Ancient Dragon in Arknights

"You're not planning to get me involved in this, are you?"

The more Nessario listened, the more uneasy he felt. Why did it seem like Aleide was particularly concerned about this matter?

"Because I suspect that a duke was behind this incident."

"Elaborate."

Okay, now Nesario is getting concerned.

"During the investigation, the military had already grasped a lead and ultimately identified a count as their target! Then... he died. When the military broke into his mansion, he had already committed suicide by poison."

"Suicide out of fear of punishment? That's not right either; clearly someone is obstructing the investigation."

"Yes, in Victoria, only the dukes can do this."

Alder had to admit that Victoria was now practically a dinner table for the dukes, who could easily grant them fiefdoms if they so desired.

But that would lose popular support and the ticket to becoming King Victoria.

"Are you coming for me?"

"You think too highly of yourself."

"..."

“I suspect that some of them want to break into Lentinium from the inside and then take over the property.”

Nesario knew the reason for this—Victoria had a rule after its founding: as the imperial city, Lontinim was not allowed to be entered by any duke.

This was to prevent the emergence of usurpers, that is, to suppress the so-called "purging of the emperor's inner circle," so that those who wanted to use the emperor to command the feudal lords would have no way to do so.

Although Nesario himself found the rule both amusing and exasperating, it was only effective when one had the power to do so—if a duke intended to settle there, he could simply send troops to take him over, and anyone who dared to resist would be guilty of treason.

If you have enough power, you can point at an Elafia and say it's Kutalan, and racial textbooks will have to be rewritten overnight.

Currently, Lontinim is uninhabited; it's simply a matter of the various dukes being wary of each other.

Duke A moved in, and Duke B immediately entered under the pretext of guarding the royal city. Then Nesario and his companions could put their classroom knowledge to use—in street fighting.

"So, I need to leave Lentinium as quickly as possible now?"

"uncertain."

“But I do want to leave Lentinium.”

"?"

"The first semester at the Guard Academy is over. We have a two-month break coming up..."

This is what's been bothering Nezario the most lately. School is about to let out for break, and if he were an ordinary international student, he should pack his things, buy a ticket, complete the formalities, and then return to Colombia to experience a month and a half of futuristic life.

But now—Nesario is a little hesitant to leave Lentinium, in case he gets robbed on his way home while eating hotpot and singing.

"Hmm... I remember that the Imperial Guard Academy also arranges self-study tasks during holidays, right?"

Aldette had graduated from Victoria National University two years ago, and as a neighbor of the Guard Academy, she remembered that those young officers never had holidays.

"The first phase allows for holidays, but there will be no more holidays after that."

"So you're taking this opportunity to return to Colombia?"

I have an idea.

“You won’t have a chance. I can guarantee that once you leave Lentinium, you will never be able to cross the border into Victoria. Because you’ve messed with the most troublesome Duke—Kester.”

"Okay, I got it. By the way, how's the investigation going with that thing from before?"

The connection between Nesario and Aldebaran began because of one thing—scales.

This matter was initially entrusted to Losilly, but now that the person in question has arrived, it's best to ask them directly.

"We've made some progress. The merchant has confessed after my negotiation. It seems to be from a merchant guild in the Eastern Kingdom."

"..."

Very well, the already fragile clue snapped instantly.

At this point, Nesario can't even cross the border of Victoria, let alone reach the other side of Terra.

Chapter 108 Rose-Colored Youth

As things gradually calmed down, everyone's lives returned to normal. Although what happened during the exercise was shocking, only Nesario was a true witness to it, and for him, it was definitely an unforgettable memory.

The only two people affected, according to Nesario, were probably Losilly and Fisher.

The former was summoned by the military, presumably to extract information from her; the latter was due to the worsening of the case—yes, the smuggling case that Fisher had previously handled was now connected to the Sarkaz.

The two spies were too busy to bother them.

As for the three members of the Glasgow gang—after three days in jail, Nesario returned to the Glasgow gang after posting bail.

The final exams arrived uneventfully – this time, the exams were mostly written tests, with the only practical component being a simple ability test.

"So, teacher, are you planning to personally participate again this time?"

What have I done to offend you?

At the testing ground, Nesario and Angelia made a joke, and after a moment of silent eye contact, they both burst out laughing.

Looking back, it was quite an experience—I was sent to the hospital by my teacher just a few days after school started.

"Nesario, I have some good news for you."

"what?"

"The school's opinion is that your practical skills are more than sufficient; your only shortcomings are theoretical knowledge and... nationality. Now, the school has asked me to sound out your opinion. If you wish, as long as your theoretical knowledge meets the requirements, you can join Victoria's army—someone will handle the transfer of nationality."

"Sigh, fame brings trouble."

"What's the answer?"

