Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor - Chapter 438

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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 438
Fire. The Ian Faction and the Anti-Ian Faction
“It looks like Ian has woken up.”
Heil sat on the grass, working on a wooden plank, while Akorelra watched him from across the way.
She chewed on a cigarette carelessly and glanced toward the window. She couldn’t see much from here. She wanted to check if those incompetent mages were doing their job properly.
“So, do you have something to say?”
“I do. Remember what Philia mentioned yesterday? Ian’s amnesia symptoms.”
Crack!
The moment Akorelra mentioned “amnesia symptoms,” the wooden plank split in half. The inside had rotted black. Heil frowned and nodded for her to continue.
“I looked into it, and among the magical side effects Ian has experienced, there’s nothing that could be connected to amnesia. The most severe one he suffered was the River of Suffering, right? But that one has clear side effects with nothing to add. The magic itself is the purpose, and the side effects are secondary.”
“Then Philia was mistaken?”
“No, you can’t dismiss maternal instinct like that. Intuition can’t be proven, but it’s quite credible. If Philia felt that way, I’m inclined to think there’s something at the root of it.”
Philia had raised the possibility of Ian’s amnesia to Heil. No matter how much had happened, she couldn’t understand how he could forget that song. She expressed her bewilderment with the conviction that it was as if he didn’t recognize her. Philia emphasized firmly that it wasn’t just a simple song.
“So?”
“The side effects might not be from magic, but from something else.”
“For example, something you created?”
“I don’t really want to admit it, and I’d love to argue against it, but that’s the most rational suspicion, so I’ll shut up. To be more specific, do you remember? That time I nearly died because of the dragon Garin.”
“How could I forget.”
“Back then, my power amplification potion side effects coincided with one of my symptoms—memory gaps. If there’s a connection, I think we should investigate that angle. Honestly, it’s been so long, and I’ve even had the side effects removed before, so I think the possibility is low.”
“The problem is how to bring this up to Ian.”
“So I’m thinking of conducting research on the connection between side effects and memory. Those incompetent fools are fine with pestering Ian, but send down a few of my people. I can’t do this alone. I need hands.”
“If you wish it, as many as you need. Though I’m not sure they’ll go.”
“They’ll go if I tell them to. What choice do they have?”
Akorelra lit her cigarette and inhaled the smoke deeply.
Since she’d only heard Philia’s claims so far, it didn’t feel real that Ian was suffering from partial amnesia. In truth, while living, what was the problem with forgetting a song or two? As long as it didn’t interfere with work and daily life, wasn’t that enough?
It was when Akorelra rose with a groan.
“Huh?”
Ian walked leisurely out of the main building. And Berik trailed behind him eagerly. Akorelra rubbed her eyes as if she’d seen something wrong.
“What? Why did Ian come out? No, how did he get out?”
“Ian came out?”
“Look at those idiots. They’re not doing anything right.”
The coachmen who had been lounging about immediately scrambled to grab the reins the moment Ian appeared, and somewhat disappointedly fled the magic division.
Akorelra picked up a long wooden stick and immediately ran up the stairs. These fools weren’t paying attention, so she’d help them out herself.
“Hey! Ian left-”
“Captain Akorelra!”
“Help us! How do we undo this?”
“There seems to be a separate incantation to release it, but with our posture like this, we can’t use it at all. Argh.”
“Listen! Haven’t I told you to wash up? That smell is really pungent. Move aside!”
“How can we move when we can’t?”
“Damn it, at least try to gesture!”
Captain Akorella draped a wooden club across her shoulder, her expression one of utter exasperation. The mages remained coiled and trapped, their arms crossed, utterly helpless against Ian’s binding spell.
“What a mess. What an absolute mess.”
“Please, help us!”
“Where did Ian go? Where has he gone?”
“He mentioned something about the envoy delegation, so he must have gone to look into that, right? The administrative division!”
“Okay.”
“Ah, Captain Akorella? What about us?”
“Figure it out yourselves. It’ll fade with time.”
“How long?”
“A few hours. Ah, but since it’s Ian… it could be days?”
Whether she was joking or serious, the mages’ faces crumbled as if the world had ended. Akorella turned without hesitation and grabbed Heil, who had followed her in, before descending the stairs once more.
“What’s wrong? The kids?”
“Better they’re stuck like that than striking and refusing to work—less embarrassing. If they lack ability, they compensate with their bodies. Leave them be. Yeah, yeah.”
* * *
A week later.
Prince Noah gazed upon the distant central walls of Bariel’s capital, feeling an odd sense of emotion. On my first visit, I never imagined becoming entangled with Bariel in this manner. Truly, the ways of the world are unknowable.
Clop clop clop!
Even on the steep downhill path, I shook the reins vigorously without slowing my pace. It had been this way since I received Jin’s handwritten letter through Jeonseogoo. Prince Noah and May had ridden relentlessly, arriving at the capital in mere days.
No other would do—it was the Crown Prince himself, Bariel’s sole imperial heir, who urged haste for the visit of the Clipoford royal family. How could I afford to be leisurely?
“Your Highness. Shall we enter the central district and change horses? The beasts seem rather exhausted.”
Though it was not merely the beasts that were exhausted, May called out while glancing at Noah with concern.
Noah had scarcely eaten or slept properly while managing the aftermath of the incident at the Rift. Yet the moment the summons came from Bariel, I had rushed here, and the fatigue must be immense.
And above all else, the curse’s cycle was approaching.
“Why delay? We continue!”
“Yes! Understood! Your Highness, you are well, are you not?”
“No issues! May, look after yourself before worrying about me!”
“Understood. Since we cannot calculate the curse cycle precisely in the half-destroyed palace, you must sense the changes in your own body above all else. Do you understand? In this critical time for Clipoford’s survival, faith in the royal family is faith in Clipoford itself.”
