‘...... Now you see, Soth, that Dea's family situation is not as good as you think, even bad, her father has a bad temper and doesn't like her as a daughter...... Only her mother was the best for her, but ......'

'As far as we know, Dia's father used to be a very good lord, but then somehow he gambled and drank too much every day, and we used to ask the reason casually, but Dia didn't say anything, she should have any concerns, or she didn't want to mention ......

'Do you know what Dya's home is?' Do you know the Djerbat area, there's a little town called Assi in the Djerbat, which is where she is, and we used to go to it when we were in the second grade...... I couldn't believe it at the time......

‘...... Since then, Dia has been reluctant to go home, preferring to stay with Van Dou for the next year's studies during the year-end holidays rather than go back...... Last year's vacation, she went with you to Professor Hold's village, right?'

‘...... Soth, if you can, I hope you can persuade her...... I have a feeling that if it were you, she would have listened to it more or less...... Giggles, don't get me wrong, I didn't say anything special, I just feel like you're special to Dia, giggles, maybe she likes you Oh, Senior Soss, giggles......

'Okay, no kidding...... It shouldn't be a liking, but a very special and complicated feeling...... Well, I can't say it, you can ask this when you have a chance in the future, by the way, don't say that I told you, otherwise she will be angry...... Giggles, that's good, goodbye then, say hello to a few of your companions for me, especially that flowery Alan, hee-hee......

Is that so...... Dia ...... Lying on his back on the sofa in the bedroom, Jiang Zhe sighed softly, there were many things that he didn't know at all before Lilith told him, and he didn't know anything at all.

I remember that when Di Ya told him that she wanted to become an imperial royal magician, Jiang Zhe was still a little unimpressed, but who would have thought that how many grievances and sadness were contained in this sentence?

That's not out of her own real goals...... That's not what she really expected at all...... Becoming a royal magician of the empire will give you the title of nobility, and you will have to get a high amount of gold as a subsidy for magical research, which will not only support her family, but also pay off part of her debts...... by the debt owed by his father, the nominal lord...... Dia ......, "Hey, buddy!" Just when Jiang Zhe was immersed in his memories, he was slapped on the shoulder, and he turned his head in shock, but he happened to see Alan looking at him inexplicably.

"What's the matter, man, I've called you two or three times, and the reaction isn't that big, is it?"

"Oh," Jiang Zhe yawned and said softly, "Are you ready?" Allen, you seem to be in the third game, right?"

"Ready, hey!" Ellen said with a strange smile as he straddled the couch and said viciously, "yes, I've been preparing all night, huh! That stupid son of the Flores family, I've wanted to teach him a lesson for a long time......

"Don't despise that guy!" With a faint reminder, Scott walked out of the inner room with three cups of black tea on a small plate, and while handing one of the cups to Jiang Zhe, he said in a deep voice, "Vincent Flores's strength is not weak, if you are not careful, you will lose!"

"I lose?" Raising his hand to take the black tea handed by Scott, Alan said with wide eyes and amused, "I'm going to lose to that guy?"

"You, be more restrained!" Shaking his head helplessly, Scott walked to the window, opened the curtains, and said in a deep voice, "As far as I know, Vincent is the youngest son of the Flores family, and at the same time the most talented, except for the fact that he is arrogant and annoying, he is indeed a tricky opponent......"

"No matter how tricky it is, isn't it the same as losing to Soth?" said Allen, with a disapproving expression.

"Soth is different," Scott unexpectedly turned his head and said a joke, "how many people in the world can have such extraordinary talent as Soth?

Jiang Zhe looked at Scott depressedly and said, "Hey, Scott, if you want to say that I'm a monster, just say it......"

"Hehe, that's what he meant," Holding the teacup in one hand and putting his arm around Jiang Zhe's shoulder with the other, Allen said with a smile, "Speaking of which, yesterday's win was so beautiful! I guess this is enough for Vincent's kid to regret it for a night, and then, I'll play him again today, hum!" As he spoke, he paused and said with a ruffian face, "That stinky boy, he dares to be more arrogant than me, I have to teach him a lesson!"

