Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor
Chapter 36

Night and day, Soo relentlessly traveled until she arrived at the Bratz territory. At the break of dawn, using the cover of darkness, she infiltrated the mansion and carefully observed the guards’ movements from a tree.

‘Those guys are the imperial investigative team. It looks like they’re using the main building as a base, and the security is tight around the outbuildings. Isn’t that the building Ian and I used?’

Soon, she spotted Dergha’s figure bustling by the window. Finally, it was time to put down the annoying severed head she was carrying on her back. Soo quickly climbed down the tree and circled around to the back of the outbuilding.

Swish!

Just like the day she clashed with Beric.

She nimbly climbed through the window to the floor where Dergha was staying. A firmly locked bolt. It wasn’t locked from the inside, but hammered in from the outside. Soo drew her dagger and smashed the wooden plank.

Crash!

“Oh my!”

Hearing the noise, Mrs. Mary, who was drawing the curtains, jumped back in surprise. Then Dergha, the Count, rushed over. He looked terrible, having been confined for days.

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Soo effortlessly opened the window. Dergha frantically gestured for her to come inside, but she just dangled precariously on the railing.

“Aren’t you one of Nersarn’s subordinates?”

“The knight? Where has Knight Bel gone…?”

“What’s happened to you? They didn’t even allow you to open the window?”

Soo, chewing on jerky, untied her bundle. The investigative team had locked the window after realizing that the butler had escaped. Dergha, not knowing what it was, took the small box Soo handed him.

“Take this too. It’s a reply from Kakan.”

“What did the chieftain say? What about Ian? Ian’s dead, isn’t he?”

But Soo didn’t answer. She glanced at Chel, who was trembling in the corner, gave a slight nod, and then dropped down.

“Kyah!”

Countess Mary closed her eyes and screamed, but that was all. There was no sound or vibration of a crash. Soo, who had come like the wind, disappeared like the wind.

“What on earth…?”

“Honey, read the reply quickly. I’ll open the box.”

“Mom, the Cheonrye Tribe is helping us, right? They must be, right?”

“Hush, Chel. There’s nothing to worry about.”

Something seemed to have happened to Bel, but the messenger from the Cheonrye Tribe had come in person, even breaking the window.

Mary wrapped her son’s head in her arms and offered a prayer of thanks to God. If the Count hadn’t thrown the dish, the prayer would have continued.

Clang!

“Damn, damn it!”

“Honey?”

“Father, why, why are you doing this?”

“I’ll kill them! I’ll kill them myself! I’ll tear their throats out with my bare hands! Argghhhhh!”

Dergha violently swept the table. Terrified, Chel began to cry as he hid in Mary’s arms. The Count began smashing everything he could get his hands on.

“Breaking the alliance? Breaking? Those filthy, despicable barbarians! I, with my rotten bloodline, am the same as those beasts that know only to take. Yes. Let’s try this! Once things here are settled, we’ll go to war immediately! Tear them apart, kill them and feed them to the animals!”

“Honey!”

Blood was flowing from Dergha’s hand. Amid his incoherent screams, Mary finally managed to restrain her husband. The wound was a concern, but any more noise might arouse suspicion from the investigative team.

“Please calm down. Breaking the alliance? That can’t be. If they act like this, won’t they themselves just make things difficult for them later? I understand this much, but why would the chieftain make this decision…?”

There must be a reason. A reason.

This kind of behavior was tantamount to declaring themselves barbarians. Mary quickly checked the torn reply, her hands trembling, and then covered her mouth in utter shock.

“Is this true? Smuggling Gureut leaves?”

“Damn it! Damn it!”

Bang!

There were two reasons given for breaking the alliance.

Ian’s treachery and the attempted smuggling of Gureut leaves.

The latter was treated as a serious matter. Since the Count had bribed Ian, a person close to the chieftain, to steal the banned goods, it was a grave breach of trust that made it impossible to continue the alliance, according to the letter.

“What the hell has Ian…?”

How did this happen? Wasn’t he supposed to think it was under the pretense of his mother’s request, Philea? Even if caught, they had taken measures to cut him loose. How did he know that he was behind it?

Dergha ground his teeth and cursed.

“Open that box.”

“Oh, right!”

At Dergha’s command, Mary quickly untied the string, still hoping for something.

“Kyaaaaaak!”

“Aaaah!”

But what was inside was the horrifyingly dead head of the knight, Bel. Whether it had been opened upside down or not, the horribly severed neck surface was facing up.

Knock, knock.

“Count, is there a problem?”

Just then, an investigator knocked on the door from outside. The atmosphere was such that all the tension suddenly broke. If it were known that he had been in contact with the Choenrye tribe to overthrow the government, summary execution was possible. He would be in a position to beg for his life, appealing to the leader’s magnanimity.

“… No, nothing.”

“May I come in?”

At the investigator’s words, Mary quickly turned her head. The torn window showed signs of damage. She screamed in refusal.

“A-A-Ah, no! I’m undressing!”

“… Excuse me?”

