Sage 30

I don’t hate it as much as the Kingdom of Kaman, but I actually hate the Robain Empire, too.

I think I’m an anarchist after all. Or maybe just an ordinary immortal who is sick and tired of the human system of nations.

I don’t have good memories of the Empire either. Yekarina’s death was, needless to say, the worst, and being beheaded by the 13th emperor after living as an imperial mage was as terrible as Yekarina’s death.

Still, perhaps because the imperial lake was the first place I set foot in when I fell into this world, it felt like home in a way.

My real hometown would be a certain maternity hospital in Seoul, South Korea, but since my starting point in this world is the Robain Empire.

“Wow, it’s been a while since I’ve been to the Imperial Palace.”

“Didn’t you say you worked as an imperial mage?”

“How long ago was that? It’s been centuries.”

“Showing off your old age.”

There were four humans in the carriage driven by Robert, a member of the Red Hawk mercenary group. Me, Irkus, and Tristan, along with Hanneman, another mercenary and mage.

Although I had more people recruited behind the scenes, I only chose those I could truly trust to accompany me.

It was a pity that I couldn’t persuade Adelaide, who had to stay in Carabel for Teriz’s health and the succession of the Night Fellow, but this number of people was enough to play with the Imperial Palace in the palm of my hand.

Finally, on Irkus’s seventeenth birthday, we entered the Imperial Palace.

***

I didn’t expect a welcoming party, but I never thought I would see the inside of a prison before meeting the emperor.

What should I do with these impudent bastards? Should I seriously consider setting fire to the Imperial Palace, beheading the emperor, and forcibly placing the crown on Irkus’s head?

If I put my mind to it, it wouldn’t be difficult to subdue the knights who were impudently pointing their swords at me, but I couldn’t cause a major incident from the very first event of entering the Imperial Palace. If I was going to set fire to the place as soon as I entered, I would have already done so when Irkus was twelve.

“We will detain you until your identities are confirmed.”

The middle-aged knight commander I had seen at the entrance of the Southern Forest about five years ago was still in his position. The face of the middle-aged man, full of arrogance from his age, was truly unpleasant to look at. The knight commander put a mana-restricting shackle on my wrist with an air of confidence.

I was the one who developed this shackle… He didn’t seem to know that. It was a useless item for someone like me or Irkus, who possessed a large amount of mana. The controller couldn’t handle the total amount of mana. It was just a heavy bracelet.

It was also ridiculous that they were putting mana-restricting shackles on Tristan and Robert, who weren’t even mages. It was amusing how they weren’t letting their guard down just because we were the Great Sage’s party, even though it was clear at a glance that those two were swordsmen, not mages.

“It’s been a while since my hair and eye color failed to confirm my identity.”

“…..”

“Are you just trying to mess with us?”

Of course, politics is all about showmanship, so I didn’t find their behavior incomprehensible.

The Third Prince, who had suddenly entered the Southern Forest and been declared missing, had walked back into the Imperial Palace on his own two feet, so it must have felt like a cockroach they thought they had chased out coming back to life to those already in power.

“I’ll give you an hour.”

But just because I could understand why I was being detained in prison didn’t make my anger subside. I was being treated coldly even though I came back to the Imperial Palace with Irkus. How could I not feel irritated?

I stretched out my right hand toward the knight commander, who was beginning to cautiously watch me, and the knights standing in line behind him.

Even though I only stretched out my right hand and didn’t even manipulate mana, it was impressive how they drew their swords. Since they had experienced fighting me before, they seemed wary, holding their swords loosely in case I decided to explode them again.

“If the emperor doesn’t come here within an hour, the Imperial Palace will be on fire today.”

It was like giving someone 1,000 won, asking them to buy 2,000 won bread, and expecting 3,000 won change, but it seemed to have worked somewhat on my opponents, who were already intimidated.

I smiled contentedly as I watched the back of the knight hurrying away after whispering among themselves.

***

The middle-aged man, Irkus’s father and the current 21st emperor, had a more ordinary face than I expected.

He was handsome, but having seen exceptionally handsome emperors, I was greatly disappointed by this emperor, who was just average-looking apart from his shiny blond hair. I was so curious how a handsome young man like Irkus could be born from that face that I wanted to unravel the mysteries of genetics.

His mother must have been an extraordinary beauty. I’ve never met Irkus’s mother, but since she’s a descendant of Yekarina, I’m sure she must be a beauty.

