Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor - Chapter 26

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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 26. Acceptance
Su brushed herself off lightly in place. Then she stared blankly at Berik, as if to say it was only natural that he should start first.
“So, shall I time it?”
Click.
Su set the pocket watch hanging from her waist. The moment she did, Berik rushed forward and threw a punch at her.
“Take a hit and don’t cry! Come on!”
“Fine!”
Whoosh! Whack!
The sound of fists cutting through the air rang out sharply. Each of Berik’s movements carried killing intent. Compared to his rather desperate movements, Su was remarkably composed. She evaded every attack simply by stepping backward one pace at a time.
“There. One minute’s up.”
“Damn it! How long are you going to keep running?”
“If I don’t run? Could you handle it?”
“What nonsense! Damn it! Fight properly!”
As emotion poured into his fists, his form crumbled. Ian sat perched on a well-cut rock, observing the scene. He seemed to understand what Su meant.
“This is what happens when I attack!”
Crack!
Su struck Berik’s jaw as if enjoying herself.
The punch landed cleanly. Berik’s center of gravity swayed greatly, and he barely managed to stay upright by tensing his thighs.
He faltered and looked up at Su. Honestly, it seemed the shock came more from the unexpectedness than from the impact itself.
“You…”
“Isn’t it frustrating? Getting beaten without landing a single blow on your opponent. Well, if you’re fine with it, so am I.”
“This crazy, insane bastard…”
Crack!
Before he could even finish cursing. Berik’s head snapped to the left again. Su pressed her relentless assault without giving him a moment’s respite.
Ian simply rested his chin on his hand and sighed.
‘He’s met his match.’
Given her temperament, I doubted the sparring would end cleanly. Berik could only stand and take the barrage of blows raining down from all directions. Strikes erupted from every angle like dozens of wasps stinging at once.
Thud!
“Berik. Are you alright?”
“Damn it, don’t talk to me.”
“Good to hear you’re fine.”
He glared at Ian with fierce eyes. If his concentration wavered even slightly, his opponent would exploit his vital points. For now, defense was his only option.
Ian also checked his pocket watch and glanced toward the guest house. A man presumed to be Nersaren stood at the window.
“Two minutes left.”
Crack! Bang!
At Ian’s announcement, Su’s kicks became even more ferocious. Her expression showed such delight that she seemed reluctant for time to run out. Though little time remained, the three-minute sparring had made one thing certain.
“Su. You’re truly fast.”
“Of course. Why do you think Nersaren brought me along? There’s no one in the tribe who can keep up with me.”
“But did you know this?”
Perhaps because laughter tinged Ian’s voice, Su found herself turning her head back without realizing it. For a moment, she had the illusion that Ian’s eyes gleamed gold in the darkness.
“I’ve unleashed dozens of attacks in a one-sided barrage, yet Berik remains unscathed. He’s quick, but there’s no real substance to it.”
No matter how much magical power was behind the strikes or how excellent Berik’s stamina was, this had been a one-sided fight. He kept taking hits, yet Berik never went down.
Su’s bronze skin flushed crimson as the truth struck home. It seemed she’d recognized the problem herself.
“You…!”
“Normally, you should be a bloody mess by now.”
“Ha! Because I was going easy on you, you little—!”
Su shrieked in frustration, her voice pitched high. In that same moment, her kicking stance wavered, introducing sloppiness into her attacks. Berik, who’d been protecting the back of his neck, seized the opening and grabbed her ankle.
“You don’t need to bleed to hurt like hell.”
“Hey! Let go! You won’t let go?”
“Would you, in my position?”
With her leg awkwardly caught, Su pressed her body close, trying to support her upper body. But Berik was faster. He swiftly struck her abdomen and drove her down onto the ground.
Thud!
“Ugh!”
“I told you clearly before we started—don’t cry when you get hit.”
“Cry? Who’s crying? Are you insane?”
