The country of the east [Odelik] occupies the fertile land in the eastern part of the continent, and the royal capital [Slom] spans the Canglan River, with a length of 10,000 meters between the north and south walls, and is known as the most majestic city in the world.

In prosperous Slom, one can seek delicious food, beautiful women, and untold wealth...... However, the Slom are most proud of something else: magic.

The flame of human magical civilization was ignited more than a thousand years ago, and reached its peak with the rise of the Oderic dynasty, when the archmage who wrote the [Elemental Text] erected a tower in Slom to record his life's learning and founded the first academy.

If Slom is the heart of Audric, then [Kingdom Scholars] is the heart of Slom.

In the past thousand years, the magicians who came out of the academy have left a great name on the mainland: during the Northern Expedition, the Grand Magus once set fire to a castle, and the fire burned for three days and three nights; During the tsunami, five magisters joined forces to freeze thousands of meters of sea, and after that, the mermaids of the East China Sea never dared to approach the coastline of the kingdom again; During the rebellion in the plains, a group of more than 20 magic guides summoned thunder, and a lightning storm swept across the land, destroying nearly 10,000 rebel legions......

Every Audric nobleman was proud to enter the Kingdom Scholars Mansion in their youth, even if they didn't need to cast a spell once in their lifetime...... And for civilians, even if they only learn a spell, they can go to the countryside to find a decent job.

Archer Blaze is known as the Academy's most gifted flame mage of the decades, and has been given many nicknames, such as "The Duchess" for her father, Archduke Gustav, and "Fire Brier" for her magical prowess and beauty.

Archer is like an eagle in the sky, attracting attention, while those magical apprentices with ordinary talents and humble backgrounds are like ants, weak, numb and insignificant, but there are always some outliers among thousands of ants.

The story also starts with a young man who is destitute -

It was late autumn, and it had been nine years since the destruction of the jade silk.

Somewhere in the North Baker Street of Slom, old Cooper put on his most modest clothes, polished his cowhide shoes, and carried an old cane, and was about to go out to the theater.

"Don't you really want to hear it? Miss Bertha's new play is hard to come by! Cooper Sr. put on his hat with patched marks and looked at his daughter, Aina, before leaving.

"I don't want to go, Dad."

Aina Cooper was a shy girl with long pale blonde hair, sparse freckles on her face, and green eyes as gentle as a deer.

Old Cooper shook his head, and as soon as he stepped out of the house with his front feet, he suddenly remembered something, turned back to his daughter, and said, "Don't forget to keep an eye on Levi's guy, remember to charge him a monthly rent!" ”

"Got it, Dad." Aina replied meekly.

Not long after Cooper Sr. left, Aina turned and walked up the narrow staircase.

She has lived in this three-story building with her father for as long as she can remember, and when her mother died young, her father rented out the extra room to outsiders. The first floor was too damp for anyone to live in, and the second floor was their own room, and now only one young tenant studying magic at the Academy's Mansion lived on the top floor.

In Aina's impression, Mr. Levi, who lives on the third floor, is a "contradictory" person: although he likes to read, he doesn't seem to be able to afford books; Although he can only afford to eat coarse and hard bread, he is very picky about the jam that accompanies his mouth; Although he loves to drink, he has no interest in cheap wheat wine......

The most puzzling thing about this is that Levi is a maestro who does not know magic (the Oderick people's collective name for the magicians of the kingdom's academy).

The commoners of the royal capital have a very superficial understanding of magic, and the most familiar spell is the simple and practical [Illumination Technique], and a random magic apprentice in the Kingdom Bachelor's Mansion can cast ten or eight, but Levi's, who has been in the Bachelor's Mansion for four years, can't do it, he can't even rub out a point of light, which is a fact that the neighbors all know.

But Aina never despised Levi because of this, partly because of her inner intuition, and on the other hand, she genuinely admired Levi's insight.

