Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor - Chapter 668

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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 668. Going Again
“Wait a moment, Ian!”
Just as I was about to swallow the orb, one of the Mages raised his hand urgently.
“Who will swallow the remaining one?”
At this, everyone else nodded their heads in agreement. It was a valid point. The Mage continued.
“According to the explanation, three people are needed in total. And above all, it’s safer if the balance of power among the three is reasonably matched. Captain Heil aside, there’s no suitable person among us.”
Even Heil’s power depth fell far short compared to mine, and if an ordinary Mage swallowed the orb and participated in creating the magic circle, no one could guarantee what the result would be.
I pulled the orb away from my lips slightly and paused to think.
“What if I consume both?”
If I took on the roles of two people, the center of power would rise higher, making it more stable. But it was dangerous. I was already worried about consuming just one orb, let alone two by myself?
“Absolutely not!”
“That won’t do!”
Crash!
The Mages suddenly erupted in indignation and jumped to their feet. Papers scattered across the floor swirled into the air, and my eyes widened. Without exception, the Mages grabbed my wrist holding the orb.
“How can you say such a thing?”
“Yes, we absolutely cannot allow this!”
“Rather than have Ian consume both, we would instead—!”
Instead, what?
At the Mages’ outcry, my eyes narrowed. I knew what words were caught in their throats. I gently grasped the backs of their hands and spoke quietly.
“I understand this is suspicious. I know the risk is substantial. But right now, I see no other way.”
The Ruswena Mages all appear to have fallen into the Puppeteer’s hands. Even if there are restrictions on using forbidden magic, the worst-case scenario we can anticipate is that all of them fall under the sway of forbidden magic.
If that happens, I alone cannot stop them.
“I have two choices before me. One is to condone you all being pushed over the cliff and wielding forbidden magic. The other is to find a new solution. As I said, I will never accept the former. So I will consume it. Even if this causes me serious harm, the outcome will not be so different.”
Whether I consumed the orb or not, the future before me remained the same. Taking on risk.
Whether that risk was consuming the orb or facing the forbidden Mages alone, it came down to choice. But wouldn’t it be wiser to place my bet where there’s even a slight possibility?
“…But still.”
“Why not summon Captain Akorelra from the mines and have her analyze the composition? She would arrive quickly.”
“I forbid it.”
“Pardon? Why?”
Toollun had noticed that I and a considerable portion of the Mage forces had left Karamat.
Jindo would have grasped the circumstances before and after. Moreover, he would have realized his own safety was now in danger. Likely, Akorelra is being summoned by Jindo and heading toward Karamat right now. Though she alone would not be enough.
Yet the reason Jindo remains at his post is because he believes. In me, that is.
I cannot take Akorelra away from the Emperor, who barely endures while waiting only for my word. For safety, the Mages remaining at the Emperor’s side are essential to defending Karamat.
“…And above all, I can feel it.”
I turned to look at Heil. His golden eyes shone brighter and clearer than ever before. This was undoubtedly pure divine power, untainted by any sinister influence.
I don’t know which Eastern Mage created this, but they must have reached a realm worthy of being called a sage.
“Then I will consume both instead.”
Heil made his decision. He picked up the remaining orb and turned to me, nodding.
“If someone must consume two, it should be me. Please wait a moment, Ian.”
“Captain! No!”
“No, why are you all just standing there! Spit it out! Spit it out!”
But it was already too late. Captain Heil swallowed the second orb without hesitation. He had already resigned himself to death the moment he decided to invoke forbidden magic. If he could find a breakthrough, he was willing to do anything.
Whoooosh!
An overwhelming surge of magical power flowed from Captain Heil—something they hadn’t felt from him before. The mages who had been frantically shaking him to make him spit it out froze in their tracks. As he clenched his fist, golden mana oxidized and dissipated through the gaps between his fingers.
“C-Captain Heil. Are you alright?”
“…It’s good.”
“G-Good? Really? You’re not just confused and mistaken because your mind is spinning, are you?”
“No, I’m serious. I’m fine.”
My body condition was in better shape than at any other time I’d experienced.
As he broke into a faint smile, the mages also relaxed and chuckled softly in relief. With crazy bosses like these, their hearts never got a moment’s peace.
“It feels similar to when Captain Akorella took the mana amplifier. I’m not entirely sure, but it seems the Eastern mages are quite skilled as well.”
“I’m sure Captain Akorella would be delighted to hear that.”
“Hmm. I’ll give it some thought.”
Even joking around—the mages were astonished. Following Captain Heil’s lead, Ian also swallowed an orb.
Just like Captain Heil, pure golden mana wrapped around his body. The mages huddled together and stepped backward, holding each other’s hands as they watched their two superiors.
Patter-patter-patter!
“Ugh, ahhh!”
“Paper! Paper!”
Suddenly, the white paper inside the box flew up and unfurled at length.
The endlessly expanding paper quickly filled an entire wall, and Ian and Captain Heil simultaneously reached out their hands. Black ink slowly spread from the points where their fingertips touched.
Swoooosh!
“Ian!”
“Heil, it’s fine. Calm down.”
Something stirred deep within my chest. Ian gently reassured the startled Captain Heil, telling him not to worry.
Swoosh! Swish!
Ink saturated with water spread endlessly across the thin paper. Ian and the other mages, unaware that it was Eastern hanji paper and ink, watched in fascination as their eyes traced the lines.
