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| ← Ch.166 | Ch.168 → |
As a way to show appreciation and repay for protecting his family, and for a sorcerer, the most honorable thing to do is to have someone most trustworthy to keep his things. It was perhaps, the most prudent choice that could have made.
"Ah.... . !"
It appears as if the princess was showing greater interest in the staff than in the robe. That was understandable. Staff was a symbolic item to a sorcerer, and the princess has never had anything that significant before. Even if in casual play, she would find it very difficult to just hold it.
"Wow!"
She was also a sorcerer. She was able to feel the emanating force of the Great Prairie from the staff. It felt as very new, yet extremely pleasing. It was not very unusual for her to react like a child.
"Do you like it?"
"Like it, of course!"
"How much do you like it?"
"Great, greatly.... ."
Princess Hailey who has been demonstrating her natural silliness closed her mouth shut. She even closed her arms that were widely stretched out as she was showing her excitement. Only that it was impossible to stop her face from turning red. It would be tough even for a high sorcerer.
".... ."
All the while, the hand that held the staff was stubbornly strong.
She must have really liked the staff of the Great Prairie.
"For your information, if you put on that robe, you will be able to freely fly around. One of the robe's effects is enhancing fly spell."
"Ah! That's how you were able to.... ."
"That's correct."
Hailey thought about the freely flying Ian. Then immediately, she proceeded to put on the robe. Just like when Ian first put it on, it automatically adjusted to fit into her physique.
"Wow! Unbelievable!"
Did she already forget how embarrassed she was just a moment ago?
The princess again became exhilarated.
This time, she didn't even feel embarrassed at all.
Thrrrrung!
Ever since Ian formed a personal bond with Hailey, he felt that beyond her cultured appearance and speech, there was rather rough and animated side of her. The woman in front of her has already flung open the carriage door and began to throw herself out of it.
"Fly!"
Her body rose into the open sky right out of the horse carriage.
She appeared to be somewhat cumbersome at first, but then she soon took control.
'She must be very excited. '
Chuckling, Ian looked at the spatial pouch. There was another person who had protected his family during the dragon soldiers attack, prince wasn't the only one who helped.
'There is one more person. '
The captain of the 2nd imperial knights.
The crowned prince's body guard.
The master sword man of the Greenriver.
'Oliver Raywood. '
Isn't he also a benefactor?
There was also a thing of value to repay him with.
If only there was a problem with it.
'Perhaps, it would be too much. '
Of course, the safety of his family was greater than any value that any artifact could hold as far as Ian was concerned. Still, the thought of whether presenting the sword, the master piece that blacksmith Halia has created, to Oliver was a good thing or not was still questionable. This was an issue that was on a completely different plain than having given the robe or the staff to the princess?
"Hmm."
When he first laid his eyes on the sword, and when he heard that Oliver was enthusiastic in rescuing his family, Ian had already decided at that time. That is, he will give Halia's master piece to Oliver. Yet, as time passed, that decision has become nebulous.
'It isn't that I want to keep it for myself. It is only that I am concerned. '
No matter how times and hard it was thought over, it wasn't that Ian wanted it for himself. It is only that there was a concern. It wasn't only a single concern either. Many concerns became intertwined to complicate Ian's ability to make such a decision.
"Sir, we have arrived."
As he was deep in his thoughts.
The horseman's voice was heard.
It was because they have arrived at their destination.
The destination was in front of Ian's residence.
"Thank you very much. It seems that the highness would be occupied like that in her present manner for a while.... So, let's watch her and take the route to the imperial palace. I believe she will continue to follow the horse carriage."
Ian passed on the request.
He gave several silver coins to the horseman.
Immediately, the ends of horseman's lips touched his own ears.
"I mean, this is too much.... ."
"Please do so as I requested."
"I will do so as you've commanded."
Ian got out of the carriage. The princess was still spinning around in the air. She didn't even leave the staff. It was possible that she has forgotten that they have arrived at the front door of Ian's residence. Is she that excited? There was no doubt, of course, that Ian once most likely had a similar experience.
'Although I don't remember. '
Ian raised his shoulders.
And at the same time, he walked towards the house.
But then someone came out of the house.
They were two unfamiliar men.
"What did I say? What has fallen?"
"No, I certainly saw it?"
"You were mistaken. They said nothing happened?"
On a closer look, they were in empire army uniforms of the capitol.
That is, they appeared to be capitol guards.
"What is going on?"
Ian asked them.
"Lord, Ivory Tower Lord!"
The two guards greeted with deep bow.
"Has anything happened?"
"Ah, that, that is.... ."
The guards didn't know what to do.
Then the one in the right stepped forward.
"Something fell on to the property. Initially, I thought it was a person, so I thought perhaps, my lord, it was you, but then the size appeared to be too big. Wing like things seemed to be on it also. So, we came to check on it.... ."
"Hey, look! We are not certain what it is, it's not appropriate to report it to the Tower Lord? You were mistaken, I said? My lord, please do not be too concerned. Based on our investigation, there weren't any issues, and Mrs. Paige has personally verified for us. My colleague seems to be quite overworked recently. Haha."
"That's not true. I truly saw them with my eyes.... . !"
"Ahem! Man, why do you keep this up?"
The guards have walked far way already.
Ian thought for a second while observing them.
A large human with wings.
I know of one such entity.
'Dragonian?'
A short time after that.
Ian's estimation was found to be accurate.
| ← Ch. 166 | Ch. 168 → |