Chapter 183
Chapter 183
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 64
Chapter Title: Family (1)
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Over the past three months, many things had happened.
The first was Kennyak's funeral.
Originally, he should have been recognized as guilty of participating in the demon clan's plot, and his posthumous affairs handled as a criminal.
However, thanks to Jamie Welton and Anne's fervent requests, he was spared the criminal label. Even so, the gravity of his past crimes was too severe for him to receive a funeral from the mage society at large.
Siegfried, regretting this, used his authority as academy head to hold the funeral at Phoenix Academy.
Not many people attended, but all the students who had received his grace came and filled the seats.
Next, they launched a massive purge of the demon clan's remnants.
They requested Paladins from the 12 Gods' denominations staying on Selden's lands in the capital.
Those connected to the demons were rounded up one after another.
They were all mere underlings, and not one knew of Trika's existence.
And Trika must have exerted some power, as all the demonic energy was extracted from Apophis's poisoned victims.
Trika, who now despised humans, had shown consideration for his master.
Thanks to that, the humans in critical condition were fortunate enough to survive. But it was impossible to save everyone, and some lost their lives.
One of the main culprits, Third Elder Serpent Gerol, was branded an enemy of humanity. His family was swiftly dismantled.
Having no relatives, his servants were absorbed into the kingdom.
A series of gloomy events piled up, creating an unusually somber atmosphere in the mage society.
Fortunately, the gloom that blanketed the entire city didn't last long.
About a fortnight after the incident concluded, it was due to a headline in the mage society newspaper.
[Jamie Welton, the Greatest Talent in History! Ascends to Archmage at Age 8!]
Like a pearl in the mud, this news arrived as a ray of hope to those mired in depression.
The article spread instantly across the kingdom and soon to the entire world.
In the capital, Jamie Welton was recognized as an Archmage and appointed as a provisional elder of the mage society.
The official appointment was planned after his body fully recovered.
And so, three months passed.
"How are you feeling?"
Anne was gazing somewhere with her hands clasped together in worry.
Lennon stood beside her.
He had his arms crossed, pretending not to care by looking elsewhere, but his eyes were fixed on the same spot as Anne's.
"Hmph."
There stood Jamie, examining his own hands.
He stretched both arms as far as they would go, then flexed and extended his legs repeatedly.
He jumped, sprinted a short distance at full speed.
He assumed a sword grip and swung, smoothly stepping through White Sea's footwork.
Finally, he stimulated the mana cores evenly distributed throughout his body.
Woooong-!
Mana flowed leisurely through his entire body.
Jamie closed his eyes and maneuvered the mana this way and that.
It operated smoothly without any blockages.
He nodded, curling up the corners of his mouth.
"Perfect."
"Really?!"
Anne bounced over to his side.
Lennon was happy too, but approached calmly without showing it much.
Ever since bawling his eyes out once three months ago, he'd developed a habit of hiding his emotions.
Jamie found the sight amusing but thought such behavior was a child's prerogative.
"Lennon, got nothing to say to me?"
"...Congratulations."
"Is that how you congratulate someone?"
"Congratulations!"
Lennon squeezed his eyes shut and shouted.
Jamie chuckled and turned to Anne.
"My ears are ringing. Right, Anne?"
"Exactly. This foolish little brother—since I'm the big sister, I'll teach you properly."
"Who's the big sister?!"
"Anne's the big sister. Or are you saying you're the big brother?"
"Th-that's..."
Jamie, the young stickler for hierarchy, placed great importance on such rankings. Even though they'd become disciples on the same day, Anne and Lennon's seniority wasn't equal.
It was all settled already.
Lennon bit his lip, at a loss for words.
Anne watched him and grinned happily.
'Anne's something else.'
He'd thought she was just nosy, but she had a playful side too.
Jamie patted both children's heads.
"Get along. Fellow disciples are one until death."
In his previous life, he hadn't been able to tell that to his disciples. It remained a great regret and remorse.
He wanted to ensure it didn't happen with these ones.
Fortunately, Anne was playful but caring toward Lennon, and Lennon acted tough but wasn't rotten at heart.
'He did have a rotten phase.'
Still, being young, it was quickly corrected.
If it hadn't been, he would've forced the correction—and that would've been fortunate for Lennon.
"Oh, right. Master, Siegfried the academy head stopped by earlier. He said to come find him once you're ready."
"Where?"
"He'll be in the Central Magic Tower's office."
"Got it. By the way, you two finished your assignments?"
"......"
"......"
Mentioning 'assignments' made Anne and Lennon shrivel up identically.
Jamie furrowed his brow.
"Don't tell me you still haven't done them?"
"......It's hard."
"It doesn't work like I think."
Jamie hadn't properly taught his disciples during the three months focused on recovery.
Instead, he'd given them assignments they could practice alone.
The current one was 'Multi-Attribute Activation'.
It wasn't particularly difficult. Just manifest two or more attributes simultaneously.
