Chapter 47: Collaboration
Translator: Nyoi_Bo_Studio Editor: Tennesh
"When did Anfey leave? Why did not you tell me?" Christian yelled at Zubin.
"He… He…" Zubin slowly fell on the table, snoring slightly. What Jesse had taken out was Spirit Red Wine, which tasted sweet at first, but had quite a punch at the end. Zubin was now drunk.
"You… Alas!" Christian sighed. After hearing that Anfey had left, Christian had sobered up a little. Looking around, he saw that most of students were drunk. They were either sleeping soundly on the table or leaning back against their chairs like dead people. This was ridiculous!
"Christian, you… I told you!" Jesse slurred, his eyes sleepy. He said, "Making friends… with you, it was Jesse's… honor! If you come to Tasha City later, do not… forget to come and see me. Come on, let's have another glass!" Jesse raised his glass up. He wasn't even able to hold his glass still, and his wobbling caused half the glass of wine to spill out.
"I cannot drink anymore." Christian shook his head. He had only drunk one glass so far. It was not because he didn't know how to drink or had no desire to drink, but because he could not drink. This situation did not allow him to drink anymore.
Jesse stopped persuading him to drink more when he saw that Christian was very firm about it. He threw himself on the chair with a loud banging sound, searching his shirt for a while. He took out a small crystal box. "Chri… Christian, we will be apart tomorrow. I feel… sad. I am only a little businessman. I do not have a lot of good stuff. If… you… do not… mind, please take this."
"Jesse, your thoughts are what count, I can't accept this." Christian smiled.
"It is a great magic tool for a mage." Jesse opened the box. "Look… take a look!"
Christian had decided not to take anything from him, but he glanced at it out of curiosity. It was a crystal with black and white stripes. It was a rare one and seemed to constantly give out swirling sparkles. After that one glance, Christian started to look confused.
Suddenly, a sharp pain behind his head made Christian sober up. Christian became alert and angry. He reached out for his magic wand, but he was whacked behind his head before he could do anything with his wand. He fell helplessly down to the floor.
"Hurry up! Move! Tie them up!" Jesse's drunkenness was gone, replaced with excitement and passion. "Hurry up, there are three more mages upstairs we have to handle!"
At this time, a student, who either felt the urge to pee or had a bad dream, shook his head and opened his eyes slowly. He saw Jesse giving orders and a group of businessmen and bodyguards holding weapons, standing there with vicious looks. He gasped with shock and was ready to yell for help. A bodyguard saw him waking up and tossed a fishing spear at him immediately. The spear struck the student's neck. That poor student fell upside down with his arms and legs swinging in the air. He struggled a few times and then stopped moving.
"Bastard! F*cking Bastard!" Jesse was so angry that he jumped on one foot and yelled. "Do you know how much money Philips offered? Each live one is worth 200 gold coins, but a dead one is only 100 gold coins! You f*cking made me lose 100 gold coins. I am going to kill you!" Jesse's honest and kind look became an angry and vicious one.
"But, he was just…" that bodyguard argued.
Jesse slapped his face. "But what!"
"Jesse, calm down. Our priority is to get the mages upstairs!" a businessman said with a trembling voice. If he were in charge, he would never think of having anything to do with mages. Jesse was a person who would do anything for money. The businessman had finally decided to follow Jesse, since Jesse depicted a bright future for him, which was really tempting.
"I will get you for that later!" Jesse gave that bodyguard a dirty look. He turned around and said, "Pierre, you take two people and watch them. Remember, do not let them use magic. If anyone doesn't listen to you, cut off their hands and feet, just as long as they still breath. Do you understand?"
"Yes, sir!" A bodyguard leader nodded with an excited look on his face. A live one was worth 200 gold coins from Philips. How many gold coins could they get from these people? Even when he worked very hard for a year, he would only get three or four gold coins at most. This action was definitely worth the risk!
Not long after, everybody, including the unconscious Christian, was tied up. The businessmen's bodyguards were experienced with tying people up. They were careful not to wake anyone. There were only two students who woke up from their light drunkenness. The two students did not dare to make any sound when they saw the light reflecting off the swords on their necks.
"Boss, how about that woman?" a bodyguard asked.
"She is a princess. How could she drink with us?" Jesse gave a sinister smirk. "I did send her two bottles of wine. She should have passed out."
"I see." A bodyguard looked out the side door.
"I am warning you," Jesse said, suddenly remembering something. "If I guessed right, that girl should be the daughter of Archmage Saul. Don't even think about it!"
"Boss, we wouldn't do anything to her. We just want to look at her and feel her skin. Is that okay?" that bodyguard asked without any shame.
"No f*cking touching! Go home and touch your mother, f*cker!" Jesse said angrily. "What kind of women can you not get when we get our rewards? I will cut off your hands and feed them to dogs if you dare to bother her!"
"Boss, I am just saying…" That bodyguard looked down sulkily.
"Okay, you guys stay here watching them, the rest of you follow me upstairs!" Jesse waved.
There were only four bodyguards left in the cafeteria. They knew about the huge difference in ability, so they didn't dare to slack. With their eyes wide open, they watched the students on the floor.
The two sober students received special treatment, but they could not do anything to help. A mage's hands were the necessary agents for turning invisible, moving elements into visible magic. A person without arms could still be a swordsman, fighting with two legs. However, he could never be a mage, because he would not be able to use magic. Senior mages and archmages might be able to use their mind power as the agent to turn elements into magic, but the students were only intermediate mages, they were too far away from being archmages. There was no way for them to use magic without a visible agent.
A cold air spread upward from Zubin. It had been humid in the cabin, so when it became colder, the moisture in the air froze into frost with an unnoticeable speed.
"How come I feel a little bit cold?" A bodyguard looked around.
"Yeah, I felt it too," another bodyguard said.
"You guys stay here. I am going to get a coat."
"You bastard! You are still thinking about that woman, aren't you? Don't forget the boss's words. We cannot bother her!"
"What are you talking about? I really feel cold," that bodyguard muttered and turned around, walking out the side door.
With the cold weather, the floor started to be covered by a thin layer of frost. The sleeping students started to wake up one by one, and even the unconscious ones frowned and struggled to open their eyes. When everyone realized they had been tied up, they were startled and tried to break through their bindings.
"Do not f*cking move!" A bodyguard held out a metal stick immediately, smacking the head of one student. Blood immediately oozed out from that student's head. "Did you not hear me? If anyone moves, I will cut off his hands and feet!" He finished talking but was still afraid the students didn't believe him. He lifted up that student's leg with one hand, threw away the metal stick, grabbed a sword with the other hand, and swung the sword at that student's leg.
He didn't use much strength, but the sword was very sharp and had already cut deep into that student's leg. Blood oozed out, and the student huffed and passed out. It was getting colder, but it still could not wake him up within a short period of time.
All the struggles stopped under the threat of the bloody scene. No one dared to make a move anymore. Everyone had different look on their faces. Some students looked desperate, some stared at the bodyguards with anger, and some looked around, looking for people or opportunities. Christian bit his lips hard in regret, like a knife stabbing his heart. How could regret help him at this moment? Riska and Blavi trembled slightly. They were not scared but were trembling with rage. To the right, a fellow killed by a fishing spear; in front, a poor guy laying in blood with only one leg left. All of this deeply enraged them.
"F*ck!" A bodyguard wiped the cold sweat off his forehead when he saw it was finally under their control. What just happened scared him. He did not understand why they started to wake up one after another. If the situation got worse, he would have to run into the crowd with his sword. Even if the rewards would be reduced to half, they had to kill these students. It was still better than being killed.
Those three bodyguards did not see the lid of the wine bucket quietly lift up. Anfey stepped out of the wine bucket without making any noise. It was not only Christian who was regretting, everyone wished they could go back to the time when Anfey recruited them into the legion. They wished they had agreed with Anfey on the plan and killed these businessmen and their bodyguards!
Due to the angle, everyone was able to see Anfey appearing out of nowhere. Most people instantly showed excitement on their faces. Anfey sighed inside. What were the odds of being able to train these immature kids into powerful people who could fight on their own? They did not even know how to work together! With so many people looking at him, they were sending a warning to the enemy!
"What do you really want?" Christian suddenly yelled out. "Money? I can give you money! A thousand gold coins? Five thousands gold coins? If you set us free, I can give you ten thousand gold coins. Ten thousand!"
Those three bodyguards were shocked by Christian and held up their weapons instinctively. After hearing what Christian said, they relaxed. Of course, their attention was on Christian, because ten thousand gold coins… Oh my god! These kids were rich!
Chapter 48: Companions
Translator: Nyoi_Bo_Studio Editor: Tennesh
Jesse walked up with an ingratiating smile. "Sante, how was the taste of the Red Spirit?"
Sante tilted his head and looked at Jesse. He remained silent, then slowly leaned against the side of the ship, raised the bottle in his hand, and took another sip.
"This guy can drink," Jesse thought to himself. He walked towards Sante and sat down next to him, also against the side of the ship. He looked up to the sky and let out a sigh. "What a beautiful night! Ugh… I have been so busy running around for money. I don't even remember the last time I enjoyed the night view like this."
Sante tilted his head again and fixed his gaze on Jesse, as if Jesse was more attractive than the night. After a little while, Sante tossed the bottle onto the deck and muttered, "Are you ready?"
Jesse felt a burst of pain when Sante dropped the bottle. "That was a crystal bottle! Are you paying for it if you break it?!" Then he heard Sante's words and paused for a moment. "Ready for what?" Jesse didn't notice that what came out of the bottle was clear water, not the glowing Red Spirit!
Sante responded to Jesse with action. He waved his hand, and a small fireball suddenly shot at Jesse's face. They were very close to each other. As Jesse was only a smart businessman, there was no chance he could dodge away. Jesse screeched and fell to the ground, clutching his face.
