69novels Page 282
Page 282
"Dear Latis, greetings."
Although I was only away from you for less than a week, the longing in my heart was already overwhelming. Sometimes when I passed by the dead tree in Dragon Horn Ridge and saw the gnarled branches swaying, I thought it was the cold autumn wind. But upon closer inspection, I realized it was the magic of my heart vibrating back and forth.
Being around my older brother was too comfortable; it felt like as long as his warm smile was there, nothing else mattered… So it wasn’t until now that I realized how much joy and satisfaction I had gained from him.
The differences between humans and elves aren't particularly obvious, but in some ways, they are indeed different. My inner confusion might trace back to the first time I saw a human, but even now, I realize that many of these confusions don't necessarily need to be resolved...
Perhaps those confusions troubled me for a long time back then, but now, even if they still exist, I no longer need to worry about them... Human life is dynamic, and I think that in the days I spent with my older brother, I learned to cherish and live each moment to the fullest, and so you have become the most important part of my life.
Then, I'd like to share my journey with you. But when I tell you in person, you always manage to catch me off guard and make me forget where I am.
So where to begin? Oh right, I got a stone carving in Daoguan City this time. I don't know if you know Emperor Powa, but he told me... ten... Hmm, I don't have much space left in the leaf, so I'll go back and let you ambush me.
Your loyal Artemis (?-ω-`)」
……
The half-elf coughed lightly, touched his slightly flushed cheeks, drew the final words and emoticons on the leaf, put down his pen, let out a long breath, and then carefully placed the leaf, which he had nurtured with elven magic, close to his body.
She jumped down from the dead trees along the way, glanced back at the apprentices struggling to trek along the undulating desert road, connected her consciousness with the blue sparrow circling in the air observing the situation, and nodded slightly after confirming that the apprentices bitten by snakes and scorpions were not in any life-threatening danger.
According to the apprentices' supervisor, the extradition leader can receive payment at the academy in Lundia. Although it is unknown whether she, who is only temporarily in charge of the extradition work, will receive the original payment, she will certainly receive some compensation.
The three schools of Lundia offer generous benefits to extraditers, but this job is not something that ordinary mages can do. Mages based on the magic network may not have specific spells to deal with the wilderness and various monsters. In addition to these spell requirements, nobles from the capital also occupy a portion of the extraditer positions to enhance their resumes.
For Artemis, the reward from the three schools of Lundia was secondary. First, she genuinely didn't want these apprentices to end up with nothing. Second, she also hoped to gain some good reputation for Latis and the mage Herod. If Latis wanted to achieve something in terms of status and position in the future, she would need such assets.
Although these apprentices were not very skilled, their humble origins made them able to endure hardship, so their progress was not slow.
According to the usual practice of apprentices being extradited, they basically traveled day and night, only entering towns when they desperately needed supplies. So by this standard, their speed was almost the same as when they traveled in the alchemy hut.
"At this rate, we should arrive in Lundia in about three days. It seems my older brother will be going back soon too. I wonder if he'll get home first or I will..."
Artemis touched her chin and gave a hopeful smile.
Anyway, I really want to see him right now...
Just as she was about to use her "flight spell" to check for any traces of monsters nearby, her brows furrowed. She seemed to see a caravan of carriages speeding by in Qingque's vision.
……
……
"Stop!"
A burly man with a thick beard pulled on the reins, stopping the horses. As he did so, the carriage convoy following behind also came to a halt.
"My lord, there are people ahead."
The burly man spurred his horse to the carriage in the center of the caravan and said in a low voice.
"Oh, who?"
The carriage curtain was lifted, and Fan Yunkun, the young lord of Dragon Horn Territory, peeked out. Beneath his thick eyebrows were a pair of narrow eyes, a glint of cunning flashing in them before he spoke with a serious expression:
"If they're from Jin Nang City, let them come over. If they're from the Imperial Capital, tell them to wait until I arrive in Jin Nang City before they come to see me. As for the floating island... haha, we just came down from there, we can't just run into each other, can we?"
