She Is Not a Witch

"Do you know what rime is?"

In the carriage, Lorraine Hill was talking to a blond and thin girl who was looking out of the car window curiously.

On the mountain road along the way, the trees are in full bloom with fine and delicate 'white flowers', making the bare crowns lush and beautiful.

"Rime?" The girl repeated the unfamiliar word, tilted her head in confusion, and looked at Lorraine Hill in front of her.

"Although the rime looks like snowflakes, it is not snow." Lorraine Hill recalled the scientific explanations he had seen in the past.

"It is not a snowflake falling from the sky, nor is it an ice hook left by the water flowing through it, but an ice crystal that appears directly on the tree for no reason."

"In fact, the essence is the crystallization formed by the condensation of colorless water vapor. But because it does not accumulate and shatter like snowflakes, it is more complete and beautiful." The girl stretched her hand out of the window, and a small ice crystal fell out of the window. It floated down from the canopy, landed on the palm of the hand, floated and rotated gently, then put it on the colder book cover, and handed it over.

The naturally condensed ice crystals present a standard hexagonal rhombus, with fine forks in it, which looks very beautiful.

"It's so beautiful." The girl leaned down carefully, lying on the table and looking at the ice crystal.

Seeing her interested look, Lorraine Hill also smiled. She rescued the girl from the ground of the ruins, and later found out that she was actually the key to unlocking the seal of the ruins. Because she needed her blood, Viscount Moruo lifted her out of the cell in Iron Hill City.

"Do you have any other family members?" the girl asked after she woke up.

"I don't know." The girl shook her head. She remembered that her father was away all year round. She didn't know what her father had done until the guards came to her house to arrest people that day.

Because of their involvement in the underground organization of resistance, their family was arrested, and only the elder brother escaped because of something else. After that, the mother died of illness in prison, leaving her alone.

"Father, it's probably gone. I heard from the guards." The girl pinched her fingers uneasily.

"My brother doesn't know if he survived."

"Have you ever thought about revenge?"

"I don't know, I hate those who abuse me, but I also know that some of them are just doing their duty." The girl said hesitantly.

"I don't know who to hate specifically, I just feel sad."

"Is that so?" Lorraine Hill also felt emotional.

Many times when encountering misfortune, you can always find a specific person and thing, as long as you defeat them, it’s like snowflakes falling from the sky, or frost condensing in the canal, everything can be traced.

But sometimes, misfortune and sadness are like the rime in the mountains, which quietly condenses for no reason, and hangs the branches all over.

I can't find where it came from, and I don't know why, everything just happened like this. Even if you want to defeat it, you can't find the object or thing to fight. It was as if all the strength in his body hit the empty space, and it was empty and uncomfortable.

If the problem only needs to be fighting, then it is so simple and clear.

Unfortunately, everything is not so easy.

You are not a specific thing, but the entire era and environment that created everything at present. Countless people are trapped in it, unable to extricate themselves, just like the cold water vapor at night is slowly soaked, and no one can escape the severe cold of winter.

Outside the carriage where the two of them were, the snow was white and covered with snow-white ice crystals everywhere. A convoy of hundreds of people was driving slowly in the mountains, heading for the distant city.

———

Longya Province.

Originally, this was an inland county of the empire, but because of the ceded territory after the war, it has now become an important border area of ​​the empire's West Chui.

Newly built high towers rose one after another among the rolling mountains. Soldiers in white and gray armor occasionally appeared on the watchtowers of the towers, monitoring the border near Clancia.

Forage and kerosene are prepared on these three-story stone towers, which can be ignited once the opponent attacks, sending out a strong signal of wolf smoke, attracting the defenders stationed behind.

Although a contract was signed with Crancia, the empire did not fully trust the other party, and a large number of elite legions were also stationed here.

However, unlike in the past, the flag flying on the high tower here is not the red dragon flag with a black background of the Baskar family, nor the blood rose flag of the imperial family, but the white griffin flag with a golden background. They are lions from the mountains in the west of the empire, soldiers of the mountain kingdom.

The Salius family is a special branch in the empire. The history of the Duke of Griffin is not shorter than that of the emperor's royal family, but an equally long country.

In the era of the Cang Yue Kingdom, the Griffin Principality was a famous country among the mountains in the western region, and the griffin-headed monster flying between the cliffs became the family's crest, and they were indeed good at cultivating such ferocious monsters.

Those Griffin Knights who wield thunder guns, shuttled in groups between the mountains and mountains, are powerful legions that can slaughter giant dragons.

During the rise of the Verdant Kingdom, the Griffin Principality gradually developed, gradually annexing and unifying the countries in the Western Region, and the two sides even had several conflicts.

Then, when the Green Kingdom expanded southward, it encountered a powerful magical country, Oz, and suffered a huge setback.

Since then, the expansion of the Green Kingdom has gradually stalled, and it is difficult for the Griffin Kingdom to break through the mountains and mountains, and to fight the Green Empire in the vast wilderness.

So under the mediation of the Sage Association, the two countries entered into a marriage and merger, and the Griffin Kingdom became part of the Green Empire, and the original royal family was also named the Grand Duke of Griffin to continue to rule this land.

This move eliminated the war, and also stabilized the green side and rear, making the empire stronger.

Now, after the defeat of the Empire, the Prince Regent personally sent an envoy to the Griffon Dukedom, and brought many promises and conditions. After some negotiation and agreement, the Duke of Griffin agreed to send troops to send those mountain legions to the south of the empire to build fortresses and city walls to defend against possible attacks.