A small fireball was one of the lowest levels of magic and was hardly fatal. Although Sante was a senior mage, the small fireball he released was still barely destructive. Jesse was only slightly injured. If Sante had stopped right there, Jesse would at most became blind. Unfortunately, he did not want to let Jesse go. He waved his right hand and another small fireball hit Jesse's chest. Jesse rolled over miserably as he screamed in pain. His shrill cries could be heard even miles away.
Some fast footsteps approached from the gangway. Several bodyguards rushed out with weapons. Sante let out a brittle laugh and cast a spell. A rotating, flaming broadsword flew straight toward the bodyguards. Another two members from the first group dashed over to Sante's side, and more and more lightning arrows targeted their enemies.
Sante was the second person, after Zubin, to learn the truth. He had been waiting for a long time! The enemies were so weak that he didn't even bother to use mid-level magic to fight them.
Four bodyguards at the front were all knocked down in a flash. One of their chests was cut open, exposing burned organs. The rest of them didn't fare much better. They were all crawling in pain, like dying worms being stepped on.
"Retreat! We've still got hostages! Quick!" A businessman yelled out, realizing that things were not going well.
All of a sudden, the businessmen and their bodyguards all turned around and charged down the gangway.
Sante sneered and stayed put. "Still thinking about the hostages, huh? The guy downstairs is the best fighter in our group."
"Pop…" The last bodyguard stared at his chest, where a sword tip had pierced through abruptly. Then, without support, he fell. Anfey pulled out his sword, rubbed off the blood on the bodyguard's clothes, and then put it back in its sheath.
"Anfey, quick! A bodyguard might be looking for Miss Niya." Zubin was worried.
"Hands!"
Zubin lifted up his butt and raised his hands that were tied together behind him. Anfey swung his sword, untying the ropes. He then sprinted to the dining room's side door.
Everything has two sides, so indulgence does as well. Because of his indulgence in magic, Saul was able to achieve brilliant accomplishments. However, indulgence could also bring destruction at times.
The bodyguard was now deeply indulging in Niya. He ignored the noises and even the screams from the deck when Anfey opened the door. He was slightly bent over, and his trembling hands were reaching under Niya's shirt, moving up and down.
Meanwhile, Niya's cheeks were bright red due to the alcohol. She shook her head, showing her rejection of the harassment, but she was too drunk to wake up.
"Feels good?" Anfey softly whispered in the bodyguard's ear.
"Ah…" The bodyguard was shocked, and his mouth wide open. Anfey could even see his shaking tonsil.
"Ah!" The bodyguard shrieked after he realized that the person in front of him was Anfey. He tried to grab the iron bar by the bed as he moved backwards. Well, it just so happened that he tripped over Niya's body and sat on her.
At this time, Niya was almost awake. The bodyguard was quite rough when he touched her, making her very uncomfortable. She then heard a piercing scream and subsequently felt herself being sat on. She finally opened her eyes.
The bedding was lifted to the side and her shirt was open at the chest, revealing her beautiful snowy breasts. It was too obvious what had happened. Niya cried out immediately and punched the bodyguard's left cheek.
Anfey's sword was drawn out like a snake, going straight for the bodyguard's neck and leaving a wound. Anfey grabbed the bodyguard's hair and pulled him out of bed.
Even a worm would turn at this time. The bodyguard struggled to get up to fight, but Anfey kicked him in the head so heavily and quickly that his neck twisted. The wound in his neck burst open upon Anfey's intentional destruction. Blood spurted out like a spring.
Anfey was always thorough. In his mind, Niya was like a delicate flower growing up in a greenhouse. She was now taken advantage of. With the bed covered with blood, Niya would never forget the nightmare that had happened today.
Seeing that the bodyguard was taken down, Niya grabbed some bedding to cover up and sobbed softly. This might not be an issue for someone else, but it was really a big deal for Niya. She had been seeing Granden for such a long time, and he had only touched her hands. Today, she almost lost her virginity. If Anfey hadn't arrived in time, she couldn't imagine what would've happened. Niya felt even more devastated after thinking about it.
Anfey pulled out the sheet from Niya's bed and covered the corpse. "Miss Niya, please hide here for now and do not leave."
Niya kept weeping without nodding or shaking her head.
At the same time, members in each group were losing their minds out of anger and remorse. They all released their magic power at the same time. A few businessmen and bodyguards managed to retreat back to the dining room, and unfortunately got hit there. All of a sudden, their bodies were covered with all kinds of elements. The battle was finished in no time.
When Anfey returned to the dining room, Christian was using water magic to put out the fire. Riska had just released a big, explosive fireball that was extremely hot. He killed who he wanted to kill, but that big fireball caused a small fire to break out on the deck.
Christian came up when he saw Anfey. He was embarrassed. "Anfey, we…" Christian was speechless. The truth was, if he had agreed with Anfey's plan and made some precautionary arrangements, things wouldn't have turned out this bad.
Without any pause, Anfey proceeded straight up to the student who was pierced by the harpoon. He leaned over to check his breath and then shook his head. "He's gone."
"Anfey, this is all our—"
Anfey interrupted him. "It already happened. Now is not the time to point fingers." He then walked over to Arrago, checking on him. "How about you? Can you stand up?"
"Looks like… my bones are broken." Arrago clenched his teeth in pain. Unfortunately, the bodyguards beat him up to show his group. He was bleeding heavily, and his calf was injured by a sword.
"Well, it is good that you are alive. We are… better than him." Anfey gasped at the student's body.
Sorrow spread on everyone's face. The most impacted one was Blavi. Charles, a member from his group, had lost his life. Before today, none of them had thought that some businessmen could pose a threat to them because of their magic. However, the cold body and their fellows' unwilling looks laughed at their arrogance.
Suddenly, one student called out, "Anfey, you were hiding here a long time ago. Why didn't you take action sooner? Had you started fighting back earlier, Charles would have lived."
"Bullshit!" A spurt of anger flashed through Anfey. "You were all trapped. How could I save him? Was I able to kill them all at the same time? What if they held you as hostages against me, then? I am telling you now, if I didn't take action before thinking it through, more members would have died!"
"Before you accused me, why didn't you ask yourself what right you have to blame me? At least I saved most of the people. What about you? What did you do? From the beginning to the end, what have you done? When I came out of the barrel, you stupid people all stared at me. Are you trying to alert the enemy? Stupid! Had Christian not drawn their attention in time, we would have had more injuries and death!"
"Why is it my job to save you? I am about the same age as you. I do not have combat power and only possess very little magic, yet I was able to protect myself. But what about you? Such a baby! I saved you… and now you are blaming me for saving you too late? You really are a great mage!"
"During the day, I proposed a plan. Who vetoed it? It was all of you! If someone has to take responsibility, it still has to be all of you!"
Everyone was stumped by Anfey's rhetorical questions and remained tongue-tied. They were regretful, especially the person who had questioned Anfey. His head was hanging below his chest, and he couldn't even look straight into Anfey's eyes anymore.
"Anfey, we were wrong," Christian murmured.
"I have to think twice now," Anfey reprimanded. "I don't need naive babies. I need companions! Companions who can't be trusted are far more dangerous than enemies. Do you know why? In the battlefield, the enemies won't have my back, but you will, and I have to rely on you! Being naive will not only doom yourself, but also the ones who trust you."
Chapter 49: Lagan City
Translator: Nyoi_Bo_Studio Editor: Tennesh
Christian lowered his head and softly said, "Sorry, Anfey. It's all my fault, I did not protect you well."
"No, Anfey, it's my fault. Charles is my team member, but I couldn't protect him. I am not qualified to be team leader," Blavi argued.
Anfey took a breath and stayed silent for awhile before saying, "Let it be. You just knew how to practice magic. For not knowing these things, I can forgive you. But you have to remember, it's not scary to be naive. You will become mature enough to deal with it after a period of training. Nevertheless, if anyone still considers being childish to be an excuse, then don't complain that I didn't tell you!"
"No worries, Anfey. After this experience, I think everyone learned how treacherous a human's mind is," Christian said with a wry smile.
"Blavi, can you go to the kitchen to see if there is any food for us? Take anything that can be taken away and divide it into portions. Everyone should bring some along," Anfey said slowly. He was ready to move on from what had happened today. "Whoever knows about Forest Clarm, please stay, and we'll have a meeting. All others can leave to rest. Zubin, you can go get Sante down."
With a heart full of guilt, Blavi wanted to do something to redeem what he had done. He saw Anfey giving out assignments, so he quickly got up and brought along his only two team members, rushing to the kitchen.
"I have never been to Forest Clarm, but master brought me to a different magic beast forest. Are all magic beast forests similar? Anfey, what do you want to know?" Christian asked.
"We should not break into Forest Clarm abruptly. If anything needs to be prepared, we should get that ready first. Lagan is our last chance to get supplies, so I need to understand more to avoid missing anything," Anfey said.
"I'm glad that I can finally help you with something." Christian gave a self-deprecating laugh and then started pondering.
"Anfey, you were looking for me?" Sante and Zubin walked into the dining room together.
"You can carry those corpses down. Take them to the storage room along with these corpses here."
"Got it." Sante nodded his head.
Anfey thought Sante would ask him something, and he would get the chance to explain the reason and let these humans learn something. As a matter of fact, escaping with a group of naive children was very dangerous and exhausting. Anfey wished this group was more mature and grown up. Of course, humans could grow up quickly, and Anfey would just act as a guide for them. He hoped everyone would learn how to reflect and self-analyze.
Unfortunately, what he did and said had already established his authority, and Sante had already been convinced of his authority. Not to mention the others still in the midst of being ashamed, who would dare to step out and request the truth?
