Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor - Chapter 380

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

Chapter 380
Fire. Before the Tea Grows Cold
A small lantern illuminated Minister Tweller.
Only then did he seem to notice the blood dried on his palm. With an easy laugh, he wiped away the twisted residue out of courtesy.
“You’re not uncomfortable anywhere, are you?”
“As you can see, King Clipoford’s palace has provided me with considerable hospitality.”
“As I’ve mentioned repeatedly, Prince Jin and everyone in the imperial palace were deeply concerned. Especially since the entire Magic Ministry relocated, who would dare claim to understand the gravity of the situation?”
He was indirectly reproaching them for the now-empty Magic Ministry. Though Volb had been the minister at the time, emptying the imperial palace was hardly a wise decision.
When the elder’s gaze fell upon Akorelra and the mages, they subtly looked toward the ceiling and pretended ignorance. He was clearly a seasoned veteran who had rolled through countless battlefields, and his piercing eyes were difficult to bear.
Ian offered him warm tea and continued speaking.
“It is my shortcoming as the one in charge.”
“No. That was not my intention. Please don’t misunderstand.”
“How is Prince Jin faring?”
Ian first inquired about Jin’s well-being. Though the silver hair and blue eyes flickered vividly before his eyes, judging by the circumstances unfolding in the imperial palace, the Jin he knew must have changed considerably.
I wanted to see Jin. More precisely, I wanted to meet him. And through that meeting, I wanted to see his true form as it was inscribed in the original history.
Tweller took a sip of tea, his eyebrows twitching slightly.
“Prince Jin is managing well enough, occupied with imperial affairs, with no major issues. Oh, and what was that name—Xiaoxi?”
“Xiaoxi? Yes. You mean the one who stands by the Prince’s side?”
“He has received an official title. He is now a baron, the same rank as Count Hielo.”
“What?! A baron?!”
Berik, who had been listening quietly, suddenly jumped to his feet and shouted. This made no sense! He was the strongest person in Bariel, so why did Xiaoxi receive a title first? What?! He was the one suffering outside!
Words rushed to the tip of his throat, but Akorelra shoved her fist into Berik’s mouth and grinned.
“My apologies, Minister. During war, doesn’t everyone lose their mind?”
The mages’ eyes rolled wildly. A person out of their mind pretending to be sane was itself terrifying.
Berik struggled, but was dragged outside by Akorelra and the mages, while Tweller watched the scene with interest.
“So that’s Berik.”
“You know of him?”
“Yes. He’s the guard that the Magic Minister keeps with him, and he belongs to the Imperial Guards. Quite an impressive fellow, wouldn’t you say?”
Rumors had spread that the Magic Ministry planted him to monitor the Imperial Guards. Of course, those who had actually seen Berik and knew his temperament shook their heads, saying he didn’t seem particularly useful.
Tweller scrutinized Berik from top to bottom in the briefest moment and murmured.
“His body is solid for his size. Such men have natural momentum. They may not excel in war, but in combat they certainly stand out. All that’s needed is to train his temperament a bit.”
Tweller smiled playfully. It was a comment made with full awareness of what couldn’t be trained.
Ian nodded, signaling it was time to move to the main topic. Prince Noah had been eagerly listening to the two men’s conversation from the start.
What he was curious about was not the pleasantries of ministers meeting for the first time, but what the reinforcements from Bariel had accomplished and how the current war situation was unfolding.
“Ah, well. Where should I begin? First, the exact number of supply routes from Ruswena to Burgos remains unclear. It seems they’re moving in divided groups, as if they anticipated this. The wagons we seized contained dragon scales, a certain amount of mana stones, and powder-like substances.”
“Powder?”
“I suspect it might be a substance needed for manufacturing black armor. Count Ian, do you happen to know anything about it?”
“No. I also have no knowledge of the manufacturing process. There’s no need to assume it’s directly related to that. Making assumptions always narrows one’s perspective.”
“A wise observation. In any case, my subordinates are tracking other supply routes along with the two mages who haven’t returned. Finding that supply depot seems to be the priority, so I’m considering letting one of them slip through.”
If we locate the supply depot, there’s a possibility that black armor is being manufactured nearby. Therefore, even if supplies are delivered, knowing the location would allow us to launch a surprise attack and halt production.
“That decision is for Minister Tweller to make. I have no military authority.”
“You may lack military authority, but don’t you possess the authority of the mages, which supersedes that?”
“Hmm. It seems I need to inform you of this as well, Minister. The mages cannot freely exert their power on this land.”
Tweller’s wrinkles twitched subtly, as if hearing something unexpected.
As long as mages existed, the outcome of war could be determined with absolute precision. This was the reason Bariel had grown into an empire and maintained its status until now, and it was evidence that this was a place blessed by the divine.
But mages unable to exert their power?
“It seems you’re still experiencing some discomfort.”
“No. My strength has nearly returned. The mages are likewise gradually regaining their usual stamina. The problem is Clipoford’s land. I heard you’ve participated in battles against monsters, Minister. Is that correct?”
“Monster battles. Yes. Countless times.”
“Then you must know the conditions of terrain where monsters frequently spawn. According to the intelligence we’ve gathered, fissures are occurring beneath Clipoford’s land. A major earthquake is also anticipated.”
Tweller’s lips, which had been curved in a smile, hardened sharply. The situation was more serious than he’d thought. He’d assumed the mission was simply to stop Ruswena, aid Clipoford, and safely retrieve the mages. But monsters and fissures?
