The Cornflower Witch Chapter 202

After two weeks of travel, Hylial led her team back to the outpost, this time bringing back a large quantity of charcoal, some metals, and a small amount of flint.

With the outpost’s fuel problem resolved, glass refining could finally resume.

Over the next month, Hylial, with her increasingly skilled team, began mass-producing glass and constructing large greenhouses.

Through this practical experience and learning, several students became proficient in the basic knowledge of the “Six Points Glaze School”, and Hylial no longer needed to personally preside over everything.

When the three large greenhouses were completed, construction had to be temporarily halted due to the depletion of auxiliary materials.

“There are still a small amount of materials left, enough to build one more structure. I wonder which one Lady Hylial plans to choose?”

“The options currently are a large dining hall, a meditation room, an indoor training ground, and an association building,” a scholar beside her asked.

“Let me think about it,” Hylial didn’t answer immediately, but sat at the table, deep in thought.

Beneath the bangs of her silver-snow hair, her blue eyes were exceptionally clear. As the young girl mused, her serious and beautiful expression captivated the attention of those around her.

She appeared to be no more than sixteen or seventeen, with a hint of youthful naivete still lingering in her brows and the graceful, delicate figure of a young girl. Yet, when she was thinking, she exuded a trustworthy aura, which gradually quieted the anxious people around her.

Although Hylial herself was not aware of it, many students at the outpost regarded her as the object of their dreams. However, with the outpost not yet fully settled, no one dared to confess or act on their feelings.

“Buildings for training and办公 (office use) are not urgent right now. Let’s build a place for everyone to eat first. This can also be used for activities,” she decided.

Considering that the Dark Mist Mountains, where they were located, was a dark region with scarce sunlight, Hylial worried that prolonged residence would lead to depression. She decided to prioritize improving their living comfort, and more activities would also bring some joy and alleviate the oppressive mood caused by the environment.

“As for the second floor of the dining hall, we’ll build the framework first and use it temporarily for office space. Various departmental branches within the outpost can gather there to discuss and resolve problems.”

“We understand,” the young scholar nodded in response.

After discussing the construction, Hylial also inquired about the Candlefort School.

“I remember the Candlefort School has branches in many countries, right?”

“Yes,” the other person was surprised that Hylial was interested in these matters.

“Are you familiar with the Regas Duchy?” Hylial asked. After she arrived in the woodland, many people didn’t know where the Regas Duchy was, only having heard of the Anti Kingdom.

“I know it. It’s the country founded by Knight King Regard Bouvilly, established over 800 years ago.” The scholar nodded. For a scholar well-versed in history, understanding such past events was rudimentary.

“Have you been there before?” Hylial asked again.

“I’ve been to Whitecliff City and studied there for half a year,” he replied.

“Could you tell me about the situation there, please?” Hearing the soft, pleading voice of the young girl, the young scholar paused for a few seconds before responding.

“It’s nothing important,” he averted his gaze, no longer looking at the young girl in front of him, feeling that if he continued, he might make a fool of himself today.

“Ahem, let’s start from when I first arrived…”

He then spoke of his studies in Whitecliff City four years ago, mentioning the most esteemed nobles in the city, the knight who won the championship in the competition, and the most famous young noblemen and women.

“Among His Majesty Grace’s children, the Grand Prince Lyon is tall and robust. Nearing forty, he is a powerful Third Rank Knight, the commander of the Royal Guard, and the designated heir by His Majesty.”

“Although Grand Prince Lyon has no major flaws, he is somewhat mediocre compared to the intelligent and talented Second Prince. During my time in Whitecliff City, I heard that several nobles preferred Second Prince Sigley to inherit the throne.” “Among them was Viscount Kalun, a representative of the military.” Hearing that name, Hylial was slightly startled, remembering a familiar name.

“The Kalun Viscount’s family has always led the Golden Tree Legion. Their ancestors also fought alongside Knight King Regard and were deeply trusted by the royal family.”