"I don't know if you have ever heard the saying, 'You can never be too prepared'?" Anfey started explaining, "Pile those corpses in the storage room, and then lock the door tight. That way, when the boat wrecks, it won't bring us trouble because of the floating corpses. You don't want to ignore it just because the chance of it happening is very slight. Up until today, there were many people who died from being careless! Furthermore, under normal circumstances, garrison troops will not intercept and examine merchant ships. But what if an accident happens? Hide these corpses away while we have the chance to handle them."
Anfey suddenly felt that he was being as wordy as an elementary school teacher, but he had no other choice. If possible, he wished he could safely pass these people over to Saul.
"Understood." Sante nodded.
"Zubin, you stay too. You provided the escape route, and I think you know more about Forest Clarm," Anfey said.
"In the magic beast forest, the most scary thing is the threat from the half-beast and half-human creatures. But as Riska said, Forest Clarm no longer has half-beast and half-human creatures, so we just need to focus on the beasts…" Christian already had a draft in his mind, so he spoke frankly and assuredly.
Anfey listened attentively, sometimes asking questions. Christian, Zubin, and the others answered individually. When one couldn't explain it well enough, the others would supplement it.
Niya stepped into the dining room unnoticed. She quietly sat on the side to listen to their discussion. Anyone who had experienced the horror she had likely wouldn't be able to sleep well, unless that person didn't care at all.
Some people said that, when a man is acting serious, he will possess a unique charm. When Anfey was being serious, his charm was even more outstanding. Under no disguise, Anfey was filled with a confidence built upon numerous instances of anger, which wasn't something that could be easily learned.
Most of the time, Niya's sight was on Anfey. This man had changed dramatically from the weakling of the past. She could feel something that she used to feel from her father.
Before the industrial revolution matured, ships were the primary form of transportation for each civilization. Even in modern society, ship transportation was still the mainstay, remaining unshakable.
The magical world was not exceptional. Lagan was a large-scale transfer station. Although the area it occupied, scale, and architectural structure couldn't be compared to the Sacred City, and it didn't have the cultural scene of the big city, the quality of life was far beyond that of the Sacred City. The streets were crowded with people. The city was divided into four sections by two big streets, with one street going north-to-south and the other going east-to-west. Alongside the two streets were all kinds of stores. Lagan city also had a few large-scale trading markets, which had everything that one could wish for, from intelligent human beings to humble insects to strong magic beasts.
Anfey, Zubin, and Sante leisurely walked on the street of Lagan, and people from the temporarily small team arrived. For the purpose of not being noticed easily, the team had been divided into five different subgroups. The groups kept about twenty meters apart from each other, and they had booked a motel beforehand. Anfey worried that people would be separated by accident, so he required that they have a pre-set meeting location.
The boat had been sinking after the bloody lesson yesterday, so when Anfey ordered them to kill the remaining sailors, no one hesitated. The sailors only had enough time to implore them a bit before they were devoured by the current. After a detour to the west side of Lagan City, they entered the city in batches. Under Anfey's command, no one was detected or aroused any suspicion.
Anfey often walked into a store, purchased a small item, and then found a relatively secluded place to let Zubin and Sante store the items in their space rings. Regular people walking around the city of Lagan would be able to purchase everything they needed, but not Anfey. He was in need of herbal medicine. Once they reached Forest Clarm, if anyone got sick, then those herbal medicines would be lifesavers, but they were not sold in the city of Lagan.
When talking about wilderness survival experience, these newbies were not comparable to Anfey. Christian kept everybody's attention on the unknown magic beasts. Only Anfey knew the invisible killers would be more terrible. If not handled properly, even the most common cold could threaten a human's life.
Turning at the street corner, Anfey walked into a floral shop, looked around, and then left, disappointed. The items he recognized had no value for healing. The items he didn't recognize he couldn't possibly taste before purchasing. Anfey didn't think he had the courage to taste the herbs like Shennong[1] had, since Shennong had died from ingesting a poisonous herb…
Outside the store, Anfey suddenly heard laughter coming from the west side. He turned around, and a ridiculous scene popped into his view. It could be said to be ridiculous because it could be seen often; regardless of the location or the level of civilization, this scene was always a common one. The son of a noble family, along with his bodyguards, took liberties with two sisters. The two girls tried to run off but were firmly blocked by the bodyguards. They had nowhere to escape, but the law of the Maho Empire was quite restrictive. The man from the noble family had just touched the cheek and pinched the buttocks. Snatching girls off the street wouldn't usually happen unless the person was out of their mind. Dallying and snatching had two very different natures. When Yolanthe had been on the throne, the law was very restrictive; people normally wouldn't test it. Besides, to a noble family, as long as they didn't mind spending money, they could get any kind of women they wished for. There was no need to take a risk, as dalliances were just a game for leisure time, something purely for fun.
The two sisters hugged each other tightly. The older one bit her lips tight while the younger one cried softly in her older sister's arms. There were quite a number of people around watching the bustling scene, but no one dared to step out. Some people said it wasn't their business, thus exposing their selfishness, but if it was viewed from another angle, it could be seen as self-protection.
Normally, Anfey was not interested in these kinds of incidents. However, when he was ready to leave, he suddenly heard an angry woman shout, "Bastard! Get your hands off!"
Actually, that nobleman was ready to leave when he heard this voice. He was in a daze for a moment then immediately looked into the crowd, surprised. Niya pushed away the crowd and walked in with large strides. Perhaps this reminded her of her encounter yesterday, since Niya seemed to be agitated. A pair of large, beautiful eyes were wide open, filled with a furious flame, and one hand was holding the handle of a sword.
The nobleman looked at Niya's recklessness for a few seconds, eyes also wide open, but Niya's were due to anger, whereas his were due to Niya's stunning beauty. "Miss, what's the matter?" the nobleman asked politely. At this moment, he had already forgotten those two sisters. In comparison with Niya, who was beautiful like a tender flower, those two sisters were like two unripe plums. If he was really out of his mind, then he would have snatched a women like Niya. Who would care about those two sisters?
Niya's answer was neat and tidy. She took one step forward and slapped that man's face, making the nobleman fall like a rolling gourd.
[1] The Farmer God, said to have tasted hundreds of herbs to test their medicinal value.
Chapter 50: Ready to Set Out
Translator: Nyoi_Bo_Studio Editor: Tennesh
Seeing their master get hit, the bodyguards pounced on Niya and surrounded her with fierce looks. Christian and his companions stepped onto the battlefield as fast as they could, standing behind Niya and looking coldly at their enemies. They had not started the fight yet, but they were sending out magic surges. The bodyguards were shocked for a second. They stood still while the onlookers ran away from the battlefield. Onlookers kept looking back as they ran to see what was going on. Even common people knew they could easily get caught in the crossfire and needed to keep their distance from the battle.
The nobleman got up clumsily from the floor. Before he had a chance to wipe the blood off his mouth, he yelled, "Fight! All of you! What are you standing there for?"
The bodyguards looked at each other, shuffling along toward Niya. If it up were to them, they would not confront mages glowing with magic surges. They were at the edge of the battle and had to obey orders, otherwise they would lose their jobs, and even their families would be punished.
"Hold on!" a well-dressed middle-aged man in armor walked in and yelled.
"Uncle!" The nobleman looked very happy when he saw the man walk in.
"You, shut your mouth!" the middle-aged man said coldly. He looked at Niya for a while and then said, "Miss, you look like you are well educated. Isn't it beneath you to fight with a nobleman on the street? Is this how your parents raised you?"
"Ptooey! Why don't you ask what he did first? This bastard harassed women in public in broad daylight. He deserved to be beaten up!" Niya reprimanded.
"Bullsh*t! I was just saying 'hello' to them, and it was none of your business. Uncle, they are bad guys. Arrest them!" the nobleman yelled. He acted nothing like a nobleman. In fact, he could only show the manners of a noble person on certain occasions. When it was beyond his limits, he would just show his real colors.
"No matter what you say, hitting others is not right. Miss, I hope you can apologize," the middle-aged man said.
"You wish! I will beat the crap out of him if I see him again!" Niya did not even flinch.
"F*ck you..." The nobleman inched forward, ready to fight Niya, but he was pulled back by the middle-aged man.
Niya could not hold in her anger when she heard him swearing. She pulled out her sword backhanded, positioning for a fight. If he dared to swear again, she would fight him.
That middle-aged man sighed. "Let's go."
"Why? Uncle! Why are we leaving?"
"Go," the middle-aged man yelled.
It was obvious that the middle-aged man was a man in high position, enjoying prestige and respect from others. After his yell, the nobleman did not dare to say anything, and the bodyguards hurried to put their weapons away as well.
The middle-aged man gave Niya a long glance and dragged the nobleman away without a word.
It was humiliating to be hit on the street in front of civilians. The nobleman had to swallow his pride, but it was easy to tell how pissed he was. He walked away, but kept looking back at Niya as if he wanted to eat her alive.
Niya had so much pride in herself that she did not think the nobleman was anybody important. In Sacred City, she had seen all kinds of people. Nobody had ever put her in any awkward situations. Niya was used to others deferring to her. Even during the escape, she was expecting others to treat her the same way.
Niya walked to the two sisters and smiled. "Girls, you should go home now. Next time when you come out, you should have some companions. Do not wander around by yourselves."
The older sister smiled bitterly at Niya. The younger sister politely said, "Thank you, sister. You are so nice."
"Haha, you have a sweet tongue." Niya seemed very happy.
"Thank you," the older sister quickly thanked Niya and dragged her sister away, running beyond the battlefield.
"Sister, my house is not far from here. Come and visit us!" the younger sister looked around and yelled out loud.
The older sister covered her sister's mouth with her hand, scolding her quietly. The younger one did not want to listen to her sister and said loudly, "I want to be a swordswoman like that big sister."
"Stop it! Do not even think about it!" The older sister ran out of the crowd with her sister.
As a regular onlooker in the crowd, Anfey watched the whole thing without interruption. However, Anfey saw something others did not see. The middle-aged man's nervous and happy looks did not escape Anfey's eyes.
