Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor - Chapter 342

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 342
Fire. The Signal
The envoys of Burgos entered the palace of Clipoford with their national flag wrapped around their left arms. Their stride toward the reception hall was so bold and sharp that the servant guiding them felt as though he were being chased.
Lights flickered to life throughout the palace as the sunset faded into dusk, and by the time the twilight had fully ignited and burned away into the night, King Clipoford sat upon his throne to receive the envoys.
“Welcome, envoys of our neighbor.”
“We offer our respects to the King of Clipoford. We are honored by your hospitality despite our sudden arrival.”
Thump.
The Burgos envoy traced his nation’s symbol near his heart with a gesture. It would have been proper to follow the customs of the land he visited, yet the Kingdom of Burgos had never failed to perform their own salute when coming to Clipoford. Seeing this, the advisors concealed their displeasure with their sleeves and exchanged meaningful glances with one another.
“Indeed. Your sudden visit is rather curious. What brings you here? Has some misfortune befallen Burgos? Perhaps word of King Damon’s passing?”
The greeting was dignified and warm, yet its content was utterly ruthless. He was asking whether King Damon had died—implying that without such a tragedy, he could not fathom how they dared commit such a breach of protocol.
The envoys clenched their teeth and bowed their heads. How dare this man, fit only to tend fields, presume to speak of his sovereign’s death while calling himself a king.
“That is not the case. Rather, we heard that Clipoford was ambushed by unknown assailants while returning from the coronation ceremony in Bariel. King Damon sent us personally to inquire whether Burgos might offer any assistance.”
“How considerate of him. But do not worry yourselves. No such incident occurred.”
“It did not occur?”
“Indeed. Do not be too harsh on your subordinates.”
The king laughed heartily and stroked his beard. This conversation had been an attempt to probe the relationship between Clipoford and Bariel. Since it was now confirmed that some collision had occurred between them, the King of Clipoford’s response suggested there had been no significant change in their relations.
‘There was a collision, yet no problem?’
Clipoford could neither afford to quarrel with Bariel nor could it do so, so surely some form of exchange had taken place. The envoys exchanged signals with their eyes.
“Then we are relieved. Clipoford safeguards a precious gem belonging to Burgos, does it not? We wondered if the collision might have caused damage to it, and whether we might be of service in its repair.”
“Hmm, no.”
“Pardon?”
“It is not Burgos’s gem, but Bariel’s gem, is it not? It was a gift bestowed by Prince Gin. Surely you do not misunderstand the meaning of a gift?”
“…We merely meant that it was a gem crafted by Burgos artisans.”
“Mind your words, as misunderstandings come easily.”
The King of Clipoford chuckled as he delivered each remark to the Burgos envoys. His advisors bowed their heads, suppressing laughter that threatened to escape.
“But I am curious—when you speak of assistance, what precisely do you mean? Surely you do not intend to send craftsmen? Clipoford has many excellent gem custodians of its own.”
To speak plainly, the culture of Clipoford—indulgent, leisurely, and devoted to entertainment—was far more brilliant and lustrous than the barren, arid Kingdom of Burgos. Naturally, if one were to compare skill in gem-crafting, would not Clipoford excel?
The Burgos envoys shook their heads and replied.
“No, not at all. The gem was a family heirloom passed down through generations of Burgos nobility. Thus, should any damage occur to it, we can resolve the matter flawlessly through the family’s custodians. Even if it were chipped or a piece had broken off, there would be no problem. We still possess a smaller version of the same design, and if you entrust it to us, we can repair it seamlessly. Since it was a gift from Bariel’s prince, King Damon’s consideration stems from concern that Clipoford might face difficulty should any problem arise.”
Hmm. The king rested his soft cheek on his knuckles and looked down upon them. It was a sort of trade proposal.
From what he had heard from Noah, the Burgos gem was an important means of assembling the nobility, was it not? They were asking, without Bariel’s knowledge, for it to be returned to Burgos under the pretext of repair. From Clipoford’s perspective, even if Burgos did not surrender the gem, there would be grounds to argue with Bariel’s side.
But what could be done? The gem was no longer in their hands.
“Very well. Tell King Damon that I accept his goodwill.”
