Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor - Chapter 513

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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 512
The Hollin Family Takes the Stage
“Does this even make sense?”
Crash!
The officials who couldn’t leave the conference room all vented their frustration at once. They stared at the empty seat of the Minister of Magic, clutched their heads, stuck cigarettes in their mouths, and let out groans of anguish.
How could they repay in full within this week the funds they’d been requisitioning for a full ten years? Or was there no choice but to persuade Marquis Hollin, and even then, how on earth could they manage it?
“Tsk, tsk. What a ruthless fellow.”
“Indeed. I never dreamed he’d dump the work on us like this.”
“He didn’t even blink when he read the letter demanding five times the amount, so he must have had a plan all along.”
“What do we do now? It seems he’s planning to report us if we can’t repay in full.”
“Sigh. I’m going mad. If this goes to trial, a new audit of the accounting books will be conducted. Honestly, if they want to find fault, what could be easier? They’ll pick apart every single number, every single entry.”
“Ahem.”
The entire department would be turned upside down, and it was a matter of life and death for the officials. As the cigarette smoke they produced grew thicker, the wrinkles on their foreheads deepened as well.
“First, we should try to persuade Marquis Hollin.”
“Yes, well. There’s no other way.”
“Honestly, when he purchased the territory, didn’t we help him out? It wouldn’t have been possible without us.”
“That’s right. The same goes for the weapons business rights. If the Marquis has any sense of shame, he won’t refuse easily.”
“Ah, or what about this?”
Just then, one official stood up, brushing ash from his clothes. As if a brilliant idea had just occurred to him.
“If persuasion is impossible, let’s borrow money from the Hollin family instead. We’ll put out the urgent fire first and use that to repay the Magic Department.”
“Oh, that’s a decent solution.”
“But will it work? It’s ten years’ worth of funds. We’ve borrowed bit by bit from various places, but combined, the amount will be astronomical. Even for the Hollin family, such a large sum all at once….”
“We won’t be able to save everyone.”
At that, the officials’ eyes gleamed. Sharp, interlocking gazes. If not everyone could be saved, then at least I must survive, was what they all thought.
“Very well. Still, let’s start by trying to persuade Marquis Hollin first. That’s our best option. If the Magic Department manufactures special weapons, it means we can respond to magical beasts without relying on mages, doesn’t it?”
“It’s an opportunity to weaken the Magic Department’s influence.”
“Yes. We’ll think about the next problem after that.”
“Thank you for your hard work. Then, I’ll be taking my leave first.”
“Ahem. I’ll go too.”
Without anyone going first, they all rushed out of the conference room.
The conference room emptied in an instant. The Steward who had remained until the end turned and moved toward the Prince’s palace. A carriage from the Magic Department was parked in front of it.
Tap, tap, tap.
Creak.
“Your Highness. All the officials have left.”
“They spent quite a long time putting their heads together. Very well.”
Ian, Jin, and Romandro were sitting around a sofa reviewing reports. Jin gestured in understanding, and Romandro asked while sharpening Ian’s pen.
“Ian. But will the officials move as smoothly as we hope?”
“I’ve shown them the path to take, so they’ll move for now.”
There was no reason for them not to. Just as I was trying to solve both the funding and the Marquis Hollin problem simultaneously, they too would try to accomplish both the funding and the matter of checking the Magic Department at once. For them, it was a golden opportunity—and the only one.
The only question was whether Marquis Hollin would cooperate….
“I can only hope the officials have something they can use to pressure the Hollin family. How much easier this would be if things went smoothly.”
“Exactly. Soon the other Dera tribesmen from Lazasan will arrive as well, so we should wrap this up quickly and proceed with the research. We don’t have much time before the delegation departs.”
“Your Highness. Is the official decree prepared?”
“Yes. All done.”
In response to Ian’s question, Jin finished signing with his pen. It was an imperial edict to be issued to all the central nobility.
Ian received it and slowly reviewed the contents. As a satisfied smile spread across his face, Jin too leaned back against the sofa and laughed.
“Officials backed into a corner will employ every method at their disposal to resolve their outstanding debts. One of those methods is to seek help from Marquis Hollin, but no matter how much gold the Hollin family has accumulated, they cannot shoulder everyone’s burden.”
“And even if they do provide relief, that itself becomes a problem. A count would be directly involved in the imperial palace’s budget process. Inevitably, complications will arise later.”
It was something that should never happen. Though it would matter little to the officials desperate to escape their immediate crisis.
“In any case, when the officials request relief, Hollin will have no choice but to gather funds from other nobles connected to them. Severing the ties between the Magic Department and the officials is the only way to protect our business rights.”
This decree was meant to prevent exactly that. A warning-laden edict telling them not to even think of interfering in the imperial palace matters currently underway.
-We are preparing to propose legislation to monitor and investigate impropriety regarding unlawful solicitation and bribery. When conducting transactions with the imperial palace exceeding a certain amount, we will dispatch an investigation team to thoroughly verify the source of funds and transaction details. All central nobility are advised to proceed with caution in their dealings.
Without establishing a righteous cause, other departments might raise objections. This much should be sufficient for the nobility to understand the true meaning. The moment they set foot in the imperial palace, they too would not remain unscathed.
“Romandro.”
“Yes. I’ll have it prepared and sent immediately.”
“Now we simply need to observe how the situation unfolds. Your Highness, what of Davion?”
Jin, who had been sipping tea, tilted his head as if something seemed odd. Attempts to arrange a meeting with that young lady had been ongoing, but suddenly everything had gone quiet.