Aina went to the third floor and knocked softly on the wooden door of the room.

After about two or three breaths, a gentle and calm voice came from behind the door: "Please come in." ”

Aina pushed the door open, and the room was a familiar sight: a few books spread out on the wooden bed, and some thick and heavy books piled at the foot of the bed; The large dark wood desk was crowded with parchment paper and large and small glass bottles, and an old oil lamp rested in the corner; A yellowed curtain hung in front of the arched window, and a faint light filtered in through the window...... I don't know why, Aina just felt that although the furnishings in this room were messy, they exuded a wonderful synergy.

Levi David, the young tenant, was leaning back in an easy chair in the corner of the room, holding a quill in his left hand, and the parchment roll on his lap had been dragged to the floor, with dense writing on the paper.

"Good afternoon." Levi seemed to take a nap for a while, looking a little lazy. Compared to the inhabitants of Slom, the Outlander's skin is yellowish, and his hair and eyes are less than black, and he seems to be of some Charmelian descent.

Aina expertly stepped over the clutter on the floor to the desk and said, "Old man Smith, hmm...... It was the carpenter on the next street, who had taken a job from an old man who had an order to carve something called a 'griffon' on a picture frame, and he couldn't understand it, so he came to me and asked me. ”

Levi smiled, rolled the parchment from the ground, and said, "It's a creature with the head of an eagle and a lion body, with ancient blood...... You tell him to look for it on the relief on the western wall, and the monster that the hero Arno is riding is. ”

Aina nodded, not doubting Levi's answer in the slightest, she stared at the parchment scroll in Levi's hand and asked, "Is this the account book commissioned by Mr. Terr?" ”

Levi shook his head and pointed behind Aina, "I'll do the math for you, press under the lampholder." ”

Aina removed the oil lamp and found a piece of paper with numbers and footnotes written on it in the corner of the table.

"The accounts that have been accumulated for three years are only worth six copper plates, alas." Levi sighed, "Tel is too picky, my three are included in this month's rent, and the rest will have to wait a few days, I don't have enough for the time being." ”

Aina smiled gently, folded the paper and put it in the pocket of her apron, she hesitated for a moment, and said, "There's a new play going on at the Wiggins Theater, Miss Bertha is the female number one, would you be interested in going and seeing it together?" ”

"What's going on?"

"It's called 'Dedicated to Cleopatra,' and I heard others say it's about the love story of a queen and Saladin."

Levi tucked the paper roll into his sleeve, got up from his easy chair, and said as he walked to the hanger by the door, "She's the queen of the Shadow Country, a tragedy, I won't watch it." ”

Aina watched with some disappointment as Levi put on a black robe that looked old, whitish from too many washes, with inconspicuous patches on the cuffs and hem.

"Then I'm not going to look at it." Aina whispered, "You know what the story is about, anyway. ”

"I'm going to go on a trip."

Levi opened the door and glanced back at Aina, who walked out of the room in understanding, and Levi then came out and closed the door.

"If you're interested in ancient history, I'll have time to tell you the story of Terella Cleopatra." Levi smiled at Aina and turned to walk downstairs, "I probably know more than the story in the theater." ”

Looking at Levi's back, Aina repeated the name in a low voice, leaning against the railing and stunned.

"Terella Cleopatra......"

Stepping out of the three-story building, Levi walked out down the narrow alley, the same narrow sky above him.

This is mostly the case in the residential areas north of Slom, where the houses are so close to each other that they are pressed together as if by magic.

Walking out of the residential area, there is a slightly wider street, and the shopkeepers on both sides of the road have put their goods out. Levi walked among the vendors, smelling the smell of toast and tropical fruits, and he put his hand in his coat pocket and quickened his pace to leave.

Finally came to Main Street, and before he could go far, a small carriage stopped beside Levi. Levi saw the white-on-black heart logo on the carriage door, raised his eyebrows, and took a step back, just to avoid the open door.

