Chapter 758: Chapter 757: Beneath the Clear Waters
Jinna extended her hand and gently scratched the neck of the old companion that had accompanied her for many years. She knew this was its third favorite way to relax—the first and second were drinking Sikokan whiskey and Hosman Region’s distilled liquor.
Sonia sighed beside her, "The gryphons here have the worst temper I’ve ever seen, full of coarse language—in comparison, the giant eagles we train are all gentle and polite ladies and gentlemen."
"Unfortunately, I’m neither an elf nor a Druid, so I can’t understand what the gryphons are saying..." Jinna shook her head, "But I can somewhat sense their mood."
"It’s just as well you can’t understand—understanding them would be distressing," Sonia said helplessly, "Arguing with gryphons, these creatures can instantly curse your entire family to sudden death..."
A deep humming sound suddenly came from the sky, interrupting Sonia’s words. At the sound, Jinna looked up to see a dragon rider training aircraft completing its mission, skimming across the sky and heading towards the hangar in the approaching twilight.
The gryphon beside her saw the magic machinery flying across the sky and immediately became agitated, flapping its wings and letting out exceptionally loud cries.
Sonia reached out and patted the neck of the fierce bird, "Shut up—machines don’t have mothers."
Jinna’s mouth visibly twitched.
"Starting next year, with the deployment of dragon cavalry and other types of aircraft, a significant number of military gryphons will be disbanded or restructured in batches," Maji suddenly broke the silence, looking at Jinna, "Some will be transferred to civilian use, some allocated to remote regions, and some downgraded to second-line units. If I remember correctly, the gryphons trained by your dragon cavalry cadets will definitely be among the first batch to be disbanded... That might be why it’s in a bad mood."
"... I plan to keep it myself; I’ve already submitted an application and received approval from my superiors," Jinna said, "I will care for it until its very last days."
Sonia glanced at the female knight in surprise, "...Without relying on stipends and additional income, personally taking care of a gryphon is quite an expense. Moreover, as a commander of the dragon cavalry, keeping a private gryphon might affect your image among the civilian soldiers."
"It’s been with me for many years; I can’t bear the thought of sending it to the southwestern border," Jinna smiled lightly and shook her head, "Besides, no member of the Prince Family has ever abandoned a gryphon partner. I don’t want to be the first. As for the troubles it might bring... I believe I’m ready for them."
Inside the wooden nest, the large bird tilted its head to look seriously at the female knight for a moment, then extended its neck and used its beak to vigorously rub Jinna’s hair, letting out a low, rumbling sound.
Jinna extended her hand to embrace the old companion’s neck, smiling as she looked at the blonde elf before her, "Instructor Sonia, what is it saying now?"
Sonia’s expression was slightly peculiar, "It said your mom’s alive."
Jinna: "..."
The young female knight left the gryphon nest with a strange expression, while Sonia and Maji remained standing, gazing at the nearby training camp area bathed in the glow of the setting sun. Maji suddenly let out a soft sigh.
"There should be more knights like her... The times are changing so swiftly; there are always some old things that people are reluctant to let go of, especially among the knight class that values family traditions," the dragonkin woman with black hair said with some lament," I’ve heard this has even led to conflicts within the Second Combat Corps, where officers from traditional knight families and newly risen knight officers face opposition and disagreement. The former always find ways to carry their crests, while those from lower origins disdain it, calling it ’the arrogant stench of the old aristocracy’..."
"It’s inevitable for old nobles who have lost privileges and estates to yearn for what they once had, carrying the mark of the previous era, while civilian officials who have quickly raised their status resent it, even developing opposition due to past conflicts. Some originally insignificant lifestyle habits between the two classes become points of contention..." Sonia shook her head, "Originally, the two groups were separated, with almost no possibility of conflict in this regard. But the new order brought by His Majesty Gawain Cecil quickly closed the distance between the two groups, giving them the opportunity for conflict and even venting it... It’s unavoidable."
The new era is beautiful, but beautiful things always come at some cost. The prosperous and developing new Empire inevitably harbors various hidden dangers.
Sonia, though not human, as an elf, has already lived through a millennium of years, and she has witnessed so much.
"These hidden dangers, the King must have anticipated them," after a moment of silence, Maji spoke, "Let’s not think too much..."
...
Plains of the Holy Spirits, Gorgon West Bank—Feldspar Town.
The smell of burning flesh from Scorching Ray and blazing swords wafted into the nose of the stern-faced Administrative Office official, prompting him to frown uncontrollably. This middle-aged man, clad in a black woolen coat, pale-skinned with high cheekbones, looked at the family before him with their hands tied behind their backs, unabashedly displaying his expression of disgust.
Special counter-reaction public security officers wearing black uniforms and carrying magic infantry stood next to him. The blade of the Melting Sword emitted a faint red glow in the winter chill, carrying a menacing heat.
"You hid properties meant to be submitted to the Empire, retained illegal contracts, and refused to enforce the farming decree, Mr. Sko Colton. It seems prison is the best place for you," the stern-faced Administrative Office official said coldly, "Perhaps it can wash away the stench that clings to your entire family."
"Berman... This is personal revenge!" The man with his hands bound behind his back forcefully raised his head. Despite standing next to armed Magic Combatants, he still shouted loudly, "You altered the documents! Those nonexistent accounts, land deeds, letters... they’re all fabricated by you!!"