“It seems you say this every time we enter Bariel!”
“It’s unintentional, but it does seem that way! The margin of error is about three days, so if something goes wrong, it would be wise to request assistance from Count Ian!”
“Assistance from Count Ian? I question whether such a thing as help divorced from self-interest even exists for him.”
As Noah laughed heartily in response, May added her own words.
“His interests are quite clear! That’s precisely why he risked his life to help Clipoford, is it not? When you know what someone desires, requesting it boldly from the start is itself a form of ability.”
“Understood! In any case, I shall conduct myself so as not to give him any leverage!”
“Please do exactly that!”
With that, the two focused solely on urging their horses forward.
And shortly after, soldiers at the outer walls of the central district, having been forewarned, waved flags in welcome, and they were able to enter the center without pause. They galloped along the imperial road and soon drew near the imperial palace.
Clop clop clop!
Whinny!
“Are you the envoy delegation from Clipoford?”
“I am Prince Noah of Clipoford. Our King, His Majesty, is currently traveling by carriage, so I wish to enter the palace first in accordance with the Crown Prince’s orders.”
“Yes. Please come this way.”
The Gatekeeper briefly examined the documents, then nodded and gestured for the two of them to follow. He was directing them not toward the main gate, but toward the side entrance beside it.
May stopped the Gatekeeper in alarm.
“This is the Prince of Clipoford! Why are you directing him through such a small gate?”
“Ah, I apologize, but due to the current strike by the Magic Ministry, the criteria for opening the main gate have changed somewhat. All carriages smaller than commercial size must use the side entrance.”
“A strike?”
“As you know, opening and closing that large gate falls under the purview of the Mages. If you insist, I can ask them. Please wait a moment.”
Noah and May exchanged glances simultaneously, then burst into laughter at the absurdity. What could Bariel’s Mages possibly be dissatisfied about? And for what purpose? Moreover, in the royal palace? Was it orchestrated by that Count Ian? What in the world was happening here?
Unlike the bewildered pair, the Gatekeepers seemed quite accustomed to the current situation.
“Mage!”
“Coming! Yes, yes!”
“Prince Noah from the Clipoford delegation has arrived first! Could you open the center gate?”
As the Gatekeeper called upward with his head tilted back, two Mages poked their heads out. Crimson headbands tied firmly around their heads. They recognized each other immediately, as they were already acquainted.
“Oh my, Prince Noah arrived first?”
“Those two… what are they doing?”
“You must have had a difficult journey. We’ll open it for you, so please enter through the main gate. But this is a secret from Ian!”
“What?”
Screeeech!
Rumble! Rumble rumble!
At the same moment, the main gate swung wide open. Noah and May turned back to the Gatekeeper in confusion, but he merely shrugged his shoulders with a grin.
“Please, come inside.”
“Do you know why they’re doing this?”
“Of course. How could I not? They say it’s a protest against Ian’s resignation as Minister.”
“Count Ian is… resigning?”
It was a more shocking combination of words than the Mages’ strike.
Ian stepping down from such an important position would be regrettable on a personal level, but from a national perspective, it was an enormous loss. Had Ian been Clipofordian, he would absolutely never have processed a resignation letter. That’s what Noah thought.
“Count Ian didn’t seem like someone who would step down so easily.”
“Perhaps it’s because he had everything at such a young age?”
“No, rather it’s that he understands his own value well. Count Ian knows he’s capable. He understands the cost Bariel would bear if he resigned. Something must have happened after they returned.”
When they had returned to Bariel, there had been no hint of this. Or had it been deliberately withheld? As Noah pondered and moved deeper into the palace, a familiar silhouette appeared in the distance.
“Noaaa! Your Highness! You’ve arrived! Come on!”
“I can’t even tell if that’s informal or formal speech…”
“And hello to you too, Mei Envoy!”
“Berik. It’s been a while, yet it doesn’t feel like it’s been that long.”
Berik shook hands briefly with both of them, then glanced around and whispered. He seemed to be wary of something, but it was impossible to tell what. Was there someone in the palace he needed to be cautious about?
“Before we go to the main palace, would you like to see Ian first?”
“Count Ian? Is there something to discuss?”
“I don’t know. Ian said that when the Clipoford delegation arrives, it would be good to meet him briefly before meeting Prince Gin. Otherwise, he said he couldn’t help with damage control from the rift.”
“If Count Ian doesn’t help with the rift damage control, who does? I’ve been confused about how the palace is even functioning since earlier, so Berik, give me a simple explanation.”
“Well, you see…”
Noah listened carefully to Berik’s muddled explanation and organized the situation in his mind.
During Damon’s interrogation immediately after returning to the capital, a statement had been raised that could shake Ian’s position?
“So the Magic Ministry is now split in half. The Ian faction and the anti-Ian faction. That’s what people are calling them.”
“The anti-Ian faction would be people on the Prince’s side.”
“Huh? Is that how it works?”
“How many are there?”
“Not many. Me, Ian, and Romandro.”
“…What?”
How could Ian possibly belong to the anti-Ian faction?
“If you help Ian with his work, you’re anti-Ian faction. If you obstruct and threaten his work, you’re Ian faction!”
“…Just lead the way. I think it’s best to meet Count Ian directly.”
“Wait!”
As Noah waved his hand and quickened his pace, May boldly grabbed the Prince’s collar. Though the matter seemed to be proceeding in jest, she had grasped the essence beneath it all. Why he had hastily requested entry into the palace from Cliffford’s side.
“Listen, Berik. So right now Count Ian is resigning and participating in the rift restoration, while the rest are opposed to both the resignation and rift restoration? That’s the correct understanding, isn’t it?”

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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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