A young man with blond hair poked his head out with a smile on his face, "Where are you going, Levi?" ”

"Go to the shop where you work." Levi touched his nose and replied.

"You're going to walk over there? Get in the car, I'll see you off. The young man said, a little frivolous, but not excessive.

Levi was silent for a second, grabbed the handrail by the door and stepped into the carriage, then closed the door with his hand.

"Is there a hurry, Alva?" Levi straightened his robe and asked calmly.

The young man known as Alva carefully stroked his blonde hair in front of his forehead, leaned back in his seat leisurely, and said, "There is still half a month before the winter solstice." ”

Levi said, "Look at the way you look, it seems to be well prepared?" ”

Alva shook his head: "Snake lightning, I don't know anything. ”

Levi asked, "Is there a control distance of five meters?" ”

Alva calmly held out a finger: "More than a meter, the smoke is gone." ”

Levi asked, "Can lightning gather into a serpentine shape?" ”

Alva said confidently, "Yes, it's about the size of an earthworm." ”

Levi rubbed his brows, took a deep breath, and said, "What about the spell?" You can't always finish a mantra, do you? ”

"I've memorized it." Seeing Levi's expression, Alva said with some smuggling, "But there are a few words that may not be pronounced accurately......

"I see." Levi exhaled, looked into Alva's eyes and said, "Don't worry, on the winter solstice next year, you will definitely be able to pass the test, don't talk about snake lightning when the time comes, maybe even the whirlpool snake can be released." ”

Alva almost jumped up from his chair, his previous laid-back demeanor swept away...... If it weren't for Levi's timely retraction of his hands into his pockets, he was almost grabbed by Alva.

"I've mastered four spells, I just need to learn snake lightning to become a magician, wait another year? The Stewart family's honor is dusty, and I can't afford to waste so much time! ”

Levi spread his hands and said, "Do you have to be a magician?" Even if you're just an apprentice, you can learn a lot of spells, but it's just one badge missing. ”

"You don't understand." Alva anxiously reached out and grabbed the back of his head, but he retracted his hand again because of the neat blonde hair, "If I'm not mistaken, it's been four years since you entered the Academy, right?" ”

"That's right." "It's been almost five years," Levi said. ”

"After the winter solstice, I'm also in my third year!" Alva punched his knee and said, "You know what? Miss Blaze only entered the academy last winter, and I heard that she will also be attending the Winter Solstice celebration in half a month! ”

Levi thought for a moment and said, "Archer Blaze? ”

"Who else but the Duchess?" Every tone in Alva's mouth descended in frustration.

"It's amazing that someone can become a magician in a year, but you don't have to compare it to her." Levi looked out the small window of the carriage, "Her talent doesn't get in the way of the glory of the Stewart family." ”

Alva stared at Levi without saying a word, and his eyes were a little resentful.

"Okay." After a few seconds of silence, Levi said, "You like her?" ”

Alva did not admit or deny it, he gritted his teeth and said, "You must help me." ”

"I can't do it."

"I know you can't do it, but the gentleman behind you can!"

"You've seen so much drama, I've never said anything big behind me."

"I'm not stupid, I can parse magic and simplify control...... That's at least something that a Magus can do, and you haven't opened the Demon Palace yet...... Forget it, you'll have to help me consult the mysterious Magister anyway. Alva speculated with certainty.

Levi was silent for a moment, tapping his fingers twice on his knee.

"So what are you going to do? Will passing the test at the Winter Solstice Festival and becoming a magician attract the attention of that genius lady? Don't forget, every year many apprentices are promoted to magicians on the winter solstice. Levi said, "Besides, I don't think you'll be able to learn the last spell in half a month." ”

"You teach me how to snake lightning first." Alva's eyes flickered, "At least ......"

His lips opened and closed again.

Levi didn't speak, but squinted his eyes at the scenery that kept passing by outside the window, and at the small square window, a maple leaf floated in and landed on his robe.