Glancing at Allen, who looked angry, Scott shook his head speechlessly, then walked to the sofa in front of Jiang Zhe and sat down, and said hesitantly, "Then again, South...... I heard you talked to Lilith yesterday for a while?"

"Yes, yes, I forgot about it without talking about it," Ellen said as he hurriedly put the teacup in his hand on the table, "That...... Did Lilith mention me?"

"Yes, of course there is," looking at Alan with an anxious look, Jiang Zhe said with a smile, "She also asked me to say hello to you, especially you, Allen, she said that she has no interest in boys younger than her......"

"Hey, hey, it's really fake, you're lying to me, right?" As he spoke, he carefully looked at Jiang Zhe for a while, then touched his chin and muttered to himself, "It turns out that Senior Sister Lilith likes that type, it's not easy to do......"

Scott obviously couldn't see it, shook his head speechlessly, and said to Jiang Zhe, "Did you talk about something about Senior Sister Dia......?" Lerella said. ”

"Well, yes," nodded, Jiang Zhe hesitated, hesitated and said, "Specifically, I didn't hear it very clearly, when Dia comes back, I'll ask if I have the chance......"

"......" glanced up at Jiang Zhe, and saw that he didn't seem to want to elaborate, so Scott didn't ask any more, took a sip of black tea, nodded and said, "Well, too, after all, you and Senior Sister Dia are more familiar...... So, Soth, what about Lavia's side? If I'm not mistaken, today's thirteenth game is you and Lavia......"

"Don't hurt anyone!" Alan interjected with a grin.

"Shut up!" Scott blew on the hot air from the black tea and said in a deep voice, "South, have you ever thought about how to deal with this game......?"

"All your might?" Glancing at Scott, Alan said oddly, "Hey, man, it's not something we should say about getting girls hurt, especially pretty girls...... Well, although Lavia's temper is a little worse, she is also a beautiful girl, in case ......"

"What if?" glaring at Allen fiercely, Scott turned his head and said to Jiang Zhe, "As a close friend, I remind you, I listen to Lai...... Lareela says that Lavia has always wanted to fight again, and she's working very hard for that, and she's trying very hard to catch up with you. Finally, she's waiting, she's finally getting a chance to fight you again, but if you're ...... Soth, don't pay attention to Allen's outdated rhetoric, his rhetoric won't work for Lavia, if you release water in the game, she will hate you for the rest of her life!"

"......" Glancing at Scott, Jiang Zhe hesitated and said, "You see that?"

"Heh," Scott smiled lightly, took a sip of black tea, and said lightly, "Not really, I'm just reminding you, South, as a contest between magicians, the most important thing is not to win, but to respect the opponent......! Use all your might!" he paused and said with a smirk, "Don't be like that idiot, it's very stupid to despise your opponent!"

"That idiot?" Alan, who was sitting and listening, twitched his eyebrows, tilted his head to look at Scott, and said, "I said man, how do I feel like you're talking about me......"

Nodding, Scott said nonchalantly, "That's right, I'm talking about you!"

stared at Scott incredulously for a while, and Alan came back to his senses, pointed at the other party and said angrily, "You! Scott, you bastard, I ...... Wait, and that outdated set of rhetoric you just said...... What does it mean to be obsolete?"

Blowing the heat of the black tea, Scott didn't even raise his head, and said lightly, "Don't you understand the literal meaning?"

"You...... Hey, Scott, what's outdated? You bastard explain it to me!"

Shaking his head amusedly, Scott sneered lightly, "It doesn't matter if you read the chivalric novels of more than ten years ago, don't influence me and Soth, can you?"

"You...... You insulted my chivalric novel, Scott, you bastard, I'm going to duel you!"

"No problem, as long as you can meet me in the final......"

"Hmph, it couldn't be easier," Alan laughed as he glared at Scott viciously, "At that time, I'll kick you out of the arena in front of everyone......"

"Oh?" Glancing at Alan in surprise, Scott sneered, "I wish you did!"

"Hey, wait, you bastard!"

The two were arguing when there was a knock at the door.

"Hmm, is it Lavia?" Scott was about to get up and open the door, but saw Alan stand up and walk to the door, and said, "You still sit, you give me a good rest these two days, and when I kick you off the field, you don't have to make any excuses!"

