Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor - Chapter 660

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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 659. Contaminated Water
Minister Martin, fighting at the forefront alongside his soldiers, grasped the situation.
Ahead, a Mage Knight charged forward like a rabid beast, while behind them, Bariel Mages swarmed in masses, breaking their formation apart.
And worse still—
“…!”
The Countess melted away like liquid, vanishing. Or rather, to be precise, she was rolling away with only her eyeballs remaining.
Martin’s face turned ashen as he waved his baton. His subordinates tilted the Ruswena flag to the left in response to his gesture.
“Retreat—!”
“Fall back! Everyone, fall back!”
Without the Puppeteer, they couldn’t stand against the Mages, and this would only result in meaningless deaths for his soldiers.
At Martin’s command, the soldiers turned and fled. Facing even one Mage Knight was overwhelming, and seeing all of Bariel’s Mages pouring down upon them had sent them into complete panic.
“Run! Keep running!”
“Ahhhhh!”
“Minister Martin! What about the Countess?”
“Damn it, gather what you can!”
“Sir? What do you—”
“Pick it up! The dolls too!”
At Martin’s shout, his subordinates rushed frantically toward the Countess, hastily scooping her eyeballs and the viscous liquid into a canteen before attempting to retreat.
Whoooosh!
“The Mage!”
“Captain Heil!”
Heil, noticing this, seized the opportunity and closed in.
Martin drew his Idgal-infused blade and blocked Heil’s path, and the collision between them sent wind howling violently through the air.
“The Mage has descended! Within range!”
“Idgal arrows! Fire!”
“Black-Armored Knight, over here!”
“Captain, it’s dangerous! Damn it!”
“Stop firing those Idgal arrows! You’re not even from the origin!”
Tap! Tack! Tack!
Heil parried Martin’s blade several times, then discarded his weapon and planted his right fist firmly against his side.
Golden mana enveloped him. In an instant, Heil’s eyes gleamed, and a powerful force erupted.
Ziiing!
「Chaotic Bell」.
Boom!
Heil narrowly evaded Martin’s incoming attack and drove his fist into his opponent’s chest.
Martin’s heart rang out loudly, and a massive shockwave rippled outward from his back in all directions.
Dooong—!
Dong!
With each person the shockwave passed through, it grew stronger, eventually reaching the point of destroying internal organs. Soldiers retreating at the very rear of the formation collapsed, coughing blood. Like dominoes, soldiers across the entire perimeter writhed in agony and died.
“Ugh—!”
Martin grasped near his wildly pounding heart as he steadied his sword. Captain Heil maintained his offensive stance, as if welcoming anyone foolish enough to challenge him.
But then, someone blocked his path—
Crash!
A third Forbidden Mage.
Heil bit down lightly on a dry cigarette, and Martin seized the moment to stumble backward in retreat. The Bariel Mages attempted to pursue, but the Forbidden Mage released toxic vapor without restraint, blocking their advance.
“Is that Darsi or whatever? That Puppeteer isn’t dead? Why are they still in this state?”
“Once forbidden magic is activated, there’s no turning back. And Count Ian’s side is also at a stalemate. It doesn’t seem like she’s dead. Or perhaps—”
“It’s because of King Toolun.”
“Because of the King, you say…?”
“Countess Darsi is ultimately nothing but the King’s doll. Even if the doll breaks, as long as the one playing with it remains behind, the game never truly ends.”
Captain Heil sighed inwardly. Forbidden magic. Setting aside the disparity in magical power, the very fact that their attacks were landing was questionable.
During the Wesley incident, the Magic Department had never landed a single effective blow against a Forbidden Mage. What about the Cliffford War? They’d merely pooled their magic and handed it over to Ian.
Yet there had been no worry. Ian always had an answer.
“Captain Heil. What should we do?”
But now, Ian was already facing two Forbidden Mages simultaneously. Using both clones and pursuit magic. Ian had no more leeway, and the Magic Department had few options remaining.
‘How long will the clone technique last? Under normal circumstances, Ian could maintain it for half a day without issue, but facing Forbidden Mages, he’ll surely exhaust himself.’
It wasn’t simply hopeful that Ian had doubled in number. Maintaining clones required a constant flow of magic at a certain level, and when a clone took damage, the original body suffered multiple times the impact…
Heil pushed aside his thoughts, lit his dry cigarette, and tossed off his robe.
“Everyone, fall back.”
“Captain Heil?”
“This is what they give me the captain’s position for, after all.”
Whoosh— He drew deeply and rapidly on his cigarette. Perhaps, just perhaps, this might be the last time.
The Forbidden Mage tilted his head to one side, releasing a formidable aura. It was a heavy, murky power so oppressive that an ordinary human would struggle to breathe.
Crash.
Meanwhile, the Mages disregarded Heil’s order to fall back and removed their robes alongside him. When Heil turned to glance back, they stood with resolute expressions, assuming battle stances.
“We follow the Captain for moments like this.”
“If Count Ian handles two of them, can’t we manage one?”
“Yes, that’s right. Don’t worry, sir. We’ll support you flawlessly. Let’s finish that bastard and catch those Ruswena dogs who fled with the Puppeteer.”
“Damn dogs, you’re all dead, really.”
“We’ll push them all the way to the Royal Palace ruins.”
The Mages ground their teeth, displaying fierce hostility. Forbidden magic. It was an unimaginably unethical act, moreover a blasphemy, a matter of dignity.
Heil rolled up his sleeves and flicked away his cigarette.
“Right. Guard well from behind. Then at least I won’t fall.”
