The recent autumn rains seem to have been more frequent than usual. Each one takes away a little bit of summer, making the leaves of the sycamore and aspen turn a little yellow. The rain extinguished the noisy cicadas, but it was too late to wake up the weavers and crickets, making this early autumn seem to be much quieter.

In the middle of the Empire, the days in Glow City are still hot, and the breeze is cool in the morning and evening. A few orange and green poplar leaves are scattered in the soil, looking from afar, like a few open flowers.

Yuffie was standing on top of an aspen tree—less than half a foot above it, to be exact. The girl wore her long pink hair and wore clothes that made it easy to move—a tunic made of cotton, body-fitting trousers, half-fingered gloves, and long, soft boots that fit well. She had half a row of scrolls stuck in her belt, and in her hand she held a short staff about two feet long and engraved with silver-white runes.

Invisible magic enveloped her, and then extended into the distance, feeding back to her everything within a dozen meters. It is not as clear as vision, but it is strong enough to penetrate the barriers of the trees, and it is more acute than hearing and touch.

This is the second battle of the day.

The girl looked around, looked down again, and found no figure. The entire garden is square in shape, with a side length of about 200 meters, and is covered with deciduous trees. The large canopy obscures the view, making it extra easy to hide your figure. If she accidentally gets close to her 'opponent', I'm afraid she will be very passive next, she thought to herself.

As she thought, something flapped its wings and intruded into her perception. Yuffie tapped on her toes and instantly slid to one side for more than ten meters. At the same time, seven or eight crows swooped through the canopy and landed where she had just stopped.

They rattled a few times, flapped their wings again, and pounced on her from all directions.

There was nothing unusual in the arcane vision—but that didn't mean much. Yuffie raised her hand, and more than a dozen cyan dots of light flashed from her palm, dragging a narrow trail and shooting at every target in her line of sight.

The crows screamed and scattered, but the missiles followed, catching up with them in a single breath and shooting them down. The remaining two are surprisingly sensitive. They rolled over to avoid the missiles, one of them running straight for her, the other flapping its wings into the air and swooping down on her from overhead.

A row of silvery-white runes emerged from in front of her. The maiden's staff flicked, scattering three of them into a silver glow, then swiped from top to bottom.

The air instantly condensed into a milky white wall, accompanied by a deafening roar that swept through everything around her. Overhead, the crow was hit by the sonic boom and tumbled to the ground, its feathers scattered in all directions. The other swelled suddenly, its wings blackened and replaced with fine scales of pure gold—

The golden dragon craned its neck and whispered.

Time seemed to double in the blink of an eye, and as soon as Yuffie withdrew his arm, he heard a familiar hissing behind him, and a whistling of wings. Before she had time to chant the incantation, she quickly pressed her left hand on her chest, and the remaining silver-white runes flew out, forming a sturdy spherical shield. Then she turned, letting the griffin peck at the shield, her eyes flashing with a strange brilliance.

"Protect me, Grace." She whispered softly.

The magic forms invisible ripples that distort the griffon's perception and mind. The girl lifted the levitation technique in her mind, and let herself fall straight to the ground; Grace travels through where she was and pounces on its true owner.

She knew it would only bother Lynn for a moment. The spirit of the arcane law was in touch with her master, and her spell did not take effect for a few seconds. But to her horror, the griffon's claws plunged into the young dragon's chest, nearly tearing it in half—

The blood spilled made Yuffie hesitate for a moment. But she immediately realized that Lynn's melee skills were by no means inferior to Grace's. Before she could raise her staff again, the blonde girl appeared behind her out of thin air, shattering her shield with a punch, and then pressed her blade against the back of her neck.

It's another crow.

"You won." Yuffie blinked, turned around, and dispersed the half-constructed secret technique, "Is that an application of Transfiguration?" ”

"That's right. I want to call it 'Lynn's twin form'. It's a pity that the clone is a deteriorated version, and it can use a few small spells, but it's not resistant to fighting at all. The blonde girl said happily, "Honestly, I took advantage of it this time - if it was a real enemy, you wouldn't hesitate, would you?" ”

"Maybe so." Yuffie replied, "But this time it's your victory, there's no doubt about it." ”

"So it's 5-5 and we're tied again." The blonde girl puffed out her cheeks, "I'll have to come up with a better tactic next time." ”

The same goes for her, Yuffie thought to herself. The two's confrontation training lasted five days, and there were few restrictions on their means - even if she accidentally suffered some injuries, she could use Ada's power to heal them. Due to their similar strength, there will be new changes almost every time, which also makes the girl more proficient in combat.

