March 22.

Yesterday Esther had just gone through a tarot meeting without much new news, and the members were still steadily digesting potions and seeking formulas, and they were not able to move on to the next step of ascension so quickly.

It's just that I don't know why, the attention of the "hermit" to the "lover" has inexplicably increased, and every time the tarot will take a few more glances. Esther was at a loss, she looked back on the past few exchanges, she should not have offended the "hermit" lady anywhere, why did she look at her eyes full of scrutiny?

But each time the "hermit" would quickly look away, and Esther had no way to say anything, so she didn't ask, and she suspected that even if she asked the "hermit", she wouldn't admit it frankly.

After another replenishment in the Oradek Islands four days ago, the four-leaf clover's long voyage has finally come to an end.

With the pirate flag removed, Alexander worked for hours in the bottom cabin before completely stopping the frothy device that caused the Clover, during which time Esther and Thoma were pulled over to help.

"You should have brought me here, why did you pull her here?" Thoma asked, pointing at Esther, rather impatiently.

"Don't be so rude, Thoma. The princess was more at peace when Hamel was there. Alexander unscrewed a palm-sized bolt and motioned for Esther to put it together with the other parts.

Thoma looked even more unhappy: "But this is equivalent to exposing all the secrets of this ship to her!" ”

Alexander knocked on the next part without looking back, and continued to disassemble the tight protective layer: "Save it, after so many years, can you understand the structure of these foam engines?" ”

Esther held back a smile and didn't say anything, she was too embarrassed to irritate Thoma, whose face was flushed because she couldn't refute it.

After those brilliant bubbles dissipated, the ship now looked more like a private ship that had secretly gone to sea, and had become quite inconspicuous.

The "Clover" was unusually generously parked in a public harbor, and the sailors on board were so excited to be home that no one planned to stay on board to celebrate the event, and Aaron did not force them to stay.

"And what about the Four Leaf Clover?" Esther also asked Alexander about it.

Alexander pushed his glasses with thick bottle bottoms: "There will be an old friend of mine who will come to receive the princess and take her on a vacation to do all aspects of maintenance and rest." ”

"I'm guessing your old friend is familiar with this ship, too."

"Of course, we were still designing together...... Ahem, it was a long time ago. Alexander shook his head, "You don't want to ask about the youth of the older generation, but there is nothing to hear." ”

Esther tightened her suitcase and changed the subject with a smile: "How are we going to get to our destination?" The province of Upper Hornachis is quite far from Sdelandsburg, and it takes a lot of time. ”

Aaron leaned over with a smile and happily spread his arms at the port outside, which was not bustling with activity: "Of course it's a steam train!" Welcome to Intis, the miracle of steam, thanks to the great Russell the Great! ”

Esther quietly took a step to the side.

Her action made Mary, who was standing behind, laugh twice.

Thoma immediately spoke: "Mary, you can't come with us, you can stay at our hall in Stocklandsburg, and it's better to write a letter to your home." ”

"I can't go!?" Mary, of course, was quite dissatisfied, "I'm already a full-fledged sea-adventurer today, why can't I go with you to explore that Quaternary ruin?" ”

Thoma glared at her coldly, "You think you're mature?" If you want to go, you can go, and you can talk about it after beating Hamel. ”

Aaron glanced at Thoma disapprovingly: "This comparison is quite unreasonable, even if you yourself have this kind of confidence?" ”

"No, but that doesn't prevent me from taking this opportunity to warn Mary."

Mary gritted her teeth and didn't say anything more, and Esther patted her on the shoulder: "The contamination on that key is enough to show how dangerous this operation is, it's not that you won't be able to prove yourself, but the situation of that ruin is unknown, and it may be difficult for us to devote too much extra attention to taking care of the whole team." ”

Alexander nodded in agreement: "Your sequence is still a little lower, Mary, one less person is beneficial to us, that means there are fewer people who may be in danger." ”

Aaron raised his hand to pat Mary's head, but she flashed to the side with a horizontal movement, Aaron had to pat the corner of his clothes and straighten out the folds that didn't exist: "Alexander, you don't need to be so pessimistic, our trip will go well, believe me, we will definitely be lucky." ”

Mary didn't say anything more, but the loss in her eyes couldn't be hidden.

Esther looked at the bazaar by the harbor and took a deep breath: "Maybe this is the farewell." ”

"What are you talking about? It's not like we're not going back to the Clover, and we're going to go back to sea in a month. Aaron turned to her confusedly.

Esther, on the other hand, only showed a sweet smile, and her pale eyes were cold and unwarm.

Esther put down the suitcase in her hand, turned around and walked over and hugged Mary:

"I hope you all go as you wish and move forward towards your ideal self."

Mary was also at a loss: "Hamel? How do you say it as if we're going to say goodbye forever. ”

Esther let go of Mary and grabbed her suitcase again: "Mary, then farewell—hahaha, of course it's just a joke, don't stare at me so fiercely." ”

Thoma sighed helplessly, and Alexander watched with a smile.

Only Aaron's special hunch left him empty.

Although it sounded like a childish, deliberately eye-catching joke, his spiritual instincts told Aaron that it was not.

