Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor - Chapter 416

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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 416
Fire. Crumbling
Knock, knock.
The Mage’s footsteps calling for me were remarkably cautious. Just moments ago, I had displayed intense emotions before King Damon, and more importantly, I knew my physical condition was far from good.
Once Heil granted permission from within, the Mage peeked only his head through the door to assess my state. I appeared even more pallid, drenched in cold sweat.
I tilted my head slightly, as if asking what the matter was.
“Count Ian. House Sereo has arrived.”
“House Sereo?”
“Yes. They claim to be reinforcements and have reached the front of Clifford’s barrier. Prince Noah asked that I confirm with you first. Even though the situation has concluded, they’ve come all this way, and we cannot simply send them back. If they truly come from Bariel, surely Clifford’s side must exercise greater caution, would they not?”
I furrowed my brow and brushed back my wet hair.
Ordinarily, the participation of nobles in warfare was encouraged. Founded on the principle of noblesse oblige, the private soldiers they commanded, however few in number, would greatly benefit the Empire, and moreover, protect the lives of its citizens.
And above all, there were countless who wished to share in the spoils of war. Like light and darkness, as flowing blood overflowed and anguished moans grew louder, so too would gold ingots overflow in someone’s storehouse and satisfied laughter grow ever sweeter.
But this war had somewhat exceptional circumstances.
“Why would House Sereo come?”
Heil, too, seemed puzzled, as if he understood this.
First, this was not Bariel’s war, but rather Clifford’s and Burgos’s conflict. Moreover, most of the magical forces, including myself, were here under the guise of support.
Then surely it would be natural and proper for the central nobles to remain in the capital, concerned about the emptied imperial palace of Bariel, would it not?
The Mage merely shrugged his shoulders. As if to say, how could he possibly know such things?
“Did Princess Alena perhaps come as well?”
“Princess Alena? You mean the daughter of House Sereo?”
If one tried to understand it, it was possible. To revive the declining House Sereo, they must do something—that burden had driven them here. For House Sereo, this was likely a war in which they had wagered everything.
The Mage shook his head, indicating he still did not know well.
“I only met Count Sereo. I cannot say whether the Princess is present. The forces are considerable—roughly a thousand strong, I would estimate. Clifford’s side says preparations are necessary to receive them. They asked whether you might mediate between the parties, Count Ian.”
“Ask Count Sereo whether he possesses the Emperor’s seal.”
“The Emperor’s seal?”
“The seal of expedition.”
Officially, for central nobles to participate in warfare, the Emperor’s permission was required. This signified that they were special reinforcements from Bariel, and moreover, it served as a sort of credential for the nobles. Upon the war’s conclusion, the Emperor would remember their contributions, and appropriate compensation would be granted.
I gestured as if the matter was settled and rose from my seat. It seemed better to meet Count Sereo directly rather than relay messages through multiple people.
“Count Ian.”
“It’s fine. Are you certain you’re well?”
My body swayed considerably despite merely rising slightly. I clenched my teeth. I was someone who should not waver, yet before Heil and the Mage, it was not easily managed. How frustrating it was that my body would not obey my will, and how heavily it weighed upon my breathing.
But then, Heil naturally grasped my arm and supported me without fuss.
“Lean on me, Count Ian.”
What difficulty was there in grasping if one could grasp, in leaning if one could lean? Why did my superior insist on standing alone?
I slowly grasped his shoulder in response to Heil’s natural consideration. The Mage, too, opened the door wide to allow me to pass through comfortably.
“Should it remain thus when we return to Bariel, Heil, remember what I spoke of before.”
“I refuse. I made my position clear. And this is an effect of Idgal, so it will certainly pass with time. Everyone experiences this, so there is no reason you alone would not, Count Ian.”
Heil would not even hear of the matter regarding the next leader of the magical forces, keeping his gaze fixed on distant mountains.
As I ascended the barrier with careful deliberation, I beheld a thousand-strong contingent of soldiers arrayed in formation. The Bariel flag and House Sereo’s seal fluttered throughout. Sereo immediately recognized my golden hair and waved his hand.
“Count Ian! Hail! Sereo!”
“What brings you here?”
“The Mages are struggling in foreign lands—I couldn’t simply remain idle at the capital. But as expected of Count Ian. I heard the situation has been resolved. I regret making this long journey, but I wanted to lend a hand in the aftermath.”
“Where is the Emperor’s seal?”
“What?”
“If you don’t have the Emperor’s seal, then show me the Prince’s seal.”
Sereo faltered. He had come down without meeting either the Emperor or the Crown Prince, and yet Ian was demanding this. Sereo, conscious of the mercenaries’ gazes as he stood with his arms crossed, raised his voice.
“I descended in haste and failed to obtain the imperial blessing. Count Ian, do we not share a deep connection? I trust you understand my desire to be of help as quickly as possible.”
“I see. Thank you. I didn’t realize Count Sereo held me and the Mage Division in such regard. Indeed, adversity often brings unexpected gains. It seems my relationship with Count Sereo will deepen further.”
Ian answered with a slight smile, leaning against the barrier.
Now then, shouldn’t I open the gate? Sereo looked up with expectant eyes, but Ian made no move.
“However, Count Sereo. Should you and your forces enter through the barrier, Cliffford would have no choice but to extend grand hospitality. After all, we would be receiving Bariel’s reinforcements. Given how overwhelmed we are with the current situation, wouldn’t it be better to receive Count Sereo’s entry modestly from this position? That would truly be helping Cliffford.”
