Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor - Chapter 345

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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 345
Fire. The Assassin of Midnight
“I understand.”
Volb raised both hands to signal his intention to step back.
The generals’ heads moved swiftly, offering silent protest to Volb. It was a kind of pressure—how could he let such a good opportunity slip away? He shouldn’t back down.
But Volb’s position remained unchanged. The atmosphere of the conference room flowed so palpably that he could feel it in his bones. One must know when to retreat. Besides, couldn’t he simply leave with something in hand?
“I will continue to monitor Cliffford, but in accordance with His Majesty’s will and that of certain officials, I shall wait until new instructions arrive from Count Ian.”
This was to make clear that should any problems arise, they would be the fault not of the Imperial Defense Ministry, but of Prince Gin and those who supported him.
Gin swallowed a sigh inwardly. For now, things had gone as he intended. The rest would require careful observation and reconsideration.
“And—”
Volb continued with emphasis. His gaze fell upon Romandro. Romandro also tried to meet it with furrowed brows, but their respective positions made it difficult.
Romandro had no choice but to lower his head slightly.
“I shall also faithfully carry out the surveillance of Burgos and Ruswena as His Majesty directs. However, in this process, information regarding the distribution and acquisition of Idgal will inevitably come to light. Given the current situation, the Magic Ministry is not in a position to handle this and assist. Please grant the Imperial Defense Ministry temporary decision-making authority.”
“That is unacceptable! I cannot permit it!”
“Romandro, then tell me—do you know what substance Idgal is composed of, what problems it presents, how to handle it, and what precautions must be taken?”
Volb raised his chin as he posed the question. Currently, the Magic Ministry had only Romandro and a handful of mages responsible for palace access. While information about Idgal remained, it was not their specialty, so they could not handle it recklessly.
“Consider this: when even the Magic Ministry’s steward cannot add commentary on the matter, how can we simply stand by and watch Idgal, which could shake Bariel’s political situation? We need decision-making authority over the entire process of verification and handling. We cannot constantly ask Count Ian in Cliffford about every detail.”
It was clear that Idgal would emerge in connection with the investigation of Burgos and Ruswena. The real issue was the ‘trust’ in whether the Imperial Defense Ministry would properly report on Idgal when given temporary authority. If something were omitted in the process of securing and transferring it to the palace, no one would ever know.
This was tantamount to handing the Imperial Defense Ministry a new blade—a threat to the Magic Ministry and the Imperial Guards, and ultimately a burden that could fall upon the imperial household itself.
“Volb. I believe the matter of Idgal investigation was already a settled agreement.”
Gin’s voice had grown considerably lower.
To the casual listener, it might have sounded composed, but the Prime Minister sitting beside him could see the boy’s neck flushing.
It was anger. Fury at Volb for constantly making noise in the chaos, stirring up trouble.
“Yes, of course the investigation should be conducted by the Magic Ministry. But when the Imperial Defense Ministry is verifying Burgos and Ruswena, if Idgal is right there in front of us, how can we ignore it? Regardless of which department handles what, we are all one family beneath the palace.”
At the mention of being one family, Romandro couldn’t help but laugh despite himself.
Laugh? The generals glared at him with sharp eyes, but Romandro met their gaze with wide, feigned innocence. The generals might be worth testing, even if the minister wasn’t! These bastards!
“For the sake of flexible task management, please grant this. I promise that when Count Ian returns, the Imperial Defense Ministry will transfer everything we have collected without issue. Or perhaps you wish the Imperial Defense Ministry to serve merely as a watchtower?”
Volb placed a hand on his chest with a pitiful tone. The officials began whispering among themselves, sharing opinions on the matter at hand.
The Prime Minister gave Volb a warning glance at his sudden action, but he only looked aggrieved. They had united under the banner of checking the Magic Ministry, so why did the Crown Prince and Prime Minister seek to suppress the Imperial Defense Ministry instead? That was his expression.
“Your Majesty. I believe Minister Volb’s words have merit. The Magic Ministry is currently incapacitated, and as we proceed, these matters will naturally become intertwined. To divide them as ‘this is the Magic Ministry’s work, that is the Imperial Defense Ministry’s work’ is inefficient and, moreover, foolish.”
