魅力影院

Chapter 183

Taely spoke first, her voice coolly subdued.

Zix Effelstein, seated in a corner of the second-floor corridor, had been quietly waiting for Taely. They had been quite close friends, their mutual respect for each other’s abilities forged through dueling episodes since the first act, and Zix had always looked upon Taely’s rapid growth with fondness.

As a master duelist and joint second in command of the sophomore magic department, Zix is a figure of considerable prowess. Early in their freshman year, Zix was so far beyond Taely’s abilities that any comparison seemed impossible, but now Taely had ascended into the ranks of the grade’s top fighters.

Nevertheless, a gap remained between Taely and Zix. The Sword Saint’s ceremony had not been fully realized, and the dueling experience Zix had accumulated since before even entering Sylvania was overwhelming.

“Why are you here?”

“For the very reason you’re imagining.”

Zix Effelstein was now fully aligned with Ed Rothtaylor. The sight of him quietly sitting among various weapons made it clear.

Zix Effelstein had no intention of letting Taely through. He was prepared to use force if necessary.

Zix Effelstein, ever the reliable second in command, always acted based on common sense.

Taely, unable to believe that such a stalwart boy had sided with Ed Rothtaylor, trembled with her sword in hand.

“Why?”

Zix responded casually to a visibly flustered Taely.

“Why think it strange now? I am part of the student council, following the instructions of President Tanya Rothtaylor.”

Even as a member of the student council, Zix Effelstein was known to refuse actions he believed to be wrong. Even the authority of student council president Tanya Rothtaylor wasn’t absolute over him.

Zix’s actions surely involved his own volition.

“Isn’t it not so strange to be somewhat cooperative with her brother, Ed Rothtaylor?”

“Aila’s been captured.”

“I know.”

Taely’s pupils dilated at the curt reply.

Silent and motionless, Zix sat unaffected.

Even knowing every fact, his firm resolve was evident in just looking at Taely.

Taely took a deep breath, clutching her sword hilt tightly. Her head cleared and reason returned. She had already crossed blades with Elvira and Clevius.

She couldn’t hesitate any longer; there was no time to spare.

It had been a while since Taely entered Elte’s Trade Association. The nature of what was unfolding inside remained unknown.

“You’re badly wounded, Taely.”

On the contrary, Zix was genuinely perplexed.

He had expected Taely to have fought Elvira on the first floor, but her condition seemed worse than imagined. Taely was bleeding significantly from her brawl with Clevius, resembling someone who had been through a life-or-death duel.

It was hard to imagine that even a serious confrontation with Elvira would have inflicted such wounds.

Given the situation, Zix hesitated internally. Given Taely’s condition, reaching Ed Rothtaylor’s camp seemed nearly impossible.

Should he just duel lightly and let her go? But then it struck him.

Up on the third floor awaited an inexplicably enraged Yenika Faelover.

Her spirit magic had almost no weaknesses. It seemed even less likely that she would hold back given her current mood.

If Taely faced Yenika Faelover in this battered state… The outcome was unpredictable.

Ed Rothtaylor set this stage to gauge the true extent of Taely’s capabilities when she was earnestly pushed to her limits.

The reason for his curiosity was unclear, but if Ed Rothtaylor was this proactive, there must be a valid explanation.

If the trial was the goal… Taely need not breach the entire building. Merely testing her strength would suffice.

Instead, sending her to face a seemingly dangerous Yenika might result in greater harm.

Thus, it seemed better for Taely if he subdued her here and now.

At the very least, Zix Effelstein was ready to lay down arms if he felt Taely was in danger.

With this thought, he grasped his spear. It was the moment he lifted his body from the wooden chair.

– Clang!

Taely’s sword strike was decisive; there was nothing to be gained from delay.

As a reflex, Zix parried Taely’s sword with his spear shaft, which now quivered with added force.

Taely glared directly into Zix’s eyes, her own wide open.

– Whoosh!

– Clang!

Zix kicked the lower part of his spear, spinning it and dislodging Taely’s sword, which slid away.

In an instant, Zix contorted his body, attempting to strike Taely’s back with his spear, but she was already gone.

“…?”

Zix swiftly adjusted his stance, collecting his weapons. Unexpectedly, Taely was nowhere to be found.

A quick scan of the surroundings deepened the furrows in his brow. He had lost track of Taely’s position.

The place Zix missed… was directly above.

– Whooosh!

– Clang!

– Boom!

