Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor - Chapter 675

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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 674. Mana Bullet
After laying Philia down, Viviana emerged and sank to the floor with a sigh. She was such a gentle and fragile soul, yet her fate seemed unbearably cruel.
As Viviana rubbed her forehead in distress, a child’s feet came into her line of sight. It was Roel, who had approached quietly. Viviana drew the girl into her arms and whispered.
“Roel. Don’t worry yourself so much. Your mother has only just fallen asleep.”
“Mrs. Viviana, come this way for a moment.”
“Hmm? What is it?”
Roel led Viviana away from the doorway, then carefully glanced back. She spoke as though Philia must not hear.
Viviana knelt to meet Roel’s gaze, her dry lips trembling slightly. In all the time they had spent together, Roel had never called her aside like this. Something important was surely about to be said. Viviana felt tension coursing through her fingertips.
“There is something I must tell you.”
“…What have you seen?”
What had Roel seen? How could such a thing be put into words? The girl hesitated before broaching the main subject.
“I must return to the Great Desert.”
“The Great Desert? You mean Cheonrye’s land?”
“If I do not go, the bloodline of Cheonrye will be severed from this world entirely. For the sake of my tribe, I must return to the Great Desert and stand with them.”
“But Roel, now is not the time—”
“I know we are at war. I know it is far more fierce than what the capital understands, and that tragic things are unfolding. And Father has already…”
Her breath caught. Roel steadied her emotions and finished her words.
“…already become a star. The brightest one shining in the black night sky.”
“…!”
Viviana covered her mouth. Then, almost reflexively, she embraced Roel tightly in comfort. Had the child witnessed her father’s death with her own eyes? If so, was there any ability in this world more heartbreaking than this?
“I beg of you, Mrs. Viviana. Please send me back to the Great Desert. When the capital sends reinforcements to Hielo through Romandro, please tell him to let me go with them. This is not for my sake, but for Bariel and the Great Desert.”
“Oh, Roel… my poor child.”
“And one more thing.”
Roel glanced toward the room where Philia slept.
“Mother must never, ever go to Hielo. I must go alone.”
“Alone? Roel, Philia will never permit it.”
“That is precisely why I am asking you.”
“Good heavens, this is…”
From Philia’s perspective, both her husband and two children would be in Hielo, leaving her alone in the capital to live in safety. Could she possibly endure such a thing?
And more than anything, Roel was far too young. Unlike Ian and Nersaren, she lacked the strength to protect herself, so it was obvious that Philia would worry deeply and refuse.
“If it is possible, please convince Mother. If not, then send me away in secret. If you cherish me as you do Vivi.”
“Roel. No matter how much I care for you, I’m sorry, but I cannot help you to that extent. Before I am a mother to a child, I am Philia’s dearest friend. I could never—”
“Yes. You are certainly my mother’s dear friend before being Vivi’s mother. Then all the more reason you must send me away alone.”
“Why? I—”
“If you go to Hielo, you will die.”
Her voice was chillingly certain. Viviana froze in shock, and Roel composed herself once more.
“You cannot return to Hielo’s territory from this point forward. That is what is best for you. Mrs. Viviana, you are a dearer friend than anyone, so you must wish for Mother’s peace. And as Vivi’s mother, I believe you will understand a child’s desire to protect her parent.”
What had this child seen? Viviana sank down completely, her eyes fixed only on Roel’s gaze. Was the world seen through those beautiful green eyes truly so harsh and terrible?
Roel grasped Viviana’s hand, pleading earnestly.
“I want to protect Mother. Someday, when the Great Desert’s fortune is restored, I believe we can meet again. Mrs. Viviana, please, I beg you—help me.”
Viviana hesitated, unable to respond immediately. But soon she had no choice but to nod.
“First, let’s inform Romandro of this matter. If we act with the Imperial Palace’s backing, we might be able to resolve this well.”
While Viviana went into the inner chamber to fetch her outer coat, Roel stood quietly waiting.
Then Vivi carefully descended the stairs and grasped Roel’s hand. She had sensed that something was amiss.
“Roel, are you okay?”
“…Vivi.”
Roel brushed back Vivi’s hair and offered a sorrowful smile. My small and beloved friend. Now it was truly time to part. Roel kissed Vivi’s cheek in farewell.
“Vivi, goodbye. Take care of yourself. Every time I see the sunlight, I might think of you.”
“Roel….”
The parting was brief. Mrs. Viviana, having finished her preparations, approached with hurried steps.
“Roel, let’s go. We need to find a carriage heading to the Imperial Palace.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Um, Mother.”
“Shh, Vivi. Guard the house well. Mother will return from the Imperial Palace shortly. If anything happens, tell Mini. Understood?”
She kissed her daughter’s forehead.
After the two hurriedly left the mansion, Vivi watched the carriage disappear through the window endlessly. A small hand poked out from the carriage window and waved, but it was too far away for Vivi to see.
* * *
Boom! Bang!
Bang! Crash!
With a tremendous roar and smoke bursting forth, the cannon shook violently. The soldiers bracing it were pushed backward by the impact.
The fired projectile hurtled toward Ian and Heil at tremendous speed—one grazing past Ian’s side, another flying directly at Heil. Heil reflexively generated a protective barrier.
Screech!
“…!”
The moment the projectile struck, Heil instinctively felt the surface of his barrier shatter. He realized it was too late to regenerate it.
Crash!
The explosion detonated right before Heil’s face, and he was thrown backward, unable to withstand the impact.
