Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor - Chapter 521

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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 520
Fire. The Countermeasure
Meanwhile, in the civil war region north of Burgos.
Crows descended upon corpses stacked like mountains, while beneath them a river of blood drenched the entire land. As soldiers trudged through the sinking earth and dragged away bodies, the crows cried out mournfully.
Among their cries were the screams of survivors, but sadly, these were drowned out by mere animal noise. Screams, shouts, and wails had become their daily reality.
“What a ruined landscape.”
Efdiram, the Atan Tribe Leader, observed the scene from atop the barrier. When she first arrived at Burgos, it had been late at night, so she hadn’t seen the details clearly. But now that the sun had risen, the world could only be described as utterly desolate.
Perhaps it would be better if the sun never rose at all. To Efdiram’s murmur, her subordinate Beno added his thoughts.
“I imagine the depths below the Crevasse must look much the same.”
“Hmm. Probably similar. What about Rutherford?”
“Still nothing.”
“Damn bastard. Expensive as hell, and we’ve come all this way.”
Efdiram’s expression darkened.
It had been several days since she arrived at the Anti-King faction’s stronghold, yet Rutherford had not shown himself. All she needed was confirmation that he had truly returned alive and to determine what to do about Idgal and the Crevasse going forward, but damn it all.
“Could this be a scheme by the Anti-King faction?”
“If Rutherford’s return is confirmed, it would certainly help rally the scattered forces. But you saw it yourself, didn’t you? Ian Hielo returned around the same time. It’s unlikely to be a lie.”
Just as Efdiram flicked her wavy hair, she heard footsteps. Turning her head, she saw Rutherford approaching with his subordinates, his upper garment draped casually over his shoulders.
She rested her arm on the back of her chair, examining Rutherford and his group from head to toe.
“Well. You look well.”
“Efdiram. It’s been a long time.”
“Indeed. Goodness, expensive. So difficult just to see your face. Your value has risen quite a bit in ten years.”
“You remain unchanged.”
Efdiram studied Rutherford carefully—he hadn’t aged in ten years. Damn these creatures. What exactly happened down there with him and the others? I’m dying to know.
She looked up at Rutherford with her legs casually crossed.
“Let me ask directly. Can you continue producing Idgal? You know the world has changed. Idgal is being used to suppress the Crevasse. Setting aside countering Bariel Mage, the Crevasse is being blocked. As the Atan Tribe Leader, I need to understand your position on this clearly.”
“The Crevasse will continue to expand.”
“I see. What’s your basis?”
The power of God grows stronger with each passing day.
Though he hadn’t been told directly, Rutherford felt it with certainty. The emergence of new Crevasse sites meant that the God sleeping beneath the earth was awakening.
“There are also suspected zones near central Bariel.”
“Wow, inside Bariel itself?”
Efdiram raised only one eyebrow. Her expression suggested she wasn’t sure whether to believe this.
“I can continue producing Idgal, but I will control the quantity distributed to facilitate Crevasse activation.”
“So you still share the same purpose as us?”
“The path is the same. But we look toward such different destinations that I wouldn’t say our purposes are identical.”
“Think of it however you wish. Does that change the fundamental truth?”
Efdiram extended her hand to Rutherford. As before, it was a gesture of continued cooperation.
But he merely brushed his hair back and looked down at her offered hand. Sensing something amiss, Beno placed his hand on his sword hilt.
“However, you’ve brought something unnecessary with you.”
“Something unnecessary?”
“Before coming here, was there friction between Bariel and the Imperial Palace?”
“No, damn it. Are you already digging into that?”
He sensed I knew something. Rutherford pulled out a rolled-up letter from his inner pocket and tossed it down.
“Bariel’s envoys sent word. They say the Imperial Guards and the Atan Clan had an armed conflict at the border. The Imperial Palace side wants to settle this and is hunting you down, demanding you be handed over. Do you understand what this means?”
Efdiram picked up the paper with two fingertips as if touching something filthy.
“Ha, so it comes to this.”
“If you refuse, Bariel will join forces with the royalists. But handing you over now feels awkward after just extending a hand to you.”
“What bullshit. Awkward my ass.”
It was because they needed the Atan Clan’s military strength. The group included numerous Mages and Mage Knights, starting with the Chieftain herself. Even the scouts possessed considerable warrior spirit and would surely prove useful in combat.
“So what? You want us to leave? I thought we’d just be sitting around for a few days, but you made this journey for this?”
“Prove to us that you’re worth the risk we’d be taking.”
Rutherford gestured with his chin toward those standing behind him. They were the core of the anti-royalist faction, and they stared at Efdiram with deliberately stern expressions.
“Worth… value… If I behead someone here, could that prove the blade is sharp?”
“Tsk, tsk. How barbaric.”
“Yes. A barbarian is here. Who were you just now? A dog? Come out.”
As Efdiram flicked her middle finger, Beno subtly stopped her. After such a long wait, I understood the frustration, but the situation wasn’t favorable.
As both recognized, Rutherford’s interests aligned with the Atan Clan, and leaving Burgos meant facing Bariel directly. Beno grasped this.
“Bariel wanted the Atan Clan’s cooperation. Regarding the management of the Rift in the north and such matters. They issued a bounty, but that was a scheme to sever our ties with Burgos. If we return to Bariel, the Empire will welcome us. Wouldn’t that create problems for your side as well?”
“Those who chase the wind guided by stars, living under the Empire? How surprising. Efdiram, your thoughts have changed considerably.”
“Stop the bluffing and just bow to each other appropriately. What will you do about Burgos, which is collapsing from civil war, without us?”
As Efdiram glared sharply, those standing above Rutherford coughed as if in disbelief. After some brief murmuring, Rutherford laughed leisurely and waved his hand dismissively.
