scorched earth
Facing Leonard's questioning, Elena could only explain with difficulty: "I'm sorry, although you are my good friend, I did this to protect your friendship with Teacher Leopold. If I accepted your investment, Teacher Leopold would definitely have an opinion."
She couldn't be too partial to Leonard. If she rejected Leopold's investment but accepted Leonard's, she would become the culprit for sowing discord between the two.
"No need, he and I are not friends, just ordinary acquaintances." Leonard said expressionlessly.
Bullshit friendship, he doesn't need friendship, he just needs gold coins.
Elena: It's over, she really became the sinner who broke up the friendship.
"No, don't do that." Elena quickly started thinking of a way to coax Leonard. What method? Ah, I got it.
Elena immediately said, "We can collaborate on other projects, Leonard. I have a project that's about to start and I need you."
Leonard glanced at her lazily: "What project?" He didn't want a perfunctory project.
"Sales of braised food." Elena was very glad for her foresight. She had thought of doing the braised food business before, and now was the perfect time to say it out loud. Besides, Leonard was really a very suitable candidate for cooperation.
Elena immediately talked about her idea of developing the braised food market.
"Don't you have a friend who runs a tavern? It's the Double Fist Tavern that specializes in mercenary business. We can consign the braised food to your friend's place, or provide long-term supply. It's all fine." Elena said.
Leonard also thought that this business was viable, mainly because he himself loved eating braised food. He believed that his taste was definitely that of a mercenary, and the mercenary market would definitely welcome this new food.
"Okay, I'll contact Pat right away and tell him about this business."
Leonard was extremely mobile. He immediately went to the Royal Magic Academy through the teleportation array, and then went to the town closest to the Double Fist Tavern through the teleportation point on the square.
An hour later, Leonard arrived at the Two Fists Tavern to meet Pat.
An hour later, Leonard returned with the deposit.
Leonard handed Elena 10 silver coins: "This is a deposit. Pat said to try selling a few first."
After receiving the silver coins, Elena also started to arrange the construction of the braised food kitchen with great action. The freezer had been built in advance, and the freezing magic circle was arranged by her personally. The freezer was used to store the beef offal, beef hooves, beef tails and other parts accumulated over the past few days. As long as the braised food kitchen was built, the braising could start online.
Great, another revenue source has been launched.
Elena was in a very good mood and enjoyed dinner with Leonard. After dinner, she went to Yuanyuan's room humming a song. It was time to feed Yuanyuan.
Yuanyuan is the name Elena gave to her pet chipmunk. It is very appropriate, a round ball.
"Yuanyuan, today's dinner is chicken and corn." Elena put the pet food prepared in the kitchen into the cage.
Yuanyuan pounced on it and started eating.
Crunch, crunch, crunch, his cheeks filled with food, he ate so deliciously.
"Does it taste good?" Elena asked.
Yuanyuan squeaked twice.
This means it likes to eat it. Elena happily touched the round little body. It was soft, plump and furry. It felt so good. The flesh under the fur was plump. I really wanted to pinch a handful of it.
"When did you buy a magical pet?" A figure appeared silently behind Elena.
"Oh my god." Elena was so scared that she almost jumped up on the spot. After seeing that it was Leonard, she sighed deeply and patted her chest to calm herself down.
"Could you please not show up so suddenly?" Elena couldn't help but raise her voice. "You'll really scare me to death."
Leonard frowned, and he was a little emotional: "You were used to it before."
He's only been gone for two months, and she's not used to it?
"Who can get used to this kind of thing?" Elena sighed. Before, she just dared to be angry but not to say anything. Now, alas, now she also dared to be angry but not to say anything.
Leonard crossed his arms and said, "If you could advance to the Grand Mage, you wouldn't be scared of me." Ultimately, it was because her level was too low, and she hadn't been able to sense anything spiritually.