Afterwards, the regent freed up his hands to vigorously clean up the remnants of the Baskar family in the southern border, and continued to consolidate the security of the capital, Titania.

"Master Jelanen."

An attendant walked quickly on the mountain path between the towers, calling to stop the patrolling knights in front.

These knights are all wearing white armor, with a wide white cloak behind them, blending in with the surrounding environment.

After hearing the shout, the leading knight turned around. He was strong and handsome, and he was the eldest son of the Grand Duke of Griffin, Jailan.

"What's the matter?" After Jailan stopped, the knights beside him also stood still, looking at the attendant who was running.

"It's a letter from Lionheart." He held up the waxed envelope, in which the graphic of the griffin came to life.

After accepting the envelope, Jailan tore off the special contract paper on the outer layer, pulled out the folded letter paper, and read it.

Not long after, Jailan put away the letter and put it back inside the armor lining.

"Is there something wrong?" Grace asked from the side. He and these knights were all friends of Jailan who grew up together, so they wouldn't be too restrained.

"Father asked me to prepare and go back in a few days." Jailan leaned on the cold stone wall and looked at the rime-covered scenery in the distance.

"It seems that they want me to go to Titania and find a suitable marriage partner among those ladies of noble birth." Jailan's tone was a little emotional, and he had already reached this age before he knew it.

In fact, among nobles, he was considered an older unmarried youth. In the upper circles of the empire, it is very common for nobles to marry at the age of 16. Although the youth of extraordinary people will grow a lot, Jay Lann has also procrastinated for a long time.

"It's time to find a suitable fiancé, which will also benefit your position." The companion on the side said.

In this age, the probability of child death is not small, and it would be a serious matter if a certain great nobleman died.

"Well, I understand." Looking at the world shrouded in ice and fog in the distance, Jailan recalled the girls he had known over the years, including elegant girls from noble families, sunny and lively types, and cute and young slender skinny girl. Most of them come from good backgrounds, and being able to appear by my side means that they have passed layers of competition and assessment.

He doesn't dislike these girls, he can say a lot and appreciate them, but when he thinks of spending his life with such people, he always feels that something is missing.

Maybe it's the lack of girls who can penetrate my mind, understand my ambitions, strengths and weaknesses, but tolerate me well.

Thinking about it this way, I also delayed it until now.

It's a pity that the old Griffin Duke has already issued an order. After returning this time, he is probably required to find a suitable fiancé within the time limit, and there is no longer any delay.

"Your sister's child can already walk, Jailan. Why are you still hesitating, are you as weak and unassuming as a sheep?"

"If you rebelled against me and had a secret lover, I wouldn't be so angry, but what is even more disappointing is that you don't even have such a lover, just like a lost lamb, wandering in circles there."

"What the Salius family needs is an heir like a lion, not what you are now. A male lion who can't even find a lioness is despised and despised by others. I hope you understand this."

Recalling the old Griffin Duke's reprimand, Jailan couldn't help showing a little wry smile.

Although there is a faint figure in my heart, where is that girl now? She is so mysterious, even with the family background of the Duke of Griffin, she can't find her whereabouts.

Maybe this time I can only go to Titania to have a look. After all these years, you should let it go, Jailan. As he said this to himself, his thoughts drifted away.

——

At the same time, the far north, the frozen world.

Everything in the world is so cold, the coldness penetrates into every bone marrow, penetrates into every crevice, making people tremble and curl up, praying in mourning. Pray that this perpetually frozen winter will end soon.

And under the heavy snowy sky, groups of black-clad and black-armored soldiers trudged slowly in the snow. They marched across the fields with torches soaked in tung oil, protecting a small group of black-clad wizards in the centre.

In the wind and snow, there are occasional surprise attacks by magical beasts, hissing and whispering with hunger, waiting for an opportunity to attack.

Facing these small demonic beasts, those warriors drew out their long swords at their waists and cut out fleeting sword marks to fight them, while their voices were drowned in the wind and snow so that they could not be heard from behind.

The warm blood sprinkled on the snowdrift, melting the traces of the gullies, and then quickly crystallized, and was buried by the falling snowflakes again.

After the battle, some soldiers fell in the snow, frozen stiff, and together with those monsters, they were slowly buried by ice and snow.

praying

blessed

sighing

Follow-up troops sprinkled these fighters with pale blue petals and moved on. Judging from the gray and black smocks on these people, they all came from the Trey family and belonged to the ravens in the north.

These survivors of the Mercury Dynasty, who have gone through thousands of years, still live in this world, and they are also used to the sorrows and disasters that come from time to time in their lives.

'Death will do justice to all, you and me. ’ This is the motto of the Trey family.

Compared with other nobles in the empire~www.readwn.com~, this family is extraordinarily old-fashioned and conservative. They stick to the traditions of the past, have always been restrained and frugal, and calmly face all kinds of misfortunes.

"Further on, you will arrive at the agreed place." Flipping through the ancient snow-covered parchment in his hand, a wizard with a crow brooch pinned it on.

"Can I really see it? The origin of that family." The wizard on the side asked worriedly. They have sacrificed many people along the way.

Even though there was no war, there were so many casualties, and the times were so ruthless. Even now, the main line of the Trey family is still dying, and now it is even facing the danger of extinction.

"We can only give it a try. This is our last hope." The wizard pulled down the upper edge of his hood to shield himself from the icy snowflakes that were rushing towards him, and spoke in the broken snow.

"Forward! The Jackdaw."

In the snow and ice, the warriors in front raised their flags again. The gray-white raven grasped the skull and stared into the distance. The wisteria banner passed down from the second era still did not fall down.