Chapter 572
Drawing a Line and Triumph
Chapter 572 Drawing a Line and Triumph
The Wanren Mountains have just welcomed their first snowfall of 1054, while in the remote northern wilderness, goose-feather-like snow has fallen countless times since early autumn.
However, all of this has nothing to do with the mages inside the mage tower.
Two light footsteps echoed in the corridor of the Tower of Source Law. The heated stone slabs dispelled the chill in the air, but did not diminish the solemnity of the academic atmosphere.
Ophia walked ahead, her long golden hair bouncing gently with each step, like a golden flame burning in a fireplace.
Unlike the shy girl she was two years ago, now that she's eighteen, she's fully grown up and has become even more graceful and elegant.
At this very moment, she was holding an unfurled scroll in her hand, a promotion order personally signed by Professor Hector.
Starting today—
She is now a formal magic apprentice!
"It's over, Ilana! We did it!"
"Yes, it's finally over."
Ilana held a thick notebook in her arms, her tone revealing little emotion, but a few glimmers of light flickered in her usually calm eyes.
Her hard work finally paid off, and she actually completed her promotion to magic apprentice in her second year.
I'm sure her parents will be very proud of her.
Ophia stopped her excited steps, turned around, and could no longer hide the smug smile on her face.
"To be honest, when Professor Hector nodded just now, I could hardly believe it was real! That old fogey who always had a stern face was actually smiling. I thought His Highness Colin was just teasing me."
Ilana tilted her head slightly, unsure what this had to do with Prince Colin, but she still followed up on the topic.
“I don’t think the professor was laughing just now. Rather, his lips twitched. Based on my observation, that was his physiological reaction to our ‘function model construction magic circle’—a reaction he couldn’t refute but was unwilling to admit. Actually, I don’t understand why he’s so resistant to His Highness Colin’s theory, given that they have a good relationship.”
Seeing Ilana's earnest analysis followed by her own bewildered expression, Ophia chuckled.
She could understand Professor Hector's awkwardness; it was simply because the current Sage candidate, Professor Uriel Acleke, was hostile to the School of Science.
But that's not important.
Hector was not the only one who distanced himself from science.
Just as His Highness Colin said, the light of truth cannot be blocked! She believed that one day, all magicians would be able to see the light emanating from His Highness Colin!
Incidentally, although Professor Hector did not openly support the activities of the Scientific School, he was quite good to its students in private.
Ophia walked over and affectionately took her best friend's arm.
"Whether it's twitching or smiling, we've passed! From today onwards, we are officially members of the Great Sage's Tower!"
"Hmm..." Realizing that she had gotten herself into a dead end again, Ilana blushed involuntarily and finally stopped her irrelevant logical deduction.
Ophia released her grip, tidied her companion's slightly messy bangs, and smiled with confidence.
"Get a good night's sleep tonight, because we have even more coursework to do starting tomorrow. Professor Hector said this is just the beginning."
"Okay. Goodnight, Ophia."
"Good night."
Watching Ilana's figure disappear at the end of the corridor, Ophia turned and headed down another passageway, heading towards another separate dormitory area.
As the youngest daughter of the Duke of Castellón, her life in the school was not extravagant, but it was by no means shabby.
From the day she entered the academy, she never had a roommate; she only had a maid who took care of her daily life.
Pushing open the oak door, a warm fragrance wafts out.
The fire in the fireplace was burning brightly, occasionally crackling and sputtering orange-red sparks.
The room was furnished with exquisite taste, with silk tapestries from the New World and furniture adorned with bronze seahorse emblems, silently proclaiming the owner's status.
Elliefelt was standing by the coffee table arranging the edelweiss in the vase when she saw Miss Ophia skipping excitedly into the room, and a gentle smile appeared on her face.
She was dressed in a neatly tailored maid outfit and looked like an ordinary maid, but anyone who harbored such frivolous thoughts eventually paid the price.
"Miss, you're back."
"Elliefelt! Quick, get me some stationery!"
Ophia kicked off her little leather boots and stepped barefoot onto the thick wool carpet, spinning around lightly like a lark returning to its nest.