“That’s problematic.”
“Yes. Problematic in many ways.”
Whether Clipoford fell to Burgos or Ruswena, or whether fissures opened and the land became infested with monsters, it was a threat to Bariel. A menacing force was drawing dangerously close.
I explained to Tweller the proposal I had made to Prince Noah.
“Therefore, opportunities are limited. If Ruswena has deployed black-armored soldiers and mages, ordinary soldiers cannot stop them. So Clipoford will open the path to lure them toward us. A single strike to finish them seems the better judgment in many respects.”
“Hmm. Just a moment. Prince Noah. Would you show me the map?”
At Tweller’s request, Noah’s subordinate brought and unfolded the map. His eyes, gleaming brightly within the wrinkles, examined it carefully. His fingertips traced along the paths, and he tapped here and there. Noah bit his dry lips, waiting for Tweller’s opinion.
“By any chance, do you know which general from Ruswena’s side might appear?”
“I don’t know. We’re ignorant on that front. Since Bariel has essentially attacked Ruswena officially, we cannot rule out the possibility that King Eriponi himself might take the field.”
“Good. I believe Count Ian’s strategy is worth adopting. However, there is a condition.”
“A condition?”
“The one leading Ruswena’s forces must be suspicious, clever, and cautious by nature.”
“Ah. Yes. Then that’s good. Originally, I planned to open the path from this forest as the starting point, but it would be better to open it from the very front.”
“Before the paths diverge. Yes, yes.”
“Wait, wait! What are the two of you saying right now?”
As Ian and Tweller exchanged incomprehensible remarks back and forth, Noah couldn’t help but raise his hand. Here they were, discussing strategy without including the prince of his own nation.
Ian and Tweller simultaneously made apologetic expressions, and Tweller placed his hand over his chest in apology.
“My apologies, Your Highness.”
“Why not lure them from the forest path first, but instead open the path ahead—the one adjacent to the border? Of course, the intention is for Ruswena to approach the capital, but isn’t that too…?”
Isn’t that too extreme? Even a bloodless conquest has its limits. What’s the difference between opening the border wide and inviting the enemy to enter?
Moreover, if Ruswena changes tactics and, instead of approaching the capital, turns toward nearby villages to massacre and destroy buildings, all meaning in this decision would fade.
“Well, Your Highness. Let me pose a hypothetical. You and I are on very bad terms. We’re desperate to kill each other.”
I gestured for Noah to calm himself. Then I offered him the teacup I’d been drinking from and smiled.
“But one day, I kindly offer you tea like this. If I personally hand it to you while it’s still warm, would you drink it without worry, Your Highness?”
Noah’s face wavered at the sight of the swirling liquid.
The answer was obvious. Whether one were royalty, nobility, or even a commoner, they would hesitate and refuse.
“I absolutely would not drink it.”
“Exactly. Now, applying this logic, let me reconsider. Ruswena arrived with a great army to seize Clipoford. They know that Bariel’s reinforcements and mages are here. Yet, there’s no one blocking them at the border. Only an unnaturally quiet forest and empty paths await them. How do you think Ruswena would act?”
Noah let out a small exclamation, as if he finally understood.
“What I initially proposed was bringing Ruswena to the capital, but Minister Tweller added his own touch to it. By making Ruswena suspicious and buying us time, we can create an opening to request additional reinforcements for Bariel. Though I suppose we couldn’t call them reinforcements at that point.”
Throwing the nation into the maelstrom of war meant that the Imperial Defense Ministry, and quite possibly the Imperial Guards as well, would likely be mobilized. Since Prince Jin seemed to have established a certain standing within the palace, such a request for support shouldn’t pose a problem.
“Whether Ruswena enters immediately or hesitates at the border, either way we can turn it to our advantage. So, well.”
I pointed out the villages near the border one by one, advising that we should evacuate this area quickly.
Initially, I had planned to open a path by appearing to retreat with only a small force, but now there was no need for such measures—we would clear everything out entirely.
“What do you think, Prince? Isn’t it worth attempting?”
Noah held his chin thoughtfully before nodding.
I was right. The objective was to lure them closer to us anyway. But if they grew suspicious and didn’t come? That would be even better.
“As Minister Tweller mentioned, several conditions must be met. There should be a conspicuous absence of any signs of life around the border. We must construct deceptive structures that defy assessment, and Ruswena’s general must be a cautious and experienced man.”
“There’s much work to be done. I cannot sit idle while the tea grows cold.”
Tweller drained his cup in one gulp and rose from his seat.
“My subordinates continue to track the supplies, so we should receive further intelligence before the next sunrise or sunset. I shall request additional reinforcements from Bariel along with my report.”
“Ah, I’ll handle the request for reinforcements. It would be best to send a detailed account of our situation along with mention of meeting with you, Minister Tweller.”
“If that is your preference, Count Ian, so be it.”
Tweller donned the armor he had removed, gauging the time. He was estimating where his subordinates might be by now and what manner of pursuit they were conducting. He extended his hand to me once more.
“I shall recover all the supplies and return. When I do, I hope to drink tea that hasn’t grown cold.”
“Yes, Minister Tweller. Safe travels.”
“And may you remain unharmed as well, Prince.”
“Thank you, Minister.”
As Noah grasped his hand in gratitude, Tweller shook his head firmly.
“No. All of this is by Prince Jin’s will.”
In that moment, I realized that Prince Jin had truly set foot within the palace.

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