XXIV

*** ***

Reece Seffel follows the once-bustling Central Avenue to the south, flanked by the ruins of the previous night.

The raging fires wiped out half of the houses on the map, leaving only the brick houses and shops blackened by the smoke. Among the ruins, you can see many citizens, merchants, and artisans who have returned from the shelters, rummaging in vain through the ruins of what were once their houses, trying to salvage for something that can still be used. Still, there are many ruins where no one lingers, because their owners will never return.

After passing the ring fort, her pace gradually slowed. This is not war, but it has caused countless tragedies — perhaps not innumerable, but at least thousands. People endure the grief of losing their possessions, the grief of losing their loved ones, the grief of losing their health, and even losing their lives until there is no grief left...... In the following era of war, the people of this era will have to endure several, nay, dozens of times the grief. Almost all the troops assembled to defend the republics were lying in pools of blood or regrouped in prisoner-of-war camps. Lenny, an almost undefended city, was one of the last two free armies in its vicinity, each defending its own beliefs.

History is indeed uncontrollable, and as long as a small factor changes, it will not return to the original track. Despite their efforts, the people of this city have paid a heavy price. Even if there were fewer casualties, how could this almost defenseless city withstand the elite of the empire like tigers and wolves? The silence around them seemed to mock them, telling them that you should not have existed in this era, and that you should not have interfered with this inherent destiny.

Rose walked slowly forward, trying to find something other than grief.

She saw that smoke had risen again from the chimneys of some houses. Plasterers, bricklayers, carpenters, and many more coolies from nearby villages came to rebuild the four or five streets. Clergy with Protestant concentric rings roaming the streets, healing people's bodies and souls, while mages use their various magics to perform semi-public rescue jobs in the hope of earning some tax allowances for the following year. Citizens in areas that were not damaged formed by enthusiastic volunteers to maintain order in the damaged areas and extinguish the sparks that have not yet been extinguished. Lenny police, who had suffered great sacrifices and had lost more than a quarter of their numbers, also took action, either on horseback or on foot, patrolling the streets.

"People burn the filth of the old and the glory of the old age, and they want to build a new era, but they can't find the direction it should be. ”

Rhyss suddenly remembered a previous summary of the Age of Enlightenment. There are many times as full of endless disasters as the Age of Enlightenment, but there is no other era as hopeful as this one. Even after repeated disasters, people are still striving for reason and progress – just like those who have rebuilt order and homes from the ruins.

The farther she walked into the center of the city, the less silence filled with grief and the more vibrant voices there became. She heard an indescribable noise coming from Liberty Square in the middle of the city, and the pace, which had slowed down, gradually quickened and quickened again until it became running.

She saw Freedom Square, the Freedom Square that had been shrouded in the flames of war and the smoke of gunfire—the Freedom Square that had been filled with young people full of blood!

She saw huge banners of "Recruitment" hanging on the pedestal at the foot of the "Sculpture of the Two Great Men", and young people crowded nearby, constantly filling out forms, collecting equipment, and joining the army. Two statues face each other at opposite ends of the square: the first president who founded the republic, and Marshal Conti Fox, who captured Fort Stillburg in the Fourth Freedom War.

"Do you hear the call of the Motherland? Citizens, arm up!"

A march that had not yet been made quietly sounded in the heart of Ress beside her, louder and louder, louder and louder. What if there were no more troops to guard it, what if the parliament was politically corrupt, what if only half of the people had the right to vote?

"How could the city have fallen if there were such enthusiastic citizens?"

She unfolded the "coup map" that had become history: most of the red flames on it did not happen as "history". There is no destiny in this world, and it never acknowledges fate. Fate is only the delusion of the maidens, the excuse of the incompetent, the excuse of the pessimistic, he is determined only by the character, ability and will of the people.

History has really changed completely, but the reality of the Age of Enlightenment has not. It is still a time when despair and hope coexist, and darkness and light dance together. In the illusory "March of Freedom" song, Reese once again felt the existence of "responsibility" - if history has been irretrievably changed, why not simply write a new history?

"If I had one more reason...... I made up my mind. She shook her head violently and continued on her way.

*** ***

The St. Grace Welfare Home still stands in the corner of the East 3rd District, but there are more lead particles embedded in the building and scars from the explosion of the fire.

Rose walked over to the door and checked the tracking magic again: Danika was indeed here. She gently pushed open the door, which was only a third of the way down, and walked into the courtyard, only to bump into someone. As soon as she saw the man's face, she exclaimed, and the man hurried forward, covered her mouth, and pulled her out the door.

It was a living "Anne Seffir"—that is, herself!, and she dragged the real Rose all the way down the dark alley until she was sure that no one would follow.

"I'm sorry to pretend to be you with magic!" the "Annie" immediately bowed and apologized, and lifted the magic on her body, restoring her original appearance. "It's me, Danica!"

"Danica?!Why do you have to pretend to be me when you're back?" Although she heard this expected answer, the doubts in Ress did not lessen a little.

