Hello everyone, I hope you are doing fine and well. I truly mean that.
I'm writing to explain exactly what happened over the past half year and why updates were so long, random, and frustratingly slow.
You see, my father was diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB). The unfortunate part was that we did not have enough money to get all the required medical tests and treatment. It was discovered that his lungs were filled with water, almost half a liter. He had severe coughing fits that lasted for minutes, constant fever, extreme exhaustion, and he was unable to work. He was so tired that he couldn't even sleep properly. Many nights, he had to sit on a chair just to breathe, drifting in and out of sleep from sheer exhaustion.
That was our reality for nearly six months.
Even after family support and help with the operation, I can say honestly that without that help, handling it alone would have been a death sentence for us.
Naturally, most of my focus during this time was on fear, constant fear that I might lose him. My friend had lost his father similarly just in December. The mental and emotional strain was overwhelming.
I started working on Webnovel not only because I had this vision for a long time, but also because I saw others there using Patreon, and I had hope, just a small hope, that maybe I could reduce the burden on his shoulders. And it did. I cannot express how much it meant to me, mentally and physically. Even a few hundred dollars makes a huge difference when you are running a household under medical stress.
Now, after the operation, there is a lot of relief. The TB treatment is still ongoing, but his breathing has improved a bit, and things are finally stabilizing a bit. He still can't work on anything and has coughs that pain him, but the treatment is going well.
For the first time in months, I have some time for myself again, a good thing, I can sleep at night, not just from exhaustion every day.
From now on, I can finally commit seriously. I will post regularly, work harder, and begin writing my own original fiction. I also have some good ideas planned. If you read my TWD fanfic, I hope you liked it. Sadly, it's only 5 chapters so far, but I will continue it, so don't worry.
...
Some of you have been here for a very long time. I completely understand and do not blame anyone who just quit due to my lack of updates. Your time should never feel wasted.
But some of you stayed. Some of you came back. You were here, and you didn't know my thing, and I didn't want to say at that time, and come off as some guilt-tripping guy, that was not me, I guess.
Still, you like the work to come here on Webnovel or paid, I truly cannot thank you enough.
Yes, this is fanfiction, but in these times, your support on Webnovel work meant everything. It reminded me that I can still do something meaningful, that my life is not as hopeless as it felt for years.
So yes, going forward, there will be original fiction, along with carefully edited and translated fanfiction.
Thank you, everyone.
I won't disappoint you any further.
.......
Chapter 335: Now in Your Hands
Once they realized they wouldn't need to do anything else, the atmosphere at the table instantly became cheerful.
After all, in Evan's and the others' view, all they needed to do was hand the count over to Teacher Serie, and once the real mastermind was interrogated, it would be time for Teacher Serie and Lord Kurtz to take action and punish all the villains.
All they need to do is stand at the back and cheer.
After figuring this out, Evan and the others stopped worrying about the stares of passersby and instead started arguing about which dish on the table was more delicious.
However, this brief moment of joy did not last long. Suddenly, a magic circle appeared beside Flamme, emitting a soft light and vibrating slightly.
This is a magical message, a spell invented by Kurtz in the past.
Flamme probed into it with her mental energy to read the information, and after a moment, her expression became very strange.
Evan keenly noticed the change in Flamme's expression, and the unease he had just suppressed resurfaced. He tentatively asked, "Senior Sister Flamme, is there any news from the Association?"
Flamme dispelled the magic circle, glanced at the group of junior brothers and sisters in front of her, and said in a tone as calm as possible, "It's news from Teacher Serie. A new mission has arrived."
"Another mission?!" Evan's voice cracked, and he felt his composure slipping.
Not only he, but Legolas, Sia, and the others, also wore expressions of disbelief.
They had just gone through a very dangerous battle last night. If it weren't for Flamme's timely intervention, they might have been killed there. Their nerves haven't fully relaxed yet, and now a new mission is coming at them like a whip.
Flamme ignored their wails and announced the mission outright. "Our teacher instructed us to capture two earls. I have already been given the list. The procedure is similar to last time, but there is one key difference: after capturing them, they do not need to be brought back to the Magic Association, but directly escorted to the palace and handed over to His Majesty Emperor Leggett for disposal."
This request made Flamme frown slightly as she pondered it to herself.
