Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor - Chapter 504

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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 504
Creating a Justification
The blunt question had drawn no answer. Had I not returned, and had the Ministry of Magic not come back, Bariel would have had only one path forward.
‘A war fought through sheer military force.’
I could foresee the enormous resource consumption and the countless lives that would be extinguished in the process, yet for the officials, this was hardly a matter of concern. The glory that victory would bring far outweighed such considerations.
Jin swept his gaze across the conference chamber, where silence hung heavy, before speaking.
“It appears we have reached a consensus regarding the reinstatement of the Minister of Magic. Is there anyone else who wishes to speak?”
His benevolent smile suggested he would listen personally, yet no one dared step forward easily. Had not the Ministry of Culture made an example of itself? One misstep here could mean losing everything.
Someone attempted to lighten the atmosphere with a hearty laugh.
“Could there be more? Haha, from what I can see, we need not even use a truth serum—Count Ian Hielo’s identity seems quite certain.”
“Indeed, for Count Ian it may have been merely ten days, but for us, ten years have passed. Ah, but seeing him now, it feels so vivid.”
“Haha! Quite so. Count Ian, we congratulate you once more on returning alive from the abyss. Yes, you’ve worked hard. You’ve accomplished something truly great.”
“Had it not been for Count Ian, who knows what calamity might have befallen the imperial palace! It is only right that we acknowledge this.”
“Precisely. Verification is necessary, and praise is equally warranted. Let us all cease here, yes. Would it not be best to conclude our discussion?”
Some had shifted their stance, but most were exchanges of pleasantries between those welcoming the Ministry of Magic’s consolidation and my return.
If the Ministry of Magic grew stronger, Bariel would gain overwhelming advantage not only in war but in any diplomatic matter. It was Bariel’s fortune.
“Are there any objections?”
As Jin posed the final question, someone quietly raised their hand. At the Prince’s nod, all eyes turned toward them.
The one who raised her hand appeared to be a woman newly appointed to her position. Her attire was somewhat provincial, and her nervousness was evident. Then, someone suddenly stood and called out her name.
“Rashida!”
“I-I-I am Rashida from the M-M-Ministry of Technological Development!”
The one who stood was Rashida’s superior, the Minister of Technological Development. As he tried to silence her, Jin gestured to stop him. Rashida was trembling so violently she seemed to vibrate, yet she had managed to request to speak in this state.
“I-I have a follow-up question regarding the earlier answer about Idgal. W-would it be alright to ask an additional question?”
“Yes, please ask your question.”
I nodded calmly and picked up my pen again.
“Y-you said you previously manufactured Idgal together with R-Rutherford. Is that still p-possible now? I’m also c-curious whether Rutherford still possesses the manufacturing technique. Thank you!”
After finishing her question, Rashida continued to chatter her teeth and tremble, while the Minister of Technological Development pressed his forehead once before adding an explanation.
“Since Count Ian disappeared, no new Idgals have circulated in Bariel or neighboring nations. Thus we are currently analyzing that Rutherford is the key to their manufacture, and since he has returned, we are asking. Moreover, as you mentioned, Idgal is currently an important device for controlling rifts. It is a double-edged sword, but we believe it is better to possess more than our adversaries. Count Ian—can you manufacture Idgal?”
Rashida enthusiastically nodded, confirming that this was exactly the question she had wanted to ask.
I set down my pen and smiled with a hint of surprise. Had it been possible, I would have refrained from mentioning this in an official setting, but I had been caught red-handed.
“I have no memory whatsoever of the manufacturing process. Without knowing the detailed method, I cannot definitively answer whether Rutherford still possesses the technique. However, I do know how to recover my memories, so I ask for your patience.”
“How do you intend to recover these memories?”
“That is information I cannot disclose at this time.”
“…I understand.”
The question was not entirely resolved, but it could not be helped. From the Prince’s reaction, it seemed a report had already been submitted to him. The Minister of Technological Development raised both hands lightly to indicate he was concluding his questions.
“Is there anything else?”
I swept my gaze across the officials while holding my pen. Scattered coughs echoed here and there, but nothing more. I looked at Jin, and he nodded, indicating he would conclude the discussion.
“From this moment forward, I officially announce the reinstatement of Ian Hielo as Minister of Magic.”
“Yes, Your Highness. We shall obey your will.”
The Mages simultaneously grasped their neighbors’ hands, exchanging glances. How long had they waited for this moment? Without words, their eyes conveyed mutual reassurance, brimming with emotion. Their clasped hands grew ever tighter, showing no sign of loosening, bound together with unwavering strength.
“That’s enough. You’ve all worked hard.”
“You’ve worked hard as well, sir.”
“Ian, we truly welcome your return.”
“We’ve been waiting for you.”
At the greetings from behind, I turned my head with a bright smile. It was a gentle rebuke mixed with laughter—a reminder that the meeting wasn’t over yet. The Mages nodded frantically and returned their attention to the front.
Jin watched their behavior for a moment before slowly opening his mouth.
“And there’s a small matter.”
“Your Highness, when you speak of a matter, what exactly do you mean…?”
“I received a certain revelation, but I cannot decipher it at all. I would appreciate it if you all put your heads together and tried to interpret it.”
As Jin gestured, documents were placed before each department.
-A place where the sunset is deep and black spears rise here and there. Toward where the sunset falls, there is a low hill with blood-stained flowers. People in black armor are burying corpses.
“What in the world does this even mean?”
“Hmm. What could these black spears be? Windows, or perhaps weapons?”
“Since black armor was mentioned, wouldn’t it be correct to interpret the spears as weapons? If so, could it refer to the black armor mixed with mana stones from before?”
