Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor - Chapter 646

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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 645. Merelrof and Hielo
Tap.
Berik prodded the stranger’s head with the tip of his boot. He didn’t move, and I wondered if he was dead, but that wasn’t quite it. The mages were so startled that they clung to each other while asking Berik.
“Is he dead?”
“No. He’s alive.”
“Haa, m-mad. What in the world is that supposed to be?”
“I told you. The painting moves.”
Of course they thought it was drunken nonsense!
Tweller hid Jin behind his back, and Ian blocked the two of them. The mages surrounded the three, protecting them. Berik sniffled as he watched the people standing in such an odd formation.
“Ian. Should I pull him out of the painting?”
“Yes. Be careful.”
“Me? Or him?”
“Both.”
“Okay!”
Berik grabbed the stranger by the hair and pulled hard. Dragged back and forth with blood streaming down his face, the sight was pathetic and contemptible.
The mages whispered to Ian.
“I-Ian. Could this be Rutherford’s remnants? Wasn’t that matter settled in Agiar?”
“Still, the methods are identical to when they invaded the royal palace back then. There seems to be some connection, but his appearance is utterly shabby.”
“Indeed. We’re surprised, but there’s nothing to worry about. Besides, it seems he was trying to cross over alone?”
“You madman! Where do you think this is—!”
“No, calm down. From his perspective, wasn’t he trying to reach the gallery? It seems Berik pulled the painting away and caused this mess.”
“Ah. That’s right. Then it’s Berik’s fault.”
“Right. It’s all because of Berik.”
“Hey! I can hear everything, you know? Shut it!”
“Yeah. I wanted you to hear it.”
Berik grabbed the man’s hair and shook him vigorously. The man began to groan softly. Soon, as if regaining consciousness, he opened his eyes slightly and looked around.
“Ugh…?”
“Oh, this bastard’s awake. Hey! Who are you!”
Crack!
“Don’t hit him, you idiot! He’ll pass out again!”
As Berik struck the man’s cheek, the mages cried out in alarm and tried to stop him. The man himself wanted to ask what was happening. With a bewildered expression, he looked around and reached toward the painting. He was trying to escape.
“Ugh, ahhh…”
“Where do you think you’re going! I asked who you are!”
“W-who are you people?”
“Me? Berik.”
“Who’s that?! Aaaahhh!”
Berik twisted the man’s arm behind his back and pinned him down effortlessly. Unable to move a single finger, the man’s mind seemed so confused he might lose consciousness again at any moment.
Before him, I knelt on one knee.
“Reveal your identity and purpose, and I will release you. There may be misunderstandings between us. A mana stone painting like this could pose a significant threat to national security. It would be in your best interest to explain in detail how you were using it.”
“No, I-I’m an employee of Valiuard. The painting belongs to the merchant company as well. It’s a route we use to deliver goods, but I truly don’t know how the painting ended up here.”
At the man’s words, the mages stared at Berik with sharp eyes. There it was—the reason Grim had abandoned his post.
“Valiuard?”
I glanced back to see if anyone recognized the name. But everyone simply shook their heads.
“A trading company. We merely deliver and transport goods. P-please, could you let go of this? My head is ringing, and my arm hurts so much I can barely stand it.”
“Berik.”
At my command, Berik eased his grip slightly.
“Transport goods? That’s odd—your cargo is remarkably light for such work.”
“This particular task is different in nature.”
“How so?”
“…It’s a business secret, you understand.”
Protecting a client’s secrets was standard practice. If correspondence leaked and caused problems, it would be a fatal blow to the company’s reputation. And this wasn’t just any task—it involved a noblewoman and the Minister of Magic.
From the man’s perspective, these people were thieves who had broken into the gallery without permission and stolen a painting, common street ruffians resorting to violence without hesitation.
“I see. Admirable, but not the right answer.”
I rose to my feet and turned away.
“You’ll cool your head in the underground prison for a while. If our investigation finds no charges against you, I’ll release you.”
Crossing borders without proper immigration procedures was a punishable offense. However, given the circumstances, I was willing to release him at an appropriate point if no serious charges emerged. After all, the drunk dog bore some responsibility for this mess.
“That won’t do!”
The man cried out in alarm at the mention of the underground prison. Once imprisoned, there was no guarantee when he’d be released. This job had to be completed within a week at most. Lady Lien had promised a bonus for it.
“Why not?”
“There’s a deadline. It’s urgent, so if you’d just let me finish this task, I’ll walk into that prison myself. Please, I’m begging you. Look—I haven’t even gotten a nosebleed.”
Besides, before entering the prison, he’d certainly be searched. Better to use this information as a bargaining chip now than risk it leaking during that search.
The man spoke in a low voice, his expression grave.
“Ian Hielo!”
“…?”
Everyone froze at the sudden address. Seeing he’d caught their attention, the man continued with an even more solemn tone.
“Surely you’ve heard of him. The Minister of Magic of Bariel! The youngest ever, the most capable, the light and salt of Bariel, hope itself—a truly remarkable person! One who commands the Magic Department with the complete trust of His Majesty the Emperor! That person is the subject of my current task.”
The mages’ eyes swiveled toward me. Not just them—Jin and Tweller watching from behind, and even the servants waiting by the door all turned to look.
Since they could only see the back of my head, none of them could read my expression. Had I ever faced someone who praised me so openly?
An awkward silence stretched on, and the first to react was Berik.
“Hahahaha! Insane! Ugh, so cringey!”
“Ow, ow, it hurts! Don’t move!”
“You’ve got a talent for making people laugh, you bastard. Hahahaha!”
