What did you do with the dice?

Seeing the two elves' confused expressions, Sanitieta explained, "'Clustering' and 'Dispersion' are elemental properties. You need to look up this in Chapter 2, 'Introduction to Elemental Properties.' You're also required to memorize the entire text. So, do you still think this book is useless?"

Alijie and Shana once again revealed expressions of dissatisfaction, yet unable to express their frustration. They thought, "It's just endorsement! Are these two pure-blooded elf geniuses even worse than humans? Look at me! I'll become a mage apprentice in just one day!"

Sanita seemed to be able to read minds. "I guess you're thinking about quickly becoming a mage apprentice, but that's not advisable. You can't become an apprentice just by memorizing the book. You need to learn how to apply the knowledge points in the book, like this."

Sanita stretched out his fingers and snapped them, and a "Blazing Orb" appeared out of thin air beside him. "Regarding the stability of the fire element structure we just mentioned, if we create a very stable fire element structure, like this, you will find that this fireball will not explode. Instead, its position can be controlled by the mind, making it fly, roll, and even hit people."

After saying that, the fireball flew up and hit Rusalka directly. The cat slid away a few meters quickly, leaving Rusalka subconsciously taking out her shield to block it and used the shield to push the fireball away.

"Damn it, you're trying to scam me!" Rusalka cursed. "Kids, Teacher Fireball isn't feeling well today, so I'll let Teacher Holy Light take over for the rest of the class."

Seeing that the fireball did not explode, the two elves' mouths opened into an O shape. They had never seen a fireball that did not explode.

Rusalka, who was used as teaching material for no reason, looked at the two elves who were kept silent after being talked to one after another. She remembered the scene when she was called out in the classroom and made to stand in the corner before she traveled through time. She thought that it was really karma and couldn't help laughing.

Sanita turned to Rusalka and said, "What are you laughing at? You have to recite it too."

Rusalka couldn't laugh anymore. She pointed at herself and said puzzledly, "Me? Memorizing magic? You want to train me to be a magic cat too?"

Sani Tieta: "Memorize the meaning of magic symbols and identify the root meaning of magic runes. At least when you see the opponent casting a spell, you should be able to identify the four key points of the opponent's 'element', 'type', 'approximate function', and 'level'. This will help me decipher the command later."

Rusalka turned to Phoenix and said, "Did you hear that? Remember the teachings of the Great Wizard Sanita well, and memorize them with these two elves. Then you will be the cat who knows the most about magic in the Filin tribe. As for me, the great Lord Pearl Tear, I have something to do tonight, and I suddenly remembered..."

Rusalka said he was busy, and Phoenix's eyes moved down to the little Rusalka area.

Rusalka squeezed her legs together and instantly changed her words: "I remembered that I still long for knowledge. I will recite it with you."

(Author's note: After this chapter ends, I'll write a short, cool section to conclude the first volume's Lord arc, and then I'll start writing Alice's battle in the second volume.)

Chapter 174 Short Daily Life (2)

The two elves are growing very well, no, their growth progress is very impressive. Although Sunita did say before that they were hopeless, but after really getting to know them, he had to admit the truth of the saying "God gives the best".

It was as if they were cramming before an exam and only focused on the key points. Apart from the introduction related to "fire", they ignored all other knowledge points. It took them half a month to memorize all the content related to "fire" in this book which was thicker than a dictionary. During this period, they also answered the questions raised by Sanitieta fluently.

Even after watching it, they were able to shoot stable flaming arrows without any instruction. In a sense, they had already met the entry requirements for mage apprentices (limited to fire).

In fact, Shana originally wanted to learn Lightning Arrow, but ever since she failed to cast the spell last time and her little hand was numbed by electricity, she didn't mention it anymore.

Rusalka laughed at her for not having perseverance, but she immediately said that this was called self-knowledge, and played a perfect defense to steal the ball first.

Rusalka: It seems that they and their brothers learned more than just magic.

Putting aside whether they can apply the knowledge points to actual combat, if we really follow the standards of Earth's exam-oriented education, at least they will definitely pass the "Introduction to Fire" course with full marks.

