Cornflower Witch

Chapter 376 The Dance of Dolls and Machines

The eve of the Silver Bell Festival.

Hiltiya stared blankly at the invitation in her hand. Special handwriting had appeared on it, indicating the matters related to using the invitation.

"Please activate the invitation in an open area before dusk that day." She read the text aloud, then looked down to see what she needed to prepare.

First, regarding the dress suitable for attending banquets, considering the style of Rohrwick College, it is best to choose darker main colors such as black, brown, and red, rather than wearing bright colors such as white, blue, and yellow.

The Silver Bell Festival begins at 6 PM and continues until dawn the next day, lasting a total of twelve hours. The first six hours are filled with activities and performances, while the last six hours are free time, during which you can explore the academy's facilities, make friends, enjoy various foods, and exchange ideas and learn from each other.

After reviewing and checking, finding nothing missing, Hilti placed the invitation under her pillow and drifted off to sleep.

……

On a corner of Agate Street, an old restaurant is preparing to close.

The table was a mess, and there were many spilled juice stains on the floor. The aunt who was the shop owner and a young orc girl picked up the table and chairs and then cleaned it with a mop and rag.

An hour later, the two stood in the cleaned restaurant, wiping away their sweat, and breathed a sigh of relief as they looked at the restored tidy and clean environment.

"I'm finally done with today's work," the woman said with a sigh, then turned to look at the horned girl beside her.

"Anali, you've worked hard too."

"Do you have any plans with your classmates to go somewhere for the Silver Bell Festival tomorrow?"

"I...don't have any classmates with me," the girl replied dejectedly.

Seeing this, the older woman hugged her tightly, saying with heartache, "Then spend tomorrow with me."

"It will be alright," she added, then the two closed the shop door and turned off the restaurant's nightlights.

……

The following day, cannons and fireworks burst through the sky, their sounds waking the morning in the Asura district.

Today, banners with the logos and symbols of various colleges and universities are hanging on the lampposts along the street, and the shops along the street are all clean and shiny, with many preparing promotional activities and discounts.

Students on holiday get together with classmates and friends to play and have fun. Some buy things they like, some exchange gifts, and some talk about where they will attend a banquet that night.

"I prepared a very beautiful dress for today. It was specially tailored and cost me a full ten gold coins," several female voices chatted as they bought gifts at the shop.

"Is that too extravagant? I just found a nice piece of clothing."

"You have no idea. Today is the decisive day. I must win over the prince of my dreams."

On the other side, the boys also gathered together to discuss their plans for the day.

"I've wanted the 'Golden Deer Workshop' staff for a long time, and it's on sale today. If I miss it, I'll have to wait until next year."

"Which one do you want?" a friend asked curiously.

"Of course it's 'Flame No. 106'. After being infused with the power of 'Golden Steam', it can generate a two-meter-long blazing sword, which is incredibly imposing."

"Is that really necessary?" a friend advised.

"Wow, so cool! Why don't you understand? The dashing and heroic feeling of wielding a flaming sword and standing amidst the flames, that feeling, that feeling, do you know how exhilarating it is!"

"Okay, okay, it seems like I have to buy it today."

Unlike the young students, the teachers in the Asura district were much more relaxed. Today, they were just chatting with friends and colleagues in a coffee shop, only occasionally mentioning the Silver Bell Festival.

"There are noticeably more students this semester." A student, holding a coffee, leaned back on the sofa and slowly savored it, seemingly less concerned about his appearance than he was at school.

"Yes, a class used to have only thirty-odd students, but now there are forty or fifty."

"The Joint Parliament's intention is to expand recruitment in the coming years, in order to increase manpower and strength as much as possible."

"Oh, is something big going on? I had a feeling this day would come, but it's still a bit of a surprise."

"I don't know what we're supposed to do. If it's about preparing for war, I'm afraid I'm too old for it," a mage with wrinkles around his eyes commented slowly.

“My child just turned 15 and will be coming to Asura District next year. My parents are also getting old. Even though they are superhumans, they feel that life takes up too much of their energy and they have no heart to deal with more things. Besides, they don’t have the same vigor they used to have.” He sighed and looked at the young men and women walking by outside the window.

"It's good to be young. They are the backbone of the Mage Alliance in the future. We old folks, even if we still have the strength, most of us no longer have the motivation to fight."

