Distinguish to the Empire (2)“You did very well.”
Ian’s expectation was wrong this time.
It wasn’t the Crown Prince.
“Good job, sir Ian.
A young, but familiar voice. A unique gentle manner.
The royalty, who Ian didn’t want to confront yet.
‘……..?’
By instinct, Ian turned up his head.
To check the source of the voice.
It was a boy who seemed around two years older than Ian, who had the blond hair of royal blood.
‘Ragnar.’
It was the b.a.s.t.a.r.d.
Ian had avoided to confront him intentionally.
If he could avoid him, he avoided him, and if he could hide, he hid.
For today, he didn’t pay attention due to the new robe.
If he knew about it, he would’ve chosen a different path.
“Thanks to you, the royalty and the whole empire’s peace were kept still. As my father told you, You were the hero of the event. I was looking forward to meet you and say thank you, as a member of royalty. Ah! I forgot to introduce myself. I’m sure you already know me, though.”
A confrontation with Ragnar earlier than his former life. In his former life, When Ian became 14 years old, and when the academy started to call him a genius, he came to meet Ian. So 2 years earlier than before.
“Let me introduce myself. I am the 5th prince of the mighty Emperor, Ragnar Greenriver.”
A worried moment had come finally.
Ian used to worry about this moment.
What should I say to Ragnar?
Would I be able to hide my killing intent?
“I want to serve a meal for our hero, do you have time?”
However, Ian’s body reacted in unexpected way.
He became more calmed than usual, rather than his heart beating anxiously.
Ian could clearly see Ragnar’s white face.
His offer sounded dry to Ian.
It wasn’t killing intent that Ian had to hide.
He had to prevent himself from laughing.
‘He’s such a kid.’
30 years later, Ragnar Greenriver would become a mighty and cold blooded Emperor.
However, look at his current appearance.
He was just a young prince who had to hide his ambition.
A boy who didn’t have much power, but wanted to.
A young boy who was living his daily life by enduring his desire for power.
‘How puny.’
That was all what Ian had thought.
Not angry, not anxious, nor love and hate.
A puny 5th prince.
A boy, whose life could be ruined by Ian at any time.
Now Ian finally concluded his method of revenge.
“No thanks. I already have a schedule.”
Ian refused Ragnar’s offer without hesitation.
Still, Ragnar was smiling.
“I don’t mind to have a meal with you later. So when will you be…….”
“Sorry, not in future as well.”
Now, Ragnar’s face lost smile for a moment.
He quickly rearranged his facial emotions though.
“May I ask you for reason?”
“Too busy. I am.”
Although he was 5th prince, he was one of royalty members.
If others reacted so, it was an unforgivable arrogance.
“Busy….. a lot?”
“Yes. Many things to do.”
However, Ian was Archmage.
In addition, the Archmage who was favored by the Emperor and the Crown Prince.
Although Ragnar was a prince, he couldn’t punish him.
“……….. I guess I wasted your time for nothing.”
“Yes you did. Excuse me then.”
After short bow, Ian pa.s.sed by Ragnar.
His body guards grumbled, and Ragnar was watching Ian’s back.
Although Ian could feel everything, Ian didn’t care about it.
‘This time, I will be on your very opposite side.’
In former life, Ian was ally of Ragnar.
An ally who was the strongest and the nearest.
However, this life will be different.
Ian decided to oppose him.
‘You won’t able to proceed any single step.’
All those plans of Ragnar.
Ian will block every single of those plans, by his hand.
Every time Ragnar failed, he would hear the name, Ian Page.
At last, he would d.a.m.n Ian and fall.
‘Until he desperately wanted to erase my very existence in the world.’
But Ian would be one who couldn’t be defeated by Ragnar.
The ‘ultimate evil’ to Ragnar.
‘Only for you.’
After Ian pa.s.sed by Ragnar and his bodyguards, Ian cleared his mind.
Ian started to a.s.semble his mana.
The first formulae that Mich.e.l.l’s robe whispered to Ian.
Ian wanted to see what would happen.
‘Fly.’
Originally, fly was inefficient spell.
Short duration, extremely slow flight speed.
The robe whispered such formulae.
Why?
*Flap!*
As he activated the formulae,
The robe flapped roughly.
There were no wind blowing.
‘Can it be real?’
Normal fly spell was supposed to let Ian fly with slow speed.
And that was the standard theory.
*Whirrr – !*
And the theory was just broken.
Ian raised to the sky rapidly.
‘More than I have imagined.’
An artifact that he couldn’t have had a chance to see.
The power of Mich.e.l.l Greenriver’s robe.
Although he only tasted a portion of it, his heart started to beat.
‘There must be more artifacts like this.’
He wasn’t just limiting the area to the empire.
In the whole world, there must be some.
Unknown makers, unknown creations to date.
A legendary artifacts must be out there somewhere.
‘No more former life.’
In former life, Ian was crazed about magic, and he was satisfied by what Ragnar had provided.
However, the situation had changed. If he wanted, and decided,
‘I can find it.’
And he could possess it.
An artifact that has similar power to the robe of Mich.e.l.l Greenriver,
Or maybe even stronger ones.
‘I can be even stronger than I used to be in my former life.’
In magical power, but also in political power as well.
It would take some time, but it was possible.
‘But.’
On the other side, he had question.
Would he need such overwhelming power?
To survive in this life? For revenge?
During the time Ian was thinking about these answerless thoughts,
His body had arrived at the mansion.
Through the window, he could see familiar faces.
Mother who had pa.s.sed quite early in former life.
Ledio who was supposed to be killed by raids.
Douglas who was supposed to be Ian’s vital enemy.
‘No one was waiting for me in my former life.’
There was no one who waiting for Ian, nor Ian had to protect.
However, It was different this time.
There were some people who were waiting for him.
In addition, there were some people who he had to protect.
‘A power to protect.’
A power that could save his people by any circ.u.mstance
Even though the world began to fall, or an unimaginably strong enemy appears.
‘There is never enough for such power.’
That was Ian’s conclusion.
The more power he yields, the safer his people will be.
‘I will be stronger, until my body cannot hold on, until the maximum.’
An even more determined decision than he used to have right after he just rewound the time.
From since then, 5 years had pa.s.sed