Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor - Chapter 192

Knock knock.

Dilaina, who had been engaged in a long conversation, faltered. The same went for Duke Hayman. Putting down the cold teacup, he nodded to the guard knight. He had instructed that no one should disturb them during this important meeting.

They walked towards the door, gripping the swords at their waists.

“What is it?”

“Chielonia from the Administrative Department. I’ve come to deliver an order decided upon at the grand council meeting to Lady Dilaina.”

“An order?”

Dilaina muttered involuntarily as she stood up. Wasn’t the prime minister’s grand council meeting for restoring order in the palace? Yet there was an order directed at her. She was perplexed and anxious, unable to fathom what it could be. Arsen, observing his mother’s complexion, whispered.

“It would be best to change the location to hear it.”

It was a meeting where Dilaina had just joined forces with Duke Hayman to plan for the future. If an unfavorable order from the palace suddenly fell upon Dilaina, it could cause problems.

Dilaina nodded and sought understanding from Hayman and Melania.

“Please excuse me for a moment.”

“Not at all. Don’t worry about it.”

Arsen also followed his mother with a smile.

Chielonia, an official from the Administrative Department who primarily delivered the emperor’s orders. She was bowing, holding a golden letter. Since the emperor was frozen and lying down, it must have been issued by the prime minister who was acting on his behalf.

An order using the emperor’s authority, not the prime minister’s. Dilaina took a deep breath and took the lead.

“Follow me. I will receive it in the separate room.”

Creak.

Upon arriving at the separate room, Dilaina gracefully turned around and looked at Chielonia. As if to say, let’s hear what this order from the grand council meeting is about.

“It’s an order to partially restrict parental rights regarding His Highness Jin.”

“…!”

As Chielonia carefully delivered the message, Dilaina’s lips hardened rapidly. Her arrogantly raised chin lowered, and the knuckles of her fingers gripping the hem of her dress turned white. Her shocked state was palpable, but Chielonia indifferently read the letter.

-Concubine Dilaina was able to recognize that Princes Mariv and Gale were the main culprits who threw the imperial family into chaos. This also enabled her to judge that it was a crisis for the imperial family, and in such a situation, it is evident that handing over Prince Jin’s person, regardless of the reason, was a mistake.

“…!”

-Accordingly, at the request of Prince Jin himself and the participants of the grand council meeting, some of the parental rights granted to Dilaina are temporarily restricted indefinitely. The provisions are as follows. Rights related to protection and identity. Property management. Right to issue orders on behalf, etc. These are the main nine clauses. Additionally, any authority that affects the prince’s person will be immediately restricted.

Rustle.

Chielonia, who had finished reading the letter, bowed. She suddenly realized that Arsen was staring at her intently, and it seemed like he was smiling, making it awkward to face him.

Unable to endure it any longer, Dilaina, who had been trembling, burst into a shout.

“This is absurd!”

“Please compose yourself, Lady Dilaina.”

“Jin is, Jin is my son! Who, who dares to strip me of my parental rights? This, this cannot be! Convene the grand council immediately! Order a reconvening!”

“I apologize, but you cannot object.”

“Where is the prime minister now?!”

How could someone who knows His Majesty is frozen make such a decision?!

Dilaina felt like her sanity would fly away due to the anger rising to the top of her head. It’s my child, whom I gave birth to in pain. My son, whom I have embraced and lived with since the moment he was born!

“Sob…”

Dilaina eventually collapsed to the ground and covered her face. If possible, she wanted to turn back time. To before she let go of Jin’s hand, to before she met Mariv in the backyard, or even further back to the days when the emperor was healthy.

Swish.

Arsen signaled Chielonia to leave with his gaze and embraced his mother. Despite being a young child, his demeanor somehow seemed quite mature and strange. Chielonia gathered the letter and quietly exited the room.

“Mother.”

