Chapter 5

Guest To the House of Mogrian (1)

The great continet was divided into three countries.

The Greenriver Empire, The Coldwood Empire and The Republic of Lo.

All of these countries operate an institution, called a ‘communication post’

It worked as an ‘emergency calls’ for each country. These posts were held on specific places within certain distance from others, to supplement the communication magic (which has limited range) by relaying from post to post.

Thanks to the communication post, The Royal and The Ivory tower were able to recieve the report before the afternoon.

“What are your thoughts? Tower lord?”

Great capital of Greenriver, ‘Greenriverdium.’

Where the most highborn rules the country.

At the royal office, ‘Terry Greenriver’ asked.

“Nothing is certain yet, your highness.”

An old man with a white beard spoke uncertainly.

The man was a tower lord of The Ivory tower, 5th class archmage, ‘Habert.’

“But,”

“But?”

The middle aged emperor glanced his eyes with interest.

“In humman’s history, there were only an few mages who have managed to reach 5th class. Fortunately, this litte old man became one of them.”

“Stop boasting. Do you think I wouldn’t know that?”

“Originally, mana is the energy that flows with the blood. When you’re able to control it, the road of the mage starts. Step by step, with the help of spells, you are able to learn how to stimulate the mana brain, then eventually how to cast magic. In most cases it is taught by the academy. I wasn’t an exception of it, and so do other mages.”

“Contiune.”

“However, the boy said he awoke it himself, without any help. Furthermore, the report said, He can cast 1st class magic fluently. Just like, ‘The first mage.’”

Once upon a time,

The first mage who had no one to teach him magic.

He must had to have found the way himself.

How to manage mana, and also, cast magic.

A legend amongst all mages.

“The first mage? Do you mean dragon?”

“The existence of dragon is just an illusion. However, we know there was an first mage. There must be a beginning of magic so it has been succeeded till now.”

The Emperor noded as he agreed.

The tower lord continued talking.

“Using common sense, regarding it as a wrong report makes more sense…….. However, it should be true. The conducting mage was a wise man.”

“There is no reason he would dare to make a fake report.”

This time, the tower lord kept silent.

He didn’t agree, but neither disagreed.

“So it must be true.”

“There is nothing confirmed.”

“Well, then let’s pretend it’s true.”

Because of the persistance of the emperor, the tower lord laughed with bitterness.

“ONLY IF, the report is very true, then….”

“Then?”

“It is indeed that the boy bears dangerously extraordinary talent, that’s my answer.”

“hmm..”

The Emperor started thinking while tapping his finger on the throne.

He doesn’t care whether the talent is true or not.

He’s already assumed it is true.

“Crown prince, are you there?”

“Yes, father, waiting for your further instructions.”

“Come in.”

The door was opened, and the crown prince, ‘Hayden Greenriver’, walked into the office.

His good apperance with golden hair, inherited by the royal blood, was impresive.

“I’m at your service.”

“Right. Prince, sorry about that, making  you wait outside for a while.”

“I’m okay with it. How can I be of service?”

The crown prince asked in hurry.

Not because it was an urgent situation, but his own impatience.

“Whent was the last time you went outside of the palace?”

“Yes? Uh… it was… uh…”

“Wasn’t it the inspection for huge lean year?

“Th, that’s right, father!”

“It aleady has been 5 years…. time goes by fast.”

After the emperor realised the flow of time shortly, he continued the conversation.

“I want you to go outside of the place for the first time in 5 years.”

“…. You mean traveling outside?”

“I’ll lend you all the royal knights, three hundreds emperial soldiers and three 3rd class magicians, quickly move out to Mogrian province, and bring back the boy called Ian Page.”

“I..Ian Page?..”

It looked like the crown prince has never heard of Ian Page.

The name everyone in all places have already heard of.

“Please don’t tell me you haven’t of heard his name.”

“I.. I apologize,father!”

“This is nothing to apologize….. *sigh* forget about it. It may risk your life. I better ask the other princes.”

“N,No father! Trust me, let me do this mission!.”

The crown prince reacted sensitively when he heard the word ‘other princes.’

His attitude has changed dramatically.

“I gurantee you to accomplish this mission with my best effort!”

“Ha Ha..”

By watching the crown prince moved so easily, the emperor felt bitterness.

It was his intention.

But..

‘He is too easilyseen through.’

