Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor - Chapter 259

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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 259
A Side Effect of the Mana Amplifier
Those savoring victory in the trial laughed loudly, sharing their joy. Having overcome a great hurdle, they approached Ian and Jin, offering congratulations while opening their faces to familiarity.
With the crowd’s cheers adding to the atmosphere, it was a festival beyond compare. Seven houses facing the end of their lives, and save for a few exceptions.
“Your Highness Jin. Your testimony today was truly impressive. Such a profound impact is rare indeed. I look forward to working with you in the future.”
“The next time we meet, you shall be the empire’s heir.”
“Has the date of your investiture been set? Do you know of the silk our house imports? Though it pales compared to your brilliance, the harmony of gold and crimson threads is quite remarkable. If you would permit it, our house wishes to offer your investiture robes.”
“You move quickly indeed. Ha! Your Highness, wine is our specialty. For such a grand imperial celebration, let us flood the streets with our finest vintage.”
“I appreciate it. I cannot partake myself, but those who do will be satisfied.”
Centered around a single child, the central nobles formed a solid mass. They engaged in subtle physical jostling, either to draw closer or to avoid being pushed back. Had Ian not stood firm beside him, even the faint semblance of order would have vanished.
“Count Ian.”
At that moment, a Mage barely squeezed through the crowd and called to him. There were matters to report, including the execution schedule ahead. The nobles, sensing the shift, quietly stepped back.
“We will escort the prisoners to the central square for execution. Will Your Highness accompany us?”
“Your Highness is…”
At Ian’s murmur, Jin shook his head. The imperial palace was already saturated with crowds like swarms of clouds. Should he accompany them, the escort and mobilized forces would increase. Entangled with the masses, chaos would be inevitable.
Though he had witnessed the end of his brother Marib, there was no need to see the final moments of the seven houses.
“Count Ian shall go alone.”
“Yes, Your Highness. A wise decision. I shall do so.”
Twenty-one corpses would hang and sway from the high places of the central square. Was one to endure such hardship to witness something so unsightly? Jin, who had never once left the imperial palace, did not wish to use his first venture outside for witnessing someone’s death.
“I alone shall go. Prepare yourself.”
“Yes, and Count Ian. There is the matter of Captain Akorella.”
“Akorella?”
At the Mage’s words, Ian looked toward Akorella’s seat.
An empty chair. From the moment she arrived by carriage until just before the trial began, she had appeared unwell. She had vanished amid the commotion.
“She left during the recess and has not returned since.”
“I shall search for her myself. You focus on the escort and execution preparations.”
“Yes, understood.”
“Your Highness, shall we not depart?”
“Yes. It was a pleasure meeting you all. Until we meet again.”
As Ian and Jin concluded their business, the nobles simultaneously placed their hands over their chests. The crowd parted like waves, and Jin left the courtroom, cradling the yellow flower close.
“I shall see you this evening.”
“I entrust the conclusion to you.”
“There is no question. Xiaoxi, serve His Highness well.”
“Yes, Master.”
Ian personally opened the carriage door and helped Jin inside, watching until the soldiers’ escort carried him beyond the main building.
The crowd slowly followed, calling out to Jin. The carriage window opened slightly. Fingers twitched as if to emerge, then withdrew. Xiaoxi had stopped him.
“Ian, let us finish tidying up here as well.”
“Yes, Romandro.”
Zing. Zing.
Ian removed his gloves, savoring the relief of having crossed a great mountain. Then, with the faintest trace of mana, he sensed Akorella’s presence. He felt her aura from not far away.
Tap, tap, tap.
I continued deeper into the corridor, passing through the hallway. The stronger the silence became, the more intensely I felt Captain Akorella’s magical presence.
Just as I was about to turn the corner, I noticed blood smeared across the wall. It stretched in a long streak, ending in a sharp, jagged break—the mark of someone collapsing weakly and bracing themselves against the wall.
“…Akorella?”
“Ah, damn…”
Captain Akorella lay crumpled at the end of the corridor, her body curled inward. Pools of blood scattered across the floor. As I rushed forward in alarm, she weakly raised a hand to stop me.