“It is not permanent, merely temporary authority. Would it not be reasonable to grant it?”
“My position is not greatly different.”
“I agree. I understand it is inconvenient for the Magic Ministry, but what can be done? There are no mages.”
“Your Majesty….”
The Prime Minister whispered softly to Gin. He too found no reason to go against the flow of the conference.
Gin kept his mouth firmly closed, staring only at Volb. The difference from before was that the hot, blazing anger had cooled to ice. The boy’s vacant gaze swept over Volb from top to bottom.
“…Very well. I understand.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
“Once Count Ian and other specialists in Idgal return, all decision-making authority shall be revoked.”
“Romandro, do not worry too much. This is the Imperial Defense Ministry, after all. We will provide you with plenty of information on my Idgal. Ha ha. Who knows? Perhaps we’ll give it to you in bulk?”
Clang! Bang bang!
The Prime Minister glanced at Jin before bringing down his gavel to signal the end of the meeting. The generals left their seats with satisfied shoulder pats, and several officials quietly slipped out of the conference room.
Yet throughout it all, Jin remained motionless, staring straight ahead. In the end, only the Prime Minister and Romandro remained, and the Prime Minister’s Steward thoughtfully closed the conference room door, creating a space for them alone.
“Your Highness. Are you well?”
“Of course. I’m fine. In fact, my mind feels clearer than ever.”
“Pardon? I’m not sure what you mean by that….”
I turned to face the Prime Minister. Then, as if to remind him of what had just transpired, I gestured toward Volb’s empty seat with a nod.
“Prime Minister, you saw it. The Mage Ministry’s restraint is meant to strengthen imperial authority, yet there are those who fail to understand this.”
“Minister Volb’s sudden outburst was something I could not have predicted either. Your Highness, allow me to meet with him again and discuss the matter….”
“No. That’s enough. As they say, people cannot be remolded. Besides, Minister Volb rose to his temporary position during the rebellion. He holds a seat far beyond his capacity.”
The Prince’s murmuring carried an ominous weight. The Prime Minister checked once more that the door was properly closed, while Romandro tensed, his dry lips pressing together.
“It’s fortunate that Count Ian is not here right now.”
“Your Highness. Forgive me, but I’m uncertain what you mean to say….”
“In their eyes, I am still merely a young member of the imperial family. To properly seize power, the most direct and swift method is to place my people in key positions. Do you have any objections to this?”
None. The Imperial Defense Ministry’s threatening approach stemmed from the fact that Minister Volb did not fully align his goals with mine.
I sought to strengthen imperial authority, while Volb desired to elevate the status of the Imperial Defense Ministry and his own power—conflict was inevitable.
“Romandro. Since you served in the Administrative Ministry, you should know well when ministerial replacements occur.”
“Typically, the Emperor selects them at the New Year’s Assembly, and in special circumstances, a representative attends the Grand Council where anyone receiving more than half the votes assumes a temporary position. If performance is deemed satisfactory….”
“Not the cases that have already happened. There must be other circumstances.”
“Ah, yes, well, if a sitting minister dies, the Emperor selects a replacement. However, since His Majesty is currently in difficult circumstances, a new selection would similarly be made at the Grand Council.”
I turned to face the Prime Minister, hoping my intentions were clearly conveyed.
“Are you suggesting we remove Minister Volb now, Your Highness?”
“Rather than ‘remove,’ I simply thought it might be wise to have him step down, as he seems unsuited to his position.”
“I understand your meaning, but there are generals under Minister Volb. They will surely resist and not remain idle, and there is a strong possibility another general will emerge as the next minister.”
“Captain Jeirat is the one to handle that.”
“Captain Jeirat?”
“Yes. Have Captain Jeirat summoned to His Majesty’s chambers.”
“…Your Highness!”
Captain Jeirat, unaware of the Emperor’s condition, found the Imperial Guards in a rather ambiguous position. There was a primary lord who took precedence over being called one of my people.
