Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor - Chapter 503

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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 503
Fire. Questions and Answers
The heated atmosphere of the conference room cooled instantly.
Those with experience clicked their tongues inwardly and turned their gazes away entirely, while officials from departments other than Culture Ministry kept their heads bowed, clutching their pens as if they hadn’t heard a thing.
They thought they’d caught a minor flaw, but instead they’d grabbed a serpent’s head. At best, there would be blood; at worst, it would be the end. Jin continued to observe Daf Lontine with cold, piercing eyes. As if to say: go ahead, say something.
“Ah, that is… that’s not what I meant, Your Highness.”
“Not what you meant? Then I’m at a loss for words. A Crown Prince who cannot even understand a simple sentence properly—how have you managed to work under me all this time? It’s infuriating.”
His words dripped with sarcasm sharp as a blade’s edge.
Those who had hoped to let the matter pass quietly squeezed their eyes shut. The Culture Ministry was about to be consumed by poison, and frankly, it would be better to cut it away. The official seated in front of the speaker slowly raised his head.
“I am Delma, Minister of Culture. Your Highness, as a superior, I take responsibility for Daf’s reckless words and will discipline him accordingly. Please, I beg your forgiveness and clemency. Surely you cannot compare someone of Your Highness’s noble birth with a Minister of Magic from the frontier provinces on equal footing, can you? Count Ian Hielo, I believe you would agree.”
Everyone experiences childhood. But one cannot place those who are young on the same level as others simply because of that.
To Delma’s rhetorical question, Ian answered with a smile.
“Of course. As you say, I cannot be placed on the same standard as Your Highness. However, the same applies to me. I would appreciate it if you and everyone here—more precisely, if Count Daf Lontine—would not regard me as a ‘boy’ by your standards. Because I am a Mage.”
Among all the departments within the imperial palace, only the Magic Ministry selects and submits its own ministerial candidates. This means that the trust, faith, and respect of the department members are prioritized in evaluating ministerial qualifications, and furthermore, it proves that one possesses considerable power.
Ian underlined Daf Lontine’s name and asked in return.
“Count Daf Lontine, who said youth was the problem—do you understand now?”
“Y-yes, no objections.”
“Good. Then let us move on to the next matter. Since Minister Delma of the Culture Ministry has spoken, I shall address matters related to the Culture Ministry first.”
At Ian’s gesture, the Mage standing behind him handed a new report to Ian’s hands. The officials’ eyes focused, trying to see what was written, but Ian leisurely flipped through the pages and began his explanation.
“First, regarding the Rutherford invasion at that time, there is no room for excuses. It was indeed a failure of the Magic Ministry, which bore considerable responsibility for imperial palace security. I, who was the supervisor at the time, clearly acknowledge this and offer my sincere apologies to the imperial palace and the people of the empire.”
Right. That’s how it should be. No matter how much time has passed, the incident was far too clear. What could someone who has just returned possibly do? The proper thing is to bow deeply and prostrate oneself. Several officials exchanged satisfied smiles and nodded to one another, their resolve hardening to press the attack further.
But that was only for a moment.
Ian looked directly at Delma, Minister of Culture, and asked.
“However, ensuring the safety of the imperial palace is not a responsibility assigned solely to the Magic Ministry. Directly, the Imperial Defense Ministry and the Imperial Guards are involved, and indirectly, everyone must fulfill their respective duties. At that time, you said all those responsible were removed and order was restored. Is that correct?”
Minister Delma glanced at Minister Tweller. Suddenly, the Imperial Defense Ministry and the Imperial Guards were being brought up?
But Minister Tweller showed no particular change in expression. As if he had expected it. This suggested he had been given advance notice.
The officials’ eyes darted about, and they whispered to one another, holding their breath.
“He’s asking why only the Magic Ministry is being held accountable when the supervisors of the Imperial Defense Ministry and the Imperial Guards remain in their positions?”
“If you’re going to hold the Magic Ministry responsible, you’d have to bind the Imperial Defense Ministry and the Imperial Guards together as well, which would essentially mean going against the Crown Prince himself, wouldn’t it?”
“What is this… does the young boy have a knife hidden under his tongue?”
“Shh. Be quiet. Don’t say that word.”
Ian tapped his pen rhythmically and glanced sideways at Minister Delma. He had asked a question, but no answer came. The minister was deliberating on how best to respond. Ian did not wait and continued speaking.
“And Minister Delma. You must be aware that Rutherford used a painting in the exhibition hall as a passage to come and go. All artworks in the imperial palace fall under the Culture Ministry’s jurisdiction, do they not?”
“Speak clearly! It was clearly a matter of magic! Before the Culture Ministry, it was a problem the Magic Ministry should have addressed, that’s what I’m saying!”
“The magic embedded in the painting may be so, but where was that painting created, by whom, and through what channels did it enter the imperial palace? Shouldn’t you know these things? If the import process had been clear, you would have discovered Rutherford’s involvement beforehand. Just as the Magic Ministry bears responsibility, so too does the Culture Ministry. Do you disagree?”
“That is why the former Minister of Culture resigned.”
“And you succeeded him as Minister Delma, yet no special post-investigation was conducted after that. Is this not a dereliction of duty?”
As Ian held out the report for him to read, Delma’s expression darkened without reservation.
“Listen here. The Rutherford conspiracy disappeared along with you, and at the same time, countless treasures were lost. The Culture Ministry devoted its efforts to recovering those treasures, not to neglecting its duties.”
“Then how much of that treasure have you recovered?”
As if to say I’d spoken well, Delma leaned forward slightly and growled.
