Return of The 8th Class Mage

179 Part 1

“……”

Ian’s bedroom was the same after nine years, and there was not even any dust. Someone had to have taken care of the room, and everything would have been looked over by his mother.

“She has waited long.”

Ian murmured sadly, as he had not known that it would take such a long time.

‘It may have been a good thing that he had been given concession.’

Ian had tried to tie truly the last knot, and he had wanted to give back this body to the original owner of this body, who Ian had pushed away when he came back in time. Actually, he had no desire to but would have done so to return everything back to normal.

Since the final spirit was also Ian and had been sleeping while being attuned to Ian’s life, Ian thought there would not be any problem. However…

[Please, live your life.]

A surprising answer came back from the spirit, and the original owner of Ian’s body spoke like the world tired him.

[I’m worn out just by looking at your life and attitude, and how can you make me live that life. Stop saying nonsense! I’ll just watch from here.]

Ian thought that was simple, surprising, and understandable since this was his second life. Ian had thought that he had made a perfect life, but it seemed to be not the case.

[It’s the same here. I can see what you see, my thoughts seem to be yours, what angers you angers me, and I like what you like, and… Whew! Just, live your life so you won’t tire me out, all right?]

The spirit spoke on and closed his eyes while burying himself in the pink pillar with finality.

“Well…”

Ian had returned to his second life after that, and again, the interval was the problem. There seemed to have been many changes during those nine years.

“Where to begin…”

Ian looked at the mirror, and he saw that he had become a man over time.

“Look at this pale face…”

While his body was healthy due to magic, his mother’s care, and other factors, his skin’s sickly paleness was notable.

“Hmm…”

Ian thought things over, like how to greet someone after nine years. Ian had come back after solving a problem that was unfathomable to others.

‘No, since the situation has become like this, I need a more dramatic entrance…”

It was quite childish of a magician who would remain perhaps the greatest magician of all time. However, it also signaled that Ian finally felt free from all of his burdens of the past.

***

“Hey, come here for a minute!”

It was a dark night at the road to the Mogrian lands when some loud noises rang.

“……”

The two men on the road covered their entire bodies with cloth, but it was clear that one was big and the other was thin.

“Hey! Don’t you have ears?”

A horde of men was shouting at the two, and it was also evident what their occupation was.

“Is he talking to us?”

“I believe he is.”

The big man answered in a deep voice to the thin man’s murmur. It seemed from the conversation that the smaller man was of higher class.

“Well, is that so…”

The thin man took out a staff bent at ninety degrees from his waist at the big man’s answer.

“I should answer then, right?”

“Perhaps so.”

“How tiresome.”

The thin man shook his head and span the staff. It would become clear in a second what the object was for.

“Well, anyway.”

The thin man took off the cloth that had covered his head, and platinum gold hair rustled in the wind.

“I had no intention of passing by.”

“Neither do I.”

The big man also took out a sharp sword from his waist, and it seemed like a legendary weapon.

“Rest, as I will solve this myself. We can wander about like this for only a few more days.”

“No, it’s dangerous.”

“Creating moments like that is pure embarrassment for a guard…”

“Men grow on such moments.”

A man with platinum blond hair and a strange staff would be Hayden Greenriver, and he now walked up to the thieves. Why was the crown prince be going through such a path?

“Hmm! Have you called on me, sirs?”

He even politely greeted the thieves, who were way below his station and person.

“Yes. Come closer.”

Hayden followed that order, and the thieves could not see his face as the torches were extinguished to incite fear.

“What about your companion?”

“Ah, my friend is timid despite his size, and I came instead. What do you need?”

The crown prince asked in an innocent tone while describing Oliver Raywood, the greatest knight in his kingdom, as a coward.

“You can guess.”

“I don’t know much…”

“You need to pay a fee to pass.”

“Yes?”

“Have you gone deaf? A fee.”

“Ah…a fee.”

“Yes.”

“So…a fee…hmm…”

The crown prince acted like he was confused while activating the boom stick. For the past nine years, Hayden had wandered about the world with Oliver to see and think about things. He found small joy in playing the role of a vigilante in the process.

“Ah, my poor people.”