Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor - Chapter 609

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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 608. A Mother and Daughter’s Proposal
“Princess Kaila. You mentioned having something to say—what is it?”
A man tapped cigarette ash into his empty wine glass as he spoke.
Though he addressed her with the honorific title and formal speech, it was merely a facade. Mrs. Danit, who had directly handled the weapons trade, hadn’t dissolved the Hollinga family’s operations the moment war broke out—had she? As long as they were the Count’s house of Bariel, they served as a shield against the Emperor himself. It was only natural that their true attitudes would surface in moments like these.
Kaila, fully aware of this, nodded deliberately.
“Before that, I have a question. Is it correct that you Royalists wish to unify the chaotic Burgos and continue the legacy of the Rankbis royal family?”
Why ask something so obvious? The continuation of Rankbis was their rallying cause, their noble purpose, their objective. The officials exchanged uncertain glances.
“What are you trying to say?”
“Answer me. Do you desire the royal family’s continuation?”
“There’s a saying about beating a dead horse, and this is exactly when it applies.”
“Then I ask again. Is there anyone willing to go to Bariel in King Damon’s stead?”
What was this now? The unexpected statement left them all frozen, unable to respond.
Kaila walked slowly among them and picked up a teacup from the side table.
“I thought I had mastered the Burgosian language perfectly, but it seems I was arrogant. Let me rephrase. Is there anyone willing to go to Bariel in exchange for returning King Damon to Burgos? Think of it as an exchange, if that helps.”
“Princess Kaila. Do you understand what you’re saying right now?”
“Of course. These are my own words, deliberately chosen. Rather, aren’t you gentlemen the ones refusing to comprehend?”
Kaila smiled faintly and moistened her throat with tea.
“As you know, I am the daughter of Count Hollin. The Hollinga family can confidently be called the foremost house in Bariel. And on the other hand, Rankbis blood flows through my veins. Wasn’t that precisely why you gentlemen made a deal with my mother?”
“That may be true, but—”
“Then I trust you understand my value in the Emperor’s eyes as well.”
There were rumors that the Hollinga family was eyeing the position of Empress of Bariel, but whether it was true or false remained unclear. After all, it was merely hearsay.
“What exactly are you trying to say?”
“Don’t you wish to gain autonomy over Burgos? My mother and I will stake the honor of the Hollinga family and present a proposal to His Majesty the Emperor. But before that, the Royalists must also demonstrate appropriate sincerity. King Damon, the legitimate heir of the Rankbis line, is alive. It is only right that he returns to Burgos. I am asking if there is anyone willing to sacrifice themselves in his place.”
A sharp silence followed. Suspicious glances darted across the stillness, and none of them dared speak hastily.
King Damon’s return would strengthen their unity—a good thing. But if it required ‘their own sacrifice,’ the matter became entirely different. After enduring this civil war thus far, to have no place in the newly established Burgos?
“Hmm.”
They recalled Shangdet, who had departed with Mrs. Danit, and realized something had gone wrong. Had he been here, the atmosphere would have naturally shifted toward recommending Shangdet. But now…
“What about Shangdet?”
Someone spoke with a brazen face. This was expulsion disguised as recommendation—a crude attempt to push the youngest and least influential among them to Bariel to escape the crisis.
Kaila firmly raised her hand in refusal.
“Marquis Shangdet’s opinion was not taken into account, and moreover, he is insufficient to demonstrate sincerity to His Majesty the Emperor.”
So that’s why Mrs. Danit took Shangdet with her. Had he remained, pressure might have forced him to volunteer.
Several executives caught on to the scheme and their expressions hardened. The board that Mrs. Danit and her daughter Kaila had constructed was finally becoming visible.
“Of course, this is merely a proposal. If you gentlemen have no intention, consider it unheard.”
Kaila added lightly that they need not worry, yet the weight of her words had never been heavier.
If those gathered in the name of Rankbis’s continuation would not step forward for their king, even once? The very foundation of the Royalist cause would crumble, and their support base in Burgos would collapse. If that happened, why would Bariel need to monitor the Royalists at all?
‘If no one steps forward, you all die.’
It was merely a proposal cast out formlessly and subtly.
But when spoken by an imperial Count, a collateral descendant of Rankbis, and one with no small chance of becoming Empress, that proposal cut sharply beneath the Royalists’ chins.
‘Could we have her eliminated?’
‘…Mrs. Danit went to make contact with the Emperor’s faction. They’ve already shared plans regarding this. If something happens to Princess Kaila, I’ll inform the Emperor that we rejected their proposal.’
Had Mrs. Danit remained and spoken such words, I might have accepted the losses and handled it. After all, she was the one who sent Bariel under a false identity. Even if something went wrong, the Hollinga family couldn’t officially raise complaints.
The executives lifted their cups to calm their burning frustration.
“Well then… Marquis Taylor, what do you think? Do you have thoughts on this?”
“On what? Going to Bariel?”
“No, please don’t raise your voice so much. Still, among us, your territory has suffered the greatest damage, so I wondered if it might be better to settle things first before going to Bariel.”
“No, please don’t say such things. Because the damage is greater, there’s more that needs attention. Rather, shouldn’t those with spare capacity be the ones to go?”
“Ahem, everyone calm down for now.”