“What? Don’t you lack hands?”
“Not at all. One of Cliffford’s greatest advantages is its large population, is it not? I myself was planning to depart for Bariel early tomorrow morning. Since you’re here, why not return with me? Traveling with Count Sereo would ensure a safe journey home, and I could rest easy. Do you have a carriage?”
A carriage—not a war carriage, but a long-distance one. If he had brought one, there was a strong possibility that Princess Alena had accompanied him. Ian probed Sereo naturally.
And Sereo was easily read.
“We only have one carriage.”
Hmm. Ian’s eyebrows rose slightly.
So Alena had come after all. But since she wasn’t visible now, she must have turned toward Ruswena at the fork in the road. Not merely for the sake of rebuilding her house, but she had chosen the path toward Ruswena entirely. The reconnaissance she had been conducting since the Crown Prince’s appointment ceremony must have suited Alena’s tastes perfectly.
Heil turned his head toward Ian and whispered.
“What shall we do, Ian? Should we open the barrier? In truth, as long as we don’t extend grand hospitality, Cliffford’s side wouldn’t mind having extra hands. It wouldn’t be a bad thing.”
“No. We must not let them inside the barrier under any circumstances.”
“Ah. Yes. I understand. I’ll relay that to those below.”
Heil asked no questions about the reason and immediately gave a hand signal down the stairs. The soldiers who had been waiting to open the barrier all returned to their positions at that moment.
Kuguguguung.
A roar heard from somewhere.
Before they could even comprehend what the sound was, the ground began to shake. Very faintly, but unmistakably. The flag poles planted in the ground swayed slowly side to side, and the helmets and garments the soldiers had hung rattled.
Ian pulled himself away from the barrier and looked toward the source of the sound.
Kwaaaang!
“W-what is that sound?”
“Could reinforcements have arrived from Ruswena?”
“No, the sound came from the direction of the royal palace.”
The tremors continued. Though he had experienced earthquakes before, this was the first time he felt something exploding in addition to the ground shaking.
The soldiers cowered in fear, while Heil leaped into the sky at once to survey the surroundings.
Chwaaaaak!
“Ian! In the distance—a waterspout is rising!”
A waterspout? Sereo couldn’t believe it and spread his palm open. Not a single cloud in the sky, and the breeze was gentle—how could a waterspout be rising?
Ian suddenly recalled the shattered Idgal pendant in his hand. And the mana that had poured from him continuously at that time.
“A fissure.”
Earthquakes were the natural order of things. Coupled with that, the scars on the earth’s crust had opened a fissure.
Ian quickly issued orders to Cliffford’s side. Even then, the earthquake continued. As if it were only beginning, growing stronger bit by bit.
“Tell Prince Noah that it would be wise to evacuate all residents near the rift.”
“Yes! Understood, sir!”
“Ian. Should we go scout ahead?”
One of the Mages asked, but I deliberated for a moment.
Separate from capturing King Damon, we were still facing the enemy forces directly. The reinforcements from the northern region, Ruswena, and Sereo who had arrived at just the right moment.
If I turned my back here, it would be the same as giving the enemy an opening. Moreover, above all else, the rift was occurring inside the Clippoford barrier, under the jurisdiction of the royal palace. I summoned Akorelra.
“Akorelra. Take one subordinate with you and investigate the dragon’s ascension. Its size, power, and the extent of the seismic activity—report all details so we can calculate how much time remains before the rift fully opens.”
“Captain Akorelra!”
“Yes? Yes, yes! I heard! I’m right here!”
Akorelra wiped her greasy mouth with the back of her hand as she bounded out. She seemed to get along well with Berik, and apparently had eaten without reservation at the same table as Atan’s chieftain Efdiram.
Efdiram also emerged, holding a chunk of meat in her hand.
“Mmm. A pleasant scent.”
The scent of demons emanating from the rift. As she savored it and hummed contentedly, Berik found himself instinctively pinching his nose. Yes. There was no denying it. A sweet, cloying something drifted subtly through the air—different from the smell of meat in the dining hall.
But if I acknowledged this, wouldn’t that mean admitting I shared the same nature as Efdiram, and that my path diverged from Bariel’s and Ian’s? My body’s reaction conflicted with my heart, and irritation surged within me.
Boom!
Boom, boom, boom!
“Ahhhhh!”
“It’s getting worse!”
“Everyone get out of there! If it collapses, we’re done for! To the open ground, this way! This way!”
Crash! Thud, thud, thud!
The earth convulsed violently. The traces of countless ages that humans and others had built upon twisted under this irresistible force, and following the source of the sound, the sky gradually turned crimson.
As if the blue sky were being devoured, the world we knew was slowly transforming.
Boom!
Crash!
The Mages lifted me skyward to protect me. As my field of vision rose higher, I could see inside Clippoford, the source of the chaos. Buildings tilted, and people scattered in panic like ants fleeing scalding water.
And within the crevice where the dragon’s ascension leaked through, something like lava glowed ominously.
“That is….”
“Count Ian! What’s happening? Open the door!”
If that boils over and spills into the world, it becomes a demon.
I alternated my gaze between Ruswena’s forces watching from the hillside and Burgos’s forces gathered in confusion, my brow furrowing. And I thought.
Once something is shattered, it cannot be restored. Only the question of how much time remains before complete collapse.

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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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