Hamel used his verbal prowess to convince others that it was a joke.

Esther waved at Mary again: "You remember to complete those frank exercises." ”

So Mary ran away with her suitcase in a huff.

Alexander took out his pocket watch and looked at the time: "You guys find a coffee shop to settle lunch first, and then go directly to the nearest steam train platform, we should still be able to catch a few trains in the afternoon." I'll have to wait for him a little longer, and the rambling guy is late again. ”

Thoma nodded: "I'll go to the guild hall first to get our disguised identity certificate, and then go directly to the steam train platform to find you." ”

Aaron looked in the direction Mary had left, "I really want to have a drink." ”

"We're still far from Upper Hornachis, and there will always be a time when you can drink until you fall unconscious during a month's break." Thoma replied impatiently.

A smile tugged at the corner of Esther's mouth, "Captain Aaron, let's go." ”

Aaron glanced at her: "Just call me Aaron, there will be no captain when you go back to the ground." If you're a fan of desserts, you shouldn't miss the spiced red wine stew of Intis and the orange wine pancakes......"

Esther looked back and glanced at the Clover.

Without those clusters of foam, it looks so ordinary, far from the dreamy feeling of the whole ship floating slowly in the air when they first met, surrounded by colorful foam.

——

Because of Thoma's words, Esther stared at Aaron, and she didn't eat these two alcoholic desserts in one bite.

However, in the more remote city of Stellansburg, only a handful of luxury restaurants offer these options, and most of the smaller restaurants serve more common desserts such as egg cream pudding tarts or lightning puffs.

The two of them had a casual lunch, and soon found a horse-drawn rental carriage to ride to the steam train platform east of Stellansburg.

"Your Intijn is so proficient that it doesn't look like a Rune, but with a Trier accent, it's too similar to Alexander, you don't need to be so similar."

Esther blinked, "Just a little bit of imitation, I think Mr. Alexander's accent is elegant." ”

Aaron leaned back on the slightly swaying carriage, the road was still quite smooth overall, and he lowered his voice: "Trier's accent sounds a bit contrived, especially Alexander's penchant for long tails, which always reminds people of the kind of carols with arias. I must say that the Church of the Eternal Sun may have some responsibility for this......"

"Talking about the church so indifferently, Mr. Aaron is so sure that I am not a devout believer?"

Aaron bared his teeth: "If you were to praise some god with open arms now, I would jump out of the carriage window in fright." ”

Esther couldn't help but hook the corners of her mouth, and the two of them would really be too heretical to talk about this topic any longer: "Now the carriage industry in Intis should be far inferior to the steam train, right?" ”

Thanks to the full efforts of Russell the Great, steam trains were popularized in most important provinces and cities, but now many people want to put the credit for this on the head of the steam church. Don't tell Alexander that I said this, his faith is as faithful as his spirit of study. ”

Esther was skeptical: "It doesn't matter if it is the merits of Russell the Great, why do they have to erase the existence of this changemaker?" It can't be because of his chaotic relationship between men and women, right? ”

Aaron's expression darkened a little: "I think Russell the Great is quite admirable, especially since he is still ...... It's a pity that in his later years, there were too many strange things that went against his original temperament, and he finally fell under the joint assassination of the church and the nobles. ”

Esther subconsciously thought of a possibility: "Pollution? ”

Aaron just shook his head: "We don't know the specifics, because on the surface, the Emperor seems to know what he is doing, but that was what happened before I was born." ”

Esther looked out the window, where a newsboy was holding a newspaper and shouting at passers-by. Improving papermaking and printing, copying famous books, creating preschool toys, and "inventing" tarot and cards...... Not to mention the application and popularization of steam engines, sailing ships and artillery.

"No matter how much they try to erase those traces, he leaves a legacy that will change the course of the world forever."

Aaron looked up at her: "You seem to be very emotional. ”

"I do not deny that the colonial era he inaugurated was a disaster for the indigenous people of the archipelago and the southern continent, but I would also admit that he benefited many people...... In his time, even Rune had to bow his head to Intis. ”

What Esther doesn't say is that Russell is trying to make the world more like what they think it is, and for that alone, she will at best dislike it and not judge Russell too much about what he has done.

In the final analysis, it's just that compared to the people of the Southern Continent, Russell's identity as a "fellow" makes Esther have a sense of identity, and she can almost imagine Rosell's various demeanors when she wrote those diaries.

It's like...... It's as if she'd seen him and even knew him.

But Esther was also sure that she had not had any contact with the emperor a hundred years ago, and even if she had read part of the diary, she should not have such an inexplicable sense of familiarity.

Aaron made no secret of the smug smile on his face: "Yes, even now, many people still hope to restore the imperial glory of his time as consul and 'Julius Caesar'. ”

"How can it be that easy?" Esther said with a little dissatisfaction, "They take this kind of thing for granted, too. ”

Even if it's the same path, it doesn't necessarily end up being someone else, Russell is an ambitious and daring guy, and his various strong desires are actually quite easy to exploit......

It's a pity.

Esther sighed, at least she could still talk to Klein about trivial things now.

Russell was alone at the time, probably very, very lonely.