Sometimes it is difficult to estimate the persistence of these EQ-less girls. Their obsessive love for fireball magic has made them burst out with potential and perseverance. Apart from eating, sleeping and studying every day, they go to Sanita to learn, and ask directly if they don't understand something.

Sometimes, the two of them would simply stay in the City Lord's office all day long, reading books, not talking or disturbing Sanitieta and Rusalka while they were reading documents, just so they could ask questions directly if they had any.

This thirst for learning, almost to the point of madness, shocked Qingfeng, who had recently started to audit classes with Sanitieta. The latter also bought a copy of "Introduction to the Mage Apprentice" and started reading it, deeply doubting whether he had not read it thoroughly enough at the beginning.

Sanita: (To be honest, if humans could be half as stubborn as they are, perhaps the number of mages would increase significantly. Even if they are just students with a single attribute, it is better than having no mages at all.)

Rusalka thought for a moment and said, "They spend so much time with us every day, does that count as living together? Will they take my half of the Pearl Tear Neck?"

Sanitieta's emotions were all strangled by Rusalka's words, and he continued to look at the documents in silence.

----

Half a month later, on January 1, the new year began. The first winter snowflakes fell from the sky, wrapping the earth in a white quilt and falling into a deep sleep.

Just wait for next year's spring breeze to lift this quilt, and all things will wake up and be renewed.

Rusalka was lying on a recliner in the office of the City Lord's Mansion, where it was spring all year round, holding Phoenix in her arms. Beside her were Alice, Shana and Qingfeng, who were writing furiously and listening with great interest as they talked about the magical structure of the Sani Iron Tower.

I reached out and drew a smiling face on the misty window, and looked at the falling snowflakes and the pure white garden outside the window through my fingers as the mist dissipated. Then I took a sip of warm milk tea and ate a cookie from both ends with Phoenix, celebrating the arrival of the new year in the countdown. Such days are so beautiful, without worries, without bad things, and I hate that this moment can never become eternal.

The only drawback is that there is no Spring Festival in this world, or even if the Spring Festival is a major festival, without the Spring Festival Gala, Rusalka feels that she has not been able to appreciate the history of this year, and the New Year atmosphere is not strong enough.

He looked at Phoenix, wondering if he could ask her if she'd be willing to put on a red lion head and go out and dance a few times. He'd then tell her it was a traditional culture of her hometown. He didn't expect her to change her name to Pearly Tears Phoenix, as her last name wasn't Pearly Tears, but when it came to culture, she had to adapt to the local customs.

Thinking of the lion dance, Rusalka suddenly remembered something and asked the study group nearby, "Have you learned your fire magic to the point where it can explode?"

Qingfeng shook his head. "I still can't master the fire elemental enchantment. It's easy to blow myself up. I haven't gotten the hang of it yet."

Sanita encouraged him, "Well, understanding is very important. The last step just requires more practice. If you succeed once, you will succeed again and again."

Shana was very unmodest: "I've almost mastered half of it."

Alice followed her and said, "Then I have mastered three out of four."

Shana turned to look at Alijae, who was also looking at her. She said unconvincedly, "When I say half, I mean halfway to success. It's just the last step. Actually, if you consider the entire structure and distribution of Fireball, it's about four-fifths."

Looking at the provocative expression on my little sister's face, how can I tolerate this?

Just as Alice was about to accept the challenge, she was stopped by Sanita's head, each of them hitting him with a staff. "The Way of the Mage forbids comparison. A true master always has the heart of an apprentice. It doesn't matter how fast or slow you learn; what matters is humility. Mages have never been a force to be proud of. You are also experienced rangers. Don't you understand that the deeper you hide, the longer you live?"

Rusalka, who had created a conflict with just one sentence, sighed, "Oh, it looks like I can't find anyone to set off the fireworks this year. What should I do if the Nian monster invades? Who will help me fight it?"

Sanitta knew that Rusalka couldn't say anything valuable, so he told the three to ignore him and continue studying seriously.

----

The snow in this world always comes on time, as if it is the last mercy shown by the Creator God to the poor people on earth. Every year's snow season comes neither too early nor too late, giving people a precise countdown to prepare for the official arrival of winter.

