The red leaves on the trees have fallen, and white snowflakes are flying in the air.
"It's going to snow," Griffith got out of the warm bed and went to the balcony to feel the cold air. He immediately ran back to the house and put on his coat, washed his face and brushed his teeth quickly, then put on his helmet and breastplate.
Gauntlets, and greaves, then carefully put on the sword and dagger, picked up the spear and shield, and ran out of the dormitory as quietly as possible.
When he went out, the two roommates turned over in bed and went back to sleep without any difficulty.
It's still an hour and a half before ordinary students wake up, and the Shutorals have to practice together in the early morning before breakfast.
At this time, the sky was slightly brighter, the sun had not yet risen, and the quiet campus was still shrouded in silence and dim light.
Griffith quickly walked through the quiet corridor and glanced habitually at the room in the girls' dormitory. Galadia often got up early for morning exercises, but never knew where she went. Sonia was used to reading at night.
I definitely haven't gotten up yet.
Rana and Murat, who were also heavily armed, came down from another building. The three of them nodded to each other quietly and ran towards the northern cliff together.
Professor Erich of the Military Command Section was already dressed neatly, and he was as energetic as he had been during his decades of military career. He stood upright on the grass beside the cliff, watching the equally silent Shutorals quickly gathered
Queue.
"Why does this uncle get up so early every day?" Ophelia, a trainee knight in the same team, muttered in a low voice. Beside her, the strong and muscular Midian Maier had just fastened his helmet on his blond hair.
Every morning, Griffith maintained the habit of being in the army and participated in early morning joint training with other Shutorals. They had to carry out a fully armed ten-kilometer rapid march in the hills and valleys near Fort Homonworth.
.
Except for the senior students who were out on missions, the remaining seventy or so Shutoral formed a neat column and quickly passed through the rugged cliffside path and entered a valley. The scouts on duty in the team were like shadows.
, quickly distanced themselves from the column, and dispersed to a distant place for warning.
"An enemy scout team appears on the ridge in the 3 o'clock direction." Professor Erich sent out imaginary enemy information based on the terrain shortly after the training column set off.
Griffith immediately followed a senior student with the Shutorals in his team toward the ridge for reinforcements.
"The brigade encountered a long-range attack," Erich did not leave others idle, and added after a while, "The incoming firepower was the projection of trebuchets, not arrow rain."
The Shutorals who had just raised their shields fled away like a nest of rabbits, hiding themselves in ditches and puddles.
"Bah!"
Griffith stepped into a pit full of muddy water, and the cold muddy water made him tremble. Behind him, the beautiful trainee knight Ophelia von Ishtar stepped on
Midianmaiya quickly passed over a low wall. Lana and Murat followed closely behind, and rushed up with several pairs of iron boots clattering on the mud-covered ladder.
"Hurry up! The trolls with broken legs are more agile than you!" Erich, who had already led the team away from the campus dormitory, yelled, "If we don't complete the detour within 5 minutes, the team will be annihilated by long-range firepower, you guys
These poor bastards are going to be hanged!"
The third-year student who led the team gritted his teeth and sprinted towards the high ground against the biting wind on the coast. Griffith and a few others were covered in mud and water, struggling to keep up in the rubble.
…
"Storm configuration 9, surface liquid specified, evaporate," Ms. Marianne stood a few steps away, waving her wand, and cast two commonly used small spells, "Storm configuration 30, surface sludge specified, peeling off."
The disgraced Shutorals stood in front of the entrance of the restaurant, watching the clock strike eight o'clock. The traces of cold water quickly dried and solidified on their armor and clothes, and then large pieces of mud peeled off,
In a heap at their feet.
"Professor Erich, if your students wait a little longer, they can have an additional training content called 'hungry endurance'." Ms. Marian solemnly and seriously glanced at the military commander whose boots were covered with mud.
Professor of Science.
"Suggestion received, madam," Erich came to sit down comfortably on a chair nearby and summoned a brownie to clean his boots. "I will try this subject another day."
"This bad guy!" Ophelia, who had cleaned up, quickly put her armor and weapons in a corner, put on the brownie elf's pre-folded robe and ran into the restaurant.
Griffith and others followed closely and swarmed into the hall.