“It’s true that Burgos is collapsing, but you’re not the only ones who want to walk this path with us.”
“What?”
“Everyone on the Gaia Continent except Bariel and Cliffford will join forces. The more Bariel tears itself apart, the more the hungry will feast satisfactorily.”
“The way you’re talking, Ruswena is joining in again.”
“Isn’t it human nature to settle the shame of the past?”
“Just say you have a bad memory. What difference does it make to sound impressive?”
On the surface, I spoke dismissively, but inwardly, I understood perfectly. If we could push back Bariel this time, Ruswena could reclaim the Mages they’d lost, and could also refuse the reparations they’d been paying out over a long period.
‘Besides, right now Bariel is only protected by an inexperienced Prince. The Magic Department’s prestige isn’t what it once was. With Ian Hielo’s appearance, I’m not sure what will happen going forward, but if they want to devour Bariel, an opportunity like this won’t come again.’
“Is Hawan joining in too?”
“High probability.”
“You won’t give a definite answer even if your mouth tears.”
“But I’ll make one thing certain for you.”
“What.”
Rutherford looked up at the sky where crows circled and laughed.
“This time, Toollun will also lend strength to Burgos.”
If Bariel pushes out Burgos, then it’s Toollun next. Burgos is a kind of defensive line for them.
Efdiram bit her fingertips as she pondered. Then, with a surge of irritation, she muttered.
“What’s the problem if we stay attached here? We’re going to clash heads with Bariel anyway.”
“Justification. You’re that justification.”
“Sigh. Fine, fine. What do you want? What should I do? It’s like some kind of friendship fee, damn it? Petty bastards. But if you’re worth your salt once, I won’t say another word. Speak. What do you want?”
“First, we’re tracking the whereabouts of the Bariel delegation. Once the location is confirmed, go and eliminate them.”
The Atan Clan would handle it directly.
This way, Burgos would have no connection whatsoever, while still provoking Bariel into a preemptive strike, securing a legitimate justification for external action.
Furthermore, it would preemptively block any possibility of the Atan Clan flitting about like bats, attaching themselves here and there.
“Uh-huh. And?”
“Stand at the forefront against Bariel’s forces.”
“Be honest. You don’t have many soldiers, do you?”
“Efdiram. It’s good that you’re still yourself, but you’re crossing the line more and more.”
“Damn, your sense of humor really died, didn’t it?”
Efdiram stretched languidly, then let out a short, deep sigh. What could I do? There was only one path forward.
“Fine. Let’s be in the same boat. If we sink, we’ll descend to the depths together, nice and cozy.”
It was the moment Rutherford gestured to his subordinates and turned to leave. Efdiram added one more question.
“But what about the royalists? Shouldn’t we deal with them first? Before foreign forces arrive?”
“That’s not your concern.”
“Damned if you do, damned if you don’t. Fine. Do as you see fit.”
Efdiram frowned irritably and rolled her shoulders with a crack. After spending days lying around eating and breathing nothing but the scent of blood, my body felt sluggish. Well, this works out perfectly.
“Let’s go.”
With their business concluded, Efdiram and Beno descended below the opposite wall, and an anti-royalist advisor who witnessed this whispered to his colleague.
“I’m not sure if we can trust them.”
“Regardless of their temperament, their skill is certain. Probably even that Atan Clan Mage Knight in the Imperial Palace couldn’t match them. How could those raised on demonic beasts compare to those who weren’t?”
“Right. That reckless one?”
“Yes. In any case, the Imperial Guards won’t all come out, so if the Atan Clan takes the front, we can certainly hold our own until full mobilization. We might even do better than that.”
* * *
Crash! Bang! Clang!
“Ugh! So loud!”
And at that very moment.
Berik, who had been passed out on the sofa in the Minister of Magic’s office, covered his ears with a pillow. Even if it wasn’t quiet, he’d never heard it this loud!
After trying to ignore it several times, Berik finally couldn’t take it anymore and kicked the door open.
Boom!
“What’s making all this noise!”
“Oh, it’s Berik.”
“It’s Berik. Still got that grumpy face.”
“Berik, hello. Even we who live buried in caves can tell the difference between when the sun is up and when it’s not.”
Dozens of Dera Tribe members, reaching up to the thigh, had gathered in the Magic Department. They’d just arrived, judging by the bulging packs slung across their shoulders.
Mages wandered about bewildered, struggling to navigate between them, while some Dera Tribe members struck the walls of the Magic Department here and there with hammers, freely venting their curiosity.
…So that’s the source of the noise.
“Hey! Why are you loudly striking the walls with hammers?”
“I can’t strike your head, can I?”
“Here you go, starting trouble the moment you see me.”
“Now, everyone. Just a moment, please focus your attention here.”
Romandro appeared at that moment. He looked completely drenched in sweat, as if all his energy had been drained from coordinating the Dera Tribe. He waved the documents in his hand and shouted.
“A territory for the Dera Tribe to settle and manufacture weapons has just been purchased. We’ll handle moving the supplies, so let’s head there first. Take a look around, and if anything is lacking, just let me know.”
“Oh, really? Let’s go!”
“I’m all for it! Why waste time out here? Let’s head over and get started right away!”
“The biggest forge is mine!”
“Rock, paper, scissors for it!”
“You can’t even spread all your fingers.”
Rumble. The moles moved all at once at Romandro’s gesture. It was quite a rare sight, and even the Mages stopped to watch.
As over a dozen massive carriages hurried away, Ian gently grabbed Berik’s shoulder.
Tap.
“Ian! Because of those mole youngsters—”
“Berik.”
Before he could finish complaining, Berik faltered at Ian’s gesture.
“If you’ve rested well, let’s move the supplies. We need to get to work.”

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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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