Of course, there are also many people who have not saved enough money to survive the winter, so they can only go out in the snow and pray that they can find a way to make money.

What is the most expensive thing in the world in winter?

The answer is combustible materials, firewood, coal, and more advanced ones like "crystal cores with flame properties". Everything that can provide heating will increase in price seasonally in winter.

It's a pity that the clothes on his body are too thin, and he is worried about the low price of coal and wishes the weather would be colder. This line of poetry is also true in this world.

It is because firewood and charcoal are very expensive in winter, and the processing plant also needs these things to maintain the temperature of the furnace in winter. After all, relying solely on magic for heating in winter is too magic-consuming. In this world where there is no shortage of natural resources, the cheapest options are only two - resources that can be collected everywhere, and people who can collect resources.

Old John is now forty-four, an unlucky age, when he lost his job in a processing plant because he did not pay taxes.

In fact, ever since the factory came up with all sorts of new rules, he, like everyone else, had been doing as he was told, just like a diligent worker bee. Although his salary was getting lower and lower, and his working hours were getting longer and longer, at least he was working in the Lott factory in Test, a gold-mining town in the Pearl Tear Territory, with free food and lodging, work clothes, and a salary.

Not only that, they also obey the orders of Lord Sanita who is far away in Silver City and give even the lowest-level workers two days off a month.

From this perspective, it is much better than those homeless people on the street who have no food to eat every day and those prostitutes in the alleys who make a living by selling their bodies.

If you save a little, you can save all your wages and won't have to worry about the future. That's why all positions in the processing plant are hot jobs in the entire town.

But the reason why he was kicked out like a stray dog ​​was not because he did not do something well enough. If machines can be compared with humans, he doesn't even need to add engine oil or do regular maintenance.

It was just because of the recent factional struggle within the factory, his immediate superior, Boss Will, who was in charge of the welding department, died in the last fight. The new leader was originally his mortal enemy, so of course he wanted to clear out the original team and replace them with people who had owed him a favor or who he intended to make the other party owe him a favor.

All in all, in this place where rules are not as useful as face, he was fired for such a trivial matter. As for the livelihood of this group of people in the future, how could a big shot like him who is so high and mighty care about such a trivial matter?

It was useless to protest. He had witnessed with his own eyes that his co-worker was taken away by the security guards during the protest. When he saw him again, one of his legs was broken and he was thrown into that dark alley.

Old John swung the axe in his hand breathlessly. This was the only job he could find in winter - working as a lumberjack for the Ward Group. He did such hard physical work in exchange for a meager reward of 5 copper coins and three loaves of bread a day.

They drove for several days, but Old John always felt that this direction seemed to be different from the "forest farm" he had heard of. Moreover, they also built the tents themselves. Even though they did not start work on the first day and just set up the tents, they were still given wages and food.

The money and food in hand were the most powerful means of persuasion. Everyone no longer had any doubts and continued to work in the next few days.

Beside him, there are also many people who are forced to work hard for a living, but most of them are young people with hope. They came to the town of Test with all their belongings and planned to start a career. However, after experiencing the beatings from several major groups in the town, they also became such a confused body, numbly swinging the axe in their hands in the snow in the winter.

I still remember that when the town just started to implement the "residence tax", everyone angrily denounced the mayor Shapaelo and the tax collector as two real vampires. Of course, they also scolded Rusalka, the Lord of Pearl Tears who transferred the mayor of the neighboring town of Ropa here. Every day when eating after work, everyone from small to large, from the leaders of the processing plant to Rusalka, scolded them. These were the routine side dishes.

Ordinary people will not remember Rusalka's kindness for the rest of their lives just because he gave them three days' salary when he came. At most, the favor will fade after a month. However, they can find new ways to complain about the new tax law every day.

But no matter how much I cursed, I still had to work. This kind of life only lasted for a few years and was always stable.