"It's basic. You have to master it on your own."
Five elemental energies flickered to life atop Jamie's five fingers.
"Leveling up isn't everything. What matters is how many varied spells and attributes you can handle once your level rises."
"But even focusing on one attribute is overwhelming."
"Multi-Attribute deployment is tough even for pro mages, and we're just kids..."
"Lennon. Since when did you start calling yourself a kid? You'd get mad comparing yourself to the elementary kids."
"I-I'm not comparing to them!"
"See? You just called yourself a little kid."
"Right. Lennon teases me every day calling me stupid. Says he can do it but I can't."
"Hey! How could you say that?!"
Revealing what happened when they were alone, Lennon freaked out and tried to cover Anne's mouth.
"Calling your big sister 'hey'?!"
"......Big sister."
"Yeah. I'm the big sister."
Lennon glared, but Anne just beamed.
Jamie clicked his tongue at his disciples.
"Anyway, you can do it. I don't give impossible tasks. Right?"
"......"
"......"
"Answer."
"Yes!"
Forcing the response, Jamie nodded in satisfaction.
"No hints. Multi-attributes are something you have to realize yourselves. Believe you can do it."
"Yeees......"
"We'll try......"
"Have it done by the time I get back."
Jamie said as he headed out the door.
"Huh?!"
"No way!!"
The disciples jerked their heads up and ran toward the door Jamie had exited.
But Jamie was gone.
He'd used teleportation the moment he stepped out.
Anne and Lennon stared blankly at the empty hallway.
Siegfried was in his office at the Central Magic Tower, the heart of the mage society—not at the Phoenix Academy headmaster's office.
He didn't like this place much.
It was a hotbed of mage society politics. But after a series of events, he spent most of his time here.
It wasn't that his mindset had changed.
"How did my free life end up like this......"
Jamie Welton.
Because of that child.
No, calling him a child felt a bit off now.
Within that small body dwelled a being from tens of thousands of years ago, at the pinnacle of magic.
If he'd just learned that fact, he wouldn't have gone this far, but he'd made a promise.
To help from now on.
Thus, he ended up living in the Central Magic Tower, a place he avoided unless for meetings.
"This is why people must watch their words."
Siegfried shook his head.
His plan to live leisurely as a high official went up in smoke.
Still, he'd enjoyed it for a good while.
Under the pretext of being an Archmage, he'd squeezed out tons of funding and traveled the world nonstop.
Plenty of places left unvisited, but after touring to the point of boredom, he had no regrets.
Then, a knock came from outside.
"Elder."
"Celi?"
It was Celi, his dedicated secretary.
A silver-haired beauty with her hair neatly tied up entered the office.
"What is it?"
"Jamie has arrived."
"Tell him to come in."
"Understood."
"Bring some tea, please."
"Yes."
As Celi left, Siegfried sighed.
Having a secretary was inconvenient.
He hadn't used one at the headmaster's office. Back then, as the top authority, no one complained, but here it was different.
-A so-called mage society elder handling everything personally? Especially in the Central Magic Tower, symbol of the society?
-It's true. And the secretary isn't just for you. Once you start work here, you'll deal with all sorts of high officials—serving tea yourself would make them look down on you.
-Stepping in here means that. If you hate it, step down as elder and enjoy just the Archmage honors. That alone guarantees ample research funds and the leisurely life you want. If not, quit griping and work hard!
Siegfried recalled the nagging advice from Second Elder Linmel Marquis and Fourth Elder Raymond.
It had been so long-winded his ears nearly blistered.
Old fogeys.
He clicked his tongue thinking that.
"Why the heavy sighing?"
"You're here?"
"You called for me."
Jamie sat naturally across from Siegfried.
Soon Celi brought tea and set it before them.
"Then, please talk comfortably."
Celi bowed briefly and left.
Siegfried sighed watching her back.
"Still uncomfortable with the personal secretary?"
"Feels like being under surveillance."
"You're a unique one, Elder."
Jamie sipped his tea with a face saying he couldn't understand, then got straight to the point.
"So, why'd you call me?"
"You haven't heard the news yet, I see."
"News?"
Siegfried tapped his teacup with his index finger and smirked.
As Jamie frowned at the unpleasant smile,
"Word from the palace."
"......The palace?"
Siegfried cleared his throat with a hand, then stood and boomed in a grave tone.
"Jamie Welton, receive the royal decree!"
At the sudden declaration, Jamie blinked at Siegfried, who bellowed,
"Kneel!"
Not grasping the situation fully, but a royal decree was no joking matter.
Jamie rose and knelt on one knee.
Siegfried recited the decree memorized in his head.
"Hear ye, Jamie Welton. The day after tomorrow at noon. At Scadium, royal palace of Pibre, capital of Selden Kingdom, Jamie Welton's Archmage appointment ceremony shall be held. Thou shalt attend without fail."
He finished in his normal voice.
"That is all."
An unexpected trip to the palace was set.
Jamie already looked weary.