Cornflower Witch

Chapter 3 Castles and the School of Royalism
In the village square, the cavalry captain, who had just led his men in, turned his horse around and fought the giant wolf with his broadsword. Although he managed to cut a few drops of blood from the wolf's mouth with his first strike, he did not actually hurt it. Instead, the cavalry captain, because he was wielding his sword with one hand, was not strong enough and was knocked off his horse. If he hadn't been experienced and rolled over in time, he would probably have been torn apart by the giant wolf's claws on the spot.

Panting, he leaped out of the giant wolf's attack range, gripped his broadsword with both hands, adjusted his breathing, and stared intently at the giant wolf five meters away, his expression tense, a few drops of blood falling from his brownish-red beard.

At this moment, the crimson giant wolf did not rush to pursue. Instead, it stepped on the warhorse that the cavalry captain had just been riding, tore open its neck, and then bit its head into its mouth. The sound of bones cracking came from its bloody mouth, which chilled the hearts of those present and filled them with fear.

"Huff...huff...huff..." With his chest trembling, the cavalry captain adjusted his breathing, moved his feet slowly, and found a place to exert force.

While he was dealing with the situation, battles were also taking place elsewhere in the square. Orange-red wolves, which had rushed in with the giant wolf, attacked anyone they saw and fought with the people guarding the square.

These wolves varied in strength; some were merely orange-red in color and not much stronger than ordinary wolves, while others could easily overturn a person and tear open the enemy's throat with their sharp teeth and claws. Out of fear and respect for their leader, they did not rashly intervene in the standoff in the center of the square, but instead fought around the campfire with the other people.

……

The scene was chaotic. Hiltya was being dragged along by Taliel, stumbling and running towards a stone building in the distance. It was square and looked like a fortress.

"finally reached."

Taliel opened the half-closed thick wooden door, led Hiltiya inside, then closed the door again, secured it with a crossbar, and leaned against the wall to catch her breath.

Hiltiya looked around with a hint of curiosity. There was an old wooden table, two chairs, some straw on the ground, and some dusty junk piled up in the corner.

Seeing the girl's curiosity, Taliel explained, "This is for defense. There's a small opening over there that you can draw to shoot arrows, but I don't have a bow and arrow with me right now, so I won't use it."

"Is it always this dangerous here? I think that giant wolf is going to be very difficult to deal with," Hiltiya asked.

"No, generally speaking, only the end of the Ascent Season and the Gale Season are dangerous. During these periods, many wild beasts acquire sexual characteristics and become ferocious and powerful."

"The season of rising winds, the season of raging storms?" Hilti blinked, repeating the two words.

"You don't even know this?" Taliel noticed the girl's strange expression, but couldn't help answering.

"The four major wind seasons are the rising wind season, the gale season, the fog season, and the trade wind season. Each wind season lasts for more than ten years. The situation varies from place to place, but in general, it is a cycle of fifty-four years."

As Thaliel answered, a familiar feeling appeared in Sylphia's mind, and she continued, "During the Ascent Season, because everything grows and animals multiply, more and stronger beasts are born, making the wild dangerous. During the Gale Season, the 'scorching sun' aspect weakens, plant growth slows down, herbivores decrease, and many beasts become more ferocious due to hunger."

"Hmm, it seems you knew." Taliel nodded in satisfaction.

"However, that's knowledge you learned from books. I guess you rarely go out into the wild. Actually, a few years before the whirlwind season, because the continent sinks and enters the clouds, there will be extra rain. At this time, there is also plenty of food, so wild animals will have a short period of peace. Frogs reproduce in large numbers during this time."

"Hehe, I know quite a lot, don't I?" Seeing Sylvia listening attentively, Thalys was very satisfied.

"Have you ever been to school?" Hiltiya asked, intrigued.

"No, that's not true. Reading and recognizing characters is just too troublesome. But my sister is very studious. She used to study in the city. Sometimes when she comes back, she'll pull me aside and tell me what she's learned. I'm tired of hearing it, but I've remembered some of it."

"So that's it."

"By the way, where are you from? I've never seen anyone as beautiful as you before. Are all nobles this beautiful? Is it true that you can turn white and your hair can turn snow-white if you don't go out in the sun? And how old are you?" Taliel finally couldn't contain her curiosity and asked a series of questions.

"I can't say for sure where I came from right now, because something unexpected happened and I can't remember some things." The girl shook her head as she lightly pressed her finger against her chin.

