Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor - Chapter 388

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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 388
Fire. Berik, at That Moment
While the Mages clashed in the sky, Berik stood transfixed, gazing up at that beautiful explosion. Blood erupted across the battlefield as Burgos and Clippoford forces tangled together, yet nothing matched the beauty of what unfolded above.
Berik heard Hasha’s scream the moment Ian and the Mages drew out their mana amplifiers.
“Aaaahhhhh!”
Even amid countless voices, it was unmistakable. The cry of someone he knew.
Berik reflexively twisted his body to look toward the Synthetic Monsters, and immediately spotted what appeared to be Burgos Officers swinging their blades at Hasha.
As Hasha desperately twisted Tiefe’s tongue to protect himself, the Officers pressed the Sorcerer harder, unwilling to miss the opening.
“Why are you doing this!?”
“Why? You know better than anyone! Traitor! You leaked information when you were with Clippoford, didn’t you? How else would a Mage discover the Sorcerer’s location and intelligence?”
“It’s slander and a misunderstanding! Damn it! Turn your blades toward the true enemy, not me!”
“You’re the closest enemy we have!”
“I’ll present the annihilation of Astana as a gift to the King!”
“Tell us what deal you made with that Mage!”
Clang! Clang!
I’ve been exposed.
Hasha continued deflecting the Officers’ blades with Tiefe’s tongue, but it was as though he’d thrown himself into a bomb.
This was because he’d invested so much effort in positioning soldiers to protect the Sorcerer. The soldiers who had surrounded him protectively now changed their attack direction at the Officers’ command, and every blade that had been aimed at Clippoford now converged on Hasha.
The Clippoford Soldiers were bewildered, yet had no time to pause and assess the situation. If a problem had arisen in the enemy’s ranks, wasn’t that an opportunity?
“Push forward! The enemy’s left flank is collapsing!”
“We’ll finish this side before the Synthetic Monsters join from the right wing! We’re winning! Keep advancing with all your strength! Don’t fear death and keep going! Remember, your families’ futures depend on our steps!”
“Forward! Forward!”
The frontmost ranks of the Burgos forces—the shield-bearing left flank soldiers—gradually retreated before the increasingly fierce Clippoford Soldiers. They needed supporting attacks to hold the line, but Hasha’s situation had scattered all such reinforcements.
And Berik, still weaving between them, pretended not to notice as he cut down enemies and slowly approached Hasha.
‘I think he said not to let on that I know.’
Berik frowned, recalling Ian’s words.
If this were the final battle of the war, it wouldn’t matter. Burgos would fall, and Astana would suffer no harm from it. Rather, Clippoford advancing northward might even favor Astana, bringing them hope.
But the problem was that this was still the early stages of war. Unless he killed all those leaders, including the General, once the battle reached a stalemate, Hasha’s betrayal would reach Damon’s ears. Then Astana would be in immediate danger.
And Hasha’s succession was equally at stake.
‘Ah, damn it. What do I do?’
Should I save him or not?
Ideally, if Hasha could face them alone and escape cleanly, there’d be no problem. But watching the situation unfold, it didn’t seem likely.
“Iaaaan!”
Berik shouted toward the sky, but his voice was drowned out by the continuous explosions.
Give me an order! What should I do!?
“Yaaaaan! Iaaaan!”
“Stop wailing like you’ve lost your mother!”
“Shut up, I don’t have a mother!”
Whoooosh!
Berik irritably slashed down the soldiers around him.
My magical power output was restricted, and it wasn’t effective against my opponent anyway. I had no choice but to continue swinging my sword simply, certainly, and somewhat monotonously.
As Berik approached Hasha in that manner, a gap opened up, and through it, the Clippoford Soldiers were able to advance.
“There! The ten o’clock direction is open!”
“Exploit the gap!”
“Waaaaah!”
Clang! Clang!
I drew close enough to catch the putrid stench of the Synthetic Monsters. Seeing Hasha locked in fierce combat against the Burgos Soldiers, Berik shouted to draw my attention to himself.
“Hey! King of Burgos’s lackey!”
