The black sun hangs high

Chapter 142 Mayer
The instinct to pry into secrets is probably one of the basic human instincts.

Curiosity makes people interested in the trivial conversations of others.

Hughes had discovered that since he found he could obtain a lot of extra information by using a large number of special tricks and the power of the Mirror Messenger, he had gradually developed a somewhat perverse hobby.

That is eavesdropping on other people's conversations.

Especially those words that might be related to oneself.

These medical students were still very young. They probably hadn't actually served in the military or been to the front lines, so their understanding of war itself was relatively limited. Even though the entire Lovi Plateau was shrouded in a strong atmosphere of war, they still had the mood and interest to discuss the temperament and appearance of a young nobleman.

In their eyes, a young Ernst family member with a spellcaster background was clearly a very valuable "discussion subject".

Although their self-assessment was reasonably pleasing, the scene still made Hugh shake his head.

Following the signs and slogans along the road, he quickly passed through a garden with many famous alchemist sculptures, and then showed his identification to several soldiers of the Fifth Jaeger Regiment who were guarding the area.

Soon, he was led to a huge classroom, which had been converted into a temporary recruitment office by the Fifth Regiment. Before he could even go inside, Hugh saw a familiar face at the door.

Major Alfred Mouche hadn't changed at all since the last time they met, except perhaps due to the environment, he had made himself look even more neat and tidy. His cool military bearing, coupled with his handsome, angular face, easily attracted the attention of the young students.

Opposite him stood another man.

Compared to Alfred, his appearance was much more ordinary.

He was in his early thirties and not very tall; he was considered quite short for an adult.

He wasn't wearing a hat, had very, very short hair, a full forehead, a smile on his face, and a calm gaze.

His attire was equally simple, a plain Waterloo-style long overcoat, with several books tucked under his arm. Just standing there, he exuded an unusual sense of composure.

"Major Alfred, it's been a long time."

Hugh walked up to the officer and greeted him. The young officer immediately turned around, his cold face instantly thawing. He raised a hand and shook hands with Hugh firmly twice: "It hasn't been long. I thought you would be two days later."

After saying that, Alfred stepped half a step to the side, making way for the smiling man: "Perfect timing, let me introduce you... This is Professor Frey Meyer from the medical school."

Upon hearing the name, Hugh paused slightly, but he immediately reacted and raised his hand in a friendly gesture to the professor in front of him: "Hugh Ernst."

A rough but strong hand reached out and gave Hugh a firm handshake: "Hello, Mr. Hugh, the major just mentioned you to me... Hehe, actually I've heard your name before, I didn't expect that you are the writer who makes so many people in Borden think about you."

Frey Meyer's voice is deep and powerful, yet his words are full of humor, making him instantly likable in just a few sentences.

Hughes laughed and asked in return, "Professor, please forgive my curiosity... May I ask if you have the habit of submitting articles to newspapers?"

“If you’re referring to the pen name ‘Meyer,’ then that is indeed me.”

The man grinned and said, "Although I study medicine, I occasionally publish articles, just my humble opinions."

"You are too modest."

Hugh shook his head and said sincerely, "I have seen many articles about current affairs and the situation in the newspapers before, but there are very few people who can use your perspective."

At this moment, Major Alfred, who was standing to the side, suddenly interjected, "Alright, alright, if you two want to discuss this further, there will be plenty of time later... Mr. Hugh, the reason Professor Meyer is here is because he will be traveling with the Fifth Juggernaut Regiment for the next period of time and will be the chief physician accompanying the army, managing our medical and logistical personnel."

Hearing this, Hugh was slightly taken aback. He looked at Frey Meyer and said, "But I remember that according to the laws and regulations of the kingdom, you should be classified as an important academic. The country will not allow you to go to the battlefield."

“Professor Mayer is an exception.”

Alfred explained, “In terms of nationality, he belongs to Saint Steel in the north… He came here to serve as a professor for certain reasons, so our kingdom’s laws do not fully apply to him, and going to the battlefield was Professor Mayer’s own wish.”

The man smiled and added, "I have submitted a formal application, and until the first batch of recruits rotates out, my role will be that of a military medic, not a professor."

After hearing these words, Hugh seemed to have thought of something. He raised his hand and pulled Alfred, and asked with a smile, "I think I understand... Major, in that case, you should make the arrangements. I believe that the protective measures for Ernst family members should be sufficient to extend to the professor."

"Pretty!"

Alfred slapped Hugh on the shoulder, a satisfied smile on his face: "I love talking to quick-witted people, it's so comfortable."

"In that case, shall I go and complete the formalities first?"

"No problem, go ahead... Someone has been waiting for you for a long time."

As he spoke, Alfred winked at Hugh and pointed to the door next to him.

So Hugh immediately took his identification and walked toward the door. Compared to the other recruitment points, this office was much quieter. However, this quietness was only relative, because in this huge room, there were also twenty or thirty mages who had received recruitment notices and were going through their procedures. At the "Voluntary Enlistment" window on the left, several mages who had volunteered to join the army were being interviewed and evaluated by the council members.

Hugh, who had received the notification, naturally didn't need to go through that process. He walked directly to the other end and joined the back of the line.

In any country, the scope of work and responsibilities of military priests are determined very strictly.