"This ...... Hmm......" Danica was speechless for a while, and after thinking about it for a long time, she made up her mind: "Actually, I am using your identity to send a farewell letter. I'm going to get out of here, I'm afraid...... It will be a long time. ”

"Leave?

"Because I can't face Clad anymore...... Uh, my ...... 'father'. I didn't know what expression to use to face the man who was determined to sacrifice me, I really didn't know. The expression on Denika's face was slightly confused, but her eyes revealed a faint determination and stubbornness. "For him and for me, I'm dead as 'Danika López'. ”

Rose looked into the eyes of the girl in front of her and swallowed the words that she had intended to persuade back into her stomach. She knew it wouldn't work.

"So, where are you going?"

"I stumbled upon a team that lacked mages, and they said they could let me join. Danika smiled, "Don't worry about me, anyway, I'm a mage with that cursed 'blood of genius'." ”

"I think I should say...... Have a nice trip, Danika López, my friend. Rose grabbed her hair with her left hand and held out her right hand.

Danica smiled bitterly and stretched out her hand, the maidens' palms clasped together.

"I'm no longer Dalnica López, I'll call me Dalnica Velen from now on. She corrected.

The moment she heard the name, a vague impression flashed through Ress's mind. The name reminded her of a place that would become a household name and known to everyone for generations to come...... It must have been just a coincidence. She shook her head, banishing the useless association from her mind and asking another question that bothered her.

"By the way, when did you learn such a powerful magic as the 'Perfect Transfiguration Technique'? I really thought I had met another me, and you even learned my details, small movements, and intonation vividly. ”

"Perfect Disguise" is classified into six arcane arts, and is designed to disguise "real beings". There are many spells that can alter one's appearance and body, but most of them can only hide one's own appearance or gain the abilities of other bodies, but transfiguration can literally allow the caster to pretend to be another person, leaving little to no flaws. Even at the end of the 19th century, this magic was tightly controlled because it caused too much chaos.

Hearing Ress's question, Danika was stunned, "Is there already this magic?" I thought I invented it...... Sure enough, it's not so easy to invent magic. ”

"You mean......" Rose was taken aback, "you invented it?!"

"yes, I thought of it the other day. The spellbooks only mention the 'mirror' magic used to confuse the enemy, and the 'transformation' magic used to change one's own form, so I wondered if I could combine these two spells to make a magic that could disguise itself as someone else's. The merger of the two spells had a lot of difficulties, but I managed to make it happen in the end...... I thought this idea was very genius, but I didn't expect the ancients to think of it a long time ago. Danika looked a little frustrated, "I've been researching it for half a year!"

"It's okay...... It's also remarkable to be able to create a magic that someone has created before. Rhyss coped, racing her memories.

"What year was the completion of the Perfect Transfiguration? It seems to be the middle of the Age of Enlightenment. 1660s?1670s?or, with a high probability, this is the first use of the magic......"

She suddenly reacted: Danica's words were not boasting. With this magic, there really aren't many people in this world who have the ability to hurt her, and she can blend in with any group of people at any time without being seen through - there is no countermeasure or counter-magic for a newly invented magic. What kind of genius is in front of her!

When Rose awakened her memories of the "future", Danika let go of her hand: "Alright, I have to go, my companions are still waiting for me." I'm going to make a trip to the corpse today, and Soleton hasn't come back yet, so I'm a little worried. ”

Rose pouted disdainfully, "That guy? he should be recuperating or sleeping in a church somewhere? I met him yesterday at the Cathedral of Fortilla. ”

"How is that possible?" said Danica, "he brought me the nun's wedding ring last night!"

Rose was stunned for a moment, and immediately remembered the error-free teleportation technique and the brave second lieutenant from last night.

"Is there an error-free teleportation on that ring?" she asked.

"Yes," replied Denica, "if it hadn't been for it, I would have died last night." But I don't remember at all how Soleton gave it to me......"

It dawned on Rose that the ensign she had seen last night was the humble young Soleton. It turns out that he is not exactly a money-hungry and lustful coward...... If you can take risks for the girl you like, you should be a good man, right?

She smiled and decided on the beauty of adulthood: "I suggest you go to the prisoner of war camp and look for it, he is probably crying and looking for someone to bail him out." Last night I saw that the encircled unit finally surrendered. ”

"Really? thank you!" Danica bowed and ran away like a gust of wind.

Reese looked at her friend's back and waved goodbye, then turned and walked in the direction of home. The faint morning mist had lifted, and the bright sun hit me, dispelling some of the chill. It's good to see a lover finally married—she thought from the afterlife.

"Don't be like some bastard who disappoints a girl's affection!" she shook her fist at the sky, determined. A world with so many good things...... Why not protect it?

*** ***

At the same time, Soleton, who had been forgotten by everyone, was wearing the second lieutenant uniform of the Free Army, crouching in a narrow corner, staring at the nothingness in front of him. Looking to the left, the left side is full of dejected rebel officers and soldiers. Looking to the right, there are also dejected rebel officers and soldiers on the right. The air was filled with an atmosphere of despair like ashes.