“Don’t come near me.”
“Akorella. What happened? First, let me transfer some mana to you. As a temporary measure…”
Captain Akorella turned her head, her forehead still pressed to the floor. She had coughed up blood severely—her upper garment was drenched in it. As I froze in shock, she let out a weak laugh.
“Ah, Minister Ian. I think I’m done for.”
“Akorella.”
“The side effects seem too severe to be just from the mana amplifier. I keep… right now…”
Captain Akorella stared blankly into empty space before flinching. It was as if her consciousness had drifted away and suddenly returned.
“…My memories keep cutting out.”
Memories cutting out? What kind of side effects from the mana amplifier could cause such symptoms? I helped Akorella to her feet first, then poured all my mana into her.
Zing! Zing!
The wave was so explosive that the mages organizing the trial grounds in the building all froze simultaneously. It must be the Minister’s mana, but why so suddenly?
“What was that just now?”
“Where is the Minister?”
“He went to find Captain Akorella.”
The mages set down their magical tools with confused expressions. Something had happened. They all rushed out at once, following my trace.
Tap, tap, tap!
Thud!
“Minister Ian!”
“Captain Akorella!”
“There, I sense the Minister’s mana from there!”
“Minister Iaaaan! Gasp! Blood?”
“Whose is it? Could it be the Minister’s?”
“It looks like Captain Akorella’s!”
“Ahhhhh! Captain Akorella, what’s wrong? Why is this happening?”
Her colleagues gasped in horror at the sight of Akorella sprawled on the ground. While her mana was inferior compared to the other captains, wasn’t she stronger than anyone else as a person?
She had inhaled all manner of chemical fumes in the basement and remained unscathed. She had escaped the explosion without a single injury. She could shake beakers for three days and nights straight while giggling the whole time. Yet here she was in this state.
“Ugh. I’m on death’s door.”
“Let me carry you, Captain. Stay with me.”
“Prepare a carriage! A carriage!”
“Control the crowds and clear the path! Hurry!”
Akorella’s subordinates from the Magic Ministry, particularly those from the Mana Stone Management Division, gasped and rushed to support her.
“Hey. Have you lost your mind?”
“Sir?”
Thud!
But Akorelra brushed away their hands lightly. Her subordinates questioned her inexplicable behavior, and I pressed my forehead in realization. I had grasped her intention.
“Everyone’s gathered outside, and if the Captain of the Magic Bureau gets carried out bleeding like a stuck pig? That would look just wonderful, wouldn’t it? Hmm? Don’t you know what day this is? You want to cause a scene, you brats? With all these eyes watching, what kind of rumors do you think will spread? Tsk.”
“A-are you insane? What are you talking about?”
“Wait. Once the crowd thins out, we’ll leave.”
“Captain!”
The Mages turned to me, as if pleading for me to stop her. But Akorelra’s argument held merit. This was meant to assure the citizens that the imperial palace was safe, yet here a Mage would be coughing blood and collapsing.
I gestured for everyone to step back.
“…Only Romand and Heil remain.”
“Minister Ian! This is wrong!”
“That’s right. How did Captain Akorelra come to this state!”
“I won’t repeat myself. Only these two stay, and everyone else return to your positions.”
At my firm command as Minister, the Mages bit their lips and retreated. Then, with hesitant steps they could scarcely tear away, they turned back, leaving her behind.
I pressed my forehead and nodded to Heil.
“Heil, carry Akorelra.”
“What do you intend to do?”
“There’s a secret underground passage in this main building that leads behind the Small Garden. Turn right down the corridor—the second room. Remove the still-life painting. Romand, prepare a carriage to wait in the Small Garden. It’s the shrubbery diagonally below to the left of the fountain. The Small Garden has fewer people than here, so we’ll load her into the carriage there and send her to the Magic Bureau.”
A secret underground passage in the main building?
How did I know of such a thing?
Wasn’t that something only the imperial family knew? Did His Majesty Jin perhaps tell me?
Heil and Romand harbored doubts, but they scattered uselessly at the sight of Akorelra coughing blood. As Heil carried Akorelra on his back, Romand rushed outside to prepare the carriage.
