Chapter 341

Chapter 341. Youthful Years

And ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍so, thirteen-year-old Logaris, with a flagrant disregard for fair play, buried more than thirty homemade improvised explosives concealed by illusions across the field, while holding the first homemade, somewhat crude Magitech Gun of his life.

That ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍battle was a smoky, chaotic mess, without the slightest trace of beauty to speak of.

In ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the end, both of them exhausted themselves completely and collapsed inside a scorched pit. Then the Vice Dean, who rushed over after hearing the news, dragged them up by the ears and punished them by making them sweep the training field for an entire month.

It ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was also during that battle, filled with gunpowder smoke and mud, that Sylvia clearly realized for the first time that victory in battle did not necessarily come from absolute martial strength. It could also come from calculations and firepower outside the battlefield.

“It ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍really does bring back memories,” Sylvia said with some emotion.

She ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍raised her head slightly. The mottled moonlight over the training field was reflected in her silver-gray eyes, and the corners of her lips curved into a light smile stripped of all guard.

“However, compared to being punished by sweeping the training field, I miss the days afterward when we teamed up and knocked other people into pits even more.”

A trace of barely perceptible warmth flashed through Logaris’s red-and-blue heterochromatic eyes. He had one hand tucked into the pocket of his senior teaching assistant uniform.

“Since you mentioned that…”

He tilted his head slightly and looked at the silver-haired girl beside him, who was bathed in moonlight. His tone carried a few notes of natural arrogance and teasing.

“Then let us go and see the greatest masterpiece of our old ‘joint crimes.’”

With that, he raised his right hand again, his long index finger overlapping with his thumb.

SNAP.

A crisp sound rang through the empty training field, and a faint sense of weightlessness flashed past in an instant.

When the light faded, the two of them were already standing side by side inside a solemn, circular hall.

Saint Arcadia Academy, the Wall of Honor.

This was the spiritual holy ground of the entire academy. Soft magical light poured down from the dome.

Across the walls, team photos of graduates who had won supreme honors for the academy and the kingdom over the past several centuries hung in neat rows.

Every photograph was sealed inside a time-stabilized crystal frame. Every face was frozen at its most dazzling moment.

Every photograph hanging here represented a legend worthy of being recorded in history.

And among those glittering legends, there was naturally also the most spirited mark that belonged to them.

In the most conspicuous photograph at the center of the wall, four spirited youths stood shoulder to shoulder.

Fifteen-year-old Sylvia wore a suit of silver armor and held her twin swords in her arms. There was little expression on her face, but the pride in her eyes almost spilled out of the frame.

The likewise fifteen-year-old Logaris wore an obviously ill-fitting mage robe. His black hair was somewhat messy, and he kept a stiff face, as if everyone in the world owed him five hundred Golden Lion Coins.

Standing beside them was Aurora, with a holy smile on her face and her hands clasped together.

And Phoenix, a blond youth dressed in gold and silver, grinning like the foolish son of a landlord’s family.

The photograph would play the moment they raised the championship trophy in a loop according to the viewer’s thoughts.

Beneath the photograph, a line of gilded inscription was clearly visible. The handwriting was bold and full of force.

【Flying Star Tournament Champions—“All the Good Names Were Taken” Team】

Sylvia pointed at that team name, which could only be described as humiliating, and finally could not help letting out a soft laugh.

“Even now, I still cannot understand why I agreed to let you choose this name back then.”

“You all agreed at the time anyway.”

Logaris walked to her side and looked at the younger version of himself in the photograph, whose face was covered with the words “I am displeased.” He helplessly rubbed the spot between his brows.

“And the facts proved that this name was indeed eye-catching, was it not? Even after all these years, it is still the most conspicuous one on the Wall of Honor.”

Sylvia’s smile deepened.

She looked at the photograph for a long time. Her gaze moved from that proud and prickly girl, to that scheming boy, and then to the tall, upright man standing beside her now.

“Let’s go,” she said softly, taking the initiative to tug at Logaris’s sleeve.

Light and shadow shifted again.

This time, they arrived in a basement located behind the academy’s mountain, one that had long since been abandoned and sealed off.

This had once been Logaris’s private laboratory.

The air seemed to still carry the faint scent of Aether potions mixed with gunpowder smoke.

On the dusty experiment table, several broken crystal test tubes lay quietly in the corner. A few shocking blackened sword marks and traces of magical scorching still remained on the walls.

Sylvia looked at those marks, and the memories of the year she was sixteen instantly surged into her mind.

That year, in this dim basement, Logaris had pulled off something earth-shattering. He published a paper that, with extremely rigorous logic and irrefutable experimental data, proved from the underlying principles that “the birth of humanity had nothing to do with the gods.”

That was no different from slapping the Holy Church hard across the face.

The day after the paper was published, the Holy Church’s Heresy Tribunal came straight to the academy.

That was the most wretched period of Logaris’s life. He was forced to begin a fugitive life that lasted three full months.

“I really thought you were going to die on the Despair Wasteland back then.” Sylvia walked up to the experiment table and lightly brushed her fingertips over the thick dust. Her tone carried a somewhat teasing nostalgia.

“To protect you, you lunatic, I used every royal connection I could contact. In the end, I crossed half the continent by force and dragged Dean Barnabas back from his travels before we barely managed to suppress the Holy Church’s pursuit.”

“The facts prove that your political skill and diplomatic talent had already begun to take shape at sixteen,” Logaris said, offering a rare word of praise.

And after that, especially after his strength increased, Logaris also began to enthusiastically make constant trouble for the Holy Church.

He attacked them to their faces in all kinds of public venues, as revenge for being hunted back then.

“Let’s go.” Sylvia withdrew her gaze and turned toward the door, her voice softening a little. “To the next place.”

Light and shadow shifted again.

This time, they arrived at the rooftop of the tallest clock tower in the academy.

This was the place where they had stayed on the eve of their graduation. The biting night wind whistled past their ears, lifting Sylvia’s long silver-white hair and drawing chaotic arcs through the air.

The two of them leaned side by side against the rooftop railing, overlooking the brightly lit Royal Capital below.

In the distance, Golden Rose Palace, illuminated by countless magitech lamps, looked like an enormous jewel floating in the night. On the streets, celebratory fireworks rose into the sky one cluster after another, bursting into dazzling showers of light.

“When I was eighteen, I stood here,” Sylvia began, her voice made somewhat indistinct by the wind.

“What I thought about was how to make those nobles stop looking down on me, and how to gain enough power so I would no longer be at anyone’s mercy.”

She paused, then turned her head and looked at Logaris’s side profile.

His black hair stirred slightly in the wind, and the lenses of his Rimless Glasses reflected the distant firelight, making it impossible to see the emotions in his eyes.

“Now, I am standing here.”

Sylvia’s voice lowered. Her silver-gray eyes locked tightly onto his in the night, carrying a rare, undisguised stubbornness.

“And I am thinking… in the future, Logaris, will you stay by my side forever?”

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