Chapter 1299: Chapter 1298: Young People Leaving Their Homeland

When the adventurer who had been wandering for six centuries finally returned to his long-lost home, trying to start from scratch and make a strange land his home, information about the "sentinels" began circulating among the upper echelons of the alliance member states, and a tense atmosphere gradually spread throughout the mortal world. Meanwhile, the northern parts welcomed the coldest season of the year, the breath of Bitter Winter had arrived—and the three great empires finally began their intensive actions against the wastelands.

On the Plains of the Holy Spirits, the loud sound of a steam whistle broke the silence on the plains. An armored train, painted iron black and bearing a heavy main cannon, gradually accelerated under the action of repulsion mechanisms, heading towards the southern mountain passes. The train was loaded with supplies, equipment, and the determined imperial army. The snow on the plains was swept up by the wind, with some flakes swirling across the barrier outside the train tracks, striking the thick armor and reinforced crystal glass windows of the train. Amidst the swirling snowflakes, the insignia of the Second Armored Division of the Empire was faintly visible.

In Cecil Castle, armored transport convoys were advancing down the wide concrete avenues of Knight Street. The magic-conducting machinery-powered vehicles emitted a low rumble, carrying magic soldiers clad in second-generation magic-conducting armor. Brightly colored flags fluttered at the front of each vehicle, and on the roadside, Cecil citizens dressed in thick winter clothes crowded the pavement and alleys, bidding farewell to the sons and friends about to head to the wasteland frontlines.

Apart from the regular army, a special battalion moved with the army. Their armored vehicles were adorned with emblems of the Holy Light, heavy turret covers were etched with a strong iron fist shrouded by the Holy Light, and scrolls filled with Holy Light prayers were wound around the main guns and skirt armor of these tanks and armored vehicles, reinforced by stout rivets. Behind these "sacred chariots," the company blessed by the Holy Light proceeded in silence. The White Knights wore heavy power armor, and the magic mechanisms driving their armor seemed to shake the earth with each step, while the Armed Nuns wore mechanical gauntlets, wielding combat magic wands, with a faint shimmer surrounding them.

These battalions were moving towards the military station south of the city. A "Iron Scepter" light armored train was already waiting on the platform. After a brief farewell ceremony at the station, they would board the train under the guidance of their respective officers, pass through the mountain pass in the Dark Mountain Range, through the Black Forest railway, and jointly head to the base of the great walls, where they would be assigned to several forward bases, becoming part of the steel front line.

In a high dormitory building a block away, a pair of eyes withdrew from gazing out the window. The owner of these eyes had a head of crisp short hair and facial features with distinct Typhon characteristics. She turned and walked to the desk in the dormitory, seeing a tall figure with golden long hair leaning over the desk, writing carefully, and couldn’t help but ask, "Marian, are you writing to your family again?"

"I write every week," the Typhon exchange student called Marian said without lifting her head, "it’s not the first time you’ve seen it."

"Ah, I mean, Magic Web Communication is so convenient now, you can just send messages to your family, or with a bit more money, you can even ’meet’ them face-to-face," the short-haired girl looked at her somewhat rigid roommate with a peculiar expression. "Writing letters is so slow, especially now with the heavy snow, sometimes a letter can take ten days to half a month to reach Aldernon."

"Magic Web Communication has its benefits, and writing letters has its significance—though you wouldn’t understand these meanings," Marian stopped writing and looked up at her roommate. "Kari, what did you see?"

"I saw yet another battalion crossing the main road, heading south. They’re also heading to the wasteland frontlines," the short-haired girl named Kari said, suddenly feeling a bit wistful, "... I wonder what it’s like on our side. Do knights and mages also gather across Imperial Avenue in Aldernon, heading toward the wasteland?"

"Of course they do; in fact, my brother was assigned to General Andresha’s new fortress half a month ago," Marian said calmly, "and after I return home, I will also apply to go to the border; the application has already been written."

"... Going home," Kari suddenly felt a bit lost, "Yes, we’re about to finish our studies here... It’s truly unbelievable how much has happened in such a short time. I still remember last winter, we even barricaded the corridor outside the room; you took two students to stand guard on the dormitory rooftop all night. Everyone worried every day about angry citizens attacking the academy dormitory, and all our sense of security was built on those piled-up tables and chairs—now looking back, it feels like a dream."