Taely’s sudden change in position was too fast to follow with the eye, but Zix managed to react with animal-like sense, deflecting Taely’s sword with his drawn longsword.

However, such speed was not something Taely had been known to possess before.

Such transcendental speed was characteristic… of someone else.

– Swoosh

Rising from the scuffed floor, there was an uneasy air about Taely.

Breathing heavily, her upper body slumped as if she were a corpse brought back to life.

That form… It conjured the image of the sword devil of the Nortondale family, freely wielding blood magic.

Zix frowned and readied himself. Only now did he fully comprehend the situation.

“Ha…”

The legendary Sword Saint Luden McLore was a monster among monsters, renowned for attaining the pinnacle of swordsmanship.

If sword skill was a hierarchy, he was at its zenith.

The limit to Taely McLore’s adaptability… was almost inconceivable as human capability.

Blood magic is a technique that leverages the magical properties of one’s own blood to enhance physical abilities. It’s a skill unmatched except for those born of the Nortondale lineage.

To replicate even a fraction of Clevius’s movements without the aid of blood magic gave Zix the chills.

The more intense the trial, the stronger and more overwhelming the challenges – and yet, there are those who overcome and reach beyond.

That is the life of a protagonist, a Sword Saint facing trials.

– Clang!

Zix carelessly tossed his longsword to the ground.

──In facing Taely McLore… using a sword was not an option. It would likely lead to being devoured.

Nearly half the weapons he’d meticulously organized around him became redundant. Zix swung his spear, readjusted his stance, and awaited Taely’s next attack.

Taely’s will, rising from the dust, directed straight at Zix.

– Clash!

The sound of spear shaft against sword blade.

Once more they closed in, locking eyes, and Taely stared straight at Zix.

“Speak.”

The sound of teeth grinding was audible.

“Where is Ed Rothtaylor?”

*

“To the Mekses Bridge, drive the carriage, quickly!”

Durin Grecks, emerging from the backdoor of the Elte Association building, sprinted into the streets of the nightlife district.

The situation inside the Elte Association building was no longer in Durin’s control. With Sword Saint Taely storming in and wreaking havoc, ensuring Aila’s safety had become the sole option for defusing the situation.

It was time to establish the priorities clearly.

All the embezzled assets were placed in the lodge at the camp owned by Lortelle. The forged documents were also ready, framing Lortelle as the embezzler and traitor.

From Durin’s perspective, it was sufficient to show the camp situation to the royal escort, seize Lortelle, and take her to the royal custody.

The original plan involved keeping Lortelle confined to the association’s boardroom, unable to act. However, with Ed’s intervention and Taely’s intrusion, the complexity of the situation escalated.

Still, the core goal remained unchanged.

No matter where Lortelle was or the state of the association building, those were issues that could be dealt with later.

The most crucial matter was to publicize Lortelle’s embezzlement case to the royal side and bring her down from power.

Connections to the royal side were already in place. Princess Persica exerted her influence, and Princess Phoenia’s escort on her journey back to the academy included knights from the royal escort.

To outsiders, it would appear that the perfect opportunity arose for the royal escort to seize Lortelle as soon as her embezzlement was exposed – a little too conveniently, but that was of no concern.

The pretext was solid. As long as Lortelle relinquished control of the Elte Association, the details were irrelevant.

Therefore, the immediate priority was to communicate with the royal escort, explain the situation and relay the camp’s state.

Once Lortelle’s crime was clear, all other matters would fall under Durin’s control.

“Hurry! Go to Mekses Bridge right now!”

Durin shouted to the workers as he climbed onto the carriage.

The driver quickly took his seat, grasping the reins. Durin leaned out the carriage window and called out to the remaining staff.

“Inventory Officer Brison! Secure the storage doors and prevent any stock damage! Record Keeper Forel! Gather all the ledger data that will serve as evidence and hold onto it tight! And… Chief Secretary Lien!”

Secretary Lien responded with a start.

“Yes, yes..!”

“Get a grip! Minimize the damage to the building and lock down all doors leading outside!”

“Yes, yes…!”

“Everyone, focus! We’ve already crossed the line!”

As the carriage began to move, Durin’s voice was clear and firm from the window.

“If Lortelle Keheln regains control of the association, we’re all dead! Everything must be settled tonight! Understand?! It’s not just about me, but all of us—”

*** End of transmission ***

(Note: The translation sections provided have been edited for a smoother reading experience, aiming to retain the original text’s intensity and emotions.)

“Everyone’s life hangs by a thread tonight!”