"I have incredible news to tell Prince Colin! I passed Professor Hector's devilish test on my first try! Heh heh!"
Ellie stopped what she was doing, looking at her young mistress's face, which was flushed with excitement, and her gentle eyes revealed a hint of doting affection.
“Congratulations, Miss. I believe that not only His Highness Colin, but also His Majesty the Duke would be very proud of you if he knew.”
"He doesn't understand any of this! All he says is, 'If you want to learn magic, why not just learn it at home? Why bother coming all the way to the northern wasteland...'"
Ophia muttered to herself, then quickly walked to her desk, rummaged through a drawer, pulled out a stack of gold-embossed letter paper, and chose one with a print that best suited her mood.
Just then, as if suddenly remembering something, Ellie took out a letter from her bosom. The envelope had no elaborate wax seal, only a simple yet powerful signature.
"Oh, by the way, Miss, an urgent letter just arrived from the post station. I saw the sender's name is—"
Before Elliefelt could even utter the word "Colin," the letter in her hand was snatched away by a blur, followed by a cry of surprise.
"It's Colin's reply! Saint Sith above, Elefette, why didn't you bring it out sooner?! Do you know how long I've been waiting for it?"
“I… took it out as soon as you came in.”
"is it?"
"Yes."
Looking at Miss Ophia blinking innocently, Alice made a helpless expression, walked over and picked up the letter and quill that she had carelessly thrown away.
At this moment, Ophelia no longer cared about such trivial etiquette.
Without even changing her clothes, she pounced onto the soft bed in the bedroom, rolled around in the velvet comforter with the envelope in her arms, and then took a deep breath of its intoxicating fragrance.
It's the cool scent of cedarwood—
As expected of His Highness Colin! His taste remains as elegant as ever!
Ophia had a dreamy expression on her face, her soft blonde hair scattered on the red sheets like rare winter sunshine.
Ellie pretended not to see her little mistress, skillfully closed the bedroom door for her, and then continued to fiddle with the edelweiss on the table.
Ophia rolled over onto her pillow, calmed her racing heart, and carefully scratched the sealing wax with her fingernail.
The letter is unfolded.
Familiar handwriting came into view.
“My dearest Miss Ophelia Castellón, I have something very important to tell you. I wonder how you have been…”
Ophelia frowned slightly, a hint of suspicion creeping onto her face. Colin rarely addressed her by her full name in the body of his letters; could this letter have been written by a servant?
However, the elegant and fluid brushstrokes are undoubtedly His Highness Colin's own handwriting.
Confused, she continued reading the letter. However, as she read on, her confusion only deepened; instead, a strange sense of unease arose within her.
The five pages were filled with tedious discussions about the weather in Xuebang, mechanical inquiries about her daily life, and even a discussion about mathematics.
This is extremely rare.
Ophia's gaze swept quickly across the letter, finally settling on those few abruptly repeated phrases.
"As I said on page 13, line 1 in my first book..."
First book?
Yes……
Advanced Mathematics?
This strange statement caught Ophia's attention, and she immediately realized that this was no ordinary letter, but clearly a key to open the labyrinth's treasure chest!
She slammed the letter shut and rushed barefoot to the bookshelf.
On the most conspicuous shelf, there was a thick book with slightly curled edges, which was the work that His Highness Colin left in the Academy - "Advanced Mathematics".
This book was considered an anomaly by Uriel and his group of magicians, but to Miss Castellion it was the most precious treasure in the world.
She returned to the table with the book in her hands, quickly opened the cover, and while comparing it with the coordinates hidden in the letter, she copied the formulas onto the blank manuscript paper, dismantling the puzzle that Prince Colin had left her according to the clues.
Time passed second by second, and letters jumped out one by one, forming lines of smooth words on the manuscript paper under her pen.
However, the moment she finished spelling, the warm air in the room seemed to be frozen by an invisible chill, making her fingertips feel icy cold.
"Xuebang has abandoned its faith in the Holy Light."
"The data from the live experiments in the Wanren Mountains has been collected, and the demons of the Soul School are bringing the blasphemous factories back to the Academy one by one."
