Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor - Chapter 27

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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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Free Side Story
. Side Effects of a Magical Potion
The first day of the fourth month.
The Ministry of Magic finally experienced a weekend that felt like a true weekend.
A gentle spring breeze swept softly through every corner of the main building. An empty lobby stretched out peacefully, a duty mage sprawled across the sofa in slumber, a cat crossing through the Garden, and the snoring of Berik taking an afternoon nap at his desk.
“Ugh, what?”
Berik wiped away the drool stretching from his lips with the back of his hand as he looked around groggily. Ian was nowhere to be seen. He’d been working just moments ago, so where had he gone? I checked the small inner room as well, but found no one.
Berik stretched powerfully and then gazed at the cluttered desk. Atop the towering stack of documents sat a single potion. The shimmering blue glow suggested it was a mana recovery elixir.
Swish.
-I’ve created a new recovery potion.
I mixed it with an amplifier, so
please drink it straight away.
Just don’t give it to anyone else. 🙂
-Akorelra
It’s definitely Akorelra. Despite seeming out of her mind most of the time, she certainly works quickly on these things. But why tell me not to give it to anyone else? Is she discriminating against people?
Pop!
As I opened the lid, a sweet fragrance wafted up. It looked more appetizing than I expected. I was already thirsty after waking from my nap anyway.
‘Didn’t Ian drink this last time and sleep for a whole week?’
Perfect timing. Starting next week, there’s supposed to be some special war preparedness training or whatever. Drinking this and sleeping through it sounds like the better option. I’ll be a bit hungry, but that’s fine. The cafeteria will be empty anyway, so I can just raid it.
Berik nodded to himself as he raised the potion to drink it.
“Berik. Have you seen Ian?”
“Huh? Romandro. Didn’t he go home?”
“Go home? He’s here somewhere.”
“That’s incredible, really. What are you planning to do with all that money you’re earning? Save it up and use it for hospital bills?”
“What else? I’m going to buy delicious things for my older sister and younger sister.”
“Older sister? Ugh.”
Romandro waved a brown envelope at Berik, who was making retching sounds, then flopped onto the sofa with an air of resignation. The mages could leave once they finished their assigned tasks, but his role was to assist Ian. He couldn’t rest as long as Ian didn’t leave.
“So, did you see Ian or not?”
“I just woke up from a nap. He wasn’t there.”
“Is that so? That’s strange. He should be waiting for the approval documents.”
“I don’t know. Maybe he went out to get some fresh air.”
“Hmm. Well, it’s good to rest once in a while. I’ll take a nap too. Here goes! Uuuugh.”
As Romandro flopped backward onto the sofa, Berik alternated his gaze between the potion in his hand and him. Then a sinister smile spread across his face.
“Hehehehe.”
“What? What’s so funny?”
“What do you think? The cry of joy from someone who just got a week of paid leave.”
“Huh? You?”
Had this guy finally lost it? The one who breaks potion bottles every other day got paid leave? Romandro stared at Berik with a bewildered expression. Then his eyes fell upon the potion.
“Huh? You?”
Has this guy finally lost it? He breaks water jars every other day, and now he’s gotten paid leave? Romandre stared at Berick with a bewildered expression. Then suddenly, a potion caught his eye.
“Akorelra’s potion? You’re actually going to drink that?”
“War preparation drills? That’s not my style. I’d rather get into a bare-knuckle brawl. Standing in formation, marching in step, all that nonsense—forget it. I’m just going to sleep for a week and see how things look then.”
“Wait, hold on. Berik!”
Romandro jumped up in surprise, and Berik instinctively stepped back. It was an almost reflexive reaction. For a moment, their eyes met in silence. What’s going on? Why is he looking at me like that? As Berik stared at him intently, Romandro spoke first, his voice taking on a solemn tone.
“…Just one sip for me too.”
“No way. I don’t share my portion.”
“Just one sip. Just one. So we can rest for just one day, yeah? One day?”
“Sir, you don’t even have magical power.”
“Ah! I saw the report from last time—Akorelra tested it on ordinary people too, and there were no problems.”
“…Hmm.”
As Berik’s eyes narrowed, Romandro bared his front teeth and whined.
“So stingy. Fine then, I’m cutting you off from everything I eat from now on.”
“Huh? Where did that come from all of a sudden?”
“No, actually—don’t you dare take even a sip of water from our house! And every time you go down to the dining hall, I’m telling the head chef about this. Just you wait! You know he’s been sharpening his knives lately, right? He’s been itching for a match with you.”
He was literally sharpening actual kitchen knives—with the resolve of a warrior determined to protect the Imperial Palace Food Storage.
Berik scratched his head a few times before nodding in resignation.
“Just… just a little. A very small amount is fine.”
“I really love you, Romandro sir. It’s just hard not to finish it once I start.”
“Stop with the sappy stuff. Hurry up.”
“Right away.”
Berik gulped down the half-full liquid, leaving just one sip. Romandro swallowed his portion without hesitation in one go.
A sweet taste spread across their tongues in an instant. Both of them wiped their mouths simultaneously and tilted their heads in confusion. It was just like drinking sugar water.
“When do you think the effects will kick in?”
“Shouldn’t take long. Ian drank some before going into a meeting, and things got chaotic after it ended.”
Romandro rubbed his belly and tilted his head. That’s strange. Something warm seemed to be spreading through him, but it didn’t feel like hunger or drowsiness.
“Well then, I guess I’ll take another leisurely nap.”
That’s when it happened.
The moment Berik stretched out his arm.
Pop.
“…B-Berik?”
“Huh?”
A tail sprouted from his rear end. With fluffy red fur, it was unmistakably that of a beast. Berik and Romandro froze in shock, their eyes blinking rapidly.
“…A t-t-tail?”
“N-no! Aaaaah!”
Berik panicked and slapped his own rear frantically, spinning around in place like a madman. But without mercy, two ears sprouted forth relentlessly.
Romandro muttered as if he’d figured something out.
“…A dog.”
“What is this! Aaaaah!”
“…You’re a dog.”
Then what about himself?
Romandro dashed to the mirror to examine his reflection. Round and bulbous—something the size of a fist protruded from his backside. And to make matters worse, there were those flat, elongated ears. Moments later, upon catching sight of his noticeably lengthened front teeth, Romandro’s face drained of all color.
“…I’m a rabbit.”
“Damn it! Akorelra!”
“Oh, Akorelra!”
“You’ve lost your mind! Why the hell did you create this monstrosity?!”
“Ako! I’m sorry! I’ll work hard! I won’t slack off anymore!”
Crash!
Patter patter!
Without waiting for the other, both figures burst from the Minister’s office. Yet there was one who observed their frantic departure from the Garden across the way.
Meow—
A cat with golden fur and emerald eyes.
The cat purred contentedly in the sunlight, then settled down comfortably. As if to say she would take it easy for at least this one day.

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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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