"The replacement of old with new is the truth of the natural cycle. I was bold and fearless when I was young, but now I have more and more reverence for certain laws, haha."

"Let's go, after we finish this drink, let's go for a walk on the training field and stretch this old body."

"Haha, let's make it clear beforehand, whoever loses treats us tonight."

……

In the dormitory, Luo Weier sat in front of the dressing mirror to get ready. She changed into a bright lemon-yellow dress, paired with gold lace on the skirt and snow-white inner cuffs. She looked like a rich young lady who had stepped out of a famous painting.

"Sorry, this is the only hairstyle I know how to do." Aurora put down the comb and looked at the girl in the mirror.

Although she comes from a wealthy family, she doesn't care much about dressing up. She usually has a few fixed hairstyles, and most of them are done by maids. It's only now that she's staying in the dormitory that she starts to dress up herself.

"Sigh, it seems this is the only way." Although she was still slightly dissatisfied with her appearance, Luo Wei'er knew that this was the best outcome for the moment.

"Next year, when I enter the academy and have my own room, I will definitely write to my family and ask them to send me ten maids," Luo Weier made up her mind.

"Hehe, you finally couldn't hold back anymore, could you?" Aurora chuckled, covering her mouth.

"The first time I saw you, I guessed how long you, a young lady, could endure living alone."

"Sigh, was Aurora already planning to make fun of me back then? How mean~" Lover pretended to be angry and acted coquettishly.

“It’s not a joke, just curiosity,” Aurora said, glancing at Sylvia who was writing a letter beside her.

"Hedra, didn't you think that way that day?"

“Me?” Hiltiya looked up.

"I didn't think that much about it at the time; I was just surprised by Lorraine's generosity." She was used to living alone in the woods and hadn't considered all that.

The three chatted for a few more minutes before Aurora came over to look at the letter written by Hilti.

"Who is it for?"

“My family lives by Meteor Lake, and there are also some for my teacher. I told him I’m doing well at school and he doesn’t need to worry.” “That’s nice.” Aurora thought of her own family. She saw them often, and even if she didn’t want to, they would still come looking for her.

"Why was my lovely daughter so clingy to her father when she was little, but now she finds talking to me annoying?" Her father had said this before, which made her feel a little embarrassed and unsure how to explain.

She really didn't know when it happened, but she stopped talking to her parents. Maybe it was because she had grown up, Aurora thought to herself.

"Tonight, Lovely and I are going to the Silver Bell Festival at Vicia Academy. Hedra, you'll go to Rolik Academy alone. Be careful on the way, and if you run into anyone bothering you, remember to mention my name," Aurora instructed.

"Okay, I understand." Hiltiya agreed, but then she wanted to complain a little. Why did everyone treat her like a child who hadn't grown up yet? Did appearance and temperament have such a big impact?

Four o'clock in the afternoon.

Hilti changed into an elaborate black dress, adorned with blue ruffles, and wore iris-shaped hair clips by her ears.

Upon arriving at the nearby plaza, Hilti took out the invitation, activated the inscription on it, and a burst of fluorescence flashed as an invisible signal emanated.

Passersby in the square looked at the girl in her beautiful clothes with curiosity, wondering why she was there.

"Maybe he's waiting for a friend."

"No, I think she might have just broken up with her boyfriend. Who would wait outside dressed like that?"

"It's a bit pitiful."

"If I had clothes this beautiful, I wouldn't care about being heartbroken. I'd definitely seduce everyone at the banquet tonight." Several girls approached, saw Xilutia's face clearly, and said with envy and jealousy.

"Definitely." Several companions echoed, gazing at the girl sitting on a bench not far away.

Afterwards, the group discussed the festival party they would be attending that evening.

"I got a date with the handsome guy from the next class!" one of them said proudly.

"Wow, really? Isn't he supposed to be very aloof? I heard from the teacher that he has a very high chance of getting into Brick Academy within three years."

"Yes, when I was on a date with him yesterday, he told me that he ranked in the top 500 in the entire Asura region in this assessment, and he will definitely have no problem becoming a formal mage in the future."

"Even if I can't become a formal mage in the future, marrying a good person is still a good choice."

"I'm so envious. I wish I had a boyfriend like that," the group whispered among themselves.

A gentle breeze swept across the square, stirring up a few pale yellow leaves. Hilti felt the strands of hair on her forehead flutter, so she looked up.