“…I will finish my schedule and return.”
“Yes. I shall see you soon.”
“Oh my, Minister Ian. Farewell—!”
“Akorelra. Don’t lose consciousness.”
Tap-tap-tap!
Heil’s figure disappeared rapidly. I looked down at the blood on my hands for a moment. But then I drew on the gloves tucked in my chest and concealed it.
As I turned the corridor and emerged, the Mages greeted me with worried expressions.
“…M-Minister Ian.”
“Akorelra has been taken away by Heil, so don’t worry. We have our duties to fulfill. Haven’t we come this far through hardship? We cannot turn back now with the destination in sight.”
Precisely because she understood this, Akorelra had prioritized observing the situation outside before herself.
At my words, the Mages exhaled in relief. How fortunate. Had she perhaps used some concealment magic? Regardless of how she managed it, it was truly reassuring that Akorelra could depart without delay.
I brushed dust from my uniform sleeves and asked.
“Are you ready?”
“Yes? Ah, yes, yes. No problems.”
“…We go to the central plaza.”
“Yes. Understood!”
Tap-tap-tap!
The Mages led the way, escorting me. As we emerged from the main building, the citizens waiting for the Mages cheered.
“Mages! Mages!”
“My goodness, I’ve never seen one before! Honored Mages!”
“Is that Minister Ian Hielo in the center?”
“My goodness, he’s so young. Even younger than I expected.”
Whoosh!
“Waaaah!”
“He’s flying! He’s soaring into the sky!”
Those walking at the front suddenly leaped skyward. Countless heads in the crowd tilted upward to follow them. I mounted my horse and slowly pulled the reins, following the path of light descending from the void.
Neigh!
“Make way!”
“Clear the path! The executions will begin in the central square! Everyone must exit and disperse!”
“Slowly, in single file!”
The prisoner transport carriage, which had been waiting for the mages to join, began moving slowly. Twenty-one in total. The procession stretched long and made for quite a spectacle. I drew a beam of light beside it with magic, making the prisoner transport visible even from a distance.
They moved at nearly a walking pace. At this rate, it would take a full hour to reach the city gates.
Clop clop clop.
I noticed the carriage curtain had been pulled slightly open. It was Haiman. Both his hands were bound, and a soldier sat between him and his wife, yet his gaze was serene as if he were out for a leisurely stroll.
“Close the curtain. If they see you, stones will come flying.”
“Hahaha. Stones, you say.”
“…Are you jesting?”
Haiman stared at me in silence. Even as the carriage swayed and the horse jolted, his gaze remained unwavering. Though we walked side by side, I noticed a smile spreading across his lips. He gestured as if beckoning me closer.
“You there, soldier. What are you doing? Close the curtain.”
“Yes! My apologies.”
“They say Melania has gone missing. Is it true?”
The soldier grabbed Haiman’s shoulder to pull him back, but instead he thrust his face forward and asked in return.
“The Imperial Defense Ministry is having trouble finding Melania, I hear.”
“You’ll find out after you’re dead. Where your daughter is.”
“Aha, hahaha! Ahahaha!”
Haiman burst into hearty laughter—the first time in ages that such a sound had escaped him.
Melania! My beloved youngest daughter, my pride!
I had always been satisfied with how she shone brighter than her brothers, and she remained true to form until the end. As long as even one person bearing the name Haiman lived, the house would endure—was that not the continuation of the family line itself?
“He is Duke Haiman!”
“Kill him! Kill him!”
Yet Haiman’s satisfied smile did not fade.
A thick rope around his neck—
The ground beneath his feet giving way—
His entire body soiled by stones and filth hurled by the crowd—
Even in that final moment.
Creak!
Thud!
“Die! Let all the other houses die!”
“Waaaah! Kill him!”
The enraged and frenzied curses of the crowd.
I watched Haiman’s corpse sway in the wind, my palms clenching so tightly that my leather gloves grew damp with the sticky warmth of blood seeping through.
As twilight bled into the square, twenty-one bodies hung displayed—the seven central houses, their fates sealed.

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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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