The port of Bayeran is located in the bay southeast of the city, and the newly conquered southern provinces are loaded and unloaded daily with ships of wheat and cotton, minerals from the north and livestock and fish from the west, and then processed into fine goods in the markets and workshops of Bayeran.

Griffith had been here once before, and had seen mountains of cargo and passengers in the public port area, and the strange mixture of breath made him know where he had arrived without opening his eyes. But Holmonwood, the institution of higher learning in the occult world, has its own small private harbor, far away from the congestion of goods and the suffocating air.

Everyone says that all men are created equal, but some people are more equal.

On the neat and spacious embankment, the school has erected a beautiful vine pergola for guests to escape the heat. Plump fruits of blue and green hang from the vines within reach, brunch is already prepared on a long table in the shade, and donuts, roast spring chicken, and juice are ready to be enjoyed.

A number of boys from commoner and lower aristocratic backgrounds loaded their bulging luggage into small carts and ran down the red-carpeted road with a shout. Carefully dressed girls leaned against the railing, letting the sea breeze blow their long hair.

The freshmen from famous families are still under the control of the family at this moment. Their servants set up tables and chairs and served delicate refreshments. With impeccable expressions, the deacons of each family sent a visit to the nearby large families.

Griffith stood upright outside the gazebo of the Lamor house, watching the cadets and servants come and go, and from time to time he reached for a touch on his waist, only to find that there was no saber hanging there.

"Sir, do you need to check in your luggage?"

"Thank you, my luggage has been arranged. The midshipman replied politely, looking at the voice.

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of a small creature not much taller than a child standing beside him, looking at him with large, glittering eyes. The creature had brown skin, a pointed face and ears, large front teeth, and round eyes......

S！H！I！T！

Goblins! so close! I didn't even notice!

Griffith broke out in a cold sweat and pulled out the dagger hidden in his boot with lightning and jumped backwards at the same time. If it weren't for the small weapon, Griffith would have stuck the dagger into the goblin's head and twisted it twice.

"Sir, sir!" the dwarf creature was half frightened to death by the glittering dagger and fell to the ground, "I'm Brownie 1019, not a goblin." ”

Griffith panicked and realized that this little thing was indeed different from a goblin. Its skin is a pale brown color, smoother and more delicate, and its face also looks soft and round, which is completely different from the obscene and ferocious feeling that goblins give people.

"The Cadet Knight's luggage will be checked in with Miss Lamour's packing, so you don't have to worry about it," said Ashford, the butler, smiling as he walked over, nodding to Brownie, who was sitting on the ground, and then said to Griffith, "Put away your weapons before the others notice the commotion." ”

"Yes, noble sir, farewell, noble sir," Brownie hurriedly got up from the ground, took off his hat and bowed to Ashford and Griffith, and ran away as fast as he could.

"Haven't you seen Brownie? well, it's my bad," Ashford shrugged apologetically at Griffith, "I didn't expect your reaction to be that big." ”

"Rude, Mr. Ashford," said Griffith, recovering his dagger, to the butler of Lamor House, "I have encountered goblins in the East, and they look like them. ”

"I see~ I don't know much about demons, I only know that they are all magical creatures. It seems that you have another direction of study in Holmonwards," Ashford smiled slightly, and led Griffith to the long table in the gazebo, "Mr. Blanton, in five minutes, the safety of the young lady will be in your hands." ”

"Order received, Mr. Ashford," Griffith thumped his chest into a dull but faint crisp thump.

"Hmm, what's the sound?" Nolan, the son of the Lamor family, who had come to send his sister to school, put down the grapes in his hand and glanced up and down at the apprentice knight.

"Chainmail, Mr. Nolan, I wore a half-length of chainmail under my coat," Griffith replied, "and the school rules don't allow weapons and armor to be carried in everyday activities, so I'm wearing them in my clothes. ”

"According to the school rules, it doesn't work if you wear it in your clothes~" Sonya, who was lying on the handrail looking at the harbor, turned her head and looked at Knight Xi with a sweet smile, "I was found to have to deduct credits." ”

"If you are attacked by surprise on the march, you may not have time to put on your armor, and you will be tactically disadvantaged," Griffith replied earnestly, "and the voyage of the Homonwarts liner will need to cross the fjord, if ......"