"Nobles probably look prettier because they work less and have more money to take care of themselves, but that's not always the case. As for not sunbathing, it does make you fairer, but it doesn't change your skin tone. Also, you can't change the color of your hair by not sunbathing. As for age, I should be about the same age as you." Her memory was exceptionally good now, and even though Taliel asked a lot of questions in a row, she was able to answer them one by one in a clear and organized manner.

"Wow, is that so?" After hearing Hiltya's answer, Taliel felt inexplicably happy. The other person actually listened to every word she said and answered patiently. The last time she felt this way was with her sister. Other adults were always impatient with her various strange questions.

"So, are you looking for your way home now?" Taliel looked the silver-haired girl up and down, trying to guess her origin from her clothing style.

"Yes." But her 'homecoming' would probably require crossing the world,' the girl thought to herself.

"Hmm... let me think Grandpa Hyde might be able to help you." She rested her chin on her hand, recalling the people she knew.

"he is?"

"He was my sister's teacher, a scholar in Jiaoshi City. It is said that he used to be an advisor to the nobility, but now he is very old and lives alone in a small building in the city."

“Let me tell you, Grandpa Hyde is no ordinary teacher. He is a bachelor who has been certified by the Candleburg School and has a brass badge.”

The Candleburg School… The girl murmured the word, it seemed somewhat familiar, a vague sense of familiarity emerging.

"If I have the opportunity, I will visit him." She currently needs to learn about all aspects of the world, and it would be ideal to find a knowledgeable teacher.

As the two talked, they gradually became familiar with each other, until a shout and a crashing sound came from outside, which diverted their attention.

Taliel approached the closed window, opened the pane, and carefully observed the situation outside. Hiltiah followed behind her, looking out as well.

A burning flame spread across the square. Many of the people who had fought earlier had fallen, but there were even more wolf carcasses on the ground. Now, apart from the giant crimson wolf, only a few scattered tigresses were still roaming and fighting. The cavalry captain was covered in blood, his blouse was torn to shreds, and a long gash was torn in the inner chainmail, from which dark red blood dripped continuously. One of his hands was drooping, as if it were broken, while the other hand was barely holding the hilt of his sword.

The remaining cavalry and villagers were still confronting the giant wolf. The crimson wolf was stained with blood, and one of its eyes was closed, dripping thick black blood, which rose into the air with a faint white vapor.

Under normal circumstances, this wounded fanged beast should have fled long ago, but influenced by the 'blazing sun' aspect, the giant wolf is arrogant and even more ferocious due to its injury. Judging by its intelligence, the few remaining soldiers in front of it are also extremely weak, and it only needs to attack a few more times to kill them all.

Driven by both hunger and a bloodlust, the crimson giant wolf growled and moved slowly in the firelight. Even when it occasionally stepped on glowing embers, it showed no fear. At this moment, its strength had indeed decreased, but it had also become more cunning and dangerous.

The situation was worrying. If the cavalry captain fell, things would take a sharp turn for the worse. The girl frowned slightly, a sense of unease rising within her.

Unfortunately, apart from her advantage in identification, she has no other abilities. Even if she rushes out, she can't help much. This situation makes her yearn to gain strength.

Hiltiya secretly decided that she must find an opportunity to learn a self-defense skill during this time.

"Soon..." Taliel murmured, her eyes fixed on the stone platform on the side of the square.

"What do you mean soon?" Hiltiya asked, puzzled.

“I can’t explain it clearly. Look over there, you’ll see soon enough.” Taliel pointed out that outside the square, several people were climbing onto the stone platform and then using their hands to apply something to it with lime.

"Is it done yet!" the wounded cavalry captain shouted anxiously again in the square.

A few seconds later, a joyful voice rang out in the night: "Okay, all done!"

Although to outsiders there was no difference, in Hilti's eyes, the stone platform was now emitting a transparent, grayish-white ripple. Moreover, it seemed that there were other stone platforms in the village as well. The ripples from the six stone platforms collided with each other and finally converged in the center of the square, generating a strange force field that covered and spread throughout the entire village.

[The Monarchical School: The Sanctuary of the Six Stone Towers] (The Castle)

'The classic ritual array of the Monarchical School can suppress the power of other attributes besides the 'Castle' attribute within the barrier area, and slightly enhance the abilities of the 'Castle' School.'

The gray-white ripples spread, and the fur of the crimson giant wolf on the square became somewhat duller. In the girl's eyes, its scalding blood cooled down considerably, and the aura and oppressive feeling emanating from it immediately decreased by three points.

