Blood tax

Chapter 281

A terrible storm was blowing outside the Homeworth Hall.The wind was blowing hard, and there was a crackling sound of branches snapping in the wind.Old, gloomy castles and roofs creaked, and floor-to-ceiling windows banged in the ghostly howling wind.

The Headmaster gave a welcome address as he does every term, but this time it was shorter than usual.After finishing the aptitude test for first-year freshmen, everyone began to eat dinner.

In the past few days, Sonia always felt that something was wrong, and a huge sense of crisis gripped her tightly, but she couldn't explain clearly.I had a vague experience of this strange anomaly when the veteran incident came at the beginning of the year, but this time it felt closer, weirder, and more lost.

She flipped through the report sadly.The Earl's Mansion's intelligence channels would send her a copy on a regular basis.

In recent times, many astrologers of the stargazing pathway have reported dreaming of very grotesque and distorted things; the artists of Bajeland have created a collection of indescribably distorted statues, as if they collectively took Consuming an excessive amount of the magic crystal diazine mixture made the already sensitive and fragile mind even more confused.

In the letters that explorers wrote to Countess Elena, there was a quarter less compliments and flattery, and many more grotesque discoveries, or claims that a tribe of orcs and trolls began to perform mysterious blood rituals.

Unknown cultists held weird sacrifices all over the place, and ominous murmurs and whispers came from remote towns.

Channelers of the dream pathway seem to receive the most images.There were quite a few of them in the Sheila branch of Homenwarts.They claimed to have had nightmares for days on end.

Disquieting news circulated among the long tables.Even the first-year freshmen were infected by the oppressive atmosphere and bowed their heads in silence.Rumors peaked midway through the evening when the associate professor in charge of the psychic class suddenly convulsed and foamed at the mouth in his seat.

Amid screams, the poor associate professor was sent away for treatment.The banquet hall could no longer be quiet.

There are rumors that the Canaan consul, the pinnacle of the extraordinary, one of the most powerful demigods in the world, the guardian of order and a good friend of the principal, was assassinated not long ago, and all the core members of the family fell.

The murderer is reported to be his own son and a mysterious dark organization.And the consul's daughter was sitting at the long table of the second graders in Minerva Court, calm and silent.

The destruction of the Elven Archon and the Villanoy family will bring unforeseen crises.Many students have heard disturbing rumors in their own families.

The army is mobilizing, and the bigwigs of the mysterious world are running around.The superhumans have been assembled.

It is said that the evil god has stretched out its tentacles toward reality.

The whole hall seemed to be inhabited by countless rats, filled with whispers.

"Look, that's the senior with long straight black hair over there."

"She's so pretty~!"

"Now is the protagonist of the mysterious incident. Her brother has been a professor of charm courses for a while."

"He's so handsome, I can't imagine..."

There was no end to the low whispers.An indescribable shadow hangs over the hall.The headmaster and professors at the main table were all preoccupied, that is, no one toasted or spoke.

"Squeak!"

The recipient of the Silver Oak Leaf Knight Eagle Badge, the captain of Griffith's third-level assault squadron suddenly stood up.The entire hall suddenly fell silent as if struck by lightning, and even the professors looked at him suspiciously.

Everyone was apprehensive and curious, but they could only suppress their desire to ask questions, and they didn't even dare to peek there.

The two first-year boys chatted for a while in the distance, and walked towards Griffith side by side.The steady sound of their boots beating on the stone slabs dispelled some more of the spooky and chaotic shadows.

"Sir!" They stood at attention and saluted together, paying respect to the commander of the third-level assault squadron.

"The third-rank captain of the Stormtrooper Squadron, Gilles de Ace."

"Same genus, military clergyman, trainee monk Joshua Manado."

The two recruits stared at Griffith solemnly, attracting envious or curious eyes from many people.

The news has spread that the quasi-knights of the Lamor family played a huge role in the events in Canaan, escorting the daughter of the former consul to break out of the siege until she was placed under the protection of Ms. Down.

"Nice to meet you," Griffith held out his hand to them. "Come on, gentlemen, follow me."

Seeing them walking towards the balcony, the quiet hall was suddenly filled with rustling sounds.

……

Griffith returned soon after greeting the two young men, sitting opposite Sonia and beside Galadia as usual.

"What are you talking about~" Galadia rubbed against his side, and quietly put her hand in his palm under the long table for him to hold.

"Let's get to know each other and discuss the next training arrangements." Griffith tilted his head to her, and then looked at Sonia on the opposite side, "If nothing happens recently, the Earl is going to arrange a few training sessions to concentrate the Storm Squadron Let us get acquainted nearby. This way we won’t be too unfamiliar when we have temporary tasks.”

"OK, all right."

Sonia nodded, looking at Griffith, inexplicably puzzled that the narrow long table gave people a sense of distance like a moat.Galadia sat very close to Griffith, but this situation is not surprising, she often sits next to Griffith herself.Leaning gently on his arm will make people feel at ease.