Elena raised her chin and snorted softly: "The dean said that I can be promoted to a mid-level wizard." She was one step closer to becoming a great wizard.
???
"The dean said you can be promoted? Promoted so soon?" Leonard was surprised.
Elena nodded heavily: "Yes!"
Leonard looked Elena up and down: "Is this the speed of the full French double S? It's really amazing." Each promotion time is very short.
Elena held her head high.
Leonard couldn't help but laugh at the little girl's pride, but he was afraid she would get embarrassed if he really laughed, so he simply walked over to the cage and changed the subject: "Why did you buy a pet like this? Aside from eating a lot and being able to clean up some garbage, chipmunks aren't really that useful anymore."
The chipmunk who was eating raised his little head: Squeak, squeak, squeak, squeak!
"What is it saying?" Leonard felt that the little creature was talking about him, so he asked its owner, Elena.
Elena spread her hands: "I don't know, maybe I'm refuting you." She didn't understand rat language.
Leonard: "It's pretty smart."
"Yes, the intelligence of a chipmunk is equivalent to that of a three or four-year-old child," said Elena.
Leonard: "Well, it seems to be of some use."
Elena looked at him.
The chipmunk also raised his head to look at him.
Leonard smiled. "At least it's good for killing time. You can teach it some simple moves. Maybe it can even inspire your talent for animal training."
Tsk, Elena ignored him and concentrated on touching Yuanyuan.
What talent for taming animals? Mages don’t have that. Only elves can communicate with animals and plants!
The chipmunk was busy eating and didn't bother to pay attention to the outsider.
Seeing that Elena ignored him, Leonard touched his nose, thought for a while, and found a suitable topic: "Where are we going to play tomorrow?"
This was a good topic, so Elena ignored him: "I want to go horseback riding."
"Horse a horse? Can you do it?" Leonard was a little worried about Elena's horsemanship. Most noble ladies ride in carriages, and very few of them can actually ride a horse.
Elena, can she?
Leonard seemed to have forgotten that he had ever seen Elena riding a horse.
Elena held her head high and said, "Of course I can!"
Leonard opened his mouth, wanting to dissuade her, but ultimately chose to keep quiet because he was worried that Elena would get angry.
Okay, okay, let her be. At most he can just protect her a little more.
The next day, the six-day holiday officially began.
After Elena hurriedly finished her breakfast, she pulled Leonard out.
"Come on, let's go horseback riding."
Leonard was pulled by her and walked out unsteadily.
The two men went to the stable, where there were many horses. The lord's horses were kept separately, and there were four of them in total.
"Leonard, you choose one first." Elena said generously.
Leonard: These four are just average horses, all about the same.
"Let's take this one." Leonard randomly picked a dark horse.
Elena chose the same mare she had ridden when she patrolled the territory before.
Each person picked a horse, and the two of them rode out of the castle.
At the castle gate, a line of knights were waiting in full gear.
Elena on horseback tightened the reins and the horse stopped.
Elena looked at her knights, "What are you doing here?"
Knight Captain Neil stepped forward and saluted: "Miss Viscount, please allow us to follow."
So that’s what it is.
Elena smiled and shook her head: “No, what else is there to worry about when you are with Leonard?”
Neil disagreed: "Miss Viscount, whenever the lord travels, the knights must follow him. This is not only for safety, but also for the lord's authority."
Tsk, even riding a horse requires this.
Elena was speechless.
At Neil's insistence, and for the sake of the lord's authority, Elena finally agreed to bring the knights.
The majestic and large team galloped out of the castle and the town of Fussen.
When the team left the town of Fussen, they were greeted by vast rural scenery.
The town of Fussen is surrounded by vast farmlands and manors. The wind blows the wheat waves, and the scene is full of vitality, as beautiful as an oil painting.
There are many newly built avenues around, and now these avenues are filled with convoys and pedestrians coming and going in an orderly, lively and vibrant manner.
Elena looked at this prosperous scene and felt a sense of heroism in her heart.