“It could simply mean the color black. Burgos comes to mind. I believe the weapons and armor of the Burgos royalists are black.”
“The sunset falls to the west. Given the blood-stained flowers, it appears to refer to Burgos in the midst of civil war.”
The opinion leaning toward Burgos was dominant, but opposing views were not uncommon.
“The sunset and hills are characteristic features of the southeastern region. Could it not be where Cliffford and Ruswena meet?”
“Cliffford is famous for its sunsets, and Ruswena is known for its hills. I’ll cast my vote in that direction as well.”
“The black armor came from House Haiman and is related to Ruswena. Moreover, isn’t Burgos barren? It’s difficult to see blooming fields there, isn’t it?”
“Ruswena too recently suffered greatly from a struggle over royal authority. That seems to be what the ‘blood-stained’ part signifies.”
When many mouths gather, opinions multiply. Jin raised his hand to indicate that was enough.
“Each department should organize your suppositions and submit them.”
“Your Highness, if I may ask—what does this revelation concern?”
“I’ll tell you that once you find the answer.”
“…I shall do my utmost.”
This too was among the classified matters.
The Officials carefully preserved the documents with expressions of complete bewilderment. What remained next was the matter of Rutherford, who had returned to Gaia with Ian.
“Rutherford is currently presumed to be in Burgos. It’s unclear whether he’s regathering his forces, and while Burgos shows no special movements yet, it surely won’t last long. I had already intended to make ending the civil war in Burgos my first achievement after my coming-of-age ceremony. Isn’t that quite fitting?”
The opening of the history that Jin Berosion would write was Burgos. The royalists had already turned pro-Bariel, so they were essentially a sandcastle that would crumble with just a light touch.
What mattered was justification. I had planned to draw upon various pretexts, but Rutherford’s appearance seemed to make that process somewhat easier.
“In any case, I’m thinking of dispatching an official envoy from Bariel to Burgos. What are your thoughts on this?”
“It seems wise. Since Rutherford was anti-royalist, this would be a good opportunity to greatly increase support for the royalists and expand our influence further.”
“I agree as well. If we strengthen the royalist faction and end the civil war, it will be resolved quickly.”
“However, Your Highness. The royalists’ position may be somewhat different. No matter how pro-Bariel their inclinations, they are ultimately Burgos citizens fighting for Burgos. If they sense Bariel’s intentions, might they not unite and resist?”
“That’s precisely why we should dispatch an envoy.”
“The envoy will seek to discern their intentions, and in doing so, our intentions will naturally be revealed as well. It would be better to cut off any possibility of them uniting altogether. We should press forward.”
“For that, our justification is too weak.”
Bariel currently possessed only a few justifications. Refugees, recovery of lost treasures, unpaid reparations following the Cliffford-Burgos war, and so on. In truth, most remained diplomatic issues rather than seeds for war.
Then one Official laughed and waved his hand.
“The justification for every war is constructed through words. What’s the fuss about now? Ha ha.”
“After the Prince’s coming-of-age ceremony, everyone knows that Burgos and Ruswena are on edge. It’s safe to say that movements are already occurring within their borders.”
“The royalists and anti-royalists are consolidating? What evidence do you have?”
“That’s precisely why we should dispatch an envoy to verify it. Honestly, what an exasperating person.”
“Exasperating? What did you just say?”
Crash!
A complete mess. How could the factions shift with each topic? Those who had united around Ian just moments ago were now pointing fingers and raising their voices at one another.
“That’s enough.”
As Jin’s expression darkened, the officials swallowed their words down to their throats and restrained themselves.
The conference room had grown heated in a different sense than before. Jin was about to rise from his seat, thinking it best to take a brief recess.
“Your Highness.”
It was Ian. He raised his small, pale hand to quietly signal that he wished to speak. The officials who had been exchanging opinions throughout the room stopped and turned their attention to Ian.
“In my personal opinion, I believe it would be more efficient to root out the anti-royalists rather than probe into the royalist faction.”
“Count Ian. You’ve only recently emerged from the abyss, so it seems you don’t fully understand the current situation. The royalists are precisely the pro-Bariel faction. Isn’t it standard practice to open that channel if we want things to flow smoothly into Burgos without burden?”
In response to an official’s rebuttal, Ian twirled his pen thoughtfully.
“Have you ever seen a war proceed according to standard practice?”
“What? Ha ha. Listen here, boy. Even if I’ve seen war, I’ve surely witnessed twice as much as you.”
“Which department are you from, and what is your name?”
When Ian asked for his name, the official laughed as if bewildered and looked around. It was obvious—between someone of his seasoned age and this fresh young boy, who could have experienced more war?
Ian explained without waiting for an answer.
“First, if we move against the anti-royalists, it will be efficient in securing Rutherford. With luck, we might even obtain crucial evidence. Second, we can completely block any suspicion from the royalists. As someone mentioned earlier, before being pro-Bariel, they are Burgos citizens. Let me state this clearly once more—are the royalists definitely pro-Bariel?”
“Yes. It’s unofficial, but everyone knows it.”
“Then we should actively leverage that. When the civil war and conflict eventually end, the royalists will play a crucial role in ensuring that Burgos citizens don’t harbor hatred when they encounter Bariel soldiers. The point is that gaining support is more important than arousing suspicion.”
“I understand. I do understand, but what we’re arguing for is the beginning. The beginning of war. The anti-royalists have no connection to Bariel, so they have no justification either. There’s no path except through the royalists.”
“There is.”
Ian smiled, furrowing his brow.
“A justification. One we can use to move directly against the anti-royalists.”

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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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