The carriage came to a halt, Levi's, with his back to the front of the carriage, fine, and Alva nearly fell out of his seat.

"What's wrong?" Alva yelled out of the carriage unhappily.

"Someone is blocking the way, young master." The groom's voice sounded abnormal.

"Who? Can't see the family crest of the Stewart family? When he said this, Alva was a little unconfident.

Levi silently picked up the maple leaves on the hem of his clothes, the yellow and clear leaves were very beautiful in color, and the veins of the leaves were full of golden lines.

This kind of maple leaf is rare in the whole royal capital, and in late autumn it is almost completely withered, and only a few forest areas to the northeast are left.

"Open the door."

A voice came from outside the carriage, not the groom's.

Alva subconsciously grabbed the saber beside him.

"You're a quasi-magician." Levi reminded him.

"It's more reassuring to hold the sword." Alva whispered, "This is the royal capital, there shouldn't be robbers, right?" ”

Levi glanced at him and reached for the deadbolt.

"What do you do?" Alva asked, suspicious.

"No door can stop the robbers." Levi pushed the door open.

As soon as the door opened, a figure rushed into the carriage, and a smell of blood poured in.

"Close the door and tell the coachman to leave." The man said.

Levi didn't talk nonsense, and as he closed the door, he instructed the groom to continue driving. When he had done all this, he had time to look at the guy sitting across from him: the man was leaning against the corner of the carriage, covered in blood, with a short knife in his hand against Alva's chest.

Poor Alva stared at the flickering blade, and before he could draw the sword in his hand.

"I'm Baron Stewart's son-in-law, robbing me won't end well!" Alva threatened.

The man ignored Alva and stared at Levi without saying a word.

Levi sat upright in his place, his hands in the light, and he felt that the man's gaze was like that of a feline in the forest, hidden and terrifying.

"Where are you going?" Levi asked.

"Go where you're supposed to be." The man replied.

Levi nodded, no longer looking at him, and turned his face out the window, as if it wasn't his business.

Alva's lips moved, but he quickly stopped trying as the dagger moved from his chest to his neck.

"Don't look for death, I heard you're a magician." The man said coldly, his voice revealing a weakness.

Alva's hands trembled slightly, and he managed to squeeze out a few words from between his teeth: "I'm not a magician, just an apprentice magician." ”

The strong smell of blood was a strange taste to the young nobleman, and at this time he had long lost the ability to think, and subconsciously set his eyes on Levi.

Levi just continued to look out the window and said, "It's five minutes before the maple grove comes out." ”

This is not for Alva.

The man was silent for a moment and said, "Thank you." ”

For a moment, there was silence in the carriage, and the three of them maintained the same posture, and the carriage drove along the forest path, and the maple leaves outside the carriage fell like rain.

This state of affairs did not last long, and the coachman pulled the reins, and the carriage slowly stopped in the middle of the road.

Encountering another situation of parking for no reason, Alva wanted to ask, but he remembered the blade hanging from his neck, and he resisted the urge to shut up. Levi asked generously, "What's going on?" ”

As he spoke, he closed the window.

The groom did not answer his question, but instead spoke in a hoarse man's voice: "No offense, we are the royal security regiment, we are chasing a murderer, please open the car door and speak." ”

The bloodied guy in the car stared at Levi and slammed the short knife into Alva's neck, a drop of blood spilling from the tip of the knife.

Levi spoke calmly, "Be respectful, this is Baron Stewart's carriage, and even the vigilante has no right to stop the baron from traveling." ”

There was silence outside the car for a while, and the hoarse voice came again: "I have no intention of stopping the Baron, but the escaped prisoner is vicious, please open the car door and let us take a look, and let us go after confirming the safety of the Baron." ”

Levi glanced at Alva and said no more.