The Rhine people.
Dead body.
And children.
Each shocking word, like a bloodstained dagger, shattered the sacred and tranquil veil of Xuebang.
She seemed to see, in the shadow of this ivory tower, those innocent people wailing on the operating table, and those butchers disguised as scholars.
And these were the scholars she passed by every day!
Ophelia forgot to breathe for a moment, her face turned ashen, her fingertips trembled uncontrollably, and she reassembled the disassembled letters according to the formula provided by Prince Colin.
That was a reminder to her.
Or rather, advice.
"Don't investigate."
"Don't be curious."
“That’s a bottomless abyss. Do you remember what we saw in the labyrinth? Compared to a true demon, Arist Thorne’s blasphemy is just a flea on an elephant. He never touched the real core clues, and I only saw it after I came to the frontier.”
Ophelia bit her lip hard and continued to work on the paper, using the "spell" that Prince Colin had taught them all.
That's a spell that only students of the Corinthian school would know.
As she painstakingly pieced together the last paragraph of the translation and reconstructed it onto the manuscript, she gradually tasted the flavor of blood between her lips and teeth.
"I need you to do two things."
"First, protect yourself. Return to the Holy City immediately and use this information to warn Duke Andre Castellion, letting him know what kind of blasphemous things are happening on the border of the Empire."
"The second thing is to take away as many members of the scientific school as possible under the guise of academic exchange... including James Wally, Ilana, Jamie, Ram, and so on. If they do not wish to leave, do not force them. Take away those you can while ensuring your own safety."
“Professor Uriel’s exclusion of the scientific school is your greatest asset; you can complete this project without arousing anyone’s suspicion.”
"Thunder City University has been completed, and there is a mage tower for you there. Now, you are the only one I can trust."
Ophia's breath caught in her throat for a moment.
Only you.
These words were like a scalding hot current, instantly washing away the fear and coldness in her heart, and restoring a trace of color to her pale face.
As the storm approached, Mr. Colin, who always handled everything with ease, entrusted his back to the most reliable Miss Ophelia Castellón.
She was the person he trusted most.
Ophia closed her eyes, forcing her wildly beating heart to calm down, while suppressing the ever-upturning corners of her mouth.
When she opened her eyes again, there was no trace of panic in her light blue eyes, only an unfathomable calm.
She snapped her fingers, and a flame ignited at her slender white fingertip, then, drawn by magic, landed on the manuscript paper on the table.
The manuscript paper curled up in the flames and eventually turned to ashes.
Then, Ophia folded the "boring" greeting letter again and, as usual, placed it together with the handwritten letter from Prince Colin that she kept in her collection.
After doing all this, she turned around, put the "Advanced Mathematics" book back on the shelf, and called out towards the door.
"Elifite".
The bedroom door opened gently, and Elliefet stood in the doorway, bowing respectfully.
"Miss, what can I do for you?"
"I'm homesick."
Ophia walked to the window, gazing at the swirling snow outside, her tone revealing the spoiled and willful air unique to a noblewoman.
She gently brushed the ends of her hair that had fallen onto her shoulder, as if she wanted to imprint her willful expression onto the cold glass window.
“This place is freezing cold, the professors always have such stern faces, and Colin is always giving me the runaround. I’ve had enough… Write a letter to my father and ask him to send a griffin carriage to pick me up.”
Not all nobles complete all courses at the academy, since they don't really need the graduation certificate.
However, Elliefelt was still surprised.
She could sense that her young mistress had poured a great deal of effort and passion into the scientific school, and had even cheered with joy just an hour ago for becoming a formal apprentice.
How come you suddenly lost interest after only three minutes?
However, Elliefelt didn't ask any further questions.
As a guard who had served the Castellón family for generations, she knew exactly what to say and what to do.
She lowered her head, placed her right hand on her chest, and gave a standard knightly salute to the young lady who seemed to have grown up in an instant.
"Yes, Your Highness, I will make the arrangements immediately."
“Go ahead.” Ophia nodded, then suddenly added, “Also, go to Ilana’s for me and tell her I miss her. Let’s have lunch together tomorrow.”