Students from the four colleges are gathering around the dining table like a big family, chatting about last night's homework while enjoying breakfast of milk cereal, buttered bread, bacon and yogurt.
"Good morning, Griffith!" Sonia greeted the trainee knight with a smile. Her appearance was even more beautiful than the morning light that Griffith had just seen in the muddy water on the edge of the cliff.
"Good morning, Sonia," Griffith quickly sat down on the seat reserved for him next to Sonia, and greeted the elf lying on the table, "Good morning, Galadia."
The elf buried his head in his arms and moved his long pointed ears twice to say "good morning".
"You only have less than fifteen minutes to eat." Sonia put down the yogurt in her hand and watched with a smile as the apprentice knight grabbed a large piece of bread, mixed it with milk and stuffed it into her stomach. "Eat slowly, no matter when.
All must be elegant, this is the way of chivalry of the Larmore family."
"Yes." Griffith, who had already stuffed his stomach with a piece of bread, forked six pieces of bacon demurely and ate them elegantly in three bites.
At the table next to him, Lana took the dinner plate that Fiona had prepared, inserted the baguette with sausage, bacon and vegetables into his mouth vertically, and then moved his upper and lower jaws at high speed, like a saw.
Crushed food like wood.
"Hahahaha!" Sonia covered her mouth and laughed, "The way Lana eats makes me laugh to death no matter how many times I see it... Griffith, don't try it!"
Griffith regretfully put down the bread with a lot of bacon and sausages, broke it into several pieces and ate it carefully.
"What's the news?" Lana said hesitantly with his mouth full like a hamster.
"Don't talk while eating," Fiona criticized him, then picked up the morning newspaper that had just been delivered, "Let me take a look~
“The great triumph was held in Beyeland!
"Hey, you all missed it."
"Ah~" All Shutoral on the long table sighed together.
Ophelia patted the table from a distance and asked: "What about the bonus? Where is the bonus after the big win!? Has anyone got it? Why didn't I get a penny!"
Fiona continued:
"The Ministry of Justice has suspended the prosecution of residents of the Eastern Province who are evading military service, and young people of appropriate age can apply for citizenship.
"The latest survey from the Bureau of Statistics shows that after the grand triumphal ceremony, the government's support level is +20, the people's wariness level is -50, and the available manpower is +100. Long live the wise Senate. Ah, here, the parliament is formulating the bonus distribution details.
Bonuses for local legions and auxiliary legions will be distributed by the Ministry of Finance to local lords and arranged by the local governments, while bonuses for directly affiliated legions will still be distributed uniformly by the central government."
There was a sigh of relief on the long table. Including Griffith, most Shutoral could receive their bonuses directly from the feudal lord.
Fiona flipped through the other pages and continued reading:
"The trade volume on the route between Beyeland and the southern provinces has increased by 1,500% in the past three months, grain and commodity futures have fluctuated violently, and the Arcane Parliament and the Senate are discussing the latest trade and tariff bills.
"The Force 50 Index has increased by 59.17% compared with the previous thirty trading days. Sonia, Sonia, should we invest some with our private money?"
There is no intuitive feeling... Griffith listened hard for a while and couldn't think of what impact other things other than the bonus policy would have.
"Look! The messenger is coming!"
A flock of beautiful ravens and owls nimbly passed through the skylight of the hall and hovered above the dining table. Fiona, who was reading the newspaper, also stopped.
"Come, Parulu," Sonia stretched out her white hands towards one of them. The fat bird that was called ignored her, flapped its wings and landed on the fruit plate at hand, and pecked at the nuts on the plate.
"You're still the same~" Sonia sighed, scratching the little thing's head and taking a small package from it.
The moment the girl opened the package, Griffith noticed that there was a small bottle that looked like bright red inside. The pure bright red was purer than the red of roses, magma and flames. Even a quick glance made the trainee knight's heart boil.
stand up.
The small crystal bottle seemed to be alive, emitting invisible fluctuations and temptations. There was still an imperceptible whisper echoing in the air.
"What is this?" Galadia seemed to feel something, raised her head and asked, "A magic potion?"
"Well, there's the potion, and there's also a letter sent to Griffith from our family. It was written by Sauron to you," Sonia said, flipping through the small package, "You can actually communicate."
"Who is Sauron?" Fiona asked.
