Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor - Chapter 147

“If I die, a curse of death will fall upon my father, who is the highest dignity and essence of Bariel, and my beloved-“

When Gale shouted “beloved,” everyone frowned in disgust. No matter how much they thought about it, it was an adjective that didn’t suit him at all. And as soon as they realized the subject was Mariv, everyone started to stir.

“My brother, Mariv.”

“Gale!”

Kwang!

Mariv unknowingly slammed the table and jumped up. There’s a limit to playing tricks. Blatantly lying like that is the deception of deceptions. The opposing forces also joined in, dumbfounded.

“Your Highness Gale, does what you’re saying even make sense now?”

“Oh my, watch your words! He is His Highness Gale!”

“No, isn’t it true? Now he says that if he dies, a curse will fall upon His Majesty the Emperor and His Highness Mariv, which is clearly an attempt to secure his own safety!”

“That’s right! He’s hiding the real curse!”

“If it becomes known, it must be an inconvenient curse, so that’s why he’s saying that. Your Majesty the Emperor, there’s no need to hesitate. Quickly order him to leave the palace!”

“What are you saying! What if something happens to His Highness Gale’s safety after leaving the palace? And if the curse is triggered, will you take responsibility?”

“It’s not only about His Majesty the Emperor and His Highness Mariv, but the existence of the entire Bariel is at stake! How can you so easily dismiss it as a lie? You don’t want to believe it, do you?”

“Then do you think those words are true? That such a heavy curse can be cast with the blood of just two people? Do you believe that?”

“We can ask the magicians! Sir Ian!”

Ian, who was quietly watching, was called upon. The fiercely debating factions stopped shouting and simultaneously turned to Ian. He was staring straight ahead with a quite unperturbed expression.

“I’ll ask Sir Ian. Forbidden magic, that is, do you think Minister Wesleigh and his assistant could cast a curse that could determine the fate of Bariel? Do you really believe His Highness’s curse is true?”

Say it’s not true! A minister from Mariv’s faction urged with a glare. But Ian’s answer was utterly calm.

“It’s possible.”

Mumble mumble, at Ian’s straightforward answer, Gale’s faction members put their heads together and whispered something. They probably also guessed that Gale’s testimony was false. But whatever the truth was, it was clear that Gale’s testimony was the only chance to turn the tide.

“Forbidden magic generally refers to all abilities that deviate from the principles of nature and fate. It enables magicians’ souls to do things that even God cannot easily touch, such as life and space-time. In particular, former Minister Wesleigh was a capable magician who became the youngest court magician, so it’s not impossible.”

“No, can a single magician determine the existence of Bariel? Does that make sense?”

“You can say that if you don’t know what happens to those who use forbidden magic. They fall into the abyss. Commonly known as hell.”

Hell. A space where one is consumed by eternal suffering and devours oneself for eons.

“And to be precise, there were two magicians. Those who received God’s will have fallen into hell. It is considered a sufficiently possible curse.”

Mariv’s faction swallowed their saliva and looked at Gale. Isn’t the one who received that terrible curse with his body right there? Even if what he just testified was a lie, there must be another curse sprouting inside him anyway.

“Then, let’s use the truth potion on Gale.”

It was Mariv’s voice that broke the silence.

He sat back down, maintaining his composure again. A lie to avoid the moment would only hold back his own feet. Mariv smiled and looked Gale up and down.

“How about it? We can immediately find out if the curse Gale received is true or not.”

“That’s a good idea!”

“Th-that’s right! Isn’t the truth potion something the Ministry of Magic has been pushing for? They say the effect is very good, right?”

“Please order it right now, Your Majesty!”

“If His Highness Gale’s testimony is false, his imperial surname must be stripped! It’s almost the same as threatening the safety of Bariel, Your Majesty, and His Highness Mariv!”

“You are all being reckless! Watch your mouth! You are already assuming that Lord Gale gave false testimony! This amounts to the crime of insulting the imperial family!”

The Emperor slowly raised his hand. It meant for everyone to stop and be quiet. It was a pitifully thin hand, but it had sufficient authority.

“…Gale, do you agree to use the truth potion?”

It is a question from the Emperor and father. Even now, if he spoke falsely, it would be best to quickly correct it and apologize, a kind of opportunity.

But Gale put his hand on his chest and affirmed.

“I agree.”

“You see that! Our Lord doesn’t speak nonsense! I clearly saw those who insulted His Highness Gale here! Let’s wait and see!”

“Haha, you are truly amazing, Lord Gale! What on earth are you scheming?”

“H-how disrespectful!”

Permission without a moment’s hesitation. If the curse was clearly a lie, there was no way he could come out like that. If the truth potion from the Ministry of Magic was brought and poured down his throat right now, he would be caught.

One of the ministers bowed his head to Mariv and whispered.

“Your Highness, what do you think His Highness Gale’s intentions are? Seeing how confident he is, I wonder if it might be true.”

“It’s not true, he’s just being clever.”

“…Pardon?”

To the minister who raised his eyebrows as if asking what he meant, Mariv pointed out.

“He’s confident that even if he takes it, it won’t be detected. Otherwise, there’s no way he could confidently say he would use the truth potion.”

The biggest issue raised about the truth potion was trust. Although it is said to make one speak the truth, the most concerning part was that it could be manipulated according to the Ministry of Magic’s intentions.