“I refuse, teacher. I’ve only studied at school for one term. There are still three more terms to go—aren’t student life the most carefree and joyful time of one’s life? Are you really willing to send me to the battlefield to fight now?”

Nesario looked reluctant, a stark contrast to his earlier demeanor in the office when he said, "I will fight for honor too."

"That's true... The teacher's happiest memories are from school. The battlefield is full of memories, but most of them are not honorable. I will pass that on to the school."

Angelia accepted this explanation; she was very forgiving of Nesario, and her reminders were effective. She was a good teacher, but not a politician—Nesario hoped she wouldn't get involved.

Victoria's sudden desire to retain Nesario is unsettling to contemplate.

Nesario had absolutely no interest in the mess that was Victoria; he would definitely find a chance to escape back to Colombia in the future and then go directly to Seraya.

"Nana!"

The moment of teacher-student interaction was interrupted by Fiona and her group, who walked towards Neltharion, clearly intending to participate in the test together and see just how big the gap was between themselves and Neltharion.

"Hey kid, is this one of the reasons you're reluctant to graduate? Tsk tsk tsk, can you handle three of them?"

Angelia was impressed by all the students in her class, especially these three model students, whom she was extremely satisfied with, particularly Rita, who, as the class monitor, had put in a lot of effort for her.

She put her hand on Nesario's shoulder and gave him a knowing smile. For some reason, Nesario saw a greasy look on the woman's face.

"Tell me, there's a tradition in Victoria's army. Teaching new recruits how to pick up women is one of the officers' responsibilities."

"We have a purely platonic friendship, teacher. There are many things that men and women can do besides those things."

Nesario is indeed completely innocent! The only person with whom he has a somewhat ambiguous relationship is actually Lothiri – the two often meet secretly (to exchange information) and know each other well (holding each other's secrets).

However, when it comes to the thoughts of men and women—Nesario looked at the trio.

First, there's Chen on the far left... Hmm, she's obviously very pretty, but why do I remember her more as someone who got drunk and stood on the table yelling, "Damn it!"

Forget it, I'm not interested. Next one.

Look to the center—orange, representing passion, and a smile even more passionate than orange. Fiona, this girl is always busy, playing around everywhere, and just looking at her can dispel loneliness; what strikes the heart even more is her transformation during battle, one would have thought such a person would be a nuisance on the battlefield.

But in the last exercise, Fiona executed all instructions perfectly, communicating and issuing commands—she used the most standard Victorian army commands.

When that silly, goofy girl transforms into a dashing female captain, no one can resist being captivated.

But Nesario held back, or rather, his actions were covered up.

He looked to the far right—Yi Mo Jinhuang was tidying her clothes. She had tied her hair back and tied it up, her fair fingers running through the strands of hair. A few stray strands of hair quietly fell onto her slender swan neck, and her jade-green eyes were lowered at the moment.

Nesario had to admit that he was drawn to the earnest and reliable Rita, the very one who had pulled him out of the bloodshed. He had initially thought it was the suspension bridge effect after the war, but it was still working now.

"Oh... I see."

Nesario's gaze swept quickly over the three of them, a process that was smooth and seemingly indistinguishable; but Angelia knew far more about this than Nesario, a complete novice, and she made the judgment instantly.

"I thought you'd like Fiona. She's sunny, warm, and sensible, and she can even cook. More importantly, you're both Vaivans. But now it seems... things are going to be tough. Young ladies are always a hassle."

Do you have any techniques to teach me?

Nesario rarely refuted Angelia's jokes; he preferred to go along with them and see what she could come up with. Sometimes, listening to jokes about the Victorian army was also a fun experience.

"Of course! Dating a noble lady usually ends after meeting the parents. After all, you know, they're nobles. So—it's best to strike first!"

"Rolling in the sheets?"

"?"

Nesario shared his thoughts, and Angelia looked at him with an incredulous expression.

"That can't be right. I remember Columbia is pretty open-minded, even more extravagant than the nobility. How can you be so...cute?"

"you mean..."

"She must have gotten pregnant. Given that, the nobleman can't really say anything. He either has to accept it reluctantly or kick you out of the house so you can elope."

Angelia whispered a terrible idea in Nesario's ear. Nesario didn't know anything about the other nobles in Victoria.

But the White Wolf family... Nesario believes there are more options, those options are probably not very friendly.

Chapter 109 Other People's Affairs

After several days of exams and tests, the first cohort of students at the Royal Guard Academy of Victoria were finally given a holiday. The Victorian military is currently focusing most of its efforts on the Londinium bombing case, so sending these greenhorns home is a welcome relief.

As for the other senior students, they are mature enough to be a valuable asset in this operation.

As for the much-discussed Nesario—he rejected the benefits offered by the school, choosing instead a life prioritizing personal needs.

However, he did not return to Colombia as quickly as expected. Once he leaves Lontinem, many people will likely be interested in him.