Chapter 410 Freshmen
The scene gradually became clear.

No one was shaking, no one was talking, and what caught Raven’s eyes was a ray of morning light.

Dust floated quietly in the morning air, and the statue of the Lord of Light lowered its eyes without any sadness or joy.

This is the church in Eagle Town.

I rubbed my fingers on the bench beneath me, the old but dry wood had a reassuring touch.

Raven’s eyes wandered around the church.

The stone railings, the wooden pulpit, everything is so familiar, yet suddenly there is a sense of alienation.

10 years.

Everything was exactly the same as it was 10 years ago when Raven first stepped into this place. There were still traces of water on the podium that had just been cleaned.

Suddenly feeling an impulse, Raven cast his eyes on the side door, expecting a familiar figure to appear.

However, the door remained quietly closed.

The loss was accompanied by an inexplicable sense of relief, and Raven closed his eyes and let out a long sigh.

When… when… when…

The ringing of the bell startled the white pigeons on the eaves of the church, and they fluttered up.

“Raven.”

A familiar voice sounded from behind him. Raven stood up, holding the back of the bench and turned around, and suddenly he was stunned.

With long golden hair and sapphire eyes, just standing there, it seemed as if all the light was converging on her.

It’s Lux.

Her attire was exactly the same as on the day of the trial. Compared to eight years ago when they separated, she looked less immature and more mature after having experienced the hardships of life.

There is also a bit of thinness that makes people feel distressed.

Gathering the hair that escaped from behind her ears, Lux said:

“Raven, I’m dying.”

His pupils suddenly shrank, and Raven knew he was still in a dream:
“Oh, so what?”

Although he said it as if he didn’t care, Raven’s performance was not relaxed.

He looked at Lux, trying to find some flaws, but he couldn’t find any evidence to support his point of view.

His knees were shaking slightly, and he was only supporting himself with his throbbing hands.

His throat moved, and he wanted to say something, but nothing came out.

“Nothing. Over the years, I have also learned how to live alone.” Lux smiled carefreely, but there was no smile in her eyes.
“After all, no matter how heavy the oath is, there will be a day when it will be abandoned.”

Raven could hear Lux’s complaint: “Back then…”

He wanted to explain, but the words just wouldn’t come out.

The mistake has already been made, the damage has already been done, and no amount of explanation will make any sense.

“You don’t have much time left, and neither do I.” He walked to a chair not far from Raven and sat down. “Before I die, I want to tell you a story.”

Raven sat down, his eyes fell on Lux’s shoulder, and then focused on her white fingers.

Lux held the back of her right hand with her left hand: “Eight years ago, I left Eagle Town and returned to my home in the capital.”

“There is one thing I have never told you. Actually, before I entered the church, my name was Lux Shepherd.”

Raven raised his eyebrows slightly. The Sheppard family is an ancient noble family that has been passed down from the Second Dynasty to the present. Although they are court marquises, their industries are deeply rooted in the capital. They can be said to be “old money” in the true sense.

That’s right, only a family like this can support someone like Lux who has no concept of money.

“Bad relationship with the family?” Raven asked with some concern.

“That’s not the case.” Lux smiled faintly: “As a daughter, I don’t have the right to inherit the family. Joining the Church of Light is not a bad thing for the family.”

“But I left home when I was 7 years old to practice with my teacher. I only had a small amount of correspondence with my family. My family was more like a concept to me. I didn’t even know how to get along with them.”

“But it was indeed a good experience, and I can better understand the decision you made at the time.”

Lux spoke softly, talking about her daily life in the royal capital, what time she woke up every day, what books she read, what topics she talked about with her family, and what sights she visited.

Raven listened quietly, and his mood gradually relaxed, as if he was also with Lux during those times.

“I stayed at home for about three months and then left. Now that I think about it, it was a pretty good time.”

“Why do you want to leave?” Raven asked.

“There was a little conflict.” Lux pursed her lips: “My parents still hope that I will leave the church and live the life of a noble.”

“Of course, this is not the main reason. If I want to, no one can force me.”

“The real reason I left was because I found clues about the golden tree saliva, so I had to go to the Elf Empire.”

Lux’s eyes were gentle, but Raven’s heart sank and he felt a heavy pressure.

The golden tree saliva is the finest of the tree of life sap. It can only be produced by the world tree, the core of the elves. Its effectiveness is far superior to that of ordinary tree of life sap.

After taking it, your natural lifespan can be increased by at least 150 years.

Lux is still young and has no reason to take risks for such an illusory thing, so there can only be one reason.

