Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor - Chapter 234

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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 234
Episode: The Owner of the Voice
The performance reached its crescendo, yet the murmurs of admiration that had filled the hall fell completely silent.
What stretched across the stage was unmistakably the shadow of the Oracle’s Light. Even with eyes wide open, Lord Arcen’s shadow was nowhere to be found beside it.
Was this not strange? Anything that exists must cast some trace of itself. Even a spider’s web, invisible to the naked eye, casts a shadow when the sun stretches across it.
But what of Arcen?
Beneath that intense light, he stood as though he did not exist.
“I’m not seeing this incorrectly, am I?”
“I’m seeing the same thing. There’s no shadow.”
“Could the Ministry of Magic have done something?”
“Only the Oracle’s Light is emanating. There would be no reason for the Carbo Temple to do such a thing. If another Mage had intervened, wouldn’t Lord Arcen have sensed it? Mages can feel each other even from great distances, or so they say.”
“Then, could it be?”
“Truly…”
It was exactly as Ian had intended. With the question of whether Arcen was a Demon already raised, this phenomenon transformed their denials into suspicion, and for some, even into certainty.
“Is that what they mean by calling him a Demon?”
“Good heavens. A Demon in the royal family of Bariel.”
“…God, are You watching? What should we do? Please, look upon Bariel with mercy.”
Boom!
Arcen was intoxicated by the Oracle’s Light he had created, and the orchestra, standing with their backs to the audience, could not read the atmosphere of the hall.
The melody rose higher. Following the conductor’s baton, the musicians’ hands moved with passion. One could feel the soul of an artist seeking to breathe life into the Oracle’s Light.
Boom! Boom!
Every heart in the hall beat in unison. Yet whether this was caused by the majestic music or by the truth drawing near, none could say.
“Recole—! Tio!”
The exalted conductor cried out loudly, grasping at the air. The musicians, breathing in perfect unison, placed their final punctuation mark simultaneously, and silence descended upon the hall.
“…?”
No applause came. Arcen too rose, dripping with sweat, but it was the same. Unlike the performers burning with fervor, the audience had grown cold, and there was a palpable sense of shock. It was a reaction entirely unforeseen.
Clap. Clap clap. Clap!
Someone’s applause breaking through the silence. It was Ian. He offered his praise slowly and gracefully, as though he had witnessed a truly magnificent performance.
Arcen’s brow furrowed involuntarily. A strong instinct told him that something, something was going terribly wrong.
“A stage one sees but twice in a lifetime.”
“Count Ian. What was that just now?”
“Please, tell us.”
Arcen flinched and looked down at his own palms. They remained pale and delicate. Though he had directly operated the Oracle’s Light, everything remained unchanged without any side effects. Then his eyes met those of Deilaina, who was watching him. She stood with her mouth covered, her expression utterly inscrutable.
“The suspicion that Arcen is a Demon began with the testimony of the Carbo Priest. The voices that came down through the Oracle were different from one another. Thus, my associates and the Priests sought to verify this by searching through ancient records.”
Whoosh.
Ian withdrew a single sheet of paper from within his uniform. While the interior was not visible, the administrative seal of the imperial household stamped on its surface was unmistakable. It meant this was information being officially maintained by the imperial family.
“And we discovered something quite significant. It was a record of the Raju Priest, who was executed for blasphemy at the Hamhammer Temple. He reportedly made the following statement at that time.”
-Demons rampage on all sides. I live each day prepared for death, yet what does God do? I suspect that God is unaware of the Demons’ existence. When Demons desecrate the temple, have you seen the Oracle’s Light? There was not even a shadow. The Almighty gazes only upon holiness and cannot perceive evil at all. Can such a being truly be called omnipotent? Is the name ‘God’ even fitting?
“The Raju Priest was summarily executed, and that was the end of it. What deserves attention is but one thing: the Demon who stood before the Oracle’s Light cast no shadow.”
Arcen lowered his gaze. A long shadow stretched beside his feet. Had this been absent when the Oracle’s Light was active? He could not remember. He only knew the emotion of joy, nothing more.
“The Carbo temple has earnestly hoped that the Prince is not a demon. Therefore, I must respectfully reject any claims that the Oracle’s Light is flawed.”
I placed a hand over my chest and laughed lightly. My gaze fixed on Arcen, and naturally, the nobles followed my eyes to the stage. The Boy stood motionless like a doll, betraying no emotion whatsoever.
“Ah, but why not conduct a more thorough verification since the Carbo priests are present here?”
“That’s right. If Lord Arcen truly is a d-d-demon! The priests would know, wouldn’t they? Wouldn’t they?”
Someone’s suggestion drew agreement from various corners. Once suspicion takes root, it continues to grow until it is completely uprooted. They wanted to know the truth about Arcen right here, right now. Whatever that truth might be.
“Duke Haiman. What should we do?”
“This appears to be a problem.”
Duke Haiman stroked his beard uncomfortably, along with his supporters. The Duke’s eyes flickered briefly toward Deilaina. Judging by her ashen expression, even she, his mother, didn’t seem to know the complete truth.
If Arcen truly was a demon?
‘It’s over.’
After the rebellions of Marib and Gail, to have grasped the hand of a demon. Haiman felt a throbbing in his head as he whispered to Deilaina.
“It would be best to leave this place first.”
With things as they were, there was no way out. The only option was to escape and somehow pin the blame on the Magic Division.
The truth doesn’t matter. Whatever Arcen’s identity is, he is not a demon. Absolutely not.
Crash!