"Your wisdom is unparalleled, my lord. Who in Dragon Horn Territory can rival you?" The burly man praised him sincerely, then spurred his horse and looked into the distance, trying to identify the person approaching.
A dozen seconds later, he suddenly raised his hand and rubbed his chin. After hesitating for a moment, he returned to Fan Yunkun's carriage and said in a low voice:
“I think I saw a lot of civilians, and in front of them was a mysterious hooded man who looked like a mage… They might be a group of apprentices being extradited.”
"Extradition team?"
Fan Yunkun paused, pondered for a moment, then jumped out of the carriage, picked up his sword symbolizing the Dragon Horn Lord, put on the badge symbolizing his membership in the Floating Island family, and smiled smugly:
“Let’s go meet that person. As part of the mage faction, my father didn’t realize the importance of the Ferrymen before. But now that I’ve been working on the floating island for a long time, I finally understand just how powerful magic is in this world.”
He raised his chin, patted his open double-breasted coat, took the reins from the guard, mounted the horse, and cracked the whip.
"That's why I not only need to infiltrate the noble forces in the capital, but also win over the mage forces in Lundia... When the time is right, I will definitely establish myself as king in Dragonhorn Territory!"
……
"Your Excellency, they're here..."
Honglit watched as two nags emerged from the opposite convoy, a flicker of unease crossing her face. She tiptoed closer to Ateliers and whispered:
"Sir, what should we do? Do we have to pay a toll?"
"Tolls?"
As Ateliers waited for the apprentices to approach, she blinked, looked down at Red Liz's wheat-colored face, shook her head with amusement, and said:
"Don't worry, my brother calls me the God of Gold Coins, and I will not make you pay money that you shouldn't have."
"Gold, the god of gold coins?"
Hong Litt repeated the sentence hesitantly, watching Artemis walk away towards the horses, and subconsciously touched her waist pouch.
The twenty silver coins made a slight, crisp friction sound as they tapped together. Their round shapes carried all of Hong Litt's possessions and symbolized all her hopes for the future.
"If it's the God of Gold Coins, then that would be even better..."
The red-haired girl murmured to herself, and the image of Lundia in her mind gradually became clearer, transforming into a slender figure wearing a hooded coat.
……
"Sir, you possess an extraordinary air about you. You must be the legendary ferryman, right? Hehe, my name is Fan Yunkun, the current lord of Dragon Horn Territory. I just came down from the floating island today and saw you ferrying the civilians of Dragon Horn Territory. My heart is filled with gratitude. It is thanks to people like you..."
With a radiant smile, Fan Yunkun boasted about his identity and status. In his past experience, such a watertight opening statement could make the negotiators on the other side feel solemn and cautious. Not only in his dealings with the nobles of the capital, but also in his interactions with the families of the floating islands, they would be full of respect because of his status as the young lord of Dragon Horn Territory.
However, the hooded man opposite him shook his head and interrupted him before he could finish his opening remarks:
"Young Lord, please speak frankly about what you need."
Fan Yunkun paused, subconsciously rubbing his fingers together, glancing around haphazardly before snapping out of his reverie. He chuckled and said:
"...That's right. I know that Your Excellency's duties as the extradition officer are jointly appointed by the Imperial Capital and Lundia, and have nothing to do with my Dragonhorn Territory. However, the people of Dragonhorn Territory have indeed received help, and as the lord, I naturally want to express my gratitude..."
"If that's all there is to it, then there's no need."
Artemis shook her head, ignoring Fan Yunkun's deliberate display of his sword and badge, and waved to the apprentices behind her, saying:
"Time is of the essence, I must continue on my journey with my apprentices."
"……Um?"
Fan Yunkun opened his mouth, staring blankly at the hooded man who turned and left without a second thought. He remained stunned until the apprentices cautiously passed by him before he came to his senses.
