Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor - Chapter 658

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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 657. Water in the Desert
“Your Highness!”
The Royal Palace of Ruswena was in turmoil. It had been only a short time since the vanguard had departed.
Eldetr removed his glasses, feeling deep exhaustion as the Ministers called for him day after day.
“What is the matter?”
“There has been combat near the Forest of Mages. It appears that Bariel’s Mages have crossed the border, though detailed reports have not yet arrived.”
“What?”
Bariel’s Mages?
Eldetr stood up without thinking. Shouldn’t they be in Kalamatt right now? Even if the survivors from Hielo and Merelrof had sent word, there hadn’t been enough time for it to reach the capital yet.
But how could Bariel’s Mages have learned of the situation? Could they have placed a magical device on Hielo? No, if they had, Vitor would surely have detected it and informed me.
“Are you certain these are Bariel Mages?”
“According to Minister Martin’s report, it appears so.”
“…This is grave.”
Ruswena’s objective was to seize Hielo before reinforcements from the capital arrived. But the fact that Bariel’s Mages had crossed the border meant they already knew of Ruswena’s preemptive strike.
“Do we not know their numbers?”
“No, it is unclear whether they are hiding in the forest.”
“…Surely it is not that Ian Hielo.”
“I apologize. Nothing has been confirmed.”
“Bring me a Mage.”
They were essentially a direct communication link to Countess Darsi.
Soon, a Mage slowly walked in and sat before Eldetr. Her vacant eyes stared past him into empty space.
“Countess Darsi.”
“…”
“Countess Darsi. If you can hear me, please relay the situation. I hear Bariel’s Mages have crossed the border—what is happening? Can you identify the opponent? First, I would like to know if it is Ian Hielo or not.”
The Mage did not respond to Eldetr’s questions. The Ministers exchanged glances with bewildered expressions.
“Countess Darsi.”
“…Ugh.”
“Oh, what is she saying, Your Highness!”
“Shh. Be quiet.”
The Mage’s lips parted slightly as she uttered words barely above a groan. Her voice was so faint that the Ministers held their breath to concentrate.
“…Kill them.”
“…?”
“Kill, kill, kill…”
“…!”
Like a broken doll repeating the same words endlessly, the Ministers felt both unease and dread, recoiling in shock. Eldetr too appeared flustered, but soon regained his composure.
‘Something has happened to Countess Darsi.’
He could not determine exactly what it was. Perhaps she had been pressed into a disadvantageous position against Bariel’s Mages, or perhaps there was another reason.
The Ministers exchanged glances at the Mage who continued muttering only “kill,” then reported to Eldetr.
“Your Highness. What shall we do…”
“I will immediately organize the main force to support the vanguard. Have the Dragons transport the Mages.”
“Will you be alright? We haven’t confirmed the enemy’s full strength.”
“Countess Darsi seems to be struggling. She took five Mages with her, and if that’s all she can manage, the enemy must possess comparable forces. Wasn’t drawing in Countess Darsi the whole point of this plan?”
To eliminate the Bariel Mages even at the cost of sacrificing all Ruswena Mages. Without the power of magic, Ruswena was confident it could crush Bariel and pacify Gaia.
“If we don’t reinforce from here, we’ll only lose Ruswena Mages. There’s no worse outcome than that. If we’re going to sacrifice them anyway, the only path is to decisively eliminate the Bariel Mages.”
What if the one who crossed the border was Ian Hielo?
Yes. In fact, that’s an opportunity. Ian Hielo is worth four ordinary Mages. Moreover, he was the spiritual pillar of Emperor Jin Berosion. If he dies, Bariel’s victory is completely shattered.
“Assemble the main force at once. Deploy every available soldier. The plan may be altered somewhat, but our objective remains unchanged. Eliminate all Bariel Mages—that is our sole focus.”
“Understood, Your Highness.”
“And—”
Eldetr furrowed his brow and asked.
“What does Minister Martin know about the ‘Forest of Mages’?”
“I hesitate to say, but he likely knows nothing of it.”
“Send a messenger ahead to inform him. The Forest of Mages must never be destroyed.”
“Yes, Your Highness. I will relay this at once.”
Over the years, Eldetr had harbored one question. Gaia was so vast, yet why were Mages concentrated only around Bariel and Ruswena?
Cliffford too had been fertile land with a stable climate before the war began. Though Burgos was barren and hardly worth considering.
‘Bariel and Ruswena share one thing in common.’
They both possessed places where Mages could gather and bond over long ages. For Bariel, it was the Royal Palace’s Magic Department established since its founding. For Ruswena, it was the Forest of Mages.
‘If both Ruswena and Bariel lose their Mages and enter a state of nothingness, victory will certainly belong to Ruswena. Then the Royal Palace’s Magic Department will vanish, and only the Forest of Mages will stand lush and verdant.’
Eldetr nodded without realizing it. Before his eyes, Ruswena’s golden age unfolded vividly. For an age approaching eternity, the master of Gaia would be Ruswena of the golden plains.
“Your Highness. But what if Countess Darsi falls in battle?”
“If she dies after fulfilling her role, there’s no problem. But if not, dealing with the remaining Mages becomes difficult.”
If their will broke, the outcome was predictable. They would aid in breaching the gates out of resentment toward Ruswena. But Eldetr rose from his seat, saying there was nothing to worry about.
“I already have measures in place for that.”
“Forgive me, but I thought I should mention it just in case….”
