Margrave's Bastard Son was The Emperor-Chapter 305

Unlike downstairs, silence hung heavy in the air. The leaders of the three nations and their advisors remained quiet as they desperately tried to gauge the political situation. From each country’s perspective, they needed to perfectly understand and calculate how current events were unfolding.

There was no need to wait for the appointment ceremony. Tonight, and right now. Most gains and losses for each nation would be determined. With Bariel at the center.

“Prince Noah. His Highness is asking you a question?”

Eripony was the first to break the silence. She urged Noah while testing the waters, and the prince immediately sharpened his gaze.

This wasn’t a matter for Ruswena, of all people, to interfere with. Who was it that caused his identity to be exposed in the first place?

“Perhaps the weight is too heavy?”

She was asking if it was burdensome to manage something the prince had personally declared precious and valuable. Noah bristled and immediately retorted:

“Queen Eripony. Clifford bears the fate of far more people than Ruswena.”

Meaning don’t speak nonsense. Clifford’s population far exceeded Ruswena’s. Though that didn’t necessarily equate to national power, still. He wouldn’t tolerate being dismissed in such a way.

“Hmm.”

Eripony merely furrowed her brow with an inscrutable sigh. How foolish. She’d tried to help since he seemed troubled, but his needless pride had blocked any opening for assistance.

Well, Ruswena would probably have said the same thing in Clifford’s position. Whatever.

“Of course, Prince Noah. All of Bariel has no doubt about the firmness of Clifford’s walls. I shall have the jewels delivered to you on your way back. Please take good care of them. Return them along with the wine on the day of His Highness Jin’s coming of age ceremony.”

Just as expected. Eripony clicked her tongue internally and opened her fan to cover her lower face as if feeling tipsy. Like a crocodile snatching its prey, Ian had devoured Clifford.

“…Lord Ian?”

“Yes, Prince Noah.”

Why are you doing this to me?

Prince Noah almost blurted this out without thinking. It was panic beyond mere confusion. If not for May standing guard beside him, his ears might have popped out. As Beric would say, pop.

“Shall we have a toast?”

Ian pretended not to notice, smiling brightly as he gripped the wine bottle. Knowing the prince’s secret, Clifford could not openly oppose Bariel.

If you can’t avoid it, enjoy it.

Ian seemed to say this as he filled the glasses.

Rustle.

“Excuse me for a moment.”

“What’s wrong, King Damon?”

“The flavor of Clifford’s wine is so extraordinary, I cannot exercise restraint. I’m feeling somewhat tipsy, Your Highness.”

King Damon rose from his seat. Eripony’s head turned to follow him. She too followed behind, lightly fanning herself.

“I also need some air.”

Noah anxiously looked toward the entrance. With the prince present, all three guests couldn’t leave at once. Though he wanted to send May, his unstable condition made that impossible as well.

Even as Noah was forced to maintain his position, he couldn’t stop glancing toward the outside.

“Your Highness. Are you alright?”

“Do I look alright?”

“The effects will wear off in a couple of hours.”

Ah. That.

Noah ran his fingers through his hair with a sullen sidelong glance. Fortunately, he couldn’t feel anything, but in his awkward posture, his eyes met Jin’s squarely.

The child seemed slightly surprised. As if newly realizing Noah was a beast-folk.

“M-my apologies.”

“Not at all. I can’t quite imagine it. If there’s another opportunity, don’t be shy about showing me.”

Was this pure consideration? Or was he trying to gain complete advantage in relations with Clifford?

If it had been before the banquet, he might have considered the former, but now it could only be interpreted as the latter. His skill at disrupting the three-nation alliance was exquisite.

“…Your Highness, you are the future of Bariel. Without giving any collateral, Clifford will certainly prepare precious wine. If you wish, we could even send it up in advance, immediately upon returning home.”

Ian shook his head with a faint smile.

They still don’t properly understand the meaning of the jewels. The jewels were the materialization of the aligned interests between Burgos’s king and nobles – if they knew this, they couldn’t possibly show such a reaction.

“Are you worried that mages might place some device in the jewels before sending them? Don’t be concerned.”

“That’s not-“

So they had thought about that a little? Hit right on the mark, Noah strongly shook his hands in denial.

“Then there’s no need to be so burdened. Even if they get scratched or even damaged, we won’t hold you responsible. Just make sure they don’t pass to another country. That’s the only obligation His Highness places on Clifford.”

May faltered at Ian’s instruction. It was such a strange directive. She recognized that something they didn’t understand was swirling at their feet.

“Your Highness. It will take our guests a while to cool down. Shall we have a drink among ourselves?”

Whether they knew or not, nothing would change.

Ian gently bowed his head as he requested a toast with Jin. His kind and certain gaze praised the child for doing excellently, for handling everything wonderfully in front of everyone.

Clink!

The moment Jin clinked glasses with an embarrassed smile.

May turned to Noah with a start. She realized that whatever had been swirling had now caught Clifford by the ankle.

***

“Your Majesty.”

Timothy cautiously called to Damon. On the terrace where the commotion inside felt distant. The chiffon curtains swayed gently, and with them, Damon’s short hair became disheveled.

He gazed at the distant spires with impassive eyes. Unconsciously, he kept biting his lips.

“Your Majesty. You’re drawing blood.”