"Sante, go tell Riska to watch those two girls carefully. Hurry!"
"Yes, sir," Sante answered. He walked back to the main street.
"We should go now," Anfey said flatly. "Zubin, are you familiar with Lagan City?"
"Yes."
"Who is that middle-aged man?"
"I do not know."
Anfey smiled. "Before I became a student of the professor, I was just a civilian and never had anything to do with these noblemen. Can you find a map of Lagan City?"
"Yes… there are maps for sale." Zubin nodded. "To better assist business people, the commercial union sells maps. However, their maps only mark the locations of different markets and commercial centers. They are simple; there's no other stuff on the map."
"It's better than nothing, Zubin. You go get a map and walk around every city gate. Wait for me in the hotel when you are done."
"Sure, do you want me to go now?"
"Yes." Anfey nodded.
Zubin left quickly. Anfey looked at Christian, who was keeping his distance. "Sante, let's go. We have a lot of stuff to buy."
Anfey had bought a lot of stuff on the way. Luckily, they had many gold coins. Sante's dimensional ring could not hold any more stuff, so they had to wrap the rest up in a big piece of cloth for Sante to carry over his shoulder like a bag. Feller and Blavi also went over to help, otherwise it would be too much for Sante to carry. For some reason, Anfey turned down Christian's help. When Blavi passed by, Anfey asked him to warn Christian that anyone in the second group would not be allowed to talk with anyone else.
It was already dark by the time Anfey had finally satisfied his desire for shopping. Anfey returned to the hotel. When he had just stepped onto the second floor, he saw Zubin looking out with a worried look.
Anfey heaved a short sigh. He knew he had guessed right when he saw Zubin so nervous.
"Feller, give me your stuff." Anfey took the bag from Feller's shoulders. Anfey said quietly, "Go and tell Christian and Riska to come to my room quietly. Tell them not to be seen by anyone."
"Yes." Feller winked.
"Anfey, something seemed wrong. Two city gates were closed earlier and the checkpoint was strict as well. I intentionally walked around the river, and I found guards everywhere around the ferry! We should have left immediately!" Zubin said worriedly when Anfey walked into the room.
"Did you buy the map?" Anfey asked.
"Here." Zubin took out the map and immediately said, "Anfey, do you know what I am talking about? We cannot leave now. If we were able to leave, we should have left this afternoon." Anfey opened the map as he talked.
"Why can't we leave?" Anfey asked in shock.
"If my guess was right, only the second group got their attention. Christian only had four people in his team, which looked fishy to our enemy. If we leave the city without crowds of people covering us, we will be easily identified. They will surely be able to know where we are from. Before we entered the city, I saw the areas near Lagan City were flat. If the guards send out cavalry, we will be in big trouble. Isn't it more dangerous to stay?"
"Not really, Zubin, trust me. I would never risk anyone's life for this." Anfey thought for a moment and smiled. "There is another reason to stay, and that is to let everybody see the real world!"
"Ok... I will follow your orders." Zubin hesitated for a second and nodded.
Anfey looked down at the maps. After a while, Christian and Riska both walked into Anfey's room. Riska also brought a person with him. That person had interrogated Anfey two days ago, but Anfey had refuted him at every step. They waited for Anfey without interrupting him.
"Everyone is here." Anfey looked up, massaging between his eyebrows. "I will go out with Christian and Zubin in a while. We have something to do, so Blavi and Riska stay and take care of this place. You have to be really careful. If something happens, you run to this place to meet us." Anfey pointed to the map.
Blavi and Riska looked closely at the map and did not respond.
"Anfey, where are we going?" Christian asked.
"You will know when you get there," Anfey said flatly. "The ones staying here should get as much rest as possible, because we have to be on the road the whole night."
"Ok." Christian shrugged.
"Riska, Sante, and Sanga stay, and the rest go and get ready. We are leaving soon."
"Do I need to stay?" Sanga asked, worriedly. He thought he had offended Anfey and had no chance in this legion. In fact, he would be more than happy if Anfey did not cause any trouble for him. Unexpectedly, Anfey specifically asked him to stay. It went without saying that anyone staying would have the chance to discuss important issues.
"Yes." Anfey smiled.
Chapter 51: The Murky Truths
Translator: Nyoi_Bo_Studio Editor: Nyoi_Bo_Studio
The watery moonlight shone on the deserted, desolate cobblestone road. The wind howled, carrying away everything in sight. It was already well past midnight, and, except for a few special shops and the dock, Lagan City was completely dark and silent.
Although this was a city known for its merchants and businesses, there were no clubs in this era. The brightest area in the middle of the city had nothing to do with business. In addition to the domain of the City Lord, there were still places like City Hall, City Guard's Barracks, Magic Guild, Swordmaster Guild, and the Hall of Knights. No one would hesitate using money from the king, and this city was no different. Whether it was necessary or not, there was a large chandelier glowing next to every building.
The door of the City Lord's domain suddenly opened, and a group of knights in black armor rode out onto the streets. The black clad ones were common, but the ones in the back were truly shocking. They were more advanced than the knights in front by several levels, although wearing the same silvery armor and riding the same colored stallions. They each held a large shield in their hands, and their lances shone a terrible light under the moon.
The knights tended to focus on their armor, which rarely matched their horses. The colored horses made the knights even more intimidating.
The knights rounded the corner. Those in front were in a loose formation, but those in back kept in tight step: clearly they were extremely well trained. Their shields were adorned with a red cross and a ball of white flame, indicating their identity as the empire's famous Knights of Holy Flame.
They rode through the streets and arrived at the market. In the morning, the market would be bustling with people, even walking would take a great deal of time, let alone passing through on horseback. But during the night it was empty, the ground strewn with garbage and waste. It wouldn't be until dawn that cleaners would arrive to prepare the place for the next day.
The silver-armored knights halted their horses in the middle of the market, while the black clad ones were still advancing.
A shadow came out from their right side and threw something into the air. The night suddenly came alive with the surge of magic, and the thing became millions of icy blades raining down on the knights.
In all of high level magic, ice magic had mid-level strength at best, but it had a large range and could create freezing cold temperatures within its range, containing lethal ice blades and snowflakes. Natural snowflakes were beautiful, but the ones from mages were dangerously sharp and rotating at a high speed, enough to cut through skin and armor alike. If it came in contact with human eyes, no combat power could protect the victim.
The magic turned the market into a frozen hell. The black clad knights in front let out a wave of agonizing screams. Bursts of blood froze as soon as it left their bodies, falling onto the ground like small beads.
The knights in silver armor were alive, but no better off than their inferiors. They were protected by their combat power, but could not protect their horses. They were on the ground, their eyes shut.
A shadow appeared on the left, and with another wave of a hand, the air surged with magic once more. The sky lit up, and a large lightning bolt flashed across the frozen market.
For a spell that was very intense even among high-level spells, serial lightning was absolutely deadly. The lightning attacks every living thing within its perimeter, right down to ants. The more targets, the weirder the shape of the lightning becomes.
The still squirming knights all fell silent on the ground. Under the attack of a spell this powerful, only senior swordmasters and knights could survive, and even the intermediates would be severely injured.
Pure ice does not conduct electricity, so normal lightning's power would be moderately affected in an environment like this. However, this lightning would attack everything alive, and unless the knights were completely frozen, they could not escape the lightning.
The lightning flash was gone as soon as it had appeared, the icy blades and snowflakes soon dispersed as well. As soon as the magic disappeared, a bloated figure appeared from the darkness, dashing towards the market.
Anfey was a very cautious man, and after deciding what two magic scrolls to use, he had studied carefully the effects of the magic. For people like Christian and Zubin, things like the time and temperature effects of ice magic and how long the lightning bolts would last were immaterial. However, they weren't for Anfey.
The lightning's aftereffects could be ignored, but Anfey would never run without protection into a frozen environment like this. Even after the magic dispersed, the temperature would still require time to return to normal. So Anfey bundled himself up carefully and made a simple mask using crystals, making sure that not an inch of his skin was exposed.
The clothing, however, only slowed down Anfey's speed a bit: his movement was still fast as lightning. He didn't care about the black armored knights; he only cared about the Knights of Holy Flame.
He dashed through the empty market. He had given up the faster spin slash and chose stabbing. In this cold environment, it was hard to make his enemies lose blood fast, so stabbing was more appropriate under these conditions. Even if some did survive this, no one could save them from their fatal injuries.
"Let's go!" Anfey called after finishing off all the survivors.
Christian used a levitation spell and floated towards the right side of the market, holding Zubin. "You alright?"
"Alive," Zubin said, shaking his head.
Christian had used the more exhausting lightning magic, and Zubin was responsible for the ice magic. Christian could still use levitation, but Zubin already felt drained. This was the difference between a junior magister and a senior mage. Even though only one level separated them, there were major differences in their abilities. Many people could become senior mages, but only a few could become magisters.
Sante appeared from a small gully behind the market and handed something to Anfey. The latter placed the item into his ring and hurried to Christian and Zubin's side. "Hurry," he said. "We need to find Blavi and leave the city. We eliminated the Knights' squad, so they can't tell just how powerful we are. They will come again. We have to leave now."
"I know," Christian said. "Come, Sante, help me with Zubin."
Christian and Sante used levitation to carry Zubin, and Anfey followed the trio on the ground. After a few moments, the four reached a crossroads. Anfey stopped, and Christian and Sante landed as well.
"Where's Blavi?" Zubin asked.
"They are farther away," Anfey said. "Give them a few moments."
"Anfey," Christian suddenly said, "you're crazy! My heart's still pounding."
"You'd be dead if it wasn't."
"Anfey, aren't you scared? If Phillip comes over now, we will all be dead."
"Unlikely," Anfey said flatly.
"Why?"
"Because what Zubin said reminded me."
