Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor - Chapter 353

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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 353
Run Across the Rooftops
Leaving the royal palace required only a simple declaration and inspection, after which one could exit through various branching corridors to the outside world.
Berik and Barsabe watched the left gate, observing who emerged, just as Ian had instructed. The crowds gathered along the street were absorbed in singing, dancing, and enjoying drinks and tobacco without a care.
Berik crouched low, gazing longingly in that direction.
“No one’s coming out. Want to grab a drink?”
“Sure. If you want Ian to scold you.”
“We’ve been doing this for hours now. Are we trying to starve ourselves? Or I could go grab something quick.”
“It’s only been an hour. I don’t care about anything else, but I’d rather not hear that from you. Every time I see you, you’re eating something. And do you even have money?”
Berik narrowed his eyes and glared at Barsabe. Ian had entrusted her with some mysterious papers and emergency funds. She unfolded the paper again and muttered to herself.
“Don’t get distracted. Keep watching carefully. They’ll try to slip out discreetly, so we might miss them. Especially with so many people around.”
“Your nagging is really grating. You never stop chattering.”
“And you never stop eating.”
She wouldn’t back down an inch. If only he could read, Ian would have entrusted the papers to him instead! Berik resolved to study letters once they returned to the palace and kept his eyes fixed on the gate.
Then, someone emerged.
“Is that them?”
“Wait here. Keep watching.”
Barsabe pushed through the crowd, her senses heightened. Could there be someone else following the target besides her? If so, it was likely a shadow sent by Prince Noah—possibly a traitor.
But she walked toward the center of the marketplace without showing any particular concern. From her appearance, it seemed she was running another errand for Akorelra.
‘Or maybe not?’
Then another person came out. Someone in high spirits grabbed Barsabe’s hand and asked her to dance, and she spun around while keeping her head fixed in place, disappearing into the crowd while concealing her presence as much as possible.
Then, within the teeming masses, an unusual movement was detected. Three separate flows. All of them walking in circles around the person who had just emerged. Barsabe broke free from her dance partner’s hand and gestured to Berik.
“Berik!”
“Whoa, you dance well.”
“Stop fooling around, hurry!”
“Oh, they’re here?”
That wasn’t a greeting while dancing—it was a signal! Berik jumped to his feet and rushed toward Barsabe. Pushing through the densely packed crowd was no easy task.
Berik spotted elders smoking water pipes on the roof and nodded to Barsabe.
“Let’s go up there.”
“We can’t be seen.”
“Then we’ll lose them. The palace is in emergency mode, so people rarely come out. If a shadow is attached to them, it means Prince Noah suspects them completely. They might not even be on the list.”
The list of traitors Noah had given Ian. But there was no way to verify if it was real, and since they were palace personnel, Ian didn’t know them either. That’s why he’d sent two Mage Knights outside to cross-reference.
Wait, when did this bastard get so smart? Barsabe bit her lip, then in one motion stepped on a stack of goods and leaped up.
“That’s it!”
Whoosh!
Puffing through the elders’ tobacco smoke, the two figures ran across the rooftop. The elders looked at them in confusion, but that was all. On a night like this, drunk on wine and drunk on moonlight, it was normal to have a madman or two.
Tap-tap-tap!
“Can you see them?”
“Wait, she was wearing a black hood like us, and she was a woman.”
“Wow, that’s really helpful information.”
“Over there! That way! The green roof, the alley beside the sign!”
“I’m going this way first! You circle around and come from that direction!”
“Berik! You madman, if you jump from there—!”
The gap between the buildings stretched several meters across. But Berik paid no heed and hurled himself forward, grabbing the tavern sign and clambering up it hand over hand. A middle-aged man nursing a drink locked eyes with him in that instant.
“What the—?”
“Enjoy your drink.”
Berik winked, and the middle-aged man reflexively winked back in greeting. Barsabe, gripping her head in anguish.
“Fangs! I’m going ahead! Eep!”
“Don’t be ridiculous! If you do it, so do I!”
Damn it, damn it, damn it. There was a fundamental difference in physical capability between humans and beasts, after all. Barsabe wiped the sweat seeping from her palms and threw herself forward exactly as Berik had done.
Crash! Thud!
Screeeech!
It was close, but she managed to grab the sign and hang suspended beside Berik. Once was surprising enough, but twice now people were dangling from the window. The customer winked at her just as he had at Berik, and Barsabe raised her middle finger in response.
Patter patter!
“Run! Wahoo!”
“Be quiet while you run!”
The defector entered the back alley. And three shadows followed. Then two Mage Knights raced across the rooftops. Berik and Barsabe kept their eyes fixed on their target, running, climbing, rolling between buildings in relentless pursuit.
Then, at some point.
“They’ve stopped.”
The shadows sensed something and slowed their pace, then came to a complete halt. The defector had made contact with someone.
It was dark, and they were positioned so high that the details were impossible to discern. Berik thrust his head over the railing and sniffed the air.
“What are you doing? Keep your head down.”
“Scent. Trying to see if it’s Timothy. But I can’t tell.”
Stop spouting nonsense and follow me, she said, reaching to grab his scruff—
Screeeech.
“Huh?”
His neck was caught fast in the railing. Berik twisted his body frantically, but it was no use. For something that looked ready to crumble from rust at any moment, it was surprisingly sturdy! Berik thrashed about, looking at Barsabe desperately.
“Um… Senior?”
Whack! Smack!
Asking for help with that sheepish grin. Barsabe saw her chance and struck the back of his head repeatedly, while Berik bit his lip to keep from crying out.
