As aristocrats, socializing with other nobles of similar rank is itself a part of social duties. Therefore, as the same heir to the Duke of the Protectorate, as young nobles of similar age, Fendil Wilde and Eleven Franklin Of course they knew each other, and they had a certain personal friendship.
This personal friendship can basically be described as "each other is someone else's child".
In the Ansu era, apart from the declining Cecil family, the other three heirs to the Duke of the Protectorate were similar in age and status, and they all shouldered certain responsibilities. Naturally, such a situation would inevitably occur.
But that didn't hurt their friendship.
Eleven and Fendil haven't seen each other for a long time. At this moment, they meet again in Cecil City, which represents the frontier of the magic industry era. They both have the same purpose of studying, so they naturally have a lot to say. Talk, but before that, there is a third person here.
Film felt a little dazed. The traveling companion who had been traveling with him for half a month turned out to be the heir of the Duke of the North. This kind of thing that he didn't dare to arrange randomly in the drama happened in the real world, which made him confused for a while. The boundary between dreams and reality, this young man from the Barron area swayed twice, and when he looked at Fendil again, his eyes were no longer so natural: "I...you..."
Fendil interrupted Film before he continued speaking: "My friend, stop, don't use honorific words and titles."
Film's eyes were wide open, for a moment he didn't know how to continue.
Fendil couldn't help sighing inwardly.
He thought that his performance in being close to the civilians during the trip was not bad, and he also thought that he had gotten as close as possible to his civilian friend.
He had carefully studied His Majesty Gawain Cecil's theories on the nature of the aristocratic system, and those theories opened the eyes of this young nobleman who was born and raised in the northern mountains, and made him yearn for it.
But maybe, that's just the unreasonable yearning of the too impetuous young people after seeing something deviant.
When he left the northern mountains, he thought that he would be an outstanding "new nobleman". He was willing to support His Majesty Gawain Cecil's reforms, and personally break down the rotten barriers accumulated by the old Anzu nobles, sweeping away Shen Ke in this ancient country is so self-confident because he is the successor of the Duke of the North and a nobleman with a prominent status. A nobleman like him is willing to break his identity, so what is there? Can it prevent him from becoming friends with a commoner or civilians
But now he suddenly and vaguely understood what his aunt said to him when he was passing by Saint-Sunil——
"...You have such an idea, which shows that you are still arrogant. The barrier between the nobles and the common people cannot be broken by a nobleman who 'puts down his figure'."
Fendil smiled silently, looking at the nervousness in his eyes, and there was a murmuring Film in his expression.
That wall is really strong. His Majesty Gawain blew up the Crushed Stone Ridge and pierced through the Holy Spirit Plain. A contract deprived the country of noble privileges, but the wall still stands persistently, standing in people's hearts, stubbornly as if Those frozen boulders in the north.
But northerners are often tougher than stone.
He reached out and patted Film's shoulder hard.
"Friend, relax, you are the creator of the phantom drama - don't worry about your identity for now, didn't you take the letter of introduction from the big businessman and go to meet His Royal Highness Rebecca?"
Film suddenly woke up from his astonishment. The "His Royal Highness Rebecca" mentioned by Fendil instantly diverted his attention from the word heir to the Duke of the North. The blond young man subconsciously touched Touching the box that he had been carrying in his hand - the box contained his brainchild, the hope for the recovery of the family theater troupe, and all the bargaining chips and expectations he had put in to come to the southern border, all of which made his mood quickly return to normal.
Eleven on the side looked at Fendil curiously: "You mentioned the phantom drama just now... what is that?"
"Ha, that's an interesting idea—if you're interested, would you like to come along?"
…
Amid warm cheers and gun salutes, Gao Wen left the high platform for his speech.
Behind him, hundreds of runes shimmered on the magnificent classical arches of the Imperial College, and the thick shield covering the gate was gradually fading, symbolizing the first teachers and students entering the gate. The dean of the college, the tall and thin Santis Seid was standing at the door, watching the students enter the college with excited eyes.
Around the square, several large-scale holographic projections are playing in a loop, introducing the main subjects of Imperial College with easy-to-understand short films, introducing the situation of the four branches, introducing the methods for imperial citizens to apply for the college and the basic conditions for admission.
The citizens gathered in the square are gradually dispersing, but a considerable number of them remain in the square. They gather around those holographic projections, looking at the content introduced in the projections curiously. An inexplicable light shone in it.
Gao Wen didn't disturb all of this, he returned to the magic car parked on the side of the square.
As soon as he was seated, a petite figure suddenly appeared on the seat next to Gao Wen. Amber was sitting there, stroking her head and looking in the direction of the Imperial College.
"What a beautiful place... even more beautiful than your poor palace..." the half-elf muttered, "You are really willing to spend money on this."
"This is the foundation of the country. No matter how many grand plans I have, they will ultimately be realized by people, and people...need to be cultivated by these academies," Gao Wen said with a smile, "Why, are you also interested in entering?" Reheat 'for a while?"
"I don't think so at all." Amber immediately turned her head and stared at her eyes. "The military intelligence chief of the dignified empire is not up to standard and went to the academy to make up lessons. How can I maintain my dignity in front of those little bastards in the future?"
"... I didn't mention your cultural class..."
"Isn't that obvious? I don't know how much I weigh?"
Gao Wen: "..."
After a helpless smile, he shook his head: "What are those two young people doing?"
"Visiting the city and experiencing life, they seem to be very interested in mixing among the common people and throwing aside the rules and decency... But how should I put it, there should be some intention to observe the 'Cecile Order' instead of their respective families. , but they didn't do anything out of the ordinary."
"Let the young people relax a little bit," Gao Wen said with a smile, "Young people's curiosity and enthusiasm are the most precious."