“Don’t worry, this is not for you.” Lux slightly quickened her tone:
“After all, every woman cannot resist the temptation of eternal youth.”

Raven smiled in his heart, keenly aware of the stiffness and unnaturalness in Lux’s words.

After all these years, she still hasn’t learned to lie.

“The Elf Empire has long since sealed itself off, and the ancient jungle is a natural maze. Without the elves to lead the way, it would be impossible for outsiders to get in.” Raven recalled what he knew:

“How did you get in?”

“I like reading. There is always surprising knowledge hidden in some random corners.” Lux smiled with some pride.

“The natural maze of the ancient forest was created by the huge amount of magic power in it.”

“I learned from a note of a noble who was sent to the Elf Empire 700 years ago that there is a passage in the ancient jungle where the distribution of magic power is relatively weak, so even without the guidance of the elves, it is possible to enter it.”

Raven frowned. “But it’s already 700 years old. Times have changed. Can it still exist?”

“I have to try. Don’t let go of the opportunity when you see it. You taught me that.” Lux raised her index finger and shook it. “The journey is indeed long, because I have to avoid my parents’ search and pay attention to the eyes of the church.”

“Anyway, after walking for about a year, I finally saw the ancient forest.”

The Thousand Needles Jungle, in Raven’s opinion, is already a primeval forest with many trees that are hundreds of years old.

But in Lux’s description, the Thousand Needles was just a small patch of grass compared to the Ancient Forest.

Any tree there is thousands of years old, with trunks thicker than castles, and the shadows cast by their crowns can cover an entire village.

There also live many creatures that cannot be seen in the outside world.

For example, there is a kind of intelligent creature called “Firri”. They have dry yellow skin and are the size of a palm, but they have human form, their own language and culture, and they worship elves as gods.

They usually live on those towering trees. A thick branch is a village, and a big tree is a kingdom.

After treating their injured king, Lux was warmly received and tasted their carefully brewed fruit wine.

“It tastes good. Although not as good as Angel’s Tears, it has a natural, fresh and fruity taste. If you try it, you will definitely like it.”

“If I go, I’m afraid their country’s annual savings will be drunk up in one go.” Raven smiled, then suddenly frowned:
“Those guys are so short… You weren’t wearing a skirt when you went there, were you?”

“What are you thinking about!” Lux was stunned for a moment, then she reacted and said with a smile: “Who would wear a skirt in the forest? Do you think I’m a silly princess in a fairy tale?”

“Besides, I’m the one talking, are you still listening?”

“Listen!” Raven stretched out his voice: “Teacher Lux, please continue.”

The place where these Firri were located was just the outskirts of the ancient forest, and Lux ​​wandered around there for more than a month.

After all, 700 years have passed.

Later, with the help of the Kingdom of Firri, Lux found the deformed mark left by the noble at the top of the crown of a big tree.

After politely declining Fieri’s attempts to keep her, Lux set out on a journey deep into the ancient forest.

The ancient forest that has not been developed has a wild beauty.

The forest and mountain fog were rising and falling, as if there were giant beasts hiding in them; the streams and rivers were so clear that you could see the bottom, and as they flowed, the stones on the riverbed had long been worn into round shapes like goose eggs.

Lux only talked about the beauty of the journey, but Raven knew how many details she had omitted.

Although he had never been to the ancient forest, Raven had no lack of experience in marching in the wild.

A seemingly clean pond may contain highly poisonous substances; a poisonous snake may jump out from behind the calm leaves at any time; and under the fallen leaves are perfect places for various insects and ants to hide.

I don’t know how much suffering Lux has endured along the way.

“…I walked for about three months according to the route in the notes and finally saw the landmark place described in them.”

“I’ve never seen a tree like that.”

“The trees in the ancient forest are all very tall and large. That tree doesn’t stand out, but it has grown into a jungle by itself!”

“It’s no exaggeration to say that the treetops are larger than an eagle’s collar. The leaves at the bottom are red, not withered red, but crimson like gemstones; the leaves in the middle are purple, and only the top layer is emerald green.”

“The notes call it ‘The Crown of the Earth’, and in Elvish, it’s called ‘The Tree of Blasphemy’.”

“The Tree of Blasphemy? Why is it called this?” Raven keenly sensed something wrong.

Lux’s eyes revealed a trace of disappointment: “Because in the minds of the elves, all trees are friendly and harmless, and are protectors of living things.”

“And this tree is deadly poisonous.”

“The fragrance it emits will paralyze the nerves of living things, and then its roots will wrap, entangle, and devour the living things, turning them into its own nutrients.”