"Shut up!" The security officer beside him quickly stepped forward, the iron armguard striking his face solidly, leaving the man covered in blood, nearly fainting on the spot from multiple injuries.
A woman nearby screamed in terror.
"Lock them in the car," the official from the Administrative Office, known as Berman, waved his hand in disgust, "everyone else, continue counting the confiscated items... These are the fruits squeezed from the poor, and they must be deposited in the treasury to be used for the right purposes."
Nearby, the special security officer immediately responded, "Yes, sir."
Berman nodded, unable to suppress a smile on his face, but a cold breeze blew in, causing him to tighten his clothes involuntarily.
...
The sky grew darker, and the Magic Crystal Street Lamps newly erected on the town’s streets were gradually lit up under the control of automatic mechanisms.
People finishing their day’s work started their way home under the lamplight, near the Administrative Office, once located in the noble estates, a figure with a relaxed stride flashed across the brightly lit street.
Berman stepped onto the few steps in front of the independent dormitory, looking up at the door frame emitting warm light, and quickened his pace.
He opened the door of the house that once belonged to a consultant scholar, a warm breeze greeted him as Berman stepped inside, casually shutting the door, then removed his cold coat and hung it on the silver hook on the wall near the entrance.
But a strange male voice suddenly pierced his ears, freezing his actions instantly: "Better not hang up your coat just yet, Mr. Berman—you’ll be heading out soon, it’s much colder outside than in here."
Berman’s eyes immediately widened, his heart pounding with shock, he abruptly turned toward the sound, to find that an empty living room just moments before was now occupied by a stranger in a black uniform—he was a young man with short black hair and a faint smile, wearing a neatly tailored black long coat, with a thin silver chain hanging around his collar, a red sleeve band embroidered with a black eye pattern on his left arm.
The stranger sat on the sofa, forming from illusion to reality in less than three seconds, then he stood up, extending his right hand clad in a white glove toward Berman: "As a gesture for our first meeting, perhaps we should shake hands?"
"Who are you!" Berman exclaimed in shock, "Why are you in my house?!"
"Shh, your family is still sleeping upstairs, I suppose you wouldn’t want to wake them in such an awkward situation," the young man withdrew his right hand and took out his credentials from his pocket, unfolding them before Berman—a black pattern, a silver-white dagger laid crosswise over an open eye, this was the Intelligence Agency’s insignia. "Intelligence Agency, Internal Affairs Section Three, Special Counter-reaction Department, code name Dark Raven. Mr. Berman, please come with me, there are some matters we need to ask you about."
Berman’s pupils instantly shrank as he finally realized the identity of the young man before him, and in the next moment, he suddenly stepped back half a step, turned to open the door and rush to the street, but he only managed to grasp the handle when a white-gloved hand pressed against his arm.
The Intelligence Agency agent, who called himself "Dark Raven," was already beside him, at some point, a metal object pressed against Berman’s lower back.
The official from the Administrative Office broke into visible sweat on his forehead, yelling uncontrollably, "You... you can’t do this! I am loyal to His Majesty! I have followed him since the days of Kant, I have earned merits in the Plains of the Holy Spirits..."
Dark Raven took out specially made shackles, "I’m sorry, Mr. Berman, I confirmed your name is on the list."
"Let me go! Let me go!" Berman struggled desperately, but ultimately couldn’t break free from the shackles of the former royal shadow guard, he could only scream in near desperation, "I only did what I was supposed to! I am loyal, I am loyal! Take me to see the King... No, no, no, at least take me to see the Director!
"Have mercy, sir, take me to see the Director, the Director knows me! She knows...
"Be kind, be kind, send the Director a Magic Web message, there must be some misunderstanding, there must be some..."
Click, the shackles locked together, Berman’s hands were securely bound.
Dark Raven snapped his fingers, shadow manipulation invaded the man’s vocal cords, finally silencing the incessant chatter.
Looking at the man with wide eyes, Dark Raven’s expression held a hint of pity: "I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed, the signatory is precisely the Director herself. An incident involving an official from the Administrative Office, educated personally by Princess Heidi and from the southern borders, naturally requires the highest special orders. But rest assured, His Majesty does not permit any form of internal assassination or secret executions; you will receive a public and fair trial, and if the loyalty you emphasize truly exists, then it will surely be revealed after the trial. But then again, you should know better than me what the final outcome will be."
"Mr. Berman, you embezzled property confiscated from the old aristocratic castles, twisted orders from the Supreme Administration Office, all these actions will be revealed. You might become a prominent example... this might end up being your last contribution to the Empire."
"Moreover, we will inform your family in an appropriate manner, and you will have the opportunity to meet them—unlike your style, we will adhere strictly to the law, there is no need for concern."
Dark Raven spoke at a leisurely pace, Berman made muffled noises, his eyes filled with fear and regret, perhaps accompanied by a trace of doubt.
Seeing his expression, Dark Raven simply shook his head, stepped forward to open the door, and led Berman out onto the street.
In the town fully enveloped by night, the Magic Crystal Lamps lining the roads emitted bright light, and in the quiet night, several other figures clad in black long coats, wearing red arm bands and white gloves, slowly emerged from nearby houses.
"Clear out."
