Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor - Chapter 326

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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 326
A Thorn Concealed Before the Border
The Coachman leading the procession slowly opened his eyes. Lush foliage descended upon me. Time seemed to stand still.
Stop and live, or keep going and die?
That made no sense.
I knew the carriages following closely behind me. If I suddenly stopped here, a chain collision would occur, and if that happened, it was obvious that I at the front would be crushed to death. The Mysterious Boy had warned me, but rationally, it seemed that not stopping and pushing forward was the path to survival.
Eyes the color of absinthe glinted in the sunlight. The moment our gazes met, the Commander’s order returned the slowly flowing world to its normal state.
“You bastard, are you insane?! What are you doing?!”
Crack! Bang!
Without realizing it, my grip on the reins had loosened. As the Commander roughly shoved the Coachman’s shoulder and shouted, the Coachman reflexively pulled the rope even harder.
“To the side! Go around to the side!”
The carriages split left and right to avoid the surging earth. The border checkpoint began to come into view again. In the distance, a massive red flag was waving. A signal to stop, that the border could not be opened.
Boooooo—
Buffalo horn trumpets blared from all directions, and the carriages swayed from the tilting ground. Yet even in such a state, they did not stop moving forward.
Ian furrowed his brow and gestured firmly, as if drawing a line that must not be crossed.
Crack!
“Aaaahhhhh!”
“Save me, please save me!”
Following the line Ian drew, the earth split open. When the World Tree failed to appear, it became a cliff that swallowed the carriage in an instant.
With a thunderous sound, the Coachmen’s screams were torn from their throats. Those following behind panicked and quickly turned their horses around.
Neeeigh!
Like serpents crawling up ankles. The World Tree’s branches instantly ensnared the carriage wheels and held them fast, while the horses caught on the branches crossing their path and fell helplessly. Everything was collapsing into chaos.
“Haa, haa….”
The survivors gasped for breath, not even aware that their own bodies were tightly bound.
The earth slowly sealed itself. What fate befell those who fell into it was something I dared not even imagine. That was truly the threshold of death itself. Once crossed, there was no turning back.
Tap.
Ian descended lightly and surveyed the surroundings. Most of the carriages had been rendered useless, and there appeared to be no shortage of injured.
Where was Prince Noah’s carriage? After a moment of consideration, Ian spotted Berik standing tall in the distance. He was grinning foolishly while the Mei Envoy had him by the collar.
“You, scatterbrained fool! Reckless brigand! Idiot! Go drink from the sewers! The Prince nearly died!”
“Ahahaha. What kind of insults are those? No impact whatsoever. So why don’t you just stop already?”
“You, you, street ruffian!”
“You, you, street ruffian!”
“Don’t mock me! You—!”
Mei, her anger reaching its peak, shook Berik’s collar relentlessly.
Meanwhile, the Mages descended to the ground and gathered close. It was a situation where armed conflict was entirely possible, so everyone had assumed a firm combat stance. Barsabe also drew her sword and confirmed the positions of the Guards.
Whoosh.
But Ian shook his head, signaling them to lower their guard. This was still Bariel’s territory. If Cliffford responded with force, they would sink into an uncontrollable quagmire. Given their considerably disadvantageous position, Prince Noah had only one option available.
“Count Ian. What is the meaning of this?”
“Prince Noah. Are you unharmed?”
Everyone had worked to protect only the Prince’s carriage, so compared to the others, its condition remained intact. Noah brushed the dust from himself without hiding his displeasure. His brow was deeply furrowed. He gestured in protest and raised his voice.
“Is this how Bariel bids farewell to guests? Truly remarkable and impressive. As a great nation, I cannot fathom your customs. You call me an honored guest to my face, yet treat me this way behind closed doors. Ha!”
“I apologize, but we did our best. The moment you saw us, you accelerated like a thief with itchy feet and fled. What could we do?”
“Cliffford is right ahead. It’s the joy of returning to his own country, but I don’t understand what you’re saying.”
An excuse. They hadn’t known of the Mages’ existence and had simply continued on their way. Berik, listening from the side, drew an X with his hand in protest.
“Ian. That’s a lie. I told you to stop, and the Prince heard me. Really, really.”
“How can one stop when suddenly attacked? Did you expect me to understand the situation? Regardless, Count Ian. The damage is severe, including the carriage, so I will lodge a formal complaint about this matter. I had hoped Bariel and Cliffford could forge a new bond, but this is truly absurd. Why? Are you trying to kill me right here and now?”
Prince Noah issued a threat with a firmly angry expression. People who instantly raised their guard. Ian tilted his chin upward with his arms crossed.
“Kill you? Please refrain from such extreme language.”
“Extreme is what you all did!”
“May I ask one thing? On your way south, did you perhaps come under attack?”
“Attack? Yes, I did. Right now!”
Prince Noah shook his head as if he had nothing more to say. Ian slowly surveyed the Prince’s carriage. Following his footsteps, the Prince’s and Mei’s gazes anxiously trailed after him.
“Bariel anticipated that Cliffford would come under attack by Assailants. Thus, out of concern, we came to ascertain the situation.”
Ian inspected the cargo carriage. Though the luggage was jumbled and disorganized, it appeared largely unchanged from when it departed the imperial palace.
“However, based on your failure to heed the order to stop and your acceleration upon seeing us, we judged that Cliffford’s carriage may have been seized by Assailants.”
“That’s nonsense. When did you tell me to stop?”
“Yes, we did. Didn’t you hear? There was clearly a communication problem.”
