Chapter 21 20 vouchers Lorrayne laughed as she took back her bag and explained things one by one . " The knife and fork go together , used for cutting and spearing food ; the little spoon is for soup ; this silver tube here is a straw , for drinking water . " Finally , she picked up two sticks , demonstrating by picking up a piece of salad right in front of them . " These are for picking up food . " These were all newly custom - ordered utensils , with double the labor cost , and she'd only picked them up yesterday afternoon . The food at school was too bizarre , making her paranoid about potential poison . Silverware also made it easier to test for poison . Winnie and Barker's eyes lit up with amazement . They'd only ever seen small knives and big soup spoons before , nothing else . During the meal , Lorrayne talked to them about the southern Holy Curia . " I heard the Holy Curia's Paladins can purify Hellspawns . Have you guys seen that ? " Winnie shook her head ; she'd never even heard of such things . Barker , however , knew a bit and eagerly shared , " I heard city bards sing about it . The Holy Curia has twelve Paladins , each with the power of an Arcane Swordbearer and an Archmage - dual - class mages , super strong ! " Lorrayne was intrigued . " Ever heard how they catch Hellspawns ? " " Supposedly , they have Judgment Stone and Holy Water . Judgment Stone judges souls , and Holy Water purifies Hellspawns , " Balk went on . " I've heard that too ," Winnie chimed in excitedly , seizing the chance to contribute . " Judgment Stones make people confess their sins . In front of them , no one can lie - only the truth ! " When I was a kid , my grandma used to trick me with a fake Judgment Stone . I always fell for it . " Barker nodded in understanding . " Same here . And Holy Water - when I had a stomachache as a kid , the priest gave me some . Later , I saw him just scoop it out of a well . Real Holy Water only comes from the Holy Curia . " Before long , their conversation veered off into who got spanked the most as kids . Lorrayne listened with a smile , her heart sinking deeper with each word . Something bad felt like it was about to happen . After lunch , her right eyelid started twitching nonstop , the otninous feeling growing stronger . Feigning discomfort , she headed back to the dorm . On the low dresser in her room sat the astrolabe she'd brought back yesterday . As if by some strange impulse , she placed her hand on it . The next moment , a wave of dizziness hit , and she closed her eyes . In the darkness , a single spark quickly rose , lighting up the entire stellar map . Just as she tried to interpret the stars with what she'd learned the day before , a lightning bolt split the sky , its jagged lines shattering the heavens into fragments In an instant , the sky collapsed , raining fire , and the earth revealed a massive astrolabe , as if bearing the entire star map . The shattered sky turned into scutes , and the curved star trails merged with the concentric rings in it . The blazing star hit the astrolabe , shaking the celestarium violently , splitting the land , and collapsing mountains and rivers . The tracked astrolabe exploded , and a broken line extended from the southeast to the north , from the Horn Mansion to the Dipper Mansion 7 At the sight of the crack , words suddenly flashed in Lorrayne's mind . Horn Mansion , leader of the East Seven Mansions , major ill omen Dipper Mansion , part of the Southern Dipper , and it's a lucky , life - giving sign " Lomayne seemed to grasp the meaning of this horoscope . It answered her most urgent question - predicting today's fortune and seeking an escape route The celestarum slowly faded , and the astrolabe sank . P Chapter 21 Lorrayne opened her eyes , almost falling as her body swayed . 20 vouchers A sharp pain shot through her head , totally draining her . Her vision stayed blurry for a good while before it slowly cleared up . Leaning on the wall , she reached the bed and sat down , clutching the astrolabe , , her thoughts tangled . Based on the divination result , her situation was a major ill omen , with one foot already in the underworld . Yet , she hadn't done anything today , not even stepping out of school . So why the ill omens ? Her right eyelid twitched . And she suddenly remembered her anxiety began only after hearing about the Paladins and the Judgment Stone Could it be related to the Paladins ? As Athina said , the Holy Curia would receive Veyna's letter today , but it would take at least two and a half days from mailing to receiving . Even if the Paladins were to come , they should arrive the day after tomorrow . Why the major ill omen today ? ' She furrowed her brows in deep thought . Suddenly , she realized what she had overlooked . Professor Claude Myke from the Runecraft class mentioned there was a type of Magic Runes called teleportation , connecting two locations for long - distance teleportation . If the Paladins were using teleportation , they wouldn't need two days at all . Oh no ! ' Lorrayne abruptly stood up , grabbed the astrolabe and the magic wand from the cabinet , and dashed out the door . The divination showed a major ill omen ; staying put meant certain death . Only the north offered