Chapter 40
"We reduced its size to half, will it be okay?"
One day in a peaceful capital.
In front of the mansion of Ian Page.
A boy was confronting Ian.
A boy who looked 3 to 4 years older than Ian.
It was a ‘Vans,’ the novice of Thram’s workshop.
"It won’t be easy to make it smaller, right?"
"I’m sorry but yes. Smaller than that would be out of our technology….."
Ian couldn’t think of any portable design of the communication orb for his mother.
So, he placed his order to the workshop again.
And this was the result.
"It will be enough, though. You must have gone through many efforts."
"Our best workers spent days to do it. A, and me as well."
"Is it that hard of a task?"
"Yes sir. Firstly, it is an expensive product, so we had to be careful. We dismantled every part of it, and we started from the fundamental mana circuit….."
Vans started to recite the complicated hextech vocabulary.
Ian couldn’t understand a single word of it.
Ian decided to change the topic.
"Here is my payment."
"N, no thank you. Chief told me not to receive any extra payment…."
"But you did your job."
"Ah, he is strict man, thank you for your kindness, though."
Ian wanted to hand over money bag, but Vans refused it.
He couldn’t refuse his master’s order. Ian may give it forcefully since he had enough power to overwritten his order, but it would only make Vans get into the trouble.
"Then."
Ian pick portion of money from a bag, and handed to Vans.
"Take it as reward for your delivery."
"B, but I can’t….."
Ian remained silence.
It was a silent gesture.
Vans understood it, and he received the money, embarra.s.sed.
"T, thank you so much! Thank you for caring me."
It was a kindness from an Archmage, which was honor to him.
Suddenly, as he recalled something, Vans started to be looked nervous.
"S, sir Ian?"
"Yes, please speak."
"Before a few weeks ago, when you visited our workshop for the first time, I was in a hurry and….. I was being rude to you….."
Suddenly, Vans started his confession.
"I, I can’t remember it clearly, but whether I really did it or not, I kept it in mind and have felt sorry for you since then……"
It seemed he was worrying about it from since. It was a natural reaction though.
Ian wasn’t just normal n.o.ble, but an Archmage. And Vans was being rude to such a high person. If Ian wanted, he could order it to kick him out from the workshop.
"Ah, now I remember."
"Y, yes?"
"You told me to get off, didn’t you?"
"Yikes!"
Vans was regretting his decision now.
He shouldn’t have said it.
"Please be careful next time."
"Y, yes sir! I won’t! I appreciate your forgiveness!"
He just wanted to
‘Well, I won’t need to correct it though.’
In anyway, Vans would act more carefully now.
After Vans left, Ian returned to the mansion.
"Boss!"
Douglas, who was listening their conversation sneakily, asked to Ian.
"Is he your new direct subordinate?"
"What?"
"The boy you just met. If he is a new recruit, he is under my rank."
"Ha, you go too far."
Today was Douglas’ first day of school.
To ‘The Royal Alchemy Academy.’
He wore nice and neat clothes.
Like Ledio.
"I will be back after bringing him to the academy, sir."
"See you later, Boss!"
After Ledio and his son left, the mansion was full of silence.
Ian’s mother didn’t leave her kitchen often these days.
She was inventing a ‘new red bean pie.’
She was shocked after the received feedback of her pie from the Crown Prince as ‘mud.’
Thanks to him, Ian ate a bunch of pies recently.
Now, he started to feel sick of it.
‘It’s good to have peaceful moments, but."
Ian had not that much to do nowadays.
He just needed to do simple studies at the Ivory Tower.
He was also receiving the academy curriculum individually.
‘It’s too peaceful."
Since he rewound time, he didn’t have a single moment to rest.
From the mana test to the duel with Helene.
Physical hardness could be restored by mana breath.
However, mental hardness couldn’t be restored easily.
He wanted to take a rest, and he was finally granted it.
But, now he forgot how to enjoy this resting moment.
‘Am I allowed to rest like this while doing nothing?’
Such pressure didn’t release Ian easily.
He was afraid.
He had to regain his power, and had to protect his mother.
In addition, he had to make a new trending power at the ivory tower.
For last, his revenge on Ragnar.
He still had a long way to go.
"Phew."
Ian laid down on the big chair.
Ian had no one, who might gladly chat with him and chill.
A true ‘friend’, who could be friendly and trusted without afraid of Ian’s Archmage t.i.tle.
‘I have none.’
Mother was just mother.
Ledio was too thoughtful.
Douglas was too young.
The other honorable mention would be….
‘The Crown Prince?’
Ian suddenly remembered the Crown Prince, Hayden.
Soon, he shook his head.
‘What the heck am I thinking….."
Out of all people but why the Crown Prince?
Ian blamed himself.
"Sir Ian."
At that moment, a maid came to Ian.
It was a maid called, ‘Hara.’
"An invitation from the royal palace has been sent to you."
"An invitation?"
Invitation? For what?
There were no parties to be invited as far as Ian knew.
Ian quickly started to read the letter.