The mechanical watch on the wall of the dining room pointed to the middle of the number "6", half an hour after the bell for dinner at the Imperial Military Academy. Many students went to the library or training hall for self-study after the meal, so there were more and more vacant seats in the cafeteria.

The loudspeakers placed in the four corners of the ceiling play Gounod's violin song "Ave Maria", which is elegant and melodious, making people feel like they are in a holy medieval cathedral, and even the meal is full of rituals.

In the middle of the dining room, the disc-shaped glass chandelier was as bright as a wash, and Max elegantly slipped the last toast, the thick cheese sauce crowded the flat cut, and he took a gentle bite, without a trace of breadcrumbs falling from the white napkin cloth on his chest. I don't know if it's a coincidence or whatever, this piece seems to have been specially prepared for Max, and in the gentle tune, he seems to be incarnated as an angel in the clouds, surrounded by light.

From the time Max entered the dining room to the present, Al and Snow have used the green tree as a cover, quietly observing Max's every move, just like two Stone Age barbarians are as curious as two Stone Age barbarians see the civilized people of the Electric Age, and the table is lined with soup-stained plates and scattered knives and forks left behind by the two of them after the storm.

"This guy is a herbivore, isn't he?" Al blinked, "I've been sitting for more than twenty minutes, and I've eaten a fruit and vegetable salad and two pieces of bread.

"Brother Al, I think the two blue-robed monks next to me are really powerful, they just stand dumbfounded without eating or drinking, are they really not hungry?" The corners of Snow's mouth were still stained with strawberry jam that had not been wiped clean, "Is it true that they have practiced 'dieting'?"

"Anyway, why don't you know that guy?Snow, didn't you come to the Imperial Military Academy two months ago?" Al flicked the fat leaves of the green plant to cover his face from being seen by Max, who didn't want to attract too much attention just now.

"It's true that I haven't met Senior Brother Max, but the sisters in the A department often mention him, and I hear them say that Senior Brother Max is very powerful. Snow also retracted his little head that poked out, his long eyelashes looked good in the warm light, and it was no wonder that this teenage guy was so likable.

"What's the best way to do it?" said Al, interested.

"I heard that Brother Max is the son of Warren Garcia," Snow patiently explained as he looked at Al's puzzled expression, "that is, the famous Minister of Commerce of the Empire, the head of the Garcia family. Brother Max seems to have some kind of special relationship with the Holy Church, and you can see that those two blue-robed monks are members of the Holy Church. ”

"It's pretty impressive. Al nodded as if he didn't understand, remembering how fierce the blonde boy who seemed to be eating quietly killed the ghouls, "That's not right? According to the academy's assessment system, he should be a second-year student in the martial arts department now, but why does he wear the badge of the A department?"

"Well, I don't know much about this?" Snow scratched his head, "Brother Al, why do you think Senior Brother Max should be from the B line?"

"I... I'm that... Don't ask about adults, children. Realizing that he might have slipped his mouth, Al hurriedly prevaricated.

"Cut, what? Obviously not a few years older than me, and still calling himself an adult. Snow's little face was puffed up, and it looked even more cute, like a doll for sale in the booth.

The two of them chatted word by word, but Al's brows were always gloomy with a faint sorrow, as if he had something on his mind.

The harsh winter in the north has not yet fully passed, and the regions on the border of the empire are still warm and cold. However, the city of Xinlan near the coast seems to have been forgotten by the bitter winter, leaving only the summer and autumn seasons, and it is only at night that the cool air from the blue sea to the interior can be perceived.

The sea breeze was passing through, and the night air was slightly cold, Snow stood on tiptoe and closed the window next to the dining table, but fortunately, the temperature control device in the dining room was always working, so the room was always kept at a suitable temperature.

A few minutes earlier, Max had left the dining room with two blue-robed friars, and the music on the speakers had stopped abruptly. Al indignantly said that he wanted to reason with the restaurant staff, why Max started playing music as soon as he came to the restaurant, and he stopped as soon as he left, but fortunately Snow stopped him in time to avoid a farce.

Now there were only a few people left in the restaurant, Al looked at the mechanical watch, the time had come to 6:15, and the staff was about to clean up the restaurant.

"Is Professor Russell still here?" said Al, a little anxious.

At this moment, an oval figure walked in at the entrance of the restaurant.

"What's the matter, you haven't seen me for a while, you miss me like that?" Professor Russell came up behind Al, holding a round beer belly a little cute.

"Professor, you're here, Brother Al and I are about to go to you," Snow hurriedly stood up and gave up a chair for Professor Russell, "Professor, if you want something to eat, I'll go to the front desk and give you some." ”

"No, little Snow. Professor Russell waved his hand, happiness rippling on his kind face, "I'll be a guest at that old fellow's house in the Armed Forces Department later." He, like me, has met a good new student in this year's enrollment, and he is happy to have found a treasure. I just sent someone to tell me that I have to go, it's hard to be gracious, haha. ”

Snow nodded obediently and sat quietly next to Professor Russell.

"Professor, I have something to tell you. Al looked at Professor Russell, who was sitting across from him, and struggled with something that had been lingering in his mind since he left Professor Russell's room.