“You all worry too much. With too much fear, one cannot move forward. Set aside your doubts and act. Haven’t the enemy forces crossed Ruswena’s border?”
The Ministers bowed to Eldetr and hurriedly left the conference chamber.
Soon after, a massive horn blast rang out powerfully from the top of Ruswena’s Royal Palace. It was a signal that the moment of true determination was approaching, that soldiers must assemble and take up arms.
* * *
“…!”
Nakina’s body bent backward. Following the black-armored swordsman’s blade, blood sprayed in a semicircle, and she felt a chilling numbness in her spine as overwhelming pain gave way to helplessness.
A sensation all too familiar. This feeling of her entire magical power being destroyed and vanishing in an instant. As Nakina furrowed her brow and turned to look, the amber-colored blade gleamed.
“I-!”
Idgal. A weapon coated on one side of the blade with Idgal, crafted specifically to counter Mages.
Nakina felt her strength drain away and reached out her hand. Whether it was a Ruswena Mage or a Dragon’s head, it didn’t matter. She had to grab something, anything, to keep from falling.
Whoooosh!
But there was nothing to grasp, and she fell helplessly, squeezing her eyes shut. The sky stretched endlessly high. If she fell like this without magic, her entire body would shatter and her life would end.
…Damn it. There’s still so much to do at the Magic Department. I owe Captain Heil money, I promised to set up Tomi with a bride, and I wanted to have drinks with Ian….
“Nakina!”
Berik, who had been pushing forward against Ruswena Soldiers below, noticed her fall and shouted, but the distance made it impossible to catch her. Still, he tried to leap upward with all his might.
-Kyuuuuu!
Shwaaack!
Something flashed across the distant sky. Then, at an unbelievable speed, a crimson dragon came diving down.
Ian, locked in combat with the forbidden mage, and the Ruswena Mage could only catch a glimpse of the dragon’s form as it streaked past.
Kwaaang!
“Aaaahhh!”
Without slowing, Kyu slammed his body directly into the ground. The Ruswena soldiers who took the brunt of the impact tumbled in all directions, and Kyu swept his tail wide to clear space. It was to catch Nakina.
-Kyuuuu!
“Kyu!”
Thanks to that, she landed safely on the dragon’s back, and Kyu immediately took flight into the sky. Looking down inadvertently during the ascent, Nakina felt a wave of vertigo.
“Ugh!”
A crater of considerable size was gouged into the earth, and flattened corpses lay strewn about, instantly killed. Nakina wiped away cold sweat.
“Haa.”
She’d nearly died. She wrapped her arms around the dragon’s neck and exhaled in relief, then burst into laughter.
“Damn it, why’d you take so long! Did you swim here?!”
Her colleagues. The Bariel mages who came through the portal were flying toward her. Against the backdrop of the distant great desert, lions with golden eyes lined up in formation as if surrounding their prey.
“Ian!”
“Nakina, Tomi!”
“What’s wrong with Nakina? Did you get hit by Idgal?!”
“Yeah! I did. If we’d been any later, I’d be dead!”
“Getting hit by Idgal when bored—she’s been like that for ten years. Go back and just watch from a distance!”
“Damn it!”
Nakina rubbed her eyes and cursed with a bright face. Perhaps because she’d been snatched from death’s door, she felt an overwhelming joy.
Meanwhile, the mages hesitated for a moment at the sight before them.
“What in the world is—”
“What’s all this commotion?”
Swarming Ruswena soldiers, a dragon, and black armor.
Sure, that much was fine. But why were there not one but two mages using forbidden magic? It defied all logic.
Nakina pointed at the Ruswena main force with her finger and explained.
“We can’t handle the forbidden mage! Leave it to Ian and strike the main force! There’s a puppeteer there!”
“A puppeteer, ah. Really? Don’t tell me the puppeteer cast forbidden magic too?”
“Questions later, hurry! Over there! Where Tomi is!”
“Ian! Just hold on a bit longer. We’ll clean this up quickly and come help you.”
“Everyone, take them out.”
“Yes, Captain!”
Crunch!
At Heil’s command, the mages took out small pills and bit down on them. It was Akorelra’s special mana amplification elixir. Since they’d consumed a significant portion of their mana opening and maintaining the portal, it was better to take it before engaging in combat.
The mages’ eyes gleamed with intensified fervor, and they immediately surged past Nakina and Ian toward the Ruswena main force. Behind their formation in flight, the Magic Department robes rippled like waves.
‘Anyway—’
Nakina, left behind, gazed toward the great desert where her colleagues had come from. Murky water poured down like a waterfall from the black moon hanging in the sky.
Whoooosh.
Before we departed, it was merely a stream, but it seems the discharge from Toollun has surged dramatically in the meantime.
‘How on earth did they open a portal? Those madmen. Anyway, this water channel….’
It carved a path through the parched desert, advancing gradually, steadily toward what appeared to be the Ruswena border.
Nakina examined the terrain carefully with her eyes, then surmised that at this rate, the water would inevitably flow into the Mages’ Forest.
‘Well, it doesn’t matter.’
She frowned, massaging her aching back.
But where was Tomi? That bastard went off to catch the Puppeteer, yet there’s been nothing but silence. Nakina secured the lower part of her upper garment tightly and gazed toward the main camp.
“…?”
Though too distant for clarity, the movements of the soldiers seemed unusual.
And then—
“…What is that?”
Nakina narrowed her eyes and tilted her head in confusion.

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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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