Even so, if you meet Kulen again...... Or Hughes, who is still not sure of winning.

"That's good. It's only been less than half a year, and it seems that you have gained a lot again? ”

There was a crisp clapping and a familiar sound that made her and Lynn turn their faces away. Annaville was still lightly dressed, with a sword hanging from her waist, like a seasoned traveler. The wizard Kent stood on one side, dressed in plain clothes and cloaks, but there was more poise and confidence between his eyebrows.

Yufi's eyes lit up, and he smiled and waved hello to the two. Lin ran to the opposite side in two steps and grabbed her mother's arm.

"Why are you here?" The blonde girl asked in surprise, "I'm going to look for you in the City of Water." ”

"I heard that Alicia is back. Just as Kent's course was over, I brought him to meet him. The female swordsman looked at the wizard on the side and looked at the two of them with an appreciative smile, "But if you want me to say, you should improve a little more." Worthy of our daughter. ”

It may sound like boasting, but it's the truth, Yuffie thought to herself. The harvest of the two of them in the past year has almost caught up with the entire harvest of the previous four years of courses. There is danger or sadness in it, but more than that, there are precious and beautiful memories.

Overall, probably.

"Her Royal Highness Caroline just arrived in the morning, and Her Highness Clovis is meeting her in the hall, and my mother should be with us." She put her staff back at her waist and straightened her face, "Do you want to go to them now?" ”

"That's just right." Annaville nodded, her smile narrowed as well, "As the administrator of Winterfell, I would also like to know how the Empire intends to respond to the future situation. ”

This was what the girl expected. On weekdays, the operation of the Imperial Towns is mostly handled by the Civil Affairs Department and the Criminal Law Department; But de jure, the lord still has the supreme decision-making power of the territory. Annaville is Lynn's mother, Alicia's close friend, and Viscount Campbell. When the empire is on the brink of civil strife, she must consider the livelihood and safety of the hundreds of thousands of people in her territory.

And whether Madame will support Glow City and her father, or stay out of the matter for the time being, also indicates the response of the rest of the fiefdoms.

Hopefully, everything will unfold in a good direction, even though she knows it's hard. Yuffie walked ahead, ready to lead the way, only to see a white crow pierce the clouds, flutter its wings and land, and place a scroll in its paw into the palm of her hand.

She didn't have to look to know who the source was. The girl untied the tie, flattened the scroll, and read its contents.

"Long time no see, Annie. You're doing well, aren't you? I know.

I had the chef make lemon risotto, seafood offal and anchovy noodles. Just come to the restaurant, we're all there.

- Wind Chimes

The slender hand withdrew the scroll of paper, taking advantage of the moment when she was slightly distracted. Annaville walked past her, her long blonde hair swaying gently, and she walked towards the castle without looking back.

"Don't think too much, it's not that bad." Annaville's voice became brisk again—that's how her mother had the magic power, "Only when you're full can you have the strength to solve the problem, I'm not waiting for you, right?" ”

That's true. She took Lynn by the hand, followed in Madame's footsteps, and continued to lead the way.

A few people walked through the cobblestone garden path, and greeted the ravens resting on the branches of the trees and the gardeners cleaning the garden. In the past two days, rumors have spread in Glow City, many of which have claimed Rogman's death. Some point the finger at Clovis, while others dismiss it as nonsense.

But the city was still calm. The inhabitants of the empire, who had not experienced war for more than a hundred years, would not easily resort to action even if they had a premonition that a storm was coming. Maybe it's still too late, the girl thought.

The restaurant is located on the southeast floor of the castle. It was not a spacious hall for banqueting on weekdays, but about six or seven meters square, with round dining tables, candlesticks, and comfortable upholstered chairs, which seemed more suitable for gatherings of relatives and friends. On the table is a steaming basin filled with scorpion, prawns, clams, tomatoes, carrots, onions, saffron, and a variety of other herbs and toppings, with an alluring aroma of milky white and orange.

It is a dish from the southern part of the kingdom of Daohulun, cheap and common in the local area, full of the taste of the sea. The kingdom's seafood would be landed in the southern part of the Commonwealth and transported to the empire by trading convoys. The Lord of Light's magic keeps food fresh, which is not a luxury for the Imperial Royals - though it looks just as refined.

But it is full of the breath of life.