Elliefelt nodded.
"Yes."
……
Meanwhile, far from the Tower of the Great Sage, in the Tower of Souls, Professor Ormon Silver sat in his laboratory, facing a copied handwritten letter.
As usual, he held the azure magic crystal eye in his palm, letting the deep blue light scan the lines of text.
In just a few breaths, tens of thousands of words had been rearranged and combined thousands of times in his mind's eye.
However, the result surprised him.
The letter made no mention of the research being conducted by the School of Souls; it seemed to be, as usual, merely a greeting to Miss Castellón herself.
This guy is extremely adept at utilizing every available resource, so maintaining his relationship with the Castellón family is perfectly normal. However, what truly bothers him is that Mr. Colin, who is suspected of killing Marius, hasn't mentioned a single clue about the leads he has.
A playful smile gradually crept onto Aumon Sirde's lips.
"interesting."
The azure magic crystal prosthetic eye floated back into Omon's eye socket, making a soft "click" sound as it returned to its place.
I didn't expect that although His Highness Colin verbally refused the "holy water," his body was still quite obedient... just like those worldly monarchs.
No mortal can escape the interest in that "liquid god," since the immortality that Saint Sith failed to deliver on can be easily obtained through the power of holy water.
even--
That's just the most basic ability.
After tossing the letter into the fireplace, Omon leaned back in his high-backed chair, interlaced his fingers, and muttered to himself in a slow, deliberate voice.
"...Let me look forward to it."
Let's see when our Prince will succumb to the temptation of profit and proactively contact his "enemy"...
……
The howling wind and snow have turned the mountain peaks of the northern wilderness white, while at the same time, the lower reaches of the rushing river are still ablaze with the colors of autumn.
At noon, the weather was slightly cool. A long whistle pierced the clear sky, and billowing white smoke, like falling clouds, obscured half of the platform.
The colossal steel vessel slowly slowed down as the "Prince," led by Count Spinol, finally returned home, bringing with it news of victory and glory.
The boiling crowd of voices instantly drowned out all other noises.
Flowers were thrown into the sky from all directions, gathering in mid-air to form a colorful rain that fell gently on the shoulders of the heroes who had just stepped out of the train carriage.
"Long live Campbell!"
"victory!!!"
God bless Campbell!
News of the territorial expansion had already reached Thunder City a day earlier, and now all the citizens of the city know that their territory has expanded northward by another 15 square kilometers.
A few years ago, these people, who had never left Thunder County in their entire lives, would never have been so excited about the news of the duchy expanding its territory.
But things are different today.
They were all masters of the principality, and even the beggars living in the refugee camps would proudly stand tall for that glittering glory.
The holy Duchy of Campbell not only expanded the territory that previous kings had never explored, but also rescued the people of the Holy Light from the clutches of foreign tribes who were suffering in dire straits!
Edward no longer needs the glory of his father's crown; his prestige has far surpassed that of his father.
Not far behind Edward, Raman, dressed in military uniform, looked at the flowers falling from the sky and for a moment couldn't help but imagine that last winter.
Back then he was a corporal, but now he has become a proud major and serves as the battalion commander of the 1st Mountain Regiment's instructor battalion.
He touched the medal on his chest, a smile appearing on his lips, and waved to the cheering civilians along with the other officers who were being honored.
He still remembers that he was a carpenter.
However, it now seems that his abilities go far beyond this, and his father, standing in the crowd, must be very proud of his achievements today...
Sir Dickbin's face also showed a hint of disbelief.
He never imagined that he, a member of the Ryan family, would be among the cheers and applause of the citizens of Thunder City alongside Edward.
At that moment, he noticed that the other young men in Ryan's camp not far away all had rosy cheeks.
The people they saved were standing in the crowd.
Although they had been conscripted by the lord in the Kingdom of Ryan, they had never felt as proud of their identity as they did today…
It's not just humans who are proud of this, but also the vampires who mingle among them.
At this moment, Vivian stood smiling on the platform, leading the Knights of the Hospitallers behind her, waving to the cheering citizens.
