“Mother?”

Without a hint of doubt, Ian ran out of the tent. The mage and his three knights followed him.

“Shush! Stop acting shy. It’s obvious you’re longing for a man’s touch,” the man said.

“Wh-what do you mean...?!”

The soldier’s words were enough to make Ian livid. It looked like the man had laid a hand on his mother.

“Come on. You’ve spent seven years as a widow. Aren’t you lonely? Just keep the bedroom door open and someone might pay you a visit— Huh?” The soldier’s filthy talk abruptly stopped as he noticed the mage and his knights, though he hadn’t paid Ian the slightest attention.

“What seems to be the problem?” Aaron, one of the knights, asked in a low yet solemn voice.

“N-nothing, sir! It’s just that this lowly kitchen maid hanging around, so I was warning her...”

“Lowly?” Ian cut him off and approached him.

“You! Can’t you see I’m talking to these gentlemen?” the soldier yelled. His attitude was very different when he had spoken with the mage and the knights—that was the nature of being highborn.

“Sir,” Ian said.

“Hmm?” the young mage replied.

“Am I also a mage now?”

A brief silence met Ian’s question. Could this child be called a mage? He isn’t registered and hasn’t even attended the academy.

On paper, he wasn’t a mage yet. However, he had learned to use mana on his own. Moreover, he could use first-class magic.

If the imperial family and the Ivory Tower find out about this, it could cause chaos in trying to make him part of the empire. This child had enormous potential, so it was simply a matter of time. The mage’s decision was quick.

“Yes, you are, in fact, a mage.”

As the mage gave Ian official recognition, everyone’s eyes turned to him. Ian, however, didn’t waver. He simply asked another question. “What status does that give me?”

“The same status as the nobles of our empire.”

“And my mother?”

“Likewise. If you wish.”

Ian turned to the knights. “Did you hear? My mother and I are nobles now.”

With a swish, the quick-witted knight pulled out his sword. After watching him, the other two did the same.

“Your rash actions are punishable by death,” Ian said in a loud voice that pierced the soldier’s ears.

“Uh... Huh?” The guard had heard Ian clearly, but it seemed he didn’t understand the situation completely. His eyes darted around as he tried to figure it out. This child was a mage. And Vanessa was his mother. That meant...

“My goodness!” The guard freaked out and began drooling. “M-m-mercy, please!”

He immediately got on his knees and prostrated himself. He wasn’t apologizing to anyone but Ian, acting completely different than he previously had. “If you have m-mercy just this once...”

“Why are you apologizing to me?”

“I will not forget your grace until I die— Huh?”

Ian pointed at his mother with his chin. “You should apologize to her.”

“Ah!” The soldier understood immediately and turned to her. Then he repeated the process. “M-mercy, please! Just one time!” He begged for his life, groveling as he kowtowed to her.

“I-Ian. You don’t have to go so far...”

This was overwhelming for his mother. Any apology would have done it for her, even an insincere one. Ian finally remembered.

That’s how my mother was. She would be having nightmares if he’d chopped the man’s head off. So he had to wait for now.

Bloodshed in a place unseen. The motto for this second chance at life became engraved in his heart.

Right now, my mother is my priority. Suddenly, emotions overcame him. In his past life, he hadn’t been able to protect his mother. He hadn’t been able to understand others’ actions.

I was too young. Ian had just enrolled in the academy and was nothing but a youngling. He had never told anyone he had learned to control and use first-class magic on his own. He hadn’t been able to.

I was scared. I was a child. The fear of being caught made him act like a newbie who didn’t know anything and before he knew it, he had spent a year studying the theory of magic like everyone else. Nothing more and nothing less.

There was no such thing as being treated like nobility. His mother had stayed in Mogrian Village. She had been able to stop working as a kitchen maid, but not much else. With him being away in the academy, she had spent a year alone.

She never got to enjoy what she could have. After a year, he became a first-class mage and finally earned noble status. Unfortunately, his mother had passed away from an illness, never having enjoyed any luxury despite her child’s abilities. However, this time was going to be different.

Reminiscing the bitterness of his past life, Ian sighed deeply and squatted next to the soldier. “Listen up.” He spoke so only the guard could hear him. “I know what you said about my mother, you filth.”

He made a terrifying face only the soldier could see. It was not the kind of face a child would make. “Tell the rest of your disgusting friends everything you felt and heard today. Spread the word to all the trash just like you.”

The soldier nodded vigorously as if to break his own neck. Ian glared at the man, whose quivering eyes showed his will to live.

“I’ll be watching you.” As Ian got up, he looked back at the knights and said his parting shot. “Let’s leave it at that.”

The knights sheathed their swords.

“Th-Thank you! Thank you! Thank you for letting me live!” The soldier continued thanking Ian for his mercy.

“That kid’s a mage?”

“The kitchen maid’s child?”

“Keep your mouth shut. Didn’t you see that man almost lost his head?”

The crowd continued stirring. They were going to discuss the events of the day for quite some time.

“Sir. Will you be needing me for more tests?” Ian asked.

“Huh? N-No. We’re done.”

“Then I’ll go home for now. My mother is in a bit of a state.”

“As you wish. Ah! Wait a minute.” The mage turned to Aaron, the knight. “Sir Aaron, please escort this child. I’ll use the orb to call you later.”

Aaron did as he was told, as this was part of his daily work.

“Then I’ll be on my way, Sir.” Ian went to his mother’s side and walked away with the knight.

A kitchen maid’s son was being escorted by a knight. People could not take their eyes off this bizarre sight.

In many ways, a great mage has appeared. The examining mage quickly sent his evaluation to the imperial family and the Ivory Tower.