Even in Xinta'an, the starry sky in winter nights is much lonelier than in summer.
A few stars hung in the night sky, twinkling uncertainly. The moonlight shines on the thin clouds. Fang Plover sat by the bonfire, looking up at the treetops glowing under the moonlight, and at the same time asked Miss Nightingale beside him:
"Miss Alyssa, do you think I shouldn't be like this?"
"Wrong, actually I think it's good for you to do this," Alyssa replied nonchalantly, while throwing a few dead branches into the bonfire, "The leader was too pedantic in the past."
The bonfire exploded into a cloud of sparks, which scared Nini, who was feasting nearby, to tremble and raise her head.
She looked in this direction in confusion, her golden eyes flickering, and her little face was stained with crumbs of food.
Miss Tata, who was sitting on her knees, was still playing with her tea set. She put her little hand on the edge of the teapot to test the temperature, then picked it up and poured water into her small teacup with a light movement, steaming out the water.
"Really?" Fang Yu thought to himself, Yayo and the others might be right, but he was always in trouble. In order to reduce some trouble, he subconsciously chose that approach.
But if those people were not attacking defenseless people, would they still do that?
The answer in his mind was no. Fang Yu thought that maybe he had become mature rather than cold-blooded. After thinking about this, he felt relieved.
Only then did Sylvide come over with Jita.
The two of them finished counting the loot, which was actually not much. However, it took some time to interrogate the prisoners of war and explain the purpose of the group's visit to the old servant.
In the distance, Parker was bragging loudly about his achievements in the afternoon, and there was a shouting sound coming from that direction.
But Luo Yu ignored him at all and lowered his head to treat the wounded - the middle-aged man and the unconscious Selector. The former only had some skin injuries, but the latter suffered excessive blood loss and was very weak.
At this moment, the middle-aged man was looking at them with some fear and looked at his father for help. But the old servant didn't look back, deliberately not looking at his disappointing son.
The old servant followed Sylvide and Jita to the bonfire, sat opposite Fang Plover, and then asked everyone: "So you know Sir Mawei?"
"To be precise," Fang Pulou looked at his ship officer, "she is the daughter of Sir Ma Wei."
He introduced himself again: "We are her companions. There are two more people in the afternoon. They are alchemists from the Craftsmen Association, but those two should have returned to Tagli by now."
He was talking about Ayo and his companions.
On the side, Miss Tata held the tea cup with both hands and took a sip. Her green and calm eyes were full of indifference and leisure.
However, she and Nini were both invisible at the moment. Except for the people in the Seven Seas Brigade, outsiders could not see the two of them there.
"That's it," the old servant nodded, unable to help but reveal a tone of reminiscence, "I recall that when Sir Ma Wei came here, it was nearly twenty years ago... In the past twenty years, everything has changed. Already..."
"Old man," Sylvide asked softly at this time, "can you tell me about your father?"
"Of course," the old servant nodded, "...I still remember what happened at that time. Your father was an uninvited guest of the academy. He came to this place because he was interested in the country founded by the magicians. .
But at that time, Mr. Ash was very worried about your father, because he was always worried that Sir's carelessness would damage the precious materials in the laboratory.
However, in our memory, Mr. Sir is talkative, frank and approachable, and always very optimistic. In short, everyone has a very good impression of him. "
He recalled: "Mr. Ash didn't like Sir very much at first, but later Sir helped the college a lot, and Mr. Ash gradually recognized him, and the two gradually became friends and became inseparable...
Later, before your father left, he made an agreement with us to visit again. Of course, Mr. Ash was very worried about his material and had reservations about it..."
When Fang Yu heard this, he couldn't help but look at Sylvester curiously.
This was the first time he heard someone comment on the legendary adventurer like this. In Kaolin-Ithulian, Sir Mawei is a hero that everyone admires, but not many people have actually seen him.
Except for his political enemies in the kingdom, everyone else praised this great adventurer. Fang Plover is already familiar with those stories, including walking through the door to the second world with the chosen ones.
He is a discoverer, explorer, and legendary explorer.
But this was the first time that Fang Pliance heard another side of Sir Ma Wei from his mouth, an adventurer who was informal, carefree, and sometimes not so likable.
What's even more interesting is that the great adventurer's daughter is sitting next to him.
Sylvester blushed rarely, "My father... was quite careless when he was young..."
"No, miss, your father is a truly great man," the old servant shook his head and denied, "The carelessness is just his informal side, but he never cares about other people's faults and is always kind to others. Tolerant, optimistic and upward, and can still maintain the original intention in difficult times..."