“Half of half isn’t even enough. While Rutherford’s invasion might be debatable, the loss of treasures is undoubtedly the Ministry of Magic’s failure. After all, only the Ministry of Magic stood against Rutherford at that time. How do you intend to take responsibility for this? The Culture Ministry has suffered tremendous losses because of it.”
“Speak properly, Delma.”
“What, what did you say?”
I laughed, turning Delma’s own words back at her.
“It’s not the Culture Ministry’s loss—it’s the Imperial Family’s loss. Since the treasures belong to the Imperial Family, if compensation is to be claimed, it should be the Ministry of Magic paying the Imperial Family, not the other way around. Isn’t that right?”
“…!”
Delma faltered at the unexpected point. It was, in fact, correct. The Culture Ministry was a department that managed and excavated various treasures under Imperial orders.
“Regarding the lost treasures, I will submit a separate resolution plan to the Prince. For that to happen, my reinstatement as Minister of Magic must come first.”
“Wait a moment. Until now, all matters related to this have been overseen by the Culture Ministry. If you suddenly do this, are you telling us to become like a dog chasing chickens?”
Officials clung to their right to speak as if their lives depended on it, and each department clung to their assigned duties with equal fervor. The authority that came with executing their tasks, and the rights granted upon completing their missions—these were the very value and reason for existence of each department.
Particularly for the Culture Ministry, the treasure recovery case was one of the absolutely critical duties they could not relinquish. In other words, their stance was that the Ministry of Magic would bear the responsibility while the Culture Ministry would handle the work.
I shrugged as if I couldn’t possibly understand.
“If you wish, you may do so.”
Damn—
“Count Ian!”
“Upon reviewing the previous budget, I found that the budget and personnel allocated to the Ministry of Magic have been divided among quite a few other departments. It appears you borrowed them under the concept of requisition, but nothing has been properly returned.”
I read through the densely written numbers.
“The Culture Ministry borrowed three thousand gold coins. Have you ever calculated how much interest alone that would be?”
“That, that was done through proper procedures. It was a legitimate inter-departmental transaction conducted lawfully under the administration’s oversight.”
“I asked how much the interest was. Surely you’re not saying you don’t know what interest is.”
“That’s an insult!”
Crash!
As Delma slammed the desk in strong protest, I casually tossed the report aside.
“Six departments, including the Culture Ministry, requisitioned the Ministry of Magic’s budget, yet not a single one has repaid it properly. That is the insult, Minister Delma.”
Jin, who had been grooming his eyebrows, gestured with his hand for Delma to exercise restraint.
“It is right to correct what has been given to each. Culture Ministry, choose. Will you bear both the responsibility and the work, or will you abandon both?”
If they opposed me, there was nothing left but to transfer the treasure recovery case to the Ministry of Magic. Though it would have been different immediately after the incident occurred, now that so much time had passed, taking the responsibility into the Culture Ministry’s hands wasn’t such a heavy burden.
The subordinates beside him whispered to the minister while covering their mouths.
“Minister. Given that he’s officially brought up the budget requisition matter, he’ll definitely press this point as well. It would be better to withdraw at an appropriate point.”
“Yes, wouldn’t it be better if we stepped back here?”
Delma bit her lip and took a moment to catch her breath. The other departments already looked flustered, discussing among themselves as if they’d been waiting for the moment I brought up the budget issue.
Delma took a sip of water, then made her decision.
“…I have no objection. The Culture Ministry will take responsibility for the loss of treasures and complete the work to the end, Your Highness.”
“Very well. See that you do.”
The matter of my identity verification and the responsibility for the treasure loss had been resolved. I drew a line through the document and added one final remark to Delma.
“The Culture Ministry should manage its finances carefully from now on. I will demand full repayment of the loan within the first half of the year.”
“….”
“We have no further questions regarding Minister Ian Hielo.”
“Yes, the same for us. We will not continue with questions and answers.”
Two other departments had already made their decisions, so I quickly raised my hand to voice my opinion. Ian nodded, acknowledging it was a sound judgment, then closed the report.
“Well then, what remains is a matter of my personal qualifications. The fact that I couldn’t stand against Rutherford through magic.”
His smile was unusually bright, as if delivering good news. An unexpected radiant aura. The officials could only blink their eyes.
“Rutherford is not a Mage. He is human.”
“What, what did you say?”
“What are you talking about? You just said moments ago that you couldn’t stand against Rutherford because of magic. And countless Mages have followed Rutherford. Yet you call him ordinary? This makes no sense.”
“There was a contract spell binding me and Rutherford. It was bound by my power. But I severed that link in the Abyss, and now there is no connection between him and me. Therefore, I no longer lose to Rutherford.”
Heil, who had been listening quietly from behind, raised his hand. As the officials’ gazes turned backward, Ian also turned to look back.
“Forgive me for interrupting, but you have never lost before.”
“That’s right! Lost to what? You rammed into the Abyss! And you fought again even after going there.”
“You be quiet.”
“I share the same opinion. The Ministry of Magic did not lose to Rutherford. Therefore, I believe questioning our qualifications is fundamentally unjust.”
“What is the standard for losing anyway? Casualties always occur in battle. Since nothing is finished yet, I don’t understand why you’re diminishing the Ministry of Magic’s standing by calling it a loss.”
“Exactly. This is also an insult.”
The Mages also found courage and added their own words. Seeing this, I shrugged once and turned forward. The expressions on the officials’ faces as they looked at the Mages were worth seeing.
“So you say. And let me ask frankly. Do you have an alternative?”
An alternative to stand against Rutherford, who carries God’s Shadow on his back, without the Ministry of Magic. An alternative to minimize the Empire’s damage and overcome not just Burgos, but even Tooluun.
I asked again, as if to say anything would do.
“Do you have one? Anything at all?”

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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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