"Indeed, like an absurd dream—now Typhon and Cecil are allies, we’ll even fight side by side with them at the wasteland frontier," Marian nodded lightly, "Kari, have you decided what to do when you return home? I heard you haven’t even filled out your graduation intention form."

"I..." Kari suddenly hesitated. She instinctively glanced out the window, but only saw snowflakes falling from the sky. The hazy view no longer showed the battalion heading to the front, the Empire Academy’s castle-style towers and library were also veiled in the snow curtain that suddenly became dense. "I haven’t decided yet. My father wants me to go back early to inherit his title. My mother hopes I will join the council—she said there are many opportunities for young people in the council now, but my grandfather strongly opposes this; he just wants me to be a ’contented canary’ at home, to not participate in any political matters anymore..."

This aristocratic student, lost due to impending graduation, sighed suddenly, "Sigh, sometimes I really envy you. Your path is clear and definite; from the start, you decided to live your life as an imperial knight, and all your friends and family support your decision."

"That’s not like you," Marian quietly gazed into Kari’s eyes, "You’re a cheerful and optimistic person, even last year when we barricaded the hallway, you were more optimistic than now."

Kari stuck out her tongue, momentarily unsure of what to say. She slowly walked back to the window, lowering her head to overlook the academy scenic view—the previous snow hadn’t melted before new snowflakes had already covered the flower beds and pathways beneath the dormitory, amidst the continuously falling snowflakes, she saw a small figure running through the stone path outside the hallway, that figure had long light gray hair, small like a child, clutching a seemingly heavy package.

Perhaps the package affected balance, or maybe the stone path was too slippery, the small figure suddenly stumbled, about to slip and fall to one side. Seeing this, Kari instinctively waved her right hand, and a powerful airflow stirred on the path below, helping the gray elf girl regain her balance. The latter was startled by the sudden change, looking around frantically like a frightened rabbit for a few seconds before she finally realized and sensed the magic, looking up towards the dormitory, waving energetically at Kari’s window.

"Well, it seems for some people, the ’meaning’ of ’writing letters’ cannot be replaced by Magic Web Communication," Kari waved back at the window as a response, muttering to herself while turning around, "That grey elf little princess seems to be running to send letters again, I saw her carrying a package larger than her head across the road; I haven’t written as many letters home all year..."

...

The cold wind howled outside the longhouse, the Bitter Winter in the northern region embraced the gray elves’ capital Wind Song City with her chilly embrace. However, the newly built city-wide heating system last year finally worked this year, the winter was no longer a long trial requiring huddling indoors and rationing every piece of firewood; in this ancient yet youthful gray elf royal city, the bustling trade market lasted throughout the latter part of Fog Month—if conditions allow, it might even extend to the early Cold Month next year.

Venna Baizhi, draped in a white cloak, walked in the newly completed trade market with Captain Morelina accompanying her. This market, specifically prepared for winter, had tall roofs and a system directly connected to the municipal heating center. This advanced technology from the Cecil Empire created an unimaginably comfortable "warm greenhouse" like spring during winter, where merchants from all over gathered in this huge market. They brought richly diverse goods through the northern railway system and the continental shipping route, unimaginable to the former gray elf traders, and these goods became considerable wealth here daily.

"I never imagined there would be such a situation in the world," said Commander Morelina, with a raspy yet comforting magnetism in her voice, her face combining feline and human features, covered with an expression of immense surprise. "Outside, the snowstorm continues unabated, and the whole of Moss Woods, even the entire northern region, is covered with snow and ice. Yet, the number of merchants in the market and travelers boasting in the taverns has only decreased by twenty percent compared to usual, and that’s after some roads had to be closed due to the severe weather conditions."

"In the far-off Cecil, the situation there is even more astonishing," Venna Baizhi remarked casually. "It’s said that their scholars are even considering the restoration of a technology called ’Ecological Dome’ from Talronde. They want to enclose an entire region with a massive magic shield, and then create an artificial weather system within the shield..."

"Wow, that sounds truly incredible," Morelina exclaimed, swishing her furry tail in surprise. "Is this something Ms. Melita described in her letters to you?"