"Stupid!" Smiling and glancing at Allen's back, Scott said lightly, "Losing is losing, winning is winning, what do you think I'm looking for, but what...... If it's me who wins, I hope you don't make any excuses!"

"Of course not, you bastard!" Alan smiled and opened the door, then looked at the person outside the door, his face was stunned, and asked in surprise, "You...... Who are you looking for?"

"Oh, hello, honorable Mr. Magician" Standing outside the door was a man who seemed to be about forty years old, and he glanced into the room, performed an aristocratic courtesy, and asked very politely, "Excuse me, is our Highness O'Neill here?"

"O'Neill, Your Highness?" Alan tilted his head and thought for a long time, before finally turning his head and looking at Scott in a daze.

I saw Scott glance at the person outside the door, and his eyes couldn't help but show a little disgust, although it wasn't actually aimed at the person standing outside the door.

"Did he ask you to come? huh...... I said I didn't want to see him!"

I saw someone walking up to Scott, saluting solemnly, bowing his head and saying, "It's not the first time we've met, hello, Your Highness......"

"Shut up, Hammer, only those who hold knighthoods are qualified to be called Your Highness...... Even if I inherit the title in the future, I will only be an earl!"

"This ......," Hammer glanced at Scott in embarrassment, and whispered, "Your Highness, in fact, there is a great misunderstanding between you and your father, the Duke...... Lord Duke has always wanted you to ......"

"Hope?hmph!" Scott sneered, put the teacup in his hand heavily on the long table, and said word by word, "You go back and tell him that I don't want to see him at all! If he appears in front of me, I'm afraid I'll be unable to help but kill him!

"This ......," Hammer hesitated, took out a letter from the inside pocket of his coat, and whispered, "Lord Duke just wants me to give this letter to His Highness......"

"Hammer, I said I wasn't Your Highness!" frowning at the other party, Scott said coldly, "You can bring this letter back to me too! I don't want to see ......"

"Your Highness really doesn't look at it?" Glancing up at Scott, Hammer whispered, "It's about Galik's ......"

"......" The anger on Scott's face was suddenly replaced by consternation, and he looked at Hammer suspiciously, frowned, and said, "Gallik?"

"Yes, Your Highness!" Nodding, Hammer turned his head to look at Jiang Zhe and Allen, his expression seemed a little hesitant.

"Say, they're my best friends, there's nothing you can't say!"

"Yes, Your Highness, first of all, congratulations to Your Highness for finally finding two friends......"

"Less nonsense!"

"Yes, yes," after a slight pause, Hammer thought for a moment, and said in a low voice, "Your Highness should know about Jacob's rebellion, right?"

"I'll say it again, I'm not Your Highness!" Slamming the table, Scott's eyes suddenly noticed Jiang Zhe and Allen, so he took a deep breath and calmed down and said, "Jacob's rebellion, I heard that the Sassen Imperial City also sent an army of three thousand royal knights for this purpose......"

"Yes, Your Highness, but for some reason, the rebels also learned of the Royal Knights' rush to Jacobsenbe...... The Royal Knights have not yet reached their destination, but the rebellion has spread to other neighboring places, including Garik...... And there seems to be an unusual force hidden in the rebels, and this is the letter that the Duke has asked me to give to you......" he said, handing the letter in his hand to Scott.

Scott looked at Hammer for a long time, and finally took the letter.

"Okay, I see, if nothing else, you can go back!"

"Yes, Your Highness," Hammer bowed his head and bowed his salute, and was about to turn to leave, when he turned back and said hesitantly, "Forgive me for talking too much, but in fact, there is a ...... between His Highness and the Duke."

"Get out!"

“...... Yes!"

Watching the man named Hammer leave the room silently, Jiang Zhe and Alan glanced at each other, and said carefully to Scott, "Scott, he is you...... Your father sent you?"

"He's not my father!" Scott snarled under his breath as he looked excited, then felt his gaffe again, and said apologetically, "I'm sorry, South...... Yes, although I hate to admit it, there are some things that I can't change if I don't want to......" As he spoke, he opened the letter in his hand and only glanced at it a few times, and the expression on his face changed suddenly.

"What's wrong?" Walked up to Scott with a puzzled look on his face, and Alan asked in surprise, "Did anything happen?"