“What, what?”
“I’m right here. What are you doing?”
Whoooosh!
Hasha also noticed Berik’s approach. But for the same reason, he couldn’t easily call out for my help.
He continued to dodge the incoming blades while concentrating, and soon warned the Officer.
“I am the successor who came to Astana to aid King Damon! If you continue to slander and threaten me like this, I will lodge a formal protest with King Damon, and this will have considerable influence on the other Sorcerers!”
“Shut up! Traitor!”
“You call me a traitor, yet you can’t produce a shred of evidence!”
Berik continued swinging his sword while listening intently to how the situation was unfolding. Hasha’s eyes met his and darted urgently left and right. Don’t move until I give the signal.
He caught that perfectly. Berik winked with his eyes, and the soldier he’d been facing absurdly followed the gaze and turned his head. Before he could realize where Berik’s eye contact was directed, his head fell.
“If you continue attacking, I will seek refuge with Clippoford!”
“Hahaha! Look at this, look at this! What kind of trick is this!”
“I will seek refuge and lodge a formal protest with King Damon. The northern nations may be small, but we are not vassal states—rather, we provide considerable strength throughout Burgos. Yet this is how we are treated, with such an attitude! My protest will move the other Sorcerers, and all will turn their backs on Burgos!”
Point by point, Hasha created justification even while maneuvering the Synthetic Monster. But five or six Burgos Soldiers continued their assault.
Tiefe’s tongue calmly parried them. These soldiers also wielded weapons honed with Idgal, so they had become shorter from being worn down considerably.
Hasha turned toward Berik and shouted.
“You there! The Warrior from Clippoford!”
“Me? I’m from Bariel.”
“Anyway! I declare my surrender! Can you help me?”
“Ah, okay, okay. That kind of thing? Sure.”
A direct request for help had come in. This was it!
Deliberating on what to do didn’t suit my nature. Rather than making decisions myself, it was far easier and less complicated to move under decisions already made, and above all, I wouldn’t cause Ian to lose face through my own mistakes.
“That’s all I was waiting for! Ha—”
“Hasha! My name is Hasha!”
“Ah, right. We’re meeting for the first time, aren’t we? Yeah. Right. Hasha! I’ll make a path, so just run that way. I’ll cover you!”
“Yeah, thanks. Be—”
“Berik! My name is Berik!”
“I know! I heard the Mages calling you!”
“Oh, you did? I didn’t know!”
They awkwardly pretended not to know each other, even exchanging names.
Berik took a moment to catch his breath, then released his magical power. A brilliant light flickered across the black sword, and his crimson hair fluttered. The soldiers quickly drove their shields into the ground to brace themselves, but this time Berik had learned as well.
“I’m not going that way this time!”
Zing! Boom!
Rather than shattering the shield, I channeled force upward, causing everyone to stumble back.
Hasha moved toward Berik using the synthetic monster as a shield, while Berik moved to protect him.
“Look at them! Now they’re openly defecting!”
“Not defecting, you blockhead! Didn’t you just hear the proclamation? Did your eyes go blind? Are your ears broken?”
“You, you shameless fool! Kill him! He’s a key force of Cliffford! I’ll grant a great reward to whoever brings me his head!”
“I’m Bariel’s man, I tell you! You really are a blockhead! Take my head and I’ll give you a reward too! Try it!”
Whoooosh!
Clang! Ching-ching!
“The Sorcerer is fleeing! Capture him!”
“How… how do we capture that?”
“Not the monster, you fool! Capture the Sorcerer!”
Hasha’s sudden change of direction threw the surrounding area into chaos.
Prince Noah watched from atop his horse through a spyglass. He wasn’t entirely sure what was happening, but it seemed Hasha was making an official surrender toward their side. Noah issued orders to his subordinate.
“Help Berik! When the synthetic monster gets close, don’t attack it—only engage the Burgos Soldiers!”
“Yes, understood!”
“Clear the path! The synthetic monster and the Sorcerer have turned to our side! Look! The banner of victory moves!”
“Waaaah! Let’s go!”