"What did I say?" Zubin asked curiously.
"You said that the mages' guilds wouldn't do anything because of Master Saul. Delivering 'Wanted' notices is required of them, but they would delay our arrest as long as they can."
"So what?"
"Let's think: Had I known Zeda was Phillip's grandson, would I have killed him? No. I would have knocked him unconscious at best. Now, everyone knows we are Master Saul's students. If it were you, would you do anything?"
"Unlikely," Christian said. He had understood some of what Anfey meant, but not everything. "But Phillip?"
"I said, that man had realized who Niya was. He had two choices. Reporting to the prince, or reporting to Phillip. Which one would he choose? Phillip is easy to anger: if he were here we would all be dead. Do you think he has the courage to report to Phillip? He fears Master Saul as well. Reporting to the prince, though, would be his duty. Reporting to Phillip would be personal vengeance at best."
"Got it," Zubin said. "If the prince kills us, he could find an excuse. After all, he was serving the emperor. If he had reported to Phillip, his goal would clearly be the money. Master would never have let him go."
"He had calmed the clash, so clearly he was a man with a brain. A smart man would not do stupid things, unless he really needed that money."
"But what if Phillip does come?"
"I have a plan as well," Anfey said.
"Really?" Christian asked.
Sante glanced at Anfey, but didn't say anything after seeing his smile. Although Christian didn't say anything, he was the most excited one there, because only he knew that Anfey was not boasting.
Chapter 52: The Price for Growth
Translator: Nyoi_Bo_Studio Editor: Nyoi_Bo_Studio
A surge of magic reached the group. A dozen shadows appeared in the air and approached them. When the shadows reached the crossroad, Blavi landed with his team.
"You're a bit slow," Anfey said slowly.
"We finished off some irrelevant guys," Blavi said. His eyes were glittering with excitement, but his expression betrayed nothing.
These students of Saul's were all good kids, and only looked for magic beasts for their trials. Most of them never experienced intrigues and fights between people. After their escape from the Sacred City, they had experienced numerous bloody encounters. Now, some were uneasy and still in denial, while others had calmed their emotions and sorted out their priorities. Clearly, Blavi was one of the latter.
"Let's go," Anfey said, grinning. "Sanchez, lead the way."
"Alright!" Sanchez said enthusiastically, and led the group down one of the paths ahead.
Soon the group arrived at a small village. The buildings were simple and clearly belonged to ordinary people. Sanchez walked over to one of the buildings and looked around. He looked back and nodded. "This is it," he said. "I left a mark here."
Anfey sniffed the air and caught a whiff of blood in the wind. He sighed and said, "Sanchez, go in and take a look."
"Me?" Sanchez looked surprised.
"Yes," Anfey said.
Sanchez walked over hesitantly and knocked on the door. "Hello? Anyone inside?"
"No need, just go in."
Sanchez nodded and kicked the door. With a creak the door opened. He walked inside carefully, and tripped over something. He looked down and found an abandoned torch. He picked up the torch, and with a fireball he lit it. He held it high and walked inside carefully.
After a few moments, Sanchez let out a scream and the group heard the sound of things dropping on the ground. Christian gasped and, along with a few others, dashed up to the group.
Zubin was the fastest. He was the first one in and the first one out. He stared at Anfey under the cold moonlight, and after a while he said slowly, "You did it on purpose."
"This is the price for growth," Anfey said lightly. "Everyone needs to pay a price in order to grow. Better it be other's blood than your own."
Zubin stared at him but was silent.
"What is the purpose?" Anfey asked coldly. "I simply predicted it. I didn't know exactly what they would find."
"How did you know?"
"The man Niya beat. He seemed the kind to seek revenge for every small injustice. You remember the way he tried to fight back? People like that can't accept any embarrassment. He had to let it out somehow. He couldn't get his revenge on Niya, but it wouldn't be hard to find where those two sisters lived."
Just then they heard the sound of sobbing. They recognized Niya's voice and Christian's voice comforting her. There was another sound, of someone vomiting and coughing.
"Come, I want to see it for myself," Anfey said, then headed inside.
The room inside was not big. Outside was a simple kitchen, the inside was separated into two rooms. There were some plates on the table, and Anfey, with his sharp eyes, spotted some chips on the edges of the plates. Clearly the family was struggling financially.
The group was standing in the eastern room. Anfey made his way there slowly. Everyone in the room looked as if they had just seen a ghost, and one of the students could only stand holding onto the wall.
The two sisters were inside, dead. There was an old woman on the bed, dead as well, though Anfey was unsure who she was in relation to the sisters.
The older girl was completely naked, and was spread out on the table. Her hair was down and covered her once lively face. The table was covered with scratch marks, and her fingers were bloody. Clearly the marks were made by her fingers, and the pain she had been in was clear to see. There were two long swords that nailed her to the table, but there wasn't much blood. Anfey could tell she was pierced by the swords after she had died. Her backside and legs were a dark red and covered with small wounds. It was as if the wounds were made by small, sharp needles.
The younger girl wore only a shirt, and was naked from the waist down. Her legs were pushed open, exposing the place between her legs. Her hands were nailed to the bed with daggers, and bones were visible from the wounds. Clearly she had struggled and caused those deep wounds. Her eyes stared blankly, her mouth was wide open and her tongue was missing. It was apparent that someone had performed sexual acts on her even after she had died.
Niya's lips were pressed into a thin line. She suddenly pushed Christian aside, and dashed outside. Anfey dashed over and grabbed her. "Where are you going?" he asked.
"I'm going to find that bastard!" Niya screamed. Even the dumbest of them knew who killed the girls. Niya might be naive, but she was not stupid.
Anfey, without warning, struck Niya in the face. Niya was caught off guard and, combined with Anfey's sheer strength, was thrown back and stumbled to the ground.
His movement was too sudden for anyone else to do anything. They were on the run, and in the process Anfey had established a high level of respect among them. Even when he was smiling, the students still feared and respected him. Seeing him angry was even more terrifying for them.
Niya looked up, holding her face. A thin line of blood trickled down her chin. "How dare you?" she asked, shaking.
"Consider this a light punishment," Anfey said coldly. "Think about it. What have you done? Frankly, none of them would have died if it wasn't for your recklessness. You want to bring death to us as well now, don't you?
"Everyone saw what happened today. That little lord did nothing more than flirt. He would have never done this had it not been for you. You thought you were helping them? No, you killed them! There are ways to help, but you obviously do not know how. Someone like you will bring danger to others.
"And you want revenge? You? This is not the Sacred City anymore, and you are not the old Niya. In the past people tried to do what you say, but out here no one cares who your father is. If you don't want to end up like them, I recommend you stay here."
Anfey knew he had overreacted by saying these words, and worried that Niya wouldn't take it well. Niya stared at him for a few seconds before breaking into tears.
"Be quiet," Anfey said coldly. "We don't have time for tears. I took a risk coming here. If I'm not wrong, all of this will be blamed on us come morning."
"What do you mean?" Riska asked.
"They'll say we raped and killed these girls. Easier to blame it on the strangers than the local nobility."
"There is no way they are that despicable," Christian said in disbelief.
"People by nature are evil," Anfey said. "You haven't seen the worst of it."
"Anfey," Christian said, "why did you ask Sanchez to take us here? Is it because…"
Christian's words woke everyone up. Niya stopped her cries and stared at Anfey through her teary eyes.
"I had guessed someone would do something, so I had Sanchez stand guard here. We can take two more people," Anfey said lightly. There was reason to be the bad guy. It would drive everyone away. Anfey knew when to be the good man and when to be the bad.
"But we are late," Christian sighed.
"If we had left the tavern a bit earlier," Sanchez said, shaking his head. He finally understood Anfey's intentions. He had wanted to help them. Compared to Niya, it was clear who was more thoughtful. One was reckless, not considering the consequences. The other had predicted what was going to happen. It was not his fault they were late.
Niya stared at the ground. She felt guilty, but she could not turn back time. What was done was done, but no guilt could bring back the dead.
Now Anfey's expression was much softer, but no one tried to help Niya, and they left her sobbing on the ground. Some emotions were contagious, and with the dead bodies in front of them, it was hard for them to evoke any sympathy for the one who caused it.
"We don't have much time now," Anfey ordered. "We have to go."
"What about them?" Riska asked.
"Someone will take care of them. We have to worry about ourselves more," Anfey told him, sighing.
Chapter 53: Persuasion
Translator: Nyoi_Bo_Studio Editor: Nyoi_Bo_Studio
In the magical world, regular city defensive systems were almost useless against people with powers, so the majority of kings in different kingdoms were people with powers themselves. They also tried their best to have other people with powers on their side. Sometimes people with the strongest power could determine the outcome of battle on the field. Except for a few weird people, people with strong powers like Saul were usually treated very well by kings.
Levitation magic can treat city walls as if they don't exist. The chief in the city had been dealing with the turmoil of the horrible death in Flaming Legion. It was just like Anfey anticipated: they did not chase after Anfey's legion too closely because they did not quite understand the ability of Anfey's team and did not want to have any unnecessary losses.
At dawn, they saw the outlines of the mountains in Forest Clarm. Everybody had a surprised and excited look on their faces. Since they the start of their escape, Forest Clarm had always been their destination. They had treated Forest Clarm as a dream land, peaceful and safe. Very few people were thinking about the dangers they might experience and the defense they had to plan in the forest. This was the job of their leader. Not everyone could be a leader. Everyone wanted to be a leader, but it was not an easy job indeed.
Anfey had a great deal of experience, what with all of the danger, mistakes, hesitations, and regrets he had faced as an assassin. He would not have been so mature without these negative experiences. He had never felt so tired before. This time, leading a group of escaping kids made him exhausted. The exhaustion was not physical, but mental.
