Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor - Chapter 225

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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 225
The Voice of God
At the very moment I received the Mage’s report, Deilaina’s servant was racing through a darkened corridor. Ever since it became known that Arcen was a mana user, visitors had been streaming into her palace day and night without pause.
The same was true now. At the entrance to the reception hall, alongside Deilaina’s servants, unfamiliar faces stood in line, waiting for their masters to be received.
“What is all this commotion at this hour?”
The Chamberlain rebuked her sternly as she came rushing in, breathless. But the servant paid no mind and reported quietly, ensuring no one else could hear.
“It is urgent. Please inform her. A Priest from the Carbo Temple has just entered the palace.”
A Priest entering the palace? At this hour? The Chamberlain, flustered, ushered her inside. As he pushed through the inner door and drew closer, he heard the lamentations of the high-ranking officials within.
“In the end, Erikse has affixed his seal to the complaint.”
“If we had known this would happen, we should have killed him. Tsk, tsk.”
“This is a grave matter. Everyone knows something is amiss. The Minister of Justice and those below him have all failed to report for duty—clearly they sense this is no ordinary affair. But if someone had died, how would we manage the aftermath?”
“That is true. If Count Ian digs into this and makes it an issue, we will lose all control. We have done everything within our power.”
“I heard there was even a brawl at the Ministry of Justice?”
“I wish we had feigned ignorance and broken the Mages’ arms instead. That would have been satisfying.”
“Hmm. Since the complaint was filed today, if we process it expeditiously, the Grand Council will convene before the Mana Confirmation Ceremony. How many votes do we have on our side? Let us send word that as many as possible cannot attend, and adjust the date accordingly. There is no other way.”
Knock, knock.
Creak.
The servant made her presence known as she opened the door. The high-ranking officials looked at her with confusion, but she quickly approached Deilaina and whispered.
“A Priest from the Carbo Temple has urgently entered the palace. It appears a problem arose while transporting the Divine Light, and he is seeking assistance.”
“What?”
Deilaina’s eyes widened in an instant. This was unexpected good news. With time still remaining before the ceremony, for a Priest to enter the palace personally requesting aid meant he had come quite close to the capital. For those of them who needed to hold the Mana Confirmation Ceremony before the Grand Council, this was welcome tidings indeed.
“Lady Deilaina? What is the matter?”
“The Priest from the Carbo Temple has entered the palace. If a problem arose on his way, it means he has come close to the center.”
The lamentations of concern had swiftly transformed into exclamations of joy. The Ministers reflexively clapped their hands in delight.
“Ah! Is that so? How fortunate!”
“To travel from Carbo to the center, one must cross the eastern mountains. If there was a problem, it likely occurred there. The mountains are so steep and treacherous that the pass was only recently opened. Had he not known of it, his carriage would have broken down.”
They had just been lamenting Erikse’s acceptance of the complaint, but now the situation had shifted once more. I myself had said directly that the Mana Confirmation Ceremony would be held as soon as the Divine Light arrived, so if they brought it in first, would that not solve everything?
“He would have gone to the Magic Ministry, then?”
“The Mana Confirmation Ceremony falls under the Magic Ministry’s jurisdiction.”
“Lady Deilaina. Send someone. The Magic Ministry will want to hold the Grand Council first and will merely drag out time under the guise of assistance. Use the connection of the Carbo family and declare that you will help directly. Thus, let us hasten to bring in the Divine Light as quickly as possible.”
At the Ministers’ urging, Deilaina nodded. Just when the complaint had been accepted, such an opportunity arrived—as if fortune had not abandoned them. She rose from her seat as if to go herself.
“I shall go see the Priest myself. If he is one who aided in the childbirth, he will understand our position all the more. You all wait here. I shall return once the matter is settled.”
At Deilaina’s declaration to go out, her servants moved quickly. They gathered her outer robes, called for the carriage, and sent word to the Magic Ministry.
