Chapter 26

Enter Greenriverdium (1)

When there were about ten days left to the capital, the soldiers started to feel exhausted.

As they became loose, exhaustion started to tease them.

Even those self-prided knights’ alertness became loose.

It may have been caused by the relief that came from being close to their home.

“We’d better focus from now on.”

Captain Oliver started to re- encourage them.

“At this very moment, we are carrying a woman who is suspected to be a spy from an enemy country. If it is true, then her country might want to intercept her at this moment when we are exhausted.”

What Oliver said was quite reasonable.

Ian agreed with it.

Until now, they didn’t have any chance.

Two 3rd class mages were sustaining the mana prison, and captain Oliver guarded the prison solidly. Furthermore there were many soldiers and knights surrounding it.

“And suddenly if someone’s head is rolling on the ground, the owner of the head must be one of us, whose head was full of missing their home and families.”

Just after his short speech, the soldiers held their heads.

Captain Oliver was serious and his words contained power.

No one dared to take it as a joke.

He was a powerful and serious man who even dared to point his sword at mages.

“A cut off head has no honor on it. It becomes pale since there is no blood in it, the tongue is out, and the eyes lost its focus. Unless any of you want to show that disgusting head to your own family, never lose focus and feel relieved.”

Soldiers grabbed their spears firmly.

None of them wanted to show their cut off head to their family.

“Sir, Yes sir!”

He was the man with charisma and wisdom.

Ian looked at him impressed.

‘I’d  better avoid conflict with him as much as possible.’

In this new life, would Ian and Oliver choose differently?

‘I’d better not lose focus on Cecelia.’

For Ian, there would be no benefits to him if Cecelia successfully contacts with other coldwalkers or was even rescued by them.

‘It’s going to be tough in many ways.’

Ian knew of the existence of coldwalkers.

And only Cecelia knew about that.

But what if she managed to contact other coldwalkers?

Or if they even rescued her?

‘She will speak about me first.’

Then, the Coldwood empire would start their diversion on him.

The appearance of a boy who knew a top secret of their empire.

They wouldn’t simply overlook it.

‘I’d better walk.’

Precisely, he decided to guard the prison.

A prison where Cecelia was arrested.

Ian took off the carriage and started to walk near the prison.

“Sir Ian, why do you walk?”

“I just like to.”

A soldier who became familiar with him asked.

Ian didn’t feel it necessary to explain further.

*Clip-clop Clip-clop…..*

*Step Step Step…*

*Clip-clop Clip-clop….*

*Step Step Step…*

The steps of horses and soldiers shook the ground.

The march was rearranged and continue its journey.

One, two…. five, seven, and finally ten days had passed.

“Finally….”

Finally the long journey was about to finish.

The capital of Greenriver empire, ‘Greenriverdium,’ was now within the sight of their bare eyes.

Soldiers who were missing their home and family,Douglas who was visiting his old hometown,Vanessa who hadn’t visited the capital before, everyone was looking towards same point. The wall of Greenriverdium.

It was very near now.

“Crown prince! Deign to be present!”

The soldiers in the front line shouted while waving huge flags.

Each of them represented the empire, royal blood and knights.

For ten days, the perfect march, which never allowed any carelessness, finally arrived to the capital, Greenriverdium.

“Crown Prince! Deign to be present!”

Soon, the march of the crown prince completely passed the gate.

Soon the biggest capital of Greenriver empire revealed its might.

Mogrian province was not able to be compared.

A mega sized capital which was the most civilized city.

“Crown Princeeeee! Deign to be presentttttt!”

Now their shouting sounded like crying.

Numerous citizens made way.

All of them kneeled on the ground and bowed to the crown prince.

At this moment, beggars, fat merchants, noble ladies, everyone were equally bowed down to the prince.

“Crown Prince! Deign…. huh?”

The soldiers suddenly stopped their shouting after they saw something.

“HALT!”

A voice which was magnified with mana.

It came from a crowd at the front, from around twenty people who wore white robes.

Their appearance showed their identity without a doubt.

Mages of the ivory tower.

“With what authority do you dare interrupt the march of his highness?”

Quickly the knights blocked the mages approaching.

Of course, Oliver was at the centre of them.

“By order of the Emperor.”

With those words a white bearded mage walked through the crowd. He was an old man with a simple non-decorated robe. Interestingly, he was holding a long staff which was much taller than him.

“Tower lord….?”

With mumbles of the captain, everyone was surprised.

The mage with a long staff, the highest ranked man right after royal blood,

the tower lord of ivory tower, 5th class arch mage, ‘Habert Leon’ was there.

“Long time no see, Captain.”

“Tower lord, why are you….. by the way, did you say by order of the emperor?”

“I received and brought Our highness’ order.”

Tower lord Habert opened the order.

Not an mana-order that Ian received before, a real order which was written by the emperor himself.

“The crown prince, Hyden Greenriver, receive the order of emperor.”

Everyone kneeled their one leg down.

The order itself was a will and voice of the emperor.

Even the crown prince had to obey it.

“From now on, since I assign all authority and responsibility of inspection and guard duty of Cecelia to the ivory tower, I order you to transfer Cecelia to them with haste.”

So it meant hand over Cecelia to the ivory tower.

Captain Oliver’s face was slightly tinted with unpleasantness.

He didn’t even have a chance to investigate her. Since he was planning to start it at the headquarter of the royal knights, which was located at Greenriverdium.

“…. Seems it was an urgent issue for you.”

“Why not? We’d better figure it out quickly, wouldn’t we?”

The tower lord replied lightly to captain’s suggestive question.

Furthermore, he tapped the captain gently and made a smile with confidence.

“You better rest and recover. We will do our best for the investigation, so please don’t worry about it from now on.”

Yet, Oliver wasn’t feeling comfortable.

However, he had no choice. It was an order of the emperor.

Neither the captain nor even the crown prince were able to go against it.

“Hand over the criminal to the tower lord.”

When Oliver called Cecelia as ‘criminal,’

“Captain, she is not yet a criminal. Until everything revealed is crystal clear, she is a mage of the ivory tower. Please be careful with your words.”

Tower lord Habert requested a correction.

It wasn’t a correction for Cecelia, individually.

There were many eyes that were watching the situation.

His request was rather for keeping the pride of the ivory tower.

“Oh, Tower lord!”

Two mages, who were sustaining the mana prison of Cecelia, greeted the tower lord with a smile.

“It must have been a hard journey.”

“No sir, rather Cecelia…..”

“Not now gentlemen. Let’s move her first, we will talk about her later.”

After the mages achieved what they wanted, they made way.

Like the others, they bowed their heads.

Well it was quite pointless for now.

“……C, Crown Prince! Deign to be present!”

The march of the crown prince restarted.

With less power.

A few minutes later,

“Those bastards. How dare ….!”

Not only the crown prince who used to hate the ivory tower,

“Captain! It’s unfair!”

“Even though it was an order, but I can’t accept it!”

Knights of the second royal knight also started to complain about it.

It was a natural response. From the north to the capital, they tried not to lose their attention and do their best, then all of sudden they were taking the criminal they were carrying with their best. Furthermore, aren’t they her colleagues?

“What’s going on?”

Even the innocent Vanessa was scared.

It showed well how unstable a situation it was.

“It’s not a big deal. Don’t care about it, mom.”

On the other side, Ian seemed not interested.

‘It’s rather good news.’

Ian knew very well about the ivory tower.

The procedure of the tower, and the ugly parts of them.

How did he know it so well?

‘I already experienced everything while I once was the tower lord in my former life.’