He still needs to learn many things to lead the empire later.

Every part of him doesn’t satisfy the emperor.

Not in the eyes as a father, but in the eyes of an emperor.

‘He worries me.’

Of course, he didn’t reaveal this worry to the crown prince.

For now the best he can do is loving son as his father, not the emperor.

Supporting his son as much as he can.

Mostly, he needed talanted alegiants, who can cover his short sides.

Talanted, who can serve him for long.

‘He better make the boy his loyal servent.’

It is hard to make someone loyal to him who has already grown up.

Because they would’ve already chosen their masters.

For example, the tower lord has chosen the fifth prince.

That’s why the emeperor tried to send the crown prince.

If he can’t possess the carved gem, then he better take a raw gemstone instead.

‘I better teach it to him before he leaves.’

The Emperor ordered to the crown prince after having a long thought.

“Approved. Now go back and prepare for the mission. Traveling to the north side will be long journey.”

There was silence after the crown prince left the office.

“Then, If you will excuse me, I better off now as well.”

It was the tower lord who broke the silence.

“Why don’t you stay bit longer?”

“As you know, mage’s hate traveling around. If I don’t start to persue them from now,  It might be hard to arrange three mages on the mission, before the crown prince leaves.”

“Hahaha! Indeed. You may leave now.”

The Tower lord left the office. His steps, however, not headed to ivory tower, but the side palace, where the princes stays. Particularlly, the palace of the fifth prince, ‘Ragnar Greenriver’.

“Hew!”

Ian focused on mana breath untill morning without sleep.

Although he hadn’t sleep, his body was fully refreshed as if he had deep sleep.

Fatigue had totally been removed, his mana was fully filled.

Clean skin and hair as if he had a bath.

In addition, the fresh scentsl arounds his body.

‘This is the good thing about mana breath.’

More specifically, the effect of Ian’s mana breath.

‘Mother is still asleep….’

It’s been a while he visited Mogrian since his former life.

He didnt not have many memories here, but it was his hometown.

‘This scenary will be erased first as war starts.’

Mogrian was the province where the border connected with the border of another great empire, ‘Coldwood.’

It must be strategic point for both ally and enemy.

There were no ways to avoid to war.

‘By the way, they must have received the report now.’

He guranteed that the report of the conducting mage must have been sent straight to the Emperor.

Ian was confirmed by the mage even if he hadn’t entered the academy yet.

This was part of the plan, the mage should follow as he intended.

‘The current emperor must be desperate to find a young talented child.’

Not for him, but for his first son.

The immature crown prince, Hayden Greenriver.

‘The old fox of ivory tower probably started to support the fifth prince.’

The old fox of ivory tower. Ian’s expression that points towards the current tower lord, Habert.

‘They may want me as much as the Emperor does.’

Soon, the confict between The Rroyal and The Ivory tower would start.

Since it happened when Ian was young, he couldn’t remeber in detail.

Story that he read from the book or heard from Ragnar.

He just guessed the situation from those sources.

‘What I can be sure of is, whathever side I stand with, I will be welcomed.’

The primary object now is regaining the strength as former life.

He will stands any side that provides shortest way to recover his stregnth.

Whether emperor side or ivory tower. Or, stay neutral.

‘What ever side I take, I won’t be controled by them this time.

After a thought Ian left the room quietly.

It was still too early, so the first floor was empty.

However, It sounded quite nosiy out there.

The source of noise came from the street where door of Inn was.

‘What’s going on?’

Ian quickly focused mana on his ear.

He put his ear to the wall of the inn.

Because of the mana amplication, He could hear clearly the sounds.

“So is he staying in this inn?”

“That’s right. He came with the knight with the big body…”

“We came to the right location, then.”

Ian had no idea of the voice asking, but the voice answering was the innkeeper.

In addition, he could hear many voices from outside.

“Hmm….”

It was obvious that they came for Ian.

With the comrades.

“Mr. Mage, lets start.”

huh?Mage?

Start what?

Just then,

“IAN, MAGE OF THE EMPIRE COME OUT AND RECEIEVE THE ORDER OF THE EMPEROR!”

“Urgh!”

Ian almost lost his ear.

The sound was already amplified by Ian. Worse yet, the mage outside amplifed once more on his voice.

It was the vocie of the conducting mage, who Ian met yesterday.