The Cornflower Witch

"Congratulations, you are now third-year apprentices." A senior student in a black trench coat stood on the stage, addressing the apprentices below with a dashing demeanor.

"As your senior, and also the Chief of the fifth-year students, I’d like to introduce you to your future life here, along with some valuable experience."

"Starting this semester, you’ll be getting involved in practical work, meaning you’ll take up positions and duties within the Mage Alliance. Of course, most of these positions are chosen by you, based on your expertise and preferences." He said "most" instead of "all," suggesting that some positions were assigned by the academy and must be accepted.

"Because we are students of Tetis College, you’ll often land decent positions on your first try. That’s certainly a good thing, but it also comes with risks you might not expect."

"Even if you mess up in an unimportant position, no one will care. But screw up in a key role, and you’ll draw all sorts of criticism. Not only will it embarrass the academy, but it will also impact your own future."

"Not everyone is cut out for management, especially the management of large departments. It tends to be complicated and demands a lot of time and effort. Just choose according to your personality and strengths."

"The purpose of having third-years engage in practical work is to let you apply what you’ve learned through hands-on experience, and to find new inspiration and direction in your work and life."

"It’s hard for a person to instinctively know what they want to become or what they want to do. That requires interacting with the world and trying things out. That’s what practical work is for."

"At this stage of your career, the goal is mainly verification and experimentation, not chasing efficiency or achievements. You can worry about those after graduation."

"Between the First and Third Tiers, all you need is study and accumulation, following the secret arts passed down by your predecessors and advancing through established procedures and rituals."

"But starting from the Fourth and Fifth Tiers, everything changes." He snapped his fingers, and behind him, layers of complex clockwork phantom images emerged, completely covering the hall’s walls. As he displayed these phantom images, the aura of the *Gold Steam* Aspect spread throughout the entire venue. The floor of the hall rippled with a faint golden sheen, and the textures shifted.

"Only by deeply understanding the essence of the Path you tread, and using that to achieve a balance of the 'Threefold Law,' can you complete your advancement."

"By now, I assume you’ve heard the academy’s motto at your opening ceremony: 'With clock and compass, let the world be grand and magnificent.'"

"This saying represents the path upheld by the 'Mithril Clock' school. Our school forges rules, defines the standards of measurement for all things, and promotes and applies them. Countless members are contributing to this grand goal, and when your actions align with this grand vision, it will in turn grant you great power."

"The ancient Fairies once said that all advancement is 'molting,' that the essence of all life is that of weak bugs in need of a refined and powerful 'shell' for protection. And the vision I speak of today is that very 'shell' you are about to nurture."

"One day, when you and this 'shell' become one, unified and harmonious, then you will be great and immortal, beautiful and eternal."

"These words I’ve just spoken are the same ones you heard at the opening ceremony, but the instructors didn’t explain them in detail back then, because at that time, you still couldn’t understand them. You were also still far too distant from this vision."

"'Gold Steam' yearns to forge the world. When you find yourself within the magnificent creations you’ve forged, you will receive the blessing of your Aspect. Similarly, when this land, this world, is transformed by our forging, it will reflect back on us, raising our own rank."

"Every Transcendent who aspires to step into the Sixth Tier must walk their own Path, seeking resonance with their 'Aspect,' so that they may advance."

"Of course, some may say that not everyone advances this way, but other methods are not considered the proper path. Therefore, the school neither advocates nor encourages them."

Hearing this, the apprentices in the hall fell into thought, beginning to imagine the path they would take in the future. Although the 'Mithril Clock' school primarily cultivated three types of Aspects, 'Gold Steam' remained the most important core. When stepping into the Fifth Tier, it was hard to avoid the influence this Aspect’s Path brought.

On the other side, Sylutia was also contemplating the road ahead.

She herself was currently at *Sixth Tier · Secret Word*, and in the future, she would inevitably have to choose 'Gold Steam' as a new Aspect to merge with, only then could she take another step forward.