"Hehe~ There's no if, Blanton," Nolan laughed too, "From here north to the territory of Holmonworth is under the strict surveillance of the Imperial fleet, and the monsters and pirates along the coast were wiped out many years ago. ”

"With all due respect, Mr. Blanton's prudence is commendable, Master Nolan. After all, this is a young lady's journey away from home, and safety is very important," Mr. Ashford, who was not too hot in the black dress, nodded slightly, and then said to Griffith with a smile on his face, "If anyone notices that Mr. Blanton's armor is not in good manners, they will also think that he has just returned from Cong Dongfang and is not yet suitable for life in the peaceful city, and understand." ”

At this time, a middle-aged man dressed as a mage clicked with his magic wand in the distance, and there was an immediate echo in the private port:

"Freshman at Holmonwards, please board, other guests please stay. ”

There was a commotion and exclamations on the shore, and a sailboat with beautiful and slender lines was like a willow leaf floating on the water, paddling smoothly and gracefully towards the shore. She was as fast as a phantom, but silent.

The Flying Leaf, a speedboat from Hommonwards, transports students safely and quickly from the harbor in Beyellan to the campus in the north. It is said that every sail of this beautiful three-masted fast sailing ship is magically protected, and it skims the sea like a cloud. The keel of the sailboat comes from the giant cedar trees of the northern jungle, and it is as smooth as a mirror on the rough strait.

In addition to the daily transportation of teachers and students of the college, the ship is also used to transport fresh ingredients and other supplies. She departed from the harbour of Bayerland near noon, and was able to reach the secluded fjord of Holmonworth before sunset, whether the sea breeze was suitable.

"Come aboard, ladies and gentlemen, and take your belongings with you. A kind and elegant middle-aged lady pushed her eyes on the bridge of her nose and greeted the new students gathered around.

Griffith had just stepped onto the deck and immediately felt a cool breeze. Although it is still summer, it does not feel hot at all, and it is as refreshing as autumn.

Fiona, who was also enrolled in school, also went to the deck accompanied by Lana, and she jumped up and down to hold Sonya's arm, and walked to the cabin with a smile and a smile. Rana apparently didn't want to disturb the girls, and waved at Griffith to find an open space on the deck and sit down.

Griffith also found a shady corner on the deck not far from the cabin, took out a book and read it. His location was close to Sonya's cabin, and if something happened, he could be there instantly.

"Griffith~"

The midshipman who had just sat down looked up and saw Galadia biting an apple and tilting her head at him, "Excited? You're about to become a member of the best magic school for mankind." I asked you before, and you said that you are not suitable for learning magic! I can't imagine that the body is so honest~tsk!"

"My major is military command," Griffith argued, "and Holmonworth has a good degree in this specialty, but it can't be compared to magic." ”

The elf girl laughed. Her bright eyes were as beautiful as jewels, and as distant and silent as a pool of tranquil autumn water. Griffith suddenly had an addictive hallucination that slowly sank to the bottom of the lake, and then his mind became active and vigilant as if it had been lit up, and a trace of resistance slowly grew.

When the two met before, they didn't have such an impression. Galadia's Eye is growing.

It's a fluctuation of inspiration, and Griffith is growing in the direction of the Sequence 8 Barrier Breaker, with a strong resistance to psychic spells and illusions, and an instinctive stress response.

"If you want me to say~" the elf girl said nonchalantly, "you should give up the unpromising profession of a spellbreaker as soon as possible, and strive to progress in the direction of a paladin or a witcher." ”

Most of the probationary knights who entered the junior non-commissioned officer school from an early age and were recruited by the army will become law breakers. The growth of this sequence path is very smooth, and by accumulating combat experience, you can steadily advance to the Sequence 7 Extraordinary.

