Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor - Chapter 158

-Viyas, an escapee from Astana, and his grandson Hasha were discovered in Danil Village near Karenna. Despite attempts to persuade them, they were ultimately terminated. The villagers also confirmed the bodies, and in case an investigation team is dispatched from the palace, a poison with food poisoning properties was poured into the well.

It matches Hasha’s testimony. Ian checked the names of those involved in the tragic incident in Danil.

-Bareto.

He is Wesleigh’s assistant. It seems he led the work, handling it with a few members of the Magic Support Department.

‘There aren’t many people involved. Even within the Magic Support Department, it’s mainly the mages who were in charge of necromancy research. It means they recognized that it shouldn’t leak out that much.’

Next, Ian flipped through a research report titled <The Limits of Necromancy>. Despite being a study conducted for several years, the progress was dismal. There seemed to be some success with animals, but there were no properly successful cases of the forbidden necromancy that Wesleigh wanted, which was ‘casting on the living’.

-The results of using necromancy on the living are as follows. The targeted body rapidly decays, or even if intact, it soon leads to ego collapse and loss of control, not much different from using necromancy on the dead. (PS) It is possible to transfer the soul of the person you want to bind to another body. However, this should be expanded and researched in the realm of forbidden magic, not necromancy.

Ian frowned. It perfectly matched his current situation. Wasn’t he in the body of a stranger, ‘illegitimate child Ian’, transcending time and space due to the forbidden magic cast by Naum?

-However, it is unconfirmed whether the original abilities and ego are also transferred when the soul is moved. Especially if the target is a different race or a mana user (mage, mage knight, etc.), the results are unpredictable.

The person who submitted the report seems unaware that Wesleigh’s target is Gale. Ian’s finger, which was examining the sentences one by one, flinched.

“Wait a minute.”

When a soul is transferred through forbidden magic, it’s unknown whether abilities are also transferred? Ian had been considering the mana he had been using as his own. Because he learned that magic resonates with the soul, not the body.

However, he realized that it was only a theoretical academic view, and it hadn’t been revealed whether it actually applied to forbidden magic.

‘Then there are two possibilities. Either you can use abilities even if your soul is transferred, or-‘

…The illegitimate child Ian was originally a mana user.

He rubbed his eyebrows, looking a bit surprised. And slowly, very slowly, he recalled the moment he opened his eyes in the backyard of the Bratz estate. Wasn’t he only able to release mana at the beginning?

‘Yes. If it resonates with the soul, I should have been able to use all the magic I know from the beginning. But as time passed, the more I released mana, the more my limit grew, until it reached this point…’

At that moment. Beric’s face, frowning heavily, came into view. Wasn’t he half-lying on the desk, flicking his fingers as if telling him to come to his senses?

“Minister Ian?”

“Ah, Sir Romandro.”

“Uh, if you’re busy, should I come back later?”

“No. Not at all.”

Ian smiled brightly and closed the document. Beric was shouting from inside to come in, but Ian kept knocking because there was no answer.

Romandro looked around the messy minister’s office with shock, as if he was truly relieved that Ian wasn’t his superior.

“What brings you here?”

“Nothing else, but a message came from the mansion… Hasha and the Astanians have found a mercenary group to send them back to their homeland.”

Up to the count, it was possible to speak casually due to friendship, but the minister position seemed to be a line that couldn’t be crossed. As Romandro awkwardly spoke in honorifics, Beric snickered and mocked him.

“Why are you talking like that? Came… Sir? Haha!”

“Sh, shut up, you bastard.”

“Sir Romandro. Please speak as you normally do when it’s just us. If you speak like that, it’s difficult for me to understand the content.”

Ahem, Romandro cleared his throat and cooled his flushed face.

“If they’re mercenaries, are they trustworthy?”

“I was also worried about that…ne. Aren’t mercenaries usually rough people? But they are people Viviana had acquainted with on-site, so they can be trusted.”

“Then in many ways, it will be safer than a merchant group. Is it a main request or a side request?”

“Of course it’s a side request. They said they’re going to the end of the continent to hunt monsters, and Astana is on the route, so they accepted the request.”

“Alright. When is the departure?”

“Well, it’s a bit urgent. At the earliest tomorrow, at the latest within three days, they said. I know you’re busy after the inauguration, but wouldn’t it be good to make some time and say goodbye to Hasha?”

Come to think of it, it had already been several days since he had been to the mansion. Ian nodded, picking up his outer coat.

“What about you, Sir Romandro?”

“Me? I’m going now.”

“Let’s go together. Beric, will you stay here?”

“Huh? Why me?”

Ian glanced, as if telling him to hurry. Anyway, now that he had taken the minister position, the urgent fire had been put out. Until the new Truth Potion is made and Gale’s curse is brought to trial. There is only one thing he has to do.

‘Making the Truth Potion favorable to me.’

That could soon be favorable to Gale as well. Anyway, for now, keeping Gale alive is the same as securing a safe zone for Ian.

Screech.

“Minister Ian. Are you leaving? Won’t you have a beer?”

“Right, others might not, but we should drink!”

“We can’t end the day just organizing documents!”

“Be quiet for a bit. Hey, you drink beer every day.”

“On a day like this, we have to drink for free! Chief Hale, say something too!”

“…Minister Ian. Are you really going home?”

The line of power is definitely different. He had only taken a few steps out of the minister’s office when he immediately passed the Mana Operations Department office. Ian smiled and straightened his collar.