An unexpected situation unfolded centered on Hasha. The other Sorcerers watched him in bewilderment, then moved to attack him following the General’s orders.
The left flank of Burgos was completely shattered by the advancing Cliffford forces pressing from the front. Without support from the right flank, this battle could only end in complete defeat.
Fortunately or unfortunately, the woman with dark blue hair who had been ravaging Burgos’s right flank disappeared from sight. She seemed to be a Mage Knight as well, and with the pressure on the right flank gone, support became relatively possible.
“The left flank must not collapse! Those with shields, maintain formation! Don’t fear even if Cliffford presses forward! It’s like throwing your body into water! We’ll cut them down one by one, slowly!”
“General! Hasha continues to move. It seems Cliffford is also opening a path.”
“Look at that. He truly was a traitor. Tsk tsk. I’m changing tactics! All rear units of the right flank, move to the left! I repeat! We’ll decide this battle on the left flank! Leave only minimal forces on the right, and advance into Cliffford’s line of fire!”
Since Burgos’s left flank was in direct collision with Cliffford, the right flank would strike Cliffford’s side through that gap. This would create a situation equivalent to encircling the enemy. The tide of battle could shift in countless ways.
And even if Hasha had defected, they still had Sorcerers remaining.
No problem. The General muttered thus, wiping away blood spraying from all directions.
“Hasha! Why don’t you abandon the monster? Then I can just grab you and run!”
“Abandon this?”
“Besides, no one else can move it anyway. Leave it and come back for it later!”
Hasha hesitated briefly, but decided Berik’s proposal was better. If left standing like a wall, Burgos would treat it as an immovable barrier, and more importantly, it would add speed to their escape.
Hasha reached out his hand to Berik, and Berik grasped him and hoisted him onto his back in one swift motion.
“Hyah! Let’s go!”
“Berik! You’re holding me upside down!”
“So what? You don’t have blood anyway!”
“Still, ugh!”
“Ugh! Quiet! I’m in the middle of swordplay!”
Clang! Ching!
Hasha clung to Berik while hanging half-upside down, and Berik leaped lightly, stepped on a shield, and dashed forward.
And in that moment.
Boom! Boom!
Crash!
A tremendous explosion erupted from the sky. It was so violent that even those locked in combat instinctively threw themselves to the ground.
Berik hesitated and looked up. My Flame Spirit was thrashing about, trying to seize something black, but it didn’t seem to be going well at all.
“…Ian?”
Ian was bleeding. With a pained grimace, he was bleeding just like before.
Berik froze in shock, and Hasha quickly straightened his posture and lifted his head.
“Count Ian? What’s happening to him?”
“Ian! Ian!”
Why was his left sleeve like that? Why was he coughing blood? What were the Mages standing with him even doing? Why was Ian alone confronting something black like this? A thousand questions swirled on Berik’s tongue, but none would come out.
Hasha barely deflected the blades pouring down on them while shaking Berik.
“Berik! Let’s head to the Clippoford encampment first! This place is dangerous!”
“Damn it, seriously.”
“Berik! Move!”
“You damn Mages, what are you doing!”
“Berik!”
“Damn it, we’re really screwed.”
Akorelra placed her hand on my back. At the same moment, the other Mages seemed to be lending their power as well.
Berik saw me smile slightly. I was smiling, yet why did this uneasy feeling wash over him?
Berik thought it best to first throw Hasha into the Clippoford encampment and then join over there. It was a battle in the sky, so he wasn’t sure if he could even reach it.
“Ian! Wait! I’m coming right now!”
“Berik! Run!”
Hasha shook Berik’s shoulder, and Berik exhaled once before breaking into a sprint. The Clippoford Soldiers recognized Berik and cleared a path. He could see Prince Noah gesturing for him to come this way.
The moment Berik’s feet touched that ground.
Boom! Crash!
An explosion incomparably louder than before erupted. The earth trembled, the sky shook, and the blast was so violent it felt as though the very hearts of the living would stop.
Berik stared blankly at the sky, unable to see anything. It must have been the light. He could see nothing, absolutely nothing.

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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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