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Chapter 360: Hurrian Also Has Hate-Sucking Passive
Chapter 360: Hurrian Also Has Hate-Sucking Passive
The vehicle was approaching Rock Junction Station, and the gradual deceleration was noticeable from the comfort of the reclining seats. However, it would still be a while before the train came to a complete stop at the platform.
On the small table between Hurrian and Mishula, a delicate tablecloth laid out an array of fine porcelain with gold trimming and sparkling cutlery, accompanied by several bottles of fruit wine from the Milford Domain. Under the table was a small ice magic wine cabinet, stocked with various beverages and pastries.
Their luggage had already been checked in and would be transferred directly to the next train, eventually reaching the Protoss Royal Academy through a special delivery service from Helrom Central Station. When they alighted shortly, they would only need to carry their personal documents and small belongings.
"The imperial capital of Helrom is actually a great place for tourism. After all, in Helrom, there are plenty of attractions just around the school, such as the Helrom Zoo, the Endless Library, the Starry Theater, and the enchanting natural magic flow moat. It would be perfect if not for the oppressive workload at the Protoss Royal Magic Academy."
Mishula gazed out the glass window, beyond which the scenery and images were gradually slowing down, and sighed.
Hurrian nodded in agreement.
Initially, when they were in the Kingdom of Aethertelan, Lanci had promised that after completing their research in the Northern Continent, they would take time to relax and explore without any distractions. But now, burdened by a great mission, she could no longer accompany Lanci to fulfill this plan, or perhaps the situation no longer permitted them to unwind and treat the Protoss Empire as a mere vacation destination.
As for their original idea of observing the 'Primal Tablet—Seal', the current volatile situation in the empire made it too dangerous to consider.
Nevertheless, this trip to the Northern Continent, sanctioned by Lorren with an additional two months of vacation, had deviated significantly from their initial agenda. Yet, if all went well, Lanci could at least accompany her back to the Kingdom of Aethertelan to observe her teacher's 'Primal Tablet—Healing'. That way, even upon their return to the Ikelyte Academy, they would have something to show for it.
Lost in thought, she propped her cheek with her hand and gazed quietly out the window, her smooth hair cascading diagonally over her shoulder.
"Sister, are you thinking about that man called Loci again?"
Mishula's sudden question startled Hurrian out of her reverie.
"Is it that obvious?" Hurrian paused, lowering her hand from her head and turning to face Mishula.
Every time in the temples of the Kingdom of Aethertelan, the Ice Snow Witch had seen through her, and now, even Mishula had noticed her daydreaming and jumped to the same conclusion.
"It's not that obvious, but it's just easy to guess," Mishula replied.
She was growing increasingly curious about the kind of man who could constantly occupy the thoughts of her exceptionally talented sister.
"I hope he's doing well," Hurrian sighed softly.
"What kind of person is he?" Mishula asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.
"I just hope he can live a peaceful life," Hurrian mused, unsure of how to describe Lanci. "He always takes care of me, but his appearances can be overly cruel, straining the heart and brain. And when he gets serious about something... there's just this terrifying sense of his incredible talent." She shook her head bitterly as she tried to explain the real Lanci; her merits could never keep up with his extravagant spending.
Mishula furrowed her brow in confusion, unsure if her sister was being truthful or if she was simply under the love-struck spell of a deceived lover.
"I'll have to see for myself what this guy is capable of to be so impressive in your eyes." Mishula's fists clenched, and her eyes narrowed in determination.
"Mishula, have you misunderstood something? He's actually a very good person. It's just that his methods can be overly harsh at times, and when he sets his mind to something... there's just this sense of awe-inspiring talent that's almost frightening." Hurrian looked intently into Mishula's eyes, trying to convey the true nature of Lanci, but she couldn't help but shake her head bitterly as she thought of how her merits could never keep up with his extravagant spending.
Mishula's brow remained knit in confusion, uncertain whether her sister was being truthful or if she was simply under the spell of a deceived lover.
"I'll have to see for myself what this guy's got that's so impressive in your eyes." Mishula felt that her sister's love-struck filter was clouding her judgment.
As the train gently navigated the final stretch of the deceleration zone, both Mishula and Hurrian realized they had arrived at Rock Junction Station. The magical energy powering the train diminished, and the vehicle gradually came to a halt.
The majestic visage of Rock Junction Station slowly came into view, and through the window, they beheld a grand structure where history and future intertwined. The platform was vast and bright, its dome constructed from crystalline transparent glass, allowing soft light to filter through and scatter like stardust across the grand hall.
The closer they got to the imperial capital of Helrom, the closer Hurrian felt to Lanci. Ever since they were in the Kingdom of Aethertelan, she had often imagined him in the southern reaches of the empire or even in the imperial capital itself.
However, as the train came to a standstill, Hurrian also understood that reaching Helrom would first require navigating past the heavily guarded Box Mountain Province. And here, away from the Kingdom of Aethertelan and the Milford Domain, she would have to rely solely on herself; there would be no one to aid her anymore.
Hurrian and Mishula rose from their seats, picked up their leather bags, and stepped out of the carriage into the bustling walkway of the train. They slowly made their way into the heart of the station.
Gigantic stone pillars supported the sky above each platform, bearing silent witness to the countless trains that had passed through, stitching together the empire's fringes and its center. Now, the arrival of trains had become a rarer occurrence, casting a veil of loneliness over the once bustling station.
On the platform, imperial soldiers stood motionless like dark statues, their weapons at the ready, creating an atmosphere of stern vigilance.
