Return of The 8th Class Mage Chapter 35:
People I Need To Protect (2)
“What brings you here?”
Soon, someone called Ian .
This time, it wasn’t a boy, but a middle-aged man .
By his appearance, he looked to be the manager of the workshop .
‘Should I just show my magic and meet the head of the workshop immediately?’
Ian had thought for a while, but decided not to do it .
He came to make a big deal .
His every action would be gossiped about through the workshop .
He didn’t come to buy some cheap products .
In this case, he’d better greatly impress the engineers .
To do that, he should wait to reveal his title, Arch Mage, later at a proper time .
By doing that, it would be easier to silence engineers to spread rumors of him .
“I came here to buy some products . ”
“What kind of products are you looking for?”
“Firstly, I want to see communication orbs . ”
“Ah, come this way . ”
The manager brought Ian to the shelf where low-level communication orbs with various colors were displayed . It was one of the most common orbs in use, and it was usually used to help communication between floors .
“Are there any other products?”
“Higher ranks than this one costs quite a lot… . . ”
“I’m looking for the orb that’s used for communication posts . ”
“…… . ?”
Suddenly, the manager doubted his ears .
Other engineers acted the same .
All of them leered at Ian .
‘What the **** is that mad boy saying?’
Their eyes were saying that .
Not just through their eyes, but also through their mouths,
“Phhhff! What a funny **** . ”
“What the heck did he want to buy?”
“Yo, Vans, what are you doing? Help our freaking rich customer, Ha ha!”
Their voices were full of ridicule . They reacted a little bit too much, but it was a natural reaction . There were no other reasons . The orb was extremely expensive .
“Enough! How rude!”
The manager kept his manners . He didn’t believe the boy would be able to afford the high quality communication orb, though . But he wore clothes of nobles .
“I apologize, the orb you want is quite hard to purchase . ”
“Is it forbidden?”
“No it’s not . Firstly, you may not able to afford the product . Furthermore, you need to be granted approval from the Ivory Tower… . ”
“Then, I will buy it . ”
With confidence, Ian put his bag on the floor .
It seemed like it’s full of money .
‘Come on . ’
Although the bag looked full, but it won’t be enough, still . Even if the bag was full of gold coins, it wasn’t enough to buy a high quality communication orb . Unless he wanted to buy shards of broken communication orbs .
‘He doesn’t listen . ’
The manager started to get upset .
He already told Ian twice that he wouldn’t able to afford it .
Furthermore, the boy didn’t speak like nobles at all .
He decided to kick him out .
“Sigh, sir? As I told you… . . ”
The manager spoke with an upset voice .
Regardless, Ian started to open the bag .
“I don’t know how many gold coins are in there, but if it won’t be enough… . ”
“It’s not gold coins . ”
“To buy a high-quality communication orb…… . . huh?”
Soon, Ian spread contents to the floor of the workshop . It wasn’t just gold coins . Instead, it was jewels, which were a million times more expensive per weight unit, compared to the gold coins .
“Uh……HUH?”
Not just ordinary engineers, but the manager was lost as to what to say .
They doubted their ears at the beginning, but now they doubted their eyes . Is it even real?
“It’s jewels . ”
“What… . . ”
“The finest quality . ”
“F, finest…”
No doubt about its quality .
Only a few jewels were qualified as the finest .
A jewel that was shaped by mana-craft .
Other normal jewels had no chance to even compare with it .
Even a person who had no idea about jewels would recognize its difference immediately .
Unique shape, preciousness, perfect hardness .
“Will it be insufficient?”
The manager started to calculate quickly .
Insufficient? For the high-level communication orb?
The manager couldn’t dare to decide .
It was hard to estimate the price of those jewels, and most of all, he didn’t know the exact value of pairs of high-level communication orbs . He didn’t have the authority to sell it .
“T, That is… . ”
But from now on, two things became clear now .
The boy in front of him wasn’t a fool, and didn’t come to the workshop to trick them . And he came to the workshop, to buy the communication orb, seriously .
“W, would you please wait for a moment? I can’t simply decide to sell the product……”
It must be .
It was a huge scale of business .
Ian nodded silently .
“Ch, chief!”
After a while,
The engineers seemed nervous by some man’s appearance .
He looked like a man who was about to become middle-aged .
It must be the chief engineer, ‘Thram . ’
‘Black hair?’
Thram had black hair, which was quite a rare case in the continent .
In his former life Ian didn’t know it because Thram’s hair had turned white . So this time, Ian was quite surprised about it . It was one of the entertaining facts of time traveling .