“It’s beyond expectations, beyond imagination. Isn’t it?”

Damon twitched his fingertips while leaning against the railing. He was someone who usually avoided things like cigarettes to maintain a perfect appearance. When he asked for something to smoke, it meant his mind was deeply troubled.

***.

As Timothy lit it for him, Damon exhaled deeply. The smoke was white like his pale cheeks. He muttered while pressing his temples:

“How do you think the nobles will react when the tribute gifts pass to Clifford?”

“…Though they’ll be troubled, it shouldn’t be too problematic. Under the faith of the three-nation alliance, it’s fine.”

“Timothy. I didn’t ask for your hopes.”

The nobles had responded to the king’s will to break apart Bariel. For the development of stagnating Burgos with its harsh environment, they had no choice but to look outward.

The king had told the nobles to create a path into Bariel with deception, saying they could be the first to eat what they broke apart.

But to move that to Clifford?

“Something definitely happened between Clifford and Bariel, with the dragon anomaly reaction as the medium. It’s the imperial palace where the aging emperor resides, yet we received no word about inspections.”

“That alone isn’t enough to confirm facts.”

“No need to confirm. What matters is that I suspect it.”

If they hadn’t recognized the difference in inspections, there would have been nothing to question. They might have simply thought the young prince had schemed a bit to return the insult. Since Clifford could receive the jewels and pass them to Burgos.

“Did you see how Prince Noah was troubled earlier? It proves he cannot disobey Bariel’s instruction to keep them for ten years.”

It won’t be easy. Without discovering what’s between Bariel and Clifford, recovering the tribute gifts won’t be simple. This also makes it difficult to calculate how the nobles will react.

‘Was the original Bariel like this too?’

Damon furrowed his brow while biting the cigarette.

Though it was a great novelbuddy, rumors about the young prince were hard to come by in the Kingdom of Burgos. After the imperial palace closed several times and the grown princes died off, that young one alone ascended to Bariel’s peak.

The only difference was that rather than showing prominence at the heir appointment ceremony, he showed his presence at the coronation ceremony.

The scar across his face.

Surely the person himself hadn’t changed…

‘The trunk of history is the same. But the branches are different. Did my actions influence things this far?’

Damon had encountered futures different from the ones he knew not just now, but several times. However, those were ripples created by the variable that was himself, and they eventually subsided.

That’s why he keeps creating disturbances. For Burgos’s change, and for his new destiny. Rippling and rippling until someday waves that move on their own are created. Until the vast sea that is Burgos fills the world.

“Tonight’s breeze is quite refreshing.”

At that moment, Eripony’s voice came from the terrace entrance. While sitting face to face earlier he hadn’t felt much disparity, but standing, her height was remarkable. For a woman to be slightly taller than Timothy.

“When the alcohol rises, even a modest breeze feels refreshing.”

Updat𝓮d from freewēbnoveℓ.com.

As Damon responded thus while putting away his cigarette, Timothy stepped back. His Majesty had shown willingness to converse with Eripony. Timothy exchanged brief eye contact greetings with Eldert and left the terrace.

Creeak.

“Indeed, why didn’t you present tribute while being more mindful? The prince is angered, so here we are catching this cold wind.”

“You’re catching the same wind though.”

“Hmph. I just came out, so I’m fine.”

Unlike Burgos who lost their tax exemption opportunity entirely, Ruswena could still enjoy the benefits for the remaining period if they quickly crafted and returned home with the bow.

“Or will you go back and request warm tea from the prince? Being young, he’ll surely serve something very sweet.”

She was asking if he would bow his head and enter. It was essentially saying that if he returned home and presented new tribute like Ruswena, he would be granted similar benefits.

Damon looked up at Eripony and twisted his eyebrow.

“Nothing rots the insides like sweet things.”

“Hahaha. I share the same opinion.”

The three nations that couldn’t escape Bariel’s gaze throughout long history. That they could gather at this opportunity was entirely thanks to Burgos taking the lead.

Since they were turning their backs on Bariel and newly consolidating power, Burgos as the main actor needed to show some unspoken action as proof.

Like today’s presentation of noble tribute gifts. It was one of the measures strongly conveying Burgos’s sincerity to Ruswena and Clifford.

“Things are rather unsettled from day one.”

“But all historical beginnings were like this.”

Yet problems arose from the very first day they all faced each other for that resolution. Eripony whispered while lightly folding her fan.

“Are you troubled because of the jewels?”

“…”

“Same-day tribute passing to another country. Though King Damon might not feel hurt, the nobles seem likely to.”

How experienced.

Damon merely glared silently.

“Instead of that, why not have a calm discussion with Clifford? Haven’t there been many such cases between those two countries?”

She was referring to wars and battles both large and small. If Clifford wouldn’t give up the jewels, it was a proposal to deal with them first before touching Bariel. Not only would they expand their influence, but they’d also reduce the number of mouths to share Bariel with.

‘Right now, that seems like the only path available…’

But they can’t.

Leading to the dissolution of the three nations is exactly what the other side wants. If Burgos shows hostility toward Clifford, they’d be playing right into Bariel’s intentions.

‘Moving according to the opponent’s intentions would be walking toward a cliff of our own accord.’

Damon clicked his tongue while brushing back his disheveled hair. His violet eyes gleamed even more brilliantly.

Navigate to Other Chapters