The Demon King is unfathomable

Chapter 608 The little boat of friendship finally sailed into the same harbor.

In the luxurious Prince's Suite on the top floor of the Sunrise Hotel, the deep red velvet curtains were half-drawn.

Through the clear glass window, one can clearly see the bustling streets below. And through the thin mist in the distance, a huge four-sided clock can be vaguely seen.

That is the most famous landmark in Thunder City, the tallest building on the northeast coast of the entire Whirlpool Sea, and also the headquarters of the Mage Guild.

It is said that the current president of the Wizarding Guild is Professor James Wally, the prominent leader of the scientific school.

At this moment, Miss Ophelia Castellion from the Holy City was sitting leisurely on the sofa, flipping through a fashion magazine with great interest.

This is a unique new item in Leiming City. When she checked into this room, the magazine was casually placed on the coffee table in the hotel room.

Ophia had only glanced at it out of curiosity, but she became so engrossed that she lost track of time.

In the magic photos on the magazine pages, beautiful models were printed with lifelike detail, sometimes walking back and forth, sometimes striking various elegant poses.

Several of the exquisitely crafted and stylish outfits on display even piqued the interest of the well-traveled Miss Castellion.

Such delightful and interesting things are absolutely not found in the strictly regulated Castellón estate.

Do not--

Not to mention Castellón Estate, perhaps the entire Holy City might not even see such a sight. Even though the Senate rarely commented on the contents of the newspapers, the priests of St. Clement's Cathedral would never allow such blasphemous magic photographs to be published at will.

As the model, dressed only in a few thin layers of gauze, turned and walked towards her, Ophia blushed involuntarily, yet she couldn't bear to look away.

Midnight Conquest...

What a blasphemous name!
And then there was the "White Flag" next to it. At first, she didn't understand what the brand name meant. It wasn't until she belatedly realized what it meant that she blushed and her face turned red all the way up to her neck.

Does it mean to surrender?

How utterly shameless!

But then again, if I were to wear it, I wonder if His Highness Colin would surrender... no, he would definitely be so shocked that he would freeze on the spot.

After repenting for the consequences of that blasphemy for three seconds, Ophia buried her face in the book in embarrassment and curled up in a ball on the sofa.

Just then, light footsteps came from the corridor outside the door, followed by a rhythmic knocking.

Upon hearing the knock, Miss Ophia quickly closed the magazine in her hand and put it back in its place, smoothed out her skirt, and then coughed softly.

"Come in."

The door opened.

Her personal maid, Elfit, walked in from outside.

Looking at Miss Ophia, whose cheeks were flushed and who was sitting upright, Alice was slightly taken aback. It wasn't until the former coughed that she suppressed her doubts and nodded respectfully.

"Miss, I went to Colin Manor again this morning, but His Highness Colin still hasn't returned."

"Haven't they come back yet?"

Ophia lowered her eyes, her tone revealing a hint of undisguised disappointment, and her wildly beating heart calmed down.

"Yes, ma'am."

Seeing the dejected Miss Ophia, Alice sighed and continued her report with a regretful tone.

"However, I inquired carefully with the manor's butler about Prince Colin's itinerary—"

"When is he coming back?!"

Looking at the overly excited Miss Ophia, Alice said softly.

“I don’t know. The steward told me that His Highness Colin almost never tells them his itinerary. The steward only told me that His Highness is currently in the Twilight Province… By the way, he went there last month and has been there for a month. I think he should be back soon.”

"Last month..."

Ophia murmured something softly, a smile gradually spreading across her beautiful face, and her disappointed mood improved somewhat.

His Highness left last month.

At least, he didn't deliberately run away from here to avoid her after learning that the imperial delegation was about to arrive.

This incident brightened Ophia's mood considerably.

Come to think of it, there seems to be one new thing in Thunder City that she hasn't experienced yet.

It is said that as long as you get on that thing called a train, you can go to any earldom in the Duchy of Campbell in a single day, and even to the Twilight Province, which is further north than Granston Castle.