"Your tone is a bit old-fashioned," Amber curled her lips. "And when have you been so tolerant to young people? Don't you always say that the old forces, especially the young people in the old forces, need to be strictly reformed and re-educated?"
Gao Wen didn't answer immediately, but turned his head to look out the car window, looking at the figures who were walking into the academy.
"Now we can be more tolerant," he said lightly, "after all, they are about to start school."
…
Contrary to Film's expectations, the Institute of Magic Technology is not difficult to find, and even... not too difficult to enter.
It is not far from the Imperial College. It is a tall and eye-catching composite building with a wide entrance and a square with a small fountain. It is completely different from the gloomy and solemn mage tower that Film imagined. It also has no entrance. Scary arcane puppets and a large army guarded it. Although there were many people coming in and out, most of them were "ordinary people" in white tunics or blue uniforms—these people had no aura of mages at all, and their behavior was the same.
After taking out the letter of introduction and the identity documents issued by Saint-Sunil, and checking the witnesses, the guards in front of the institute building kindly let them go.
This made Film quite surprised and surprised.
Fendil and Eleven looked at each other.
As spellcasters, they can see a completely different scene from what Film saw.
From the square in front of the gate to the entrance hall, this institute of magic technology has set up hundreds of magic power monitoring devices along the way, as well as countless hidden magic countermeasures and magic power interference traps. The gate guards of ordinary people are actually armed to the teeth with magic equipment. Inside the building, powerful magic reaction sources are almost everywhere, which is frightening.
The magic items here... really don't seem to cost money.
The two young nobles couldn't help tensing their nerves, paying more attention to their words and deeds.
They didn't show their aristocratic background, but just used ordinary "citizen certificates" (a new gadget under Cecil's order) and Film's guarantee to get the opportunity to enter this facility, and they didn't want to mess with them here. Trouble, because that would not only mean a bad start to the journey to the south, but also a disgrace to the family's reputation.
The three of them entered the Institute of Magic Technology and confirmed from the guide that His Royal Highness Rebecca was here. Then they followed the guide's instructions and boarded the lifting platform connecting the various floors of the main building, and soon arrived at this large facility. on the third floor.
Spacious and bright corridors and neatly distributed laboratories, researchers walking quietly in the corridors, rune devices inlaid on the walls, magical creations that can be seen everywhere...
Everything here opened the eyes of the three young people.
Fendil couldn't help feeling emotional—
After seeing the scene here, he realized that the advanced "Highlander" was actually nothing more than that.
"I've never seen such a place for magic experiments," Eleven muttered in a low voice, "Father's magic laboratory is more like a dungeon than here."
"Auntie's is the same... no, it might be worse," Fendil shook his head, "Auntie's ability to organize things is a disaster, but she doesn't allow anyone to interfere with her magic experiments."
Listening to the two heirs of the duke discussing the secrets involving the top nobles, Film felt complicated and inexplicable in his heart, nervous and strangely excited, but he didn't dare to speak casually.
But fortunately, his tense and depressed state didn't last long—they had already arrived at the door of the laboratory that the guide mentioned.
Just when a researcher in a short robe opened the door and walked out of the room, Fendil immediately stepped forward and explained the purpose of his group.
"Are you looking for His Royal Highness Rebecca?" The male researcher in a short robe with a slightly pushed back hairline looked at the three people in front of him curiously, then shook his head, "There is something wrong here, she Out for now."
"Something happened?" Fendil asked curiously, and at the same time, from the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of the scene in the laboratory through the open door.
Although I can't see clearly, it seems that something has exploded inside. The scorched fragments are embedded on the wall, and smoke and dust are floating in the air, and there is a pungent smell in the air.
"Some daily experimental by-products." The male researcher with a worrying hairline moved his body calmly, blocking the visitor's view, and pointed to a room at the end of the corridor, "His Royal Highness Rebecca is at the lounge , you can go over and wait, but don't disturb her—she is adjusting herself."
self-regulation
Fendil and Eleven became more puzzled. They were curious about the imperial princess whom they had heard about, the daily operation of this facility, and the so-called "self-adjustment". They looked at each other and took Still somewhat at a loss, Film walked towards the lounge at the end of the corridor.
The three of them came to the door of the lounge, and before they opened the door, they heard some faint voices.
It was a soft and soothing piece of music, ding ding dong dong, so touching that Fendil, who was about to open the door, couldn't help but stop.
Then, more carefully and slowly, he opened the door.
In the brightly lit lounge, a girl wearing a plain long skirt and a white tunic over the long skirt is sitting in front of a piano, immersed in the performance.
The girl only has a profile face, and the light from above falls on her light brown long hair, plating a layer of bright shimmer on the long hair, and casts a light shadow on her face, her fingers The tip is flying on the keys, and the face is calm and indifferent, as if it has been integrated with the instrument, completely free from the disturbance of external objects.
The soft and soothing melody flowed from the girl's fingertips and flowed throughout the room.
And the girl is not the only one in this room, there are several people wearing standard white robes sitting here and there. They should also be researchers who came here to rest. At this moment, they seem to have been immersed in the girl's performance.
The three of Film, who carefully opened the door and entered the room, guessed that the girl who was playing the piano should be the rumored "Princess Rebecca". Fendil felt a little surprised, because he had heard some rumors about Her Highness Rebecca. The thing is, the rumored Her Royal Highness does not seem to be a person who is quiet enough to play the piano quietly, and Eleven vaguely heard several researchers in the room talking in a low voice:
"I didn't expect Her Royal Highness Rebecca's musical talent to be so high..."
"Is this the first time you hear it?"
"Yeah, the first time I caught up with..."
"It is said that Her Highness Rebecca's music teacher was very skilled..."
"No wonder..."