Blood tax

Chapter 329 The Last Lesson

In the autumn of 1444 in the Second Era, Bayeran and the Orc Clan Alliance invested more than 12 troops in a battle to compete for the Neck River Valley that entered and exited Odessa.The Bayeran army started from Teutoburg in the south of the Neck, and after a fierce battle, the orc army was severely damaged, and they further approached the Fortress of Loum.

Just when the fortress offensive was about to start, Duke Hermann Meyer, who was on the right wing of the Bayeran front, suddenly rebelled and allowed a front army commanded by the Warlord Mangurus to pass through the territory and raid the rear of the Bayeran army.The battle situation took a turn for the worse, and the Bayelan army, which was attacked from the front and rear, quickly retreated southward.

Duke Meyer's mutiny was a terrible military disaster for Beyeland, but it was also a major political disaster.The duke's motives for making this choice are unknown, but what is certain is that the duke's agreement with the clan alliance was not ad hoc.The Warlord Mangulus even carried a frightening but slow ancient behemoth "Beamon", which caused huge casualties to Bayeran.

The warlord and his army chased after the victory, defeated the Bayeran army in a row through unprecedented mobile warfare, and occupied the Berrimion Mountain Ferry, which threatened the rear side of the Bayeran army, and prepared to launch a decisive blow.

When Bayeran's army was defeated, a defeated army launched a counterattack, severely injured Beamon and retreated in an orderly manner, gathering many defeated troops along the way.The unexpected regrouping of this force threatened the right flank of the Alliance of Clans, and the subsequent raid on the Ferry below Berrimion.The troops of the Warlord Mangulus launched a counterattack, but the initial battle was unsuccessful, and the antlers in front of the camp were also destroyed.At a critical juncture, the warlord went to the front line to organize a counterattack in an attempt to restore the position.The Bayeran cavalry who had been concealed on Berrimion Hill suddenly launched an attack from the side and rear.The Overseer and his army were utterly smashed, and he himself was killed instantly.

The triumphant advance of the Clan Alliance came to an end.However, when the battle situation stabilized slightly, hundreds of thousands of believers in the Holy Light in Odessa city suddenly gave up their beliefs and held a grand ceremony in the city square, praying for the coming of an unspeakable ancient god.

Under the rapid intervention of the Church of the Gods and Byelan, the descent ceremony of the ancient gods was terminated, and the main army of Byelan arrived later, and tens of thousands of believers died in the melee.

The meteorite fell north of Odessa.

The battle line is back to where it started.Odessa, the most beautiful city in the north of the human kingdom, was severely damaged in the war, and a large number of dignitaries evacuated from there.

Bayeran reached a new agreement with Odessa.

……

"You shall remain faithful forever to a Lord so great, so terrible, yet so merciful."

There is a saint wearing a pure white robe trimmed with gold thread.Surrounded by many beautiful maidens, she came to the terrace through scented candles and gorgeous murals.

She raised her white arms, as if inspired by the gods, and asked the sea-like crowd: "Do you promise me?"

A girl opened her eyes in the futon.The dreamlike and beautiful scene is still in front of you.She rubbed her eyes and found that she was in tears.

December 1444th, 12 of the Second Age, a year of confusion and sorrow is drawing to a close.The small town of Metigny, two days away from Odessa, is experiencing a winter drizzle.This is the location of the Higher Academy of Magic in the North. It is located on the northern shore of the Tranquility Sea. There are a few short breakwaters outside the beach. The town's peaceful, pleasant time and the sound of the rustle on the shore have not changed for hundreds of years.

A group of youthful girls wore slim-fit long skirts and academic gowns decorated with mithril threads, and walked through the white stone path along the street with small umbrellas. The boys wore neat uniforms and followed behind with handbags containing textbooks on their heads. .They had just spent the weekend in town, walking briskly, the naughty rain dodged the umbrella and fell on the ends of their arms and hair, and wet the toes of their shoes.Seeing the coat of arms embroidered on their sleeves, the nearby civilians and soldiers lowered their heads to get out of the way.