"No...... Nothing!" As Alan looked around, Scott put away the letter.

When Jiang Zhe and the three came to the competition venue, the first game of the final was over.

"What are you guys doing?" frowning at the three who had just arrived at the arena, Lavia frowned and said, "Alan, the next game is your match!

"Got it, got it," I saw Alan scratch his head indifferently and laughed, "Isn't that stupid boy from the Flores family?

With a little worry on her face, Lisa said with concern, "Despising your opponent will lead to defeat, Alan!"

Immediately, I saw the expression on Alan's face change, and he bowed slightly, and said in a deep voice, "Don't worry, Lisa, I will definitely win the final victory and give it to you as a gift......"

"Giggle......

"Hmph! Don't be proud there!" Glancing at Allen, Lavia snorted and said, "The final victory?" As she spoke, she turned her head to look at Jiang Zhe and said in a low voice, "Soth, don't forget our agreement, it's a real contest!"

"Yes......" Jiang Zhe replied speechlessly.

"Hey, what do you mean by that, did you prepare well yesterday?"

"Yesterday?"

"You...... You're not going to sleep peacefully all night, are you?"

"Forehead ......"

"Bastard, are you so underestimating me?"

"That's not, you know, I'm easily sleepy, if I don't sleep well at night, how can I have energy during the day?"

Tsai stared at Jiang Zhe's eyes carefully for a while, Lavia smiled slightly, and said, "I believe you," as she spoke, she paused, pretending not to care, and said, "Yesterday...... Did you leave beforehand?"

"Ah...... yes......"

"Oh......"

In the meantime, Lyreira also wanted to say a few words to Scott, but unfortunately, since seeing the letter, Scott seemed to be in a bad mood, standing on the side of the arena with a heavy heart and not saying a word, Lyreira wanted to ask, but after thinking about it for a while, she still didn't say the doubts in her heart.

I don't know how long later, I saw the professor who was the referee on the field raised his hand and shouted, "The second game of the first round of the final is over, the winner, Baldwin Kitchin, a sixth-year student at Mill Academy of Sciences!"

"Alan, Alan, it's your turn!" pulled the sleeves of Alan's robe, Lisa whispered, "Can't lose!"

"Don't worry, Lisa!" said softly, and Alan turned to his companion and smiled, jumping onto the field amid applause, cheers, and taunts.

"Yo," Glancing at the opponent from the other side, Alan smiled and said, "Isn't this Vincent...... Huh? I think you've been eliminated, right? Could it be that the professors have misremembered?

"......" Vincent today seemed to be a little less arrogant than yesterday, and after hearing Allen's taunt, he glanced at Jiang Zhe who was standing under the stage with a look of jealousy, and said in a low voice, "Stupid guy, don't you know that there is still a lower bracket competition?" Hmph! My strength is recognized by the professors, so they will give me another chance...... A chance to wash away the shame!"

"It turns out that there is also the loser's group," Hehe smiled, and Alan suddenly had a look on his face, and said mockingly, "A failed guy, what's there to be proud of? By the way, those fire bombs from yesterday tasted good, right? Hehe!"

“...... Damn!" Vincent's face turned red at Alan's mockery, and Vincent trembled with rage, he really wanted to smash the bastard in front of him with the giant rock statue.

At this moment, I saw the smile on Allen's face suddenly retracted, and his right hand ripped off the magic robe on his body, revealing the knight's armor worn inside, which made everyone present dumbfounded.

"Wow......"

"This ...... This is knight's armor?"

"This kid is wearing a knight's armor to compete?

"Hey, what's the deal with that greatsword? He's not going to use that sword to compete, is he?"

"Haha, does this kid have a problem with his head? Hey, boy, this is a magician's playing field, not a knight's duel!"

"Interesting, so funny!"

Even the professor, who was the referee, was a little puzzled, and it was clear that he had not encountered such a sight: a student of the Academy of Magic actually participated in a competition wearing heavy knight's armor and carrying a huge knight's sword...... This is the Reoks Academy, not a gladiatorial arena!

This classmate ...... Oh, Mr. Allen," he said, pointing to the knight's sword that Allen was hanging from his waist, and Professor Referee said with a strange expression, "These are ......"

