Cornflower Witch

Chapter 413 Schools of Thought with Distinctive Characteristics

Arriving at the ice cream stall, the two ordered the flavors they wanted and then sat at a table under an umbrella to wait.

Camilla leaned lazily against the table, resting her chin on her hands, gazing at Sylvia across from her. Time seemed to slow down at that moment, and the quiet gaze carried a sense of peace.

Finally, she suppressed her vampiric instincts because of this feeling of liking. Even though she hadn't defeated any powerful opponents at the moment, Camilla felt a faint sense of pride and satisfaction, as if she had made a decision she would never regret for the rest of her life.

The sunlight slanted down, some of it falling on Hilti's wrist. Even without looking, she could clearly feel the burning sensation.

This summer seems a bit hotter, thought Hiltia. Perhaps it's because the whirlwind season is starting to warm up.

It is said that in the years leading up to the typhoon season, there will be a slight rebound in temperature during the continuous cooling process.

In the bright season, the sunlight makes the colors of objects more vibrant, rather than the gray and gloomy appearance of the long winter.

As Hiltiya waited, her gaze swept over the students strolling along the street. They were in the prime of their youth, the most beautiful stage of their lives, walking by in twos and threes.

Unlike those experiencing youth for the first time, Hilti has hazy memories of her past life, so she not only has a perception of youth but also possesses it. This feeling is quite wonderful, as if she is enjoying a delicious fruit and knows clearly in her heart when she will finish eating this sweetest fruit of her life, and that she will never have a second chance to taste it.

She used to wonder occasionally whether she should really spend so much of her best years studying and practicing. Fortunately, after learning that she possessed the fairy's blessing of youth, she was spared that anxiety.

I am grateful to my mother in this life, who foresaw this problem for me in advance, allowing me to fully explore this wonderful and prosperous world.

Thoughts drifted through her mind as Hilti stared blankly at the street not far away. Her eyes, under the parasol, were as clear and distant as black crystal. Camilla etched this quiet scene into her memory and solemnly preserved it deep within her heart.

"Your ice cream is ready." A few minutes later, the ice cream was ready, finally breaking the silence.

“Okay, thank you.” Hilti’s eyes regained their liveliness. She got up, went to the window to take two double-scoop ice cream cones, and then returned to the parasol.

"Camilla, here you go." The girl handed one of them to the other person.

"Thank you."

Camilla took the ice cream from the girl, held it in her hands and slowly savored it. The cool and sweet taste spread between her teeth, which made her mind clearer.

While munching on her ice cream, Camilla occasionally glanced at the girl opposite her, but her mind was filled with many thoughts.

It seems like it's been a long time since I've sat at the table so elegantly and enjoyed my snacks.

Since her mother's death, and after she and Katella took over the vampire clan, no one could restrain or govern her anymore. She no longer had to maintain a ladylike and obedient persona in front of her mother as she had in her distant childhood, and many of the habits she had developed had been slowly forgotten over time.

Unexpectedly, many things came to mind again today.

Emotions are such complex and delicate things, she thought to herself once again, and then curiously followed the girl's movements, trying to keep up with her pace in eating ice cream.

As Sylvia put the last piece of cone into her mouth and ate it, Camilla also ate the last bit of the cone at the same time.

The two got up together, and then Camilla followed behind Silutia as they walked out of the ice cream shop.

Next, they had to walk a long way to places they had never been before.

……

A week later, the Asura district began to welcome admissions officers from various colleges. They would set up exhibition areas in specific locations to demonstrate the different characteristics and advantages of each college, in order to attract more fresh blood.

Although the rankings of various colleges have been made public, most students only know the rankings and do not understand the true situation and strengths of each college. Instead of blindly applying based on the rankings, it is better to choose a college that you are more good at and like, so that you can achieve better growth.

According to the evaluations of the school's seniors and teachers, the various schools can currently be divided into four tiers. T1 is naturally the three most well-known schools: 'Mithril Clock', 'Origin Hourglass', and 'Solar Forge'. T2 consists of the seven schools ranked fourth to tenth.

There is no specific standard for T3, but it can be roughly understood as the ten schools of thought ranked eleventh to twentieth.

In the final T4, few people pay attention to the relative strengths of the different schools of thought; since none of them are in the top twenty, they are all classified as T4 schools.

Hilti learned that the 'Bionics School' was currently ranked eighteenth, which was also near the bottom of T3. No wonder Professor Knox advised her that there was no need to go there.

Actually, she quite likes the 'bionics school'. Many of their secret techniques can simulate the abilities of various fantastical creatures, creating a beautiful blend of reality and fairy tales.

