Chapter 3: Castle Royal School
On the village plaza, the cavalry captain who had just led his men in turned his horse around, clashing with the giant wolf while holding his broadsword. Though one strike drew faint traces of blood from the wolf’s mouth, it did not truly injure it. Instead, the cavalry captain, wielding the sword single-handedly with insufficient strength, was knocked off his horse. If not for his rich experience and timely roll, he would likely have been torn apart by the giant wolf’s claws on the spot.
Panting as he jumped out of the giant wolf’s attack range, he gripped the broadsword with both hands, adjusted his breathing, and fixed his eyes tightly on the giant wolf five meters away, his expression tense, with a few drops of blood falling from his brown-red beard.
At this moment, the crimson giant wolf did not rush to pursue. Instead, it stepped on the war horse the cavalry captain had ridden earlier, bit open its neck with one bite, then took the horse’s head into its mouth. The crunching sound of bones breaking from its bloody maw sent chills through everyone present, filling their hearts with fear.
“Huff… huff… huff…” Almost trembling in his chest, the cavalry captain adjusted his breathing, slowly shifting his feet to find a position for exerting force.
While he was tense in response, battles were also occurring elsewhere on the plaza. The orange-red Ti Lang that had charged in with the giant wolf bit at anyone it saw, fighting the people guarding the plaza.
These Ti Lang varied greatly in strength. Some merely had orange-red fur and were not much stronger than ordinary wild beasts, while others could flip a person over in one go and tear open an enemy’s throat with sharp fangs and claws. Out of fear and respect for their leader, they did not rashly intervene in the confrontation at the plaza’s center, instead battling around the bonfires and other personnel.
……
The scene was a chaos. Xilutiya was pulled by Talil, stumbling all the way toward a distant stone building that was square and looked like a fortress.
“Finally arrived.”
Talil pulled open the half-closed thick wooden door, led Xilutiya inside, then closed the door again and secured it with a crossbar, before leaning against the wall to catch her breath.
Xilutiya curiously glanced around. There was an old wooden table, two chairs, some straw laid on the ground, and piles of dusty miscellaneous items in the corner.
Seeing the maiden’s curiosity, Talil explained, “This is for defense. There’s a small opening over there that can be opened for archery, but I didn’t bring bow and arrow this time, so no need.”
“Is it always this dangerous here? That giant wolf seems hard to deal with,” Xilutiya inquired.
“No, generally only the end of Xu Feng Season and Blowing Wind Season are very dangerous. During this time, many wild beasts gain Nature Power and become ferocious and powerful.”
“Xu Feng Season, Blowing Wind Season?” Xilutiya blinked her eyes, repeating the two terms.
“You wouldn’t even know this, would you?” Talil saw the maiden’s odd expression but still couldn’t help answering.
“Xu Feng Season, Blowing Wind Season, Sinking Mist Season, Trade Wind Season—these are the four major wind seasons. Each wind season lasts over a dozen years, with variations by place, but overall it’s a fifty-four-year cycle.”
As Talil answered, a familiar feeling surfaced in Xilutiya’s mind, and she continued, “Xu Feng Season brings growth to all things, with animals reproducing massively, birthing more and stronger wild beasts, making the wilderness dangerous. By Blowing Wind Season, the ‘Blazing Sun’ Nature weakens, plant growth slows, herbivorous animals decrease, and many wild beasts become even more ferocious due to hunger.”
“Mm-hmm, looks like you do know.” Talil nodded in satisfaction.
“But what you know is book knowledge from study, probably rarely venturing into the wild. Actually, in the early years of Blowing Wind Season, the continent sinks into clouds and mist, with extra abundant rain, so food is plentiful then, giving wild beasts a brief period of peace. Frogs reproduce massively during this time.”
“Hehe, I know quite a bit, right?” Seeing Xilutiya listening attentively, Talil felt greatly satisfied.
“Did you go to school?” Xilutiya became interested.
“Not really, reading and recognizing characters is too troublesome. But my sister is very studious. She studied in the city before and would sometimes come back and drag me to tell me what she learned. I got tired of listening but remembered some.”
“I see.”
