The Cornflower Witch

During the final stretch of summer vacation, Sylutia boarded an airship and accompanied members of the Vinewood Guild and Meteorite Guild to complete their first trade collaboration, before preparing to return to Tetis College.

"From now on, I'll leave the guild's affairs in your hands." Sylutia addressed Fire Pig and Four Fingers directly.

Although she had founded the Meteorite Guild, it was obvious she couldn't stay long-term to lead operations, and running a guild was never her life's focus.

Facing this young woman's trust, the two were deeply moved, and a little emotional too—perhaps this was Sylutia's way of finding them a path forward.

After all, no matter how well they performed as headmen of the underground world, their status would never be fit for polite society. Their achievements were limited, and they could only remain holed up in Asra District.

But becoming guild members changed everything. They could legitimately travel through all the Mage Alliance's regions, gaining not only greater freedom but also breaking through the ceiling of their former lives, to witness a more brilliant world.

"Rest assured, milady. We will do everything in our power to fulfill our mission." If before, their loyalty was mostly born of admiration and fear for this young woman, now there was a sense of having found a worthy master, a desire to repay the favor of being discovered.

Seeing them so stirred up, Sylutia shook her head slightly, a bit worried they might overexert themselves.

"Honestly, just do your normal work. I'm not someone with high demands," she explained lightly.

Unfortunately, those words didn't sink in. Their minds were probably already racing with thoughts of expanding the guild, strengthening its power, and so on.

After bidding them farewell, Sylutia flew alone back to Tetis College, landing within the familiar grounds of the Black Rose Palace.

Her fingers lightly brushed the blooming black roses in the garden. She plucked one, its black petals dancing as they spun between her fingers, then coalescing in the air and reforming into the flower's shape, as if they had never been separated.

Holding the black rose, she brought it to her nose and inhaled gently. The faint floral fragrance spread. The young woman's eyes closed and then opened, those pupils like gemstones of the night—gorgeous and pure.

Ever since advancing to Fourth Tier, Sylutia had gradually exuded a certain intangible charm. Specifically, her eyes seemed to carry a subtle bewitching effect, drawing people in without them realizing.

During her recent trip to Asra District, Anari had been affected by her, freezing up mid-conversation.

She hadn't expected the power of the Secret Word Aspect to manifest through her in this way.

"Secret Word" was the representation of language, text, information, and rules. When a being bearing the Secret Word Aspect stepped into the mid-tier, additional characteristics began to emerge. And it wasn't just Secret Word—every Aspect revealed certain extra traits upon reaching Fourth Tier.

For instance, "Verdant Nectar" upon reaching Fourth Tier could easily sense the state of plants and manipulate them. This manipulation was almost instinctive, requiring no additional abilities or skills.

"Bloodline" upon reaching Fourth Tier automatically granted regenerative abilities. With dedicated training and refinement, one could even regrow severed limbs.

"Scorching Sun" upon reaching Fourth Tier greatly enhanced the body's vitality, halting further aging and ensuring abundant energy.

"Dead Embers" upon reaching Fourth Tier could easily sense the dead and control corpses.

"Slumbering Winter" upon reaching Fourth Tier allowed one to enter prolonged hibernation, with the body ceasing to age or deteriorate.

"Castle" upon reaching Fourth Tier could receive blessings from subordinate individual members and also bestow protection upon subordinates.

"Gold Steam" upon reaching Fourth Tier could easily transform matter, refining many low-difficulty creations out of thin air.

...

A gap of more than three tiers in Aspect brought overwhelming suppression, while a gap of four or more caused a qualitative change. "Fourth Tier" already had a colossal difference from ordinary beings, capable of unconsciously influencing many living creatures and phenomena.

"Secret Word," like other Aspects, also brought about qualitative change, but its transformation was forged from the experiences and information of the "self's" past. If a Fourth Tier Secret Word Transcendent had once been a butcher who slaughtered countless enemies on the battlefield, enduring life and death, then that person's body would retain immense information of slaughter and death. That information would be amplified by Secret Word, forming an intangible aura that interfered with and influenced enemies.

Alternatively, if that Fourth Tier Secret Word was a historian who spent most of their time dealing with history, researching countless historical materials and records, they would gain the ability to "discern history." Relying on the accumulated experience of countless past exposures, they could effortlessly detect the most minute traces and distinguish truth from falsehood and error.

For another example, if a Fourth Tier Secret Word was a paleontologist who spent their life studying and exploring the habits, appearances, and abilities of ancient creatures, then upon entering Fourth Tier, they could consciously summon phantoms of those ancient creatures, even granting the phantoms a measure of real ability. With further specialized training, those phantoms could gradually become solid entities, turning into genuinely formidable combat power. Carmilla was currently walking that path.

Did the past forge the future?

That was the motto of "Secret Word." The information carried by Transcendents and the history they bore would, under the power of the Secret Word Aspect, transform from the virtual into the real.

She had initially thought that by advancing through writing her book, upon reaching Fourth Tier, she would gain abilities or related influences recorded in *Song of the White Fluff Flower: Sights of the Western Mountain Range*. But now she realized that seemed not to be the case.

Perhaps for her original self, the information and history contained in that book were far from enough to take the lead, instead being diluted by other information and experiences.

Everything from her previous life and the origin of this world could not be traced or manifested. So what about her experiences in this life?

What was her most dazzling identity? Was it the peerless genius of the Hidden Grove Alliance, the knight of the Kingdom of Regas, the shining new star of the Mage Alliance, or was she forever fixed in the position of heir to the Meizhalansi family?

She blinked and looked at herself in the mirror. Those black eyes rippled like swaying water light, drawing the mind in and gradually sinking into them.

Even Sylutia herself could now sense an intangible charm she had previously overlooked, especially in the depths of her eyes. It seemed countless words still remained unsaid, occasionally bursting forth. Myriad thoughts were revealed only in the lively light of her gaze, captivating the heart.

After a long moment, Sylutia closed her eyes and let out a resigned sigh.

It seemed her experiences were a bit too numerous. She probably couldn't present things as simply and singly as other Secret Word Transcendents. This sedimentation of multiple layers of information had ultimately coalesced into an uncanny charm.

It looked like she'd have to be careful from now on. She couldn't keep staring at people. If absolutely necessary, she could cover her eyes with a light black veil. That should greatly reduce the dispersion of this peculiar allure.