“Yes, Captain!”
Heil smiled and made his vow. No matter what happened, whatever price he had to pay, even if it meant giving up everything including his own breath—
He would protect the Magic Department.
“Here I come!”
As Heil charged forward with a battle cry, the Forbidden Mage reflexively released his magic. The moment the two forces collided, a deafening roar erupted. At the same time, an ominous explosion sounded from Ian’s direction.
Boom! Crash!
The Ruswena Soldiers who had been fleeing instinctively lowered their bodies and froze, then let out sighs tinged with despair.
“Hah…”
The entire world was dark and bright simultaneously, burning cold at the same time. A sky saturated with death’s aura—a sight I witnessed for the first time in my life.
This was both a fragment of history and the moment that divided life from death. The helpless Soldiers could only pray to God as they rushed desperately toward the city walls.
* * *
“Your Majesty. All the Mages have departed.”
“Yes. I saw.”
Jin leaned against the city wall, gazing down at the waters below. Despite the sunlight, the river flowed murky and dark. From this vantage point, I could see the winding currents of the river at a glance.
Soldiers controlled the area near the river, blocking the Residents from approaching, and beneath where the Portal had been erected, they were hastily constructing a temporary dam to prevent any leakage from spreading further.
“The Mages truly exercised their wisdom well. I wondered how they would establish a Portal over the river’s span, but such a method existed.”
One Advisor nodded approvingly. The Mages had erected supports matching the river’s width, then inscribed the Portal upon them. They would never know of the nearly twenty attempts required to adjust it properly as it shifted incrementally.
Like sewage draining away, the filthy wastewater disappeared cleanly through the Portal.
“Keep careful track of the time. If there’s no report within the scheduled window, we’ll have no choice but to take action ourselves.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. I will accomplish this without issue. Please do not worry.”
“How can I not worry? Gaia’s land is Bariel’s land, and Cliffford’s strength is our strength. Do not think complacently.”
The Advisors bowed their heads at Jin’s gentle rebuke.
Should the wastewater continue to pour even after the Portal’s maintenance time expired, Jin would have no choice but to assemble a special task force and send people upstream. Even if they couldn’t resolve the problem entirely, they needed to grasp the situation to some degree.
“No, this won’t do! Sound the alarm!”
“Just a moment! Just a brief moment!”
“I said it won’t do. Have you lost your mind? Do you know where you are!”
“But Count Ian isn’t here, and there’s no one to relay my message to him! Release this!”
“Guards! Guards!”
Then, commotion erupted from outside.
Whether it was because they’d come down toward the city walls rather than staying in Kalamat Castle itself, if zealous and foolish Residents had started a riot, it would be troublesome. Jairot and the Imperial Guards descended toward the entrance, alert.
“What is the matter? Do you possess an entry pass?”
“Ah, I apologize. The thing is—”
“…Clark?”
At Jairot’s murmur, Jin turned his head.
“Jairot. It’s fine. Let him through.”
“As you wish, Your Majesty.”
“It’s fine. Since Count Ian isn’t here, he must have come seeking me. You may let him pass.”
Before his words even finished, Clark strode past Jairot and climbed the stairs with long steps. His excited face was quite flushed, and the wind atop Kalamat’s walls showed no sign of cooling his fervor.
Jin smiled wryly upon seeing the scrap of paper clutched in Clark’s hand.
“Count Ian has given you something excessive. I doubt he issued entry passes to be used in such a manner.”
“Your Majesty!”
Clark prostrated himself at his feet and spoke.
“I heard that you were searching for me in Merelrof. Yet I cannot fathom why only the Mages were sent to the frontier without a single word to me.”
“Do you truly not understand, or are you asking out of ignorance? You were Rutherford’s man. To settle your status, you must go through the Imperial Palace. Do not cause a disturbance. Even if you have a connection with Count Ian, it is of no concern to me.”
It was a command to understand his place and remain silent.
Yet Clark did not retreat, pressing his forehead to the ground once more.
“Your Majesty. Forgive me, but there is one who has kept me alive through all these long years. Problems have arisen in Merelrof and Hielo, and the fact that all the Mages have crossed over does not seem like an ordinary matter.”
“…Regardless. Both of them are losing their focus.”
Jin narrowed his eyes and muttered. This one was Clark, and that one was Xiaoxi. Jin tilted his head and pointed below the city wall.
“Then you should just jump down from here.”
“Pardon?”
“That portal connects directly to Merelrof. I’m impressed by your audacity to recite your personal grievances so tediously before me. If you wish, jump down and see for yourself. I’ll inform Count Ian separately.”
Setting aside the height, how could one jump into the sewage mixed with toxic poison? Clark pondered for a moment, then bowed to Jin with resolve.
“…I am grateful for your grace, as boundless as the sea.”
And with that, he actually climbed onto the city wall’s railing as if to jump. The Advisors gasped and covered their mouths, while Jairot and the Palace Guards averted their gazes as if they saw nothing.
“Sigh. Please…”
…How irritating. Jin furrowed his brow, then waved his hand dismissively.
“Enough. If I see your corpse pickled in sewage, Count Ian will worry that something has happened on this end.”
As Jin’s permission fell, Jairot grabbed Clark’s arm and shook his head.
“Clark.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Then let me make you a proposal.”
Clark descended from the railing and knelt before Jin. A man for whom death or life made no difference. After deliberation, Jin continued.
“Once the sewage stops flowing, I will permit you to take the portal to the borderlands. I shall grant you a new station in the Emperor’s name. What do you say? It seems far better than jumping from here.”

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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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