At that moment, the door slammed shut violently. It was the Magic Division’s will—no one could leave until Arcen’s demonic nature was officially verified.
Romandro, who stood firmly before the door, solemnly requested that everyone step back. In truth, the Mages standing beside him were the driving force.
“…Ri, Lili!”
Deilaina looked around frantically for the High Priest. She had known him since childhood, witnessed the births of Arcen and Jin, and he oversaw the Carbo temple. In place of the irreverent Ian, he would surely testify that the Oracle’s Light was in error.
Deilaina trembled violently, her voice shrill.
“High Priest, speak! What in the world is happening here! Arcen just used magical power! He definitely did! Did you sense any wickedness? How could such a bright and warm light be the power of a demon? By your oath to the Divine, speak truthfully!”
Ting!
A glass that had been nearby fell from her agitated gestures.
The situation was growing dire. The crowd slowly retreated, distancing themselves from Deilaina. Even Duke Haiman was among those who stepped back. When everyone withdrew, only one person drew closer.
“Mother.”
It was Jin. Jin looked up at her mother with concern. Her large eyes glistened with sympathy, yet Deilaina, unaware, continued to tremble. Just as she was about to speak, I spoke first.
“Arcen possesses multiple abilities. The Oracle’s Light you just witnessed—isn’t it similar to what I demonstrated at the New Year’s gathering?”
“Yes, there was definitely that sense to it.”
“I thought all Mages felt similar.”
“So did I. Isn’t the Oracle’s Light always like that?”
Since Arcen merely ‘imitated’ a Mage’s power, he could easily conceal the repugnant aura of his sinister nature.
As I nodded, the High Priest and Avidel ascended the stairs. Arcen continued to remain silent, merely observing the situation.
“Your Highness.”
“….”
The High Priest knelt before Arcen. And carefully, he brought forth holy water. It was evidence of sanctity created through prayer.
“This is to prove your innocence. Please drink this and take my hand.”
If he were a demon, his insides would burn with agony as his life ended. If he were not a demon, this would soothe any thirst whatsoever.
Had there been even a shadow in the Oracle’s Light, the High Priest would never have brought this forth. Lili never abandoned hope, bowing repeatedly in prayer. Please, please….
Smoothly.
Arcen calmly took the holy water. In that moment, relief bloomed deep within the High Priest’s heart.
Splash!
Without hesitation, the Boy poured it directly over the High Priest’s head. The transparent liquid soaked through his robes and soon pooled on the floor.
“How absurd. Your methods to poison me grow increasingly creative. Does everyone truly believe such nonsense? I cannot fathom when the Carbo temple fell into such corruption. I deny everything.”
Though he spoke of denying everything, the atmosphere did not shift so easily—the Priests had rushed forward and seized Lord Arcen by both arms.
The High Priest rose, wiping away the moisture, and held up a fresh vial of holy water. His voice had grown deeply grave. Even he had felt the truth he did not wish to acknowledge.
“…It is not poison. I shall prove it by drinking it myself.”
And with that, he deliberately poured half the holy water down his throat. The Priests, disregarding propriety, forced open the Boy’s jaw, and he convulsed in desperate refusal. His piercing shrieks echoed like screams.
“Let go! Release me! Do you know who I am?!”
“Arcen! Arcen!”
“Mother! Save me! Please save me! Ahhhhh!”
“What are you all doing? Remove the Priests!”
“We cannot! If Lord Arcen is truly a demon, Carbo cannot overlook this! Lady Deilaina!”
“Release him at once! Now!”
Like the other nobles, Deilaina’s guards waited outside the conference chamber. Though she shouted for them to intervene, they hesitated, and none stepped forward—they were all from the Magic Ministry.
Mother clenched her teeth and tried to rush toward Arcen.
“Arcen!”
“Mother!”
But this time, Jin blocked her with his entire body, wrapping his arms around her waist in desperate plea, refusing to let go.
“Please, please just wait and see.”
“Jin! Let go! Move!”
“I cannot! I cannot let go! I cannot release Mother!”
In an instant, the space descended into chaos. Gasps of confusion erupted from all directions. Five Priests pinned down Arcen’s limbs, and the High Priest tilted the holy water toward his gaping mouth. Just as it began to pour—
Zzzzzzzing!
Zing!
“Ah….”
The High Priest clutched his head and staggered. Suddenly, the heavens and earth seemed to spin and blur around him. His mind went blank, consciousness growing distant and hazy. The holy water slipped from the High Priest’s grasp and shattered once more against the floor.
Crash!
“High Priest!”
“Suddenly, why….”
“Ah, this….”
“Ugh! Urgh!”
The Priests near Arcen covered their mouths, retching violently. They too soon succumbed to dizziness and collapsed to their sides.
Avidel held the High Priest close while staring at Arcen. The Boy lay sprawled on his back, gazing up at the ceiling.
“…How irritating.”
As Arcen muttered, a sense of déjà vu washed over him.
That voice—so clear and delicate….
“Ian. This is not amusing.”
…The Oracle’s voice. That day, ten years ago. The very voice he had heard with his own ears. Avidel’s tears streamed down as he covered his mouth.
“His, his Lordship’s aura….”
“Why are the Priests like this? Suddenly?”
The Priests, and even the Mages, sensed something was amiss and hesitated. Arcen brushed the dust from his clothes and rose to his feet, fixing his gaze directly upon me.
I signaled Romandro to evacuate the people, then opened my mana. Sharp currents of magical power flowed forth alongside my golden eyes.
Whirrrrr!
Whirr.
“That’s unfortunate. I was just beginning to enjoy myself.”

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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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