As she left the reception hall, the Ministers raised their wine glasses and added their remarks one by one.
“Still, the situation is curious. At first, we hoped Count Ian would hasten to open the Mana Confirmation Ceremony, but now it has reversed entirely, has it not?”
“It is because Duke Haiman has inserted himself in the middle.”
“Ah, speaking of Haiman reminds me. There was a rumor that the Duke had requested aid from Lusweina.”
“Ah, yes. I heard of it as well. Is it not already established fact?”
“Then does that mean Prince Gail was attempting to seek asylum in Lusweina?”
“What? What do you mean by that?”
The rumor took its first step. The one who spoke lowered their eyebrows and whispered as quietly as possible.
“To be precise, it’s an exile based on a betrothal.”
“Haha! A betrothal? Prince Gail is truly remarkable.”
“Hmm, but the move is quite clever. If he goes to Lusweena, he not only secures his life but can also check both the Magic Ministry and Duke Haiman simultaneously, can’t he?”
“From Lusweena’s perspective, it’s welcome. By securing Prince Gail, they can exert influence over Bariel. In whatever manner. As long as Prince Gail draws breath, it’s a burden for Lord Arcen and Lord Jhin.”
“But is it true?”
“We’re confirming it, but it doesn’t seem to be mere gossip. We just received word that Count Ian visited Prince Gail’s palace earlier. It’s likely to warn him about the exile.”
The ministers sipped their wine and calculated what winds Prince Gail’s exile would bring. Would that wind carry the scent of blood, or something sweet? Depending on which side they stood, the scent they would smell would differ, so the ministers fell silent without even realizing it.
“For now, it would be best to observe.”
Clink—
They lightly clinked their wine glasses together, left with nothing but waiting for Deilaina’s swift return.
* * *
Whiiiing!
Screech!
A carriage came to an abrupt halt before the Magic Ministry. I climbed the steps alongside the mages. The Magic Ministry’s atmosphere was unsettled by the visit of these unfamiliar guests. When a servant saw me approaching, he opened the office door wide.
“So that’s what happened. You must have suffered greatly.”
“No. It’s healed well enough by now, so I’m fine.”
“May divine blessing be with you. I will pray sincerely.”
A woman draped in robes was kneeling and conversing with Jhin. Xiaoxi noticed my arrival and stepped back.
“Oh, Count Ian!”
“Lord Jhin.”
Jhin approached at my call.
“A priest from the Carbo Temple. She said she saw me when I was young, so we were exchanging warm greetings.”
“I see.”
The priests bowed respectfully. Beneath the white robes, a translucent veil covered the eyes and mouth, obscuring the face. Not a single fingertip extended beyond the garment, so one could only discern she was a woman by her voice.
“It is my first time meeting you. I am Avidel, a priest of the Carbo Temple. I apologize for visiting so late at night.”
“I am Macael.”
“Minister of the Magic Ministry Ian Hielo. What brings you here? I heard there was a problem with the Light of Oracle’s transmission.”
“Yes. As you know, the Carbo Temple has little experience requisitioning the Light of Oracle. Thus, in our haste to depart upon the sudden request, our preparations seem to have been insufficient.”
Mana verification ceremonies themselves were rare events, and the Carbo Temple was not relatively close to the center. It was a place with almost no contact except when Deilaina sought it for childbirth and when occasional oracles were delivered.
I imagined the priests themselves must be on a rare outing.
“Did something happen to the carriage?”
“All the wheels broke when crossing a rocky mountain. The Light of Oracle is unharmed, but since it cannot move, we came to request assistance.”
Even with wheels attached, it was a harp so heavy and massive that four or five people needed to push it together. It would be problematic for priests, who were not professional movers, to transport it.
I brought out a map and unfolded it on the desk.
“Where is it located?”
“We crossed two large rivers, so it should be around here. It took half a day’s ride from the current stopped location to here.”
