Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor - Chapter 81

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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 81. An Internal Collaborator
“The author of this…”
Among those who came running at the sound of the servants’ screams was one of Romandro’s subordinates. Wasn’t he the one who had killed Colin on the Merelrof trading caravan heading to Sherion?
“Count Ian. That man caused trouble on the mountain path leading to Sherion.”
“Him? Are you certain?”
“I saw it with my own eyes. Even Colin’s death.”
Ian looked back at Countess Merelrof. She was startled by his golden eyes for only a moment before complaining in a sharp voice. Even as she did, her hand never left Clark’s shoulder.
“I told you, I hate everything about Merelrof!”
“So you interfered with the trading caravan?”
“You should be grateful, not making a fuss like this!”
“He was the one who attacked first. He’s still breathing, so stop your theatrics.”
At those words, the Countess confirmed that Clark’s breathing was faint. Slowly, her own breathing stabilized as well.
“How did you know Colin was someone we planted?”
“People disappeared in bulk from the underground gambling den. It coincided with news of Count Ian’s attack. Someone who worked there went missing and then reappeared—it was a natural suspicion.”
“What about the Count?”
“How would I know? He’s like a wooden statue, that old man. The Count hasn’t given a single instruction regarding the investigation. He probably doesn’t even know Colin worked there.”
It was what I had expected, but it was even more absurd than anticipated. Marquis Merelrof had essentially ignored my surprise attack completely. Despite it being something his own estate villagers had done.
“Are you lovers?”
“…It’s not like that.”
“Hmm. Is that so?”
No one would believe it based on the atmosphere between the two. Romandro simply watched carefully, wondering what on earth was going on. Ian nodded as if he had made a decision.
“Move him to an empty room.”
“Yes, Count Ian.”
At Ian’s command, the soldiers lifted and supported Clark. The Countess showed signs of alarm, but she couldn’t bring herself to resist. If a servant who had accompanied her on an outing returned unconscious, the mansion would certainly find it suspicious.
“I can’t very well explain the situation and then say I knocked him out, can I?”
“…I didn’t say anything.”
“Good. Then, Countess, shall we align our stories in detail?”
Ian smiled and extended his hand to her. The Countess followed Clark’s retreating figure with her eyes as he disappeared through the door, then grasped Ian’s hand and stood up. Ian slowly untied the bonds around her wrists.
“You desire freedom, and I desire the tribute. However, as long as the Count’s brother stands in the way, there’s no guarantee I’ll receive compensation later.”
If the Countess’s actions were revealed in any way, it would become problematic for me instead. I could be accused of condoning or abetting the Count’s murder.
She understood what I was trying to say.
“…You’re talking about the Gula trade, aren’t you?”
At the Countess’s words, Ian smiled in affirmation. Actually, I’d been noticing it since earlier—perhaps from living such a harsh life, her intuition and calculations were remarkably sharp. No, her mind seemed to work with almost startling brilliance.
“Yes. I want to pull the profits from there forward as much as possible in the first phase.”
“So I just need to be your cover?”
“Rather than a cover, I need you to focus on persuading the Count. Honestly, Merelrof has no real solutions right now, does it? The path to Hawan Kingdom is blocked, Sherion is blocked. It’s perfect for starving to death.”
“Oh, speaking of which—were the bandits in Hawan Kingdom also your doing, Count Ian? If so, I’d say that was excessive.”
“No. That wasn’t our doing.”
“Then it must be divine grace. How enviable.”
The Countess rubbed her chafed wrists and opened her eyes refreshly. Then she gave an instruction to the servant standing behind her.
“Bring me two dry cloths. Clean ones.”
“Yes? Ah….”
When I raised my eyebrows to signal my intent, the Servant quickly bowed and retreated. It seemed he meant to retrieve the drug powder again.
“Therefore, I would appreciate it if the Countess could cooperate as much as possible until the transaction is complete.”
“Don’t worry about that. I’ve already waited through several winters. Surely I can endure a few more days.”
“You’ve waited through winters?”
“Yes.”
I suddenly grasped just how deep the Countess’s hatred ran. Winter was the season of death—a time when countless people perished, and when snow and wind made funeral rites exceedingly difficult.
It was the perfect opportunity to bury Marquis Merelrof’s death as quietly as possible.
“Do take good care of Clark.”
“…Of course. Ah, when you leave, I’ll also provide you with some Gula. We can simply say we sold Clark and acquired Gula in exchange.”
I wasn’t entirely satisfied with it, but for now it was the most plausible arrangement. There was no need to explain why the Servant had fallen unconscious, and since we’d already paid for him and brought him here, Marquis Merelrof would seek to make maximum use of him.
In that process, he would come to understand Gula’s true value firsthand.
Using the language of the marketplace, it was a sort of “sample taste.”
‘Besides, if problems arise, the Countess could prove useful as a hostage to control.’
Once my thoughts reached that point, I quickly issued instructions to Hena. The daylight was growing dimmer. Even if we departed now, the Countess wouldn’t reach the manor until well into the night. If we delayed any further, it might raise suspicion.
“Hena. Bring the small pouch of Gula to the front gate.”
“Yes, Master.”
“Prepare the carriage! The Countess is departing.”
“Yes! Prepare the carriage!”
While everyone hurried outside to prepare the carriage, the Servant who had brought the dry towels hesitantly reached toward the glass lid. The Countess firmly brushed his hand away and refused.
“I’ll do it.”