Seeing Forest Clarm ahead, Anfey sighed in relief. Everybody was encouraged, flying towards it with full force. Right before arriving at Forest Clarm, kids had used up their magic power and landed on the ground one after another, sitting or laying everywhere.
"All stand up, and walk forward now!" Anfey yelled.
How many people failed right on the edge of success? Anfey knew that number was as many as the countless stars in the sky! On the brink of success, with hope right ahead of them, most people relaxed without knowing they were at the crucial moment!
"Anfey, everybody's magic powers were used up. Let's take a break," Christian tried to convince Anfey.
"No." Anfey was firm about it. "Without magic power, you still have legs! Everybody get up. We need to leave right now!"
"Everyone, follow Anfey's order. Get up, get up," Zubin said loudly.
To better lead the legion, Anfey needed to choose a relatively mature assistant. After observation, Anfey chose Zubin. He even tested Zubin with some of his real purposes. It looked like he had chosen the right person. Zubin was mature compared to these kids. Zubin still felt uneasy when he saw at the beginning there could be a dark side. But after giving it some thought, he accepted the role and agreed with Anfey.
Everybody stood up unwillingly. Under Sante's leadership, they wobbled into Forest Clarm. In fact, Anfey had the most energy, then Niya. She had been carried by Christian for the first half of the trip. Zubin and Sante took turns carrying Niya for the second half of the trip. She had not had to do anything to get to Forest Clarm.
Anfey wanted to try to fly on his own, but he did not know much levitation magic, so it would have been great if he could have just vertically departed and landed. It was too far away for him to fly.
Niya had a great deal of energy, but was disconsolate. She walked like a puppet, and tripped over stones and tree roots a few times when she was not even far into the forest. Christian had to follow her to catch her in time. To a mage, it was impossible to get lost, because even in cloudy or foggy weather, mages still could feel the moving elements in the air and find the source of light.
The group walked straight ahead into Forest Clarm. Anfey had been in physical training all year, but Christian and his companions rarely got the chance to train. They started to breath heavily before they even had walked far. Riska ran to Anfey from behind and said quietly, "Let us take a break. Look, everyone is exhausted."
Anfey looked at the people in front and behind him. He could not help shaking his head. "OK, Zubin, go and tell Sante to stop."
This was just the first hill, and they had only climbed half way anyway. Looking back, they even could see smoke from the kitchen in the village at the foot of the mountain. This area was not that much safer than the area outside the forest. Some of them had already crawled with both hands on the ground. Anfey had to make the decision to take a break.
Everyone cheered when they heard Anfey would let them rest. Some fell on the ground instantly, not even caring about the dew. Anfey had to act like a kindergarten teacher and ask a few people to get up and find a dry spot to rest. From the Taoist perspective, dew is water in its most negative form. People had an 80-90 percent chance of getting sick by sitting or sleeping on it. More than anything else, Anfey was afraid of them getting sick.
Niya quietly avoided everybody's attention and found a corner to sit. She leaned against a tree trunk and curled up like a ball. Sante was passing around food, and everyone seemed to tug the food from his hands. They devoured large morsels of food. Only Niya shook her head and did not take any food. Sante held the food out to her again. Niya pushed the food away. Sante turned around without any attempt to comfort her. With peace and safety, many of the kids in the legion admired Niya in many ways. They felt she was cute even when she threw a temper tantrum. However, it was a different time now, and they were on the run. Everyone felt like they were under the gun. When Niya lost her temper, it seemed inappropriate.
"What happened? She did not eat?" Anfey asked Sante quietly.
"No, but it's fine. She will ask for food when she is hungry," Sante shrugged.
"Give me two sausages. Let me talk to her."
Sante looked at Anfey weirdly, but he did not say anything. Sante took out two sausages and gave them to Anfey.
Anfey walked slowly toward Niya. When he got close to her, he realized why Sante's look was so weird. Niya had clear fingerprints on her face, which could be attributed to Anfey. Of course, he had never learned cinnabar palm style martial arts, but he still slapped with too much force, which had the same effect as if he had used cinnabar palm. If Niya had a mirror, she probably would be even more furious. A women's looks were her second life. Even regular women knew to take care of their looks, let alone pretty girls like Niya.
Seeing Anfey walking towards her, Niya looked nervous. In her memory, Anfey was the first one to have hit her, with a slap, which was even worse! Niya felt a barricade between her and everyone else. No one was willing to defer to her any more. Previously, she had felt that she was the center of the world. This change had made her feel left out. Anfey was a lot more powerful than her, and her father was not near her, which all made her scared of Anfey.
"You need to eat." Anfey passed the sausages to her. "We have to keep walking during the day. You will not be able to do it without eating anything."
Niya was in shock for a second, and then she took the sausages. She did not eat, and said quietly, like a mosquito humming, "I am not hungry."
"You have to eat even if you do not feel hungry." Anfey sat next to Niya, biting a sausage in half. He ate differently than the others. Anfey did not eat casing. He was worried about hygiene. Besides work hours, Anfey was very picky in life. He had been pushed by his fate and lost his pickiness by far.
"I …will eat later," Niya said quietly. She did not dare to treat Anfey as Sante had, smacking the sausages away. She could only act in a subtle way of non-cooperation.
"Why? Do you hate me?" Anfey smiled.
This time, Niya refused to answer him. She turned her head away.
"Let me tell you a story," Anfey started, but then was lost in thought for a little while. "A long time ago, I had a friend, a good friend. He was over ten years older than me. When I was ten, he was getting married. His fiancé was a nice woman with a bit of a temper, but a good heart. His fiancé had a …magic pet named Pug. That magic pet was cute."
"Pug? Why haven't I heard of it before?"
Anfey smiled but did not answer her question. He continued his story. "One day, they took the magic pet out. They had a great time talking with each other, but forgot about the magic pet. The magic pet fell into the water. By the time they realized it, the magic pet had almost drowned."
"My friend's fiancé was so worried that she jumped into the water to save her magic pet. However, she forgot she could not swim. My friend could not either, but…what should a man do in such case? Haha…He had to jump in without any hesitation. My friend used up all his energy to push his fiancé to the shore. He sunk to the bottom himself."
"He…died?"
"Yes, he died," Anfey sighed. "What was more ridiculous was the magic pet crawled back to shore on its own, without any help. The magic pet cried to the fiancé on the shore."
"How could this happen? What happened to her?"
"Her? After my friend's body was taken to shore, she choked her magic pet to death. She became crazy herself." Anfey went silent for awhile and said, "Niya, this story tells us that acting impulsively could cause others to pay! My friend's fiancé and my friend were in love. If they had known the outcome, she would have never saved her magic pet! Alas…my friend's fiancé passed away in sickness two months later. One impulsive action caused two people in love to die. Shouldn't it give us some insight?"
Niya was so shocked that she could not come up with a single word.
"Niya, I am not against you helping others, but I hope you can think before you act. Your one impulsive act caused those two sisters' deaths. Next time you act impulsively, any one of us could die. Do you want to see that happen?" Anfey wiped off his behind and stood up. "Niya, think about it. If you think I am right, you should eat the sausages. Keeping the energy is the most important thing right now. If you think I am wrong, if you really want to bring us trouble, then…do whatever you want."
Chapter 54: Surprise
Translator: Nyoi_Bo_Studio Editor: Nyoi_Bo_Studio
For many people, things and sayings often become meaningless after they become familiar. For example, most people would simply laugh off the saying "success is the result of one percent innovation and ninety-nine percent hard work." But is the saying truly childish? Perhaps not as much as people would like to think.
After a meal and some rest, some students, like Christian and Blavi, began meditating to recover their magic. Others, however, fell asleep. Everyone was exhausted and sleep deprived, but clearly students like Christian and Blavi had become some of the best for a reason.
There were many ways to understand a person, but self introduction was the least effective one. Anfey was an observant man, and he preferred observing the students in silence. Now, although he could not say he completely understood them, he could at least form a conclusive personality description for each and every one of them. Christian was stately and considerate, polite and accepting of criticism and of opposing opinions. Zubin was forbearing; silence was his protective shield. It was likely that Zubin was the most brilliant of everyone, including in his social skills. Sante was headstrong and not afraid of challenges and fights. Yesterday Anfey told him to take care of Phillip, if he arrived, and Sante had agreed without objection. It was clear that he was extremely confident. Blavi was impulsive, but at the same time cautious. Every time he became too stressed, he would show the more violent side of his personality. Riska was slightly careless, and was the weakest among the four leaders. Both Zubin and Sante were better fit for their jobs, but Anfey needed people he could trust.
Niya, who was sitting alone in the corner, finally began eating again. She glanced towards Anfey, but every time Anfey looked her way, she would look the other way.
Anfey knew that his slap had harmed Niya's self esteem, but he did not regret it. He had said everything that needed to be said, and now he needed Niya to understand his words herself.
"Alright, everyone," Anfey called. "The sun is high. Let's go."
Everyone answered his call and stood up. Those meditating opened their eyes as well. Only deep meditation could restore their magic, but there was no time for deep meditation right now.
"Zubin," Anfey instructed, "use water magic. We need some water." When they were in Lagan City, Anfey had thought about the water problem and had bought some waterskins. Then he remembered that he was travelling with mages, which meant they would have no trouble with water. He had even laughed at himself for it.
Zubin waved his hand, and a small stream appeared on the ground. The students all gathered around, drinking from it and washing their faces. Niya pushed through the group and reached for the water. Under the morning sun, the red mark on her face was clear for all to see. A few people stared at her and didn't look away until Anfey coughed as a warning.
"Anfey," Christian whispered. "Let us rest a bit more. We can use levitation after we are done recovering. Walking through such a dense forest will tire all of us out."
Anfey trusted Christian. Christian knew what should be done in each situation, and every time he had an idea, he would consult with Anfey first instead of openly arguing with him.
"All we need to do is go over that hill," Anfey said. "We will head down the valley and rest at noon. Everyone should be recovered by nightfall. We will start again then."
