Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor - Chapter 231

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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 231
Episode: What’s Your Identity?
The grand gates of the imperial palace stood even taller and wider than usual. Normally, only the first locking mechanism needed to be released for people and carriages to pass through, but when bringing in something as large and delicate as the Oracle’s Light, the second mechanism had to be unlocked as well.
“Clear the way ahead. We’re coming through!”
“Move the horses slowly. Slower still.”
“My goodness, this Carbo temple structure is far larger than anything else.”
“Wasn’t it smaller at the New Year’s gathering?”
“Not smaller—Carbo. It’s the temple that has stood since the founding of the kingdom, so the name befits it. Just keep moving forward! Mage, the left side is tilting. Apply equal force on all sides.”
Shhhhh!
Wrapped in several layers of thick cloth and secured with ropes, it inched into the palace like a mechanical creature. White-robed priests surrounded it protectively. Despite the arduous journey, not a speck of dust marred its surface. They moved with such uniform precision that one wondered if there were actually people beneath the veils.
“Those must be priests. They said Carbo?”
“Carbo temple? Isn’t that Deilaina’s family home?”
“I’d like to ask for their prayers. Will they be staying long in the capital?”
“How fortunate. We get to see a priestly procession too.”
The imperial citizens who had stepped aside whispered excitedly among themselves. It was truly a rare sight. Most temples were located in remote areas, and without special circumstances like war or disaster, they were sacred places one could not approach.
Creak.
“Now then, those waiting to enter the palace, please step back and wait.”
“Please step back. Please wait!”
“Oh no, so much for being lucky. Closed! Closed! I should have come earlier if I’d known.”
“How long must we wait?”
“Until the Ministry of Magic receives the Oracle’s Light. It should arrive soon, so don’t worry. It won’t take long.”
Boom! Creak!
The gatekeepers said so and shut the main gates completely. Then they verified the identity of each priest one by one and created an entry log.
Deilaina’s subordinates and the mages did the same. With weary gestures, they produced their credentials and announced their return.
Tap tap tap!
Then, from far away, came the sound of hoofbeats. Sure enough, it was the flag of the Ministry of Magic. The blonde boy leading the charge skillfully pulled the reins and looked down at the ground below.
Thud!
“Count Ian.”
“…My apologies.”
The mages who had drawn near whispered quietly. They had tried to arrive as late as possible—after the grand council—but had failed.
There were limits to how much they could damage the carriage wheels, and above all, if the Oracle’s Light were to break in the process, it would be a disaster. Deilaina’s subordinates had clenched their teeth over this.
“It’s fine. You’ve worked hard. The journey from Dolsan must have been exhausting. All the mages who went to provide support, go inside and rest. From now on, we’ll handle the transport.”
Ian patted their shoulders reassuringly. At his touch, the cart that had been hovering about three centimeters above the ground slowly descended. It was a measure to ease the strain on the horses and prevent shaking and impact.
“Count Ian. How high should we lift it? Should we keep it at three centimeters?”
“Yes. If we lift it too high, it becomes dangerous. Focus on four people at the cardinal points and apply force simultaneously from all sides.”
Zing. Zing.
At Ian’s command, the mages moved in perfect unison.
Then, approaching from ahead came one priest. Like Avidel and Macael, not a fingertip was visible, but the bent back revealed their age.
“Greetings. I am Lili, High Priest of the Carbo temple. I am delighted to meet you here. May you receive the blessing of the divine.”
“The pleasure is mine. I am Ian Hielo, Minister of the Ministry of Magic. You must be weary from your long journey. May you receive the blessing of the divine.”
As I placed my hand over my chest, the High Priest bowed his head lightly. The priests standing behind him did the same.
“But setting aside the Chariot of Divine Light, how is it that you have no carriages?”
“While waiting at Dolsan, we considered moving by carriage, but the wheels on all of them had worn out. Without the swift assistance of Deilaina and the Mage Division, we would have been in quite a predicament. Thank you.”
“Think nothing of it. It was our request, so it was only natural. Avidel and Macael, who arrived first, are currently waiting at the Mage Division. Before that, who is this priest who received the divine oracle?”
Two oracles had come between Avidel and Macael. One was guarding the temple, and the other had come with them, so they must be among this group.
The High Priest asked with curiosity.
“May I ask why you inquire?”
“There is something to confirm with Avidel, Macael, and that person. High Priest, you must come as well. The rest of the priests will rest at the prepared quarters.”
…It was puzzling, but there was no reason to hide it. As the High Priest glanced back, the one standing in the middle stepped forward.
“I am Ranco. I received the divine oracle before Priest Macael. It concerned an earthquake in a nearby village.”
“Good to meet you. Well, we have no time to waste. Let us move.”
I couldn’t fathom what this was about. Why hadn’t Avidel and Macael come to greet them? There were many questions, but the High Priest and Ranco decided to follow me for now.
“Load the priests’ belongings onto the carriages and transport them to the Mage Division.”
“Please enter the carriage. Priests, this way.”
“Welcome. Please come in.”
Besides the mages handling the Chariot of Divine Light, others welcomed the priests. Only by quickly clearing the area would the main gates of the imperial palace open again, allowing the people of the empire to pass through. Everyone was hastily organizing the scene.
Clatter clatter!
Whinnying!
Splendid carriages were rushing this way at great speed. From the vigorous cracking of the whip, it was clear that the master inside the carriage was urging the coachman on.
“It seems to be Lady Deilaina.”
“Indeed. She is quite diligent as well.”