As Ophia's personal maid who had accompanied her since childhood, Alice knew her mistress all too well and almost instantly noticed the fleeting eagerness in her azure eyes.

She sighed, her expression turned serious, and she spoke in a solemn tone.

“Miss, please immediately abandon the dangerous idea of ​​sneaking into Twilight Province. It has just experienced chaos, crisis and rebellion, and is not as safe as Thunder City. If you insist on leaving the mission’s sight... I’m afraid I can only fulfill my duty and report to Duke Andrei truthfully.”

Upon hearing her father's name, Ophia's slightly upturned lips froze instantly, finally turning into an exaggerated laugh.

"Hahaha... Elliefit, you're really joking. Do you think I'm the kind of idiot who would risk my life to go on adventures?"

"Without a doubt, you are a genius, but I disagree with the second half of your statement."

"'You're really joking, aren't you?'"

"It's the phrase 'disregarding one's own safety to go on a dangerous mission'."

Seeing that Ophia was trying to get away with it, Elifite did not let her succeed. Instead, she faithfully fulfilled her loyalty to the Castellion family and continued speaking meticulously.

"Have you forgotten how furious your father was when he learned that you were involved in the Chaos incident?"

"If you hadn't told him, none of this would have happened, would it?" Ophia muttered under her breath, her cheeks puffing out slightly in dissatisfaction.

Elliefelt sighed softly.

"It seems you haven't seriously reflected on your actions."

“No, Elliefeld, I have seriously reflected on my actions… I did not think things through, and His Highness Colin criticized me for it. I assure you, I will never go and cause him trouble at this time.”

As she spoke, Ophia got up from the sofa and walked to the large glass window. Her gaze passed over the half-open curtains as she leisurely looked at the vast and incredible city.

"We'll stay here and wait for him to come back."

"By the way, I also want to take this opportunity to see this city that His Highness Colin has poured so much effort into."

She wanted to know what kind of place it was that he couldn't let go of, to the point that he wanted to leave her side.

Hearing this sincere promise, Elliefet's tense shoulders finally relaxed, and a relieved smile appeared on her face.

"I am very pleased that you prioritize the overall situation."

Although Miss Castellón was always a handful, she did not lie and rarely went back on her word.

Ophia smiled and turned around, leaning against the windowsill, looking at Elifite standing in the living room, and asked.

"Putting Prince Colin aside for now, Elliefit, I'd like to know your opinion on Thunder City."

"Which aspect specifically?" Elliefelt asked.

Ophia said with a smile.

"Anything is fine, don't be shy, we're just chatting casually. Or you can understand it as me needing another person's perspective."

After a moment's thought, Elliefeld offered a fair perspective.

"If I were to give my first impression, the most direct feeling I get here is that the economy is highly developed, everyone walks very fast, and the factory chimneys never stop from morning to night... It's as if they never need to rest."

"anything else?"

"And... there were those steam-filled horse-drawn carriages and two-wheeled bicycles. Especially the latter, I initially thought they were performing acrobatics, but it turned out they were actually the daily mode of transportation for the locals."

Ophia smiled.

“A bicycle, right? I saw it too. And I can even guess that it must have been something Prince Colin came up with; only he would think of something like that.”

“Perhaps,” Elliefelt paused for a moment, a hint of emotion suddenly appearing on her face, “but what I find most incredible is the posters plastered all over the streets…that’s what they seem to call those hanging flags.”

“Miss Eloise?” Ophia remembered the name; she seemed to be the dream girl of all the young men in Thunder City, even though the girl was just a fictional character.

Ellie nodded gently.

“It’s not just Elois, there are many others. I always thought that only lords or popes were entitled to have their portraits left behind, but it seems to be a different story here…”

She paused for a moment, then added an explanation.

"Ah, of course, I was just surprised, I didn't mean anything by it."

Seeing Elifite hurriedly explaining, Ophia smiled and reassured her anxiety with a relaxed tone.

