NEC Chapter 112: Twilight City, Melancholy Frost

The towering Dragon's Spine Mountains wind and twist across the vast earth, firmly blocking the bitter cold winds from the polar regions, sheltering the expansive plains of the continent's center.

It was precisely because of this founding territory that the Resting Moon Dynasty was able to expand from a small local principality, through countless dynasties and several millennia, finally growing into a mighty nation with ten thousand miles of territory that awed all directions.

Over three hundred years ago, in that war that swept across most of the world, the Resting Moon Dynasty, Mistmoon Divine Court, and the elf kingdom led by moon elves joined forces, forming a coalition under the name of the Moon Alliance.

Through more than twenty brutal large-scale battles and countless medium and small battles, they finally defeated the Sky Empire that had dominated the continent for centuries, completely ending Sky's rule east of the Dragon's Spine Mountains.

Since then, generations of Sky knights could only gaze across the high peaks and sigh with melancholy.

In the history of the Resting Moon Dynasty, this was a chapter forever worth celebrating, a legendary tale of heroism and tragedy.

Every foreign student who came to Twilight City to study would be reminded repeatedly during continental general knowledge courses to remember this magnificent victory epic of Resting Moon's resistance against Sky's hegemony.

The stirring heroic stories often made young people from small nations excited and infinitely fascinated.

But this certainly didn't include Frost.

Frost's mother was of mixed blood, and rather chaotically mixed at that.

Half elf bloodline, one quarter orc bloodline, one quarter human blood.

Simply put, she was the child of a human-orc union who then had a child with an elf, producing Frost's mother.

So counting down to Frost, she should have one-eighth orc bloodline and one-quarter elf bloodline.

Frost's mother would constantly tell Frost stories about her grandmother from childhood.

That was an elf woman of unfortunate fate who had once been a royal member of the upper moon elves.

Elves themselves were a long-lived species, and upper moon elves were nourished by the Spring of Life from birth, greatly delaying aging, with lifespans of several hundred years not uncommon.

Frost's grandmother was a three-hundred-year-old elf general who had followed the elf coalition forces to war in her youth, participating in that campaign against the Sky Empire.

However, after successfully driving out the Sky Empire, the Resting Moon Dynasty and Mistmoon Divine Court suddenly turned against each other, stabbing their elf allies viciously in the back.

The caught-off-guard elf armies suffered rivers of blood, not only failing to reclaim the ancestral lands occupied by Sky as previously agreed, but also losing their last piece of plains territory and being driven into the dark forests filled with decay.

Frost's grandmother became a human prisoner of war in that despicable betrayal, beginning hundreds of years of wandering displacement and humiliating captivity.

Eventually, she fell into the hands of a noble from the Emerald Duchy and was bestowed like an object to a human-beast hybrid descendant, thus producing Frost's mother.

Because of this inglorious origin, Frost's mother was merely one of Earl Liuyun's many female concubines, so that the child born had virtually no status in the territory.

Until after the Five Tribes Republic Agreement, elf emissaries went through great hardships searching and finally traced the path of Frost's grandmother, that moon elf royal general.

When they brought her remains back to the dark forest to return to nature's embrace, they also recognized little Frost, who had already lost her mother, as one of the elves' own children.

What the elves gave Frost was far, far more than what humans had given!

So in Frost's view, the glorious history of the Resting Moon Dynasty was nothing but a despicable history of conspiracy and betrayal.

With such an attitude, Frost obviously wouldn't have good relationships at Resting Moon's Royal Central Spiritual Energy Academy.

She even seriously offended several Resting Moon noble children because of this historical grudge.

The Royal Central Spiritual Energy Academy, as the most elite professional institution in Resting Moon's capital Twilight City, gathered almost the dynasty's most prominent noble elite children, as well as many princes, princesses, and grand duke heirs from vassal states.

In comparison, little Frost, coming from a border count territory in the Emerald Duchy, ranked outside the top twenty in succession, and appearing somewhat naive, was undoubtedly at the bottom of the academy's food chain.

Originally, such a child should have drawn no attention.

But life often works this way, if something can go wrong, it often strides boldly in the wrong direction.

It started when certain Resting Moon noble second-generations were boasting about their ancestors' military achievements in front of a group of girls, describing elves as "cowardly chickens!"

According to him, the Resting Moon Dynasty's victories on frontal battlefields couldn't save the elves from repeated defeats, which was why Resting Moon expanded territory while elves lost lands.

How could Frost tolerate this, "Your noble family crest was dyed with elf blood from backstabbing, despicable descendants of traitors, pretending to be human here, you're worse than goblins!"

Well, in the little girl's vocabulary, goblins were the most vicious curse words.

But what place was this? This was Twilight City, capital of the Resting Moon Dynasty. Soon, Frost's background was thoroughly investigated by these people.

Vassal state, small territory, low succession rank, mixed blood... truly collecting most elements of the contempt chain.

Although Frost's elf bloodline was stronger, this couldn't be mentioned, it was political correctness!

But orcs were still enemies of the Resting Moon Dynasty.

