The fisherman who catches the sea sails from the deep sea to the interior from the far side of the sea with huge sails outstretched, like many fish swimming at the bottom of the sea back to a sheltered harbor. The setting sun hung over the endless sea, a touch of crimson lit up the sky with flowing clouds and fire, the sea breeze was slightly cool on the red sand reflected by the setting sun, and the cries of seagulls flickered far and near, hovering around the coastal pavilion that gradually lit up.

From the upper floors of the Imperial Military Academy, one of the largest ports in the Empire, the Truf Harbour can be seen, and the beach pavilion is already crowded with people preparing ingredients to entertain waves of incoming diners at night, dense porters and merchants and vendors gather around the tin fishing boats docked, and some of the crew members in white uniforms on the fishing boats have already sorted out the "sea goods" to be sold in advance before they even drop anchor. A large number of horse-drawn carriages continue to flock and fend the metropolis.

The smell of fireworks and brilliant lights gradually enveloped the city of Xinlan, and the silent steel forest during the day really showed its charming temperament and fiery waist under the veil when night approached.

In the deepest part of the Imperial Military Academy, at the end of the central avenue, on the edge of the open lawn, there is a medieval castle, and the iron-gray façade seems to dissipate its solemn aura in the warm afterglow, like a general sitting peacefully in his armor. The windows of the castle were also lit up faintly, and on the hanging window platform at the top, a young man leaned against the jagged stone guardrail, and the stars scattered in the sky peeked out from the cumulus clouds chasing the setting sun, looking at the young man's back from afar.

This was the first time Al had quietly surveyed the entire landscape of the historic Imperial Military Academy, which was like a large diamond inlaid in the coastal strip of the imperial capital of Xinlan. The walls of the Romanesque building rise majestically, and like necklaces, small cylindrical watchtowers encompass the college complex. Set against the backdrop of the towering extinct volcano Arthur's Seat and facing the vast blue sea, the campus is close to the most prosperous part of the imperial capital.

Inside the college, the teaching areas of departments A, B, and C are listed in the three corners of the diamond, and the place where Al is located is the teaching area of the D department, which is rarely visited on weekdays.

A few hours earlier, Snow had driven two snow-white elk through the academy's teaching area, and after passing through a few relatively less crowded parks, he finally stopped in front of the ancient castle.

After a brief exchange with Professor Russell, Al learned that the magnificent castle here is the office and teaching area of the Department D chartered by the college, and because of the particularity and importance of the "Department of Ability", it is specially arranged here, quiet and secluded, and the safety factor is very high.

After entering the castle, the interior is relatively simple, and instead of the terrifying vampire count living as the legend says, it is slightly warm due to the retro wallpaper. A circular brown cowhide sofa, the emblem of the Imperial Military Academy, and a large bookshelf full of ancient books are placed on the first floor of the castle.

Al paced up the spiral staircase, following Professor Russell and Snow to a room on the top floor.

Professor Russell made Al a cup of coffee, told him to wait a moment, and then got busy with Snow. Ignoring the two of them rummaging through the cabinets in the room behind them, the sunset view of the hanging window platform on the side attracted Al's attention.

Standing alone for a long time, the coffee in his hand was getting cold, and Al couldn't get used to drinking this bitter thing.

"Professor, what kind of school is the Imperial Military Academy, which has been able to stand in the heart of the Empire for so many years, and attract so many young people from other lands to make them flock to it?" Al noticed that above the bell tower in the distance, the thick bell ringing of the Academy's bell-ringers as the sun sank echoed through the campus.

Professor Russell and Snow were scrambling to find something in front of a row of bookshelves, and the floor and desk were littered with parchment scrolls and ancient kraft books, and every now and then books fell on the pine floor with a muffled sound. The two were apparently working too hard to realize that Al was talking to them.

"Professor Russell?" said Al, looking at the two of them busy, like two squirrels looking for nuts in a pine tree, "what the hell are you looking for? ”

"Brother El, wait a minute. Snow's lovely face was covered with a few dusts, and he lay on his desk like an adult, looking for something in the spread out of the book. "I'll know Brother Al's ability sequence right away, and I'm curious, hehe. Snow looked at Al with stars in his eyes, the warmth of a child's eyes.