Alarmed, Ian turned to follow him, only to witness the projectile that had passed beside him detonate in mid-air.
Boom! Crash!
Flames embroidered the sky like fireworks. It resembled a light and beautiful rain of fire descending. Ian, Heil, and the Mages all sensed that the aura of these flames was extraordinary.
“Captain Heil! Captain!”
“Ian! That’s… magical power!”
A familiar force emanating from the gunpowder. The flames spread in all directions as if alive, then ignited themselves repeatedly and exploded. Each one was as powerful and threatening as the initial fired projectile.
Boom! Crash! Crash!
The area around Heil, struck directly by the explosions, was shrouded in smoke. It was impossible to see what had become of him.
‘While the accuracy is lower, the explosion radius and power of the projectiles are considerable, and there are even secondary explosions. For a barrier to shatter like that…’
Moreover, the distinctly palpable traces of magical power. These weapons were undoubtedly created with the involvement of Eastern Mages.
‘A hundred years ago, the early cannons were not like this. But how is this possible?’
This was a future markedly different from what I knew. Like Shatima’s return, this too must be a consequence of something diverging from the original history. Yet I could not immediately discern what had caused it.
“Cough, hack!”
“Heil, are you alright? Don’t meet it with a barrier—deflect it at an angle instead. This attack doesn’t seem like it will last long.”
Captain Heil emerged through the smoke. Fortunately, he appeared to have no serious injuries, though the flames clinging to his outer robe seemed somewhat peculiar.
“Yes, well. The smoke is quite thick, so be careful. But these flames won’t extinguish. They’re certainly not ordinary.”
“Magic. From an Eastern Mage.”
As the embers continued to crackle and burrow deeper, Heil stripped off his outer robe and hurled it away.
Below, smoke was already billowing upward over Ruswena’s golden reed fields. Sparks scattered by the explosion grew larger as they met the wind.
“Your Highness!”
“These are real!”
“The reed fields are burning! Ruswena’s reed fields that have stood through history are burning! Oh no, oh no!”
Watching this unfold, Eldetr felt the back of his neck stiffen once more. Toollun and Hawan alike—they had waged war in far too brutal a manner, claiming it was not their own land. Regardless of victory or defeat, the burden Ruswena would bear was growing heavier.
He had experienced something similar during the Cliffford War, but back then it had not been their responsibility, so he had not grasped how grave such devastation truly was.
“Dragon! Hurry!”
He had to make contact with Hawan swiftly and put an end to this reckless destruction of the land.
But before they could face Hawan, there was a mountain to overcome—
“Damn! You bastards!”
Zing! Zing!
Crash!
Bariel’s Mages, precisely.
They swiftly snatched the Dragons flying near the World Tree and hurled them to the ground, and dozens of Soldiers crushed beneath them shrieked as they perished.
Erika, observing through her telescope, raised her hand sharply once more.
“Bring the next round.”
“Understood!”
It seemed simple flame-attribute rounds were insufficient after all. The Soldiers paired off to transport the ammunition, and soon reloaded with practiced efficiency.
The first to reach Hawan’s encampment in that interval was Berik.
“Out of my way!”
With a single swing of his blade, Soldiers scattered like paper dolls, but their numbers were overwhelming. To make matters worse, one of the four cannons aimed at the sky tilted toward Berik.
Friendly casualties were inevitable, but there was no choice. Not if it meant capturing the Mage Knight.
“Aim!”
“Aim!”
“Everyone clear the way! Get out of the line!”
“Move! The cannon will fire!”
The Soldiers split left and right to avoid Berik.
In an instant, the path opened, and Berik’s eyes could see straight into Hawan’s encampment beyond. He found himself aligned directly with the deep, round muzzle of the cannon.
“Fire!”
“Fire!”
Boom!
A cannonball hurtled directly toward Berik.
Berik gripped his blade and steadied his stance. If something possessed only physical form, could he not cut it? A mere iron sphere flying at him—he could simply cleave it in two!
It was a plan no human would dare even imagine, yet Berik raised his sword blade with confidence.
He could see it. The iron sphere the size of a human head, flying toward him. As Berik swung his magic sword with all his might—
Crash!
The bullet split in half.
“Oh!”
Just as I expected!
“Look at that! It’s nothing…?”
The bullet, split in two and veering past Berik’s side, suddenly bent its trajectory in an impossible arc and reassembled itself.
Then, as if fired anew, it came hurtling toward the back of Berik’s head.
“…!”
Boom! Boom!
A violent explosion powerful enough to overturn the earth. Ian and Heil both furrowed their brows simultaneously.
“….”
“Berik!”
A fresh volley of bullets came at them in succession. Heil halted his flight, planted himself firmly, and brought both fists together.
Zing! Zing!
“I’ll cover you, Ian!”
「Chromatic Rod」.
A massive, flat staff materialized in his grip. As the bullet arrived, I maneuvered downward and barely evaded it, while Heil behind me intercepted it instead.
Whoosh!
Crunch!
Heil’s mana-infused staff collided with the bullet.
Rather than ricocheting, the bullet halted. Two forces locked in tension in mid-air. Heil exerted every ounce of strength to push the bullet back.
Soon Heil bellowed and swung his arm in a wide arc, sending the bullet back along its original trajectory toward Hawan’s forces.
Whoosh!
“…!”
Erika’s eyes widened in shock. Fortunately, the returning bullet detonated in the sky, and the soldiers barely managed to throw themselves flat to avoid the blade-like shockwave.
Heil rested the mana staff on his shoulder and nodded with satisfaction.
“…That felt good.”

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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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