"...To tell the truth, I really don’t feel like recalling those ’letters from home,’ but she did mention this in her letter," Venna Baizhi sighed. "Ever since she went to study in Cecil, I’ve almost memorized all the alleys and street lamps of that human city."

These were private matters within the home of the Grey Elf Clan Leader, and as an ’external guard,’ Morelina certainly had no comment on this. She only calculated the days in her mind and thoughtfully remarked, "Ms. Melita should be nearing the completion of her studies, right?"

"No, there’s still a year. She’s successfully passed the certification for advanced rune logic and will be heading to the Empire’s Rune Research Center for an internship," Venna replied. "If everything goes smoothly, she will return to Wind Song City a year later as an advanced runologist—Melita will become the highest-level expert in rune logic within the entire tribal country of Augari, and our own rune research will have hope."

"...I don’t really understand such professional things, but it sounds like a good thing," Morelina said, carrying her beloved Chopping Axe while imagining what runologists usually do. Her tail swayed back and forth absentmindedly. "By the way, I heard that Wickcliff and Camilla, the two leaders, are dispatching troops east of the Holy Mountain. Did you know about this?"

"Of course, we’re consolidating those ancient defenses towards the Gondor wasteland. Humans and beastmen are the main forces of the tribal country’s army, and they have always been the vanguard in military actions for centuries—Grey elves are not skilled in combat, but Wind Song City will soon dispatch our own magic-conducting troops. Fairies and elves are also preparing, although their golems and secret stalkers have not been deployed on a large scale for centuries; their iron fists and blades should still be strong and sharp."

"Those ancient defenses..." Morelina instinctively looked at her own palm, which was covered in fur, slowly clenching it into a fist, then opening it again to extend sharp claws. "Typhon, silver, and Cecil are all increasing troops to the wasteland defenses. I’ve heard that those mountain units trained by the elves of the Highmountain Kingdom also have formidable combat power. Yet, we’ve enjoyed peace in the mountains for hundreds of years, and the most dangerous battles our soldiers have encountered were merely clearing out magical creatures coming out from some ancient nests. Can those ancient defenses towards the wasteland truly withstand those legendary aberrations now?"

"The main force advancing into the wasteland is the three great empires, while other borderline countries only face small groups of monsters coming out during this process—although Wickcliff and the others seem a bit worried about this, the situation shouldn’t be too bad," Venna said leisurely. "The elves’ great walls still stand there, and those aberrations can only wander out in small numbers after all."

"Let’s hope so," Morelina said softly, gazing at the bustling market before her, observing the wholesalers and the various insignias, banners fluttering in the market, her magnetically hoarse voice very low. "We’ve just welcomed this scene of prosperity..."

"No one wants this prosperity to end prematurely, nor does anyone wish to fight monsters from the wasteland, but this world doesn’t operate according to our will," Venna Baizhi said softly. "A thriving commerce and stable market are built upon strong security guarantees. Only by surviving do we have the right to discuss economic prosperity..."

Morelina listened thoughtfully to the words of the short yet wise Grey Elf Leader beside her, and just then, a tall, dark-haired human suddenly appeared in her line of sight, walking toward them.

"Mr. Schwarzk," Venna also saw the figure walking towards them. She recognized it as her human advisor and smiled slightly. "Has something happened?"

"Ms. Melita’s letter has arrived, my lady," Advisor Schwarzk said, bowing slightly. "It’s already placed on your desk."

Venna’s smile suddenly stiffened.

Moments later, she tilted her head to the side, looking helplessly at Morelina and said, "You know, Morelina, based on the speed of communication and Melita’s efficiency in writing letters, when a letter is on my desk, it means she’s already running off to mail another package, so now I’m feeling double the pressure..."

"But factually, you only need to read one letter now." Morelina seriously corrected.

"Yes, one ’letter,’" Venna said, nearly grinding her molars as she raised her head to look at her advisor. "Mr. Schwarzk, do you think there’s any magic in the world that could instantly ’scan’ a large volume of text into an array and then instantly extract a few useful sentences and stuff them into my brain?"

"...My lady, please be realistic. Even magic for reading has its limits."

"Alright, I thought there wasn’t..."

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