"That's right, Professor," Alan said with a grin, pointing to the armor on his body and then to the knight's sword at his waist, "These are my props, I guess students are allowed to use them in the game, right?"

"Uh...... Permission is permission......" The professor tilted his head and looked at it for a long time, but he didn't see what the knight's equipment had to do with the magic props, and after hesitating for a moment, he waved his hand and said, "Okay, okay, but you remember, you can't seriously injure your opponent, otherwise you will be treated as a failure!"

"Yes, Professor, I remember ......"

"Hmm, then...... The third game of the first round of the finals, begins!"

As soon as the referee's words fell, I saw Alan only holding the seemingly heavy knight's sword upside down with one right hand, and then he saw his right hand pause, and after a "bang", the huge knight's sword actually pierced deep into the ground.

"Come on!" Allen put away the smile on his face and said seriously, hooking his finger at Vincent, "summon that giant rock statue, and ...... I'm going to destroy it completely, along with your ridiculous pride!"

"Damn......" Looking at Alan through gritted teeth, Vincent reluctantly suppressed his anger and roared, "What qualifications do you have to order me, you stupid son of a nouveau riche in the countryside!" As he spoke, he saw a wave of his right hand holding the magic wand, and two clouds of white smoke suddenly appeared in front of him, and before everyone could react, two wind tooth wolves suddenly burst out of the two clouds of white smoke, and rushed towards Allen viciously.

"Your surname is really nasty......" Alan scratched his head helplessly, not mentioning the knight's sword, and letting the two wind fangs get close to him.

"Roar!" a tempest-toothed wolf roared and bit Allen's left arm, but then, the students present noticed that something seemed to be wrong with the storm-toothed wolf.

"What's the matter, little one, bite, bite, are your sharp teeth just ornaments?" In a series of taunts, Eren pinched the head of the Stormtooth wolf with his right hand, forcibly ripped it off of himself, and then threw it at another Stormtooth wolf that pounced on him.

"Bang!"

In the incredible eyes of everyone, the two wind tooth wolves that collided hard together exploded into a cloud of smoke and disappeared...... "Wow!"

"This kid ......"

Glancing at the shocked Vincent, Alan shook his right hand, which was wearing iron gloves, and said jokingly, "What's wrong? Is it a surprise? Or do you think those two puppies can hurt me?

"Alan is so handsome......" Lisa said as she covered her mouth and seemed very happy.

"Oh, yes, Lisa......" Lyreira turned her head to look at Scott, her eyes couldn't help but show a little worry, she could see that Scott seemed to be in a bad mood.

Indeed, as Lerella had guessed, Scott was not in a good mood because of the letter...... Garrick ...... Even Garrick was affected by the Jacob-Sembles rebellion?

How can it be...... That's Galik! an important military region in the northeast of the Empire!

How could the Galic region, which had 50,000 standing imperial local troops, also be affected by the Jacobsembu Rebellion?

What happened to Jacob Sembles in a rebellion of this magnitude?

Faintly, Scott had an ominous premonition in his heart.

And at the same time, far north of the Empire, on the border with Jacobsemb, the region of Brownhill!

The once prosperous city of Brownhill is now in turmoil because Count Casimir Sakkison, the lord of Brownhill, who had gone to the border to inspect the rebels, was stabbed by an arrow from nowhere, just like the lord of Jacobsemb...... The rebellion escalated again...... As if under some evil curse, the local army of Brownhill and the rebel army of Jacob Sembles fought each other, and the land was already stained red with blood...... While the two sides were fighting, a strange man in a dark green archer outfit was standing in the distance and watching, occasionally stabbing the commander of the Brownhill Army with the huge bow behind his back...... It is inconceivable that as long as his bowstring sounds, then one of the commanders in Brownhill's army must be shot in the heart by an arrow...... He is Argus's new companion, the legendary demon god who can cause war, Kars Lelagin!

"This should be about the same, Brownhill......" Looking at the battle in the distance, Lelagin's indifferent face showed no abnormality, and he gently put down the giant bow in his hand and put it behind his back, turned around and quietly left this land full of slaughter.

"Next up...... Garik!"

(To be continued)