“So you’re the Great Sage.”

“That’s right. I am the Great Sage.”

In a way, this was like a parent-teacher meeting. I was Irkus’s teacher, and that guy was Irkus’s father.

However, the emperor only showed interest in me and didn’t even glance at the mercenaries behind me, let alone his own son, Irkus.

As I’ve said before, most people who climb to high positions and gain power are lunatics. Even if this isn’t scientifically proven, it’s a truth proven by the years I’ve lived through.

There were many cases of people going crazy because they liked their power too much and wanted to keep the emperor’s seat forever, and also many cases of those who were so determined to govern the nation well that they went crazy and became tyrants.

However, the emperor in front of me was different from the types of lunatics I’d mentioned before.

He was just a lunatic controlled by his emotions. He wasn’t like the people who became emperor through revolutions, but the kind who become emperor naturally because they were born with royal blood. People who age physically, but not mentally, so they do childish things even with their old faces.

“Don’t you seem happy to see your son? Even after all these years?”

“Even the Great Sage isn’t allowed to speak so casually to the emperor.”

“Do you have a problem with that?”

“How impudent.”

“It’s because the boss acts like this that all the knights do the same. Hey, I’ve spoken informally to all the emperors before you.”

At my counterattack, the emperor’s wrinkled brow furrowed deeply. As his already ordinary face, which couldn’t hide its age, was further crumpled, my mood also worsened.

Just like the emperor who didn’t seem very happy to see Irkus, Irkus didn’t offer any warm greetings to his father either.

Just by looking at this moment, it wasn’t hard to guess what kind of relationship this father and son had. This emperor must have only cared about his own feelings and status and probably never thought about how to raise his child properly.

“I can’t allow a dangerous person like you, Great Sage, into the palace, even if it’s the Third Prince.”

“Are you still holding a grudge because I threatened you? How petty.”

“…I’ll accept the Third Prince. And the three behind him, too.”

This was clearly an expulsion order. He was willing to accept his son and the people he could easily deal with, but he was telling me, a time bomb he couldn’t control, to go back to the Southern Forest.

Irkus would become emperor even if I left him alone, but in that case, it would take a long time until his ascension to the throne. And another problem was that I didn’t know what Irkus would do while I was away.

“You seem to not know much… about Ir.”

The emperor must have no idea that his son was an overpowered protagonist. Irkus never hid his power, but before meeting me, he was just a child with an overflowing amount of mana.

I placed Irkus, who had approached at my call, in front of the emperor.

It was time for the dramatic moment of reunion between father and son. He had to take the initiative here to secure good accommodations and live comfortably. Not in this cold prison.

“I think people need to know what a great mage you are.”

“Should I kill him?”

“Are you crazy? Where did he learn to be so unfilial… Do it with a moderate spell. No attack magic.”

“…Alright.”

These guys needed to realize that I wasn’t the only dangerous one here.

Although I don’t handle a sword and only use magic, Irkus uses both magic and swords. If I divide it by game class, he’s a magic swordsman. Moreover, he was skilled in both magic and swordsmanship. Not to mention that this shackle was useless because he’s a descendant of a witch.

Irkus caused a weather change as I instructed, while still wearing the shackle without any complaints.

When I first taught him, he could only make it flurry instead of heavy snow, but now he could make white snow fall in a dark prison. He’s become quite skilled.

I looked at the emperor, who had just realized that shackles didn’t work on his son, and the knights behind him, with a triumphant look on my face, like a concubine who had given birth to the crown prince. It was a face that said, ‘Isn’t he amazing? He’s my disciple.’

“Can you still say you can take good care of the Third Prince without me?”

No way. Irkus had actually become a more dangerous being than me because of my failure in early education. This is why education is so important.

I put my arm around Irkus’s shoulder. I don’t know when he grew taller again, but he was a little taller than me when we were almost at eye level before.

It’s not right to say that I’m ‘taking care of’ him anymore. Irkus now had the appearance of a young man, not an adolescent. Even though I thought he was a fast grower, there wasn’t a trace of youthfulness left.

Amidst the falling snow, Irkus slowly tilted his head back and looked at me. From the beginning until now, Irkus’s purple eyes have always been fixed on me.

“Irkus needs me.”

I said that so we wouldn’t be kicked out of the Imperial Palace, but the empty words I uttered sounded like a curse.

I can’t cast curses even though I’m not a witch.