This path does not require the special talent or deep family background of the caster, nor does it need to be favored by a god like a paladin, and its compatibility on the battlefield is far greater than that of a witcher of the same rank. Therefore, the kingdom has always guided the right young people to carry out systematic large-scale training and training.

However, this remarkable path has a fatal flaw - the lack of a promotion path above Sequence 7.

Griffith only heard vague rumors when he first embarked on the path of the Spellbreaker, and it wasn't until he entered the Lamor Mansion that he fully understood the flaws of this path.

The Spellbreaker is an ancient and extraordinary path, but in the long Second Age, the Extraordinaire who surpassed the Spellbreaker sequence has never been officially recorded, and the conditions and paths required for promotion seem to have been wiped out without a trace.

Sure enough, not only humans, but even elves believe that lawbreakers cannot be promoted...... Griffith was still holding on to a bit of luck, but now it was completely shattered. He nodded slightly in disappointment, his gaze on the busy strait outboard the ship.

Before Galadia finished speaking, she was about to say something more, when she suddenly looked at the trainee knight and nodded, and fell silent, not knowing how to continue the conversation for a while.

......

After departing from Bayeran, the Flying Leaf sailed north through the busy strait, into the Tranquil Sea, and continued along the edge of the coast. The swelling of the waves is almost not felt on a comfortable sailboat.

The provinces of Bayeran, the northern regions of Odessa, Sevasto, and the eastern continent wrap the vast sea in a clockwise manner. Over the past hundred years, the kingdom's navy has gradually cleared the vicinity of pirates and monsters, and the coastal routes have become very prosperous and safe.

In addition to Griffith and Lana, there were also apprentice knights such as Ophelia and Midianmayer, who were appointed and funded by the royal court. They are not subordinate to a lord and owe direct allegiance to the king of Bayeran.

However, this did not stop the enthusiasm of the Shultolars with each other. Long before they came here, they were already familiar with each other in the non-commissioned officer schools and on the battlefield in various places.

"This is the boundary between East and West," Sonia gently put down the black tea in her hand and looked out the porthole at the quiet shore wrapped in green and flowers, "Griffiths, would you like to have some afternoon tea too?"

"Thanks, Sonia, but I'm still exempt, I'll fall asleep on such a cozy afternoon for dessert," Griffith smiled and shook his head.

A small round table is covered with a white tablecloth, and three layers of silver trays slowly lay puddings, petit fours, macarons, ice cream, and sandwiches. Holmonworth provided exquisite food for the trip, and the cool-down lockers were filled with orange juice, rum and ice cubes.

"Look at the people," Fiona, who was sitting across from Sonya, poked at the bulging Lana, "you won't be able to eat any more dinner." ”

"Well, no, no," Lana wiped his mouth and stood up, flushing his mouth with a glass of orange juice.

"You seem to have a good relationship with Lana, did you know each other before?" asked Sonia curiously.

"Well, I've been in Charon every year since I was 7 years old," Fiona looked at the tall midshipman who got up and left her seat, "We've been good friends since we were kids. ”

The selection of Shitolar comes from the oracle of the goddess who rules fate and future, and the chosen ones are usually closely related to the lord and even have some kind of disturbance of fate. This is not to say that the two parties will develop into a romantic relationship, but that there are unspeakable bonds in a more unpredictable life.

Although the elves do not pick Shutoral, they do revere the prophecies of the goddess as well. The reason why Galadia appeared in the East and adventured was also to follow the guidance of the goddess.

"When I was nine years old, I was kidnapped by the bad guys," Fiona continued, "and imprisoned in a cold mausoleum near the manor. ”

Sonia and Galadia, who were chatting on the side, didn't expect the story to suddenly unfold like this, and they were stunned for a moment, looking at Fiona with wide eyes.

"The bad guys were going to tie me to the stone platform, and just as I was about to despair, Lana appeared.

"He was only 10 years old at the time, and he actually knocked down an adult man and dragged him to the door.

"The other bad guys chased after him, and Rana ran around the labyrinthine basement with them, and finally got rid of them and rescued me from the cold stone platform......