Did we? Berik scratched his chin in confusion, but soon realized that his own presence had been the signal. Most of all, the flag fluttering at the checkpoint. Though the buffalo horn sounds had ceased, he could see the border guards approaching from that direction.
“Ha!”
Prince Noah blocked Ian’s path with his arms crossed, as if exasperated. He was trying to prevent anyone from looking inside the cargo carriage.
How cute. Ian smiled faintly and stepped to the side, whereupon Prince Noah quickly followed.
“Once we pass that point, there’s the Cliffford checkpoint. I’ve confirmed I’m safe, so won’t you step aside? I want to hurry back and report this incident.”
“Prince Noah.”
His eyes were so narrow that one couldn’t see his pupils, but Ian kept his gaze fixed on him as he spoke.
“What happened to you?”
“Silence is best for those who ask with predetermined answers.”
“Be precise. What exactly is blocking Prince Noah right now? There are still no problems between Bariel and Cliffford. I am merely a minister of many departments, and the person you should face is in the imperial palace.”
It was a persuasion to reveal secrets and seek cooperation. Depending on how he reported this to the imperial palace, numerous options would emerge.
Prince Noah fell silent for a moment and turned his head away.
‘I’m almost certain.’
The fact that the real power of the imperial palace brought the Mages themselves might already be too late. Ah, if only I had departed early yesterday. Then I would have crossed the border long ago.
As Noah’s mind grew increasingly tangled, a smile bloomed on Ian’s face. Instead of focusing on Noah before him, he watched Mei, who stood a step apart.
Whoosh.
‘The Mages…’
Thinking that Ian was concentrating on Noah, Mei examined the Mages more comfortably. She was assessing whether anyone she knew was among them.
Ian gestured to Berik to search the cargo carriage.
“Berik. Open all these boxes.”
“Okie dokie.”
Berik immediately leaped into the cargo carriage. He opened and flipped everything he could grab, tearing things apart, so scattered items spilled outward. Prince Noah pressed his head and protested once more.
“Count Ian. This is going too far. I cannot tolerate being treated as though I’m involved in smuggling.”
“My, Prince. Perhaps smuggling would be preferable. Would you show me the jewels entrusted to you by Crown Prince Jin?”
The Prince, as well as Envoy Mei, froze. What was merely a suspicion had become certainty—that irritating Mage, no, Minister Ian had clearly come knowing everything.
As Noah bit his lip in distress, Mei stepped forward.
“The jewels were not loaded onto the carriage, but given the circumstances, it will only be possible after we recover the carriage. And before that, explain your purpose for seeking the jewels. We cannot hand them over without that. One can never be too careful, can one?”
Her words presupposed that Ian was coveting the jewels and acting in secret from the royal palace. The Mages nearby reacted in protest.
“This is an officially convened investigation team from the Grand Council. Envoy Mei, please choose your words carefully. If your side hadn’t engaged in suspicious behavior from the start, this matter would have passed without incident.”
“Suspicious behavior, you say!”
As the atmosphere heated again, Ian and Noah simultaneously raised their hands to restrain their subordinates. Berik, having inspected the interior thoroughly, shook his head as if there was nothing of note.
“Ian. Keep going?”
“That’s enough. The jewels are elsewhere, they say. And Envoy Mei, you seem to have been searching for someone since earlier.”
“Searching for someone? I—”
“There are two more Mages at the checkpoint. Otrik and Philic.”
The moment I named them directly, the Mages sensed something. Hadn’t I been cold toward Philic even before departure? They had pretended not to notice, closing their eyes and ears to the matter, but by now they had grasped the situation to some degree.
“…Minister Ian. Philic, that bastard.”
“No, please. Don’t assume what I’m thinking. Good grief.”
That he was connected to this incident.
That he had made contact with Cliffford.
I deflected the Mages’ questions with a gesture.
“I came here wanting to know the details myself, so if you wish to ask, you should ask the Prince.”
As all eyes turned to Noah, he ran his hand through his hair as if in resignation. A heavy sigh followed.
Mei, with her fists clenched, stepped in front of the Prince to protect him.
“Why do you all have such looks in your eyes?”
“Time is passing. If you don’t speak promptly, I’ll have no choice but to file a preliminary report first.”
The circumstances were sufficient. If this were officially received by the royal palace, the alliance between Bariel and Cliffford would be completely destroyed.
Open hostility through justification would be realized, and this was entirely for Cliffford to bear. They had already severed ties with Burgos. It was as if all the ropes were being cut.
“Count Ian.”
After finishing his calculations in his mind, Noah called to me at last.
“Step away for a moment.”
“Of course. As you wish.”
“And let me say this beforehand—I hope you’re aware that attacking Cliffford in this manner has caused him harm.”
To some extent, it was laying groundwork to move past this with mutual understanding. Once the two of us had moved away from the noisy situation, Noah leaned in close and whispered.
“Alright. I’ll tell you the truth. There are no jewels.”
“I suspected as much.”
“Don’t you often hear you’re unlucky?”
“I couldn’t say. I’m not sure what people say behind my back, but not to my face.”
The more I laughed, the more Prince Noah’s expression crumpled. Just as he was about to tell me everything.
Boom! Crash!
An explosion sounded from the checkpoint. Traces of magic.
Everyone looked over in surprise, and Noah’s eyes gleamed. Perhaps this could be a turning point to break through. But I patted the Prince’s shoulder and spoke.
“Prince.”
Philic’s magical power had been depleted to its limit. Then who could have done such a thing?
It was the power of Otrik, acting under Ian’s orders.
To suppress without mercy if Philic attempted anything suspicious.
“Sweet dreams are best enjoyed elsewhere, sir.”

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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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