So the next day, another Resting Moon second-generation shouted at Frost after class, "Beast tribe mongrel, get out!"

His response was a sudden heavy punch from Frost, landing squarely on that guy's head.

The boy's face barely survived, but most of his teeth didn't.

This incident caused an uproar in the academy.

First, this was undoubtedly Frost's violation, as the academy had rules prohibiting private fights, and this wasn't even a fight but one-sided beating!

Adding Frost's heretical remarks attacking Resting Moon ancestors, some noble children in the royal city privately organized and began systematically pressuring the academy.

Initially, things were limited to unauthorized violence, violating academy rules, warranting warnings and punishment, but soon, due to deliberately distorted information spreading widely, a strange trend appeared in the academy.

"A stinking country girl, mixed blood, beating the dynasty's noble heir in Resting Moon's imperial city, is this bullying our lack of people?"

"Right, the era of orcs freely insulting humans is long gone, does the dynasty only favor these foreigners?"

"Preferential treatment for foreign students, right? Is local noble blood less red than foreign noble blood?"

"The attacker must pay a price, tenfold compensation, expulsion!"

Honestly, the academy did have traditions of somewhat favoring foreign noble students.

From the Resting Moon Dynasty's strategic environment, having one more noble friendly to Resting Moon in various vassal and neighboring countries might determine the success or failure of a local war.

Especially in recent years, with the dynasty's increasingly severe external situation and hostile forces eyeing covetously, limited by Mistmoon Divine Court's clear hostile stance, the Resting Moon Dynasty often couldn't conveniently send troops directly or intervene in wars between vassal states.

This involved extremely complex political maneuvering.

Under such external environmental factors, the dynasty both strengthened Resting Moon historical and cultural indoctrination for noble children from other countries and further elevated their treatment to strengthen their affinity for the dynasty.

This inevitably triggered strong dissatisfaction from radical factions within the dynasty.

The undercurrents of these two political forces continuously clashed, finally finding an outlet for venting in Frost's "beating dynasty nobles" incident.

Frost's swordsman division couldn't withstand the pressure and reported a punishment package of warnings, compensation, and suspension.

At this moment of surging public opinion and indignation, Vice Principal Archmage Hodi of the Royal Central Spiritual Energy Academy gathered trainers and instructors from the swordsman division, along with high-ranking nobles and opinion leaders among students, for a heartfelt conversation.

The old man struck first, "Is bullying with power the dynasty's tradition?"

"Obsessing over someone's physical violence while publicly insulting others' bloodlines, is that the noble bearing you're proud of?"

"The Emerald Duchy just fought desperately with two major enemy nations in the south, suffering heavy casualties to barely block Mistmoon forces' northward advance, and this is how you treat Emerald's meritorious children?"

"Want His Majesty to bear the reputation of harshly criticizing vassal states and bullying the weak?"

"If you insist on expelling this little girl, fine! But based on fairness, if there's severe punishment, let's punish together!"

"All parties involved in excessive verbal insults should also be expelled. You calculate and report to me, I'll explain to His Majesty!"

Ultimately, due to old Hodi's strong protection, Frost only received internal warnings from the swordsman division and light punishment of medical fee compensation.

After the storm, Frost became further isolated in the academy, with only a few children from small territories who shared similar fates and were also looked down upon by local factions gathering around her, forming a fragile micro-group.

Then, when the other side showed slight recruitment intentions, these poor children quickly defected.

All country bumpkins studying in Resting Moon, foreigners, who couldn't see the situation clearly?

But Frost didn't care.

Having experienced the storm where everyone close to her died, Frost was forced to grow from a naive little girl into a warrior who had to take care of herself.

She came to practice swordsmanship, everything else didn't matter.

Due to her elf relatives, Earl Liuyun had to regard this child differently, so despite her low succession rank, the earl territory still provided the little girl with sufficient financial support.

Even after paying high compensation, Frost temporarily didn't need to worry about next term's tuition and living expenses.

Of course, she still had to constantly face omnipresent cold stares, snorts, deliberate delays when queuing, or whispered mutterings: "That mongrel!"

Frost's response was day after day of practice, practice, and more practice.

The training ground's corner became her fortress, the sound of sword cuts through air became her background music.

She isolated herself in a transparent cocoon, where all external clamor and malice had nothing to do with her. Those once clear eyes now contained only quiet focus and that tenacity buried deep in her bones.

Such days continued until the first stage assessment.

Despite the little girl's tremendous efforts, due to her previously poor foundation and short study time, compared to those noble children who grew up in Resting Moon's elite education system with abundant resources, the gap remained vast.

The first combat assessment, she lost without suspense, thoroughly embarrassed.

Her opponent was a female swordsman named Lucia.

The opponent demonstrated standard Resting Moon Gale Swordsmanship, sword light like endless silver storm rain, carrying cold wind-breaking sounds, completely suppressing Frost.

Frost used the Sky standard military swordsmanship taught by Captain Paven. While these two sword styles couldn't be easily compared for superiority, the skill gap left Frost struggling to cope.