And then—ptui! Her spitting technique was quite artful. Berik straddled her and pinned her face down.
“I’ll show you exactly what a bloody mess looks like. Look forward to it.”
“Get off! Get off me! You red-headed freak!”
“You’re being ridiculous. I’ll make you look just like that.”
He rummaged through one pocket and pulled out red pigment. For a moment, unsure of his intention, Su hesitated.
I checked the window, then slowly approached the two of them and crouched down. The shadow from the window had now grown to three figures. It seemed Nersaren, Gansha, and Mujurun were all curious.
“Su. Don’t be too upset.”
I calmed Su, who was struggling while restrained.
“While this is a sparring match by agreement, it wouldn’t be good for either of us to draw blood, would it? That I sent you rather than Gansha or Mujurun is partly because you’re the youngest, but more importantly, it reflects Nersaren’s wisdom in ensuring neither side sustains serious injury.”
“That’s not it! Shut up!”
“Well. Accepting facts is your business, so I won’t say more. But what matters is that you’re now lying on the ground because of Berik, and in a real battle, you’d be dead.”
Su ground her teeth in frustration.
Berik, intoxicated by victory, smeared the pigment across Su’s face. In an instant, she looked as though she’d been drenched in blood.
“Tell Hani when you return—while I didn’t defeat you for external reasons, if you acknowledge our victory, I’ll give you a solution that will clean this right off. Should you leave the manor like this, the Cheonryeo Tribe will be remembered by the Bratz Estate residents in quite a ridiculous light.”
Beep, beep, beep!
The moment I finished speaking, the pocket watch alarm chimed. As Berik, who’d carefully applied the pigment everywhere, relaxed his body, Su kicked his stomach and got up. She tried hard to wipe it off, but it was hopeless.
“Ugh! What is this!”
“It’s a special pigment my mother uses. She favors it because it doesn’t wash off with water or sweat.”
Su looked up at me with a despairing gaze. Everything was red except for the whites of her eyes. She bit her lips hard, then gave Berik’s head one final smack before fleeing toward the guest house like she was running for her life.
Whack!
“Damn it! That girl!”
Berik rubbed the back of his head, cursing at Su’s retreating figure. I comforted him by channeling more magical energy into him.
“You did well.”
“But is it okay to let her go like that? Shouldn’t we beat her enough so there’s no gossip, like she wants?”
“Your word choice is crude.”
“Shouldn’t we beat him into submission? Master?”
“…Never mind. If Su’s condition worsens, Derga will certainly notice. Even if they agree on their end, the Count might interfere. Besides, the Cheonryeo Tribe values family bonds deeply, don’t they?”
If I truly beat him to death, I had no idea what retaliation might come from across the border. I needed a way to obtain their consent with as little bloodshed as possible.
“He really did it exactly as he said.”
Before the match, I had mentioned only two things.
First, when the opponent only evades instead of attacking, provoke them into launching an assault. Rather than chasing someone I cannot catch, change the direction of force to make them come to me.
Second, endure. The Cheonryeo Tribe is a warlike people. If I hold out until they become intoxicated by the exhilaration of one-sided combat, an opening will surely appear.
I created the opening, but it was Berik’s role to seize it.
“It’s not because they’re Cheonryeo Tribe—it’s simply how such things work. Those with swift movements are often weaker than expected.”
Before long, Su had returned to his room through the window. Red marks remained on the wall vines, but likely no one would pay them any mind.
I nodded and signaled for us to leave.
“Ian? Where are you going?”
“To the Main Residence for a moment.”
“Security is strict tonight, so please don’t go outside. And there’s an order not to admit any outsiders.”
The guard blocked Berik and reported this. There was nothing to be done. I nodded, and Berik said he would return tomorrow before leaving the Manor. I passed my own room and climbed one floor higher.
Knock, knock.
“It’s Ian.”
“…Please come in.”
“No! Don’t come in!”
“Su. Be quiet.”