Yet if Captain Jeirat witnessed the Emperor’s state with his own eyes, he would fully recognize that I am the next Emperor and take a clear stance accordingly.
“Captain Jeirat’s position was the same as the Imperial Defense Ministry’s—to restrain the Mage Ministry and secure imperial stability. Though he walks a completely different path than Volb. If summoned to my father’s chambers, Captain Jeirat will no longer desire imperial stability, but rather my stability.”
Only Romandro blinked, unable to comprehend. Is His Majesty’s condition truly so dire? It seems miraculous that he continues to live despite it.
I turned my head sharply toward Romandro.
“Romandro.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“You will represent the Mage Ministry in the Grand Council’s decision-making authority. If you request my cooperation, then I reaffirm this once more—exclusive authority over Idgal. Count Ian will decide all matters.”
“Ah, yes. Of course, Your Highness. I shall follow your will.”
“Prime Minister, I entrust the Administrative Ministry to you.”
Now I understood why I had said it was fortunate that Ian was absent. The boy’s leap—to restrain the Mage Ministry with the Mage Ministry’s aid, and thereby strengthen imperial authority.
Had Ian been present, it would surely have been impossible. His presence was too overwhelming; all other forces would have appeared as a single color beside him.
But now, without Ian, this was an opportunity to weed out everything that had been camouflaged in similar colors.
‘Even if I fail, it doesn’t matter. When Count Ian returns, everything will look the same color again.’
And surely Ian wouldn’t simply stand by and watch me fall.
An opportunity. Just as Volb saw it as an opportunity, so too was this one for me. A chance to step back five paces. If I played this well, I could step back more than five paces and ensure that when Ian returned, I would still be standing in this position.
“Your Majesty. No matter how I think about it, this is dangerous. If we should fail, a rebellion will break out.”
“Within the imperial palace, every breath is a danger. Surely you, Prime Minister, know this. And Volb’s position differs from that of Prince Marib and Prince Gail. Do you truly believe that merely having a man without legitimacy wielding military authority can do anything about Bariel?”
Point by point, the boy’s counterarguments were flawless, and the Prime Minister found himself flustered. He pressed his head in his hands, lost in thought. He was a man with the duty to support the imperial family, and moreover, to support me.
But as he said, power cannot grow through the mere passage of time. Objectively speaking, now was the opportune moment to seize control of the imperial palace. This also aligned with his desire to check the Mage’s Ministry.
“…Who will you use? If you wish—”
“No. That is not something for the Prime Minister to involve himself in.”
It was important that everything move under my direction. Otherwise, it would be meaningless.
The boy turned to look at Xiaoxi standing behind him. As someone belonging to the Imperial Defense Ministry, if discovered, it could be claimed as an internal matter. A man of exceptional skill and tenacity. Above all, a man who would not hesitate to die for his lord.
“Xiao.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The two of them had already shared plans regarding this, so there was little more to say. Romandro clasped his hands together and could only pray that Volb would die peacefully, while the Prime Minister closed his eyes and calmly calculated contingencies. Since the Crown Prince had already made up his mind, I had no choice but to help.
“First, I will summon Captain Jeirat to His Majesty the Emperor’s bedchamber. And the generals…”
Whether to deal with them, organize them, or persuade them—that was Captain Jeirat’s work to handle. I watched the sun setting outside and grasped Xiaoxi’s shoulder.
“Xiao.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“I trust you.”
Romandro grasped his other shoulder with trembling hands.
“Xiao, I trust you too.”
“Have no concerns.”
“When do you intend to carry this out, Your Majesty?”
“Tomorrow happens to be the new moon.”
Under Ian’s command to go kill a noble, had I not invaded Prince Gail’s bedchamber? Of course, that had all been orchestrated beforehand.
‘This time, I kill for a noble.’
Xiaoxi gazed down at me, who was looking at him with such resolve, and smiled faintly.
A moonless night would be ideal. A night where even the blood on one’s hands would not be visible. A night where the target could not see him either, so that if things went wrong, he could die without complications.
I embraced Xiaoxi’s waist and swallowed a regretful sigh.

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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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