All the employees swallowed dryly and nodded. Durin slammed the window shut and gnawed at his nails inside the carriage.

– Whoosh!

The entrance hall of the Sylvania Academy, leading to the Mekses Bridge, is located inside the living quarters. It’s a mere moment by carriage.

After setting up an action plan for the remaining employees at the trading company, Durin reached the entrance hall and hastily dismounted from the carriage.

Dawn was nearing its end. Although the sky was overcast as if a shower was imminent, it seemed unlikely to last long.

In any case, the sun would soon rise. He wanted to control the situation before then.

The entrance hall, with its neat brick floor and rows of trees, was usually bustling with students, but it was sinisterly quiet at this late hour.

Durin dashed out and saw a magnificent carriage at the entrance leading to the Mekses Bridge. It seemed to be processing the entry formalities into Acken Island.

“They’ve come…! It’s Princess Phoenia’s carriage…!”

The Sylvania Academy generally prohibits the entry of private soldiers.

No matter how noble the family, students can’t parade their soldiers within the academy walls. Otherwise, the academy would become a playground for private armies.

Only a select few, like Princess Phoenia and Saintess Clarice, are allowed to have private soldiers. After all, one can’t well impose restrictions on the princess of a nation and the saintess of the holy city.

However, even they minimize their escort in consideration of the school’s regulations. Significant numbers of private soldiers only enter when escorting the princess back to school during vacations.

It’s a scale of troops seldom seen within Sylvania.

But the escort was unusually large. There had to be an escort dispatched by Persica seeking to capture Lortelle.

Durin smiled and ran towards the convoy.

“Halt! This carriage is carrying Her Imperial Highness, Princess Phoenia Elias Clorel of the Clorel Empire!”

One of the guards managing the area shouted at Durin.

“I am Durin Grecks of Elte Trading Company! I have come with a message for the escort of this carriage!”

“What? A merchant? What could a merchant possibly have to say to the royal guard…”

“We’ll take it from here.”

Halting the stern-looking guard, a soldier in a different colored armor stepped forth.

“I’ve heard all about it. I am Tune of the Rose Palace’s Third Squad, a knight directly under Princess Persica.”

A red-haired woman removed her helmet and spoke. She was the royal escort Durin had been so eagerly waiting for.

The guard who attempted to stop Durin gaped in surprise at Tune’s face, having been in the dark about such a figure mixing in with the escort ranks. Tune was the fourth in command in the royal knight order, following the commander, the vice-commander, and the senior training officer.

“We’ve received prior notice. Princess Persica has ordered us to find a merchant named Durin Grecks upon our arrival at Acken Island.”

“That’s me.”

“Indeed. However, I did not expect you to come out to meet us at the entrance hall at such a late hour.”

“The situation is urgent. Elte Trading Company is in chaos. It’s imperative that Lortelle Keheln be transported under your custody immediately.”

Durin spoke with urgency.

“There’s evidence of her embezzlement in the Northern Forest camp. If Lortelle Keheln isn’t captured immediately, she’ll flee. We secured the suspect at our company, but due to an incident, she has escaped!”

No matter how it had happened, handing over Lortelle to the escort was the top priority.

Durin tried to convey the urgency, emphasizing how time was of the essence.

“That is… certainly an urgent situation. But before we capture a criminal, we need to assess the scene.”

“You can verify it yourself if you head straight to the camp! The situation has already become quite complicated. Ed Rothtaylor of the Rothtaylor family is manipulating the escape. It’s possible… he is involved too! If we do nothing…”

It was in that moment as Durin was exclaiming.

– Creak

Durin’s goal wasn’t Princess Phoenia, but the royal escort accompanying her.

For Princess Phoenia was merely returning to school, irrelevant to this incident.

However… events began to unfold in a direction Durin had not anticipated.

“Who’s there?”

The name that sprang from Durin’s mouth… reached the ears of the noble Third Princess of the Clorel Empire, Phoenia Elias Clorel.

The carriage door, which he thought would have been securely closed, opened, and the princess of a nation stepped out.

Academy staff and nearby knights all knelt and lowered their heads as the process was being attended to.

The dignity of Princess Phoenia descending from the majestic carriage… was so immense that the commoners nearby were not permitted even to lift their heads.

“This is Acken Island, and I’ve returned as a Sylvania student.”

Princess Phoenia spoke in a calm voice.

“You don’t have to be so formal anymore.”

In the academic land of Sylvania…

**[Truncated due to space limitations; feel free to provide additional segments for translation if needed]**