He was silent for a moment and sighed: "Even Mr. Ash is not as good as your father in this regard. It would be great if he could be as good as Sir. Back then... maybe he won't be able to do it now..."
Sylvester was fascinated by the sound.
The noble daughter stared blankly at the bonfire for a moment.
Her father left many impressions in her mind and gave her all the love and protection. In her heart, her father was not only a hero in others' words, but also a tall arm that shielded her from wind and rain...
But that impression was both clear and vague.
He was a good father, but not that competent, although he found her a good teacher, a reliable lady, and a guardian who also devoted everything to her.
But that man travels abroad all the year round, and is always away from his daughter.
So much so that her impression of her father seemed fragmented, and she had to draw his image from other people's descriptions.
Is he a hero in the minds of others?
Or his own father?
Sylvester was also a little confused.
Alyssa looked back and saw that her captain was still sitting there stupidly, and she couldn't help being a little speechless for a moment.
She couldn't help but poke the other person's elbow with her hand, and thought to herself, why are you still here? Does Miss Ship Officer, who hasn't seen you, need a shoulder to lean on now?
But Fang Yu turned around and looked at the other party with questioning eyes, wondering what are you doing?
Miss Nightingale couldn't help but rolled her eyes.
And this time Sylvide finally came back to her senses.
She turned her eyes and couldn't help but smile when she saw the interaction between the two.
But her face turned slightly red again, and she lowered her head, not knowing what she was thinking of.
She quickly calmed down and then asked the old man again: "I would like to ask you what happened in the past twenty years. My father thought that Horfen College had a great hope of winning that competition. What happened in the past twenty years? Did something happen, or is there someone behind the scenes who implemented a conspiracy against Horfen College?"
"I'm not sure," the old servant sighed, "Even if something really happened, how could Mr. Ash tell us? Others in the Lynn family wouldn't talk about this to servants like us. What's more, twenty years ago... twenty years ago...
...It's not wrong to say that at that time... your father would think so. After all, who didn't think that Holfen Academy would win the competition at that time? No one knew that things would end up like that. At that time, many people firmly believed that Mr. Ash would be the greatest wizard in the history of the Principality.
And even after the husband leaves, the school he left behind and his students will guide the twelve families in the principality to continue to move forward. Everyone thought so, and that would be the beginning of a glorious era for the Principality...
But who knew it would end up like this? "
"So what was the final competition between the Hart Principality and the Imperial Mage Realm like?" Fang Yu couldn't bear his curiosity and couldn't help but ask.
The old servant shook his head and replied: "...I have only heard people talk about this matter, so I can't necessarily guarantee its authenticity. I remember that there were fifteen competitions at that time, and in the end only the magician from Kestrel Academy won one. , while Horfen Academy did not win a game.
Three of Mr. Ash's nine students abstained from the competition. Four others did not show up on the day of the game, one died unexpectedly on the field, and the remaining one..."
He seemed to remember something that he couldn't bear to look back on and stopped talking.
Everyone had high hopes for Holfen Academy and they withstood many doubters before the game. The Principality's magician community also generously offered up most of its places, but the academy's performance undoubtedly disappointed all those who supported it.
That's natural, expectations turned into disappointment;
Disappointment turned to resentment, and resentment turned to doubt.
Doubts came one after another.
But the last straw was also a student from the academy. The last student directly sided with the opponent and publicly pointed out that the Horfen School was a scam, and that the great wizard Ash was just a deceiver.
The new type of magic he was researching was completely non-existent, just some tricks mixed with alchemy.
Mountain rain was about to come, so the storm gathered and formed in Tagli.
Many people left Horfen Academy directly, especially the lower-level apprentices who were easily influenced by the outside world. The magician families did not feel comfortable letting their heirs stay and study in such a notorious academy, so the nobles left.
More people also choose to leave.
Only a few people are still persisting, but those people are gradually unable to maintain the operation of the college.
What's more, in this world, jealousy always breeds in the darkness. The poisonous snakes that walk in the shadows cannot bite people in the sun, but whenever a storm comes, they will reveal their sinister fangs——
Even in Horfen College, people like Ash Lynn will not be without opponents in the Hart Principality, and the enemies are always willing to use the most despicable means to attack their opponents.
Rumors spread.
"Originally," the old servant sighed and continued, "Mr. Ash has no chance to prove himself. We all believe that his magic is real. After all, those words that slander him cannot deny that he is a great magician. The identity of a mentor is obtained with dignity and dignity...
