Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor - Chapter 430

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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 430
Fire. A Fragment of the Tongue
“Ian has been implicated in a connection with the Imperial Family?”
Philia’s eyes widened in disbelief at such an absurd claim. A laugh escaped her unbidden—a scoff born purely from bewilderment. Confusion and incredulity coexisted within her with striking clarity.
Berik watched this unfold while popping a handful of sugar candy into his mouth. From her reaction alone, it was clear the rumor was indeed baseless.
“Isn’t it?”
“I have no idea why such a thing would even be said.”
“It seems to be because Ian is simply too exceptional.”
“Ian doesn’t have blue eyes—he has green eyes, and besides, he looks exactly like me. Before Count Derga left for the Great Desert as part of the peace accord, he had Ian’s bloodline examined. I remember the discussion about imperial approval regarding his registration.”
“Is that so? That old codger certainly was thorough in his preparations.”
“Indeed. How meticulous he was. At first, I kept Ian hidden from everyone. I insisted he wasn’t Derga’s child, that someone had simply misheard something.”
“Where is that bloodline examination record?”
“The Cheonryeo Tribe in the Great Desert likely keeps it. I should inform Nersaren. Since it only reacts to those of the same bloodline, if I’m tested as well, any doubts about our lineage will be dispelled.”
“Hmm. No, actually. I don’t think you and Ian need to be tested. Your appearances vouch for you. The problem Romandro is concerned about is…”
Crunch, crunch. Berik chewed the sugar candy melting on his tongue as he mumbled.
“You, Philia.”
“Me? Why would I be a problem?”
“Derga is a nobleman, so his bloodline is certain, but what if it turns out your parents or their generation belonged to the Imperial Family?”
“That’s nonsense.”
Philia raised her eyebrows, asking if he was serious. Though she was as good as an orphan, she remembered her parents with perfect clarity.
Parents who would caress her pale, soft cheeks and sigh with worry. Parents who said it was better to live like the wind—having nothing, appearing to have nothing—but who apologized for leaving her with golden hair like spun gold.
In the depths of winter, her father had set out to find food and never returned. The following spring, her mother drowned in the thawing lake. After that, most of Philia’s life had been solitary, yet those childhood memories remained vivid in her heart.
“There’s no way that could be true.”
“Then that settles it. Romandro said to maintain your daily routine and not to be too startled if anything happens.”
Berik finished the remaining candy and rose from his seat.
“The bloodline record should still be in the Imperial Palace. I’ll deliver it. Stay warm and take care of yourself.”
“Wait. Could I… could I go with you?”
“Huh? I just told you? You’re supposed to maintain your routine.”
“I want to see Ian. For him to face such hardship immediately after returning from the battlefield seems too cruel. The Imperial Palace is what it is, but… I want to hold Ian the way you held me.”
As tears began to glisten in Philia’s eyes, Berik let out a strangled sound and took a step back. He quickly glanced around—checking whether Nersaren was watching.
As far as Berik knew, nothing in this world was more troublesome or powerful than Philia’s tears. They melted both Nersaren and Ian like sugar. How could he possibly resist?
Berik scratched his head frantically, pacing back and forth in agitation.
“Ah, this won’t do. Really.”
“We can just go see his face for a moment and come back. Berik.”
“Ian is incredibly busy.”
“Even seeing him from a distance is fine. How could I, as his mother, sit idle when my son has endured death and returned?”
“…If Romandro asks, I’ll say Philia pressured me into this.”
“Of course. Everyone will know it was all because I pestered you.”
“Get your coat. Let’s go.”
“Thank you.”
Philia planted a quick kiss of gratitude on Berik’s cheek and moved swiftly. Just as she turned toward the stairs—
Crash!
“Kyaaah! My lady!”
Boom! Bang!
Mini’s scream echoed from the inner room. Startled, Philia spun around, and Berik instinctively drew his sword and rushed inside. Nersaren and the Cheonryeo Tribe warriors, who had been training in the back courtyard, responded just as swiftly. Everyone reacted with keen alertness to Mini’s small cry. After all, this mansion had to be safer than anywhere else.
“What’s happening? Why!?”
“Berik!”
Philia, who had grasped the situation first, turned and blocked Berik’s path. Viviana’s groans of distress continued to echo from within.
“Don’t go in there. Listen, we need a midwife. A midwife is needed.”
“…What’s that?”
“The baby is coming, so we need someone to help. There’s a grandmother next door who used to be a midwife. Nersaren!”
“Right, Philia! I’ll go fetch her!”
“We should also inform Romandro.”
“Wasn’t Berik about to head to the palace? Hurry and go get Romandro and bring him here. Now!”
Unlike Berik, who stood there in shock, the Warriors moved with considerable flexibility. After all, every child in the tribe was born this way.
Berik turned to look at Philia, urged on by the Warriors.
“My lady Philia! Wasn’t Ian going to visit?”
“How could I leave Viviana alone like this? Once Romandro arrives, I’ll go with him when he returns to the palace. Berik! Hurry and inform Romandro! As fast as you can!”
“Ah, uh, really. What is this?”
Berik shook his head vigorously and dashed toward the carriage. The Coachman, who had been dozing peacefully, noticed the commotion inside the mansion and wiped the drool from his lips.