"It's alright, Elliefelt. I understand your shock, because I'm just as shocked as you are."

Seeing the surprised look on Elifite's face, Ophia returned to the sofa and sat down, picking up the now-cold red tea on the table and taking a small sip.

"Do you remember when we first disembarked? After we identified ourselves as an imperial delegation, the people who received us were surprised, but they did not show the humility or fear that other kingdoms that were dependent on us showed... I could feel that they still respected us, but their gazes toward us were now more level than reverent."

“Indeed,” Elliefelt nodded in agreement, her tone tinged with disbelief, “that’s what surprised me the most…”

Her observations weren't as detailed as Ophia's; she simply felt that the locals seemed different from the commoners of other kingdoms she had seen, and even different from the commoners of many provinces in the empire.

At the time, she didn't realize where that unique feeling came from. It wasn't until Miss Ophia told her that she suddenly realized it was because their spines were straighter than the rest of their bodies, making them appear taller.

Ophia blinked gently.

"Isn't that incredible?"

"Yes……"

Looking at Ophelia's smiling face, Alice hesitated for a moment and said, "Miss, do you think this is a good thing?"

"Me? I think it's fine. Although my father would probably feel regretful, and might even complain that distant countries have less and less reverence for the Holy City... But to be honest, he doesn't really care that much about the people here, does he?"

After a pause, Ophelia, mimicking Duke Andrei's tone, repeated what her father had once told her—

"Since I don't know, it means it's not important."

A helpless expression appeared on Elliefelt's face, and she sighed softly.

“Miss, I shouldn’t be meddling in the internal affairs of the Castellion family. But I think… your father also has his difficulties.”

“I know,” Ophia nodded slightly and said with a smile, “So, I didn’t tell him everything, did I?”

Elliefelt remained silent.

She didn't agree with what her mistress did, but from the perspective of Ophia's personal maid, her priority was naturally to serve her mistress.

Therefore, she would turn a blind eye and pretend not to know about it... as long as the young lady didn't do anything that might put her in danger.

"It's unbelievable that such a beautiful treasure is hidden on the northeast coast of the Whirlpool Sea, and yet I haven't heard a single word about it. Imperial merchant ships have been coming here to do business all along, and news of this place has been brought over from time to time..."

Averting her gaze from the silent Elefette, Ophia placed the teacup back on the tray and turned her eyes once more to the misty glass window.

Behind those four clocks, a small commercial airship was faintly visible, with colorful posters reflected on its side.

The scientific school's dream became a reality in the lower reaches of the Benliu River.

Unfortunately, these incredible miracles could have been born in the Holy City; she had even taken the seeds of miracles back with her.

However, due to various practical reasons, her efforts to prove herself turned into a one-woman show.

Ophia sighed softly, her tone gradually taking on a self-deprecating tone.

"Our Senate has been in the clouds for too long, too far from the ground, just like my airship, isn't it?"

"It was clearly a technology that would greatly benefit the control of the empire's territory, but because it could free the army from its dependence on the navy, and the Castellion family controlled the empire's largest fleet, I couldn't even get support from my own family."

"In contrast, the people of Thunder City not only quickly adopted the new technologies and ideas of the scientific school, but also made their own innovations on this basis, even creating commercial airships... This makes me both gratified and frustrated."

Ellie remained silent.

She actually felt that the master was right, but the young lady's thinking was still a bit simplistic.

On the surface, this technology could indeed help the empire control a larger territory, but it could also cause the empire to lose control of its army, leading to the disintegration of the empire.

This is not an exaggeration.

The Imperial Army has acquired too much autonomy in decision-making, and this autonomy is becoming an unwieldy problem.

Previously, the Senate had wanted to use the Knights Templar to counterbalance the growing prestige of the Marshal's House among the common people and regain a colony that was subject to the Senate's command.

But within just a few years, the elders realized that their efforts had been in vain.