Even Mr. Ash's most trusted students think so. They are all real big shots and will not be confused like us servants about what is true and what is false.
We all thought at that time that all Mr. Ash needed was just time..."
"But..." The old man's voice was full of regret.
He didn't need to say anything else.
But Fang Yu and several people from the Qihai Brigade had already guessed it.
Only four years later, the great wizard died of depression under heavy blows.
In the next ten years, the Principality and the Empire held several more competitions among the magicians. However, since the death of Ash-Lynn, the magician world in the Hart Principality went from bad to worse and was no longer able to produce a leader.
Several colleges declined one by one, and others chose to move out of the principality to avoid being harmed by their reputation.
The Otag Principality, which was founded by magicians, is now in decline because of magicians. There were twelve families in its territory during its heyday, but only half of them remained. One family that was once well-known in the country of wizards is now unknown.
No wonder the Seven Seas Traveler could not find a few people in the countryside who had heard of Horfen Academy.
After all, people are always ashamed to reveal their scars.
Over time, they also forgot the glory and glory of the past.
Fang Yu couldn't help but look at each other with Sylvester and Alyssa. They were originally just looking for an old friend of Miss Ship Officer's father, but they didn't expect to hear such a story with ups and downs.
As for whether what the old servant said is true or false.
In fact, no one can judge.
After all, due to the limited information available, almost everyone can only state what happened from their own subjective perspective. The other party may not intend to deceive, but there is no guarantee that everything they say is true.
What the history is, has long been sealed in the past twenty years. Unless there are still insiders here, no one can know what happened in the past.
But it is really sad to think that this happened in just ten years.
People are always willing to believe those close to them, and even Fang Plover and Sylvester are not immune to this, but at least Sir Mawei described his views twenty years ago in his notes.
Therefore, they would rather believe that what the old servant said may indeed be credible.
At this moment, Fang Yu suddenly had a thought, and remembered what he had heard from the selectors before, and couldn't help but ask: "So what those people said about Mr. Ash's manuscript was about the new demon he was studying. Guidance?"
A new form of magic?
Although I don’t know if it’s true or not, it still aroused Fang Plover’s curiosity. Although he is an alchemist, both alchemy and magic are all related to the study of the etheric sea.
What's more, the magic wands of the magicians are also the alchemical results of the alchemists.
"I actually didn't lie to them. I don't know the whereabouts of the manuscript," the old servant shook his head and said frankly. "Shortly after Mr. Ash passed away, the Linn family sold the Tagli property and left. This sad place. Even if Mr. Ash really left any manuscripts, of course they were taken away by his relatives. How could it be in the hands of a little servant of mine..."
Fang Yu thought the same thing. But most of the time those people couldn't find the Linn family and had to find a way with the only remaining servant.
But since those people swear so much about the manuscript, it may also indicate that this matter has a certain degree of credibility.
He turned around and asked, "So who are those people?"
"A local guild," Alyssa continued, "Its name can't even be found in the top 100 rankings in North America, but it is among the top three in the Hart Principality. In fact, I checked and found that this guild was not even listed twenty years ago. existence, and I don’t know where they found out about the manuscript.”
Fang Yu glanced at her appreciatively.
When it comes to investigating teams and guilds, no one in the group can match Miss Nightingale.
At this time, the old servant also spoke: "...because those Holy Chosen Ones were ordered by the people from the Hellfa family, and behind the Hellfa family was the Ironthorn Academy. Those people thought that we were related to Mr. Ash before he was alive. Horfen Academy took away their position within the principality.
They defeated Horfen and squeezed out the Kestrel Academy. Now they are the dominant family in the Stag Principality, but behind those people are actually colluding with the magician family in the empire. This is how the empire's magician community later stabilized the principality. s reason……
Not many people like them, but they dare not express their anger. After all, after Kestrel Academy left, now there is only one voice left in the Stag Principality. "
"But what about the Lynn family?"
Fang Yu asked: "Even if Horfen College is gone, aren't the Linn family still there? This is not their property, so why would you allow outsiders to bully you like this? Seriously, isn't it Mr. Ash's manuscript that those people covet? ?”
The old servant shook his head. He was full of respect for the great wizard, but he couldn't help but feel a bit of resentment towards the other members of the Lin En family. "I haven't seen them for many years. In fact, many people want to contact them." The people of the Lin En family, after all, this place is the property of the Lin En family. But they never came back and never contacted me, leaving me, an old servant, alone to take care of this place."