“By the way, where are you from? I’ve never seen anyone as beautiful as you before. Are all nobles this pretty? Does not sunning really make you whiter, and can hair turn snow-white too? How old are you?” Talil finally couldn’t hold back her curiosity and asked a string of questions.
“Where I’m from, I can’t say for sure now, because of some accident, I can’t remember some things.” Lightly pressing her finger to her chin, the maiden shook her head in response.
“Nobles, with less labor and money for upkeep, are probably a bit prettier, but it’s not absolute. Not sunning does make skin fairer, but can’t change complexion, and hair color can’t be changed by avoiding sun either. As for age, I’m probably not much different from you.” Her memory was exceptionally good now; even with Talil’s string of questions, she answered each clearly in order.
“Whoa, is that so?” Hearing Xilutiya’s full response, Talil felt inexplicably happy. The other had really listened to every word she said and answered patiently. The last time she felt this was with her sister; other adults always grew impatient with her odd questions.
“So now you’re looking for the way home?” Talil looked up and down at the silver-haired maiden, trying to guess her origins from her clothing style.
“Yes.” But her ‘home’ would probably require crossing worlds, the maiden thought silently.
“Hmm… I think Grandpa Heide can help you.” She propped her chin, recalling the people she knew.
“Who is he?”
“He’s my sister’s teacher, a scholar in Jiaoshi City. It’s said he was once an advisor to nobles, but now he’s very old and lives alone in a small building in the city.”
“Let me tell you, Grandpa Heide isn’t an ordinary teacher. He has certification from the Candle Fort School and is a scholar with the ‘Bronze Book Badge’.”
Candle Fort School… The maiden silently repeated the term; it felt somewhat familiar, with a vague sense of familiarity emerging.
“If there’s a chance, I’ll visit.” She currently needed to learn about all aspects of this world; finding a knowledgeable teacher would be ideal.
As the two talked, their relationship grew familiar, until shouts and collapsing sounds came from outside, drawing their attention.
Huddling at the closed small window, Talil opened the window frame and carefully observed the outside. Xilutiya followed behind her, looking out.
Blazing firelight spread across the plaza. Many from the earlier battle lay fallen, but there were even more wolf corpses on the ground. Now, aside from the crimson giant wolf, only a few scattered Ti Lang remained, still fighting sporadically. The cavalry captain’s clothes were bloodied, his chest coverall torn, the inner chainmail ripped open with a long gash, dark red blood dripping continuously. One arm hung limp, seemingly broken, while the other barely gripped the sword hilt.
The remaining cavalry and villagers still confronted the giant wolf, which was also stained with much blood, one eye closed and dripping thick black blood that steamed faintly on the ground.
In normal circumstances, this injured fang beast would have fled long ago, but influenced by the ‘Blazing Sun’ Nature, the giant wolf was arrogant by nature and now even more ferocious from injury. With its intelligence, it judged the few battered soldiers before it as extremely weak, needing only a few more attacks to kill them all.
Under the dual stimulation of appetite and killing desire, the crimson giant wolf low-roared, slowly moving its steps amid the firelight, fearless even stepping on glowing embers occasionally. Its strength had indeed declined now, but it was also more cunning and dangerous.
The situation looks dire. If that cavalry captain falls, it’ll take a sharp turn for the worse, the maiden thought, frowning slightly with rising worry.
Unfortunately, she now had only an advantage in identification and no other abilities. Even rushing out wouldn’t help much. This situation stirred in her a longing for gaining strength.
She must find a chance during this time to learn a self-defense ability, Xilutiya resolved inwardly.
“Almost…” Talil’s eyes fixed tightly on the stone platform at the plaza’s side, muttering softly.
“Almost what?” Xilutiya asked puzzled.
“I can’t explain clearly. Look there; you’ll see soon.” Talil pointed outside the plaza, where several people were climbing the stone platform, dipping hands in lime to smear something on it.
“Ready yet!” On the plaza, the injured cavalry captain shouted urgently again.
Seconds later, a joyful voice rang out in the night: “Good, ready!”
