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Chapter 37 Sometimes, the stick is better than the carrot (1)
(Tell me the truth. It's an expensive one, isn't it?)
Vanessa spoke through the communication orb.
While hiding his nervousness, he replied naturally.
"No way, mom. If you can't believe me, check the gold coins that the emperor highness had given to me. Except for the few coins we have used, there would be no difference at all."
Of course there wasn't.
Ian bought the orb with jewels.
(Really? Hmm it is really surprising though. Other communicative orbs I have seen in this mansion and the province castle, they only allowed me to communicate within a close area. But this... how?)
It was quite a natural reaction.
Ian was heading to the ivory tower at the moment.
Even if he was quite far from her, the communication was working.
According to her experience, it was impossible.
"I did some tricks on it."
(C, can you even do such things?)
"You don't say. I'm a mage."
(But.... . )
"Mages are always the best."
Hmm, didn't Ian say something similar before?
Whatever, Ian changed the topic.
"Anyway, please always keep it safe."
(But this size.... is a bit too big, my dear. )
"I will try to fix it to reduce its size soon."
(It's too big, isn't it?)
"Well, I'll try to find a way."
Yet, Ian couldn't decide the shape of the orb for his mother. The appearance wouldn't be the problem. There were not that many visual differences between Ian's orb and other ordinary orbs. So he just needed to consider its portable factor.
'But I can't think of any decent ideas for it. '
And that was the problem. He couldn't think of any.
A 'portable design' of the orb.
He should visit the workshop later to get some advice.
"And wherever you go, please go with guard soldiers. Not just you alone, nor just with maids. Please. And this is the order of the crown prince, not just my advice, you know right?"
The crown prince was more useful than Ian had thought. At first, he complimented Vanessa's beauty for hours. Ian had worried for a while that he might be interested in her, but he wasn't. Instead, he sent a few guards for Vanessa's body guards.
'Whenever I see Mrs. Page, she reminds me of my passed away mother. She was very beautiful. As you can see from my face. Haha! But, hmm, you.... may look more like your father. '
Still, the crown prince's word remained in Ian's heart.
Ian used to worry about it when he was young in his former life.
Why didn't I inherit my mother's beauty?
The crown prince's words reminded him about it.
'Ah, but there's nothing wrong or bad about it. You may grown up as a cool guy, later. Hahaha!'
With his continuous jokes, even his mother had laughed.
Even Ian had lived much longer than ordinary people. But since the crown prince had given his bodyguards to his mother, Ian forcefully calmed himself. Royal bodyguards weren't just well physically trained soldiers, but trained well mentally. They were much more trustworthy compared to mercenaries.
(Ok ok, you little mage. Why did he become so chatty after he became a mage? Where did those characteristics come from? The crown prince said he may be similar to his father. Was my husband chatty though?)
"Mom.... ."
Vanessa's voice had stopped.
It seemed she left her room without the communication orb.
"Sigh.... ."
Ian disconnected the orb's mana.
While he was sighing, his lips were smiling.
Compared to when she was a kitchen maid, she had changed dramatically. Now she wasn't depressed, but confident. She looked more comfortable and brighter.
'Circumstances and environment are important for a human, indeed. '
No one now ordered her around and looked down her.
Her only son became a powerful man one day.
Ledio, who is usually bright and funny whenever he felt comfortable.
Douglas, who acted like a child, unlike Ian and many other facts might have affected her.
'By the way. '
Ian swung his staff with the orb hanging on it. Unlike his mother's orb, his orb was already fixed into staff form. There were absolutely no people in the empire who would hold doubts about a mage who brought his staff.
'Private lesson of the Ivory Tower, huh?'
Today was the entrance day of the magic academy.
Of course Ian wouldn't go to the academy. He would be sent straight to the Ivory Tower and receive private lessons from Archmages. Well, they called them 'private lessons', but they would try to convince him to stand with the Ivory Tower.
"Oh. Academy."
While Ian walked far, he could see the academy.
He refused to use a carriage today.
He wanted to see the academy slowly.
'In my former life, I was there as well. '
From a distance, Ian could see the outer meeting area of the academy.
There were kids who called to the mages, from every side of the empire.
Actually, there were only six kids from every side of the empire.
'My academy class mates. '
They were Ian's classmates.
Although not this time, but in his former life.
'Haldis, Kaldaram, Jayjay, Roana. '
Especially those four were Ian's best friends.
They all got killed during the first war, though.
'This time, please live long. '
He decided to say hello to them soon. Although it won't be easy to became a close friend like in his former life, but he would try his best. It made him feel happy.
"S, sir Ian Page?"
From the Ivory Tower, a man with a robe ran into him.
It was the mage who guided Ian in a rude manner when Ian page visited the Ivory Tower for the first time.
"We meet again."
"H, haha. H, hello."
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