He sighed: "But I don't care anymore. Mr. Ash treated us well, and I plan to bury my bones here. Even if they forget this place, at least I will always be with this college and everything about it in the past." Memories stay together.”
The old man muttered to himself.
Everything is in the past, and twenty years is enough time for people to forget many things...
Fang Yu looked at the other party and couldn't help but fell silent.
He knew that those people would come back. They would not believe what the old man said, and he had caused those people to lose so many people here. They might be angry at this lonely old man.
But the old man's son looked like that, and his own life was almost coming to an end. Everything he missed in the past, those bright and happy memories, were buried here.
This old man has almost lost everything, and Fang Pultru really can't bear to see him suffer for this again.
He thought for a moment and made a decision in his mind.
He opened the team channel and asked other people in it using text messages, and received affirmative answers from all of them.
He looked at Alyssa and Sylvester, both of whom nodded to him.
Fang Yu thought for a while, and then asked again: "So this academy should also be Mr. Ash's hard work, right? The Lin family took everything away, but left this place alone. Is there something wrong?" What’s the reason?”
"It's because Mr. Ash made a will not to let them touch this place." The old servant didn't have a good impression of the other members of the Lynn family who didn't keep the academy. He said it bluntly, "They only took away the valuable things here. But other things have remained. In the early years, Mr. Ash's students helped maintain this place, but gradually those people either left or passed away..."
"So Mr. Ash's laboratory is in the academy?"
"This is indeed in the basement," the old man was startled, "but all the instruments inside have been taken away, leaving only some materials."
"Then Mr. Ash must have some unfinished experimental products, right? I think those things are of little value to ordinary people. Are they still in the laboratory?"
The old servant thought for a moment, probably because his memory was too old, and after a while he nodded affirmatively, "Yes, the Lin En family is not interested in those things, so they left them behind. But I don't know what should be done. How do you maintain those things? After such a long time, they might be almost broken..."
That's enough.
Fang Plover smiled.
He asked: "But I am somewhat interested in those things. Could you please give us one or two of them?"
"This..." the old servant hesitated, "Of course. Although those things are the relics left by Mr. Ash, they are of little value. If they are left there, they will just inevitably turn into dust. And said Maybe those people will turn the place upside down in a few days, so it would be great if you are willing to take them away."
"Okay." Fang Plover stood up.
Before he stood up, he reached out and took the half-eaten biscuit away from Nini's mouth to prevent the little one from eating it and becoming a little fat. And by the way, he used his fingers to scrape the cookie crumbs on the other person's face.
Fang Nini was not dissatisfied with this, she just hugged his finger and bit it, grinding her canines.
Fang Plover smiled.
Then he turned back and ordered Alyssa: "Go and bring that guy over, and if possible, wake up the selector from the first division. Don't they want to find Mr. Ash's manuscript? Take them to see it." Let’s see what’s in the basement.”
The old servant was stunned when he heard this, "Wait, you guys..."
Fang Yu gently brushed off the dust on his body and looked at the other party with a smile:
"Old man, we heard a good story today. Twenty years ago, my ship officer's father and Mr. Ash were close friends.
But there are some things that happened in the past that we can use as a story. "
He pointed not far away.
"However--"
Some things happen in the present moment.
They don't think of it as a story.
As Fang Yu said this, he summoned the Pride of the Solitary King from the information crystal, stretched out his hand and put it on his hand.
Anyway, he was already in trouble, so what if those people believed that he had taken away the manuscript?
He didn't believe that those people could still stop him?
And some people are afraid of those people.
But he is not afraid.
"Everyone, please...wait a moment," the old servant looked at these enthusiastic strangers with some surprise. He couldn't help but think of everything he saw twenty years ago...
At that time, he was not as old as he is now, and he was still in the prime of life; and at that time, the principality was still what it is today.
At that time, his master, Ash-Lynn, the famous great mage of the principality, had not passed away yet and was still living in this world.
It was also at that time that he met an equally enthusiastic adventurer.
He is carefree, but not afraid of any difficulties, and the shadow on the other person seems to be almost exactly the same as the energetic young man in front of him.
The images of the two people overlapped in some way.
The old servant suddenly remembered something, something he might have forgotten for a long time, something that might be important, but might not be that important -
"I suddenly remembered that Mr. Ash once left something behind," he tried to recall the incident. "It was one of his experimental products. Later, one of his students gave it to me for safekeeping."
The old servant paused and said hesitantly: "...I think maybe you can use that thing."
…