During the break, as usual, Silti tidied up her notes and went to the cafeteria with her two roommates. But as she passed Camilla's seat, Camilla nodded slightly to her. That brief exchange of glances was as if they were greeting each other.

Although the two went shopping and took a walk together last weekend and got along very well, at school, Camilla didn't seem to want to appear close to Sylvia. She would consciously keep a certain distance from Sylvia and would only greet her casually to show that she didn't mean to distance herself, but just had her own extra reasons.

In response, Hilti guessed that the other person might not like to be with too many people, or that they were used to keeping a low profile and didn't want to be the center of attention, because she had a similar habit in the past.

Like a radiant sunflower, Lovir attracts attention wherever she goes. Her lively and carefree demeanor might make Camilla uncomfortable, because when they took a walk together that day, Hiltia felt that Camilla was a quiet and gentle person in everything she did.

In the school cafeteria, students were excitedly discussing the various schools of thought that had recently arrived in the Asura district.

"Did you hear that huge sound that echoed throughout the Asura district yesterday?" a student said excitedly.

"That's the masterpiece of the 'Roaring School'!"

The "Roaring School" is a school of thought that focuses on the study of sound, sound waves, vibrations, and harmony. They share the same origin as the "Opera School," both praising the great melody and believing that the world originated from a grand chorus, a concerto that connects all living beings with the earth.

Historically, during the Fifth Age, the fairies of the mythical era gathered together, hand in hand, and sang together, causing the World Tree to sprout and grow. This shattered countless floating islands, which were then brought together by the roots of the World Tree, giving birth to the first continent of this world, the foundation of the world known as the 'Earth'.

Although they share the same origin, the current 'Roar School' and 'Opera School' are quite different. One focuses on expanding the influence of sound waves and transforming the world, while the other values ​​its performance and the power to convey ancient legends.

"The Roaring School, shall we go check it out this afternoon?" Siltia asked with great curiosity.

The other two said they had no objections. Aurora stated that she was actually quite familiar with the Roaring School as well.

"Because the opera school and they share the same origin, and some of their secrets are very similar in origin, we often discuss and study them together. That's how I occasionally get to know professors and masters from that school."

“However, there aren’t many mages who study the ‘Roaring School,’ and they currently rank behind the Opera School.” Hearing this, Luo Wei’er immediately became curious and interested.

"What about other schools of thought? What other schools of thought does Aurora know about?"

“Let me think about this.” Aurora tapped her lips with her finger as she pondered. “I’m quite familiar with the ‘Key School’ and the ‘Gem School.’ When I was little, I loved a gift my parents bought from the ‘Key School’—a beautiful box that no one but me could open.”

"The 'Gemology School' is quite famous. They are skilled at refining gemstones of various properties, which are needed by many mages and extraordinary individuals. It is also currently the fifth most powerful school of thought."

“People are generally familiar with the top schools of thought in the Mage Alliance, but some of the smaller schools are not as well-known,” she explained.

"I'll go take a look this afternoon. I guess I need to catch up on some classes too, to see if there have been any new developments or changes in the various schools of thought in recent years."

After making their agreement, the three of them walked out of the restaurant together.

……

In the afternoon, the three arrived at the recruitment area specially designated by the Asura District. There was a huge open space with large circles enclosed by circular roads. Each academy would set up its own exhibition hall in the circular open space to showcase the characteristics and advantages of their school of thought and attract students to enroll.

Upon arriving, the three of them had just gotten out of the car when they saw the exhibition area filled with students of various clothing styles. They came from many schools in the Asura District and were curiously touring each exhibition hall.

"Looks like we'll have to wait in line for a while." Aurora, anticipating this, took out the parasol she had brought. The black and blue parasol had white pleats like a skirt around its edges, and when opened, it released a faint sense of coolness.

"Oh, it's a treasure with the 'Hibernation' attribute." Luo Wei'er looked at it curiously. She wasn't afraid of the sun and was wearing a beautiful golden wind and jasmine flower hat.

This is a 'Second-Tier Hibernation' creation, and it is quite exquisite.

Aurora walked alongside Sylvia, holding an umbrella, while Lovel walked briskly on the other side, the summer breeze unfurling the pink and gold petals on the brim of her hat.

The three of them weren't in a hurry, and they talked about the various schools of thought they had arrived at as they walked.

"To maintain balance, none of the top ten colleges have arrived yet."

“As for the ‘Mithril Clock’ school that Hedra wants to join, its subordinate Thetis Academy will arrive in the last month, a month later than the other academies,” Aurora explained.

"This is to prevent them from stealing the spotlight and depriving other colleges of the opportunity to showcase themselves."

More than ten minutes later, the three followed the student crowd into a tall, domed exhibition hall, where everything was filled with gold.