His gaze shifted to the cavalry captain, who was now in better condition. His gaze had become firm again, and even his breathing had become more even.

Name: Unknown (Cavalry Captain)

Race: Human (Mortal Body)

Status: Injured (two fractures, three wounds)

Talent: Resilience [Good Level]: Your body is naturally more resilient than the average person, but do not rely too much on this talent, as it is not powerful and may even lead to your death due to carelessness.

Fate Card: [Ironclad Guard (Blessed)] (Tier 1 - Castle); The gray stone border resembles a standard cuboid. Inside the card stands a soldier clad in chainmail, sword in hand. He is tall and upright, with a proud expression on his face.
'You have been appointed a loyal guard by Baron Hollin, thus gaining the 'Castle' aptitude class - Ironclad Guard.'

effect:

【Iron Armor Protection Lv.2】: Makes your iron armor more protective and tougher, making it difficult for ordinary weapons to pierce it, and can also reduce the impact force and distribute the damage.

Ability Cards:
【Steel Edge Blade Lv.2 (Blessed)】(Castle): Temporarily grants your weapon the strength of steel and increases its sharpness, enabling it to penetrate weak defensive barriers.

[Breathing Technique Lv.2] (Blood Rhythm): Regulates blood flow rate through breathing, thereby boosting and enhancing overall strength and reaction speed. This ability places a strain on the heart and body and should not be used for extended periods (recommended not to exceed 3 minutes per day).

After gaining a brief advantage, the cavalry captain immediately gave orders, instructing the remaining villagers and his cavalry to constantly distract the giant wolf. While these men were throwing arrows and striking their weapons and shields to draw the wolf's attention, he gripped his broadsword, looking for an opportunity to move around. After several such maneuvers, he took a step forward and thrust his sharp blade straight into the giant wolf's jaw, piercing through the flesh and embedding itself in the wolf's mouth.

The intense pain caused the crimson giant wolf to leap and struggle wildly, and its ferocious strength thwarted the cavalry captain's plan to finish it off. Perhaps truly feeling the threat of death at this moment, the giant wolf ceased its fight and instead dragged the broadsword embedded in its jaw into the darkness.

Blood dripped down the trail, but the giant wolf moved like the wind, disappearing into the darkness in the blink of an eye. No one could keep up with its speed. The few warhorses they had were either wounded or had fled to the edge of the village, so they were useless now.

"Damn it!" Spitting out a mouthful of blood, the cavalry captain could only watch resentfully as the giant wolf fled into the night and disappeared.

Without the ferocious crimson giant wolf, the remaining few tigresses also saw that the situation was not good and prepared to escape, but they were not so fast. The cavalry captain, who was feeling suffocated, used the 'breathing technique' again. His face suddenly turned a few shades of red, and then he accelerated and caught up with the few tigresses. Before long, several bloody wolf heads flew into the air and rolled into the weeds and mud.

"Whoosh—" A long breath of hot air escaped from his mouth. At this moment, the cavalry captain could no longer hold on. The side effects of using the breathing technique began to backfire, and a wave of soreness surged through his body, making him almost unable to stand.

"Captain!" A cavalryman quickly helped him up and then shouted for someone to find a doctor.

"Quickly call for help! There are still quite a few injured people here. If the bleeding isn't stopped in time, many will die." The bite force of ordinary tigresses isn't strong; unless it's a throat lock, it won't kill quickly.

Upon hearing this, the remaining villagers also ran towards the village and began calling for help.

……

The night was noisy, with many resin torches and makeshift braziers set up in the square. Seeing that the battle was over, the villagers who had rushed over began to help the wounded, while some finished off the still-alive Tilang.

"How many people died?" The village chief walked out of the house, looking tired, and asked with a somewhat depressed tone.

"I don't know, at least five or six. Some are still being treated. If they don't survive tonight, I'm afraid..." A burly villager beside him replied, his face also looking unwell.

"This year's Tilang Festival is exceptionally dangerous." The merchant Van der Hee, who had been hiding, slowly walked over, accompanied by two mercenary guards. These two men were wearing full chainmail, helmets, and shields, and were the strongest in the caravan.

"Humph."

Seeing that Van der Hee had only just shown himself, the village chief looked displeased. He knew that the man had been hiding far away in a safe place. If he had committed all his guards to the defensive battle, the village's losses could have been greatly reduced.