“Forgive me for saying this, but shouldn’t the one whose military forces are most depleted be the one to step forward?”
“Why are you looking at me when you say that? How much funding did I contribute instead of troops!”
“Get your sources straight. That funding came from the royal treasury, not from your own coffers. If you respect the Rankvis royal family at all, you shouldn’t speak that way.”
“Now see here! You!”
“Enough, enough!”
Crash!
As the atmosphere grew heated, an Old Man struck the table and shouted. He was an elder who served as a central pillar among the executives. He looked at Kaila and made a quiet request.
“We have some matters to discuss among ourselves. Would it not be better for the Princess to take some fresh air?”
“Yes, gladly. Please, speak freely.”
Kaila nodded as if she’d been waiting for this and stood, while the executives watched her departing figure intently until the end.
As the door closed, the tense atmosphere seemed to snap cleanly. The executives all swallowed difficult sighs and exchanged cautious glances once more, while Kaila felt relief at having gotten past this hurdle.
“Sigh.”
She leaned her body against the wall and steadied her breathing. It wasn’t Bariel, and leading such affairs alone in Burgos, a foreign land at war, made her feel as though she were suffocating from tension.
But it wasn’t over yet. Kaila quickly regained her composure, then rushed to her room and fastened a dagger at her thigh.
Click.
From the atmosphere just now, it was clear that cracks would form in the Royalist faction. For now, her status would protect her, but blind faith was dangerous. She couldn’t know when they might corner her or how they might suddenly turn. She had no choice but to protect herself until Mother returned.
Kaila removed her dress and changed into training clothes, then looked out the window. The path Mother had taken stretched endlessly before her.
* * *
Clop clop clop!
Neigh!
Danit’s eyes held a smile, yet seemed anxious. She trusted her daughter, but couldn’t shake her worry about leaving her alone.
Shangdet chewed on his cigarette before he could help himself and asked first.
“Mrs. Danit. What were you trying to say earlier?”
At his voice, Danit’s gaze turned forward. Then, as if remembering what she needed to do, she smiled even more brightly and spread her fan with a flourish.
As part of her face became hidden, Shangdet focused on the woman’s eyes.
“Marquis Shangdet. I’ll speak bluntly. Kaila—my daughter. She is the daughter of Marquis Hollin and carries the collateral bloodline of Rankvis. I am confident that my daughter and I will be of great help to His Majesty the Emperor in establishing Burgos anew.”
“Yes, that would be so. That’s why the Royalist faction asked Mrs. Danit to come meet His Majesty the Emperor in this manner.”
“My. It seems you don’t quite understand. Do you not grasp what it means to establish Burgos anew?”
Shangdet paused for a moment. He instinctively sensed that Mrs. Danit’s words carried unusual weight.
“It is because my daughter and I continuing the Rankvis royal line would be welcomed even in Bariel.”
“Mrs. Danit, what are you saying now…”
“But the executives remaining in Kallamat have grown stagnant, intoxicated by past glory. They pretend to dedicate themselves to Rankvis, but ultimately they’re obsessed with lining their own pockets. You, however, Marquis Shangdet, are different. You are one who truly devotes yourself entirely to the nation, are you not?”
No. Mrs. Danit knows this, and Shangdet knows it too. The only difference between the older executives and Shangdet is the weight of the years they’ve lived through. In other words, it’s a matter of insufficient experience.
But Shangdet had already stepped onto the stage.
“Ah, yes. That’s… that’s right.”
“If we had only men like Marquis Shangdet, the kingdom would never have fallen into such a state in the first place.”
Mrs. Danit sighed and shook her head.
Shangdet’s mind was spinning, but judging from the Countess’s tone, he didn’t think the situation looked particularly dire.
“So, when we have an audience with His Majesty, I’d like to introduce you as the representative of the Royalists. How do you feel about that? Can you handle it?”
It was a question of whether Shangdet would join them when Mrs. Danit and Princess Kaila opened a new royal house with Bariel’s backing.
Shangdet drew deeply on his cigarette and assessed his position. As she said, the Royalists were stagnant. Those who had wielded deep influence in the previous dynasty already held the center firmly, and newcomers like himself had scarcely had any opportunity to distinguish themselves.
Above all, just as Mrs. Danit said, Bariel’s motivation to support the two women seemed more than sufficient.
‘The Marquis Hollin house, and a branch of Rankbis. There’s hardly anyone who fits so perfectly.’
An opportunity?! Damn those old fools. Shangdet suppressed his laughter and answered solemnly.
“Madam. For whatever it takes, for the survival of Rankbis, I will stake everything and see it through.”
“What admirable ambition. A wise decision.”
Snap! Mrs. Danit closed her fan and gave a brief applause to his resolve. Just as she’d assessed. There was meaning in choosing Shangdet—the youngest, most inexperienced, and most hot-blooded among the Royalists. Should she thank him for moving as intended?
‘It wouldn’t have mattered if he’d refused.’
If he’d refused, she would simply have taken him as a hostage to Bariel. Shangdet would never know that he had just saved his own life.
Mrs. Danit murmured softly as she drew back the curtain.
“The carriage is moving swiftly. We’ll arrive sooner than expected. Rest well, Marquis Shangdet. Once you meet Bariel, the entire world will seem glorious. You won’t even have time to close your eyes.”

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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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