Spellcasters skilled in lethal magic often operate alongside assault or reconnaissance teams, providing support and cover through versatile magic. Mages with a better understanding of magical rituals tend to focus on logistics, and are often entrusted with the defense of specific locations.

Those skilled at engraving magic book pages often experience a sense of frustration. Although they may not necessarily go to the battlefield, they are frequently locked in small, dark rooms, endlessly repeating monotonous tasks. While safe, this can be maddening.

There are countless examples of such detailed divisions of labor.

Before Hugh arrived, he had heard that both the highlands and the plains were actively forming mage archery teams composed of a large number of stream-level and magic apprentices—as long as they were proficient in the basic trick of "magical arrows" and some auxiliary magic, that would be enough.

This undoubtedly shows that countries have some new ideas about the upcoming epoch-making war—changing the status of mages in the war, allowing weapons and magic to be better combined, so as to further amplify the advantages that magic can originally bring.

The mages who received the recruitment notice were all official members registered in the council. Therefore, their work and positions after entering the army had already been arranged. People like Shug, who only had a recruitment notice but no clear details, were destined to be a minority.

He looked around but didn't see the person Alfred had mentioned waiting for him, which surprised Hugh.

The person in charge of this queue was very efficient, and it was Hugh's turn in no time.

As he approached the table, his gaze was drawn to the figure sitting on the right side of the long table, responsible for organizing and classifying documents and notices. The other person smiled happily, which made that already quite beautiful face even more attractive.

"cough!"

A cough came from the room, and only then did Hugh notice that the person sitting directly opposite him was actually an old acquaintance.

That was none other than Klaus, the chief mage accompanying the Fifth Jaeger Regiment.

He maintained his usual cold, sour expression, his eyes devoid of any extra emotion. However, Klaus was too lazy to keep up his airs with Hugh, so he raised his hand and tapped the table: "Put your things down, let's talk... keep your voice down."

His words amused Hugh, but he still showed enough respect to a Valley-level mage, placing his credentials and notice on the table with both hands. After Klaus took them, Hugh gave Sally an inquiring look.

"How will you be here?"

Sally blinked without saying a word, her face still beaming with a bright smile. She pointed to a badge hanging on her chest. Hugh looked closely and discovered that it was a badge representing a formal alchemist's qualification. Although its color and style suggested it was the most basic type, it was enough to show that Sally had already shed her apprenticeship as a physician.

She whispered, "My new mentor brought me here, and I'll be helping out for the next few days."

Hughes was somewhat surprised: "A new mentor?"

He remembered that Sally's teacher should have been the doctor named Ilan from the Fifth Javelin Regiment. How come she was changed so quickly?

“Miss Sally is making rapid progress. She has a great talent for potions, and the council has already reviewed her once.”

Klaus's voice drifted over, and his mage hand took the magic seal from Sally, slapping it twice on a new recruitment and registration form. He said, "Although Dr. Ilan is a certified physician, she has no experience studying at a higher academy. Therefore, the professors at the academy unanimously believe that she should be taught by a more professional teacher."

After saying that, Klaus pushed the two documents in front of Hugh, gesturing for him to sign them.

As Hugh picked up his pen, Klaus's voice drifted over: "Don't forget, your 'Stream-level Mage' assessment in the council is still temporary... Learn more from your friends."

Talking to someone like Klaus was too painful, so Hugh quickly signed his name and handed one copy to Sally, who was standing next to him, so that she could put the document in a file folder.

The council did not distribute any supplies to any mages, which is related to the "wartime mage management regulations" currently being implemented in Borden. If they want to receive supplies from the council and the army, they will probably have to wait until they enter the military camp.

There were still many people queuing behind him, so Hugh couldn't stay any longer. He could only whisper a few words to Sally before walking out.

Major Alfred had disappeared, but Professor Frey Meyer remained, standing ramrod straight like a statue, engrossed in reading a book.

Judging from the cover, it turned out to be Zek Ernst's book, "An Outline of Military Supply and Logistics".

Hugh's appearance made Professor Meyer put down his book. He nodded and said, "Sally has only been my student for a few days. Her talent for potion making is really outstanding. It's a pity that she has too little knowledge of alchemy and medicine in the past. As long as she makes up for these shortcomings, she will soon become one of the best in the academy."

Meyer pointed to the garden outside: "Mr. Hugh, if you don't mind, shall we go over there and talk?"

Despite it being their first meeting, Meyer gave Hugh a strange sense of familiarity. His every move seemed to inspire a strong sense of trust, and Hugh was indeed curious about this doctor and scholar—after all, based on his understanding of the history of his original world, those who studied medicine during special periods were often able to unleash astonishing energy.

So the two of them went to the college garden outside and sat down on a bench.

"Professor Meyer, why do you want to go to the battlefield?"

Hughes was the first to raise his question: "Although everyone is very confident about the war now, once the war officially breaks out, there will be no absolutely safe place on the front line."

"Because I want to understand war, to understand the changes that are happening in the world today."

Meyer put the book aside, leaned back in his chair, and put his hands in front of him: "Every war in human history triggers a series of complex changes. War exposes problems, brings new things, and changes existing situations and relationships... So I want to go to the front lines and see for myself what the world may be about to face."

...

In reality, a new book has been started.
I'm trying to find a way to display the volume summaries ORZ
Also, it's a new month, please vote!

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(End of this chapter)