I traced the route with my fingertip and paused. It was closer than expected. If I sent reinforcements now, they could arrive at the imperial palace earlier than anticipated. This meant I could hold Arcen’s mana verification ceremony before the tournament.
Jhin fidgeted beside me, his eyes showing concern.
“Count Ian?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
What was I to do? Romandro and the mages had bled themselves dry to push through the complaint filing, and if things went like this, wouldn’t it all be for nothing?
Ian, reading the anxiety in his heart, smiled softly.
“Send the reinforcements.”
Publicly, I had to send them first. But how to proceed once they arrived would be better decided by observing the situation. Ian issued instructions to the one standing behind him.
“Check what carriages are currently available to send. The Light of Divine Will is quite heavy. A standard carriage won’t suffice, so take that into consideration.”
“Yes, understood.”
The Priest placed his hand over his heart in gratitude and bowed. Avidel’s gaze shifted slightly toward Jin. Though his eyes weren’t visible, it was clear he was looking at the wound.
“If I may ask, what happened to Lord Jin’s wound?”
“There was considerable commotion in the imperial palace. It would take too long to explain in detail.”
It was an answer that showed no intention of elaborating.
The Carbo Temple was in any case deeply connected to Deilaina’s family. By my judgment, they had issued an absurd oracle, and it was entirely where Jin’s misfortune had begun. I couldn’t trust them, so I couldn’t share information either.
“The Ministry of Magic has requested that the priest who handled the oracles for Lord Jin and Lord Arcen, in addition to the Light of Divine Will, accompany you. Is there any problem with that?”
Though he called it a request, it was in fact a sealed order.
Then Avidel lifted her veil. Beneath eyes of pale brown, her face was covered in freckles.
“Yes. You called for me, did you not?”
“Priest Avidel, you?”
“Yes. And Macael is the priest who handled the oracle that came down this time.”
It matched the testimony of the doctor who had performed the surgery back then. I didn’t know the name, but hadn’t he mentioned a priest covered in freckles?
“I have always felt nothing but remorse toward Lord Jin. Though it was called the word of God, it was I who conveyed it. Since it was nearly a curse, I cannot begin to imagine how much it weighed upon him.”
Jin looked flustered, his mouth opening and closing. But soon he grasped the priest’s hand and shook his head. If there had been no ill intent, then she had simply done her duty.
“It… it was not your fault.”
“Your Highness.”
But I was not convinced. Knowing the oracle itself was problematic, it was clear that either Avidel had made a mistake in the middle, or she had deliberately caused the problem.
“Avidel. When you received the oracle, how many years had you been a priest?”
“It was my third year.”
While there were no ranks among priests, among those who lived in the temple their entire lives until death, three years in was…
“Hmm.”
“Why do you ask?”
“I would like you to recount the circumstances of that time in detail.”
“Is it not recorded?”
“Still. There is something I wish to confirm from your own lips.”
Avidel bowed her head and recalled that day ten years ago. Beginning with “It was a rainy day,” it matched what the doctor had said.
“At that time, I was praying together with the other priests to wish for a safe delivery. With only the desire that our intentions would reach God, I simply knelt and prayed for several hours.”
She testified carefully. Then she recited that curse.
“The one born later shall harm the one born first. And if the brother closest to the throne dies, the imperial line will be completely severed—that is the voice I heard.”
“A voice. Yes. What was the voice of God like?”
“Pardon?”
At the sudden question, she looked flustered and asked in return. How could she remember a voice heard once ten years ago? But soon she spoke carefully.
“There was nothing distinctive about it. It was simply clear and thin…”
As Avidel explained, Macael, who had been listening quietly beside him, lifted his head. Bewilderment flickered in his eyes.
“What is it, Macael?”
“No, it’s nothing.”
“It clearly is something.”
“It’s just….”
He murmured softly, flustered.
“In the oracle I heard, the voice of God seemed low and heavy.”

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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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