“Hard to say. If she’s going to throw her weight behind the Magic Department, she must be busy. There won’t be another opportunity like this to prevent the Hollin family’s monopoly and draw them out.”
“So she’s being quite cooperative, then.”
“Quiet is more accurate. But, you said you saw Princess Kaila.”
“Yes. I’m afraid I saw her before you did, Your Highness.”
“Is that so? What was your impression?”
Does she have the qualities to be Empress? The qualities to sit beside him and build Bariel together?
As Jin asked casually, concealing his interest, Ian tapped his chin with his pen.
“She was beautiful and intelligent.”
However, he felt no sense of familiarity from her name or appearance. And more than anything, it seemed that remaining with the Hollin family would be more beneficial to Bariel than becoming part of the imperial family. After a moment’s consideration, Ian reported to Jin while keeping his further thoughts to himself.
“It seems you have more to say?”
“It would be best if I refrained from elaborating before Your Highness meets her in person.”
“Worried I might form preconceptions?”
“No. Because I trust Your Highness’s sound judgment.”
Hmm. Jin merely shrugged his shoulders before closing the report with an audible snap.
“In any case, soon a delegation will head north of Burgos. War is not far off. After the coronation, I intend to take the field myself.”
“A courageous decision. The morale of the soldiers, now at its peak, will protect Bariel.”
“There is one difficult matter to dispose of.”
“What is it?”
“Damon Runkvis.”
“Ah.”
The King of Burgos, Damon Runkvis. Currently he existed as a war prisoner and under the banner of royalist legitimacy, but soon in the Burgos that would emerge without civil war, his value would fade.
“As the primary instigator of the Cliffford-Burgos war, he cannot be allowed to live. Yet because of what Count Ian told me, I cannot kill him either.”
“You mean about him living a second life?”
“That’s right. Even if it’s another world, I cannot tolerate Damon threatening Bariel. The only way is to completely erase his life, but I have no idea how.”
I pondered for a moment. Rutherford’s loss of magical power and reincarnation into another body was all the machinations of the Underworld Deity. Just as I had entered this body under the God’s judgment, Bandor also existed within Rutherford’s body by the Underworld Deity’s decree.
In a situation where the God and his Shadow each put forth their own arguments, Damon’s existence was somewhat peculiar.
“What became of Bania?”
“Ah, the blood relative of King Damon who came with the delegation. Her whereabouts are unknown. There’s been no trace of her for years. Since Damon has long been offering his blood relatives to Rutherford, it seems likely to be connected.”
“I shall meet with King Damon directly.”
Since the Underworld Deity stands behind Rutherford, the Burgos royal family may have been used by the Underworld Deity for some purpose. There must be an answer in Damon’s attitude—his absolute faith that a third life awaits him.
As I straightened the documents with a tap and stood, Jin slowly turned his head to follow me, as if he had something to say.
“Why is that?”
“…I will undertake a secret journey before my enthronement.”
“I see.”
Noting that the timing was appropriate, I smiled brightly. Once I became Emperor, I would not be able to leave the palace easily, so I intended to travel incognito beforehand to gauge the people’s sentiments. What were their perceptions of the imperial family? What did the citizens think about the war? And so on. There were limits to what reports alone could show.
I nodded as if Jin had thought it through well. Then, just as I was about to turn away—
“Won’t you go with me? Berik, Sia, and Romandro as well.”
“…Like before?”
“This time, you carry the milk.”
At Jin’s playful jest, I burst into laughter. Jin laughed as well. I had caught glimpses of my own smile before, but it had been a long time since I had laughed like this.
I bowed my head slightly, left a parting greeting, and departed from the office.
“If there are no duties, then yes. I shall accompany you.”
* * *
Tap, tap, tap!
The morning at the Hollin estate was unusually noisy.
The Count, shaking off sleep with fragrant coffee, noticed the footsteps of servants and furrowed his brow. What on earth were they doing to make such a commotion?
“My lord! My lord!”
“What is the matter?”
“There are… guests outside…”
Guests? How utterly discourteous. Visitors at this hour without any notice? The Count set down his coffee cup and asked.
“Who?”
“There are so many I couldn’t remember them all.”
“What?”
The Count realized something was amiss and drew back the curtains. Far away, very far away, he could see a crowd of people standing densely packed before the mansion’s gate. And the carriages? There appeared to be about ten of them.
“What in the—”
“They all wish to see you, my lord. When asked their business, they said they would explain in person. But most of them seemed to have come from the imperial palace.”
“The imperial palace?”
“Yes. Minister Filenelon is among them, and there are familiar faces mixed in—people who attended the garden party last time.”
Not the Magic Department then. After I quoted five times the price, the Magic Department showed no particular reaction, and I had been quite anxious about it. Just as the Count was about to wave his coffee cup and order the guests to be admitted—
Knock, knock.
“My lord. Today’s correspondence has arrived.”
The butler entered carrying letters piled high on a golden tray. They were likewise communications from various departments, excluding the Magic Department. The Count opened the envelopes as he grabbed them.
“Ha, these madmen!”
“Count, are you all right?”
“Is this the same thing? What madness!”
“Oh my, Count!”
Crunch!
Every single letter contained the same request—to lower the purchase price of the territory and the selling price of the infrastructure. While they called it a request, most of them subtly mentioned collusion with me, making veiled threats that were threats in all but name.
“Show all the guests inside.”
“Ah, yes, right away!”
“And tell Kaila to come up! I won’t let these people off easily. After coming this far, just because of one Minister of Magic…”
The Count immediately recognized that all of this was Ian’s doing, and quickly put on his outer robe.
It was time to prepare for a counterattack.

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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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