Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor - Chapter 339

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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 339
Fire. The Popularization of Idgal
Eriponi, King of Ruswena, drew back her bowstring with all her strength. With her tall frame and long, graceful arms extended, the posture appeared both fluid and magnificent.
She steadied her core and closed one eye. The deer grazing on grass sensed something amiss, and a smile played at her lips.
Perfect. If she released the bowstring now, the arrow would pierce the prey’s neck in one clean shot. Eriponi exhaled the breath she had been holding and prepared to release.
“Your Majesty.”
Whoosh!
The sudden call caused her shoulder to flinch. Eriponi watched through her telescope as the deer bounded away, then turned her head with irritation.
Eldetr was staring at me with an urgent expression. To ruin the hunt by not waiting a few seconds—how careless. Eriponi handed her bow to a servant and gathered her long hair into a single knot.
“Eldetr. What is it? I had intended to bestow venison upon my servants today, but thanks to you, the hunt is spoiled. See that you handle it yourself.”
The sofa had barely been carried out by five servants for her use. Since resting outdoors held its own peculiar pleasure, she always brought furniture with her when hunting.
Eriponi reclined as if casting herself upon the sofa, and the servants fanned her to aid her rest. In the distance, a deer bolted across the horizon—a beast released from the opposite side for the King’s next hunt.
“Tell me before the deer goes too far.”
“A letter has arrived from Alena.”
“…Alena? Ah yes, that charming young lady.”
Eriponi clearly had not immediately recalled the name Alena. After moistening her lips with wine, she nodded as if remembering. At her gesture, Eldetr handed over the letter.
“Let me see. How much affection has our dear young lady poured into this correspondence?”
Rustle.
There had been a couple of previous letters requesting asylum in Ruswena, but Eldetr had disposed of them cleanly. Thus, this letter marked Eriponi’s first direct contact from Alena.
The King, who had been humming contentedly in the joy of the hunt, gradually fell silent and her expression hardened. The servants exchanged nervous glances and stepped back, whereupon she raised her eyebrows and displayed a peculiar smile.
“Is this true?”
“Our informant remaining in Bariel has reported identical information. It appears quite credible.”
“Ha, haha! Remarkable!”
Eriponi lay back down and held the letter up to the sunlight. In the carefully pressed script, she glimpsed the pure and unmistakable desire of a young lady—the burning desire to survive, fierce enough to incinerate everything.
Hmm, not entirely disagreeable, but watching fire from across the river is always the most entertaining and safest way, is it not? There is no guarantee that Alena, once she enters Ruswena, will not similarly undermine the kingdom. In any case…
“The Mage Division has emptied the imperial palace except for a handful of personnel?”
“They appear to have gone to Cliffford. There are rumors that Count Ian’s condition is not good, but this remains unconfirmed.”
“No. It must be poor. Otherwise, why would all the Mages flock there? They say the exchange of magical power between them is crucial.”
“Then we might infer that Cliffford has harmed Count Ian.”
“That is not it either. If Count Ian had been harmed, there would be no reason for Bariel to send Mages. What use would other Mages be if their leader, Ian, has been neutralized? They would move troops instead.”
Cliffford had no Mages at all, but Ruswena at least had a small number. The problem was that they were so few that the royal court could not derive any particular advantage from them.
The last report I received placed them in the eastern forest of Ruswena, but I have no idea where they are now.
“Hmm. Interesting.”
She gazed toward the horizon for a moment in thought. While I cannot perfectly deduce the full circumstances, one thing is certain—this is an opportunity beyond compare.
The Mages who had been firmly guarding the imperial palace have all vanished, and they have gone to Cliffford of all places. Eldetr carefully folded the letter he had received from Eriponi and made a proposal.
‘Did the King of Burgos foresee this situation?’
When they met at Jin’s Crown Prince investiture ceremony, the King of Burgos had mentioned something—the popularization of Idgal. At the time, I thought it was nonsense, but seeing how events unfold, the situation appears grave.
Instead, they had requested dragon scales to be gathered, which suggested they knew the method for crafting the black armor once used by Haimanga.
“Very well. I shall not sit idle watching the world turn. I will return to the palace. There is no time to waste—make haste.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Eriponi rose abruptly, saying there was no time to waste. The King of Burgos had forewarned her, so I had anticipated this, but I never expected events to unfold so rapidly.
At Eriponi’s command, Eldetr added his thoughts with a somewhat skeptical expression.
“Your Majesty. However, if I may say so. I find that man rather suspicious.”
A merchant from a trading company claiming to have come from the Hawan Kingdom. A report had come up from below stating he wished to trade Idgal, equivalent to a mana-sealing stone. Though the King of Eriponi had not personally verified its authenticity, he was in the process of validating whether there were any issues, given how the price was far below market value.
“Offering Idgal at such a price is one thing, but the timing is truly exquisite, is it not? Of all times, the Mages are relocating en masse to Cliffford. There is no merchant who sells goods at a loss.”
Eriponi laughed, saying Eldetr worried about everything. Idgal was the highest grade among mana stones. For someone to bring such a quantity without any particular request was naturally suspicious. But coupled with what the King of Burgos had said, if one sought to understand the other’s position, there was no problem.
“When you think about it, they are in the same position as we are.”
“What do you mean, Your Majesty?”
“They do not seek compensation through Idgal—they want us to possess Idgal. All the neighboring nations under the Mages’ restraint desire freedom from that power.”