Because those who went to colonies to expand territory were ultimately commoners; people of noble status would never go there voluntarily.

After listening quietly to the young lady's complaints, Elliefelt offered an explanation in a very soft voice.

“Miss, actually... you don’t need to be discouraged at all.”

She paused for a moment, then continued.

"The changes in Thunder City are only recent events. A few years ago, it was a chaotic city that relied heavily on adventurers' guilds and dungeons. It's normal that you, being in the distant Holy City, are unaware of what has happened here... And how long these changes will last is also an unknown; no torch can burn forever."

Ophia smiled faintly upon hearing this. "Perhaps, Elefette, although I would say that my frustration is not just because of that... but more because of that feeling of powerlessness."

Elliefeet: "Powerlessness?"

"Yes."

Ophia sighed, her cheeks puffing out slightly, and muttered a few complaints.

“My father always thought that once I saw how bad the outside world was, I would come back to him and become a docile canary. He could never accept that I was no longer the Ophelia who would just stand on the edge of the dance floor in a daze a few years ago, and that I had my own pursuits.”

Seeing the sulking young lady, Elliefelt's face revealed a subtle expression.

This is probably the thing that Prince Andrei regrets the most.

She heard that the Duke had complained more than once in the manor that he shouldn't have sent Ophia to the Great Sage's Tower to learn magic, but should have hired a tutor to let her learn at home.

As a result, his daughter has gradually transformed from a renowned young lady in the holy city into a notorious "scientific freak."

No one likes someone who spends all day muttering about airships, science, and other nonsensical terms; at least, she can no longer fit into her old social circle.

Recently, fewer and fewer people have come to propose marriage, which has attracted some people who want to "get a bargain"... This is probably the real reason why the master got angry.

“I still suggest you try to understand your father more,” Elliefelt paused. “Of course, I also understand your troubles… I’m always willing to be someone you can confide in.”

Upon hearing the last sentence, Ophia's lips curled into a bright smile, and the gloom in her heart was greatly dispelled.

"Thank you, Elliefit, it's so good to have you by my side."

Elliefelt nodded slightly.

"I'm really ashamed, I can't help you with anything."

"Don't mention it. You've already helped me a lot. Actually, I don't need you to do anything specific for me. This is all I need."

"……this?"

“Listen. However, Father never listens patiently to me finish speaking. Only you and Prince Colin listen carefully to my complaints and then consider things from my perspective... Let’s not talk about this anymore, we still have things to do today.”

Hearing the distant chimes of a clock, Ophia rose from the sofa again and walked briskly to the mahogany coat rack.

Looking in the mirror, she took off a white cotton coat and draped it over her shoulders, then picked up a round hat decorated with white feathers and put it on properly.

Seeing that the young lady was about to leave, Elliefet walked up behind her and asked respectfully.

Where are we going?

"Thunder City University!"

Ophia turned her head to the side, flashed a sweet smile at herself in the mirror, and spoke with a hint of anticipation for their reunion.

"It's been a long time. I wonder if Ilana misses me."

……

The carriage bearing the bronze seahorse emblem came to a smooth stop at the entrance of Thunder City University.

To avoid attracting too much unnecessary attention, Elifite dutifully stayed outside the gate to wait, while Ophia stepped into the vibrant academy alone.

In other cities on the continent of Os, Elifit probably wouldn't have so easily agreed to let Ophia act alone.

However, perhaps because Thunder City and Holy City were so similar, she had the illusion that she had returned home.

Considering that this was Prince Colin's territory, and given that Ophia herself was quite powerful, she was no longer so tense.

"Don't worry, Elliefit, I'll be right back."

Winking at the worried Elifite, Ophia, like a cheerful lark, lightly slipped through the red brick school gate.

There was no snow on the brick-paved school path; the magic crystal-driven puppet swept the snow to the side of the road with a broom.

Students in neat uniforms walked in twos and threes on the red brick path. Some were having a heated discussion about improving the steam engine valves, while others hurried along with draft paper covered with formulas.