Even at Arsen’s call, Dilaina continued to cry. Arsen’s voice, as he held her tightly, was gentle. However, the expression reflected in the window was as cold as could be. Dilaina, with her head bowed, couldn’t notice it.

“Mother, you haven’t done anything wrong. Who could have known Jin would do this? We considered ourselves a family, but it seems Jin didn’t feel the same way.”

As Arsen’s consolation reached her ears, Dilaina felt a momentary dizziness. Was it because she suddenly burst into tears, or was it due to the constant dizziness? Her vision blurred, but Arsen’s voice gradually etched itself into her mind. Each note seemed to seep into her blood and ravage her entire body.

“Arsen, I, I…”

“I know, Mother. I understand. Saving me was the way to save Jin, wasn’t it? Foolish brother, not even understanding Mother’s heart.”

“What should I do? It seems Jin has completely fallen for Lord Ian. He couldn’t have turned away in an instant like this. Jin, Jin…”

“You need to come to your senses now, Mother. We have to win in order to save Jin. You know that once I solidify my position, Jin will also be safe, right?”

Dilaina kept nodding at the warmly melting consolation. Arsen, who was comforting his mother, slightly smiled.

“And there are many who witnessed that moment. It was bound to be revealed someday, and this was bound to happen. Don’t be disheartened. Even if Jin abandons us, we won’t abandon Jin. Someday, our sincerity will reach him.”

Dilaina wiped her tears and tightly hugged Arsen.

With no emperor and no Jin, all that remained was Arsen. Only Arsen would bring the peace Dilaina desired.

“Compose yourself. We need to wrap things up with Duke Hayman. The city gates will open soon, and when that happens, every moment will be a crisis, an opportunity, and a result.”

Dilaina pressed her tears with a handkerchief and caught her breath. She wanted to rush out immediately, object to the grand council’s decision, and meet Jin, but she needed to restrain herself.

“Now, what should we do? What did Hayman say?”

The plan she had discussed with the duke all night felt idiotic to Dilaina. She couldn’t recall it even if she tried. Was it because of the shock that Jin had left her, or was it due to the constant dizziness? Arsen supported his mother’s trembling body and reminded her.

“Duke Hayman said he would plant people among the citizens once the city gates open, right?”

“Ah, yes.”

The truth is complete in its existence, but it is easily tainted by lies. Isn’t it the perfect situation to portray Ian as an opportunist who took advantage of Mariv and Gale’s rebellion? Now that Jin’s parental rights have been taken away, the rumors will gain even more strength.

“First, we’ll observe the situation while swaying pu, public opinion.”

Dilaina seemed unaware that her teeth were chattering. Arsen, who watched it indifferently, quietly added.

“But Mother, while the duke’s proposal isn’t bad, I’m not sure about it.”

“What, what do you mean by that?”

While Dilaina and Hayman were conversing, Arsen didn’t utter a single word. He just sat straight and observed. The duke also didn’t bother to ask for his opinion. He was a young child, and it seemed like all decision-making power rested with Dilaina.

“Duke Hayman’s plan is most effective when the city gates are closed. Because no one knows what’s happening inside, it touches upon the most provocative aspects of what can be imagined. But judging from the progress of the restoration and Lord Ian’s will, the city gates will open soon, won’t they?”

Then, those who enter the palace will have the capacity to directly see, hear, and assess the situation. It could even raise the Ministry of Magic’s standing among the citizens, just as it has risen in the palace.

“No matter how much people shout from all directions that Lord Ian has lured Jin, most will not pay attention. Since he contributed to the palace’s restoration, it could be seen as a natural reward, in a way.”

“Then?”

Dilaina blankly asked. The dizziness was gradually subsiding. Arsen’s voice seeped into her ears even more melodiously.

“We need to cross the line.”

“The line? Us?”

“No, Lord Ian.”

In the distance outside the window, the Bariel flag was waving majestically. Arsen, taking it in, muttered while suppressing a laugh.