Prince Noah had already handed it over to the mysterious group as payment for the transaction, on the condition of obtaining Idgal first. And both the Minister of Magic and Bariel already knew of this.
Any further choice to resist Bariel’s side was absolutely forbidden. Whether it was proper to call it a blessing amid misfortune when speaking of a person’s life, I was uncertain, but Ian’s collapse had become a negotiating card to appeal to sentiment for Clipoford.
In any case, Clipoford’s course was now clear. To go unconditionally with Bariel. Binding the mages was also part of that course.
“…Your Majesty. If it would not be too presumptuous, might we see the gem before we depart?”
“No, it would be presumptuous. Clipoford has no obligation to show it. From the start, you have been asking questions while assuming that Clipoford has been negligent in the gem’s care, and it grates upon my ears. The gem is safe, so set your worries aside firmly, return to your king, and report thoroughly.”
The king laughed heartily and cut them off decisively. To continue pressing the matter of the gem would be to test and doubt Clipoford’s character. He would hear no more of it—his attitude was resolute.
“Then, what of the Black Moon?”
The King paused. The black hole—the one from which the Mages had poured forth. That’s what they were referring to.
Even if he wanted to deny it, everyone living in the capital of Clipoford was already talking about it. The Envoys of Burgos would have had no difficulty overhearing such information.
“Are the Mages present in Clipoford?”
“….”
The King fell silent for a moment, gathering his thoughts until the very end. His gaze swept across his Advisors with both resolve and caution.
The Advisors opposed to this course seemed to believe they hadn’t entirely missed their opportunity to intervene. Though Burgos had sensed something and sent an Envoy, if there were no Mages here, there would be no reason for them to recklessly attack Clipoford to suppress Bariel and their forces. Some Advisors shook their heads slightly, suggesting this might be needlessly stoking the flames.
But the King did not waver in his decision and spoke.
“Yes. The Mages of Bariel are currently stationed in Clipoford.”
“…!”
“…!”
The Envoys showed expressions of mild surprise, while the Advisors squeezed their eyes shut as if they had done something irreversible.
An eerie silence permeated the reception hall. The Envoys of Burgos bowed even deeper as they asked.
“May I inquire as to the reason for their presence? Burgos and Clipoford share a border. Should any matter related to magic occur in Clipoford, it could have implications for the Kingdom of Burgos as well.”
“It is a personal matter. There is nothing for Burgos to be informed of.”
“But Your Majesty—”
“The hour grows late. I shall have quarters prepared for you. Why not rest for now and depart early tomorrow?”
Even with his vague smile, he remained a King of a nation. The closing remark conveyed that allocating this much time for such an unexpected meeting was already sufficient.
The Envoys swallowed their sighs with only their lips trembling slightly, and soon bowed in acknowledgment.
“Then, I shall pay my respects again when we depart tomorrow.”
“Do so. Rest well and recover fully. I shall provide you with precious things you cannot find in Burgos. Everyone, treat the Envoys with the utmost hospitality.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
With these words, the King gestured. Servants then stepped forward before the Envoys, bearing goblets adorned with gold and silver on pedestals. The Envoys reluctantly accepted the cups, and watched as deep wine was poured into them.
In that moment, the King spotted May and raised his eyebrows. As if asking whether Prince Noah, who had gone to fetch the Mage, had returned. May then made a sorrowful expression and drew an X with her hand.
“…Your Majesty?”
“Ah, yes. Then do drink. There is no finer wine to stimulate the appetite.”
At his Subordinate’s call, the King permitted them to drink. The Envoys drained their cups in a single gulp and promptly wiped their mouths. As if the fruitless journey had left a bitter taste, they contorted their faces as though it was particularly unpleasant.
“How rude. Before the King, no less.”
“Indeed. This is why the people of Burgos….”
Clang!
Just as the Advisors were murmuring.
One who had been grimacing particularly hard hurled his goblet away and collapsed forward. The sound of the goblet rolling across the marble floor and the gasping, choking breaths. Everyone froze in shock.
“Gack, gack…cough….”
“Hey, what’s wrong? Why—breathe! Breathe!”
“What, what is happening?”
“Ugh! Blood, he’s coughing blood! Doctor! Doctor!”
“Look here! What on earth is this! What is this!”