Along the way, you can see brass pipes being laid. Although Ophia couldn't figure out what they were for, she still thought they were amazing.

Since it's such a powerful thing, it must be the work of His Highness Colin!

Unlike the suffocating oppression of the northern wilderness, the air here is filled with a vibrant and thriving atmosphere.

Admiring the campus that Prince Colin had created for her, Ophia's smile was slightly smug, and the corners of her mouth lifted gently.

Just as she was pondering whether to trouble the principal here to help find someone, she suddenly caught a glimpse of a familiar figure under an oak tree not far away.

"Ilana!" Upon seeing that slender figure, she called out almost instinctively and quickened her pace to walk over.

Hearing Ophia's voice as well, Ilana, who was carrying a thick stack of books, stopped and instinctively turned around.

"Ophia?!"

When she finally saw the face beneath the domed feathered hat, Ilana's eyes widened in disbelief and surprise, and she stammered.

"By Saint Sith... how did you get here?! I... I had no idea! When did you arrive?"

"I... arrived yesterday."

"You should have written me a letter, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to pick you up at the port!" Ilana's voice carried a hint of reproach.

Ophia was a little embarrassed that she hadn't come to see her close friend right away after arriving in Thunder City, and had instead found him at Colin Manor.

However, judging from Ilana's reaction, she didn't seem to mind the matter; she was just blaming herself for not writing to tell her the good news beforehand.

Ophia scratched her cheek with her index finger and whispered.

"To be honest, I actually sneaked over here by blending in with the Imperial mission to the Duchy of Campbell. Also, I received the letter you sent me, but... it seems I arrived here before my reply."

Upon hearing this, Ilana's surprise gradually turned into worry.

"You sneaked in? Don't you have connections with your father?"

“It’s alright, don’t worry about me. My father already knows, I’ll just have to go back and apologize to him.” Ophia smiled and said in a relaxed tone, “Besides, this is Thunder City, not some dangerous place.”

As she spoke, she glanced at her long-lost best friend.

Compared to when she was on the snowfield, Ilana looked much better. Not only were her eyes brighter and clearer, but she also exuded a confidence and relaxation from the inside out.

Seeing the changes in Ilana, Ophia was genuinely happy for her, and then, without saying a word, took half of the book from Ilana's arms.

"Stop talking about me. How are you doing? Have you been doing alright lately? What about the others in the lab?"

“I… I don’t really have anything to worry about, and neither do the others. His Highness Colin takes great care of us. Under his protection, we are free to study things that interest us, and he even comes here to give lessons occasionally.”

"Really?" Ophia's face showed envy. "It seems I've missed a lot... I should have come here with you guys back then."

“If that were to happen, Duke Andrei would probably be furious… His Highness would certainly not want your relationship with your father to become too strained.”

"That does sound like something Colin would say... Speaking of which, your tone is starting to sound more and more like his. When did that start?"

Ophia's voice carried a hint of jealousy, but it was mostly in jest and not genuine.

After all, no matter how you look at it, Ilana could never have those kinds of feelings for His Highness.

"Is there?"

Ilana lifted the books, which were now much lighter, and pondered for a moment. Although she didn't realize it at all, her voice unconsciously took on a warmer tone.

"Perhaps a little... After all, I did learn a lot from him, both in terms of his way of thinking and the knowledge itself."

Ophia's gaze naturally fell on the book in her arms.

Those were textbooks she had never seen before.

"Speaking of which, did you just get back from class?"

"Well, to be precise, it's giving lectures."

"Giving lectures?!" Ophelia's eyes widened in surprise, an incredulous expression on her face. "So you're a tutor now?"

“No, I’m a graduate student, so strictly speaking I should still be a student. It’s just that Principal Keynes asked me to teach math to other students… Back when I was at the Academy, didn’t I often substitute for His Highness’s classes? It’s the same as back then.”

"Graduate student? What's that?"

