"The Western Region, isn't the situation there unstable? What are you going to do?" Galadia suddenly became nervous, "Is there any danger?"

 Griffith succeeded and successfully diverted the elf's attention. While copying the report, he talked about two things:

“The veterans who were suppressed on January 22 were all from the West, and they had been sent back to their places of origin.”

"Well, I saw the newspaper. Last winter, the number of bandits and rebels there increased sharply. They were attacking remote noble territories near the mountains." Galadia looked solemn. "Even only some of these veterans joined the bandits.

With the rebels, a war will be inevitable."

Griffith nodded:

“The Senate could obviously anticipate this. After resolute suppression, they immediately repatriated the survivors and left the crisis to the Western Territories to handle themselves.

“There are many rebels hiding in the mountains there. I have fought with these veterans. If they join the ranks of the rebellion, it is difficult to say whether the local nobles in the West can resist..."

Before he finished speaking, the elf grabbed his arm and said anxiously and concernedly: "You can't go, security warfare is the most dangerous. The enemy does not wear uniforms. You don't know who you can trust, or even the farmhouse where you live."

Is what you eat safe?

“You can’t go. If there is an order, just tell me and Sonia, and we will find a way to prevent you from going!”

 Griffith patted the girl’s hand and shook it gently:

 “You misunderstood, I will not be sent to fight security wars.

"The aristocratic conservative forces in the West are very strong. They are nominally loyal to the Grand Duke of Verona, but in fact they are only loyal to their mines, farms and plantations. Beyeland has worked hard for hundreds of years, but it only controls the old town.

The two ports of Varna and a few nearby towns.”

 Griffith should have withdrawn his hand, but the delicate and warm touch on the back of Galadia's hand made him unable to resist. After giving it a gentle squeeze, he was ready to put his hand here and there.

Miss Elf withdrew her hand and tilted her head to look at him.

Griffith continued to explain: "This is a rare opportunity. Beyeland is eager to use this crisis to destroy the Western Territory, so that the local nobles, the distant knights, and the dream of the manor will perish together.

“We will not be sent until the rebels have shattered the traditions of the Western Territory and destroyed the order that has been passed down to this day.

"At that time, not only me, but also Sonia, the heads or heirs of the major Beyelan families, the regular legions and assault cavalry will invade in a large scale in the name of supporting the Western Territory and protecting the king's vassals, and will invade the Western Territory nobles and rebels.

The army can take down as much as they can, and then occupy the territories of the eliminated nobles.

“There is no war in the entire kingdom now. The lords of the West have weakened themselves because of their greed, and the carrion-eating vultures are watching.”

Galadia fell into deep thought and asked after a while: "Is this what you think, or who told you?"

“What I think,” Griffith said, patting the book next to him, “is that similar things have happened in history, but on a small scale, and the truth has been covered up by stories of knights and heroes.

"This time it happened in front of me. I rushed into the queue of veterans and even knocked down one with my own hands and killed two children. If I didn't have my own thoughts, I would be so sorry for the tragedy of that day."

 The elf girl's face changes with various strange expressions.

  She looked at Griffith and seemed to be looking back at a certain past situation.

 “You’ve grown up, Griffith.

 “You are more mature than when we first met.

"No, you can't say that. I felt something was different about you the first time we met. At that time, I thought it was just that the army had trained you better. But today I can confirm that those words just now were not something that a soldier in the army could think of.

, you do make a difference."

Griffith laughed. The girl's heartfelt exclamation was regarded as a compliment by him, and it was particularly useful in his ears. He chuckled twice: "Books enrich my mind, just like a whetstone sharpening a sword."

Same."

"But, are you still going there?" Galadia thought for a while, "Even if you are not going to fight, it is still very dangerous!"

Griffith nodded and said: "I will be sent to the territory directly controlled by the kingdom to conduct intelligence collection, city defense army training and review, submit several reports, and make some preliminary preparations for future invasions for the Earl's Palace and the Senate.

.

“This is a relatively easy and decent job in the mission system. The local people will attach great importance to my arrival. It is relatively safe and I can also gain merit points.”

“Okay,” the elf shook his head regretfully, “just tell me if you need anything.”

 Just waiting for your words!

 Griffith regained his energy, moved to a position only a few centimeters away and whispered: "Today is February 14th!"

Miss Elf's face suddenly turned red and she looked around, not knowing what to do.

 “Last time, well, just that day, I saw you spoiled a piece of chocolate!”

　　　…”

 The girl looked astonished.

In front of her, Griffith showed an ecstatic expression: "The failure is for me!"

 …

 Time flies into March.

  On March 12, everyone was eating breakfast as usual and worrying about the day's classes. Several brownies pushed a trolley into the hall and handed out stacks of reports to everyone.