Her father, Clovis was clad in a robe and sat near the fireplace. Next to her was her mother, and another woman who could be seen to be quite tall even when she was sitting. She had the same red hair as Chloe, about ear-length length, and a pitch-black crown—only without the emblem of a two-headed griffon.

Dressed in light leather armor and breeches, her sheathed greatsword leaning against the table, she resembled a warrior more than a nobleman. Sensing Yufie's gaze, the woman looked up slightly with proud confidence in her eyes.

"His Highness Clovis. Her Royal Highness Maroline. Annaville stepped forward and greeted the two opposite with a knightly salute, "Come uninvited, thank you for your hospitality." She tilted her head slightly, seemingly pausing for a moment, "Thea." ”

Alicia looked up, her eyes tinged with nostalgia—a look that Yuffie rarely saw her mother look on.

"Little Annie." The woman said briskly, "Sit down first, have a bite to eat, and the two of you." She waved her finger and let the three seats slide out silently, staying in the right place, "It's been a smooth journey, right?" ”

Annaville scooped up half of the fish covered in thick soup, placed it on a silver plate in front of her, and delicately removed the bones. Yuffie and Lynn sat down as well and served some dishes for themselves. The maid put down three cups, poured autumn fruit wine, and then leaned down to leave.

"I see Ada's words circulating in the land of the Empire." The Baroness of Winterfell swallowed a piece of food and pursed her lips, her voice almost merciless, "The monks claim that Rogman should not have died easily, and the believers attribute their sins to the vested gainers. She looked up, met Clovis's gaze, and panned to the right, "Alicia, tell me, what is the truth?" ”

"Wizards have studied that the human body is made up of countless tiny "cell bodies". They are constantly repairing and breeding to keep their bodies alive. Alicia's words were unhurried, as if telling an ordinary story, "For ordinary people, the number of reproduction is not endless, and that is the cause of aging and death. ”

The pink woman shook her glass and took a sip of wine, as if with some regret, "As for Rogman, Edda's "blessing" caused his cell body to change rapidly, day and night, but he never raised the limit of the number of times. When everything can be maintained, he has inexhaustible energy and physical strength; However, when the limit comes, his body collapses. ”

"Different organs change at different rates, so he ages rapidly within a few days until he dies. Since his body's potential is completely depleted, even if I use Edda's divine magic, I can't save his life. Yuffie took over her mother's words, and suddenly remembered the scene when she and Lynn met each other a few months ago, "Theoretically, Rogman can sense death coming, and he has enough time to leave a will. I don't know why he didn't do that. ”

"Because for him, the world after death means nothing. Brother Rogman's long-cherished wish was to restore the empire to its former glory in person. Chloe's voice was a little low, "I'm afraid it's because of this unfulfilled wish that my brother turned to Edda's blessings. ”

"And then he lost his life." Maroline slammed her fist on the table, "If only I had found out about his problem sooner—"

"You may not be able to convince him, will you? At that time, he was afraid that he would not listen to anyone except Cullen...... The officials who opposed his war were all thrown into prison. Lin scooped a spoonful of soup into the bowl and took two sips, "Even if he comes to his senses, this kind of "curse" left by the gods...... Maybe Captain Collens and Sister Hylancia will have a way to cure ......."

The blonde girl's voice grew quieter and quieter, eventually biting her lip and saying no more. There was a moment of silence in the room. Yuffie is well aware that the past is irreversible, and it is useless to overthink it – but many times, when everything happens around you, it is not easy to do it.

The maid re-entered and served a large plate of golden risotto, as well as sliced roast beef. She took a bite, and the fresh lemon sauce wrapped around the slightly elastic rice grains, as if to brighten her mood.

"Eskar sent a letter yesterday that also mentions the Eda believers - so we can't wait any longer." Yuffie patted her cheek, put her chin on her hands, and looked at her father, "What are you going to do?" ”

Clovis closed his eyes and remained silent, as if he had made some kind of determination. Yuffie waited in silence as well. She didn't know what her father would decide, but either way, she had to accept it.

After about half a minute of silence, the current emperor spoke again.