The college is on a gentle slope by the sea, and in the distance there are several Bayeran warships floating on the deep blue sea with their white sails outstretched like clouds in the sky.The rain gradually subsided, and many beautiful carriages were heading to the port. Every once in a while, a few light sailboats disappeared on the sea accompanied by warships.

"These scenes are much more interesting than the calculus of spells. Will the young officers on the warship come to the Frost Festival ball~" Neferti turned the umbrella in her hand, gathered her jumping mind, and walked to the classroom of the academy. "No, no, I have passed my 16th birthday, and I am an apprentice witch who can control myself!"

As she walked, she simulated the experiment of the spell course in her mind - using sapphire as the substrate, plating a thin film with mithril or aluminum, and then repeatedly activating the light system spell etching calculation model.In this way, the psionic models of entanglement and superposition can be obtained.

It is said that something bad happened.A wise wizard meets a murderous villain, and it is difficult to cast his powerful spells at a critical moment.Calculation models etched on gemstones and other media in advance can skip the step of chanting configuration, effectively avoiding spiritual energy disturbance, and related research has received unprecedented attention.

But, it's so difficult!How many gems are wasted!I think it would be better to make it into a necklace~ When Nefertti passed by the college hall with some worry, she found many people standing in front of the bulletin board, and many strangers walking around.

In the past few months, bad news came one after another. The bulletin board, which was originally only a place to publish college announcements, has become a base camp for bad news: defeats, confiscations, disasters, how unreasonable the Bayeran treaty is, etc. la~
"What happened again?" Nefertirara looked at the corner of her brother's clothes on the bulletin board, "Let's go to class first."

The older brother, Naira, looks almost identical to the twin sister, who is also a freshman in the fall.He was tall and thin, but his delicate facial features were not as childish as his age. His neat silver hair made him look more mature and elegant than his actual age.He silently glanced at his sister, unhurried, the calm expression in his eyes seemed to say - my sister, don't worry, we still have time today.

Nefertti didn't care about this, took her brother's arm and dragged him to the classroom.

Only a few minutes until the school bell.On normal days, the classroom must be noisy.The crackling of starting spells, adding spell-casting ingredients, and reciting lessons didn't die down until the professor appeared.

But the classroom is quiet today, just like a restaurant on a weekend morning.Neferti came to the door and saw the students sitting sparsely in their seats.The seat next to Tiara was unexpectedly empty. She is a good student who never misses even when she is sick.

How did she get sick?Her body yesterday, hey, how was she doing yesterday?I don't remember, why didn't I visit the doctor?Maybe it's because she doesn't want me to see how she looks when she's sick, it's understandable...

Neferti felt as if she just woke up from a sleepy dream, confused and in a trance, and couldn't remember what she did yesterday.

Ah, here, did I sneak out to go shopping yesterday, or did I read a novel late at night, could it be that I drank sweet wine and passed out!The only thing that is certain is that I definitely didn't review my homework well.

Her heart tightened on the spot.The topics that may be spot-checked in today's class are all done by my good friend Tiara. Without her, Neferti doesn't even know where the report is written or what the framework is!If the professor asked me about my progress in class today, what should I do——!
Tiara where have you been?Nefertti lowered her head and quickly came to her seat with her textbook in her arms, trying not to attract others' attention, praying that the professor would not find herself who was less than three meters away from the podium.

Today I'm going to keep a low profile...

"Oh, Miss Neferty?" The teaching assistant not far away noticed her and said in surprise.

"Morning~" Neferti said in a very small voice.

"Good morning, Miss Von Kwaimansa." Another young master of the Earl's family also greeted her.

Neferti was worrying about how to hide from the classroom, so she ignored him at all and deducted five points from him in her heart.

"This, this is the Marquis Kui Mansha?!"

"Huh? I heard..."

"Shut up idiot, what an honor!"