“Why do you always create accidents for me to deal with? Huh?”
“Senior? I’m sorry? So, um, can we pry this open together? I think it’ll work if we do it at the same time.”
“Let me hit you one more time. My insides are turning—”
That was when the defector entered a building deeper in the dark alley, and the shadows moved as well.
Barsabe glanced back and forth between the stuck Berik and the direction they’d gone, then reluctantly moved first.
“I’m going ahead. Follow on your own.”
“Hey! You, Fangs, you lunatic! If you hit me, you’d better make it worth my while! Free me before you go!”
“Shut up. Close your mouth. That beating was payment for your reckless behavior.”
“Ugh. You’re dead, seriously.”
“Hurry and follow.”
Whoosh!
Barsabe leaped hastily from the building and followed them deeper into the shadows. Mud and murky water splattered in all directions.
Soon, faint voices drifted through the air. Barsabe concealed her presence. The shadows from the palace were likely watching them intently as well, holding their breath.
“…so it seems the palace gates won’t open for some time.”
“Any other unusual matters? Rumors say the envoys are dead. Some say three, others say two. Do you know anything about this?”
“Nothing has reached the lower ranks, but they are certainly dead.”
“You don’t know the exact number?”
“I swear it’s the truth.”
“Then what about the mages? Surely you can’t claim ignorance about that as well?”
“The mages are currently in the palace….”
Slash!
In that instant, shadows descended swiftly. Information about the mages was critical intelligence—before the traitor could reveal it, they severed his throat.
The sudden attack transformed the courtyard into chaos. The guards on both sides clashed with the palace shadows, their blades meeting in brilliant flashes of light.
‘Is Timothy among them?’
Whether the traitor died or the Burgos operative bled out mattered little to me. My orders were clear: ‘Timothy’s safety and capture.’
Though my eyes had adjusted to the darkness, they all wore robes that made identification difficult.
‘This is maddening.’
I couldn’t approach recklessly. If Noah’s faction discovered Berik and my presence, suspicion would fall on Ian. Of course, even I didn’t understand why I had to go this far for Timothy.
Clang! Clang!
“T-Timothy!”
Then, a voice from behind, from above. It was Berik, who had barely escaped the railing, crying out. Those locked in fierce combat glanced upward for a moment, but the angle from below prevented them from seeing clearly.
“Timothy! Answer if you’re there!”
“What is this? Who are you?”
The palace faction mistook him for Burgos reinforcements, while the Burgos side realized a third party had come searching for Timothy. As all heads tilted upward, faces were revealed in the moonlight. I confirmed that Timothy was not here.
“Timothy isn’t here!”
“He isn’t? Ah, is that so?”
I shouted for Berik not to come down, and while he hesitated, I climbed back up the building and concealed myself higher.
Confused figures. The Burgos faction recovered their wits first.
Thud!
Slash!
They drove their blades into the palace shadows and immediately prioritized escape, rushing away.
Tap tap tap!
“Chase them! Chase!”
“Request reinforcements!”
The Burgos traitor ran, gasping for breath. He spoke to the Burgos soldier he had contacted.
“What? Why is Timothy’s name mentioned here?”
“That’s what I should be asking. The mages—where are they?”
“The mages are currently… all incapacitated and unable to function… they lack the strength to fight properly and couldn’t return.”
Slash!
At that moment, a blade thrown by the palace shadow pierced the traitor’s throat. His body collapsed forward, having revealed all his information.
The Burgos Soldier clenched his teeth and ran wherever his feet carried him. At the end of the alley, brilliant lights appeared. To hide a tree, one must go to the forest—it was only natural. He crouched low and slipped naturally into the crowd, and the shadows from the palace lost his trail and came to a halt.
“Damn it!”
“He couldn’t have gone far. Search!”
“Hurry and request reinforcements, strengthen the border guards!”
The Burgos Soldier clutched his pounding heart and shook off his pursuers.
Soon it would be time for the promised gathering. In the dizzying chaos, the Burgos Soldier walked toward the meeting place, troubled by a question. The person didn’t seem to be from the palace, so why had Timothy’s name come up?
It seemed they had been following the traitor’s trail. Information had leaked out. But how? Through whom?
Tap.
“You there.”
A man grabbed the shoulder of the aimlessly walking figure. It was Timothy. He examined his dazed subordinate from head to toe and asked. Blood was smeared on him.
“What happened?”
“Ah, Timothy.”
“The information?”
“That is…”
“Let’s move locations first. The border situation seems unusual, so it’s better we move quickly.”
“Yes, understood.”
Following Timothy, the Burgos Soldier found his own answer in the chaos. Whatever it was, Timothy clearly had some kind of relationship with someone inside Clipoford.
‘This should be reported directly to King Damon.’
“By the way, Timothy. It’s true that Mages are currently stationed in the palace. However, they’re in a disabled state and no different from ordinary people, or so I hear. Their condition is so severe they can’t even return to Bariel, so I think now might be the right time. It’s also true that the Envoy is dead. As for the number, rumors suggest two or three.”
“The number of dead Envoys is no longer the issue. We’ve learned of the Mages’ existence and condition.”
“Yes, that’s true.”
“Let’s go. Hurry and report this good news to the King.”
“Understood.”
Unaware that the Mages possessed mana amplifiers, Timothy quickened his pace, excited at the thought of reporting the Mages’ disabled state.
And the Burgos Soldier behind him cast suspicious glances at the back of Timothy’s head. He followed, pondering what problem Timothy might have and what he should report to the King.

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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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