"Alright," Christian said, nodding. He knew what Anfey was worried about. If the Lagan City Guards were fast enough, those from the Sacred City should have reached Forest Clarm by now. If they were levitating above the forest, they could be easily spotted by higher level mages. Walking among the trees was the safest bet.
Forest Clarm was bright and sunny, but thousands of miles away, Zuba City was under heavy grey clouds. Ellisen Empire's Storm Legion and Dark Moon Magic Legion were camped right outside the city. Three legions from Maho Empire defended it, and they had seven to ten times the number of troops that Ellisen Empire had. Maho Empire was using a defensive strategy, since the Dark Moon Magic Legion was one of the best in the world and had never lost a battle. Its commander, Newyoheim, was an archmage who was considered to be even more powerful than Saul.
There was a reason people tended to think of Newyoheim as the more powerful one. Saul was a kind and amiable man who rarely clashed with anyone, let along having clashes that ended with fatalities. Newyoheim, however, could not tolerate any mistreatment. He had killed two archmages and a master swordsman. Ernest was someone who challenged others to further his skills. Newyoheim challenged to kill.
Normally, a man with his personality was not fit to lead an entire legion. However, he had an outstanding helper: Sarick. Sarick was no more than a junior magister, but his skill in commanding the army was exceptional. He had saved the empire's armies from losing numerous times, and had led the army to major victories. With those two in charge, the Dark Moon Magic Legion had become one of the most fearsome armies in the world.
It was not just the commanders, either. The core of the Legion was made up of two archmages, more than thirty magisters, and more than two hundred senior mages. Maho Empire, unless it brought together all the mages from all of its legions, could not dream of competing against them. But what was a legion without mages?
In addition, Dark Moon Magic Legion had a long history. Newyoheim came to fame early in life, and achieved archmage status when he was only in his early thirties. His oldest student was only a year younger than he. Now that he was in his sixties, his connections and power over the legion were not something to joke about. Within the legion, half of the core mages were either his students or his student's students. Whenever something urgent arose, all the mages were willing to die for him. A normal legion would not have this level of dedication.
So, even though Saul was in the city and had the advantage in troop numbers, Maho Empire's army could only rely on the magical shield to protect the city.
To the south of Zuba City center was a small, strangely-built building. The building was tall and straight, its bricks embedded with shining rocks that would reveal to be magical crystals. On top of the building was a small white orb, which glowed softly. This was the Tower of Mages, which supported the magical shield over Zuba City. Despite the city's magic ban, a shadow flew into the sky and towards the tower. Before it entered the tower's self-defense spell, it landed and began jogging to its door.
The guards saluted the prince of Maho Empire, Granden.
"Urgent business," the prince said. "Take me to Master Saul immediately."
"A moment, my lord," the head guard, an intermediate swordmaster, said. He hurried into the tower, and a moment later the door opened. "Please, my lord. Master Saul awaits."
Granden nodded and hurried inside. He stepped into the transportation portal in the middle of the tower.
"My lord, what happened?" Saul asked. He was already waiting for the prince on the other side of the portal.
Granden looked at the mages at work in the room and glanced at Saul.
Saul nodded and led the prince into another room. He soundproofed the room before turning back to Granden. "My lord, please."
"Father sent me a message. He has already been assassinated."
"What?" Saul's eyes widened. "What do you mean?"
"Master, be at ease. Father sent a message telling me he was assassinated," Granden explained.
"You mean, the emperor is safe?"
"Yes," Granden nodded. "Father told us to get ready to retreat. Seven days hence."
"Retreat?"
"Yes."
"But why retreat? You mean…"
"Father said that he would go to great lengths to eliminate the Dark Moon Magic Legion," Granden said slowly. "Ellisen Empire must have learned about what happened to father by now. It was no secret that Wester and I do not get along. Now Wester is on the throne, he is in control of the empire, but I still hold the military. I have to retreat with my armies in order to fight Wester. No one would suspect anything."
"Then?"
"Baery is already leading his Roaring Dead Legion and two other legions northward. As long as we can lead the Dark Moon Magic Legion past the Yagor Mountain Range, Baery will be able to cut off their retreat. Father was determined to eliminate Dark Moon Magic Legion, no matter the cost."
"I understand," Saul said after a few moments of silence. Although he was not the brightest with military affairs, and Granden had offered only a brief explanation, he was still able to sort through the plan. "His Grace is wise," he said.
The plan sounded easy, but was in fact very difficult to execute. First, Yolanthe needed to recall the Roaring Dead Legion and order it to travel to the north without anyone noticing. Then, he needed to pick the perfect time to fake his own death, making sure that Ellisen Empire's rulers would believe he had died. Saul and Yolanthe had been friends for years, and he knew that Yolanthe was brilliant but cautious. If Yolanthe had already executed the plan, Saul knew the man had already learned everything that needed to be learned about the situation. Otherwise, he would never leave so much of his territory for the taking.
"But, Master Saul," Granden said hesitantly. "There were some...mishaps."
Chapter 55: Confusion
Translator: Nyoi_Bo_Studio Editor: Nyoi_Bo_Studio
Granden's voice was too low for Saul. Although Saul didn't hear him, he still smiled and said, "Is Baery coming? That would be nice… I haven't seen him in so long."
"Master Saul… there was a small accident," Granden said, raising his voice.
"Accident? What accident?"
"To show that Wester and I can't stand each other, my father acquiesced in sending Wester to do something."
"Your Majesty, could you just finish the story?" Saul shook his head.
"Wester sent someone after Niya. He was going to imprison her to threaten you. That way, he could gain trust from the King of the Ellisen Empire. Of course, Father only wanted to imprison Niya for a few days, then send someone to save her and take her to Zuba City. You then would have a perfect reason to help me fight against Wester." Granden smiled reluctantly. "Master Saul, in my opinion, this arrangement was very smart. The Ellisen Empire would grab this opportunity once they know about it. If we evacuate quickly, they would not have time for thorough considerations. They would have no choice but to attack us and fall into our trap."
"Your Majesty, is there…something happened to Niya?" Saul got nervous based on the way Granden was telling the story. Granden was very indirect and still didn't reveal what exactly happened to Niya.
"Niya should be fine by now. Your students have already left Sacred City."
"What do you mean she should be fine? Your Majesty, please tell me what happened?!" Saul got even more nervous.
"Master Saul, you know, a magister called Brufit was in Wester's team. He was from the Magic Fog. As you know, Father worked with people from the Magic Fog twenty-some years ago. They have been rivals ever since. The Magic Fog made many attempts on Father's life."
"I know about it. Your Father started a spy organization called Hurricane to fight against Magic Fog. At the time, your Father even laughed about it: Hurricane could drive Fog away," Saul said, "Your Father also said Hurricane could only grow so quick and strong, since Magic Fog was such a solid rival."
"Master Saul, do you still remember the magic array you set up? As soon as a Necromancer stepped into the palace, the magic array would start running. Brufit was hiding from everyone and gained Wester's trust. However, Father sensed something wrong from the very beginning," Granden continued, "so Father…"
Saul stopped Granden. "Your Majesty, you…are straying away from the topic again. I just want to know what happened to Niya."
Granden forced himself to tell the truth. He was being indirect because he did not know how to tell Saul about the events in Sacred City. Everyone knew Saul was deeply in love with Niya. Granden worried that Saul would not be able to control his emotions. At this point, however, he had to be honest. "Wester sent Brufit after Niya. Brufit somehow knew Zeda from Phillip's group. In the end, Zeda went with some helpers."
"Zeda?" Saul paused. He had heard about Zeda. When he hung out with friends, everyone was talking about how the Phillip group was like the sinking sun and would become dark soon. Old Phillip was still alive. People didn't stop Zeda no matter what he did. However, once Phillip passed away, the good times would soon come to an end. The fate of Phillip's team was obvious. If they were missing a powerful leader, the group would go into decline for sure. Distant relatives could not inherit Phillip's title. Zeda was the only successor.
"Yes," Granden sighed.
"What did Zeda do to Niya?" Saul pulled a long face. No one could stop him from killing Zeda if Zeda really had taken advantage of Niya.
"Niya is fine," Granden forced a smile, "Zeda brought some helpers. Maris, the one you kicked out of your group, was one of the helpers. The problem is…Zeda died."
Saul frowned. He didn't hear the last sentence but he realized Anfey would be in danger as soon as he heard Maris' name.
"Anfey died?" Saul asked nervously.
"Master Saul, Niya and your students are all fine. They killed Zeda!" Granden emphasized.
Saul was shocked. He put himself in Phillip's shoes. If Niya was hurt, he would definitely seek revenge for her. Now that Zeda was killed, what would Phillip do?
"Father did not anticipate this ending," Granden said with sorrow.
"Zeda…how…did he die?" Saul spoke one word at a time.
"He was stabbed by a sword."
"Ernest was mad at him!" Saul screamed, "This guy is very antisocial and always does what he feels like. He didn't know Zeda was Phillip's grandson. Even if he knew, he would not stop if Zeda stirred up trouble in my domain. Your Father…Didn't your Father know Ernest was in my house? How come he didn't think of that?"
"Father took that into account. He had Miorich call Ernest out for a duel. Father said Ernest would not refuse."
"And?"
"Ernest came and beat Miorich."
"Then… who killed Zeda?" Saul was confused. He could not think of anyone from his family who would be able kill Zeda, a senior swordsman.
"I don't know. Father didn't tell me the details. However…Father said congratulations."
"Congratulations?"
"Father said you will have a powerful magic swordsman student in ten years if everything goes well."
"Magic swordsman? Who is it?"
"I don't know. Father didn't say."
Saul hoped that he could get back to Sacred City right away and ask Yolanthe. However, he had to stay for the Magister Tower. He knew that thousands of people's lives were a lot more important than figuring out the question in his heart.