Why give it to Leggett?
Based on the two teachers' usual style, they would handle any enemies who dared to target them themselves, and rarely entrust the task to others.
Just then, Frieren, who had been sitting quietly beside her, leaned slightly forward and whispered in her ear in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Master, could it be that Lady Serie and Kurtz have reached some tacit agreement with the Emperor? To hand over these nobles involved in this matter to the royal family to deal with?"
Frieren's words instantly reminded Flamme.
The more she thought about it, the more reasonable it seemed.
Yes, given the teachers' capabilities, they can't limit themselves to simple revenge. After all, the highest authority in this capital city is, in fact, the emperor.
Moreover, given that the other party is a descendant of the former Holy King Norn, the two teachers will give him face and won't make things too ugly.
Therefore, handing these culprits over to Leggett is a wise choice.
This can be seen as indirect support for the other side, while the nobles who had been handed over became the perfect tools for Leggett to make an example of.
"I see...as expected of the Master!" Flamme instantly understood and deeply admired the two teachers' plan.
He truly lives up to his reputation as my favorite teacher, Kurtz!
She truly lives up to her reputation as my most respected teacher, Serie!
Did they even consider this point?
However, Evan and the others sitting opposite her lacked her analytical skills and open-mindedness. After hearing the details of the new mission, their faces fell instantly, and they almost burst into tears.
"No way, again!" Lina couldn't help but wail, her voice filled with despair. "We've only rested for less than half a day!"
"Can't we just get a different group of people?" Sia complained softly. "Because we're not—"
Evan also had a long face, muttering, "What kind of small fry are they?" The five of them combined couldn't beat a senior-level two-mage. What makes us so capable of charging into dangerous missions that clearly involve many powerful beings?
Seeing the grief-stricken expressions on everyone's faces, Flamme surprisingly offered words of comfort. "Don't worry, I'm here. You won't be in any danger. Besides, this is an important test for you. Although the process is dangerous, it will be of immeasurable benefit to your future growth."
Evan and the others weren't fools; upon hearing Flamme's words, they naturally understood the underlying meaning.
But they still couldn't help complaining: Couldn't the training be more in line with their current strengths? For example, clearing out some low-level monsters, or breaking a few complex spells?
This involves kidnapping a powerful count of the empire right off the bat, confronting a formidable guard, and operating under the watchful eyes of the entire city. The difficulty is absolutely hellish, seriously beyond what's acceptable!
However, Flamme clearly didn't give them more time to vent and process their emotions.
She tapped the table to draw everyone's attention back. "The task has been assigned, there's no room for negotiation. You'd better hurry up."
Just then, Frieren spoke up again, kindly reminding them, "You make sure to be careful of your surroundings. Ever since we entered the restaurant, there have been more than one group of people watching us, and they are still here now."
It turned out that although they had been subjected to countless curious or awe-inspiring glances because of last night's events, Frieren keenly noticed that some of the people's attention was quite different.
Their gaze is more persistent and purposeful. Although these people are disguised as passersby or ordinary citizens, their demeanor and the aura they occasionally exude are entirely different from those of ordinary people.
Flamme had long been aware of these watchers' presence.
However, she had not originally intended to reveal it immediately. Instead, she wanted to see how long it would take Evan and the others to discover these people on their own. This was also a test.
However, Frieren's well-intentioned reminder disrupted her plans. She glanced at her apprentice, said nothing more, which was taken as tacit agreement.
At Frieren's explicit prompting, Evan and the others tensed and immediately focused, carefully observing their surroundings.
Soon, they also discovered the watchers disguised in the crowd.
"These guys, could they be sent by those nobles to spy on us?" Evan said in a low voice, his face grim.
Flamme nodded, confirming his guess. "It's highly likely. Your actions last night were like stirring up a hornet's nest. Once these nobles realize what's happening, they will naturally become more vigilant and try to keep track of our movements."
Legolas couldn't help but exclaim, "These people are incredibly fast!"
His face was full of disbelief. "Dont you think the speed of information spreading and reaction in this entire capital a bit too exaggerated? We just kidnapped a count last night, and by noon today, not only is the whole city aware of it, but even these nobles have started to unite and send people to keep an eye on us. Don't they even need to discuss it?"
[End of Chapter]