"Hehe, Mr. Pound~" Van der Hee knew that his actions just now had displeased some people, but he certainly wouldn't put his own safety second. At this moment, he could only greet him with a smile and try to ease the tension.

“The village has indeed suffered unexpected losses this time. As an old friend of Linden Village, I should do my part to help. How about this, I'll give you a 20% discount on this shipment, no, a 30% discount!” He gestured with a pained expression.

The village chief didn't answer; he simply shook his head and turned to look at the wounded who were being treated.

"How is Lord Frien?" He approached the wounded cavalry captain, whose name was Frien.

"I won't die right now." He grinned, as a teammate was wiping the long gash on his chest, where charred and bright red flesh was churning, a rather frightening sight.

The village chief did not object. He glanced at the wound and nodded slightly. He had been an adventurer in his youth and knew that although the injury was frightening, it was not a serious problem.

"That puts my mind at ease." If Baron Hollin's capable captain were to die here, he would be in a real bind and would have a hard time explaining it to the Baron.

"How are the other members?" Only then did he have the leisure to observe the other members of the cavalry. Many of them were wounded. Although they were wearing leather armor or chainmail, the battles they had experienced were far more intense than those of the villagers, and their casualties were also more severe.

“Four people died on the way, and now three more have died. Several others are still unconscious, and the situation is unpredictable.” Frien shook his head, his mood somber.

Many of these team members were trained by him personally, like his own children, so it was natural for him to feel sad.

Just as the two were discussing how to proceed, two figures walked through the firelight in the square.

“Grandpa, Miss Tia said she can help in some way.” Taliel led Hiltiya over, her eyes glancing at the wolf carcasses on the ground around them, a mixture of fear and excitement in her gaze.

Thus, Hiltiah came to the village chief again. The appearance of this silver-haired girl surprised Frien, who had no idea that such a person was hidden in the village.

After a brief introduction, he learned about the girl's situation. There wasn't time to go into details, but he hoped that the girl could come up with a way to help the team members.

"I know some wound cleaning techniques and can also suture relatively simple wounds." She learned some needlework from her grandmother when she was a child, and also received training in first aid knowledge during college.

These things may be fairly common knowledge on Earth, but the villagers' rescue methods here were so crude that she couldn't bear to watch and offered to help.

This way, she could also get closer to the locals, since she still had a lot of things she needed to ask the locals for help with. After making up her mind, she and Talil walked over.

The village chief and Frien were skeptical of the girl's words, but they let her try anyway. The subsequent process did indeed show that the girl's method was effective, which put their minds at ease.

……

Standing beside the boiling water, Hilti's fingers deftly cleaned the blood and dirt from the wound, straightened some of the broken and dislocated bones, and then carefully bandaged and strapped them with a wooden board. Taliel stood by and assisted her, helping to hold the wounded down or fix the board in place.

The two worked together smoothly and methodically, gradually becoming more skilled, until late at night when the rescue work was finally completed.

She washed her fingers in warm water and then drained them. Only then did Hilti have time to carefully wipe the sweat from her forehead with her sleeve.

"No, don't wipe your sweat in these clothes. Use mine." Talil handed over a clean cotton cloth.

"Thank you." After wiping, Hiltiya put down the cloth, then suddenly remembered something.

"Cotton should be more valuable, right?" She noticed that most people in the village wore linen, while a few wore wool sweaters.

“It is quite expensive. My sister brought it to me from the city before,” Talil replied.

"But wiping your sweat is definitely worth it." She used the light in the room to examine the girl's face more closely once again.

"You look beautiful no matter how I look at you. I think the most beautiful girl in Jiaoshi City is not as beautiful as you." She took the cotton cloth that Xilutiya returned and carefully put it into the inside pocket of her clothes.

Miss Tia looks very charming when she's working; her focused and serious demeanor makes even someone as mischievous as her quiet down.

The two sat down to rest by the lamp, and later an older woman from the village brought them some food.

"Eat quickly, these are pies I just baked. You two must have been exhausted tonight." She stroked Taliel's reddish-brown hair with some affection, then looked at the girl sitting in the lamplight not far away.

"What a beautiful person..." she exclaimed, echoing Taliel's sentiment.

"You all should get some rest early tonight. You've been busy for so long. I'll go and bring some food to the others."

After she went outside, many people in Linden Village were destined to have a sleepless night.

　New book, please vote for me next month! 0 0/~
　　
　
(End of this chapter)