Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor - Chapter 357

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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 357
Fire. Magical Anomaly Detection
I gazed up at the enormous map of Cliffford that stretched to the ceiling. Key military strongholds and restricted zones that couldn’t be revealed to outsiders were covered with cloth.
Apart from those sections, it was a resource that allowed me to grasp the entire terrain of Cliffford at a glance. The altitude of forests, the beginning and end of cliffs, the flow of rivers—all were recorded in meticulous detail. This was crucial intelligence that could leverage geographical advantages during war, and sharing it with me was a gesture of trust that carried considerable risk.
The Advisors glanced at me with worried eyes. I had requested to see the complete map, yet I had remained silent for several minutes now, offering no explanation.
“Count Ian. Why did you ask to see the entire map? Your silence makes it difficult for us to discern your intentions.”
The Advisors turned their gaze toward the Mages huddled behind us. But they too seemed clueless, merely shrugging their shoulders.
I remained absorbed in concentration, offering no response. Soon I stepped back a pace and took in all of Cliffford at once. With the tip of my finger, I pointed to the border region with Bariel—the very place where the magical anomaly device had been buried.
“The magical anomaly device is manufactured and maintained by Bariel, isn’t it? Right, Akorelra?”
“Yes, that’s correct. Though it seems Burgos and Ruswena manufacture and manage their own, but since Cliffford has no Mages at all….”
The concentration of Mages was centered in Bariel, though Burgos and Ruswena were not entirely without them either. It was simply that their numbers were far too few.
Rather than working for national development and balance like Bariel, they had chosen their own paths. Pursuing truth, drawing closer to divine power, finding happiness in the present moment—such things.
I nodded and posed a question.
“It’s true that a magical anomaly reaction occurred at the border between Bariel and Cliffford, but what I’m curious about is how far that range extends.”
“Pardon?”
“How far does that reaction reach from the border? The forest we traversed? Or the vineyards? If it goes beyond that, we reach the royal palace here, and further still—the entire capital?”
“Count Ian. What are you saying….”
The bewildered Cliffford Advisors interjected in confusion.
But Akorelra recognized this as a matter that absolutely needed to be confirmed. The readings had been abnormally high compared to normal years—explosively high, to put it differently. If that were the case, it was only natural the range wouldn’t be limited to just the border.
“Since the magical anomaly device was only used to monitor Bariel’s safety, we overlooked it. With readings that significant, it wouldn’t be strange if the entire Cliffford region were affected. Say, how many kilometers is it from the border to here?”
Zing. Zing.
Akorelra released her magical power and soared into the air. A remarkable sight by any measure. The King and Advisors watched in amazement as she began pinning locations on the map.
“What’s going on? Tell me too!”
“Stupid mutt. Wait. I’m calculating distances right now.”
“So what exactly are you calculating?”
As Berik brushed off the raisins that had been sitting on the table and ate them, the King watched him intently.
Oh no. Were these the King’s? I’m going to get scolded. The moment Berik thought this, the King smiled broadly and handed him raisins from another table as well.
“Think about it carefully. A magical anomaly reaction was detected at the border. But only there, right? There were no problems on the Bariel side. So the exact location where the rift occurred isn’t the border—it’s deeper inland, originating from the heart of Cliffford.”
What was detected at the border was merely a wave emanating from an inland source. Akorelra used her palm as a reference point to calculate the scale, then gradually descended. Muttering to herself, she repeatedly folded and unfolded her fingers on the other hand, continuing her incomprehensible calculations.
“You said it was about three times higher than normal years. If the standard detection device is subdivided into 0.322 units, and I calculate the depth relative to the area to roughly pinpoint the location….”
“What are you talking about, you crazy magical stone!”
“Shut up, you stupid mutt! My sister’s thinking here!”
“Whoa, did you see? Did you see that look in her eyes? She’s completely insane.”
“Here it is!”
Boom!
“This location has an extremely, incredibly, massively high probability of being the source of the magical anomaly reaction! Unless I’ve made a mistake!”