I crouched down in front of him again, my posture stiff.
“Why are you looking for Ian Hielo?”
“I have a letter to deliver. In my right breast pocket.”
“Berik.”
“Right. Oh, here it is.”
“Ah! No, wait!”
Berik snatched the letter from the struggling man and handed it to me. As I read it, my brow furrowed. The mages’ eyes darted nervously at this ominous sign.
After a moment, I placed the letter on the table and showed it to Jin.
“Your Majesty. It appears there’s been trouble in Hielo.”
“Trouble, you say?”
‘Your Majesty?’
The man’s eyes widened as if they might burst from their sockets. Had he heard correctly? Throughout all of Gaia, there was only one person who could be addressed as “Your Majesty”—the master of the Bariel Empire.
“A letter from Mrs. Lien Merelof arrived. It says that Nersaren has abandoned his post and left his territory.”
“What? Truly? Could it be he’s gone to search for Lady Philia? Has he fallen behind?”
As Jin fell silent, the mages hurried over and added their concerns.
“I don’t know the details, but there’s certainly something happening in Hielo. If this is connected to the unstable situations in Hawan and Ruswena, it could be grave.”
“Oh my. But I see Clark’s name written here too. Was he from Merelof?”
“Yes. More precisely, he’s one of Lady Lien’s people.”
“They’re asking us to send Clark. What do you plan to do?”
“First, wouldn’t it be best to accurately assess the situation in Hielo? And Clark was once connected to Rutherford. Even if we send him, he should return to the imperial palace first to tie up loose ends.”
“I agree.”
“Wait—! Just a moment!”
The man hastily interjected into the mages’ conversation. He feared he would lose track if he missed this opportunity.
“Your M-Majesty, you say…”
“Emperor.”
*Snap.*
The mages formed a platform with their palms and pointed to Jin. Silver hair and pale blue eyes. And a long scar running across his face. It was Jin Berosion.
“Ah. Then you must be…”
“Minister of Magic.”
*Snap.*
The mages moved their hands again, now pointing to Ian. Looking at him more carefully, his refined beauty was indeed extraordinary, though the chaotic situation had prevented him from noticing earlier. This space, which he’d taken for some high-class residence…
“Ta-da. Kalamata Royal Palace.”
“…I’m not sure whether I’m fortunate or unfortunate.”
Ian gestured to Berik to release the man.
Though his body was now free, the man remained dazed, staring straight ahead. Heavens. The Emperor of the Empire, the mages, the Minister—they were all right before his eyes.
“You’re fortunate. Ian didn’t curse at you in front of himself. That’s something.”
“Berik. Unnecessary commentary. You there. What was your name again? Valiuard?”
“Yes? Ah, yes! That’s correct!”
“The painting is connected to Merelof?”
“It is!”
“Your Majesty.”
Jin nodded. If we could go and return without expending magical power, we should go. We can also see the situation in Hawan with our own eyes.
Ian picked up the painting.
“Can we cross over to Merelof?”
“Ah, right now?”
“There seems to be a problem.”
“Well, to pass through the painting, we need this magic stone.”
The man pulled out a necklace he’d hidden in his garments and showed it. Within it lay a faintly glowing light.
“Once the painting is crossed, the light dims and enters a dormant state. It takes about an hour to reactivate, but since people rarely go in and come right back out, I’m not entirely certain of the exact timing.”
“The Mana Stone Management Department.”
“Ah, yes! I’ll check right away!”
If something similar existed, we might be able to use it as a substitute. The mages who had rushed downstairs returned before long, carrying something with them.
“Ian! Why don’t we try this!”
“Ah! And the passage is narrow, so only two people besides me can fit inside.”
Lady Lien had wanted me to bring Clark, but the timing wasn’t right. Then what about Berik? He still seemed a bit tipsy—would he be alright?
“Let’s go, Ian.”
Without waiting for me to finish deliberating, Berik stepped forward and thrust his head into the painting—without a mana stone, no less. The paper stretched dramatically, and the mages yelped, landing punches on his ribs.
“You madman, you’ll tear it!”
“This is a mana stone!”
I pulled on my outer robe and bowed respectfully to Jin. Then I issued orders to the mages.
“Leave the mana stone that Valiuard brought behind. If we don’t return within a day, it means something has happened to Hielo.”
“Understood. Please return safely.”
“Huh? Ian, they like you. You’re going on another business trip.”
Thwack! Smack! Smack!
The mages took turns punching Berik on the head.
After exchanging their own farewell, I reached my hand into the painting following the man. A cool yet comforting sensation engulfed my fingertips and consumed me.
* * *
“Huh?”
Berik’s brow furrowed. The single painting we had traveled through lay bare on the floor of the darkened hotel lobby.
“There’s no one here?”
“Why… where did everyone…?”
“You bastard, you scammed us?!”
“No! That’s impossible. I’m just as bewildered—no, flustered right now. Where did everyone go…?”
Screeeech.
The front desk was also in chaos.
I slowly stepped outside the building and soon faced Merelof in the darkness. There wasn’t a single place with light.
Literally an empty domain. No one was there. Not even the faintest sound of life, not even a dog wandering the streets.
“Ian, this is Merelof, right?”
“It is, but…”
What was happening? As I released my mana and rose on my toes, Berik grabbed my collar and dragged me. From here to Hielo would only take a few minutes of flight.
Whoooosh!
As we soared into the sky, my pupils dilated.
The panorama of Hielo spread beneath my feet was utterly devastating. All the houses had collapsed, flames and smoke rose from various places, and corpses lay scattered across the streets.
Thump.
My heart sank.

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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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