Based on these reports, each college has been divided into several groups and planned a travel itinerary based on different target locations. Everyone will set off in the near future to start spring camping.

According to this Hometown Watts spring camping plan, Minerva College will take a week-long trip to the unstable Verona region in the near future. Except for Galadia, she will stay in Hometown Watts.

To welcome the promotion, I will not be participating in this trip.

Other colleges were fine, they went to normal places. However, Minerva College’s travel arrangements were simply crazy, and the students who couldn’t understand it suddenly became commotion.

 Griffith observed the reactions of everyone at the long table and found that the heirs of the noble nobles with the highest status had helpless expressions in addition to worries and tension on their faces.

“Sonia, why is this happening?” Griffith asked in a low voice.

"Well, this~" The girl's fingers tapped lightly on the itinerary plan, "We heard about it a few days ago, and we told our family how dangerous it is, and whether we can cancel the spring camping. But, I don't know.

Why, this plan was finalized."

"Maybe it's okay. Our journey was concentrated in the plain area near the old town, which is relatively calm." Fiona threw the itinerary aside and took out a map. "The academy is divided into four groups and goes to different areas.

Each group is led by a Sequence 6 professor. Our group took a boat trip to visit noble manors and castles along the way, and then returned by water."

 Isius also nodded:

“If something unexpected happens, we can quickly evacuate to the old town through convenient waterways.

"My idea is that all parties in Beyeland have reached an agreement that a large-scale war in the Western Territory is imminent, and they must conduct a staff trip before a full-scale war breaks out to collect intelligence for the next operation. This time we can

I got in touch with the main lords in the eastern part of the Western Territory and learned a lot about the local human geography."

 Griffith observed him calmly. Sonia prepared many batches of information about the Crozier family, but Griffith only read part of it.

 The family of Isius no longer has a say in Bijalan.

Although the Crozier family he belongs to has a long history and a distinguished reputation, all the outstanding talents of the previous generation perished in the war. Young Isius did not enter the political or military circles. He had no real power except for his title and had no influence in decision-making on major events.

Voice and influence. So far, no suspicious clues have been found.

Sonia sighed and said to the two boys sitting not far away:

“Mr. Berthier, M. Dedeus, we are in the same group.”

The two people whose names were mentioned nodded politely. They are the heirs of two big families, and they also have their own Shutoral. They are relatively eye-catching and powerful among the first-year students, and they have their own small circle.

 Berthier, the calm and knowledgeable of the two, came up with the idea after a moment of thought:

“Now that the matter is settled, there is no point in worrying about it.

“Whether the school and senior officials think it doesn’t matter, or they want us kittens to play with mice, we must be ready for a fight.

“We have five Shutorals in our group. We need to equip them fully, apply for the use of the family’s sacred vessels and sealed objects, and then recruit some local city defense troops to follow us.

“We ourselves must be prepared for battle. Although the family and the big shots above have not said it clearly, I can smell the smell of conspiracy.”

 Everyone here nodded, and Fiona started writing a letter home on the spot.

While everyone was meditating, Sonia opened a new letter. She was stunned for a while, and then said to everyone in frustration:

“There were no five Shutorals left, only four, at least halfway through.

“Griffith, you are scheduled to go to the Port of Varna at the same time to conduct a short-term intelligence analysis mission to participate in reviewing the combat readiness and inventory conditions there.”

Such a coincidence? Griffith immediately began to think about various possibilities and reasons.

Sonia handed over the letter and the task: "This order comes from the Reserve Army Headquarters and is copied to the Earl's Palace. Dad already knows about it. The task initially looks okay. If you still have time after finishing this task, you can

Come meet us from the waterway and pay attention to safety."

"Okay." Griffith took the order book and read it. He found that it only mentioned the arrival time and general situation, but there was no mission details, difficulty or reward information.

Galadia was even more nervous than him. She put a newly bought crystal close to her forehead, as if performing divination. Soon, she whispered with a solemn face:

“Griffith, my divination was not very successful, and I have a bad premonition!”

 On the surface, this is a simple intelligence and inspection mission. Although the specific work must be received on site, it looks very comfortable. Griffith thought about the location in that area carefully and said to the girl:

"Varna, it is close to Lord Salorian's territory. If there is any danger, someone will take care of me."

Salorian is a big figure in the mysterious world who is as big as the principal. I can ask him for instructions in advance. However, the suspicion of Velonos has not been cleared up, and the possibility of conspiracy cannot be ruled out.

 Griffith thought deeply. He even thought about Pepper Ranch and the call of the ancient gods, and wondered whether this mission might be related.
To be continued...