Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor - Chapter 78

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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 78. An Unexpected Turn
As Marquis Merelrof reviewed documents, he heard hurried footsteps approaching. The moment he lifted his head, the Butler burst through the door with a flustered expression. For someone who treated protocol like law, he had neglected to knock.
“What is the matter?”
“M-My lord. We have a serious problem.”
At the trembling in the Butler’s voice, Marquis Merelrof found himself setting down his pen without thinking. It was rare to see the Butler so shaken.
“The trading caravan sent word… all the wagons have burned.”
“What?!”
Merelrof shot to his feet, his mouth falling open in disbelief. How could the wagons have caught fire?
“A man named Colin set fire to the wagons and attempted to kill the others. It appears he was after the gold coins the soldiers were carrying, but he was killed in the struggle to stop him.”
“How much gold are we talking about?”
Most transactions were conducted through Haiman Bank using drafts and promissory notes. Therefore, the gold coins the soldiers carried were merely traveling expenses, not transaction funds.
“It would be considered a substantial sum by commoners’ standards.”
“Then what exactly are you saying?”
“The wagons are completely destroyed, and there are injured among them who inhaled smoke from inside the cave. Jeonseogoo came to report they will head toward Sheiron for now, but it is unclear how long it will take.”
That was not all.
With the wagons completely burned, they would need to procure new ones to transport supplies. Setting aside the cost, it was uncertain whether they could obtain them at all in this winter. This was the season when every scrap of wood was needed for fuel.
“…Ha. Haha. Ha!”
“I always found Colin suspicious. Once the caravan reaches Sheiron, it will cost more money there as well. Perhaps it would be better to order them to return?”
They could not sleep on the ground, nor could they survive on water alone. With injured among them, they would need to see a doctor as well.
At the Butler’s words, Merelrof pressed his forehead and let out a groan of anguish.
‘This is the worst.’
Yes. Among all the winters Merelrof had endured, he was certain this year was undoubtedly the worst.
“…Why would he set fire?!”
Crash!
Unable to contain his rage, Marquis Merelrof hurled whatever objects came to hand across the room.
It was absurd that among so many people, none had properly stopped him. Had those who lived under Merelrof’s name become such a disorganized rabble?
Indeed.
The inadequacies hidden beneath peace had raised their heads through the crack of crisis. One could truly say the Merelrof Manor had become a complete mess.
“Kill Colin’s entire family.”
“…Yes, my lord.”
“Wring every last coin from that wretched household. Spare no one—man, woman, child—hang them all. Kill them all, kill them all so that—”
Misfortunes continued to pile up suffocatingly. Setting aside the burned wagons, matters had now reached the point of worrying about the Marquis’s own table. If food could not be obtained from Sheiron in the Hawan Kingdom, only one option remained.
Bang! Crash!
“Damn it. How is this happening? Do I need to consult an oracle or something? Eh?”
“Ahhhhh!”
Marquis Merelrof brought the table down with brutal force, then habitually seized the hair of the Servant standing nearby. With all his strength, he vented his fury through violence.
The gaunt Servant’s body swayed back and forth, but the Butler could only lower his eyes and remain silent.
“I-I am sorry, my lord. I am sorry.”
“Ha. Really, Butler. That is why I told you to choose people carefully!”
“Please… spare me!”
Crack!
The Butler bit down hard on his lips, bowing deeply at the waist. If he didn’t somehow appease the Count’s fury, he might end up arranging a funeral for an innocent boy today.
“Get out.”
“Y-yes, Count.”
“Go kill every last one of Colin’s blood-soaked bastards!”
Screech.
A Servant’s hair was tangled between the Marquis Merelrof’s fingers. The Butler had no choice but to back away, slipping out of the Office, while the Servants waiting outside the door looked up at him with anguished expressions.
“B-Butler, sir.”
“All of you, step back. Sparks will fly.”
“What about h-him?”
