Blood tax

Chapter 65 New Year's Mission
The howling north wind whipped up snowflakes all over the sky, leaving traces on the floor-to-ceiling windows.Griffith stood in front of the window, looking at the goose feather snow outside the window and the silver-clad city under the mountain in a trance.The Larmor House living room in the middle of the mountain overlooks the magnificent world capital, and has a different kind of scenery that makes people feel relaxed and happy all year round.

After an unforgettable first semester at Homonwarts, the first-year students at Homonwarts have returned to their homes for the New Year's break in 1444.

The servants of the Larmor family were busy in the room in an orderly manner, and every now and then someone would cast a respectful and envious look at the apprentice knight in front of the window.When he first came to Larmor House, he made a joke about licking the dishes too clean, but now it was very different.

The horrific events at Homonwarts last winter had already made waves in Bayerland social circles.The courage, wisdom and good fortune of Larmor's apprentice knight Griffiths play a big part in this story - a determined pursuit and a brave rear-guard battle protected Miss Sonia de Larmor and many others The life and reputation of a noble descendant of nobles, it is truly incredible that he was able to rush out alive from among the mutated creatures full of pits and valleys.

As the most important reward, Griffith received the precious Paladin Pathway Sequence 8 "Deputy" potion, obtained the inheritance of El de Nova Paladin, and was officially promoted to Extraordinary. The threshold of the knight class.At the dinner at the Earl's Palace, everyone praised and lamented the generosity and justice of Earl Larmor.

Being able to get rid of the accessible spellbreaker pathway to the upper limit, and becoming a paladin with all the possibilities and favors is not the good luck that every Shutoral can get.

What everyone doesn't know is that Griffith has already drank this potion. In addition, not long after drinking the potion, he was infected with the Beyonder characteristics of a fallen vampire baron. The inheritance and favor of the Paladins are completely lost...

Griffith, already polluted by more or less darkness, pretended it was no big deal, playing with a tiny crystal at his fingertips.This is the little gift Galadia gave him on the Frost Festival - the crystal of insight.By infusing the crystal with mental energy, the bearer can observe things that would otherwise be invisible.

"Physical strength 19, strength 19, agility 17, perception 15, spirit 15." Compared with the state he had just drank in the Whispering Forest, Griffith found that his agility and perception had improved.These data make people feel strange, but they also give a very intuitive reference, allowing Beyonders to have a clearer understanding of themselves.

Griffith's own fifth-dimensional information and colorful psionic ripples can be seen in this small crystal of insight, with delightful undulations like flowing water.According to Galadia, if Griffith had magical blessings, divine blessings, or evil contamination, the crystals should have manifested as well.

Physical strength, which represents self-healing and physical strength, has obvious problems.Even for a relatively powerful Sequence 7 Beyonder, the physical strength of 15 is already a very high value.For humans, relying on potions and armor to heal or strengthen defenses is a matter of course, there is no need to strengthen fur and bodies like beasts.

Griffith's skin and muscles have not changed to be like steel, but his self-healing ability has been greatly enhanced, which has approached the limit of inhumanity, and it will become very dangerous to increase it a little more, and it may make him mutate into a monster.

However, Griffith did not see the blood traits he was infected with.Although this characteristic has significantly enhanced his self-healing ability, the crystal just can't show it.The characteristics of the holy light are also slightly left.These two Extraordinary characteristics actually exist, and the inability to detect them is probably due to the lack of precision of the insight crystal.

This insight crystal is [-]% bought from a black-hearted merchant... Griffith remembers that the divination pendant bought by the elf girl is very unreliable. Similarly, she may have been deceived when she bought this crystal.

The problem now is that after drinking the potion, the physical attributes have been unreasonably enhanced, but the most precious inheritance has disappeared. Griffith doesn't know how to explain it to everyone.Although El de Nova knight is not high in sequence, he is a knight specializing in spiritual protection and defense. The Larmor family seems to have paid a price other than money in order to obtain his inheritance of Beyonder characteristics.

Fortunately, it takes time to fully master the characteristics after being promoted. Right now, no one is doubting that Griffith has not been favored by the Holy Light, and no one has come to test his body for the time being.

What made him worry and annoyed was full of pits and valleys.

Rana and the others said they didn't remember Christa.After showing them the watercolor with Krista and everyone, they insisted that there was no such person.

Griffith and them immediately matched the names of his squadron partners one by one. There were 17 armored cavalrymen, including Krista and Commander [-]nd Assault Squadron Captain Valkyrie, very clear.