Look, this is her territory, this is the kingdom she has built.
The large group rushed across the avenue and headed towards the outer areas.
Elena is going horseback riding today, but if she wants to enjoy it, she definitely can't ride around the town of Fussen, because there are too many cars and people, and it won't be fun to ride. She should go farther away, to an open grassland with few pedestrians, so that she can ride happily.
Following the advice of Knight Captain Neil, Elena came to a small plain.
This small plain is not very big and the terrain is long and narrow, but it is enough for horse racing.
"Not bad." Elena praised Neil, "You know the terrain around Fussen very well. You deserve a reward. I'll give you a silver coin when I get back."
Neil bowed and thanked him: "This is my duty, not worthy of praise." But the corners of his mouth kept rising.
Elena raised her hand, loosened the reins, exchanged a glance with Leonard, and then galloped across the small plain in perfect tacit understanding.
Leonard deliberately controlled the speed of the horse, keeping a distance from Elena that varied from time to time.
Elena was unaware of anything and just felt refreshed.
After running three laps happily, Elena competed with Leonard twice more. Although she lost consecutively, Elena was still very happy.
The pleasure of galloping on horseback like this is really more pleasurable than driving a sports car. It's so exciting.
"Come on, let's have another match." Elena, with blushing cheeks, challenged again.
Leonard waved his hand and looked towards the distant mountains and forests.
"What's wrong?" Elena asked.
Leonard made a quiet gesture and listened carefully.
A minute later, Leonard said, "I heard the roar of the beast."
"The roar of a monster?" Elena's expression tightened. "Can you tell what kind of monster it is? Approximately how far away is it?"
"It's quite far away." Leonard dismounted. "I need to go take a look. Don't worry, if there's any problem, I can fix it."
Elena also turned over and dismounted: "I want to go too."
"Stop it." Leonard held her down. "You're only a low-level mage right now. Don't rush into taking risks."
Elena's steps were nailed by Leonard's words.
Damn, it’s a question of strength again. She needs to be promoted sooner rather than later.
"Just wait here obediently, I'll be back soon." Leonard looked into Elena's eyes and said.
Elena could only nod: "Okay, I promise."
After getting Elena's assurance, Leonard rushed away like a cannonball.
Elena and her knights waited there.
Waiting is always boring and anxious. Elena had no intention of riding a horse. Even sitting down felt uncomfortable. She simply stood up and walked around in circles.
Elena looked up at the sky from time to time, then looked at the direction Leonard left. Because she didn't know what had happened and whether Leonard had solved the problem, she became more and more anxious.
Finally, after waiting for a long time, Elena finally heard a familiar voice.
The sound was close to my ears, yet seemed to go directly into my brain.
"Come here. I have driven away the monsters for now, but the situation here requires you, the lord, to come and handle it."
It was Leonard's voice.
Elena immediately jumped on the horse and pointed the whip: "Follow me."
The knights all mounted their horses, obeyed the lord's command, and followed the lord's footsteps. The sound of galloping horses' hooves resounded throughout the mountains and forests.
As Elena hurried on, she sincerely thanked herself for her previous wise decision. The new road was very different from the old road, and road construction was really necessary. The large group drove along the newly built trunk road and arrived at the southernmost border of the territory without any obstacles.
Elena pulled the reins, and the horse's hooves gradually slowed down and stopped.
In front of her was a large area of scorched earth.
There was a strong burnt smell in the air, ashes were floating, and there were sporadic sparks on the ground.
A little further away, there is a village, but the village has been destroyed to the point that only an outline remains. Many houses have collapsed, and many houses have been burned beyond recognition, with only a pile of earth on the ground or half a wall left.
What's going on?
"Leonard!" Elena called out loudly.
There was no response and no one showed up.
"Leonard!" Elena called again.
A dark head popped out from behind a half-wall.
Elena looked over immediately.
Not Leonard.
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