To the girl's amazement, Griffith followed Lana out of the comfortable and cool cabin.

"I don't think you have the skills to do that," Griffith said to his tall and mighty companions, "how did you get rid of the bad guys in the end?"

"We didn't get rid of them," Lana shrugged, "and there was a limit to the little boy's strength, and no matter how hard I tried to rack my brains, Fiona and I were caught in the end." ”

"That ......"

"In the end, it was Count Charlon's guards who saved us," said Lana, "and I just stalled for time. ”

"That's pretty remarkable, too," Griffith complimented heartily.

"It's not enough, it's not enough, Griffith," Lana said to the side of the ship, avoiding the relaxed laughter of the girls coming from the cabin, "I still don't know what those people are going to do to Fiona, where the floors and walls are painted with symbols I don't recognize, like some kind of ritual, some kind of sacrifice. Count Charon captured the cultists alive and interrogated them, but the cultists soon disappeared, leaving the truth of the incident in the Count's study. I would have strange dreams, vague and eerie, I suspected, probably because Fiona had a strong affinity for magic and was therefore watched by a hidden being. ”

Griffith couldn't help but look at the happy cabin, and then at Lana, "Not really. The recent generations of the Charon family are also well-known, and there are no strange rumors. ”

"I hope so," Lana smiled, "but yes, Griffith, you know what's going on in Holmonwards. ”

"How good can it be?" Griffith tapped on the side of the ship, "it's just an academy. ”

"Don't underestimate the mysterious powers," there seemed to be a slight fluctuation in Lana's calm voice, "you don't know what lies beneath the human skin. ”

......

As dusk approached, the scenery on both sides of the Flying Leaf began to change. The eastern coast fades away, leaving only the endless sea, and the vibrant scenery on the western shore slowly fades, and gray hues begin to dominate the vast canopy.

"Is it getting dark or am I dazzled?" said Griffith, looking in amazement at the change on the shore.

From the side of the ship, the sea and land seemed to be shrouded in a faint gray mist, and there was an indescribable oppressive and dull feeling.

"Neither," said Galadia, leaning against the side of the ship beside him, letting the evening breeze blow her long black hair, "this is the Whispering Forest, the dark-polluted hills between Bayeran and Holmonwood. ”

What forests? near the capital there is dark pollution!

"It's hard to imagine!" the elf girl gestured to the gray forest on the shore, "This forest cuts off land traffic from north to south, and the only way to get to Odessa in the north is by sea or from the interior of the west. The forest is full of sunlight, and the shadows are full of twisted mutated creatures, and just staying nearby can pollute the mind. ”

The first time Griffith heard that there was such a place, he couldn't help but feel a little unreal fear in his heart.

It is a core territory not far from the capital of the human kingdom, close to the shipping routes, and is dotted with prosperous towns and rich countryside, but it has not been able to purify the land for thousands of years.

"Can't you burn it all at once?" asked Griffith, puzzled.

"I've tried it a long time ago, and the fire in the forest will be extinguished immediately, as if it had been swallowed up by endless darkness," a hint of strangeness flashed across Galadia's delicate face, "It is said that the pollution of the forest will spread to the sea and breed unspeakable monsters. ”

At that moment, the afterglow of the setting sun suddenly disappeared into darkness, and the gray coast sank into endless darkness in the blink of an eye. The joy and brightness of the whole world seemed to have fled, leaving only the cautious sound of the waves.

Ahh

Seeing the nervous look of her companion, a wicked smile appeared on the corner of Galadia's mouth, and she quietly approached the apprentice knight's arm, poked the back of Griffith's neck with her slender fingers, and asked faintly:

"Are you afraid?"

Suddenly, a panicked cry rang out from the silent deck - "Wow!"

The shout appeared abruptly in the darkness, and for a moment the sailboat rowing off the eerie shore was enveloped in a mysterious atmosphere. Galadia jumped in fright and hurriedly leaned closer to Griffith's side.

A sailor on deck shouted, "Straight ahead, get out of the way!"