Alva gritted his teeth, one hand clenched into a fist, the other still clutching the saber. Feeling the cold tip of the knife on his neck, he took a deep breath and imitated his father's voice and said, "I'm safe, you guys stand out at once, don't delay my business." ”

There was no response from outside the car, only a sudden sigh.

Levi's heart rose with a premonition of uneasiness, and he looked towards the car door, only to see a wisp of blood slowly flowing, already oozing out of the crack in the door.

Noticing Levi's anomaly, Alva followed his gaze towards the door.

"Your blood ......," Alva swallowed.

Almost as he spoke, the man outside the car spoke: "Kill the coachman, split the door." ”

The sound of a sharp blade coming out of its sheath in front of the carriage, followed by the sound of the three people in the carriage hearing something fall to the ground, and before they could respond, there was a loud dull sound at the door, and two knife tips passed through the wooden door, almost poking the man.

The knife was withdrawn, and soon it slashed again, this time half of the knife stabbed into the carriage, and the light penetrated through the narrow crack of the knife, which was somewhat dazzling.

"Give me the sword."

Alva felt the sword in his hand be withdrawn.

The bloodied guy gave up taking Alva hostage, and kicked the car door without waiting for someone outside to draw a knife. The already crumbling wooden door fell off the carriage, and there were two muffled grunts from behind the door, as if it had hit someone outside.

"Catch him!"

There was a sound of fighting outside the car, which sounded like a lot of movement, at least a dozen people.

Alva had already lost the ability to think, and Levi sat in the car without moving, and the two looked at each other, and before they could speak, they heard the sound of breaking through the air.

A short arrow was stuck in the carriage, and blood was dripping from the arrow, and blood was dripping down.

As if something terrible had happened, Alva's face turned pale, and he gripped the empty scabbard with all his might: "Can we go, Levi?" ”

From time to time, there were more sounds of breaking the air outside the carriage, and Levi didn't look outside, but reached under the short arrow. He caught a drop of blood with his fingertips, put it to the tip of his nose and sniffed it.

"The arrows are smeared with poison, and they're not from the vigilantes." Levi said, "Don't move, if they want us to go, why kill the groom?" Let's wait and see. ”

"Who the hell are they? And who is that person? Why can't we go? Alva's speech became very fast, and the aristocratic demeanor that usually hung on his lips had long since been thrown aside by him.

"You've got too many questions...... Levi frowned, "wait, what are you going to do?" ”

"Since you can't leave, I'll fight with them!"

Alva's expression tensed, his mouth silently chanting a spell, one of his palms slightly open, his fingertips moving in a mysterious rhythm......

"Stop, whatever you're going to do!" For the first time, Levi's face showed a nervous look, "You're just a magic apprentice, and those people have crossbows!" ”

Under the huge pressure, Alva could no longer hear Levi's words clearly, he only felt that the sound of the outside world was getting smaller and smaller, and the demon palace in his body was constantly outputting mana, and those mana overflowed from his fingertips, entangled into wisps of flashing lightning.

"Don't hit them with magic, you'll kill us!"

Levi warned him again, but the crackling sound of electricity had filled Alva's eardrums.

Countless threads of lightning converged into a finger-long silver electric snake, which continued to expand and contract between Alva's palms, and it seemed as if it would come out at any moment.

Looking at this scene, Levi's face was gloomy, and a syllable spat out between his lips and teeth.

The syllable was abrupt, but distinctly clear, and Alva's mana-infused consciousness was suddenly disturbed, like a thunderclap mixed in a symphony that was playing, cutting the original rhythm into two......

In the palm of his hand, the electric snake's belly suddenly bulged, and then exploded, and the filaments of electric light splashed out in all directions like raindrops.

The consequence of this runaway spell was that the two men in the carriage foamed at the mouth and lost consciousness in convulsions.

("Nevenmor's blocking power over magic is a resentment to mages.") —General History of the Continent • The Dark Dynasty)