“Excuse me . ”
Thram slowly investigated the jewels .
He must be good at it .
“Hmm . ”
Thram figured out those jewels were real .
While looking at Ian, he said .
“First, high-level communication can’t be sold without permission from the Ivory Tower . And in most cases, they don’t . Not because of the price, it is nearly impossible to sell . ”
What he said was right .
Except communication posts, which was held by te co-operation between Royalty, the Ivory Tower and the land lord, most people couldn’t buy it and didn’t even know of its existence . Furthermore, unlike private communication orbs, it required enormous mana to operate . Hence, there were many restrictions about the product .
“Furthermore, as I know, there were only quite a few number of men or merchants who can afford to buy it . So, I want you to identify yourself . It seemed you are a messenger of someone, and if your master is not trustworthy, I would regard these jewels as stolen treasures . ”
Thram even suspected the source of the jewels .
In fact, honestly, it was stolen treasures .
However, Ian couldn’t just admit it .
Fortunately, Ian had the proper title to be trusted .
“Firstly, I will give you permission to sell it . ”
“…… What would that mean?”
Instead of an answer, Ian lightly made a gesture in the air .
Soon, jewels on the ground started to levitate .
It was obviously the power of magic .
“Magic… . ?”
It looked like simple magic . However, levitating magic wasn’t an easy spell at all . Rather, it was a high-level magic . Thram knew it very well . As a engineer of hextech, he knew most of magical theory .
‘Perhaps . ’
A young aged boy like Ian, supposed to be waiting for academy entrance, or just few years past after entrance . However, did he show off high-level magic? Thram can imagine only one such person . A few days ago, the Ivory Tower announced the appearance of a new Arch Mage, the youngest in their history, Ian Page . He was introduced as 12 years old .
“A, are you that……?”
“I think you found the right person . ”
“Whaaattt!”
Thram freaked out as if he saw a ghost .
“Please forgive my rudeness!”
Usually young low class mages used to come and order these products . Even the chief engineer wouldn’t be able to meet Arch Mages easily . They were just mysterious men who sent orders and permissions from high up .
“Please forgive me… . !”
What a disastrous situation it was?
Not just a mage, but an Arch Mage .
What was he doing in here, in the workshop?
“No pressure . I understand you wouldn’t be able to recognize me . ”
While smiling, Ian re-gathered the jewels .
Of course, by magic, easily .
Then he stretched his right hand .
“Nice to meet you . Ian Page . ”
“M, my name is Thram, the chief engineer of this workshop! I’m honored to meet you!”
Thram grabbed Ian’s hand with two hands .
Ian was a 4th class mage .
His age wasn’t important at all .
Those hextech engineers must have acted rudely to him .
This workshop could possibly bee shut down by Ian’s order .
“So now, may I look around for communication orbs?”
“Of course . Please, follow me . ”
With Thram’s sincere guidance, Ian went down to the basement .
And the other engineers’ faces turned pale .
“Wh, what is going on?”
“It was magic, right?”
“Wait… . Ian Page?”
“A new Arch Mage……”
Now the situation was crystal clear to the workers .
“W, we are screwed . ”
Not just the hextech engineers,
“…… did I sigh?”
The manager slowly recalled his actions to Ian .
“I, I… . . ”
On the other hand, the youngest member of the workshop, Vans, he was about cry .
He remembered that he said to Ian ‘move your ass’ .
Vans started to regret, ‘Why did I act like that? Am I going to be executed?’
Each member’s memories of their action to Ian were brought back in rapid succession .
‘They would remain silent . ’
The most effective method of preventing rumors was to use threats .
Ian just made a simple, but effective threat to the engineers .
Even in the Ivory Tower, only Arch Mages would be informed about the purchase of communication orbs . If this information spread though, Ian wouldn’t suspect this workshop as the source of it, but would not be sure about other Arch Mages’ reaction . They may react sensitively . A lot .
‘This is one of the benefits of the Ivory Tower . ’
To people, the Ivory Tower was a symbol of respect and fear .
Its own existence would silence the engineers’ mouths effectively .
‘It is going well . ’
Instead of the bag of jewels, Ian was holding a simple iron cage . It contained a pair of high quality communication orbs, and unlike its own ordinary appearance, the container was an invincible box, which was shielded with several protection spells .
‘For my mother’s protection . ’
Ian spent an enormous amount of money for these orbs . It might cause several problems later . However, Ian was ready to take the burdens . Before anything, Ian wanted to prepare a safety net for his mother . Hence, Ian was satisfied .