Kukuku... It feels so good to be worshipped by everyone.
No wonder my elder brother enjoys it so much!
Vivian's smile gradually became more unrestrained, but because her face was so cute, no one noticed the scorn behind her smile.
More than just cute.
There's also "fashion".
To attract the Demon King's attention, she drastically altered the black and white nun's habit. The originally loose and bulky robe was cinched at the waist, and the hem of the skirt, which had trailed on the ground, was shortened to the knees, revealing a glimpse of delicate ankle boots.
Such unorthodox reforms would have been met with arrest and torture by Bishop Claude in Roland City, but in Thunder City, they would only infuriate the priests.
"Long live Lady Vivian!"
"Oh oh oh!"
The shouts of the Dragonborn were interspersed among the crowd.
Before long, some young citizens joined in the cheering and offered their blessings to the philanthropic Ms. Colin.
Vivian narrowed her crimson eyes, a shy smile on her face, but a pleased curve appeared at the corner of her mouth.
Louder!
It's one thing for the prisoners to not have enough to eat, but didn't you all have enough to eat too?!
On the outskirts of the crowd, an elderly pastor was so angry that his beard trembled.
He pointed at Vivian's obviously irregular skirt, his fingers trembling, and kept muttering words like "blasphemy" and "the world is going to the dogs."
However, the young monk standing next to him blushed secretly.
He silently repented to Saint Sis in his heart, but he also had to admit—
Compared to the drab robes of the people in the church, the appearance of this "Holy Doctor" was indeed much more approachable and endearing.
Unlike the blushing young cultivators, the young women standing in the crowd were blushing and whispering among themselves.
So white stockings aren't just for men; they look great on women too?
The Demon King probably never imagined that Vivian would be the one to correct the "evil practices" in Thunder City.
Perhaps it won't be long before Baron Guts, whose desecration has made the Demon King wish he could personally kill him, stops running around in those eye-catching white socks.
Following behind Eileen, Luo Yan slowly stepped out of the carriage.
Unlike Vivian, he didn't immerse himself in the cheers; instead, his gaze swept past the throng of people and landed on the edge of the square.
In just over three months, the city had changed so much that he could hardly recognize it.
Buildings with red bricks and green tiles sprang up like mushrooms after rain, and all sorts of signs and posters continued to appear.
What caught his eye the most was a four-story building with gleaming glass that sparkled in the sunlight and a huge bronze sign hanging on its exterior wall.
The signboard bore a line of large, gold-plated characters—
Horace Department Store
Surprised, Luo Yan couldn't help but smile.
Unexpectedly, the natives of Thunder City possessed such high comprehension that they mastered the retail industry without any formal instruction, reaching the level of the mid-Industrial Revolution.
To be honest, even the Holy City is probably not as fashionable as this Mr. Horace.
Of course, the most crucial factor is that productivity has increased, and the people living here have also become more valuable.
Just as Luo Yan was marveling at how thriving everything was and how he didn't even need to lift a finger, a captivating floral fragrance suddenly wafted into his nostrils.
In the crowd, a beautiful pink figure, holding a bouquet of flowers that almost reached her head, quickly came forward.
"Honey!"
Before Luo Yan could react, Miss Ya Ya Mitia, who had recently been stirring up trouble in Thunder City, had already taken the opportunity of presenting flowers to bump solidly into his arms.
Although she didn't want to ruin the Demon King's plan, the expression on Eileen's face really annoyed her, and for a moment she forgot about her composure and grand strategy.
And so, amidst the fragrant breeze and fluttering petals, a warm and bold kiss landed precisely on Luo Yan's face—
In the name of Miss Yaya Mitia!
In an instant, the surrounding air seemed to freeze, and even the citizens of Thunder City standing nearby were so surprised that they forgot to cheer.
Not only the citizens of Thunder City forgot what they were doing, but Miss Eileen, who was waving to the cheering citizens, also froze on the spot.
That bright smile became somewhat forced at that moment, and an indescribable sour feeling gradually rose in her heart, like swallowing a lemon whole.
That was clearly her princess...