Like a small boat in a storm, she could only futilely block and dodge.

Throughout the match, she was hit at least thirty times.

With face protection and vital area guards, Frost didn't suffer particularly obvious injuries, but her opponent seemed determined to humiliate the little girl, precisely cutting Frost's hair tie during combat, then sword by sword cutting and trimming the little girl's once-proud long hair into patchy, uneven chunks.

Lucia also used close-body sword pressing and elbow blocking techniques, leaving Frost with several bone-deep hidden injuries.

When Frost finally collapsed powerlessly on the ground, the girl sheathed her sword, performed the standard concluding bow, then extended her hand to help Frost up, leaving a few words by the little girl's ear.

"I'm Lucia, the little guy you beat is my younger brother, from the same mother!"

"His mouth stinks, but it's not your place as an outsider to teach him lessons!"

"Too bad I can't knock out your teeth in front of everyone, so... I can only pluck a few more hairs from you."

"Tsk, look at those eyes, fierce like a little wolf cub, truly a beast mongrel!"

"See you next time."

Soon came the mounted combat assessment stage.

As professionals belonging to kingdoms and duchies, there was a high probability of future battlefield service, so even swordsmen and assassins had to learn mounted combat at certain stages, or at least manage like Paven to charge on horseback and leap from horses.

The mounted combat opponent was still that Lucia.

Later, Frost learned that Lucia had spent considerable money buying all subsequent assessment rights to fight Frost.

Mounted combat steeds had to be trained by these noble children themselves, otherwise unfamiliar mounts might greatly limit riders' performance, and any accidents would make the academy vulnerable to noble criticism.

Like conspiracy theories about deliberately using inferior horses to harm people.

Frost's war horse was a Tranquil Prairie horse carefully selected by Earl Liuyun, with good obedience, extreme endurance, and though slightly lacking in explosive power, still adequate.

This four-year-old filly had been Frost's playmate since childhood, always raised in the territory. This time Earl Liuyun sent her along for the distant journey, accompanying Frost through mountains and waters, already becoming the little girl's silent and faithful companion in foreign lands, carrying her few sources of warmth.

However, in the first mounted combat, Lucia's lance during intense engagement "accidentally" struck with a tricky angle, precisely smashing the filly's front leg!

War horses, once severely injured, were almost impossible to treat with conventional methods, because they would constantly struggle, making injuries worse until painful death.

On the Starry Continent, powerful healers indeed had the ability to save such severely injured horses. But Frost, a "mongrel" despised by everyone, where could she find a healer willing to treat her horse?

Watching her beloved filly struggle futilely and painfully, following the on-site instructor's suggestion, Frost finally drew her sword and with resolute mercy ended the filly's suffering.

She personally sent away another companion, one who had accompanied her through this lonely journey of learning.

Thereafter, each assessment became a beating, or rather, a public execution under everyone's gaze.

Each time accompanied by opponents' continuous cold mockery.

"Really don't understand why you're learning Sky Empire's military swordsmanship? Those defeated by our Resting Moon, their bones have been rotting for hundreds of years! What, want to salvage some pitiful dignity for them?"

"Tsk, such a pity, your hair looks like it's been chewed by wild dogs again. Why not find a sturdier hair tie? No money? Want me to give you one?"

"Oh right, I can introduce you to some generous old men, they might be very generous when meeting tender little girls like you."

"Heard you're 'inconvenient' today? Tell me, if I beat you bloody, would others think you just wet your pants?"

"Another trash horse? Good, such beasts don't hurt to die."

Lucia probably thought that through such round after round of physical and mental torment, this porcelain doll-like little girl would eventually collapse or submit.

However, Frost's displayed tenacity far exceeded her imagination, even making her feel a trace of "ineffective victory" anger.

Since her opponent liked cutting her hair, Frost simply cut off her long hair herself, leaving less than an inch of short hair.

Since her opponent liked attacking her mounts, she simply bought the worst draft horses, two gold coins each time, and according to her savings, could accompany her opponent for over a year.

Unable to win direct confrontations, she began imitating Uncle Paven's fearless, injury-for-injury fighting style from memory.

Landing one hit on the opponent was breaking even, two hits was profit, and even without landing any hits, at least she lost faster.

Saving herself from prolonged humiliation.

In spare time, Frost also practiced several basic Resting Moon sword techniques, trying to make her fighting style more varied.

Thus, Lucia, this malicious "sparring partner," inadvertently became Frost's rapid growth whetstone.

Observers see clearly, and some sharp-eyed noble children privately warned Lucia. "Hey, at this rate, in another half year, you won't be able to suppress her!"

Lucia's face darkened enough to drip water. She snorted coldly, maintaining her arrogance, "Hmph, let her survive half a year in this hellhole first!"

However, it seemed it wouldn't take that long.

In late March, a dust-covered team carrying the unique salty scent of Vast Sea Territory arrived at Twilight City, knocking on the heavy doors of the Royal Advanced Knight Academy.

They brought distant greetings for Lady Frost, along with a mysterious and anticipation-inducing gift set from a certain Lord surnamed Chen.

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