How did it come to be? The boy hugged his head and felt intensely helpless.

"Second Lieutenant Namen!

A clear female voice called out his makeshift pseudonym, and he felt even more helpless. Oh my God, oh my God! How do you make these people understand that he's not a Second Lieutenant in the Free Army at all, and that he's not supposed to be here at all?

"Spare me, release me! I have nothing to do with all this!"

He wanted to shout like that, but he didn't have the guts. He had never missed his daily peaceful life and his little happiness as much as he did now.

"Ensign Naimon Soleton, what are you doing here, didn't you hear the assembly order?"

A beautiful female officer in a captain's uniform suddenly appeared in front of him, her face very impatient. Soleton swallowed and staggered to his feet.

"Your men have been assembled, why are you, the commander, still hiding here? I don't know why those soldiers love you from the bottom of their hearts...... Forget it, that's not something I'm supposed to judge. Come out quickly, the big guys are waiting for you!"

As soon as he stood up, he felt a little dizzy. He stumbled along the way after the female officer, and on the way, he saw the soldiers who had been controlled by magic last night. He felt a little relieved to see that they were still alive. At this moment, the female officer who was walking in front suddenly stopped, and Soleton did not pay attention, and the whole person hit her hard.

"Ahh Nephrite Wen Xiang slid into the crook of his arm, his face flushed, and he let go of her hand as soon as she was on her feet.

"Thank you. The female captain blushed slightly and lifted the curtain of the room for him, "Go in, the big man is waiting for you." ”

Soleton hesitated for a moment, took a deep breath, and walked into the room.

"Are you Second Lieutenant Naimon Soleton, commander of the remnants of Lenny's garrison?"

The teenager struggled to recall the military voice he had seen in the novel in the past: "Uh...... Positively, it is exactly below. ”

"You don't have to be so nervous, I'm not trying to hold you accountable for your failures, that's not your responsibility. On the contrary, I would like to recognize you for your outstanding character and competence as a commander. "The big man" said kindly in his majestic voice, "Maybe you don't know me yet, let me introduce myself." I'm your Supreme Commander—"

Soleton looked up at the gray-haired old man in front of him. On the shoulder of his military uniform, he carried a shining and unmistakable huge golden four-pointed star!

—Marshal Radetz Govar. From this day on, you will be a member of my General Staff Headquarters, commanding the reorganized Lenny Assault Company. Congratulations, ensign—no, lieutenant now. ”

"Thank you...... Soleton smiled bitterly and raised his hand in salute. Oh, my God...... How did this happen! He cried out in his heart to all the gods he knew, but there was no response.

The ship was still jolting and was about to reach Fortibourg.

On December 8, 1665, due to his outstanding performance in the "Disaster of Lenny", Second Lieutenant Namen Soleton entered the General Staff Headquarters of the Coup Army.

Thus, history continues to flow, but in a completely different way.

*** ***

"Why hasn't our young magician lady come back yet, and is it taking so long to go back and get a change of clothes?" the burly middle-aged priest stood at the door of the inn, anxiously waiting. Beside him, the luggage and horses that had been packed, all of which left long shadows in the light of the setting sun.

"Don't be in such a hurry...... Ah, you see, it's back. The young and skilled paladin said as he looked at a lonely, thin figure in the distance.

Danika walked up to them and swept it. These four are her new teammates, wandering adventurers.

Defender of Lesado, the serious young holy knight Shulan Diamatel.

Jete Neton, the priest of the god of war and a cheerful uncle who likes to tell bad jokes.

A young thief who specializes in traps and assassinations, the withdrawn and taciturn Pike Tap (Pick Tap).

The beautiful and noble Rev. Muska, Levo Namrok, was the only woman in the ranks.

"Are you back, Danika Vilen? uh...... Are you alright?" Seeing her low footsteps, the priestess hurried forward.

Danika hurriedly rubbed her eyes and hid her tears. The girl cheered up and smiled strongly at her new teammates: "I'm back, let's go." ”

*** ***

Rose also wandered around the city for a long time that day, and did not return home until the evening.

"Have you decided, sister?" her sister had been waiting at the door for a long time.

"I decided. If the change of history is inevitable, I can only join your plan. Seeing such a beautiful world being destroyed...... I can't do it. ”

"Let's work together. ”

They smiled at each other, their eyes met, and they both felt each other's determination.

"However, there are still people in this world who we call 'Namen Hugh Kirman', right?" After a long pause, Rose spoke again.

"If he hadn't died, he would have existed. Bonnie was stunned, "But that would be a completely different person." ”

"He will also have his own life, find his true love, build his own family, have his own dreams, career and hopes, right?"

"If he hadn't died in the next thirty years of war, he would. Bonnie was a little confused, "Do you still want to ......?"

"No, I've really given up. Rose looked at the faint twilight in the distance and stretched. "I just thought I'd meet him somewhere, maybe somewhere. ”

Reality often punctures dreams, but it also leaves hope.

*** ***

(End of Butterfly in the Storm: Twilight Again

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