But, there seems to be something wrong~
After Griffith came back from Canaan, she felt something was different.Sonia was worried for Griffith's safety after such a terrible thing happened.In the end, he came back with all his beard and tail, with a gentle smile on his face, and he was promoted to Sequence 7. This is really a double happiness!

But, why, there is such an inexplicable feeling... Sonia recalled that when she left home and returned to school, Countess Elena specially gave a few words:
"Don't care about winning or losing for a while, the real winner is the one who wins in the end."

What did mother say without thinking!Sonia tapped the long table lightly with her fist, sulking for no reason.

……

After the dinner, Griffith walked around the city wall of the campus according to the old habit, hoping that the elves would come to accompany him for a while.

As a result, nothing happened.Griffith reluctantly returned to the bedroom.He touched his face as he walked, and the scent left on his fingers penetrated into the tip of his nose, making his mind sway.

Homestay accommodation consists of three bedrooms for two or three people sharing a spacious living room.There are sofas, carpets, fireplaces, and copper boxes for ice cubes. Everyone gathers there to drink tea and read books in their spare time.

Griffith held the doorknob, and as soon as he pushed it open, he heard a lot of people chattering inside.

"Hush, the little fish is back!" A small voice came from the living room, and the buzzing noise suddenly fell silent.

Small dried fish, what small dried fish?Griffith looked around inexplicably.

Lana, Midianmaia, Berthier, and Dedius were sitting on the sofa in the living room chatting.Even Ophelia, Nona and Kulala were there.

"Good evening," Griffith nodded to the girls, "Why can you wander into the boys' dormitory?"

"It's just that the school is in a mess and we can't control us anymore!" Ophelia said, "We are having a meeting!"

"What are you talking about?"

"Discussing the situation and the upcoming war..." the man in the living room said like an endorsement.Berthier added softly: "It's actually a ghost story conference."

Griffith poured himself a glass of water and sat down on the sofa: "So, did you discuss anything?"

"Big dog, say what you say!" Kulala poked Lana with the cup.

"My position on rumors has always been clear, don't listen, don't believe, um," Lana said with a serious face, "If you call me that again, I'll throw you out of the window."

"I was going to call him a little wolf dog." Berthier muttered again.

Oh--!Everyone started calling each other nicknames~ Griffith looked at everyone with great interest.

When we were on the front line, it was common for comrades in arms to call each other nicknames. Some newcomers died in battle as soon as they were added. If his name was too awkward, everyone would only remember his nickname.

Moreover, with a decent name like Berthier de Urenas, there is a sense of disobedience when digging in the fortifications, and there must be a catchy name.

"Do you all have nicknames?" Griffith asked casually.Dedius tried to stop him but couldn't.

"Of course! This is the main result of our meeting tonight," Ophelia pointed to everyone and said one by one, "Big dog, translator, little fireball..."

Berthier and Dedius grimaced together.

"Then, it's serious," Ophelia pointed to the dissatisfied Nona, and then nodded to Kulala, "The humanoid target."

Her gaze moved to Midianmeier at last, and she suppressed a smile, the corners of her mouth twitching like waves:

"Wolf of Gale Wind..."

Everyone cursed and looked dissatisfied.

Griffith gave Ophelia a critical look: "What about you?"

"Yeah, what about you?!" The others followed suit.

The girl with different red and blue pupils pointed to her chin and thought for a while: "Golden-eyed demon pupils?"

"No!" Everyone objected.

"So, beauty?" Ophelia clapped her hands, "Is this okay?"

"What kind of nickname is that? It wasn't like that when you nicknamed us!"

"Hey, you guys are so troublesome~" Ophelia was embarrassed, "Wouldn't it be cruel to call yourself an ugly nickname?"

"Aren't you cruel to us?"

"Hi~" the girl sighed, looking at Griffith, "Xiao Yugan, do you have any suggestions?"

Depend on--!The little dried fish turned out to be me!Griffith almost jumped up.

"Little fish is not bad, isn't it?" Ophelia patted her thigh proudly, "Thanks to you, many of my classmates have nicknames, such as Xiaoju Fat Cat, Little Black Silly Cat..."

"Wait a minute," Griffith immediately became alert, "Little Ju Fat Cat, who are those little black dumb cats?!"

The living room was immediately quiet, Kulala scratched her head, got up and wanted to slip away.

"Little Ju Fat Cat is Miss Sissy! I don't know her well, I didn't start it!" Nona yelled, "The little black dumb cat is..."

Ophelia jumped up and covered her mouth, and the two wrestled on the couch.While playing, Ophelia turned her head and shouted: "Miss Galadia is black and straight, black and straight! Hey, does it sound good!"

At this time, Leslie opened the door and came in, and said to Ophelia on the sofa: "Hey, wolf cavalry, fully armed, waiting for you downstairs!"

"Wow—!" Ophelia screamed holding her head, "It's too dirty, shut up, shut up!"

Griffith couldn't help turning his head to look at Lana: "Human food addiction is..."

"Fiona," Lana said with a forced smile, "at first she thought it was not pleasant to call her a villain, and then she became like this..."

(End of this chapter)