“Hm? The speed is slowing down.”
The speed at which the lines extended slowed, and it seemed they would soon stop entirely. Ian instinctively realized that this point was where he needed to pour in his own power.
「Manyō」.
Confronting the Forbidden Mage head-on would be Ian’s responsibility. The Bariel Mages would assist Ian by taking on the role of binding the Forbidden Mage—strategically, this was the right approach.
As Ian drew the Manyō magic circle with his fingertips, Captain Heil also instinctively sensed it was his turn. He drew in the two spells he primarily used.
“Ah, Captain! You’re adding that?”
“What? Is there a problem?”
“No, it’s not that…”
The mages trailed off. Captain Heil’s magic, used in fieldwork, was simply too rough and destructive for them.
But the black ink inscribed Captain Heil’s magic circle onto the paper as well.
Swoooosh.
Then, slowly, all the drawings sank into the ink. The lines were erased, leaving only black.
And then, golden light gradually rising from within.
“Oh!”
Whoosh!
A magical circle unlike anything I’d ever witnessed before. Immediately after, a violent wind swept through the study, sending papers spiraling upward like a tornado.
The Mages shielded their faces with their sleeves yet couldn’t tear their eyes from the magical circle. A breathtaking sensation, as if their hearts might stop. One Mage snatched a piece of paper and began tracing the magical circle.
Screech!
“It’s better to learn with your body than to memorize. Carve it into yourselves as you follow.”
At my instruction, the Mages simultaneously extended their hands.
“Let’s all draw it as one!”
“Right, it’d be better to pool our mana.”
“Whoa, whoa? You lunatics! We’re indoors!”
“Here we go!”
Berik, who had been sitting by the window watching, flinched and stood up. Were those mad fools really getting excited over a new magical circle right now? Berik shouted for them to stop, but the Mages’ ears were deaf to his voice.
「Convergence」.
Boom! Boom!
The World Tree summoned from the magical circle burst through the mansion’s walls and ceiling, rising skyward. The thorns adorning each branch were wickedly sharp.
The Mages snapped to their senses amid the crumbling debris and bolted outside, while Berik escaped through a window.
“Whoa, whoa-!”
Only after putting distance between themselves could the Mages take in the World Tree in its entirety, stretching as if it would pierce the very heavens.
They gazed up at it in stunned awe, marveling. Mysterious and wondrous. As if suffused with a subtle luminescence, the World Tree commanded presence even in the darkness.
“We… we created this?”
“Insane. I’ve never even attempted this spell in my life.”
“And it actually works.”
“So higher-tier magic becomes possible when we pool our mana together.”
The harvest wasn’t merely that higher-tier magic was possible. What mattered was that this magic was effective even against the Forbidden Mage. The Mages glimpsed hope—that they too could play a role in battle.
“Oh, Ian! Captain Heil! How are your bodies?”
“Nothing unusual? Well, actually. You summoned something like that—there’s no way there’s nothing wrong.”
“If either of you feels even slightly off, tell us immediately. Without you two, everything here is essentially blank.”
“Yes, you’re free to return to Kalamatros, but if you feel anything amiss at all—”
The worried Mages fell silent. Both I and Heil appeared remarkably intact. Amid the wreckage, we examined our bodies carefully.
“I feel no immediate problems. Heil, what of you?”
“The same.”
“W-well, that’s fortunate then. Though something feels off.”
“Indeed. Where would power without a price come from?”
“Hmm.”
I agreed. I picked up a triangular box lying on the floor and spoke quietly.
“Nabu.”
“Yes!”
“Keep this safe. Be careful not to lose it.”
“Understood. It’s something important, isn’t it? I’ll protect it with my life!”
“Don’t overdo it. Ian. Ever since that bastard saw you fight, he’s been like this? Really can’t read him at all.”
Honestly, if he resists, they complain, and if he fawns, they complain about that too. Nabu shot Berik a disgruntled look before slipping into the shadows.
“I’ll investigate the gaps in my understanding once I return to the Imperial Palace.”
That way, I can learn the details of any side effects. For now, I’m simply grateful there are no major problems.
At my words, the Mages suppressed their satisfied smiles, then simultaneously rushed toward the World Tree and embraced its trunk. Like tiny fairies dwelling within the wood itself.
“Don’t worry about anything now, Ian! If that Forbidden Mage shows up, we’ll throw ourselves at him with everything we’ve got and pin him down!”
“There’s no stopping a swarm, right? This bastard’s done for now, really! We’ll watch your front and your back. We won’t let anything hurt you, Ian!”
“Ugh… I made it. I made this masterpiece. If my mother had seen this, she would’ve been so proud. *sobs*”
“Damn, whoever made it—the craftsmanship is exquisite. Truly beautiful!”
A faint light traced along the tree’s surface. Not the gentle radiance the wood itself emitted. Night had already passed, and morning was breaking.
As dawn broke, I turned my gaze toward Ruswena. The sky at the horizon was ashen—the Mage’s forest had burned completely.
“We move again.”
I gestured for everyone to prepare. If I could capture the Forbidden Mage alone, stopping Ruswena would be simple.
Toward the dawning sky, black scraps of paper rode the wind and flew away.
Whiiiiish!
To be precise, they weren’t riding the wind at all—they were returning to a point in the east from where we had come—but I and the Mages didn’t know this.
Our eyes were fixed solely on the south, on Ruswena.

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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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