“What if Lord Ian kills either Mariv or Gale?”

It would be nothing short of perfect if it happened before the trial.

Dilaina furrowed her brows as if she didn’t understand, but then let out a small gasp and whispered.

“Kill them?”

“Mother, be careful with your words. I’m just wondering what if ‘Lord Ian’ does that.”

Then there would be plenty of rumors to spread. That they died from an interrogation close to torture, that the princes were actually innocent but were killed to cover it up, that the princes fell for Ian’s schemes and died, and so on.

“Didn’t Lord Ian already keep a close distance from both Mariv and Gale? It’s the perfect setup to ignite the flames.”

If blood is mixed into the lies meant to taint the truth, it won’t be easily erased. Because it’s a very intense paint that sustains someone’s breath.

Dilaina remained silent as she gazed at her son’s face glistening in the sunlight.

“And there’s nothing that recognizes power more than the authority to execute Mariv and Gale being transferred to Lord Ian. We’ll kill them before Lord Ian does.”

“Arsen.”

“Yes, Mother.”

How did you even come up with such an idea?

She couldn’t bring herself to ask. For those words about killing his brothers to come out so easily from the mouth of a ten-year-old child. It was all a tragedy created by the circumstances.

Dilaina embraced Arsen and vowed.

“Let’s end this. Let’s end it quickly and save Jin.”

“Of course, Mother.”

Arsen, who responded like that, was smiling even more brightly. The warm sunlight shone down, but the interior of the room glinted coldly.

***

“Lord Ian. Mana sealing stones have been found in His Highness Mariv’s residence. Two pieces of 3 grams and 5 grams each. It matches the records registered with the Administrative Department. We also collected the letters exchanged with the merchants’ guild. The volume is quite large, so it may take some time to analyze.”

“How much is it?”

“We have narrowed it down to a list of roughly fifty names, as they are connected to major merchant guilds that engage in trade across Bariel. We are still tracing the source of the amber gemstones.”

Ian nodded in satisfaction and signed off. The office door had been wide open for hours without any signs of closing. With an endless stream of people coming and going, Ian sorted through a mountain of documents while facing the cold breeze.

“I’ve seen that scene somewhere before.”

Unlike the frenzied Ian, Beric was lying on a sofa, observing the situation. Romandro, who had been wielding a pen to the point where his arms were invisible, shouted.

“I’m busy as hell, so help out a bit!”

“Ah, I remember now! Whenever a famous wandering troupe comes, everyone lines up to get their autographs. That’s exactly it, that. Hahaha.”

“This guy, seriously!”

“You know I can’t read. Didn’t I just finish moving luggage and lie down?”

“Luggage? You call a pile of papers luggage?”

Beric stuck out his tongue and lay down sprawled. Just then, a voice confirming with Ian could be heard from far down the corridor.

“Lord Ian! The city gates are opening at five in the afternoon today, correct?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Five o’clock. It was just past ten in the morning, so there was still some time. Ian pointed his pen at Beric, who was lying down, and commanded.

“Don’t lie down, get up and take a look, Beric.”

“Me? Why?”

“Since the city gates are opening at five, go out first and convey my regards to Viviana, and deliver this to her. Then Viviana will suggest going to the press, so escort her well to ensure there are no issues.”

Ian tossed a short note, and Beric easily caught it with one hand. Since he couldn’t read the letters, he didn’t know what was written on it.

“What’s this?”

“You don’t need to know. Go to Viviana first.”

“Hmm, okey-dokey. I was bored anyway, so this works out well.”

Romandro, who was listening beside him, frowned as if he couldn’t trust him.

“You know the way, right?”

“Ah, of course! I may not know other things, but I know the way home!”

“I’ll still assign a guard to accompany you.”

Beric grinned, drawing a circle with his fingers. The content of the note Ian had written was briefly visible through the gaps between his fingers, but Romandro rubbed his eyes as if he had seen it wrong.