Though unchanged to others’ eyes, in Xilutiya’s view, the stone platform now emitted transparent grayish ripples. And not just here—other stone platforms in the village seemed to activate too. The ripples from all six stone platforms collided, converging at the plaza center, generating an odd force field that spread to cover the entire village.
【Royal School·Protection of the Six Stone Towers】（Castle）
‘Classic ritual array of the Royal School. It suppresses Nature Power other than ‘Castle’ within the bounded area and slightly enhances ‘Castle’ School abilities.’
The grayish ripples spread; the crimson giant wolf’s fur dulled somewhat. In the maiden’s eyes, its scalding hot blood had cooled considerably, its aura and pressure instantly reduced by a third.
Her gaze turned to the cavalry captain; his condition had improved a bit, his eyes firm again, even his breathing steadier.
Name: Unknown（Cavalry Captain）
Race: Human（Mortal Body）
Status: Injured（Two fractures, three wounds）
Talent:
Toughness【Good Grade】: Your body is innately two parts tougher than average, but do not rely too much on this talent, as it is not strong and may lead to death from carelessness.
Fate Card: 【Iron Armor Guard（Granted）】（First Order-Castle）; Gray stone frame like a standard rectangular prism, inside a soldier in chainmail holds a sword standing tall, posture standard, face proud.
‘You were enfeoffed by Baron Holin, becoming his loyal guard, thus gaining the ‘Castle’ Nature Class— Iron Armor Guard’
Effect:
【Iron Armor Protection Lv.2】: Makes iron armor you wear stronger and tougher, making it hard for ordinary weapons to pierce, and slightly reduces impact, distributing damage.
Ability Card:
【Steel Edge Blade Lv.2（Granted）】（Castle）: Temporarily gives your weapon steel strength and enhances sharpness, allowing penetration of weak defensive barriers.
【Breathing Technique Lv.2】（Blood Law）: Regulates blood flow rate via breathing, enhancing whole-body power and reaction speed. Burdens heart and body; cannot be used long-term（Recommended no more than 3 minutes/day）.
Gaining a brief advantage, the cavalry captain immediately shouted commands, having the remaining villagers and his cavalry harass the giant wolf’s attention. While they shot arrows and clanged weapons and shields to draw it, he gripped his broadsword tight, seeking opportunity, circling constantly. After several rounds, he lunged forward, stabbing the sharp blade into the giant wolf’s lower jaw, piercing flesh into its mouth.
Intense pain made the crimson giant wolf thrash madly; its violent force foiled the cavalry captain’s follow-up strikes. Perhaps truly sensing death’s threat now, the giant wolf no longer lingered, dragging the broadsword embedded in its lower jaw into the night.
Blood trailed along its path, but the giant wolf moved like the wind, vanishing into darkness in an instant. No one present could match its speed; the few war horses were either injured or fled to the village edge, unusable now.
“Damn it!” Spitting a mouthful of bloody foam, the cavalry captain could only watch furiously as the giant wolf fled into the night and disappeared.
Without the ferocious crimson giant wolf, the remaining few Ti Lang sensed trouble and prepared to flee, but they weren’t as fast. Chest filled with pent-up frustration, the cavalry captain used ‘Breathing Technique’ again; his face suddenly flushed red, then he accelerated, chasing them down. Soon, several bloody wolf heads flew into the air, rolling into the weeds and soil.
“Huff————” Long hot breath exhaled from his mouth; unable to hold on anymore, the backlash of Breathing Technique surged like tidal waves of soreness through his body, nearly toppling him.
“Captain!” A cavalry member quickly supported him, then called for someone to fetch a doctor for treatment.
“Hurry and call people; many are still injured now. If bleeding isn’t stopped in time, many might die.” Ordinary Ti Lang bites weren’t very strong; unless locking the throat, they didn’t kill quickly.
Hearing this, the remaining villagers ran into the village to call for help.
……
The night was noisy; many pine resin torches and makeshift fire basins were set up on the plaza. Seeing the battle end, arriving villagers began aiding the wounded, some finishing off Ti Lang not yet dead.
“How many dead?” The village chief emerged from his house fatigued, asking somewhat repressively.
“Unclear, at least five or six; some still being saved. If they don’t survive tonight, probably…” A sturdy villager beside him replied, face grim.