“Hush. Do you want to join him?”
At the Butler’s words, fear flooded the Servant’s eyes—deepening, darkening with glistening tears. The Servants hesitated, pretending not to hear the screams echoing from within the Office.
Click-clack.
The crisp sound of heeled shoes. It felt like a crack forming in the icy atmosphere. The Butler and the Servants turned their heads in unison. The Countess Merelof stood there with a composed expression.
“What are you all doing?”
“M-Madam…”
Crash! Bang!
Instead of answering, the Countess glanced toward the noisy door. Then she looked at the Butler briefly before exhaling a faint sigh.
“Open it.”
“Madam. N-not now…”
“It’s fine. Open it.”
The Countess brushed aside the protesting Servants with ease. Her eyes held a resolute yet infinitely serene light that made the Servants unable to fathom her intentions—though this scene had unfolded many times before as the Servants fell one by one.
“Sob…”
“Must I open it myself?”
When one of the Servants could no longer hold back and burst into tears, the Countess Merelof gave a sharp glance.
In the end, it was the Butler who placed his hand on the doorknob.
Screech.
The door opened slowly. A Servant lay sprawled on the floor, drenched in blood, while blood splattered across the wooden furniture. The Countess Merelof entered boldly, lifting her head high.
“Darling.”
At her call, the Count turned around, gasping for breath.
Sweat dripped from his hairline—evidence of how brutally he had beaten the Servant. The Servant continued desperately wringing his hands.
“Let that boy go.”
“S-sob… Please… spare me…”
“Play with me instead.”
A radiant smile bloomed across the Countess Merelof’s emotionless face. She tilted her head slightly, meeting the Butler’s eyes as he stood at the door. The Servant seized the moment and hurriedly crawled out.
‘Close the door.’
Screech.
Light seeped through the slowly closing gap. The Butler, as always, felt his heart grow heavy as he shut the door.
The Countess Merelof gently took her husband’s hand and made a suggestion.
“Darling. Rather than this, what if we asked Bratz for help?”
But the rough breathing of the old man glinting with madness would not settle easily. She whispered quietly once more.
“If it troubles you for the sake of propriety, I could go and speak with him myself. We are of similar age, and it would be better for both of you if I went rather than you going directly, would it not?”
“You?”
“Yes. Leave it to me.”
Marquis Merelrof seized his wife’s hair as it slipped downward, growling. The woman’s expression remained as serene as always.
“You’re not thinking of running away, are you?”
“How could I possibly do such a thing?”
At the Countess’s composed words, the Marquis shook her head roughly. Her gaze remained fixed on the full moon gleaming white behind her husband.
* * *
Countess Merelrof arrived in Bratz four days later. Ian, having received advance notice, awaited her at the Manor’s main gate, and as the carriage door opened, a woman in elegant traveling attire smiled and extended her hand.
“Welcome, Countess Merelrof. I am delighted to receive you.”
“Ian—no, forgive me. I nearly made a mistake upon seeing you. I must now address you as Baron Ian.”
“I trust the journey was not too arduous?”
“Not at all. Are we truly such distant acquaintances?”
Countess Merelrof subtly hinted that they were neighbors. Ian smiled without reply and led her to the drawing room.
“I confess I was somewhat surprised to hear that you would visit.”
“When I heard the news of your peerage appointment, I felt troubled that neither the Count nor I had properly sent our congratulations.”
The Countess removed her heavy coat and handed it to a servant. Her nose was flushed red, as if the carriage had been cold.
“Please, think nothing of it. I understand how demanding administrative duties can be.”
“Thank you, Baron Ian. The Count wished to come as well, but as you say, his schedule simply would not permit it.”
“Yet you sent a gift as well.”
Ian casually mentioned the dripper.
“I am uncertain whether such a precious item was truly appropriate to give to me.”
Did she know the dripper’s value when she gave it? Or had she simply meant to mock him, and he had fallen into the trap perfectly?