Gilded decorations, gilded statues, golden flowers and leaves, spellcasters dressed in elaborate golden lace dresses, and golden mirrors and a rotating stage.

The 'Gold Leaf School' is a school of thought that excels at using gold wire, gold powder, gold leaf, and other gold-based creations. They are not skilled in combat, but they can maximize the potential of gold. Many royal families invite them to build palaces and decorate objects for them. Their creations are known for their exquisite craftsmanship and longevity.

"So beautiful~"

"Joining this school of thought seems to require a certain level of wealth."

"Is it all made of gold? That's so luxurious."

“Although it’s not a very strong school of thought, joining them will definitely ensure we won’t be poor in the future,” some students discussed.

In the Mage Alliance, the 'Gold Foil School' ranks thirty-third, which is very low, but it still cannot stop the enthusiasm of many students to apply, because the mages of this school are generally wealthy and do not have to worry about making a living.

Aurora led the two on a tour, occasionally adding in hushed tones to the mage's narration on stage.

"Although luxury, beauty and appearance are the main factors that make up most people's impression of the 'Gold Leaf School', their school is not without its uses."

"The secret techniques of the Gold Leaf School can create an extremely transparent golden film to block toxins and corrosion. Items sealed with gold leaf can withstand the erosion of time and be preserved for a long time."

"Some of the old items in my home were also preserved with their help."

"In addition, gold's excellent ductility makes it useful in many intricate creations, and they often supply products to other schools of thought, ensuring they have no shortage of income."

"I see."

After touring the exhibition hall, the three continued forward, crossed the road outside, and entered a new exhibition hall.

If the exhibition hall of the 'Gold Leaf School' is a golden world, then this is a dazzling venue where multiple colors compete for attention.

A giant folding fan in pure white and azure blue, emerald green vines hanging from the sky, deep purple fruits on the trees, colorful lizards climbing and perching among the leaves, and crimson petals blooming under the shade of the trees. The monk on the stage, who is giving the introduction, is also dressed in colorful and orderly clothing, as beautiful as a peacock.

The 'Color School,' ranked thirty-second, is a school of thought that excels at manipulating color changes and can easily create dazzling colors that do not exist in the world. Their most famous products are fireworks, pigments, dyes, and colored paper. Their motto is 'Decorate the world with the most beautiful colors.'

Here, Hiltiah saw a variety of bright and rich colors, and the carefully crafted and matched creations, such as fans, dresses, paintings, book pages, and exotic fruits, all left a deep impression.

After leaving the exhibition hall, the three continued forward.

As they entered the new exhibition hall, shrouded in a hazy mist, the three of them quickly lost sight of the other students just a few meters ahead, and the sounds coming from behind them became faint. Even though they knew perfectly well that this was the academy's exhibition hall, the three of them still had the illusion of stepping into another world.

As they walked along the path, towers, clocks, owls, small tombstones, and hazy figures occasionally appeared in the mist, passing through the three of them.

"That's a Mist Spirit, said to be a part of a person's will after death," Aurora whispered.

The 'Mist Spirit School' ranks thirty-first. It is a school that studies fog, concealment, fog spirits, fog-transformed bodies, and other hazy things. Although their ranking is not high, their combat power is relatively strong. In the past, a powerful 'Mist Spirit School' mage once slaughtered an entire city, and it was not discovered until a month later.

Continuing on, the three arrived at the next exhibition hall, where plaster sculptures were everywhere. In the very center of the hall stood a huge griffin sculpture about ten stories high, with its wings spread out as if about to take flight. Each feather was sharp and slightly curved, and the sculpture's muscles were clearly defined and powerful.

In addition, the exhibition also features many beautiful human-shaped plaster sculptures.

The 'Plaster School', ranked thirtieth, is a school that studies petrified materials such as plaster, lime, solidification, and sealing. They are proficient in plaster techniques and can not only carve exquisite plaster statues, but also manipulate stone flows to instantly build sturdy castles, solidify and seal enemies, and even petrify them. Their motto is 'Please call me the Stone Craftsman'.

The various schools of thought displayed their unique characteristics, leaving the students overwhelmed and before they knew it, evening had arrived.

"Ugh, I'm hungry." Lowell said longingly, holding Silutia's hand. Although she didn't say it explicitly, the girl and Aurora knew that the child definitely wanted to go out and get something to eat.

“Hehe, wait a minute, let’s take a detour and go to the ‘Feast School,’ which is ranked twenty-second. They offer far more luxurious food than the Asura District.” Aurora’s words cheered up Lover again, and she followed her down the road.

　I had writer's block yesterday 0 0~
Ranking the various schools of thought took a lot of time.

　
(End of this chapter)