With one hand covering her nose and mouth, she carefully transferred the powder with the other. Given that Berik had lost consciousness from merely smelling it, I could imagine how potent the drug’s components were.
“But if he dies in such a short time, there will be considerable suspicion.”
“I told you—one dose won’t kill him. When it mixes with liquid, it neutralizes and won’t cause him to collapse backward like that man did.”
Instead, he would experience fantastical dreams where he couldn’t distinguish between illusion and reality. Like being possessed by a nightmare demon, it would gradually drain his vitality through sleep—a side effect that suited the Countess’s purposes perfectly.
Click.
The Countess sealed the powder container carefully and tucked it into her inner pocket. Then, as if there was nothing more to discuss, she walked briskly down the corridor. I followed behind her to complete the farewell.
“You won’t see Clark for a long time. Is it alright to leave without saying goodbye?”
“I’ll handle it myself. And… I told you, we’re not that kind of relationship.”
I simply nodded once.
“My people will escort you to the manor. Please, take care on your way in.”
“I’ll take that as good news, Count Ian.”
She received a light kiss on the back of her hand and closed the carriage door. Suddenly, I remembered the bruises blooming across her ankle. Would Countess Merelrof make it through the night safely if she returned like this?
“There, Countess.”
“It’s fine. For now, at least.”
As I tried to add something more, Countess Merelrof shook her head to signal me to stop. I had thought she bore no resemblance to her mother, yet each time she endured her husband’s beatings, I found myself inadvertently recognizing the blood of the Dryads flowing through her.
“…It’s bearable enough for now.”
“We’ll depart.”
Whiiiing!
Squeak.
The Countess turned to look back through the small window, exchanging final farewells with me. Romandro watched the carriage depart from the mansion, vigorously rubbing his face with a handkerchief.
“What… what on earth is happening here…?”
“In exchange for overlooking the concubine you saw today, the Countess has agreed to support the sale of Gula.”
“A concubine—it’s not poison, is it? What about Berik?!”
“They say one dose won’t kill him. He’s probably having pleasant dreams.”
“Huh? Really? But he was cursing and complaining just a moment ago.”
“Well, if it’s Berik, I think we can guess what his definition of pleasant dreams might be.”
I smiled and stepped back into the mansion. Then a heavy thumping sound echoed from upstairs. At this hour, there was only one person who could be making such a commotion.
“Open this door! What exactly are you trying to do?!”
Crash! Bang!
The wails of a man named Clark seeped through the door gap. Looking as though it might shatter any moment, the servants nervously retreated. In the end, it was the Cheonryeo Tribe Warriors who stepped forward.
“Should we knock him out again?”
“He’s incredibly loud in the middle of the night, really.”
“Never mind. I’ll handle this.”
I raised my hand to stop them and stood near the door. Then, seizing a moment of quiet, I tried to inform Clark of the situation.
“Your name is Clark, isn’t it?”
“…Count Ian?”
Clang!
But Clark’s frantic cry came first. He grasped the door handle and shook it, pleading almost in tears. The last image he remembered of the Countess was her bound, so it was understandable.
“Count Ian, please, please spare her life. Lady Lien did all of this for us. Without her, more than a dozen of us would have already died by the Master’s hand…”
Whenever the Count beat a servant as if to kill them, the Countess willingly stepped in their place. It was something everyone in the mansion knew. Though she wasn’t particularly warm by nature, everyone held gratitude toward her.
Had it been otherwise, this affection would have reached the Count’s ears long ago. The Countess would likely have been torn to pieces.
“Is that what the Countess did?”
“Yes, yes… I swear to the gods. So please, I beg you. Open the door and let me see her face to know she’s safe…”
“The Countess has just left the mansion and returned home.”
“…Is that true?”
“Yes. Your life is held as collateral within our mutual interests, so simply wait quietly. If you cause trouble, it will only become a burden to the Countess.”
Only the sound of sniffling came from inside. I didn’t expect a response, merely ordering the servants to guard the door well.
* * *
The atmosphere in the Merelrof mansion was unusual. The Countess, who rarely went out, had not returned even as the sun set.
The Marquis did not mention the Countess aloud, but he was creating an oppressive, ominous atmosphere throughout the mansion.
“Ah, there!”
A faint light visible in the distance through the darkness. The silhouette of a carriage drawn by two horses appeared. The servants quickly rushed outside to greet the Countess, and soon she descended, looking somewhat weary.
“Why are you so late?”
“What about Clark?”
“Have you eaten?”
“My lady, the Master…”
The servants tried to speak worriedly, as if he had been waiting impatiently, but they could only close their mouths at the arrival of the Master himself.
“Lien.”
“I apologize. I’m terribly late.”
“What on earth is the meaning of this?”
“There’s much to explain.”
“Right now! Speak!”
At his thunderous roar, every Servant in the room flinched. Yet the Countess merely laughed without concern, jingling her purse as if to say, look at this.
“I sold Clark and obtained Gula in exchange. Count Ian refused to lower his price, so I was delayed arguing with him.”
The Count, whose fury had risen to his very scalp, paused momentarily.
Countess Merelrof’s visit had been merely a preliminary move for trading Gula, not the actual transaction itself. Yet she had brought Gula back just like this.
“My dear?”
Countess Merelrof smiled brightly. She understood perfectly what the first move of the chess piece Ian had mentioned was.
“Shall we sample a taste of this? We have much to discuss, after all.”

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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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