But since the Ward Group entered the town of Test last year, the situation in the town has been like a bomb that is about to explode. It is said that there is a big chamber of commerce behind the Ward Group. They have many thugs and have absorbed all kinds of refugees and gangsters here. After forming a gang, they have become more unscrupulous in doing things, from usury to monopolizing the timber business. Apart from touching the resources in the processing area, there is nothing they dare not do.

People cannot share the same joys and sorrows. Old John only felt fortunate at the time - because he worked in a processing plant.

Why is it that the happiest thing in life is when the police knock on your door and tell you they've knocked on the wrong door and are arresting your neighbor? During his two days off, he saw the Ward Group's thugs running rampant on the streets, even knocking on doors for extortion and forcing debtors to work as laborers in the forest farm. All he had to do was get up, look at his work certificate, and he could sleep peacefully.

However, as the saying goes, "Misfortunes never come singly." Not long after the Ward Group moved in, a group of mercenaries, who could be described as desperate, came to the "black street" of the town of Test.

It is said that this mercenary group was composed of deserters who were scattered on the battlefield. At first, it was impossible for such people to come in, but no one knew how they bribed the mayor and the sheriff here. In short, they came in as "refugees" and then established a third force to occupy the town, control the brothels in the town, and secretly cooperated with the Doug Chamber of Commerce to carry out arms smuggling work in some processing plants.

But the affairs of these big shots had nothing to do with the former old John, until not long ago, when the three forces seemed to have some irreconcilable contradictions, and after a complete breakdown, a big fight broke out.

No one knows the outcome of the fight. All we know is that at the end of the day, the streets were littered with corpses and blood, all participants were ordered to keep their mouths shut, and even the town was put under lockdown, with only entry allowed but no exit.

Patrolling thugs and guards could be seen on the streets at any time. Only horse-drawn carriages carrying goods came and went. Silence and depression enveloped the faces of every driver. About a week after that day, a new leader came to Old John's side, and these old workers were ruthlessly fired.

The heavy snow soaked his clothes, and he subconsciously wanted to wipe the sweat from his head, but when he looked up again, he found that all he could see was a sea of ​​white snow, and he couldn't see anything else.

The low temperature and snow blindness made him dizzy. He wanted to reach for the kettle at his waist to drink some hot water and eat something, but he found that his eyes went black and he fell in the snow.

"Boss, someone seems to have fainted!"

"Damn it! I told you not to hire this old bastard. If it weren't for the shortage of manpower, guys like him would have rotted in the sewers of the underworld. Give him some water and food and see what happens."

Old John felt that hot water and food were being roughly forced into his mouth, but the food he had just eaten did not take effect so quickly and he was still unable to move.

"Boss, it seems useless. Do you want to take him back?"

"Take the lead! Don't you know how strict the town has been lately? Who dares to cause a death? Are you afraid that the group won't know about our illegal logging? Hurry and throw him away. Don't let anyone find out. Once the snow covers it, after a few months, no one will know about this."

Old John was too weak to call for help at this time. He only remembered that he was put on a cart in a daze and finally thrown into the snow. His money and belongings were also taken away.

Perhaps the other party thought his clothes were too dirty, so he left without taking them all away.

His memory went back to when he worked at the processing plant. He remembered his wife and daughter waiting for him in the small town. He knew this was a revolving door before death, but his will to live kept him conscious until he heard a faint voice passing by him. As if a last breath of light had returned, he shouted with all his might, "Save me!"

"What the hell? Snow can talk? Is this a snow elf from your clan? Going out in the middle of winter and encountering such a magical creature?"

"What snow elves? We orthodox elves only live in the forest, okay? You must be talking about those hybrids with impure bloodlines. They can't be called elves! They have to be called half-elves!"

"My Lord, there must be someone buried down there. Do you want to save them?"

"Saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda. The pagoda must be built, and people must be saved. Everyone, remember this important point: someone like this shouting for help on the street must be a very important person. He will give some very good tasks to the person who saves him."

"Your words make me less inclined to save you. Are you sure you're not a nuisance?"

"Who cares? No matter how troublesome it is, you can't make me fight another battle, right? I think I can sense his location. Watch me! Heroes are immortal!"

Before Old John fell into a coma, he only felt that he was "pulled out" by someone, and then a warm current flowed into his body.

