The Cornflower Witch Chapter 185

A New Day

After the last “Advanced Secret History” class, Scholar Seraph asked Hylial about her plans.

“The ‘Advanced Secret History’ class is over now. I’ll check in a month to see how much you remember.”

“Then there are the other four courses you registered for. You’ve already taken 12 lessons in Elven, and considering that learning two languages at once can be confusing, you can choose either ‘Basic Runes’ or ‘Lobai’s Garden’ for further study.”

“I’ll choose ‘Basic Runes’.” She wasn’t in a hurry to take the crop improvement course yet, as it was still too early for “Tier 2 Emerald Honey” to do such things.

“Alright, for the next month, I’ll teach you the 36 basic runes.” Seraph nodded, then recalled something else.

“Sophiedina took this course a year ago. If you encounter any questions while studying, you can ask her directly. If neither of you knows the answer, then come to me.”

“Once you’ve finished, I’ll give you two tasks to assess your learning outcomes.”

“Runes, also known as ‘marks’ or ‘patterns,’ are widely applied knowledge in fields such as spells, alchemy, enchanting, rituals, arrays, and so on.”

“Building a good foundation in this course will allow you to learn spells later.”

“Abilities at Tier 1 mostly operate internally, such as ‘Breathing Method,’ ‘Invisibility Method,’ ‘Meditation Method,’ etc. Their characteristic is to enhance a certain aspect of one’s own ability to achieve extraordinary effects.”

“Abilities at Tier 2 can be indirectly cast, such as the ‘Branch Combing Method’ and ‘Bloom-Flowering Method’ you’ve learned. They still require some medium or catalyst. For example, a witch apprentice needs special materials to cast spell-like abilities.”

“At Tier 3, you can learn spells that can be cast completely externally and out of thin air, without the need for casting materials. Learning these often involves constructing spell models, and runes are the basic units within spell models.”

“When you reach ‘Tier 3,’ I can teach you a ‘Emerald Honey’ affinity spell called ‘False Bouquet’ for free.”

“This spell creates flowers out of thin air and generates their special effects, achieving a realistic illusion. If you can master this spell, you can even upgrade it to a ‘Cursed Bouquet,’ reversing the beneficial effects of the original flowers.”

“I understand, thank you, teacher.”

After class, Hylial packed her things into her personal satchel and bid farewell to her teacher.

Walking along the cobblestone streets of Whitecliff City, it was still the familiar sight of people of various races, patrolling white armored cavalry, and occasional acquaintances greeting her.

“Good afternoon, Miss Lia.”

“Lia has finished her class again.”

During this period, she had become acquainted with the residents of the street due to frequent shopping for daily necessities, going out for walks, and dining.

The permanent population of this fortress was about twenty thousand, and fewer than a thousand lived on this street. Over time, she could roughly call out their names.

Soon after returning home, Sophiedina also arrived.

“Lia~” she called out to the girl reading in her room.

“Do you remember what we talked about the other day? Change your clothes and join me for the party tonight,” Sophiedina said, untying the hairband from the back of her head, ready to change her hairstyle.

“Okay, please wait a moment.” Hylial closed the door and went back to her room, picking out a rarely worn dark blue dress with white trim.

The lines of this dress were crisp, and the clear distinction between the dark blue and pure white showcased Hylial’s refined demeanor, elevating her to that of a noble lady with a slightly sharper aura.

This outfit, in fact, was chosen by Sophiedina herself last month while they were out shopping, who insisted Hylial would look absolutely beautiful in it. After changing, Hylial tidied her hair, then tied it back with a blue cornflower-patterned ribbon into a ladylike bow, softening the sharp lines of the dress.

After finishing her preparations, she emerged and, together with Sophiedina, who was also dressed, headed to the restaurant for the party.

Tonight, Sophiedina was dressed in a pure black Gothic uniform. Her slender waist and arms, accentuated by the uniform, exuded a unique dark charm, a stark contrast to her usual intellectual demeanor.

Upon arriving at the restaurant, the two went straight to the third floor, a space Sophiedina had reserved in advance.

The area was adorned with special bright yellow lights, and about twenty young students gathered there. A third of them were Tier 2 students, while the rest were Tier 1.

When Sophiedina ascended the stairs with Hylial’s arm linked in hers, a wave of greetings and cheers erupted. Then, everyone noticed Hylial beside her, their eyes filled with curiosity as they stealthily observed her.

Sophiedina smiled and nodded in response, then gently pushed the silver-haired girl next to her forward.

“I’m sure everyone is curious about this unfamiliar face. Allow me to introduce her.”

“This is the famous Hylial, the rising star of our Glittering Gold Plain, a talented young girl who received an ‘excellent’ evaluation.”

Many people applauded, leaving Hylial unsure how to respond. She could only give a slight nod, indicating her goodwill.

Afterward, the party began, and the restaurant staff served dishes. Everyone sat at different tables, chatting. Sophiedina introduced Hylial to the members present.

“This is Rachel, currently an apprentice at the Holy White Knight Hall. She’s excellent at riding and very skilled in swordsmanship.” A girl with bright golden hair in a ponytail, wearing a purple and pink dress, stood before them. Her eyes were lake-green, and she was outgoing and bold, actively introducing herself to Hylial.

“This is Glenn, an aspiring scholar and apprentice of the Castle Aspect. You can usually find him in the city’s library.” Sophiedina then introduced another slender student who wore glasses and nodded slightly to Hylial, appearing somewhat nervous.

“This is Elton, the most outstanding gardening apprentice in Whitecliff City, besides yourself, and also a provisional member of the ‘Four Seasons Alliance’.” A boy with short chestnut-gold hair raised his glass to Hylial, then emptied it.

“Hello, Hylial. I look forward to competing with you in the future.” He was eager to test his skills against the silver-haired girl and prove himself.

Hylial nodded slightly, acknowledging his words.

Sophiedina then introduced Hylial to everyone at the gathering before releasing her hand, allowing the girl to mingle freely.

Afterward, Hylial found a relatively quiet seat. She had intended to eat something and quietly wait for the party to end, but to her surprise, people kept coming up to her. Some wanted to befriend the girl, others wanted to test her knowledge and verify if her achievements were genuine, while some were simply captivated by her dreamy beauty and wished to get closer.

Before long, her once-quiet corner became the liveliest spot at the party, attracting the most onlookers.

Hylial merely shook her head and offered no response to some students’ circuitous attempts at conversation. However, if they asked about cultivation or gardening, she would provide detailed answers and even offer some guidance.

This behavior dispelled the doubts of some students, who now regarded her with admiration.

The initially tense atmosphere changed, and many began to praise and echo, with numerous students captivated by the girl’s appearance. Her blue eyes beneath silver bangs held a thousand unspoken words; merely a slight shift in her gaze was enough to ensnare anyone.

Compared to the competitive and anxious crowd, the calm and tranquil aura the girl exuded quietly soothed everyone’s hearts, as if they had found a long-sought dream haven, or like a moon surrounded by stars.

Sophiedina had anticipated her roommate’s charm, and perhaps only the girl herself was unaware of it.