a way out . She had to escape north . Racing to the stable , she took her horse , claiming she wanted to ride out of town for relaxation . There was a side gate leading directly out of school . Mounting her horse , she galloped to the small courtyard she had just rented yesterday . " Where's Troy ? " she asked in urgency . Bella exclaimed in surprise , " Didn't you meet Mr. Swordbearer ? He left early , saying he'd wait for you at the academy gate . " Lorrayne was so annoyed with herself . In her hurry , she totally forgot that Troy usually meets her outside the academy . " Miss where are you going ? " Roman rushed over , seeing the horse , panic - stricken . " Got some errands . Lorrayne patted his head , pulling out two gold coins . " Take this , and get Bella to buy you a warmer outfit . " Ronan's eyes welled up , but he didn't dare take the money . Lorrayne sighed , thinking . Kids were so sensitive to emotions . He must've sensed something . " Don't worry I'll definitely come back for you ." With that , she placed the coins in his hand and left . On Academy Street Lorrayne finally ran into Troy . " Why are you coming from that direction ? Troy looked puzzled . " No time to explain . I need to head north . You're escorting me Lorrayne extended her hand . " Quick , get on the horse ! " " Kight now ? " " Stop asking , hurry up " Truy didn't take her hand , with a long stride , he easily mounted the horse , keeping a foot's distance , then reached out . " Gimme the Tes Lorrayne didnt argue as her horsemanship wasn't as good as Troy's . Once the reins were in Troy's hands , he immediately turned the horse and galloped out Which route ?" he asked . 120 公 P Chapter 21 " The quickest one ! " Not uttering a word , Troy turned the horse north and bolted , taking Lorrayne all the way beyond the city in a single breath . Once out of town , Lorrayne's tense face finally relaxed a bit . Only then did Troy ask , " Where exactly in the north are you going ? " 20 vouchers The norther the better ! Before Lorrayne could say that , she remembered she was fleeing for her life and couldn't let Troy know . As for where exactly in the north , the stars hadn't given her a specific location , so she'd have to play it by ear . " Let's head north first . I'm just out for a stroll to clear my head , " Lorrayne mumbled vaguely . " Clear your head in such a hurry ? And all the way out here ? ' Troy didn't call her out , just gripped the reins tighter and spurred the horse to keep moving . He was riding bareback without a saddle , which was way more uncomfortable than Lorrayne's position . After another two - plus hours of riding , the horse started tossing its head frequently and slowing down , clearly done with moving . Seeing this , Troy suggested , " Let's take a break . The horse is beat . " " Alright , " Lorrayne grudgingly agreed . No use complaining when the horse couldn't go any further . They only had one horse between them , after all , and they couldn't afford to wear it out . After dismounting , Troy led the horse to a riverside grassy area to let it graze and regain some energy . He then took off his cloak , spread it on the grass , and gestured for Lorrayne to sit down while he went to fetch water from the river . " Don't , " Lorrayne stopped him . " I don't drink from the river . It's filthy . You shouldn't drink it either . " Troy gave her a look that clearly said , " Ugh , what a princess , " and plopped down next to her on the grass . " No river water , then what ? We've got no wine out here ," he said . " We should see if there's a village around here . Maybe we can find a place to boil some water . " Troy impatiently ran a hand through his hair , his green eyes scanning the riverbank . Meanwhile , the horse was happily munching away on the grass , snorting and chomping . Lorrayne propped herself up with her hands , leaning back and gazing at the distant woods . The densely packed pines covered the hillside , looking like a fuzzy carpet from afar . Birds circled in the sky above the forest , and a strange black mist seemed to hang over the trees . Black mist Lorrayne tugged at Troy's sleeve and pointed to the peculiar black fog . " What's that ?" she asked Troy looked up , his gaze fixing on the woods . His eyes sharpened instantly . " That's evil energy . A monster's loose ! " B Title: ReelTalk EP 40 - Contract Lovers & Heartbreak CrushReel's ongoing romance series, Miss You After Goodbye, continues to captivate on the latest ReelTalk episode. Haley Lohrli dives into her daring new character, while Ben and Josh share insights into their own memorable roles, promising a blend of laughter and heartwarming moments. Exploring themes of love, loss, and unexpected connections, this episode delves deep into the intricate relationships that drive the narrative forward. As the stars reveal their on-screen chemistry and off-screen camaraderie, viewers are in for a treat with each unfolding scene. What sets this episode apart is its ability to balance humor with poignant storytelling, offering a refreshing take on modern romance dynamics. Dive into the world of Contract Lovers & Heartbreak, available to read at CrushReel for a journey that promises both entertainment and emotional resonance.