Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor - Chapter 67

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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 67. Brothers
Prince Marib drew his bowstring taut against his body. Though he felt the wind, he paid it no mind and released the arrow. He wasn’t here to hunt beasts, after all.
Whoosh!
The arrow flew in an arc and struck an empty space before falling. The startled deer bolted far away, and the officials watching from the side let out sympathetic chuckles.
“Oh, what a shame.”
“Indeed. The wind had to pick now, didn’t it.”
“Well then, it seems Derenchio is in first place at the moment.”
“Your Highness, allow me to take my turn.”
This was an unofficial event held once a month. The Imperial family, key officials, and a select few nobles gathered under the guise of camaraderie, but it was truly an extension of politics—tedious yet important.
“By the way, Prince Gail doesn’t seem to be here today?”
Prince Marib, who had been reaching for his bow, froze. That his relationship with Gail was strained was common knowledge even among the lowest slaves in the Imperial Palace. Yet someone had carelessly mentioned that name.
A few officials glanced nervously at the First Prince, but Prince Marib responded calmly.
“Indeed. I wonder what keeps him so busy.”
After the lordship appointment fell through and Mollin departed for the Borderlands, there was one peculiar thing: Gail had been conspicuously absent from Prince Marib’s presence. There were no particular rumors circulating, and judging by their father’s hints, he seemed to visit there frequently.
It meant Gail was deliberately avoiding only Prince Marib.
The official didn’t notice Prince Marib’s frown deepening as he drew his bowstring and muttered.
“His Majesty hasn’t attended for quite some time due to declining health. What a pity.”
“…A pity?”
“Indeed. When Your Highnesses were younger, it was so lively and joyful. We often lost our prey due to the commotion…”
Whoosh!
Just as he was about to release his bowstring, an arrow suddenly shot out from beside him. Prince Marib had fired carelessly. Another deer fled far into the distance.
“Like now?”
“Y-Your Highness?”
“I too find it a pity. It seems you cannot be satisfied with me, Official. Perhaps my hunting skills are simply inadequate.”
“Oh, what are you saying? No. Absolutely not.”
The official sweated profusely in protest. He even used his hands, desperately denying the implication, but Prince Marib merely smiled and turned away.
“Please, continue. I need some rest.”
“Ah. Yes, yes. Your Highness.”
Prince Marib removed his gloves and left, while the officials subtly reproached the one who had misspoken and urged him to pick up his bow.
Beneath the tent, Prince Marib lay down and pressed his brow wearily.
“Are you well?”
He hadn’t slept in days due to accumulated duties. Coming out to shoot arrows in such a state was naturally taxing. The Steward poured him cool water and watched over him.
“A messenger pigeon has arrived from the Borderlands.”
“From Romandro?”
“It seems it will be a gift for you, my lord.”
Prince Marib looked up at the Steward with curiosity. The Steward confirmed no one was nearby and lowered his voice.
“According to Romandro’s report, they have discovered a crop capable of resolving the famine. Ian is leading its distribution throughout Bratz Estate, and they say its effects will be visible by the end of this winter. The tax revenue will also reach normal harvest levels.”
“By the end of this winter?”
The green leaves were already turning yellow. What kind of crop could show results within winter? The cultivation period would need to be less than two months for the calculations to make sense.
“It’s called Gula.”
“Gula? You mean that poisonous weed I know of?”
Prince Marib responded with bewilderment. He’d gone to the Borderlands, and it seemed Romandro had lost his mind. It was nothing but a filthy weed that grew in dirty places and carried toxins.
And with that, he could solve a famine?
Suddenly, exhaustion washed over me.
“He’s gone mad.”
“I thought the same at first, but the details below are quite remarkable. Apparently, gula seeds are edible. They taste better than expected, provide excellent satiety, and it seems culinary research has already progressed considerably.”
Prince Marib was displeased, but reluctantly gestured his hand. The Steward quickly presented the letter before him.
“Cultivation methods? Ha! What’s the difference from cultivating weeds?”
“The cultivation period is only one month, very short. A single seed produces over ten seeds again. The soil quality and water quality don’t matter either.”
Prince Marib carefully read through Romandro’s report.
Certainly, if what was written was true, solving the famine might not be entirely impossible. The conditions were excellent—arguably the best among existing emergency crops.
But merely thinking of gula made me feel dirty. How could anyone eat such a thing?
“What else? Is that all? For a gift, it’s rather unimpressive.”
“Ah, and….”
The Steward bowed deeply and lowered his voice further.
“A letter of recommendation proposing Ian as the next lord….”
Though he’s the blood of a criminal, if it’s true he’s a mana user, it hardly matters. No, rather, I should coax him carefully and keep him from fleeing. It seems Romandro and the estate villagers have properly earned his trust, and with a recommendation letter already submitted, there’s no problem whatsoever.
The real problem for Prince Marib was….
“Mollin’s ring was enclosed.”
“What?”
My voice came out louder than expected, and one of the distant officials glanced over. Prince Marib drew the tent curtain and asked in surprise.
“Mollin’s ring?”