"My father's secretary, the novice monk Armance Soren," Sonia thought for a moment and said in a language her friend could understand, "the one with beautiful and melancholy eyes, pale and serious."
"I have an impression!" Fiona pounded the table, "He is very handsome."
"This is far away from Beyeland. I asked Mr. Solon to help me investigate some things." Griffith replied.
I don't know if there has been any progress in the investigation of Isis and the Cook gang. Griffith carefully put the letter into his pocket, preparing to check it later.
Sonia nodded, raised the bright red medicine bottle with slender fingers, and examined it by the light:
"This is a bottle of promotion potion from Paladin Path Sequence 8. It has been prepared. I originally said that I would just send you the raw materials. While it will comprehensively improve physical and mental abilities, the user will also gain several extraordinary abilities.
.For Griffith.
"However, it's up to you to decide whether you want to take it or not."
The girl's soft words attracted the attention of everyone nearby. This was an expensive potion worth more than 2,000 silver francs. Sequence 8 is the minimum requirement for becoming a knight, and may be the end of many people's life.
It took many years of hard work to reach the threshold. However, Griffith can be promoted as long as he drinks it, and everything will change. He is destined to become a noble and a knight, unlike most people.
Curiosity, envy, and greedy gazes drifted from the nearby long table and were projected on the faces of the little package and Griffith.
Sonia handed the potion to Griffith, and the bright red luster immediately caught his eyes. The potion, which was more translucent than blood, seemed to contain life, calling to the trainee knight's heart with some faint voice.
Fiona, who was sitting not far away, looked at the small sequence potion with great interest, patted Lana sitting nearby on the shoulder and said:
“The paths of Spellbreaker, Paladin and Demon Hunter are very interesting. The ranks of Sequence 9 are all ‘new recruits’, and you can choose any direction of growth during the promotion process.
"Although each path has its own advantages and disadvantages, for those of you who are interested in becoming an army commander, it is generally believed that the Paladin is the best solution. It takes into account combat and protection, and can pray to the gods to obtain gifts and team battles.
It’s also very strong.”
Rana does not quite agree with this statement:
"Griffith and I have both shown our talents as spellbreakers. If you ask me, piercing the enemy head-on is a man's battle. The way the Paladin wants to build a wall between the warrior and the spellcaster, motherfucker
Only choose the cannon."
Fiona, who has a paladin family heritage, grabbed Lana's face and pulled it hard on both sides: "Say it again! Say it again!"
Sonia smiled and explained to Griffith:
“This potion comes from a sacrificed knight, Al de Nova, the Sequence 8 ‘Agent’,
"Like most advanced potions, this potion also carries part of the memory and knowledge of the previous generation. When taking this potion, you may be able to hear the voice of the El Knight.
"Knight El de Nova has the ability to pray to the Holy Light and receive blessings. Inheriting part of his power and knowledge will allow you to become a Paladin. This is why I hesitate to hand him over to you.
The reason. The theoretical research on the principles of extraordinary characteristic inheritance is incomplete."
"Thank you, Sonia. This potion far exceeds my meager contribution. In my current state, I should be able to break through on my own next spring," Griffith used great perseverance to turn this little man full of seductive magic into his mind.
The small crystal bottle was returned to the girl's hand, and she tried to look away from the light of the potion.
"I know," the blonde girl smiled sweetly, putting the small package into her pocket seriously, "there is something special about this potion. I want to prepare it for you first, and I don't want you to drink it now.
.”
The bright luster was blocked by the package, and the strange and vague aura also disappeared. Griffith seemed to hear sighs of regret and jealousy coming from all around.
Galadia rubbed her sleepy eyes, thought for a moment and said:
"The number, type, and intensity of the unique abilities mastered during the advancement process vary from person to person. Sometimes even those with extraordinary talents may acquire some weird extraordinary abilities due to bad luck; relatively speaking, the magic potion that has been appraised
The improvements brought about are predictable and safer.
"But, having said that, why do we need to prepare the potion now?"
"A few days ago, the provost informed that the first-year students will soon go to the edge of the Whispering Forest for a staff trip this semester!" Sonia suddenly remembered an important event, "I heard that it is a good place for research on alchemy and black magic countermeasures.
But lately I’ve always had a vague feeling that something might happen, so I prepared this potion at home just in case.”