“This generation’s Viscount Kalun believes that the southern part of the continent will experience many turbulent changes in the next decade or so, and it needs a more powerful monarch to control it to ensure the prosperity of the Regas Duchy.”

“This idea was supported by many nobles, and so the more talented and intelligent Second Prince was championed by them.”

“Furthermore, Viscount Kalun’s daughter and the Second Prince were engaged, which further solidified their alliance.”

“I remember Viscount Kalun’s daughter’s name is Iona, right?” Hylial’s heart was a mix of emotions.

“That’s right, that blonde young lady was a famous socialite in Whitecliff City, very much in vogue, sometimes even overshadowing Princess Misha.”

“Since Princess Matia married off, the remaining Princess Misha should have been the most watched noble girl in Whitecliff City, but during my studies, I often heard of Miss Iona hosting banquets and gatherings, excluding Princess Misha.”

“Why is that? They don’t have any conflicts of interest, do they?” Hylial asked, puzzled.

“I don’t know the specifics, I only heard that when Princess Matia hadn’t married yet, she was highly regarded as the eldest princess by many noble ladies. At that time, to strengthen the relationship between the royal family and their own, many nobles would send their children to the palace to serve as pages or maids for the princes or princesses, studying alongside them. Iona also served as Princess Matia’s maid during that period.”

“But during that time, Miss Iona seemed to have been reprimanded by Princess Matia, which deeply humiliated and upset her, forcing her to leave the palace early.”

“So, Iona couldn’t take revenge on Princess Matia for the old grudge, and could only redirect her anger towards Princess Misha?” Hylial recalled her time spent with Iona; though proud, the other party was not as petty or unreasonable as that.

“Many in the aristocratic circles speculated as such at the time, but I only heard it through hearsay.”

“However, such good times didn’t last. Later, the Anti Kingdom and the Regas Duchy went to war, and Viscount Kalun’s commanded campaign failed, resulting in the loss of over forty Regas Duchy knights and tens of thousands of regular troops. Such a disastrous defeat ruined his reputation and earned him the wrathful accusations of Grand Duke Regas and many nobles, ultimately leading to the deprivation of his title.”

“How did that battle fail?” Hylial asked, curious.

“At that time, the military forces of the Regas Duchy and the Anti Kingdom were evenly matched. Both sides vied for the Windmill Plain, which was the granary and an important territory in the northern Regas Duchy.”

“In the early stages of the campaign, Viscount Kalun, relying on his superb military command, gained some advantage. However, during a major battle, the Anti Kingdom sent a surprise attack unit to flank them, cutting off their supply lines. Then, they suddenly charged out during the battle, causing Viscount Kalun’s army to be attacked from both front and rear. Many panicked soldiers scattered and fled, ultimately leading to the complete failure of the campaign.”

“Was that unit very strong?” Hylial asked.

“They weren’t locals, but an exotic army hired by the Anti Kingdom, reportedly from a tribe in Lion’s Bite Mountain. If one were to delve deeper into their origins, some scholars of the Candlefort School speculate that they might be the mountain tribes driven out by Knight King Regard.”

“During the battle, they, at great cost, cut down the defeated knights of the Regas Duchy. This directly led to a significant reduction in the Regas Duchy’s core strength and a decline in national power.”

“If it weren’t for a deep-seated blood feud, these异族 (foreign tribes) wouldn’t have fought so desperately. Later, scholarly research confirmed that their ancestors were indeed the mountain tribes who fled from within the Regas Duchy.”

“I see.”

The spiral of history, she recalled the history of the founding of the Regas Duchy she had read before; although such an event happening gave a sense of predestined return, what puzzled Hylial was how a secluded mountain tribe could possess a fighting capability comparable to the regular army of the Regas Duchy.

Unfortunately, little was known about that tribe; the scholar had only heard a passing mention or two.

The resurgence of a mountain tribe led to the Regas Duchy’s defeat in a crucial battle. This caused Viscount Kalun to lose power, forcing Iona to come to the remote Burntstone City, where Hylial then encountered her.

Everything unfolded like a domino effect, where a small change ultimately led to widespread consequences.