“He…he…he…” Fan Yunkun’s eyes widened as he pointed at Atelier’s retreating figure and stammered:
"How could he be so rude?!"
The burly man standing next to him clenched his fist and said menacingly:
"My lord, shall I go..."
"...No, he definitely doesn't understand the significance of my identity. I need to emphasize it!"
Having said that, Fan Yunkun spurred his horse and quickly caught up with the group of apprentices.
……
"Your Excellency, do you know the prestige of the family ranked thirty-fifth on the floating island? Do you know what a family on the floating island means? It's something that ordinary people like them can never even dream of. And I, after only two years of hard work, have earned the right to marry into a family on the floating island..."
“Floating islands, those are the most transcendent existences in this world, and I am about to possess the identity of a floating island…”
Inside the wide hood, Ateliers's pointed ears were pressed against her cheeks. She took a deep breath; if it weren't for the fact that she had so many apprentices with her and didn't want to cause trouble, she would have definitely punched that noisy mouth.
"How could anyone like living on a floating island where you can't even see the whole sky?"
Artemis, who once lived on the top floor of the floating island, glanced at the arrogant expression on Fan Yunkun's face and was immediately filled with a feeling of incomprehension.
"In short, once I return to Golden City and successfully assume the position of lord, I will be the most powerful lord in the entire Kingdom of Norard. If you choose to submit then, the treatment you receive will be completely different..."
Hearing the threat in those words, Ateliers' eyes flashed coldly. For the first time, she turned to look at Fan Yunkun, who was constantly disrupting the formation on horseback, and smiled slightly, saying:
"Then I can only wish you good luck in surviving and succeeding to the position of lord, Your Excellency."
"What……?"
Fan Yunkun suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. He opened his mouth, about to ask what was going on, when he saw a pair of ghostly blue eyes.
"you……"
An unknown pressure sent a chill down his spine, and he involuntarily loosened his grip on the reins. The horse beneath him, for some unknown reason, suddenly leaped up and threw him into a ditch beside the road.
When he came to his senses, the hooded man was already far away. He stood up in a daze, unable to determine whether the image that had just flashed before his eyes was an illusion or some kind of magic. He could only squat on the spot in a daze until the big man in the caravan sensed something was wrong and came looking for him.
"Lord Lord!"
The burly man helped Fan Yunkun up, his face beaming with joy, and said:
"We've received word from the front that the agent has prepared a welcoming ceremony for you, and is just waiting for our arrival. My lord, let's go!"
A bead of cold sweat trickled down Fan Yunkun's forehead. For some reason, a bloody smell began to fill his nostrils, as if he were realizing for the first time that the struggle between forces was not child's play.
"Let's go...no, we need to be careful!"
He swallowed hard, grabbed the burly man's shoulder, and said with a terrified expression:
"I need to ensure my safety... No, I can't go there so easily. There might be forces trying to ambush me! Right, send out the address of the Herod City ruins we discovered to lure these forces away, and then I'll hurry up and reclaim all the forces in Dragonhorn Territory!"
……
"What kind of invitation did that terrifying giant just give to everyone? Is it really alright, Your Excellency?"
Holding a small token in her hand, Honglite handed it to Atelier and said eagerly:
"It seems he's trying to bribe us to return to Dragonhorn Territory and take up positions after we complete our studies. Your Excellency, you should take these tokens for the sake of Lundia!"
Artemis glanced at the agitated Redette, thought for a moment, and asked:
"If it were you, would you go back to be the Dragonhorn Lord's subordinate?"
"Of course not!"
Hong Litt screamed in shock:
"I lived in such poverty entirely because of the Dragonhorn Lord's exploitation. How could I possibly become a mage and then go back to serve them!"
"Yes."
Artemis blinked and, with a bewildered look in Redlit's eyes, pointed to the group behind her.
"Actually, there's also the reason related to Your Excellency, the extradition officer..."