Imperial order? He had anticipated this, but the response had been faster than he had imagined. It had not even been a day yet.

So, they’re trying to claim me first. Ian smirked as he exited the inn. Outside the old wooden door were dozens of Mogrian knights lined up on both sides. In front of them was the dispatched mage, surrounded by the knights sent to protect him.

“You must have been awake,” the dispatched mage said as he saw Ian. “The emperor has sent an edict. Follow me and— Huh?” The mage was going to explain the proper etiquette, but Ian was doing exactly what was expected.

How can the child know this? Although they didn’t entail much, Ian performed the walk and kneel like he had done them lots of times before.

“Excuse me?”

Ian’s question surprised the mage.

“Ah!”

He brought out an orb from his sleeve and placed it on the ground, adding mana to it. With a loud whoosh, the orb faintly vibrated and let out a blue light. Soon, the light began moving and turned into letters in mid-air. It was a magical edict the mage had received through the communication system the previous night.

“The empire’s mage, Ian Paige, shall receive the imperial order.” The mage began reading the words that appeared, and as he did so, other people also kneeled, even the innkeeper. “As the ruler of Greenriver, I recognize Ian Paige as a mage of the empire and grant his name to be engraved in the Ivory Tower’s Hall of Mages.”

To have a child who had not even attended the academy added to the Hall of Mages was special and unheard of.

“We invite the child of special talent to the imperial castle. Thus, we have sent the crown prince to accompany him. We hope the journey will be joyful.”

These words caused the crowd to stir—even Ian barely managed to hide his amusement.

His intent is obvious. Sending the crown prince to accompany him was sure to bring along a whole crowd. Not even one of the princes would receive this kind of high-class escort. The edict had not yet ended.

“And lastly,” the dispatched mage continued, “until the prince arrives, the Mogrian family should do its best to take care of the mage Ian Paige by protecting him and providing for his needs.”

The unexpected ending of the message made Ian smile. It meant that he could stay in the lord’s castle right when he was in need of a place to practice mana-breathing.

It’s a hundred times better than an inn or a hut. If Ian had been an ordinary child, he would have bowed with gratitude in the direction of the capital.

“That’s all for the emperor’s edict,” the dispatched mage said as he picked up the orb, trying to take Ian in.

He isn’t a typical child. In just one day, his life had drastically changed for the better, but instead of being ecstatic, the child’s face showed little change. Any other child would have been jumping with joy.

Maybe it’s just how geniuses are. The mage himself was in the second class—which was rare in and of itself, but this boy was a whole different breed.

“Sir.” The voice of a Mogrian knight brought the mage back from his ruminations. “Should we take them to the castle now?”

“Please do.”

The knight turned to Ian, his tanned skin making him look more like an adventurer than a knight. “I am Sir Arnold, the captain of the Mogrian knights. I have received orders from my lord to respectfully escort you to the castle.”

Unlike his intimidating looks, his manners were very kind. “According to the edict, we have to protect you and ensure you’re safe, Sir Ian. The same applies to your mother, of course.”

He didn’t want to waste time. His mother had been a kitchen maid and now, she was going to enter the castle as a noblewoman. It was going to be a different experience.

* * *

There were many people in the Mogrian castle. The lord and his wife, along with their children, were surrounded by countless servants. Everybody was outside the castle, waiting for Ian.

“Why are they so late?”

“Isn’t it obvious? Knowing magic doesn’t change your blood.”

“What does that have to do with being late?”

“The lower classes are lazy from birth.”

Two Mogrian children were sulking, like most teenagers do. The boy seemed to be the oldest.

“Watch your mouth!” a middle-aged man shouted at the children. He was their father and lord of the land, Marcus Mogrian. “That child is a mage but also a guest in our home.”

“B-but...”

“You! You dare defy an imperial order?” The lord valued the imperial order above anything else, but it was less about showing the loyalty or duty of a subject and more about digging for the truth behind this strange phenomenon.

This is unprecedented. There weren’t many mages around, yet they were always leaders and were dangerous. He found it hard to understand.

Just how talented is this child? There was only one answer—the child had talent beyond one’s imagination. It was the kind of talent that the emperor, the Ivory Tower, and even other countries were looking for. And this talent hailed from the land of Mogrian.

We have nothing to lose by making a good impression. The lord used simple logic to make his decision. He was going to make a good impression on the kitchen maid’s son so that he could reap great rewards if the boy became a great mage. Even if he didn’t, the lord had nothing to lose.

The only problem is that he is the son of a kitchen maid. He remembered Vanessa’s looks quite well. Despite her position, she was incredibly beautiful.

There’s no way this girl didn’t bug her, the lord thought, looking at his young daughter and clicking his tongue. Being the jealous type, she could not have ignored the kitchen maid’s beauty, and he was sure she had played naughty pranks on Vanessa.

Yet she swears she never has. Either way, there was nothing he could do to make up for past events. How he acted now was more important.

“Here they come.”

Ian had arrived, accompanied by a crowd.

“Lavi, Margaret! I repeat, mind your words. If you don’t know what to say, don’t say anything. Am I clear?” He didn’t hear their replies or see their faces because his eyes had met Ian’s. As he had expected, Ian was a scruffy-looking twelve-year-old boy.

I’ll put him in clean clothes, feed him well, and give him a good place to sleep. If he wants to, I can teach him how to read and write, horseback riding, and etiquette. That’s what most nobles want. A mage or not, this was still a boy. It wasn’t going to be too hard to make him happy.

“Welcome,” the lord said to Ian with a warm smile. “Mage of the empire.”