‘But how should I hand this over to her?’
A big high quality communication orb .
It was as big as two fists of a fully grown male .
It wouldn’t be easy to make into a trinket . What about staff form?
‘But she is still too young to use a staff . ’
It would make sense if she was a mage, but she wasn’t, and still young .
30 years old, actually, she hadn’t passed her birthday yet, so she was 29 years old .
She was still young .
“Hmm . ”
However, he couldn’t just give it away to her as original form .
She had to bring it everywhere . With this big marble shape, it might be easily lost and forgotten . He must to do something about it .
‘If I told her its price, she wouldn’t miss it though . ’
But instead, she would lose her mind .
She would serve the orb as higher than herself .
Ian must not tell her the price .
‘Let’s think slowly . Slowly . ’
Ian looked at the sky .
The sky that was once clear blue, now started to get dark . He promised his mother to come back before dinner, he must hurry to keep his promise .
‘She promised me to make her red bean pie . ’
Vanessa’s ‘Special Red Bean Pie . ’
The food that Ian had missed the most .
In his former life, no cooks were able to make the same taste as hers . Even simply imagining it made his mouth begin to water .
‘I’d better not run with my bare feet this time . ’
Red bean pie was best when it was hot .
If Ian walked, chilled pie would await him .
“Fly . ”
With a small voice, Ian cast his spell .
A spell that allows humans to fly .
But it only allowed humans to fly for 30 seconds .
Since it drained a huge amount of mana and flying speed was too slow, this spell wasn’t used commonly . However, with a combination of several spells, it had its own use . (ED: LOL using high level magic for food . Worth it . )
“Up . ”
Soon, Ian’s body rose straight into the sky . Before the spell’s effect ended, he reached to the castle wall’s height . He could see the mansion over the horizon .
‘Wind . ’
Continuously, Ian casted basic wind magic . It was the basic of the basics, but its power could be enhanced greatly, depending on the mage’s skill . And Ian was good enough to do it . Monstrous wind soon blew Ian away in the direction of the mansion .
*Whiiiiinnnngg!*
With a ten times faster speed than walking, Ian’s body headed to the mansion . More accurately, Ian’s body was flying and about to smash the ground . Even at this moment, Ian was holding the container as if he was carrying a baby .
“Feather fall . ”
As always, he landed with the feather fall spell .
It slowed down Ian’s body, which was about to smash into the mansion .
His landing direction was exactly the front door of the mansion .
“Hmm?”
Many people were gathering around the mansion .
People wouldn’t bring their presents until night .
Ian focused his mana on his eyes .
‘Knights?’
Silver colored copes, they must be the second royal knight order .
Which were knights who were supposed to guard the crown prince .
*Tap!*
As planned, Ian landed at the front door .
Of course, he drew the attention of the knights .
Some of them were surprised and drew their sword by instinct .
“Sir Ian… . ?”
A young knight recognized him .
Ian asked to him .
“Did his highness the crown prince come to my house?”
“Ah, yes! He did . You’d better hurry . He had waited for a while . ”
With the young knight’s word, Ian was uncomfortable .
Although he had helped Ian and treated him very well recently, he was an incomplete man . He might act violently, due to his long waiting time .
‘Please not . ’
Would he harm Ian’s mother?
If that’s what happening in there, it was not good .
In that case, Ian would gladly choose to become a traitor .
With a determined mind, Ian ran into the mansion .
‘Hmm?’
At the entrance aisle of the mansion,
The captain Oliver was guarding the aisle .
Even he was alone, he never lost his carefulness .
By recognizing someone’s approach, he raised his head .
It was a young boy, Ian Page .
‘What is it?’
Oliver felt a dangerous aura from the boy .
It was weak, but he was revealing murderous intention .
Oliver couldn’t let him in and visit the crown prince like that .
“Stop please . ”
Now, Ian had higher rank than Oliver .
With proper manners, he blocked Ian’s way .
He was at least two times taller than Ian .
But still, a stormy atmosphere continued .
“Why are you blocking me?”
Ian lowly growled .
Oliver’s blocking made him feel more nervous .
Was there really something bad going in there?
‘Come on, wasn’t he just little boy? But look at his aura… . ’
A dangerous aura that was spreading from his small body .
Murderous intention, and trembling mana .
It was getting bigger .
*Tap*
Oliver moved his hand to drew his sword .
Ian also raised his mana .
The calm before a storm .
And all of a sudden… .