”
Without hesitation, Viviana wrote out the certificate. The man ran his hand through his hair and rolled up his sleeves. His colleagues did the same. Each returned to their stations, discarded what they had been writing, and inserted fresh paper.
Click. Tap tap! Tap!
“Make it full-page size! We’ll print a hundred copies when we cut it.”
“There was a sentence you insisted we include earlier, wasn’t there? Countess?”
“Ah, yes. It’s written at the bottom of the letter.”
“Let me see it, read it aloud! Everyone, take notes! ‘Though Prince Marib and Prince Gail threw the imperial palace into chaos, we have safely secured the crown prince under the mediation of the Magic Ministry.’ Continue reading!”
“Wait, slowly! One more time!”
Crash!
Screech!
I thought it was just a random loud noise, but apparently not. When Viviana startled and threw open the window, our eyes met with Berik’s. He was smiling brilliantly—so radiantly that one would never guess he was locked in combat with those in black armor.
“Berik!”
The guard who had come as our guide lay sprawled on the floor, bleeding. That crash had been the sound of his death.
“Ah, I’m fine, I’m fine. How much longer?!”
“How long will it take?”
Viviana’s heart plummeted. I didn’t know where these people came from, but their intentions were crystal clear from the situation unfolding before us. They were here to stop Ian, to spread fabricated rumors.
The man beside me, startled again, dropped his cigarette.
“W-well, one of our printing presses happens to be broken, so printing a hundred copies will take about ten minutes. Usually, when we distribute extras like this, we scatter them along the central road from the imperial palace to the outskirts, so if we do that much…”
“Just the result!”
“One hour!”
“It will take one hour! Berik!”
At Viviana’s cry, Berik laughed and spat.
I had already witnessed the power of that armor in the imperial palace. One against a hundred—even though only half of them had entered, they were formidable enough to temporarily revive Prince Gail’s forces, which were nearly decimated.
Berik couldn’t hide his excitement, grinning wickedly.
“Do you know who I am~?”
“….”
“It’s Haiman, right? Haiman? Huh? You’re caught?”
“…You’re pressing us for time.”
Whoosh!
The armored figure drove down a thick fist. With such a loose mouth, knowing their identities meant they couldn’t possibly let him leave alive. It seemed Ian’s side was trying to make the first move…
‘This clearly goes against the Duke’s plan. We must clean this up.’
The enemies exchanged glances and nodded. They would kill this small red rat, kill the woman who received Ian’s letter, and kill anyone inside writing false reports as well.
Crash!
“Oh! Damn it!”
Berik barely blocked the fist and staggered despite himself. The weight was no joke. Under normal circumstances, it would be so heavy and solid that one couldn’t even swing it with proper form.
“So that’s why they keep going on about mana stones! Money really is good, huh? Damn it, you’re nothing without that shell! Huh?!”
“Stop your whining!”
“I don’t want to! Huh?!”
Crash! Bang!
Clang!
With each clash, Berik’s nerves were stretched taut. My senses were sharp. If I showed even a single opening, my skull would truly be crushed. I roared and swung my blade, but only left meaningless scratches.
Crash! Thud!
Five armored figures. Viviana quickly realized Berik was struggling and bit her lip. She reached out her hand to Mini.
“Self-defense items.”
“My lady!”
“Everyone, hurry! Bariel’s future depends on it!”
Viviana stood guard at the door, dagger in hand. If Berik fell, she would be next. Her hands trembled uncontrollably, and her heart pounded—perhaps amplified by the child stirring within her womb.
“Please, please….”
Please let him live. Please let me see my husband alive, together with our child. Mini wept beside Viviana, standing guard as well, while the remaining journalists grabbed chairs and rushed into the corridor.
Crash! Bang!
That was when it happened. A different sound erupted—not the wall-shattering boom from before. Berik, who had been evading skillfully, took a blow directly to his back. The pain of shattered ribs flooded through him in a single strike.
“Aaaahhh!”
At Berik’s scream, Viviana reflexively nearly bolted down the stairs. Only Mini’s grip stopped her.
“Damn it, ah! Really! Viviana!”
“B-Berik!”
“How much longer?”
“Just, just five more minutes have passed!”
“This is ridiculous.”
Berik crawled across the floor, muttering irritably. There was no choice. Ian hadn’t approved it, but there truly was no other way.
Zing! Zing!
Berik unleashed his mana. As he pushed himself up using the black sword as support, another fist came flying. The moment Berik gritted his teeth to block it—
Clang!
Someone appeared from the left in a flash, intercepting the blow meant for Berik. Her short blue hair whipped through the air as she took the punch instead.
“Tch!”
“Barsabe, you idiot!”
Boom!
Zing, zing!
Barsabe, who had appeared out of nowhere, didn’t hesitate—she unleashed her mana immediately.

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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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