“That’s what we’d like to know. What are you all doing?”
“Breathe, man! His, his pupils are dilating!”
In an instant, chaos erupted. The Envoys cradled their colleague and made a desperate commotion trying to save him, while the Advisors rushed to summon a Doctor and formed a line to protect the King. As someone tried to pick up the golden cup, the Burgos Envoy shouted.
“Stop! Don’t touch it! We must examine what was done to the cup thoroughly!”
“Do you understand what you’re saying right now? That we did this? That we were responsible?”
“He collapsed the moment he drank the wine!”
“Insolent! You wretched dogs!”
“Everyone, calm down, please-!”
Clang! Clang!
Though the King commanded composure, the atmosphere ignited in an instant, spiraling beyond control into a blazing inferno of tension.
The Envoys’ guards drew hidden daggers and lowered their stances, while the palace soldiers surrounded them with long spears, maintaining distance. The King was about to shout again.
Creak.
The audience chamber doors opened slowly. Through the widening gap, Prince Noah appeared.
And behind him, Ian’s entourage. As the doors swung open and wind rushed in, their entrance assaulted everyone’s senses.
“How noisy.”
Ian leaned forward over Prince Noah’s shoulder as he approached. People stepped aside one by one. The Envoys, too, froze under the unfamiliar pressure, looking up at Ian.
Ian knelt on one knee and checked the fallen man’s breath himself.
“He’s dead.”
“Dead, they say he’s dead.”
“What should we do about this, Your Majesty?”
One Envoy, dead without even closing his eyes. At Ian’s words, murmurs erupted again. The Envoys shrieked in fury and issued warnings to the King.
“We are Envoys representing Burgos and sent on behalf of King Damon. How can this be? Clipoford must explain this at once and prepare to answer for this responsibility!”
“Shh. Old man. Your voice hurts my ears.”
“What, what did you say!?”
“Me? I’m Berik.”
Berik gently placed his hand near the Envoy’s mouth as he shouted in anger. The Envoy swatted his hand away, but Berik simply covered his mouth from the other side.
“Shh. This place echoes too much. Ian said so. We need to be quiet.”
“You crazy bastard! Who are you!?”
“I told you, I’m Berik. Old man, are you stupid?”
Zing. Zing.
Then, light enveloped the fallen Envoy.
Heil and Akorelra were examining the corpse with their magical power, checking whether any magical devices had been placed within the body.
“Ian. The body is clean.”
“Yes. There doesn’t appear to be any curse either.”
“M-mages, they were mages. Of course! He collapsed the moment he drank the wine! This is an official protest-!”
“Why did only one person die?”
Ian’s clear voice rang out softly.
The Envoys’ expressions questioned his meaning. Ian wiped his hands with a handkerchief and surveyed the Envoys carefully. Five heads in total, and five guards as well.
“The wine came from one bottle, yet only one died. The fact that you can’t rationally grasp such a suspicious situation means one of two things.”
Those Envoys sent by Damon didn’t know they would die either. Or perhaps—
“Are you using death as a signal to communicate with your homeland?”
“W-what are you talking about!?”
“In wartime, swift information transfer is paramount, isn’t it? Since Clipoford doesn’t know how to respond, you exchange information through incidents. For example, if one dies, it means ‘mages are stationed here.’ If two die, ‘there are no mages.’ If three die, ‘we don’t know of their existence,’ and so on.”
As Ian made eye contact with each person and walked forward, the surroundings fell silent. Only the sound of Akorelra wiping blood from her shoes against the floor remained.
“If you don’t understand, then so be it, King of Clipoford.”
“Ah, um, yes. That’s right, Count Ian.”
“I humbly urge you to place each of these men under separate confinement. It would be wise to determine whether they are sending signals to the Burgos side.”
If they were sending signals, I could turn that to my advantage instead. The King merely nodded vacantly and asked.
“That, that’s true. But how?”
“Akorelra.”
“Ah, yes yes. I’ve written down what we need. Please procure these items within the hour. For a kingdom, that much should be possible. Even if it’s not perfectly identical, we can make something close enough.”
At Ian’s instruction, Akorelra pulled a slip of paper from her bosom. An Advisor standing nearby unfolded it and murmured.
“…The formula for Sildam Potion?”

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————