"Tomorrow morning, I will announce Rogman's death, as well as the cause of death." He turned his face to look at the red-haired woman, who was the eldest sister, "I will announce at the same time that the throne will be transferred to Maroline, and I will always support her in power." ”

The answer is decent, and it is also a relatively easy choice. She saw Maroline pursed her lips and raised a playful smile, "Giving up the throne like this, don't you regret it, little brother?" ”

"You're a better fit than I am." Clovis replied, "It's up to you to sit in this position, so I can stay here in peace." ”

"Don't try to be lazy. I don't trust Cullen as much as Rogman, and I'll leave his place to you. ”

It's a pity that no one can make her entrust her with the mission. Yuffie took another sip of wine, feeling the sourness that belonged to autumn, "Regarding the cause of Rogman's death, which one are you going to use?" ”

"The kind you just told me." Chloe calmly replied, "We can't respond to lies with lies. People need the truth. ”

This is not the most acceptable statement - it is tantamount to declaring that he is against Edda and stating that Rogman Orel has made a big mistake. And even her instincts couldn't tell her which was the right answer.

"What about you, Mom." Lynn turned her head sideways and asked, "What is Winterfell's plan?" ”

"I will support Her Highness Marorin, and then prepare some supplies for the royal city." Annaville looked at the two members of the royal family, "There aren't many soldiers in Winterfell, I'll arrange defense, but I won't plan for war." ”

"It should be good to be your subjects." Clovis exhaled, "It's a pity I wasn't that lucky. ”

Dinner ended shortly after. Annaville continued to whisper to her mother, while Chloe went to the study with her eldest sister. Yuffie and Lynn walked all the way through the southern wall to their quarters in the West Tower. As the evening breeze blew in early autumn, the girl closed her eyes and took a deep breath, letting the coolness dispel the warmth of the fruit wine on her cheeks.

The West Tower was originally the residence of the guards. Most of the guards have now moved elsewhere, and they are filled with books on arcane methods and experimental equipment—some from the Eagle Academy, and more from the palace's collections. There's also an entire floor for creatures to test the effects of certain potions and mystical arts.

On the day after she and Lynn forced Cullen to retreat, Clovis used this as an excuse to grant the two the title of court wizard, so the current treatment is not out of line.

Yuffie picked up "Introduction to the Structure of the Mystic" from the table, flipped through the bookmark, and leaned back on the couch to continue reading. Lynn went downstairs to the lab for a while, then returned to her room and read "Notes on Raising Dragons".

"That's not true at all." The girl complained briskly, "Dragons are omnivorous and sensitive to sweetness. It's much better to give a little candy than just charred meat...... But they couldn't find the dragon anyway, so it made no difference. ”

Then the room fell silent, save for the gentle breathing of the two of them, and the occasional sound of pages turning over - although this was not the same as before, the familiar atmosphere reassured her and put the knowledge of the book in her mind.

In the dead of night, they fell asleep in the same bed. But Yuffie didn't sleep soundly. She dreamed that her father had taken her to a ball, and that she was alone in the carriage except for the coachman. In the venue, the princes and nobles gathered together, but no one cared about her arrival. She looked around and couldn't find anyone she knew.

"This is not where you should be." The man who couldn't see his face clearly said to her, "It's not your business to meddle in—"

She woke up from her dream and felt her heart beating faster than usual, and her forehead was sweaty. She opened her eyes and gazed at the dark ceiling of the castle, hearing her friend's voice breathe into her ears.

"What did you dream about?" Lin turned to her side, face to face with her, "It's a pity you didn't talk in your dreams." ”

She recounted the scene from the dream, from the beginning to the end, and then sighed softly.

"I'm scared." As a witch, she knew exactly what her dreams meant, "I was worried that everything was going bad in front of me, and that the end of what I had seen would actually become a reality." While the future can change, ......"

Her friend hugged her gently. "Saving the world, it's a hard thing to do, right?"

Yuffie nodded slightly.

"Actually, I'm the same." Lin whispered, "I haven't seen the illusion of Mirror Heart Lake, but I can imagine it...... In any case, we've seen what it looked like after it was destroyed. Truth be told, I'd rather find my way to the East now, and then let all the people I know take refuge there before the end comes—"

"But that won't work, right?" Yuffie picked up her friend's words, "It's my responsibility...... Maybe yours too. Although our current strength may not even be able to win against Cullen. ”

"Who made you her daughter?" The blonde girl murmured, "Who made me know you?" She closed her eyes, her pale golden eyelashes fluttering slightly, "Either way, there's nothing worse than death." Even if you really want to die...... It's okay to die with you? ”

For some reason, talking about death soothed her uneasiness. In fact, the two of them have known for a long time, but only by accepting possible failures can they have the courage to face it, Yuffie thought to himself.

"Speaking of which." Lynn suddenly asked, "Who is our enemy?" Eda? Or is it Marr? Or something else? ”

"The enemy of the gods is the gods." She replied intuitively, "Our enemies are humans...... Probably everyone we know, including ourselves. ”