Suddenly, a black carriage slowly descended from the sky and landed in front of her. The carriage was made of classic, black metal, and the metal horses pulling it had six hooves. Their upper bodies were covered by metal shells, while the lower half was open, allowing a clear view of the transmission mechanism. Sitting at the front of the carriage was a mechanical puppet coachman. He was dressed in a neat suit, but his head was replaced by an upright iron ring, thus avoiding the creepy feeling that would come from looking too human.

The iron ring on the head vibrated, emitting a series of sounds.

"Please, invited guests, board the vehicle." With that, the door opened, revealing comfortable seats and a small table inside.

“Okay,” Hiltiya replied briefly, then stepped into the car, holding onto the door handle.

Shortly after settling into the sofa inside the carriage, the door slowly closed, and amidst the shocked and envious gazes of a group of people in the square, the carriage started moving again.

The metal horses pulling the carriage moved their bodies and hooves like real horses, as if they had sneezed slightly, and then started to trot. Soon the entire carriage gradually lifted off the ground, slowly rose into the air, and headed towards the distant horizon.

"That was just now!" someone pointed at the carriage flying away in the sky, only then realizing what had happened.

"Which academy sent that carriage? It's so novel, all mechanical, and it can even fly in the air."

"I saw it!" someone shouted.

"The carriage has a black and gold rose pattern on the back; that's Rolik Academy."

"A top-seven academy, no wonder it's so luxurious."

"So, that girl from earlier got an invitation?"

"It should be, but she's only at the second tier, how lucky."

"Although the invitations to the Silver Bell Festival are sent to people outside the academy, those are usually important figures. As for second-tier apprentices, they are only given to those with a bright future and who are highly regarded. It is estimated that less than ten second-tier students will receive an invitation from Rolik Academy."

"So rare?"

"Of course, after all, it is one of the most powerful academies in the Mage Alliance. Second and third-tier mages are like children in their eyes, and they don't usually pay any attention to them."

The girls who had been discussing Siltia felt a sudden burning sensation on their faces upon hearing these comments; their earlier smugness and pride vanished instantly.

How could this be? How could someone be so talented and good at academics, and also so beautiful? There's no way such a good thing could happen. They could only guess that this girl must have some connections or influence, otherwise she couldn't accept this fact.

Sitting in the carriage, Hilti watched the scenery outside the window tilt by as the carriage was pulled over the Asura region.

This was her first time riding in a flying mechanical carriage, and the experience made her curious about how the carriage worked and amazed by the development of the Mage Alliance.

The fact that this technology can be used to transport passengers to the Silver Bell Festival suggests that it has matured and has been adopted in many places.

The carriage sped through the air, but Hiltiya felt remarkably stable inside. After all, it was in the air, so there were no bumps, and the flight altitude was relatively low with no major turbulence.

About an hour later, Hilti saw buildings of a different style gradually appearing below. Unlike the Asura district, this place had towering spires and high-rise buildings that looked like long swords, and similar mechanical carriages could be seen everywhere on the streets.

Then her carriage slowly descended to a marble-paved square, surrounded by wrought-iron streetlights, where people in dark uniforms were greeting the guests alighting from the carriage.

Welcome to Rolik Academy!

As soon as the car door opened, Hilti heard a warm welcome, followed by two surprised-looking waiters.

This is probably the first time I've seen such a young invitee today; he looks to be a second-level apprentice.

"Hello, little sister, are you here on behalf of an adult to attend the Silver Bell Festival today?"

The girl shook her head and took out the invitation in her hand for the other party to check.

"Sorry, sorry, welcome to 'Rolik,' the vibrant city where dolls and machines dance together. Here you will witness another possibility for the world, a magnificent symphony composed by life and machinery together~"

After speaking, the two attendants clapped their hands, and one by one, mechanical maids with metal skirts stepped forward, laid out a red carpet in front of Hilti, and led her into the towering hall.

The entire building resembles a massive, openwork gear system, with numerous intersecting platforms connected by rotating staircases. Mechanical figures move across the sloping stages, serving the guests. On the central circular stage, hundreds of mechanical figures dressed in silver dresses are slowly dancing, their graceful postures and agile figures even conveying a sense of flowing muscle rhythm.

High in the sky, mechanical puppet carriages rose and fell continuously, and distinguished guests from all over landed in the square. Led by mechanical maids, they walked towards the magnificent building where gears and machinery clashed.

(End of this chapter)