“I only found out about this afterwards. If I had been more careful, I would have discovered that the ancient forest, which was originally full of small animals, was so quiet…”

“Wait.” Raven frowned and said, “But if this tree is really poisonous, why didn’t the author of the notes get poisoned?”

“They went in with the elf guide.” Lux explained: “There is a kind of fruit that can resist this poison if eaten beforehand. I only found out about this afterwards.”

“…I fainted at the time. If there wasn’t an elf town nearby, I might be dead now.”

“But even so, the toxicity has taken root in my body and I won’t live long.”

Raven’s hand grasped the wrinkles on the trouser surface: “…How long will it take?”

“From now on, five years, at most five years.” Lux’s voice was light, as if she was not talking about her own life or death. The atmosphere was a little solemn for a moment.

As if she didn’t want the heavy atmosphere to last too long, Lux’s narration began to become brief.

“The elves have always been xenophobic. Although they saved me, they quickly arranged for someone to escort me out of the Ancient Forest.”

“When I returned to the capital, my parents were still fine, but my teacher was so worried that he almost went crazy.”

Lux’s teacher is the 7th-level great divine magician Crouch, and Raven has met him several times.

He was indeed a competent teacher. Just because of Lux, he traveled thousands of miles from the royal capital to the Eagle Territory.

“Over the years, the person I feel most sorry for is my teacher.” Lux’s voice became a little low:
“I have been with him since I was very young. To me, he is my real father.”

“If it weren’t for him, maybe when I was 14 or 5, I would have been dressed up beautifully by my parents and married to a nobleman, becoming a gift for the family to maintain its power…”

“After all, my mother was like this, as was my grandmother, my grandmother-in-law, and my great-grandmother and great-great-grandmother.”

“He told me that women don’t have to live like that.”

“He taught me to read, to speak the Elvish language, to do magic, and to worship God. He taught me to worship God’s mercy, love, and kindness instead of worshipping that stone statue.”

“Most importantly, he gave me the right to choose, so that I can live the life I want, but…”

Lux’s eyes were slightly red and her lips were trembling slightly.

“…Actually, before I went to the Ancient Forest, my teacher advised me against it. But I didn’t listen to him and set out on my own accord. As a result, I came back like this.”

“I thought he would blame me, but he didn’t. He just smiled with relief and said with heartache that I had lost weight.”

“He has been like this all these years, like a big tree that protects me from the wind and rain.”

“I also thought that I could continue to live under his protection, but…”

Tears flowed from Lux’s eyes: “That was the first time I realized that he had aged so much.”

“My hair has turned grey, my face has many wrinkles, and age spots have appeared on the backs of my skinny hands.”

“It was obviously my time to protect him, but I…”

Raven sighed, and he himself felt the same way.

Old Gordon dedicated his whole life to the Griffith family, but when the Griffith family rose, he was no longer able to share the glory.

Raven stretched out his hand and wanted to hold Lux ​​in his arms, but when his fingertips felt the heat seeping through her clothes, he shrank back as if he had been electrocuted.

Lux gradually stopped crying and wiped her tears. “After that, I have been active in the church in the capital. I want to do something practical for the church before I die. At least, make it change in the direction my teacher expects, even if it’s just a little bit.”

“So, you have become a candidate for the church’s saint?”

“That’s the result of many efforts.” Lux nodded: “My teacher has a group of staunch supporters in the church.”

“I became a deacon of the Holy Sisters and started to get involved in church affairs. Although there were many constraints, I was able to achieve some results.”

“Originally, I thought that my life would pass like this, but I didn’t expect that you would come to the capital.”

“I never expected that the Empire would actually arrest you.”

“…Just before the trial began, Morenzo found me.”

As one of the 12 cardinals of the Church of Light and the special envoy of the Church of Light to the Keynes Empire, Morenzo can mobilize all the forces of the Church of Light in the Keynes Empire.

And he did.

So he knew everything, including the content of the letter that Lux wrote to Crouch, Lux’s feelings for Raven, and everything Raven did in the Nord Province.

So, Morenzo found Lux ​​and threatened her with the secrets of the past, forcing her to testify against Raven in court.

“I promised him at that time.”

“You know everything that happened after that.”

Lux downplayed the matter and obviously didn’t intend to go into details.

But it was precisely because of this that Raven felt even more guilty.

He couldn’t imagine how determined Lux, who never lied, had to be to make Morenzo believe her.

After the trial, Lux disappeared from the public eye. It goes without saying how heavy a blow this was to her, to Crouch, and to the entire faction.

“Why are you looking so sad?” Lux tried to comfort Raven:
“I am no longer a little girl. I know the price of doing this.”