Akorelra confidently brought her fist down on a section of the map. The King and Cliffford’s Advisors flinched, staring at the spot she had indicated with tilted heads.
“But that’s the capital….”
“Oh, is it? Well, I see!”
As if to say, what does that matter? Akorelra smiled with eyes that radiated absolute confidence in her calculations—there was no possibility of error.
The King rose from his seat, examined the map, and turned to look at me.
“Are you saying that Count Ian, along with the Mages, are reporting that issues related to magical anomalies are occurring in the capital of Cliffford, in this very capital where the royal palace stands?”
“It’s not certain, but—”
“It is certain! Ian! I’m Akorelra!”
“That appears to be the case.”
I nodded in affirmation, gesturing toward Akorelra.
With the last Mage having died decades ago, any disaster related to magical power would be a critical matter directly tied to the nation’s survival. The King and his Advisors fell silent, unable to utter a single word.
A heavy silence descended. Unable to bear it, Heil carefully offered reassurance.
“However, this is merely a theoretical argument. Since Cliffford has detected no signs whatsoever, if we conduct a thorough investigation from this moment forward and establish countermeasures, there should be no problem.”
“Since there is no one using magical power, even if there were signs, they would have gone unnoticed.”
“Among perceptual changes, earthquakes are the most notable example. Has one perhaps occurred recently?”
“An earthquake?”
The King and his Advisors’ faces turned pale as if they had grasped something.
I sat in my chair and checked the time. By now, Prince Noah may have encountered the Burgos forces. I needed to hear any news so I could establish new countermeasures accordingly.
Akorelra, as if to ensure they listened carefully, struck the map repeatedly and explained to the Cliffford people.
“The causal relationship between which occurs first—the earthquake or the magical anomaly—remains unclear. However, what is certain is that when these two calamities unfortunately interlock, magical beasts manifest, and beasts from other regions that have lost their habitats migrate here. Humans can only lose in that war. History proves it. Just look at the north right now—yes, the northwest by Bariel’s standards.”
A hotbed of chaos and confusion. Astana, where Hasha resided, was also located in that direction and suffered accordingly. In a situation where land seized by magical beasts left insufficient space to stand, the nation was torn asunder, and tribes raised their own flags—Gaia’s hell.
The King staggered and gripped the table to stand. If things went wrong, Cliffford could face the same path. No, it would be worse than that.
‘At least the north is lined with sorcerers including Gypsies, but Cliffford is an entirely human nation, is it not? The royal family may be beastkin, but they possess no special abilities. Above all, if Cliffford falls into chaos due to magical beasts, the sentiment toward beastkin will deteriorate even further. Beyond the nation itself, the very existence of the royal family would be threatened.’
I regarded the King of Cliffford with a calm gaze. He too would transform into a fox when the curse period came, just like Noah. It was unfortunate in many ways.
Though it bordered Bariel, it was ultimately a foreign nation, so I decided to step back and observe the situation from a distance.
‘Most of all, I’m curious whether Damon knows about this.’
It was almost certain that Idgal would be mobilized to counter the Mage. Only when reports came in regarding Burgos’s tactics and responses could I establish assumptions. It was the moment I rolled up my sleeves.
Tap, tap, tap!
Crash! Boom!
“Your Highness, Your Highness!”
“What is the matter?”
“News from the vanguard that departed with Prince Noah!”
A commotion erupted outside. The King ordered them to enter quickly and first examined the Messenger’s condition. Though covered in sweat and dust, not a drop of blood stained him. From the Messenger’s state, the King seemed to discern the condition of his own son.
“What has happened? The Burgos forces?”
“Burgos has breached the border barrier and invaded. Their numbers total five thousand, and they are currently approaching the passage leading to Baki village.”
“A blessing in misfortune. Baki has narrow and difficult terrain, does it not? One must cross a bridge there. We can hold them at that point!”
As the Advisors added a word in jubilation, the Soldier shook his head.