Just a minute ago, she was still feeling her heart pounding with excitement at the prospect of being cheered on by the crowd alongside Mr. Colin.
However, Eileen is ultimately a magnanimous person.
In particular, she quickly realized that she didn't seem to have the right to blame Colin, and that she had inadvertently thought of someone else in his presence...
Amidst a thousand conflicting emotions, Eileen finally convinced herself, took a deep breath, and suppressed the girlish jealousy that welled up inside her.
It's just the cheek.
She'd already kissed him on the lips, so she didn't seem to have any reason to be anxious.
Moreover, Miss Mitia must have been very anxious waiting behind, and it's only natural that she couldn't suppress her longing.
She must show the courage of a hero.
As long as Prince Colin is happy...
Eileen forced herself to smile again, even though the smile looked a little stiff.
However, some people were not willing to endure it. A loud cry completely shattered all dignity and patience.
"Release Vivian's brother! You... wicked, wicked woman! In front of everyone, where is the shame of the Pamitia family?! Where has it gone?!"
Vivian hissed like a cat guarding its food, gripping Mia's arm tightly with both hands, trying to tear this "sticky" off Luo Yan.
Elegance and purity were completely forgotten by her.
However, she ultimately showed mercy.
Otherwise, given her ability to drag a train, she could have easily thrown this succubus who dared to steal food right in front of her onto the top of the clock tower.
However, Vivian's "decency" did not translate into Mia's dignity.
Instead of backing down, she snuggled even deeper into his arms, glaring fiercely at Vivian.
"Hehehe, little Vivian, it was just a hug, don't be so petty. I didn't eat your brother."
Serena Padrick –
Your daughter has gone all out!
The kiss that landed on her cheek just now probably drained Miss Padridge of all her courage.
Hearing the self-abandonment in that coquettish voice, Luo Yan felt no romantic feelings whatsoever; instead, he felt a pang of sympathy for Miss Mia.
Perhaps, he really is a bit of a jerk.
"Who's your sister! Let go! Let go of me!"
"No way! You bite me—ahhh! You're really going to bite me?!"
The noisy atmosphere dampened the solemnity of the ceremony.
The citizens surrounding the carriage were taken aback at first, then burst into a good-natured and loud laugh. Even Edward laughed along... though his smile carried a hint of heartache for his sister.
Theresa looked at Eileen with a sympathetic expression, who still maintained a generous smile.
The citizens of Thunder City love reading knight novels.
The scandals involving important figures didn't make them feel disgraced; instead, they felt more approachable because of the unknown side of Prince Colin.
Many beautiful young women blushed, never expecting that Mr. Colin, who seemed to be a perfect match for Princess Eileen, also had a "charming and dashing" side.
Doesn't this mean...?
It's not that I have no chance?!
Right next to Baron Gus, his daughter and wife blushed involuntarily.
Only the Demon King, bathed in the gazes of countless eyes, clenched his toes, almost unable to resist the urge to reveal his trump card, and teleported to the continent of Gana, thousands of miles away.
"Alright...stop fooling around, everyone's watching."
With one hand he subdued Vivian, and with the other he controlled Mia.
Like a worried old father, he half-dragged, half-carried the two troublemakers through the crowd and into the carriage that was already waiting by the roadside.
The car door was about to close.
A fair hand pressed against the door frame.
Eileen, blushing, quickly slipped in, lifting her skirt, and sat down in the empty seat next to Prince Colin.
Facing Colin's slightly surprised gaze, the silver-haired princess tidied her stray hairs, her eyes drifting to the window, but her tone remained exceptionally firm.
"I think... it would be better if I came along too."
She has absolute trust in Prince Colin's character, without a doubt.
Miss Yaya was just too enthusiastic, and His Highness Colin was a gentleman who was not good at refusing.
If she doesn't keep an eye on things, it would be terrible if something happened that His Highness would regret for the rest of his life. After all, Miss Ya Ya doesn't seem like a very rational adult...
Eileen convinced herself of this, and emphasized it again.
She is by no means lacking in self-confidence.
Just in case.
(End of this chapter)