“But I have no regrets.”

Lux said seriously, “Over the years, the church’s line and policy have seriously deviated from its doctrines. It no longer follows the benevolent teachings of the Lord of Light, but instead focuses on fighting for power and making money.”

“Morenzo asked me to testify. Ultimately, it was for the benefit of the church, and he was willing to distort the facts and violate justice and truth for this purpose.”

“Guilty is guilty, innocent is innocent. To pin irrelevant charges on innocent people is the most serious blasphemy in itself!”

“So, I said those words not only for you, but also to clarify the church’s atmosphere!”

“At that time, no matter who was slandered, I would stand up.”

Raven looked at Lux, his sapphire eyes emitting a determined light.

Many things have changed in the eight years since we separated, but Lux has not changed.

She is still the kind, simple, compassionate and just Lux.

“Speaking of the church…” A trace of hatred flashed in Lux’s eyes:
“You have to be careful Thomas, this man cannot be trusted.”

“If it weren’t for him, the letter I wrote to my teacher wouldn’t have fallen into the hands of the Inquisition.”

“I’ll make a note of that.” Raven nodded. “So, how have you been since that incident?”

Lux hugged her knees, the sunlight shining softly on her body, making her smile even fresher and brighter: “Not bad.”

“Although I have been dismissed from my position as a deacon of the Holy Sisters and have been banned from any missionary activities, at least I have the protection of my teacher and the church dare not do anything to me.”

“Come to think of it, your Majesty has come to see me before.”

Raven suddenly became nervous: “What does he want you to do?”

“We started by talking about history, literature, astrology and philosophy.” Lux frowned and recalled, “I have to say that Keynes XVI is quite knowledgeable in this area. Many of his views are refreshing to me.”

“And he was so polite the whole time, I thought he really wanted to join the church.”

“The results of it?”

“The result is the same as for all the nobles.” Lux tapped her cheek with her fingers. “He said that I should leave the church and marry him as his second wife, and become the queen of the Keynes Empire.”

Rubbing his hands together, Raven swallowed his saliva and asked cautiously:

“…What’s your answer?”

Lux was silent for a while, until Raven’s palms turned red, she blinked:
“I told him he was too old.”

Raven showed a strange smile on his face, and then laughed out loud:
“That’s really harsh of you.”

Although Keynes XVI is 6 or 7 years older than Raven, he is not old at all. He has always topped the list of various handsome men in the royal capital.

The laughter stopped.

The church fell silent again.

Raven’s gaze rested on Lux’s face.

Ten years ago, it was in this church that Raven first officially visited Lux. She was still very young at that time, but she was forever imprinted in his memory.

Lux’s gaze met his, as if they had met countless times before, and Raven’s heart was beating fast.

He moved his body and grabbed Lux’s hand. The warmth and softness of the hand made him reluctant to let go.

Raven couldn’t help but move closer.

The two faces gradually came closer, and gradually they could feel each other’s increasingly rapid breathing.

A long kiss.

Lux still behaved as young and shy as she did eight years ago, with a beautiful blushing face.

Raven was greedy for this tenderness, but suddenly his body felt lighter. When he came to his senses, he was standing behind Lux ​​and his body began to become transparent.

“Thank you, Raven.” Lux’s eyes were as clear as autumn water, and she was also a little reluctant and sad: “I have never regretted meeting you.”

“What is…?” Raven reached out to touch Lux’s cheek, but watched his hand pass through her body.

stop!

Stop!!!

Isn’t this my dream? If it is my dream, why can’t I control it?
“Raven, look…” Lux said softly, pointing outside the window.

The sky suddenly darkened.

Moonlight is like water.

Balls of bright red sparks spread out, like thousands of stars, blooming and extinguishing in alternation.

It also made Lux’s face flicker.

This was the scene on Lux’s birthday 9 years ago.

Just like then, Lux looked out the window and Raven looked at Lux.

Lux admired this beautiful picture, and she became an indelible scenery in Raven’s eyes.

“I am already very satisfied to be able to see you again and talk to you today.” Lux’s gentle voice entered Raven’s ears:

“This should be… also the last time we meet.”

“Please help me take care of my teacher. Although he is very powerful, he has been studying and practicing hard. After I die, he will be really alone.”

Raven looked at his increasingly thin palms, his voice trembling: “Can’t you let me stay with you for a little longer?”

“This is not the world you should be attached to.” Lux looked at Raven quietly:

“You still have your own way to go.”

The darkness gradually faded before his eyes, and all Raven could hear was Lux’s reluctant voice:
“You should wake up, Raven.”

……

(End of this chapter)