Cliffford remained unclear. If Ian’s procession was attacked because Cliffford had preempted Idgal, then it would be all the better for Burgos and Ruswena.
“The enemy of my enemy is my ally. It seems they too are displeased with the Mages’ existence, so for now we must graciously accept what they offer. Grant them an audience. Arrange a meeting this afternoon. And contact the dragon breeding grounds as well. I expect word from Burgos soon. I wonder if I shall finally see that small king smile.”
“Understood, Your Majesty.”
“Pity. Shall I shoot one more arrow before I go?”
Eriponi threw on her outer robe and took up her bow. The foolish deer was grazing in the same spot as before. It must have been the area where the lure scent for attracting beasts had been applied.
Eriponi hummed a tune as she drew the bowstring lightly. Her posture was far more relaxed than before.
Whoosh!
Yet the arrow flew true, piercing the deer’s head. Applause erupted from those nearby, flags waved, and the hit was announced. Eriponi shrugged her shoulders with an amused expression, as if to say, “See that?”
* * *
“…Cliffford may face danger, you say?”
Heil paused briefly, repeating my words. He could not comprehend it at all. The only way Cliffford could face danger was if Bariel, mistakenly believing I had been harmed, sent military forces.
But since it had been revealed that this was a misunderstanding caused by the mana anomaly at the border, was everything not resolved?
“There is a high likelihood that Idgal has flowed not only to Cliffford but also to Burgos and Ruswena.”
“How, how can you be so certain? And even if it has flowed there, how much could there be? Considering what Prince Marib used in the rebellion, I doubt it.”
“Does the imperial palace think the same way?”
I, who had been listening quietly, furrowed my brow and lifted my head. There was no known information regarding the quantity of Idgal, so Heil’s assertion seemed odd.
Heil affirmed and told me of the contents of the conference held at the imperial palace. My eyebrows twitched slightly as I listened.
“…That is a critical error.”
Underestimating the circulating quantity would be a fatal mistake. As I muttered thus, Heil asked again. The conversation had been about Cliffford’s safety, after all.
“Please explain how Cliffford faces danger.”
“Because before Burgos and Ruswena, who now possess Idgal, can enter Bariel, Cliffford is the only stronghold they can use. Look—are not all the Mages who were firmly stationed at the imperial palace’s core now lying here helpless?”
Burgos and Cliffford already had severe tensions between them. If justification were needed, dozens could be fabricated. If the whereabouts of the jewel became known, it would be all the better.
This would serve as a meaningful motivation alongside the pretext of punishing Cliffford for defying Bariel’s orders, mobilizing the nobility there to recover the jewel.
“It is an opportunity to suppress the Mages more easily than ever. So if we remain here, we only invite conflict between Burgos and Cliffford. We must hurry back to Bariel and solidify our alliance with Cliffford. That is how we preserve peace.”
All wars are built upon pretexts rooted in greed. We have only promised verbally to walk the same path; nothing has been formalized yet. Even if Burgos attacks Cliffford, Bariel has no reason to aid them. If Bariel were to participate for unjustifiable reasons, Ruswena would likely join as well.
This would become a true catastrophe beyond control. It was uncertain whether the Mages could even exert their full strength against Burgos and Ruswena, who now possessed Idgal. In short, we would descend into chaos itself.
Heil chewed on a cigarette stick, pondering.
“I understand what you are saying. However, it does not seem the King of Cliffford thinks so deeply. He appeared to wish for us to remain here longer.”
“…Is that your assessment?”
“It was both my thought and my feeling, and he actually made such a proposal.”
“Then this is all the more grave.”
I covered my eyes with my arm and muttered under my breath. Wasn’t Cliffford anticipating a collision with Burgos?
If Burgos launched an invasion after the Mages departed, the time needed to request reinforcements from Bariel would stretch longer. In that case, the damage would multiply exponentially, and if Bariel were to cite past grievances and sever ties, it would be truly troublesome.
In other words, detaining the Mages to entangle them in the conflict. And thus repelling Burgos’s attack together with Bariel. That seemed to be what the King desired. Truly a dilemma, was it not.
‘If the Mages remain, Burgos’s attack becomes inevitable. But if they leave and an attack comes, we’ll be in dire straits.’
“But Count Ian.”
Heil chewed on an unlit cigarette and asked carefully. He had heard Philic’s confession relayed through Prince Noah.
“You said this came about through a contract spell. Might you tell us what this is about?”
“….”
If I had made a contract, especially one binding me against dual contracts, I could not have forgotten it. Yet why had I attempted to forge a contract spell with the King as though I had overlooked the restrictions placed upon my own body?
“And regarding Philic’s claim that you’re connected to Idgal—we all know it’s nonsense. But just in case, truly just in case, I must ask. Is there anything else we should know?”
Heil’s cautious question. While everyone else lay collapsed in exhaustion, only Akorelra feigned unconsciousness, her ears perked up attentively. I heard the sound of bedding shifting. Akorelra squinted her eyes, her brow furrowed as though dying of curiosity. I was crouched down, looking at her.
“Gasp!”
“Akorelra. Step outside for a moment. Go with Heil.”
“Oh, I just woke up. Wow, I really passed out. Ahem.”
“Could you help me up?”
I extended my hand to Heil, and he readily grasped it to support me.
Heil and Akorelra—the two who would lead the next generation of the Mage division. I judged it necessary to reveal a small portion of my secret to them.

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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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