As Romandro whispered awkwardly, I simply laughed. The Mage Division naturally handled security at the imperial palace entrance, so they could learn quickly, but how did they?
Whinnying!
Crack!
As the carriage came to a stop, Deilaina gathered her dress skirts and descended hurriedly. Though all the priests wore the same robes with their faces covered, she somehow recognized the High Priest and greeted her warmly.
“Lili!”
“Oh, Lady Deilaina!”
“Good to see you. It’s been so long. Thank you for coming.”
Deilaina forgot propriety and embraced the High Priest lightly. Lili was the one who had personally cared for Deilaina during her postpartum recovery, and moreover, she held a fragment of childhood memories with her.
Though the Carbo Temple and the family were said to have a different relationship than before, their shared roots could not be denied.
“The Chariot of Divine Light?”
“It was properly handed over to the Mage Division, Lady Deilaina. But how have you become so thin?”
“I’ve had quite a lot on my plate. Arcen!”
“Oh, Lord Arcen. You look most impressive. The divine must be pleased to see you. I am truly delighted to meet you like this.”
Deilaina pulled Arcen to her side and introduced him to the High Priest. The High Priest merely bowed, but Arcen smiled broadly and offered her his hand.
“Pleased to meet you. I am Arcen.”
As if to prove a point. Now that rumors of him being a demon had seeped all the way to the imperial palace, the boy sought to demonstrate his innocence through contact with the High Priest. The officials who followed, descending from the carriage, gasped inwardly as they witnessed this.
“Forgive me, my lord. As a priest, I cannot freely make physical contact with others. Please accept only my heart’s greeting.”
The High Priest declined gently.
Though the High Priest had refused, the officials solidified their faith in Arcen’s innocence all the more. If he were truly a demon, wouldn’t this be a truly dangerous provocation? It was clear that Arcen harbored not a shred of darkness.
“Is that so? What a shame.”
Arcen shrugged and approached closer to the Light of Prophecy. Then, with a clear laugh, he placed his hand upon the object.
Nothing happened. It was the most sacred artifact in the temple—if he were a demon, some abnormal reaction should have occurred.
Yet the surroundings remained silent. A gentle breeze even drifted through, as if the entire world was at peace.
“Is this the Light of Prophecy? It’s much larger than I expected. The one Count Ian used must have been nothing but a toy, wouldn’t you say?”
The boy looked directly at me and asked, but I did not answer. Rather, I ignored him. I was not idle enough to engage with such trivial provocations. Or more precisely, provocations from a demon.
“Ian.”
Deilaina, who had been watching silently, called my name with a sharp tone. My insides were already twisted from these absurd rumors. And now I was openly ignoring Arcen?
“Yes, Deilaina.”
“I’ve heard rumors circulating through the imperial palace.”
“The imperial palace is always full of baseless gossip. I’m not sure what you’re referring to.”
Deilaina merely let out a hollow laugh and said nothing more. She could not bring herself to speak the words before the priests—that Arcen was a demon. To even utter such a thing would be shameful and insulting.
She leaned close to me and whispered.
“I would behead you this very moment, but I shall refrain out of respect for our distant guest. Now that the Light of Prophecy has arrived, we cannot delay the mana verification ceremony any longer. It would be best to conduct it soon. So, choke on the words you’ve spoken.”
“I harbor no resentment toward you, Deilaina. Rather, I am concerned. Whether you can endure it once you learn Lord Arcen’s true nature.”
“Until the very end—!”
The High Priest remained silent, bewildered, merely observing his surroundings. It was not just me and Deilaina. The Mages and the unknown Officials all emanated a sharp, hostile energy.
‘Why on earth?’
If Lord Arcen were a mana user, would this not be a blessing for the empire? I had expected celebrations and petals to scatter at any moment.
Yet everything was cold enough to freeze to death. It was Arcen himself who broke through that thin ice.
“Since the Light of Prophecy has arrived, we could proceed with the mana verification ceremony at once. I’m ready whenever. What shall we do?”
Arcen smiled brightly and spoke to me once more. I looked down at him. His blue eyes gleamed particularly brightly.
“We are drawing the magic circle beneath the Light of Prophecy. It’s impossible today, but if we proceed, it should be ready by tomorrow morning. Lord Arcen?”
The title ended as a question. The nuance suggested doubt about whether he truly carried royal blood. Yet the boy showed no displeasure, continuing to smile as he stared directly into my eyes.
‘Well, let’s see…’
I wondered if I should try using my ability. I met his gaze without hesitation. As the strange silence between us lengthened, our respective subordinates rolled their eyes in confusion.
“Then, if you’ll excuse me. I’ll inform you of the detailed schedule this afternoon. Everyone, what are you doing? Why aren’t you moving?”
I turned my head away as if wasting time. At that, Arcen’s brow furrowed instantly. Something felt off, didn’t it?
Snap!
Arcen seized my arm. Everyone froze in surprise at the sudden action. I did the same. I was about to shake his hand away in displeasure when I realized something was wrong with his expression and stopped.
“…”
“What are you doing?”
“You…?”
Was it because he was a Mage, and one powerful enough to hold ministerial office, that it didn’t work?
But the feeling was different. A strange helplessness—as if the attempt itself was impossible. Arcen stared at me blankly before his expression twisted into an odd smile.
“What are you?”
Wasn’t this the same sensation he felt when trying it on the royal family?
I bowed deeply and whispered to Arcen. In a voice only the two of us could hear.
“…So what exactly are you?”

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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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