“Yes. According to Romandro, Mollin tried to kill Ian. His subordinate Petreio led the effort to gather mercenaries for an ambush, but it failed. They’re all currently in custody.”
Prince Marib turned to the next page of the report while listening to the Steward’s explanation. A fine ring lay on the table, and he soon confirmed the inscription inside that proved Mollin’s house.
“He says he leaves the disposition to Your Highness.”
“Ha.”
Prince Marib felt his mind becoming increasingly clear. He’d been thinking about this since Romandro mentioned bringing the Cheonryeo Tribe, and what he was doing proved quite useful.
‘He realized that his connection to Mollin would be an obstacle to receiving a lordship recommendation.’
And he demonstrated it through action. That he has no connection to Mollin, or more precisely, to Prince Gail’s faction, so trust me and make me lord. What clearer plea could there be?
Prince Marib’s fingertips drummed rapidly on the table as he continued thinking.
Tap tap.
“Your Highness?”
“Does Ian have any remaining family?”
“Not that we’re aware of.”
There is a biological mother, but she went missing before the battle even occurred.
“Write a letter. If he’s a mana user, it would be easy for him to rise to the Capital, but what exactly does he intend to do?”
First and foremost, it was important that Bratz didn’t fall into Prince Gail’s hands, but from what Ian was doing, it seemed I might gain even more.
‘This works out perfectly. He’d be useful in the Magic Ministry.’
There was actually a shortage of mages, and because of that, their cohesion was formidable, with most being subordinates of Prince Gail.
Prince Marib felt as though he’d received a gift, just as the Steward said. He rose in good spirits and took up his bow again. To proceed with the lordship appointment, the Emperor’s permission was absolute, but what urged it was the continuous petitions from those officials.
“Have you caught anything?”
“Ah, Your Highness. The deer seem particularly elusive today.”
Prince Marib was reaching for his bow with a smile when—
Whiiiish—!
An arrow with a long tail streaked past his side from behind. It happened so quickly that only the black cloth tied to the arrow remained as an afterimage. Unlike the startled officials, Prince Marib’s expression hardened as he turned around.
“Gail.”
Black hair and eyes as blue as the sky itself. Those long, sharply angled eyes held their usual arrogance.
Prince Gail raised his bow from atop his horse.
“My apologies, brother. I was in a hurry with my shot.”
“…Your skills have deteriorated considerably.”
“For someone so critical, it landed perfectly well.”
Prince Marib followed Gail’s gaze and turned his head. A deer with its neck pierced clean through lay collapsed nearby. The black cloth tied to the arrow fluttered in the wind.
Prince Gail approached the officials and nodded naturally in greeting.
“My apologies for the delay. I’ve been occupied with matters.”
“Not at all, Your Highness. It feels like it’s been quite some time.”
“Have you been well?”
Prince Gail greeted the officials naturally with a nod. Had he not inherited those blue eyes from the Emperor, no one would have believed the two shared blood.
“Brother, you’re not upset that I made the kill, are you?”
Prince Gail raised his eyebrows with a mischievous expression. Whenever the two of them were together, they were always at each other’s throats, so the officials nervously shuffled backward.
“Now then, shall we all refresh ourselves?”
“Why not? It’s hot. Yes, the weather is quite hot.”
“Your Highness, perhaps you should rest for a moment.”
“You there! Refill the quiver!”
As the flustered elderly officials bustled about behind him, Prince Marib smiled softly. The fact that he had come all this way meant he certainly had business. It would have been difficult to guess otherwise, but he had just finished reading a letter that arrived from the Bratz Estate.
“So, despite your busy schedule, you’ve shown your face here. Should I thank you on behalf of my younger brother?”
“How could I be as busy as you, brother? With state affairs and everything else consuming your attention, yet you still manage to attend these trivial hunting gatherings consistently….”
As the legitimate heir and official successor, Prince Marib bore the heaviest workload in the Imperial Palace. It had only grown worse since the Emperor took to his sickbed.
Prince Gail glanced at an official in the back who was laughing idly, then continued speaking.
“Moreover, you pay such close attention to the Borderlands as well. Even if you collapsed from overwork this very moment, no one would find it surprising.”
“However, everyone would certainly find it strange that you’ve been taking such interest in that region lately.”
“Do you still receive reports from the Advisor?”
“Is there a reason you need to know?”
Prince Gail slowly studied Prince Marib’s face.
At some point, Mollin’s reports had stopped coming. But from the looks of it, Romandro’s continued to arrive. If that were the case, something had certainly happened at the Bratz Estate.
Prince Marib smiled and issued a warning to Gail.
“I’m not sure what scheme you’re plotting.”
Prince Gail let out an inward scoff. He’d suspected something ever since Marib suddenly attended the assembly and caused a disturbance. Prince Marib was clearly suspicious of something as well.
“It would be wise to cease your interest in the Bratz Estate. A recommendation letter for the next lord has already been submitted. As I have no objections, I intend to proceed with haste.”
Prince Gail’s face crumpled. In contrast, Prince Marib smiled brightly and drew his bowstring taut. The arrow flew in a clean arc and struck the dead animal’s neck precisely.

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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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