Berik mounted the carriage in a flash, opened the window toward the Coachman, and waved his collar frantically.
“Drive! The baby’s coming!”
“A, a baby?”
“Now!”
“Ah, yes, yes. Understood!”
Whinnnnny!
Clop-clop-clop!
The carriage turned the corner urgently and disappeared, and not long after, the Warriors rushed back into the mansion carrying an Old Woman on their backs.
* * *
“I, Ian.”
Romandro approached Ian with trembling hands extended toward him.
In his grasp was King Damon’s hair. Sticky blood poured endlessly, so it would hardly seem strange even if he died soon.
But Ian shook his head and stopped Romandro’s approach.
“Do not come closer.”
“I, Ian. Why are you doing this? Hmm? King Damon is still officially the King of Burgos, and he’s an important hostage in negotiations with other nations. Moreover, he must be presented as a witness at the grand conference soon. If, if you make him into a bloody mess like that, what will we do?”
There was clearly something wrong during the interrogation. Whether intentional or not, the fact that Ian was taking such a stance meant he couldn’t avoid being implicated in responsibility.
The Scribes clutched the documents they had written tightly to their chests and pressed themselves firmly against the wall. Judging by their pale, bluish complexions and their inability to speak, the shock must have been considerable.
“Ian. Let go of that hair for now, will you? Soon the Mages will come down, and we can’t let them see you like this. Scribes, compose yourselves for a moment and breathe. Whatever, whatever happened—”
“Count Ian did, did that!”
“W, what did he do?”
“When King Damon tried to say something, he suddenly stood up and lunged at the author! At the same time, an explosion erupted—surely this means Count Ian used magic?”
The Scribes huddled together shoulder to shoulder and cried out in protest. Ian simply stood silent in response, his gaze wandering across the floor as if searching for something.
“No, surely you know our Ian? He’s not one to act on emotion. There seems to have been some misunderstanding—”
“You weren’t even here. How can you be so certain when you didn’t see it yourself? We all witnessed it!”
“Yes! Count Ian, this will be reported to the Imperial Palace before it’s even recorded. At the Grand Council, when questions arise about King Damon’s condition, we will testify to everything we saw and experienced without omission.”
The Scribes raised their voices at Ian, their faces flushed. Then they hurried backward, attempting to flee the basement.
But Romandro blocked their path. Speaking loudly enough for the Mages waiting outside to hear, he declared:
“Hold on! If you leave like this, what becomes of our Minister’s honor? Shouldn’t we share the details and clear up any misunderstandings if they exist? I apologize to the Scribes, but I cannot let you leave before I’ve grasped the full situation. The Mages outside won’t permit it either!”
“Wh-what…! Ugh!”
“Right? Yes? Outside! Can you hear?”
At that moment, Ian approached the Scribes while keeping the unconscious Damon’s head lowered to the floor. His shoulders trembled slightly.
Ian bent forward slowly, his expression composed. From within the thick smoke, he picked something up.
“…Ian, what is that….”
“Summon a Healing Mage and a Doctor.”
“Gasp!”
A piece of tongue. Romandro recoiled in horror, throwing himself toward the Scribes, who embraced each other while staring at Ian. Fear, dread, and shock were plainly written across their faces.
“The bleeding will be severe, Romandro.”
“Ah, ah! That—”
“I did not do this.”
Toss.
Ian lightly threw the tongue fragment onto the table and pulled out a handkerchief. Strange markings were drawn on the back of the tongue. Romandro, who had worked alongside Mages, recognized that it resembled a magic circle.
“He had a magic circle hidden inside. A device that detonates when certain words are mentioned. It’s the same principle as what reacted to the Idgal Pendant.”
“Wh-what. So this is Damon’s tongue?”
“Isn’t it better to give flesh than bone?”
It was instantaneous. The moment Damon tried to answer Ian’s question, an unfamiliar magical force was felt.
Ian reflexively twisted Damon’s face to neutralize the explosion, and instead of his entire head flying off, Damon managed to preserve his life at the cost of part of his tongue.
Ian looked down at Damon’s shoulder as he lay on the ground, trembling.
“Wh-what question did you ask to cause this? If magic is involved, it means a Mage is connected to it.”
“Everyone is at Rutherford’s side.”
The fact that Rutherford had bound the illegitimate child Ian with only a contract spell before departing meant he didn’t need a Mage’s power immediately. In other words, he had Mages under his command who could act at once. If he had them then, he certainly has them now.
“So, what question did you ask?”
“…King Damon said it before. That Rutherford is one who communes with the divine and orchestrates the world. So I was curious.”
What exactly had Rutherford done for King Damon to speak of him in such terms?
Damon was arrogant and proud, a descendant of royalty to his very bones. Moreover, wasn’t he living a second life? For such a man to speak of Rutherford that way, it was only natural to be curious.
“Generally, those entangled with the divine possess mysterious power, so I asked whether Rutherford might be a Mage. He answered no quite readily.”
“He-he answered well? Then why did this happen?”
“He seemed to deliberate quite a long time over the question of ‘whether he was a Mage.'”
Romandro’s brow furrowed at Ian’s words. He couldn’t understand what he meant at all.
“It wasn’t in King Damon’s own voice, but I heard the answer clearly enough. Rutherford is one who ‘was a Mage.'”

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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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