Ophia was greatly intrigued by this concept she had never heard of before, and her curiosity grew stronger.

"Well... to put it simply, it's somewhat similar to the teaching assistants at Xuebang, but if you really look into it, there are quite a few differences."

Seeing Miss Ophia's thirst for knowledge, Ilana smiled and began to explain to her the innovations in the degree system of Thunder City University.

Unlike the Holy City.

Those who complete their basic studies in Thunder City can apply to become graduate students if they wish to pursue further education, continuing their advanced research through a work-study program.

Moreover, students pursuing graduate degrees can also take on assistant teaching positions in basic courses, mentoring younger students and earning a salary to support their daily living expenses without having to rely entirely on scholarships and subsidies.

In addition, if you work for your supervisor, you will receive a salary, which comes from the supervisor's project funding.

"So that's how it is."

Ophia suddenly realized.

While admiring her, she couldn't help but become even more curious.

"So what do you usually study?"

"me?"

Ilana looked away somewhat shyly and said softly, "I'm still studying mathematics, but I've also been working on applied projects recently."

"for example?"

"For example... we can combine mathematical models with traditional magic to find ways to solve magical problems using scientific tools. Because path optimization equations are frequently used in this system, Professor James Wally recommended that I do it."

"It sounds so complicated, I'm afraid I won't even be able to remember the name of the project." Ophia looked troubled.

Although she wasn't bad at math, she was still quite far behind a true mathematical genius like Ilana.

Ilana smiled shyly.

"It's not that complicated... By the way, after seeing my initial results, His Highness Colin suggested naming this project 'Arcane'. You can just remember that name."

Arcane?

"Ok!"

When she talked about her research, Ilana's shy smile gradually turned into excitement, and a few blushes appeared on her fair cheeks.

"His Highness Colin is very optimistic about this research approach that uses absolute rationality and mathematical models to reanalyze magic. He also told me that if we continue down this path, we might be able to discover new magic even without the power of the Void Realm, and we might even be able to incubate a completely new 'Arcane School' based on the 'Scientific School'!"

Ophia smiled sincerely as she watched Ilana talk incessantly.

That's reassuring.

Leaving the mage tower did not cause her to lose sight of her dreams; instead, she carved out her own kingdom in a new field.

Thinking of this, Ophia felt both happy for her and envious, and even a faint sense of jealousy arose from which she didn't know why...

Shaking off those inexplicable emotions, she naturally walked to Ilana's side and gently nudged Ilana's arm with her elbow.

"Now that you're doing so well, I'm completely relieved. But let's not talk about school and academics for now. Take me for a good look around the neighborhood! I want to see the city you live in now."

"Great! I'd love to show you around the place; there are so many interesting things here!"

Ilana nodded excitedly, then glanced at the book in her arms.

"Wait a moment, I need to go back to my dorm to put these books away. I can't really enjoy the walk with them in my arms."

"Is there even a question?"

Ophelia patted the stack of books in her arms, a sunny smile blooming on her face, and walked briskly ahead.

"Of course we'll go to your dorm first! I want to start my tour from there!"

"I'm so sorry to trouble you to help me carry my books since you came all this way..."

"Don't be so formal. I'm a member of the scientific school of thought, after all. You can't just fire me after I've only been gone for a few days, can you?"

How could that be?

Hearing her best friend's half-joking words, Ilana stopped in her tracks and looked at her sincerely, saying, "In fact, I would prefer that you stay here and continue to study those interesting topics with me."

Before the stunned Ophia could answer, Ilana stared intently into her eyes and continued speaking.

"This is, after all, the land of knights, and there are far too few people who understand magic. And those who possess both magical and mathematical talent are even rarer... Ophelia, honestly, we really need you!"

Upon hearing this, Ophia was somewhat tempted.

"I'll think about it..."

"Yes!" Seeing that Ophia didn't refuse outright, Ilana nodded happily and walked briskly ahead. "His Highness Colin would be very happy to know that you plan to stay!"

(End of this chapter)