Chapter 159: Freedom in Prison (6)
The Crown Prince’s eccentric behavior left even an elder who had lived over a century feeling speechless. Yet, seeing the Mage Duchess’s reaction eased my mind a bit. After all, I had been seriously pondering whether individuals like the Crown Prince reflected the average personality in the empire.
If that were the case, I would find myself twisting in agony as a deranged civil servant unable to accept my punishment. Instead of being a pitiable creature, I would be someone to be despised.
Not that bad, after all.
Fortunately, while the empire is a Black Country, it’s not super black. The Crown Prince possessed a temperament that was an explosion below the average, and I was merely a pathetic victim in this scenario. Since the Mage Duchess acknowledged it, it must be true. The only ones allowed to refute it must be someone who has lived for at least two hundred years.
“How unique…”
A calm voice broke the lingering silence. Perhaps due to her many experiences, the Mage Duchess quickly gathered her thoughts—
Ah, no. The way her ears tremble suggests she’s still a bit woozy.
“It’s a method that will not be repeated.”
I tossed this remark in to the still-confused Mage Duchess.
Preventing false beliefs from taking root in a long-lived civil servant is crucial. Just like the mishandled deployment during the Twilight Cult incident, if we let a one-time variable be seen as a trend, future generations will suffer those consequences.
Being reassigned to a duty post isn’t a trend; it’s just proof that the Crown Prince has gone mad. The vile acts of a monster who has become as abyssal as the second prince he battles shouldn’t carry over to future generations.
“It seems that my task is somewhat peculiar. Perhaps that’s why His Highness had to make such a inevitable decision.”
Thinking positively, it’s unavoidable. Given that it was a royal assault case, some disciplinary action had to be shown. However, if proper discipline is given, it means losing someone to monitor and keep an eye on the royals.
Of course, that’s a load of rubbish. If the royals hadn’t been there, the Crown Prince would have likely turned the Prosecutor’s Office into my probation site, saying, “From today, your home is here!”
Still, I couldn’t just yell in front of the Mage Duchess, “That bastard is a real pain in the neck!” No matter how motherly the Mage Duchess was toward me, she might still give me a cold look upon seeing such behavior.
If that’s the case, then it would indeed be fortunate…
The Mage Duchess hesitated and averted her gaze downward, as if to signal, “If you think so, then I’m good with it.”
No way.
I really don’t think so. Mother, I really dislike that guy!
I felt a surging desire to curse him out, but my rational side restrained me.
As I hinted at my departure, the Mage Duchess handed me a box of potions.
We both knew I still had plenty of potions left, but the formal pretext of my visit was to collect them.
Guess I should come back on my own next time.
Dawdling like this only resulted in piling on my baggage.
“Baby, just a moment longer.”
“Ah, yes.”
I was about to leave with the box held tightly when I was suddenly halted. What now? Is there more to give? Or am I finally getting bled out after all this time?
While I pondered whether to roll up my sleeves, the Mage Duchess threw a black cape around her shoulders.
Ah, she’s going out.
“It’s been a while since I’ve visited the academy.”
“Excuse me?”
For a moment, I doubted my ears. Why on earth would the Mage Duchess go to the academy? Is stress messing with my hearing, too?
“There are currently no available mages. I can’t exactly ride back in a carriage, can I?”
So, she meant to teleport me to the academy herself.
Now that I thought about it, the magic tower seemed unusually deserted today. It was a place normally teeming with mages, yet even those I spotted were scurrying around energetically.
Then again, it was common for mages assigned to the academy to be summoned, and the same probably applied to those residing in the Magic Tower.
This is ridiculous.
It all circled back to the troubles stemming from the North.
“I hope I’m not bothering Your Grace…”
“Don’t mind it. This won’t take long.”
I opened my mouth hesitantly, but the Mage Duchess cut me off quickly. Well, she was right. It really wouldn’t take long; the round trip might not even take five minutes.
But imagining being alone with the Mage Duchess in an elevator felt suffocating; every second would feel like five minutes. No wait, it’s not even an elevator; it’s more like hopping into a car driven by the boss himself!
A burden to ride, and rude to refuse—a perfect dilemma.
“Thank you, Your Grace.”
Naturally, I opted for the burden. The internal struggle I felt was a small price to pay compared to upsetting my superior.
Maybe I should learn how to teleport. Being a magic swordsman might not be so bad, either.
*
In reality, there were mages available who could take my baby back. No matter how busy things got, there was always staff on standby for emergencies. It would be a disgrace for the pinnacle of the Empire’s magic not being able to manage a simple teleportation.
But I said there weren’t any. Lying felt heavy on my heart, but the thought of spending even a little more time with my baby made it bearable.
Unlike Lady Marghetta, who had the company of her child, I was separated from mine, so I had to do this much. I wouldn’t have needed to last year. But now that I’d made the trip once, returning shouldn’t be too hard.