“If you’re not thinking of insulting me, never, never open the door!”

“Madam, please give me a moment.”

“Wait! Wait! Please!”

Mary shouted like that, closing the window. She not only picked up the scattered wooden debris from the floor and tossed it under the bed but also neatly arranged the curtain. Meanwhile, Dergha was enveloped in anger, and Chel was engulfed in fear, standing blankly.

“… Hngh.”

With her trembling hands, she covered the box and shoved it into the corner of the wardrobe.

“I’m coming in now.”

“W-Wait!”

Squeak.

The investigator laid a hand on his sword sheath and opened the door. Two awkwardly standing people, and Chel crouched in the corner sobbing.

“What were you doing?”

“What do you mean?”

The investigator glanced at the broken chair and the scattered debris. It looked like a mess made in anger. After slowly looking around the room, he bowed politely.

“My apologies. Misunderstandings can lead to conflicts, so please be mindful.”

“Get lost. You’re worthless.”

“… Please calm down.”

Despite Dergha’s blatant insult, the investigator didn’t bat an eye and smiled. After all, Dergha’s life was soon to end, and the investigator had nothing left but to rise with his master.

Squeak.

“Damn it.”

Dergha leaned on the table, desperately wishing reality was a nightmare. Mary and Chel simply sat, maintaining a heavy silence. Suddenly, Dergha ground his teeth and muttered.

“Fine, let’s do this.”

Let’s try it then.

With this, the only path left for him to choose was clear. To stand up on his own. With or without the help of the Choenrye tribe, he had to make full use of his territory to drive away the investigators and central army.

And thus, declare independence from Bariel.

He was already accused of treason. What had he to lose?

If successful, he wouldn’t have to send exorbitant taxes to the center, and how wonderful that would be.

“… Honey?”

“Wife, stay at the mansion with Chel. You know about the secret storeroom, right? Go and hide there, and never come out until I come to find you.”

“…What about you, darling? Let’s go together.”

“Yes. Father.”

“Quiet!”

He had finished calculating in his mind.

Without the help of the Cheonrye tribe, the only card left for him was ‘time’. Before the central support troops arrived, he had to deal with the investigation team to create a chance for a counterattack.

Rip!

Dergha ripped the curtains to make a rope. Mary and Chel, bewildered, stood back and swallowed hard. They were about to go outside.

“Ah…”

However, the very thought of leaving made reality come crashing in, and it was more nerve-wracking than he thought. Dergha quickly tied the curtains and dropped them out the window.

“Go. Go down. Hide in the basement.”

“Darling, you…”

“Hurry up!”

At Dergha’s command, Mary and Chel climbed onto the window sill, sobbing and hesitating, before clinging to the cloth. While they were going out, Dergha gathered papers and lit the lantern.

Whoosh.

The fire began to blaze. Dergha fanned the flames to help them spread. When the smoke began to rise, he looked down from the window.

His wife and Chel were gone.

They must have moved to the secret storeroom.

Thud!

“Ugh. Damn it.”

Dergha too, grabbed the curtain and fell down. He hobbled toward the stable with a sprained ankle, while the smoke darkened the sky and filled the air.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

“Something terrible has happened!”

Erica, who was sorting documents in the main house, frowned at the unexpected commotion. But seeing the panic on her subordinate’s face, she had no choice but to jump up.

“The Count seems to have set fire to the annex and escaped.”

“He’s trying to stall for time.”

“Take up your swords!”

“It doesn’t matter if he dies. Just don’t let him escape from the mansion.”

“Philip! Inform the central support troops of the situation.”

“Yes! Understood!”

“The rest of you, move with me.”

Erica tied her hair tightly and ran down the stairs. If everything went well, this mansion would be hers.

But he dared to set fire to it?

“Ah, save me! Save me, please!”

“Fire! Fire!”

“Put some water on it! Sand too!”

“Find Dergha! He can’t have gone far!”

Rip!

The lower floor of the annex was the servants’ rooms. Since they were imprisoned like Dergha, they couldn’t escape easily when the fire broke out.

“Save me! Please, please!”

“Ah! There are people trapped here! Here!”

“I’ll do whatever you tell me to do! I’ll tell you everything!”

Cries came from everywhere, but Erica couldn’t easily give the command. Dergha was gone, and the investigators were scattered. If the rescued servants caused a riot, the situation might get worse.

“What should we do, Commander?”

Between her subordinates trying to put out the fire with water and sand, the flames surged even higher. Erica bit her lip, mulling it over.

“They are lives destined to die with Dergha.”

Whether sold to the slave market to make up for the missing taxes, it all seemed the same.

Erica turned to look at the front gate.

“Just contain the fire. Since it’s an annex, there shouldn’t be any important documents. If we have the power to save, catching Dergha is the priority.”

“Yes, Commander.”

“Everyone, chase Dergha!”

“Leave a few in the mansion, the rest outside!”

“Hurry up!”

Erica turned her head coldly. Behind her, hot, sticky, desperate cries rose with the fire and smoke.

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