Professor Russell stepped on a ladder to remove a few dusty ancient books from the upper level of the bookshelf, gently brushed away the messy cobwebs, and said to Al, "The sequence of abilities we are looking for is the earliest record and sequence of your arm's alienation abilities. Abilities can be anyone, but their abilities are always documented in the ability sequence. ”

"The academy has been around for hundreds of years, and the people in the Information Department have been scouring the world for records and refining the ability sequences. Professor Russell took the ancient book he had just found in his arms and slowly descended from the ladder, "For example, Snow's ability sequence is easy to find, and No. 77 'Psychic Thoughts' can control living beings with thoughts. Yours doesn't seem to be in the scope of the ability sequence, and I've searched through all the records I have access to, and I haven't found any description of the arm alienation ability. ”

"Maybe you're really mistaken. Al picked up a book on the ground, titled "On the Origin and Inheritance of the Anomalous", and flipped through it, "Maybe I'm not the Stranger you say I'm not the Stranger you say at all?"

"Do you think it's possible?" Professor Russell looked directly into Al's eyes, changing his usual drunken state, "Can ordinary people have the power of yours?"

"Could it be that Brother El's ability is a new sequence, the kind that the academy hasn't discovered before?" Snow asked.

"It's possible, but it's comparable to the chance of walking and hitting a telephone pole. Even if you add the rumored 'Divine Servant' ability, the ability sequence is only about 100, and the number of abilities is basically fixed. Professor Russell unscrewed the knob of a European lamp, and a warm yellow light immediately filled the room. "I'll look again, and if I still don't have a clue, I'll probably have to trouble the Vice Chancellor to open the room in the archives. ”

"Professor, do you want me to help find it, although I didn't finish elementary school, I still know the words. Al put the book back on the shelf, a little embarrassed on his face.

"No need for you, Al. Professor Russell pushed his glasses, "It's almost time for dinner, let Snow take you downstairs to the restaurant for a bite to eat, I'll be there soon after checking the information on hand." ”

"But...... Aunt Portis. ”

"You don't have to worry about the school hospital, I've already said hello to Portis and will send you back later. You're going to be a freshman in the D department right away, and I still have that right. ”

Snow closed a thick book and breathed a long sigh of relief, and could see that his slightly childish little face was a little tired, Snow brought the small boat hat on the desk back to his head, and said to Al, "Brother Al, let's go, I'll take you to the dining room to eat, and let the professor be here alone." ”

"Since I can't help, okay then. Al pursed his lips, he had nowhere to go in an unfamiliar environment, and it was better to follow the arrangement.

The moment Al followed Snow to push open the door, he suddenly remembered something, and his steps stopped.

"Professor Russell, I'd like to ask you about someone, someone from inside the Imperial Military Academy. Al said to Russell's back.

"Hmm, do you know anyone else at the Academy?" Professor Russell didn't look back, the pages turning and rustling.

"I'm looking for a teacher named Nulaifu, who also teaches at the academy, I wonder if Professor Russell has heard of it?"

"Newleford?" Russell looked back at Al, and he paused, as if in thought, "I've been working at the academy for thirty years, and I've never heard of such a person." ”

"Really?!" Al said with some anxiety in his tone, "Professor, are you mistaken?

Uncle Paul told him that this person taught at the Imperial Military Academy, and that he had been good friends for many years, and that he could provide Al with a place to live, and that the handwritten letter from Uncle Paul in Al's suitcase was also to be given to this person. However, Professor Russell said that he had never heard of this man, which Al did not expect.

"I can't be mistaken, I haven't heard of the name 'Newlefort', could it be a teacher who left the school before I took over? If you need to, I can help you go to the management department tomorrow and ask, they should have a record there. ”

"No, Professor. Al looked like a deflated ball, a little frustrated, "Thank you." ”

Although Al's heart was filled with a blank sense of loss, he couldn't help but be a little lucky, Uncle Paul never lied to himself, maybe this was just a little joke he played with himself, maybe Uncle Paul just wanted to travel to the imperial capital and deliberately lied to himself, and he may be drinking in a tavern in Xinlan Neighborhood now......

But...... Will it?

I'm afraid you can't even deceive yourself with such a ridiculous reason, right?

Where are you, Uncle Paul, and to whom should I give the letter you have entrusted me?

A huge sense of powerlessness and emptiness poured towards Al like a tide, and the dark night outside the window covered the land, and the lights and traffic of thousands of houses in the neighborhood were bustling.

Al felt like a raft adrift on the sea, with a fog lock on the island, with no way home.