"Hmm, what's that, you say, Al. Professor Russell and Snow looked at Al together, not knowing what he was trying to say, "As long as I can do it, I will do my best." ”

"Professor, I'd like to go back to the small town of Nack. Al hesitated for a moment and finally said what was on his mind, "Someone asked me to find a guy named 'Newlefort', but there is no such person in the academy. I asked Aunt Portis at the school hospital, and Aunt Portis said she didn't remember a teacher with that name at the college. Originally, I had a slight illusion that Aunt Portis might have misremembered, but today I didn't get the answer I wanted from you, and I was completely disappointed. I don't know why that person lied to me, I want to ask clearly, he never lied to me, there must be something wrong with him, it must be. The linen shorts were clutched tightly by Al's two hands, full of folds, and Al kept his head down, his face flushed, and Uncle Paul's bearded face became clear.

Al knew that Professor Russell was happy because of his arrival, and even though the old man might not have found out his ability sequence, he was so stubborn that Al would be his student.

Although you have only been together for half a day, some people are like this, as long as you stay by his side, your heart will be very steady, as if you have met a confidant, which makes people feel more cordial. Human emotions are sometimes so magical.

"Brother Al, don't be sad, or Snow will be unhappy. Noticing Al's nervous mood, Snow's face was full of distress.

"Al, I guess the man you're talking about must be important to you, right?" Professor Russell touched Snow's head and whispered to Al, his tone exactly as kind as the old man told his grandson stories.

Al nodded heavily.

"Come with me for a walk outside. Professor Russell stood up, "When the research project is at a bottleneck, I always go to the campus alone in the evening, although the wind is cold, but it can bring me back to my senses. ”

"You two go out for a walk with me, I'll be waiting for you under the street lamp in front of the restaurant. With that, Professor Al walked out of the dining room by himself with his hands behind his back, his back looking more than when he came.

Snow walked over to Al and pulled him with his little hand.

Al felt his face burn badly, like a potato fresh out of a steamer. He did not refuse, and together with Snow, he caught up with Professor Russell.

The western side of the D-Department teaching area is adjacent to the extinct volcano Arthur's Seat, and the high uplift of the mountain range winds half towards the land and the other half into the continental shelf of the shallow sea, acting as a natural barrier to the seasonal sea breeze blowing from the shallow sea behind the Imperial Military Academy.

The side peaks of Arthur's Seat are part of the Imperial Military Academy, and because of the prehistoric volcanic eruptions, the natural nutrients are abundant here, so the vegetation is particularly lush. The street lamps on both sides of the hillside path are reflected in the evergreen broad-leaved forest, and the light and shadow are intertwined, and the insects are chirping, and pedestrians walk through it as if they have come to a beautiful dreamland.

At this time, there are three figures walking quietly on the cobblestone path, one long and two short, changing sizes.

Coming out of the cafeteria, Al and Snow just followed Professor Russell, without saying a word, and the atmosphere was a little solemn. Except for the rustling of small animals in the woods, it is rare to see students of the college walking here.

It wasn't until he saw a fork in the road in the distance that Professor Russell finally broke the silence.

"Al, you're sixteen years old, aren't you?

"Ideal?" Al was a little confused, he didn't know why Professor Russell suddenly asked this, as if he really didn't have any ideals since he was a child, "'Ideals' are only the children of rich people, I was born in a slum, I never thought about such extravagant things as 'ideals', if I really wanted to ask, I once thought about guarding that person for a lifetime." Al was a little weak-hearted, he didn't know that such an answer would not meet Professor Russell's requirements.

Actually, to be honest, who doesn't want to be a hero? What young child isn't full of enthusiasm? It's just that Al doesn't want to talk about it, it's better to hide that kind of fantastical idea in his heart, so as not to be ridiculed by others when he says it, and Al was ridiculed by his peers and teachers because of those unrealistic ideals when he was a child, and he knows that feeling best when he was a child.

"Do you know?Al, ideals are the fairest thing in the world, everyone can have them, no matter whether they are from high or low backgrounds," Professor Russell's pace slowed down, "It's just that everyone has a different degree of difficulty in realizing their ideals, it's easy for you to fight iron for a lifetime, but what I want to tell you is that the greater the ability, the greater the responsibility, I'm afraid that's why that person asked you to come to the Imperial Military Academy to train." ”

"You are a child with a sense of justice, I admire you, I admire you for having the courage to challenge the magnates of the Imperial Arena, even at the cost of your own life. I don't know if this valuable quality of yours was taught to you by the man you speak of, and if so, then I admire him just as much. Professor Russell's voice was sonorous and powerful, but then it was lowered, "If it were me, I would choose to run away and not interfere." Because I've seen so many ugly things, I'm scared and numb. I know that the rules of the world are made by the strong, and the weak are only forever dominated. ”

"But you are different, you have the ability to be strong. You are students of the Imperial Military Academy, the elite of the Empire, and you are also the Alien, so it is your duty to protect the country, to protect those good people, and to preserve their beautiful ideals. And this is God's love for you, and it is also the mission entrusted to you. Professor Russell came to a halt at the fork in the road, which was a circular platform with a railing overlooking the brightly lit Imperial Military Academy.

At the harbor of Truf, there are still ships returning from the sea sounding their whistles and docking at the pier, and the white waves are churning on the blue sea, and the shadows of the ships are floating.

"Without these soldiers who are willing to sleep their souls in the heart of the empire forever, how could the Josephic Empire be stable today. Professor Russell looked at Valhalla, which was almost close at the foot of the mountain, with a sad gaze.