"Headache…what a headache! " Saul said rubbing his forehead. Although Phillip was much older than he, they were good friends with much to talk about. They respected each other. There was never much conflict of interest. All of that contributed to the strong friendship between the two. However, this great relationship was about to end. He knew that Phillip would take revenge for what happened to Zeda, and he could not let Phillip hurt his student. There are many conflicts that can be prevented, and there are some that cannot. Once such a conflict occurs, both sides will have no way out. The only way out is to fight till the end.
"It is troublesome for Father as well…" Granden forced a smile.
"How is Ernest? Did you hear from him?" Saul thought of something else: "Ernest is stubborn. He only goes forward but never turns back. If he fights against Phillip, I am afraid…he will suffer a big loss."
"I don't know. I haven't heard anything about him since he separated from Miorich."
"Phillip's hot temper…Is Niya safe? Should I … go back?" Saul knew it was impossible to return, but he still wanted to ask. As soon as the Magister Tower ran into small problems, the old stager Newyoheim would not miss a chance to attack Zuba City.
"Master Saul, please relax. Father asked Dean Steger to protect Niya. She will be fine."
"Well, I feel much better now knowing that Steger is keeping an eye on her," Saul nodded with ease. Steger was a archmagi-to-be, proficient in Earth-series magic. He might not be able to beat Phillip in a fight, but he would be good enough to stop Phillip for a short period of time. As long as Phillip was busy fighting, his student would not kill anyone. It was difficult to find someone like Phillip in the Pan Continent. He was extremely powerful, yet reckless. Phillip's students had families. They prefered to stay away from trouble.
"Master Saul, let's discuss the evacuation. We are the only ones who know about it. We have to be extremely careful. Father told me there are spies from the Ellisen Empire."
"I will handle it," Saul said. This was a massive evacuation. There were priceless magic properties in each Magister Tower that were crucial in supporting the border defense. They had to uninstall and ship them before the evacuation. There were also a million tedious things to worry about. All had to be properly planned. They certainly did not want to leave behind any good material to their enemy.
Chapter 56: Christian's Secrets
Translator: Nyoi_Bo_Studio Editor: Nyoi_Bo_Studio
"Anfey, we are finally safe, right?" Christian laughed.
From dusk to the presence of the moon, everyone traveled tens of miles using levitation magic. They finally reached the center of Forest Clarm. It would not be easy to find this small group of a dozen of people in the forest. It was like finding a needle in a haystack.
Everyone landed on a huge ancient tree. The darkness did not permit them to see how high or how thick the tree was. The tree crown looked very strange, with branches flipped around like an umbrella. The branches all stretched out, creating a small flat area. Compared with the trunk, the branches seemed disproportionately small. It must have been struck by lightening in the past, or most of the foliage had fallen for some reason. Later on the crown, grew up strong again.
Although the flat area on the canopy was not big, it was just big enough for everyone if they stood close to each other. Anfey firmly asked them not to get off the tree. This time no one objected. Everyone was eagerly looking for their own place to stand.
"Anfey, why are you not speaking? What are you thinking?" Christian asked again out of curiosity, since he did not get any response from Anfey.
"Safety...maybe..." Anfey smiled. As a leader, Anfey must take all the pressure on himself. If he told them his concerns, these people would not be able to handle it. When they were seized by Sacred Flame Legion, a necromancer, a swordsman, and a mage suddenly came out to help them out. Anfey did not think it was a positive development. If they could appear without his awareness, then where could they be now? Did they hide in the dark again?
"Anfey, you need to rest. I will be on watch tonight," Christian said.
"No, thanks. I'm not tired yet."
"You need to rest. You have not rested at all. Go rest."
"I am physically stronger than you. I will rest when I need it. You guys need take care of yourselves."
"I am not tired either, and…cannot fall asleep anyway." Christian looked around and asked, "Anfey, can we talk?"
"Sure," Anfey smiled. He knew Christian had something to tell him.
Christian took Anfey to a nearby tree, where Anfey leaned against a branch and Christian sat next to Anfey. The darkness of the forest and howling sounds from animals and birds all reminded them this was not their dream land. It was a land with all kinds of hidden dangers and threats.
"What do you want to tell me?" Anfey said flatly.
"Anfey, I feel you have hidden a lot of secrets from us. Have you?" Christian smiled.
"Who does not have a secret? Don't you have one?"
"Me? What secret do I have? Haha…" Christian smiled, shaking his head.
"I heard from Zubin that you were a civilian before?"
"Yes, why? Do you care about where I was from?"
"Do you remember the time you went home with me? A carriage passed in front of us and you recognized people in it. It was Master Swordsman Baery. I can tell you knew Baery previously. His eyes brightened when he looked at you." Anfey's face was emotionless, as he was talking about something normal. He did not show even a slight sign of triumph in pointing out another's lie. "You looked weird when Baery came back. You used to tell me that Baery was the leader of Roaring Dead Legion. He was a busy person and would not have come back if there was nothing important. Later, you asked me to keep that secret for you. I promised you that I would not tell anyone, and I did not. I never talked about it with anyone, not even with Ernest."
Christian just looked at Anfey, not knowing what to say.
"You two were more than acquaintances. You must have known each other, otherwise you would not have been so surprised, right?"
"Anfey…I…I do not know what to say." Christian smiled bitterly. "You frightened me. How could you tell so much from just a little thing."
"So, am I wrong?" Anfey smiled.
"No, you are right. I do have a secret, but I am sorry I cannot tell you now." Christian sighed.
"I am not going to ask you about it. I was trying to tell you that everyone has the right to keep their secrets to themselves. I would not force you to tell me, and hope you would do the same thing for me." Anfey smiled. "Let's say, if Zubin has a secret, he never would ask me about it. When someday he can treat me as a real friend, maybe I will tell him."
"Anfey, you are too good! He made me swallow my questions." Christian smiled.
"Haha...I also am curious. Do you want to know why?"
"Would you answer me if I asked?"
"How could you know whether I will answer you or not, if you never ask?" Anfey asked back.
Anfey's rhetorical questions were full of Zenic enlightenment, which stopped Christian from asking. Poor Christian winked. "So…Anfey, I am going to ask, if you do not mind me being too rude."
"Go ahead, but I have the right not to answer."
"It is up to you." Christian smiled bitterly, his head shaking. "Anfey, you are a swordsman. I am just curious why you would be a student of a professor? Your swordsmanship…how to put it, I never saw anyone who could do anything like you can…ferocious! That is right, your swordsmanship is ferocious! If you want to practice combat power with Ernest, you will be a great swordsman! I am curious why you are learning magic. You know, the people with both magic skills and swordsmanship on Pan Continent were never top people with powers."
"I can answer this question." Anfey smiled. "Because I wanted to."
Christian was shocked for a moment by Anfey's answer. "Is that it?"
"Is it not enough? I learned magic from Professor Saul because I wanted to. Do not think too much about it, Christian. I did not have malicious intentions."
"Anfey, I did not think as much. You misunderstood me. I felt bad for you. Don't you want to be a superstar with powers?"
"Superstar with powers…" Anfey smiled with his head shaking. "Too tiring." This was the truth. Anfey never thought of becoming Number One since he started to learn swordfighting. He just hoped that he could find his potential and show it with the skills he had learned.
"If someone else said it, I have to say that person must have had no dreams. You…are not like that. At least you are so much better than me." Christian looked at Anfey in curiosity. "Did you ever desire it?"
"No," Anfey answered. "Why? Do you want to be a superstar with powers?"
"Yes, I have wanted to be a superstar with powers on Pan Continent since I was little," Christian nodded. "Someone told me before that people must have dreams. Dreams are the motivation that push people to be better. However, people need to learn to manage their ambition, to know what should be done and what not to do. If they lose control of their ambitions, they might turn into crazy people."
Anfey was quiet for a while and nodded, "Whoever told you this is a respectable wise man."
"Yes, I respect him alot," Christian smiled.
"Do you see him often?" Anfey seemed to ask a leading question.
Christian glanced Anfey out of the corners of his eyes, with a smile showing on his face. "Anfey, you were trying to trick me. It is so dangerous to talk with you! Last time I just said one thing unconsciously when we saw Baery, and you were able to reach so many conclusions. If you continue to ask me, you will know every one of my secrets!"
"You are thinking too much again. I am just asking." Of course, Anfey would never admit it.
"Haha. Do you think I would believe you?"
"It is up to you. We talked about it before: that I would not force you tell me your secrets, and I expect you to do the same thing with me," Anfey argued.
"Ok, ok. Let's change a topic." Christian smiled.
"Niya does not look too good." Anfey suddenly talked about Niya.
Christian looked back, seeing Niya sitting alone on a branch under the moonlight. She was a good girl. It was obvious that she was not able to sleep with others together. It was cold at night, even with the protection of magic cover. However, magic cover did not stop the coldness and loneliness. Niya pulled a few clothes from her pack and put them on. She still curled up like a ball, even with few more pieces of clothing on her. Such a poor thing.
"In fact, Niya is a good girl, just a little naughty," Christian said.
"I did not say she was a bad girl," Anfey smiled. "Christian, how many years have you lived in the professor's house?"
"About ten years."
"Did you grow up with Niya? Ohhhhhhhhhh…" Anfey dragged the sound long.
"What are you thinking?" Christian rolled his eyes at Anfey. "Anfey, do not think such bad thoughts. I have treated Niya as my little sister. It never changed."
"Haha. Do you think I should believe you?" Anfey mimicked the way Christian talked. "Let me tell you a story. A long time ago, a man buried 300 silver coins under the ground. He worried that others would find out, so he left a plate on it, saying 'There are not 300 silver coins here.' Do you know the name of the story? It is called 'There Are Not 300 Silver Coins'."
"Haha. How could he be so silly! I…are you being sarcastic?" Christian realized.