“Next time. I have an urgent matter.”

“Ah, what a pity. No tasks to leave behind?”

“Tell Chief Akorella to have the report on the newly manufactured Truth Potion submitted in real-time detail. Also, have the Magic Support Department gather and organize the personal information of all the mages in charge of necromancy.”

At Ian’s instruction, Nakina scribbled with a pen and answered that she understood.

“And you can have a company dinner today. Put it on my tab.”

At those words, Tommy dropped the documents he was holding. Nakina was the same. She dropped her pen and blinked, paused.

“Have a safe trip! Minister!”

“Wow! Yes! Let’s have the special set today!”

“Thank you! I hope you won’t be surprised by the receipt tomorrow! I love you!”

“We’ll finish today’s work within an hour.”

“Chief! As expected, you know a thing or two!”

While the three noisily united, Ian walked to the entrance with a smile. Every mage he encountered bowed their heads and greeted him.

Swish.

“Minister. Hello.”

“Good work.”

“Yes. Good work.”

Romandro smiled proudly behind him for no reason. Ian, who had taken over the position of Minister Wesleigh, who was ranked 4th in the Imperial Palace, was none other than his close friend! He kept bragging to himself.

***

“Minnie. I think this much food will be enough, don’t you think?”

“That’s true, but there are so many people.”

“The food expenses are also included in the payment, so don’t worry. Tell everyone to pack one more set of clothes each. The wind will be stronger once we cross the border.”

Romandro’s mansion was the epitome of chaos itself. It was an atmosphere created by Viviana and Mini running around frantically to take care of Hasha and the Astanians who were leaving on a long journey. Ian smiled, listening to the noise from downstairs through the crack in the door.

Knock knock.

“Can I come in, or not?”

“Come in.”

“Ian, what are you doing? The preparations downstairs are almost done.”

Beric had his mouth stuffed with food. Judging by the handprint on his shoulder, it seemed he had been caught stealing the Astanians’ lunchboxes and got hit.

“I was writing a letter to send to Hielo.”

“To the frontier?”

“Yes. If you have something you want to say too, tell me. I can add it.”

It was a letter to Philea, Ian’s biological mother in Hielo to be exact. Since there was a possibility that the illegitimate child Ian was originally a mana user, it was to ask her this and that about it.

‘When buying a flowerpot in the park, she seemed to see golden eyes for the first time, but you never know. There might have been unusual behavior since childhood.’

Ian tapped the ink leaking from the tip of the pen nib. Feeling an intense gaze beside him, Ian unknowingly turned his head.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Contemplating who to send it to.”

Beric was lying on the bed with a serious expression. He had no family, no friends to meet casually. The first person he had a relationship with as a human being was Ian, wasn’t it?

“If you have nothing to send, you don’t have to send it.”

“I want to send it, but I don’t know who to send it to and what to send.”

“Hana is fine, Lord Nersarn is fine, and Kakan is fine too. The reply may be slow, but aren’t all the warriors in the Great Desert your friends?”

At that moment.

-Ian, are you inside?

“Hasha.”

-The preparations are finished. We’re about to depart soon.

Hasha’s call was heard. Ian put down his pen and went outside. The bustling house was empty. They had moved all the luggage to the garden.

-Ian, I’m so sad to part like this, my nose is getting stuffy.

“Hasha, don’t cry.”

Ian wiped the dog’s moist eyes himself and smiled. Although they hadn’t known each other for long, seeing how regretful it was, it seemed they were truly a family.

-I will return to Astana, stabilize the faction, and acquire a new body. Then I will come to meet you, Ian, again.

“That’s something to look forward to.”

-I was truly grateful. Truly grateful.

“Hasha! What about me? Say goodbye to me too.”

At Beric’s words, Hasha laughed softly and hugged him as well. If only Beric hadn’t hugged him to the point of being crushed, it would have been a truly moving farewell.

-Ah, take off the brooch.

“If you want, you can take it with you. Use it as travel money if a problem arises. If the situation is good, return to Astana and send it back.”

The mana stone brooch around the dog’s neck. As Hasha grinned gratefully, the sound of wailing was heard.

“Oh my, be careful on your way! Sob.”

“Master. Please stop crying. Someone might think someone died.”

“No, I’m just sad. Sob! Hasha! Hasha!”

It was Romandro. His eyes were swollen, and he kept sniffling. As Hasha ran over, he knelt down and delivered his farewell speech again.

“Have a safe trip! Hasha! It was really nice to meet you!”

-I owe you a lot. Romandro, always be healthy, and may your wife have a safe delivery. I will pray to the Great Nature when I go to Astana.

Hasha lightly shook off the fur soaked with Romandro’s tears. He also said his final goodbyes to Viviana and Mini, and then quickly jumped onto the mercenary’s carriage.

-See you again.

“Yes. See you again.”

“Waaah. Sob! Sob! Hasha!”

“Ah, Sir Romandro. Your snot is dirty.”

“Sob!”

Hee-ying!

The mercenaries bowed to Viviana and then drove the horses, and soon the carriages left Romandro’s mansion one by one in order. The Astanians’ hands waved from the windows. Everyone held the joy of returning to their homeland.

Clop clop!

Hasha showed his face through the window until the end, and Ian also stayed put until they disappeared into a dot.

With this, all those who had to leave had left.

Now, it was time to do the remaining work.