"No, your squadron only has 16 armored cavalrymen, and there is one person missing. How could we not know," Rana and Mura insisted, "could it be the girl in the auxiliary or logistics team, each squadron has one As for the hundreds of people, you remembered it wrong."

Heck, how could I possibly remember wrong!Griffith was simply gnashing his teeth.The scene of Christa's sacrifice is not such an ambiguous memory.

Rana and Mura must know Krista, and the armored cavalry of the entire wing know each other!However, Lana and the others insisted that Griffith had lost too much sanity in the Whispering Forest for too long, and the illusion was because he had not recovered.

"Mr. Apprentice Knight," the butler Ashford walked out of the Earl's study and nodded to the apprentice Knight who was standing upright, "The Earl is waiting for you in the study in the courtyard."

Griffith immediately put away his messy thoughts, tidied up his collar and cuffs, made sure that the small medal on his blue ribbon was in the right place, and then walked towards the study with his head held high.

Loud and steady footsteps echoed in the empty corridor.Through the long bookshelves leaning against the wall, Griffith came to a freestanding two-story circular building in the courtyard.The tall walls of the Earl's House cut off the noise on the street, and only the refreshing echoes of the snow-covered branches are left in the garden.

A young man in a bank uniform hurried past.Griffith caught a glimpse of him holding a provincial bond subscription agreement, and the long string of zeros seemed to be 50 silver lang.

So much money is really confusing.Most of the good brothers in the legion earn 50 silver francs a month, and a bond subscribed by the earl can let everyone work for him for a month.

Count Willem de Larmor is buried in documents and books.As a result of wearing a heavy helmet all the year round when he was young, the once thick and beautiful blonde hair has become a little gray and sparse.Fortunately, the earl's personal servant took care of his master's hair with great care, and he couldn't tell if he didn't look carefully.

After hearing the footsteps of the apprentice knight entering the study, the count slowly raised his head.

"What do you think about the past six months? Second squad leader." The count took off the glasses on the bridge of his nose and looked at his subordinates.

"Lord Earl, I have drawn up a report on the complete process of the Northern Sea Route ghost ship Conor and the Watch Castle incident," Griffith said to his employer in a flat and solemn tone, "Furthermore, Homon I have benefited a lot from studying at Watts, and I have achieved certain grades in basic logistics, standard camp and infantry command subjects."

"Then if a war breaks out, I will remember to send you out to be a military officer in charge of logistics," the earl smiled and waved the quill in his hand. "How is my daughter getting along with you?"

I signed a soul contract with her that can complement each other's psychic powers, but I dare not say...

"Miss Sonia is a wise, courageous, and noble leader, and it has been an honour to serve her," Griffith paused, "and a great pleasure."

Let's not talk about the establishment of a soul contract, um, let's not talk about it for the time being.

While the apprentice knight was speaking, Count Larmor stood up, walked up to Griffith and looked into his eyes.Griffith was a little overwhelmed for a while, and could only stare at the Count equally quietly.

"I used to be a Cytoral," said the tall, charismatic and majestic earl, waving his right hand gently, as if to drive away some thoughts, "for such people, it is necessary to There are two aspects to trying to improve, one is the knowledge you learn in school and put into practice on the battlefield.”

"Yes, my lord." Griffith agreed heartily.

"Secondly, as a Sequence 8 Beyonder, you must continue to strengthen your own power. Beyonders should always be prepared to fight against secrecy and chaos."

After saying this, the Count turned around and took out a letter from the desk to the apprentice knight: "After the recent war, the southern part of the kingdom is not peaceful. As a loyal vassal of His Majesty the King, I need to actively fulfill my obligations. , to share my worries for Your Majesty.

"Neopolis Island, is that your birthplace? I'll give you a mission for two weeks. You can go home during the mission and say hello to Knight Brandon for me."

The earl was talking to himself, leaving no room for Griffith to intervene.In fact, the Brandon family has already moved to the new territory in the southern province.

The apprentice knight who received the letter flipped through the envelope sealed with varnish in his hand, wondering if he needed to ask a few questions.

Earl Lamor noticed the confusion in Griffith's eyes, thought for a while and added: "Some corrupt mages are smuggling dangerous black magic items, I need you to find out the situation, and let me deal with the troubles I deal with every day Learn more about it.”

"Yes, Lord Earl," Griffith put his feet together without hesitation, raised his right hand and slapped his chest.

(End of this chapter)