Ian observed the subtle shifts in Countess Merelrof’s expression with care, yet she merely wore an enigmatic smile.
“Did it seem rather obscure? I suggested something else to the Count, but he insisted that this particular item would be of great benefit to Baron Ian. What would I know? The Count said so, and so….”
‘I know not her origins, but she is certainly nobility now.’
What a thoroughly tiresome manner of speech.
The Count’s insistence meant it held such value, and if Ian found it displeasing, the fault lay with his own lack of discernment—a subtle rebuke turned back upon him.
“Not at all. I am quite pleased with it. It is truly magnificent.”
This was not mere courtesy but genuine appreciation. Judging from its condition, it appeared to have only recently been developed. Where else could one possibly obtain such a thing?
The Countess smiled knowingly and nodded.
“I am relieved to hear you say so. The Count will surely be delighted. I have prepared other gifts as well, so you may look forward to them.”
“I am honored, madam.”
“But Baron Ian, the reason I have come to visit today is….”
Countess Merelrof trailed off. Ian naturally expected the conversation to turn toward the matter of Gula’s trafficking. Yet what came from her lips was something he had never anticipated.
“I would like to see Mrs. Mary’s room. Did I not mention it before? There is an item I lent to Mrs. Mary that I have been unable to retrieve.”
“Ah.”
Ian paused, expressing his surprise. The Countess’s eyes gleamed brightly—a silent plea for permission. And on the other hand, she seemed to hope that Ian had not cleared out Mary’s room. The room of a stepmother who had been a criminal would ordinarily have been completely renovated, but….
“Please, feel free to do as you wish. Since it is an item you seek, how could I possibly refuse? My duties have kept me occupied, and I have scarcely touched that area. If Mrs. Mary had it, it should remain as it was.”
I had been keeping it out of suspicion due to the strange behavior displayed by the two women. To be more precise, it would be more accurate to say I hadn’t really paid much attention to it.
Once I gave my permission, Countess Merelof sprang to her feet and urged the servant on.
“Then it would be best to take care of that first.”
“I shall show you the way.”
“Will you accompany us as well, Sir Ian?”
“Yes, of course. I shall search along with you. If you would only tell me what it is.”
At my words, Countess Merelof’s expression stiffened slightly. But it was so fleeting that it seemed like a momentary illusion, so I observed the woman’s complexion even more carefully. The way she walked with her back perfectly straight was nothing short of elegant.
“This way, Countess.”
The servant politely guided Countess Merelof and me. The end room on the floor directly below the Office. The firmly closed doorknob was pushed open, and soon the distinctive musty odor of an old Manor wafted up.
“We said we would clean it, but since no one uses this room, it smells heavily of wood. I shall air it out immediately.”
Creak.
Cold air entered through the window, but Countess Merelof seemed hardly bothered. Then she carefully looked around here and there before beginning to rummage through drawers and wardrobes. I simply watched her from a step away.
“Madam. If you tell me what you seek, I shall have the servants search.”
“No. It cannot be touched by others.”
Whoosh.
Countess Merelof’s hands rifled through the garments. The fine and ornate fabrics moved swiftly, pushed to one side of the rack, but it seemed the woman had not found what she was looking for.
“Sir Ian.”
“Yes, Madam.”
“Forgive me, but could you step out for a moment? I wish to examine the inner areas more thoroughly. Once I retrieve the item, I shall inform you.”
The place the woman indicated was a chest for undergarments. I gave the servant a meaningful glance to keep watch and left the room without protest. Countess Merelof confirmed the door was completely closed before rummaging through the chest again.
“Um, um… Countess. Is there nothing I can help with?”
“Open every drawer there is. I shall search for it myself.”
The Countess paused while rifling through a drawer and muttered something. The servant flinched at the cold and venomous expression of the woman reflected in the vanity mirror.
As if deep in thought, she began tearing through the drawers frantically once more.

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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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