A few strange middle-aged people expressed surprise, and quickly stood up from their seats to salute Neferti, and then respectfully greeted the twin brother who was walking behind.

what--!Who are you guys, why did you come to our classroom, why didn't you introduce yourself first?Are you here to find fault with me?Neferti was ashamed as if she was being roasted on a fire, she turned her head and glared at them angrily.

Not long after her 16th birthday, the girl's curves are already slim, and her smooth silver hair is like the Milky Way flowing down from the sky.Her appearance is extremely beautiful, but there is no arrogance and domineering in her.The bright and charming eyes are like bright red rubies, shining under the silver waist-length hair, scolding everyone with a cute look like a baby.Although the owner of these eyes was very unhappy, the strangers who didn't know what to do didn't notice at all, and they still stared at her excitedly, as if they were honored to wait for their favor.

How can these men stare at me, what kind of eyes do they have, it's really annoying!The girl turned her head angrily, not to look at these inexplicably rude people.

At this time, the professor walked in.There are still many people in the classroom whose seats are empty, and it is not known where they went.

Roll call, call their names!Neferti whispered in her heart.As long as there are enough people absent from work, it's not a big deal if you can't answer the questions later!

Suddenly, the sharp-eyed girl was surprised to find that Professor Lafayette had washed his hair and it was no longer so greasy. The wizard robe on his body was also ironed, and he also wore an honorary citizen of Odessa medal.This small medal was obtained by him for the results of his etching research, and he would only wear it on important days.

This change in appearance is what girls care about most, and it is very, very conspicuous.

Neferti noticed a different seriousness in the classroom.She turned to look at her brother in the back row, trying to understand something in his eyes, but Naira remained as immaculately serious as a ceramic doll; Everyone looked sad and solemn.One of them was also carrying a crumpled textbook on Charms. He opened the book, spread it on his knees, and looked at it carefully with his glasses on his eye sockets.

The silver-haired girl was surprised, and Professor Lafayette said to everyone in a soft and serious voice:

"Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished wizards and lords, this is my last lecture at the Medini Higher Academy of Magic. Byeran has already sent an order, and it seems that he is not going to let go of our production capacity and research team My group has been taken over, today's class is over, and the relevant personnel and equipment for the study of advanced spell calculus will board the fast boat to Homonwarts.

"Today is the last time I will teach the theory of magic calculus here. I hope you will study hard."

Ah, those bad guys, their warships on the sea, so that's what it is!

For a moment Neferti was very sad.Da Baifan's warship became evil and ugly in her heart.

I have just started the course of magic calculus and carrier design, can I never learn it again?Is that all?I used to go shopping, skip classes to listen to operas, and read novels during evening self-study... Thinking of these, I feel so regretful!Metigny's best lessons are gone.I used to feel exhausted, but now they seem to be my old friends, and I am reluctant to break up with them.And the professor, though he's old and careless, I'll probably never meet him again.

Neferti tried hard to listen to every word of the professor and engraved it in her heart.However, as usual, she still couldn't understand a lot... It was as if she had been absent for a whole month and couldn't understand anything.

Time flies.

Suddenly the school bell rang.Professor Lafayette turned pale.

"My friends," said he, "I—I—"

But he was choked up and couldn't continue. He seemed to have a ton of weight on his hands, so he could only lean his back against the blackboard and reluctantly made a gesture:
"get out of class is over, let's go."

Neferti and many of the girls began to cry.

Brother Naira slowly packed his things. After a while, he seemed to realize that he no longer needed the beautifully bound "Advanced Calculus of Charms" in his hand, so he threw it on the table and got up to leave.This made the sad sister very angry, and hurried to catch up with her brother, wanting to criticize him.

As they walked out of the classroom, an elder in the academy, the distinguished and learned Professor Julian, happened to meet them.The professor nodded slightly to the two:

"Naila, take your sister with you. Byelan has asked you to board the ship today. Time is tight..."

What?board the ship!Bayeran?I!The silver-haired girl who sobbed softly was stunned for a moment.

(End of this chapter)