“It’s clear that the truth potion has been tampered with.”

“Ah…”

The minister nodded his head as he listened to Mariv’s words.

Indeed, there was a possibility. Although Wesleigh was dead and gone, weren’t all the truth potions currently stored in the Ministry of Magic made according to her instructions?

It was the moment when the guess became a certainty.

“I have a proposal, Your Majesty the Emperor.”

Mariv sought the Emperor’s permission and took the right to speak.

“The truth potions currently in the Ministry of Magic were all made according to the intentions of the treasonous Wesleigh, so they cannot be trusted. Therefore, it would be best to discard all magic potions and fairly manufacture a new truth potion for Gale to use.”

“Your Highness Mariv! Do you know how much Luron stone was used to make the current truth potions? And you want to discard all of that?”

“Aren’t you worried about Gale? I find it suspicious and worrying, so I believe we can’t use the ones currently made.”

On the surface, he pretended to ensure Gale’s safety, but in the end, it was a ploy to uncover the truth of the curse. Gale, who was quietly listening, added a word.

“It will take some time to make a truth potion.”

“If everyone in the Ministry of Magic rolls up their sleeves, we can shorten it as much as possible.”

Gale twisted his lips. Seeing that, Mariv clenched his fist with the thrill rising from below his chest.

‘Do you think I’ll fall for your scheme?’

“Why are you trying to delay something that can be revealed right now?”

“Gale. If your testimony is true, there will be no problem at all as long as you don’t die right away. We will set up tight security, so don’t worry and wait. Or do you still believe in Wesleigh?”

The atmosphere became unbearably heated at Mariv’s blatant jab. Look at that, there must be some trick put into the truth potion, argued Mariv’s faction, and those who supported Gale for some unknown reason started a quarrel.

Bang bang bang!

The Prime Minister, unable to bear it, hit the gavel again.

“Alright. This is something I agree with, just like His Majesty the Emperor. We don’t know what Wesleigh might have done, so I allow discarding all consumable ones and manufacturing new ones.”

“What about the time frame?”

At someone’s question, everyone looked at Ian. They were only asking about magic-related matters through Ian’s mouth. It made one guess how the Ministry of Magic’s unrivaled power was established.

“According to the report, it will take about half a month, but we can push it a little earlier. The specifics need to be discussed with the department in charge.”

“I understand. Then let’s wrap up the meeting here. It’s been a long time already. We will convene an emergency meeting again soon, so major related parties, don’t leave the palace and stay.”

Bang bang bang!

The meeting was tentatively concluded. If Gale hadn’t woken up, it would have been delayed even more. The ministers sighed in relief and paid their respects to the Emperor.

Swish.

“…Everyone, strive to restore the daily life of the palace. And Gale.”

“Yes. Father.”

The Emperor silently ordered him to follow with a nod. As they stepped outside, Gale’s faction also disappeared like the receding tide. They would definitely continue the emergency meeting on this critical matter. Mariv’s remaining faction members were also gathering in groups of three or five and putting their heads together.

“Ian.”

“Yes. Your Highness Mariv.”

Ian approached Mariv’s call and bowed his head.

“Are the captains of the departments related to the truth potion among the candidates for the next Minister of Magic?”

“No. They prioritize the pursuit of wisdom over the cultivation of magical power, so they will have no intention of being elected as the minister.”

Mariv looked around and gestured for Ian to come closer. Ian bowed to him, who was sitting, and brought his ear close.

“Then win them over first.”

His voice sounded quite cheerful. That was understandable. Wesleigh, the wing of the Ministry of Magic, was broken and dead, and dealing with Gale was also a matter of time. Furthermore, the one he would push as the next minister was his subordinate. How much more perfect could the situation be?

“Will it be possible?”

“Of course. Your Highness.”

“Good. I will send a more detailed message later.”

Currently, the Ministry of Magic clearly recognized Ian’s existence. Although he had just joined, he had a solid connection with the prince and, above all, was a possessor of tremendous ability who could rival the former minister.

It was not an atmosphere where being recommended as the minister was taken as a joke.

Swish.

Ian nodded and left a brief greeting, and Mariv encouraged him with a satisfied gesture.

As he stepped outside, he saw a red magic circle cast on the building where the personnel meeting had taken place. It was a sign not to approach as an investigation was being conducted, including Wesleigh’s death.

‘Mariv… Didn’t he notice something strange?’

He recalled Mariv and Gale clashing in the meeting room. It was true that Gale lied about the curse. But what about the truth potion? Did it really go according to Mariv’s intentions?

‘If Gale had truly tampered with the truth potion, he would have brought it himself to the meeting. And by drinking it simultaneously with his testimony, he would have pushed the matter through.’

This was all Gale’s calculation. It can be seen as using the opposing faction’s distrust of the truth potion to buy time.

Then, in the current Ministry of Magic without Wesleigh, the one who would work with him to…

“Ian.”

Swoosh.

It was when he was passing by the garden next to the Ministry of Magic’s main building. He turned around at the voice calling him. It was the same as that day. The day he faced Gale in the place where there should have been a separate residence. The wind coolly penetrated between the two people.

“Did you speak with His Majesty the Emperor?”

Gale nodded and pointed deep into the garden. It meant, let’s talk for a moment.