“There is a problem. Burgos has mobilized magical beasts. The beast that destroyed the barrier is called Baekgak, and it is said to have contaminated the land so severely that purification is impossible. Prince Noah has decided to disperse Burgos’s forces with Baki as the focal point, and to deal with Baekgak, which will remain in the places Burgos has passed, including the border. It would be wise to dispatch reinforcement legions with haste….”
I crossed my arms. Burgos mobilized magical beasts? This strongly suggested that Damon knew of Cliffford’s magical anomalies.
The already elevated anomaly readings were being continuously stimulated by the mobilization of magical beasts. This was undoubtedly a tactic chosen alongside the ambition to completely consume the nation.
“Baekgak is a lower-tier magical beast. Once the situation with Burgos is resolved, it can be sufficiently handled. The problem would be the Baekgak that bursts forth during that process. Regarding the contaminating substances released when it ruptures….”
Was there a purification method? As I looked at Akorelra, she simply smiled innocently.
“Well, I specialize in magical stones.”
“…There should be materials in Bariel. For now, since Prince Noah’s response is as stated, it would be wise for Your Highness to make a prudent judgment.”
Cliffford had a larger population compared to Burgos and Ruswena. Particularly, given their culture of farming and entertainment, there was no shortage of young people.
It was a defining characteristic of the military strength they could muster, yet also a relative weakness. Other nations possessed transcendent powers—sorcerers, magical beasts, mages, and the like.
“Right. Five thousand. Prince Noah must have dispersed them, but we need to respond accordingly. Deploy the three legions on standby.”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
Before the fire grew larger, they were hastening to suppress it.
Three legions amounted to roughly six thousand troops. I didn’t know how Prince Noah’s efforts had fared, but with a swift push, we could halt the enemy’s advance. And if we could reduce our reliance on the mages even slightly, wouldn’t that ease our diplomatic burden as well?
“Have we identified who commands the Burgos forces?”
At my question, the soldier shook his head.
“No, sir. When we confirmed the situation from the forest, we only saw the rear of the Burgos army.”
“When the initial report came from the border, it said Messenger Timothy was at the front, but he’s an envoy, not a commander. There must be a separate commander acting under Damon’s orders alongside him. We should verify that first.”
When I informed the King, he nodded repeatedly with an expression that said ‘I hear you.’ The Advisors moved busily, and the royal palace was turned upside down once more in preparation for deployment.
Left alone in the war room were the mages. One of them suddenly glanced at a clock and muttered.
“Still, why hasn’t he arrived yet?”
“Maybe his magic wore off on the way?”
“Surely not. A mage has his pride.”
“How can he be later than a messenger? He’s flying through the sky, for heaven’s sake.”
They were speaking of the mage sent for reconnaissance who hadn’t returned. He could cut through the air and fly—a simple scouting mission should have had him back long ago.
“Ian!”
Patter, patter, patter!
“Ah, there he is.”
“Can’t help but comment when we’re talking about him, can we? Hey! Why are you so late? I thought you might have fallen.”
The mage entered, bewilderedly glancing around the empty corridor. Like the messenger, he too was drenched in sweat.
The mages welcomed him with relief, and firmly shut the wide-open door. There might be information that shouldn’t be shared.
“Good work. Just now a messenger arrived, and the King of Cliffford has mobilized in response. Prince Noah is trying to disperse the Burgos forces.”
“Ah, yes. And the magical beast—”
“We heard about the beast too, man! Baekgak! It broke through the barrier, and? That’s what happened, right?”
The mage raised his fist as if to say ‘shut your mouth,’ then reported to me.
“Currently, Burgos has passed through Baki village and entered the outer towns. Their advance is quite relentless. They seem focused solely on the capital, charging ahead. And besides Baekgak, there’s another magical beast they brought—one I’ve never seen before.”
“What does it look like? Describe it.”
“Well, that’s the thing….”
His tone suggested he was at a loss for words. He eventually picked up a pen and sketched what he had seen.
“That’s strange. I drew it with my hand, but why does it look like I drew it with my feet?”
“Does anyone have any idea?”
“Hmm….”
The mages huddled together and stared at it for a long while before finally suggesting to me.
“Wouldn’t it be better if you saw it directly, Ian?”

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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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