Chapter 175: Changes in Tester Town (1)

Rusalka stayed in the warm little home these days, drinking tea and watching them in class in the office during the day, and snuggling into bed with Phoenix at night. She felt that this kind of life was a bit lazy, and it was snowing outside, so she always felt unmotivated.

It just so happened that Sanita proposed a practical test class on "Fire Magic" to the two elves, so Rusalka, who wanted to go out for a walk to enjoy the snow scenery and find something to do, suggested that they follow the example of other nobles next door and go out of the city for a hunting activity in winter.

Sani Tieta: (Winter Hunt? I see you're trying to replicate the ending where the older generation of Pearl Tearers were wiped out?)

Rusalka: (This time Phoenix is ​​my cat, the advantage is mine!)

But in the end, Sanita did not reject Rusalka's sudden proposal. He just wanted to teach the two elves how to construct the outer structure of fire magic in snowy weather where the "ice + water" elements are very active, so as to minimize the impact of the environment on its flight.

Rusalka doesn't need to bring guards when he goes out. After all, no matter how many guards come, they are no match for him. Anyway, it's no problem to leave official business to Challens. The patriarch of Esdi next door is also doing a good job. He can go around the city even if he doesn't come back for a few months, so one day is not a big deal.

The brother nodded, and Rusalka became very motivated and began to make various preparations, even bringing a large travel bag.

Then Phoenix threw the travel bag into her own shadow plane in front of him. Rusalka was envious of this ability to have her own portable space.

Sunny Tower: (Don't worry, once I reach the seventh ring, I'll be able to get Mordenkainen's Mansion. Then I can build a big villa whenever I go out and have a party.)

Rusalka: (1111, really? Can we have the party without Phoenix?)

You are not allowed to participate in the win party!

Sani Tower: (Haha, sure, but post-party protection isn't part of my job description.)

The two elves simply didn't understand what was so exciting about "Winter Hunting", which was just a daily life activity for them, but they were looking forward to the practical class, just as Sanita didn't understand what was so exciting about practicing spells in daily life.

As for Qingfeng who was following beside him, his goal was to become the apprentices of Sanitieta and Rusalka. Although both of them did not agree, he still did not give up the idea, but followed them every day to learn from them.

After all, in this world, people with thick skins may not necessarily become stronger, but people who are so thin-skinned that they dare not learn from others when they are rejected will definitely not become strong.

It is normal for Sanita not to accept disciples. He knows everything, but he doesn't like trouble. It's the same when he takes apprentices. Although it seems convenient to use them on weekdays and help with miscellaneous tasks, the trouble will actually start after graduation. This elf has learned fire magic, and when he goes out to "do evil", what if his name is reported? Wouldn't it be the end of him?

As the saying goes, if you still have a little gratitude towards your mentor in your heart and remember your teacher's kindness, then if you commit a crime outside, never report your teacher's name. If you can do this, you are already an excellent disciple and your teacher will be deeply pleased.

Rusalka refused to accept it, not because he was afraid of trouble, but because he was the exact opposite of Sanita and knew nothing.

All previous attacking movements in battle had been corrected by the system. He could only provide ideas and starting movements for the next move, whether it was a "horizontal slash", "jump slash" or "whirlwind slash". When the fight really started, he himself couldn't tell where to swing the knife or how hard to swing it, let alone summarize the moves.

At least every move of Kaster next door is a common move taught by the Esdi Army and the Paladins, and they all have their own names and explanations. Rusalka's move is purely unconventional, and every swing is adaptively fine-tuned like a master who has reached the pinnacle of perfection, and cannot be replicated at all.

But this is normal. If this DM system can't even do this kind of combat action correction, how can a guy like Rusalka, who barely used a kitchen knife in his previous life, fight?

But since Qingfeng wanted to learn so much and still wanted to learn after being rejected, Rusalka would be embarrassed to say that she was just fighting randomly. Well, I have already said that I don’t accept disciples. If you want to watch, then go ahead. Don’t blame me if you learn bad things.

The weather is nice and snowy, perfect for going out and making a snowman.