“This Ti Lang Festival was exceptionally dangerous.” Merchant Fanderxi, who had hidden earlier, now approached slowly, two mercenary guards close behind. They wore full chainmail, helmets, and shields—the strongest in the caravan.
“Hmph.”
Seeing Fanderxi emerge only now, the village chief’s face soured, knowing he had hidden far away earlier. If he had committed all his guards to the defense, village losses would have been much less.
“Hehe, old man Pond~” Fanderxi knew his actions dissatisfied some, but he wouldn’t risk his safety second. Now he approached with a full smile to ease relations.
“The village suffered unexpected losses this time. As an old friend of Fir Village, I should help. How about this: I’ll give you eight—no, seven-fold discount on this shipment!” He painfully gestured.
The village chief didn’t answer, just shook his head and turned to check the wounded being treated.
“How’s Lord Frien?” He came before the injured cavalry captain; so his name was Frien.
“I won’t die yet.” He bared his teeth; a teammate was wiping the long gash on his chest, where charred and fresh red flesh rolled, quite frightening.
The village chief didn’t object, glanced at the wound and nodded slightly. Young as an adventurer, he knew the injury looked scary but wasn’t serious.
“That’s a relief.” If this capable captain under Baron Holin died here, it’d be a headache explaining to the baron.
“How about the other members?” Now he had leisure to observe the cavalry team’s others; many wounded despite leather or chainmail. Their battles were far fiercer than villagers’, casualties heavier.
“Four gone on the road, three more now, several unconscious with uncertain fates.” Frien shook his head, mood low.
Many of these members he had trained personally, like nephews; naturally he felt grieved.
As the two discussed handling the aftermath, two figures passed through the plaza’s firelight, approaching.
“Grandpa, Miss Tiya says she can help a bit.” Talil brought Xilutiya over, her gaze flicking to wolf corpses on the ground, mix of fear and excitement.
Thus, Xilutiya came before the village chief again. The silver-haired maiden’s appearance also surprised Frien; he hadn’t known the village hid such a person.
After a brief introduction, he learned of the maiden’s situation. No time for details now; he just hoped she could help save his men.
“I know some wound cleaning techniques and can stitch simpler wounds.” She had learned needlework from grandmother as a child and first aid in university training.
These might be common knowledge on Earth, but villagers’ methods here were too crude; she couldn’t stand by and offered help.
This could also build rapport; she had many requests for locals later. Decided, she came with Talil.
Skeptical but allowing her to try, village chief and Frien were relieved as her methods proved effective.
……
Standing by boiling hot water, Xilutiya deftly cleaned dirty blood and soil from wounds, reset some fractured bones, then carefully bandaged and splinted. Talil assisted beside, holding patients or fixing boards.
Their coordination went from clumsy to proficient; they worked methodically until late night, when treatment fully ended.
Fingers washed in warm clear water, then dried; only now did Xilutiya have time to carefully wipe forehead sweat with her sleeve.
“Don’t, don’t wipe sweat with such clothes. Use this.” Talil handed clean cotton cloth.
“Thanks.” Xilutiya wiped, set down the cloth, then suddenly thought of something.
“Cotton cloth is quite valuable, right?” She saw most villagers wore flax, some wool.
“Yes, quite expensive. My sister brought this from the city before.” Talil answered.
“But no loss using it to wipe your sweat.” By the room’s lamplight, she examined the maiden’s face again.
“No matter how I look, you’re pretty. I think even Jiaoshi City’s prettiest girl isn’t your match.” She took back the returned cotton cloth, carefully pocketing it inside her clothes.
Miss Tiya working is captivating too; that focused seriousness quiets even her usual mischief.
The two now sat resting by the lamp; later an auntie brought food.
“Eat up, my fresh-baked pies. You two worked hard tonight.” She fondly stroked Talil’s brown-red hair, then looked at the maiden by the lamplight.
“Such a beauty…” She echoed Talil’s sentiment.
“Rest early tonight; you’ve been busy long enough. I’ll deliver food to others.”
Then she left. Tonight’s Fir Village, many would go sleepless.
New book, seeking monthly tickets 0 0/~