It hasn’t changed even a bit.
With that thought, I looked up and the main building of the academy came into view.
I had visited the academy a few times since graduation, either to provide advice to the magic faculty or to attend the principal’s inauguration. Even with those visits spaced apart, the academy remained the same.
That filled me with comfort. In my life, I had always been alone, unchanged while everything around me transformed. Even my supportive parents left me to stand alone.
The mage tower, too, has altered…
The academy, a legacy from the Apels era, was left undisturbed by the empire. However, the magic tower, being the pride of the empire and the embodiment of imperial magic, changed with the times. It was even said that yesterday’s magic tower was not today’s.
It was regretful but unavoidable. I understood it but felt lonely. Whenever that feeling surged, I would visit the academy.
“Baby.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
But that was no longer the case. I’d found someone who would not change alongside me.
I didn’t have to remain unchanged, merely watching everything else change.
Now my baby, and that sword—those kids will become like me.
“How beautiful.”
Thinking like that made my already adorable baby seem even prettier.
“It does look like something well-made. But since I see it every day, I can’t be sure.”
I couldn’t help but smile at my baby’s response. He must have thought I was talking about the main building. Though I intended it to be understood that way, it still drew a smile from me.
And I believed I would enjoy looking at my baby every day, be it a hundred years or two hundred.
“Someday, you will understand.”
How joyous it is to have an unchanging companion by your side.
When the time comes, I’ll probably become that significant presence for my baby.
“That’ll be after 100 years…”
My baby quickly clamped his mouth shut while gazing at the main building. The abrupt closure suggested it wasn’t intentional.
Yet, I felt a pang of disappointment. Though I was well over a hundred, I didn’t want to hear that from my baby.
Even considering the elven blood that made my age differ from that of humans, my baby was merely twenty-one. No matter how much I reassured myself that it was fine, the thought of my baby’s tender age still stung.
It’s likely to stay like this forever.
Even if the potions work their magic, my baby would always be younger than me. That was a truth not even the heavens could alter.
So perhaps, at the very least… should I make him appear older outwardly?
I pictured my baby as a dignified middle-aged figure.
Not bad.
This could be a serious issue worth considering.
*
As the Mage Duchess returned to the Magic Tower, her gaze was chilling. She looked like a predator eyeing its prey.
This crazy bastard! Why on earth did I bring up the topic of age? Why not just say, “Your long life has truly refined your taste, Your Grace!”
Yet, I’m back now.
It had been a painfully drawn-out time since I confirmed the blood of Rutis had become red instead of blue.
I spent the day in anxious anticipation waiting for the call while the Crown Prince undoubtedly passed a dreadful judgement of confinement to my duty post. The first manager served half-and-half wine, and I even dropped an age-related joke in front of the Mage Duchess.
Did all this truly happen in just two days? It felt as if nearly two weeks had passed.
Damn it.
Even as I adjusted not to complain, it was impossible not to. Anyone carrying such a fate and able to stay positive would likely be a saint or something.
Sighing, I pulled out my communication crystal. There were plenty of people to update regarding how everything turned out. The principal, Sir Villar, and Marghetta.
Sigh.
“Carl? Are you back?”
“Yes. I just returned.”
I decided to contact Marghetta first. Reaching out to someone else first might have been cruel, considering how much she worried.
“Thank goodness! I was worried you wouldn’t make it back.”
Her voice, filled with relief, drew a smile from me. I made the right choice in reaching out to her first.
“His Highness the Crown Prince must have realized that Carl couldn’t avoid it. If he’s not under strict probation, then it’s probably just a show of discipline.”
Ah.
Five seconds passed before Marghetta was left speechless as well.
Is that the Crown Prince’s streak continuing? That bastard.
*
The academy probation turned out to be a more heartbreaking event in my life than I had anticipated.
Was it the frustration from staying locked in my quarters? Being confined was nothing new, thanks to my experiences at the Prosecutor’s Office. Was it the anxiety of something possibly happening while I was on probation? That anxiety was something I always carried as an option.
“I heard you need to stay in your room. I brought you as much variety as possible, so just choose what you’d like to eat.”
“Ah, yes. Thank you.”
Seeing Marghetta with a smile while her eyes glimmered with tears made my heart ache.
She had visited my room from the first morning of my probation, bringing a wide range of food. Truly lots of variety!
“I’ll come again tomorrow. Is there anything you need?”
“No, I’m fine.”
“Are you sure? Just let me know if you need anything.”
All I could do was nod blankly at her kind words.
This feels like receiving prison rations.
Food given to someone locked up… any way you slice it, this was definitely prison fare.
I’m only under probation, not imprisonment.
But in Marghetta’s heart, it’s as if I’m already in a cold, dark cell.
What should I do?
Just one more report would land me in real prison.
I worry Marghetta might even faint if that happens.
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