Many imperial resident travelers on the station level wore anxious expressions, as if sensing the tension in the air.
Passengers cautiously made their way off the platform toward the concourse, careful to avoid any direct eye contact with those rigid, rock-like figures.
Two distinct paths guided the travelers' journeys—one leading to a transfer area and the other directly to the exit.
Most passengers undoubtedly chose the latter path, heading towards Box Mountain Province.
For trains coming from the northwestern part of the empire, transferring here would mean either traveling north to Snowfield Province or south, exiting the northern blockade zone.
Few people ventured towards Snowfield Province, as the journey ahead led to the war-torn Northern Border Province. Those wishing to go south would be subjected to strict inspections.
In recent days, rumors had been spreading.
The Extinction Branch had intercepted most of those trying to leave the northern blockade zone, and a select few who had been chosen now remained missing.
They claimed to have brought those with "suspected harmful intentions towards the empire" to the Extinction Knights' Temple for further observation and investigation. However, no one knew what happened to those taken to that place, nor was there any certainty about their fate or if they would ever return.
This successfully intimidated many empire residents who wanted to leave the northern region, while also drastically reducing the workload of the Extinction Branch's screening process.
In the transfer passage, Hurrian and Mishula's footsteps echoed on the stone-paved road.
All the way up to the checkpoint, imperial soldiers and Extinction Priests kept a close eye on the pair.
Standing at the passage gate and responsible for the inspections was no longer the imperial army but a Great Priest of the Extinction Branch, accompanied by a group of heavily armed elite fighters from the same faction.
The Great Priest, with his owl-like sharp gaze, exuded a powerful magical aura. The purple holy emblem on his left chest shimmered in the light, seemingly radiating an aura of power and authority. His eyes were like the scales of justice, precise and sharp, judging each traveler who passed through.
Hurrian and Mishula maintained calm expressions and continued walking towards the checkpoint to join the queue.
Although there weren't many people ahead of them, it was evident that each person's screening process was lengthy.
More than ten minutes passed before the two sisters finally reached the front of the line.
The Great Priest's piercing gaze fixed on them.
They stepped forward and presented all the necessary documents required to pass through the checkpoint.
Upon noticing the sisters' identities, the Great Priest's eyes softened slightly, but he remained vigilant and did not relax his guard. He flipped through their documents and materials while occasionally glancing up at them.
"So, it's the daughters of the Milford Earl," the Great Priest remarked.
The two young ladies from the Milford Domain were not ordinary empire residents; their influence could sway the Milford Earl's vote for the bishop election in late April, so there was no need to make things difficult for them.
However, the Great Priest's expression turned grim as he noticed Hurrian's admission letter to the Protoss Royal Magic Academy.
Without hesitation, he returned Mishula's documents to her and turned his attention solely towards Hurrian.
"Miss Mishula, you may proceed. Miss Mirian Milford, you will need to come with us for further investigation." The Great Priest's words were like a sharp winter wind, powerful and unyielding.
At the same time, the elite fighters behind him all shifted into a battle-ready stance.
The atmosphere at the checkpoint froze, transforming from a peaceful ambiance to one of tension and hostility.
Hurrian's usually gentle and elegant countenance tightened, and a hint of surprise and deep confusion flashed in her eyes.
Despite maintaining her composure and acting as one would normally expect, her heart began to race uncontrollably.
The Great Priest's gaze pierced her like arrows, sharp and uncompromising, unconcerned with her expression or any claims of innocence.
Behind him, row after row of heavily armored Extinction Knights gripped their weapons tightly, their plate armor emitting dull sounds with each cautious movement. Each knight seemed to be on edge, as if they were touching the most sensitive nerve, ready to unleash incredible power at the slightest command.
Passengers waiting in line behind them also sensed the tense atmosphere, and many instinctively stepped back, afraid to make a sound.
During the brief silence, an indescribable electric tension filled the air, and even the tiniest noise could potentially spark an explosive reaction.
"May I ask why?" Hurrian asked, her voice a mix of confusion and concern.
She couldn't understand what was happening.
She hadn't done anything suspicious, and there shouldn't have been any issues with her admission letter.
Being stopped without any explanation created a sense of unknown danger that made her extremely uneasy.
"I apologize, but I cannot disclose that information. We hope you will cooperate and come with us voluntarily," the Great Priest replied politely, his tone cold and unyielding.
In the past, their work in the northwestern province had focused on hunting down remnants of the Church of the Goddess of Fate.
But now, they had a more critical mission.
Compared to their previous tasks, the current assignment far outweighed them in terms of importance.
Their primary duty here in this city was to intercept and capture two enemies. According to the information released by the Extinction Saint, one of them was definitely a female, while the other's identity was unknown. Any female who met the description was highly suspect.
The stakes were so high that they would rather err on the side of caution and capture anyone who matched the description, for the consequences of letting the targets escape were unimaginable.
The admission documents indicated that this Mirian Milford was a fifth-level mage.
Female, tall, and currently capable of exerting power at around the fifth level.
Everything seemed to align with the description of the woman the Extinction Saint was pursuing.
Although no disguise magic had been detected on her, thief-type and art-related professions could still achieve a certain level of disguise that magic detection might not reveal.
The only difference was that this woman did not seem to have any noticeable seal magic power on her.
Whether or not she was the one the bishop was looking for…
…only the Extinction Saint himself could discern that.
However, the Great Priest glanced at the clock in the checkpoint hall.
According to the time, Agnello should be returning soon.
(End of Chapter)
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