Opening the door, the room was in chaos. Gansha and Mujurun were wiping Su’s face with cloth. But it only smeared the marks—there was no improvement.
“If you wish, I have a solution that will remove it.”
“You’re giving medicine for an illness you caused! Are you joking?”
Nersaren raised a finger to signal quiet. Then he turned toward me.
“I clearly permitted the match, yet you play such tricks. I find it insulting.”
“Is that so? If you felt that way, I apologize, but wouldn’t it be better than leaving Bratz with a face covered in bruises and swelling?”
“There are no conditions in victory.”
“But Su’s face makes conditions possible. If the pigment is applied so heavily, what more need be said?”
Nersaren’s eyes narrowed. Su looked ready to overturn a vase at any moment, grinding his teeth, while Gansha and Mujurun exchanged an indecipherable glance.
“Ahahaha! Haha!”
It was Nersaren’s laughter that broke the silence. At the same time, Gansha and Mujurun burst into fits of laughter, while only Su wore a bitter expression.
“Fair enough. I lost. There’s nothing as unseemly as refusing to accept defeat. Berik, was it? Su was grinding his teeth so hard—he said he’d take you to the Great Desert and work you like a slave.”
His words were like that, but the Cheonryeo Tribe had no slavery. Everyone was family. I added respectfully.
“Please forgive my rudeness, but I would be grateful if you would understand that I grasped your true intentions well.”
Someone’s injury and the Countess noticing it—I couldn’t predict what variables that might introduce to the community’s relations. If luck turned against us, both I and the Cheonryeo Tribe would certainly find ourselves in an awkward position.
Nersaren laughed with a long pipe in his mouth.
“Good. Bring one more Kusile at the peace ceremony.”
He meant he would provide transportation for Berik. I expressed my gratitude and pulled a small container from my pocket.
“Mix it with water while washing, and it should work.”
Whoosh!
Su snatched the vial without a word and dashed into the washroom. Gansha and Mujurun chuckled and shook their heads, while Nersaren handed Ian a glass of wine.
“Care for a drink?”
The Cheonryeo Tribe imposed no restrictions simply because one was young. Everything was free under responsibility alone. For the first time in ages, Ian felt intoxicated by the wine passing his lips.
* * *
“Nersaren.”
“Yes, Count.”
Dawn broke with the first light of morning.
The city still slumbered, yet the Bratz Estate bustled like midday. The guests who had arrived like the wind were preparing to depart.
They gathered together in the Main Residence Dining Hall to fill their bellies. The journey ahead was long.
“I accept your request. The peace ceremony shall take place one week from today. Given the urgency, we shall proceed with minimal preparations.”
“On behalf of the Cheonryeo Tribe, I thank you for your understanding, Count.”
“Please convey my wishes for safe travels to the Tribal Chief.”
Count Derga had returned home hours ago, in the depths of darkness. It seemed he and Mollin had much to discuss. Mollin would likely depart for the Capital within a day or two.
Though it was for my entry into the registry, they would probably present the whistleblower’s seal to the Emperor instead of an entry application.
“Then, until we meet again, Demosha—may you be blessed by the divine.”
The Cheonryeo Tribe left their farewell and mounted Kusile. Su, who had been tidied up overnight, pulled a hood over her head and looked at Ian. When Ian smiled slightly, she bared her teeth in silent irritation.
“Let’s go!”
“Open the gates!”
Neigh!
With Kusile’s cry, the sound of hooves thundered loudly. In moments, they vanished from the estate as swiftly as they had arrived.
Count Derga, the Countess, Chel, and most of the servants watched their departing figures. They seemed not yet fully awakened from the haze of dawn.
“The peace ceremony is in one week. Keep it simple, but ensure all preparations proceed without delay.”
“Yes, understood.”
It was the Butler who urged them forward. The servants snapped to attention and looked back at Ian. The boy’s expression was unreadable.

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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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