Among the many Aspects, the advancement of the 'Bloodline' and 'Beast Fang' Aspects was the most difficult, and also the least chosen by the creatures of past eras. That was precisely because the Paths they were on were extremely complex and clear.

'Bloodline' and 'Beast Fang' were similar. Walking the Path meant making one’s own flesh and blood grow, becoming huge and formidable. Therefore, the Primordial Beasts of the Star-Beast Epoch were all massive. Their enormous bodies were the 'achievements' they walked, were their 'shells,' making themselves strong and immortal.

'Dragon Eye' was slightly simpler than those two, but the principle was similar. While making one’s own physique stronger, and making one’s scales and fur beautiful and tough, the other meaning of the 'Dragon Eye' Aspect lay in 'guardianship.' The more treasure it protected, the more powerful it became.

The World Wall was guarded by dragon scales. The True Dragons, with their vertical pupils wide open, guarded this world, and in turn, considered the entire world as their treasure.

The sun cast the light and warmth of life, and the vigorous growth of life, in turn, made it more powerful.

The moon scattered the ethereal radiance of spiritual energy, and the clarity and wisdom of the spirit, in turn, made it brighter.

The three lower Aspects all held very positive meanings, and that also allowed them to attain a power surpassing other Aspects.

After the speech ended, the apprentices dispersed, and a few stayed behind.

"Hedra, the Dean wants to see you. Follow me." The senior who had just given the speech led Sylutia out of the hall, heading toward a high tower in the academy’s core area.

After unlocking the door at the tower’s base with a complex method, he led Sylutia into the quiet tower, and then they stood on a circular floor.

Soon after, this circular floor rose, sending them upward. When it stopped, they were already nearly a hundred meters above the base.

"The Dean’s office is here. The Instructor generally doesn’t like to be disturbed. He usually only takes on a few apprentices, and I’m currently one of them." He introduced as he walked.

"Oh, right, I haven’t even told you my name. I’m Da Vinci. My cousin Damian mentioned you to me before." He turned his head and flashed a dashing smile.

"I don’t know what the Dean wants to talk to you about, but I’m guessing I’ll soon have a junior sister." Having said that, he knocked on the door, and after a response came from inside, he pushed it open.

"Instructor, I’ve brought student Hedra." Entering the office, his expression became formal and proper, and his voice was clear as he announced.

"Good." At that moment, Sylutia entered the room and saw an elderly man with snow-white hair. He wore a dark blue silk robe, looking quite aged, but his eyes were still bright and sharp. His dry fingers were long and clean.

Although he was the Dean, at first glance, he radiated no Aspect aura at all, appearing like an ordinary old man. It was only his neatly combed white hair and clean clothes that made him seem refined, like a quiet and ancient book.

They briefly exchanged glances. As Sylutia observed him, the old man also observed this young girl.

"You have a very beautiful pair of eyes." He spoke slowly.

Hearing this, Sylutia blinked, turning her gaze to the ground, feeling a bit embarrassed. It seemed the seductive side effect of her own eyes had activated again.

"Heh, it’s nothing serious. Sit down." His tone turned kind, indicating for Sylutia to sit.

She went to a nearby leather sofa and sat down. Da Vinci poured her some tea from the office, then sat not far from her.

The old man then continued speaking.

"This time I’ve called you, Hedra, because there are some things I want to tell you." He stood by the window, looking into the distance, overlooking the city.

"First, about your future practical position."

"You will first intern in the Alliance’s Budget and Finance Department, learning the Alliance’s processes for calculating and publishing budgets, and you will take the lead on completing several budget audits and re-approvals."

"This is a department with great power within the Alliance. It is usually entrusted to experienced Mages who are proficient in mathematics, and it has very high demands for professional competence."

"It controls the lifeblood of many institutions and projects within the Alliance. Although the bulk of the budget proportion is not decided by this department, as the department in charge of execution, you will learn many minute details and understand the Alliance’s structure."

"No matter what you do, the mobilization and allocation of resources are the most critical. You will learn a great deal there."

"After six months of internship there, you will receive your next assignment: to lead a team to investigate and verify the institutions that have been reported for corruption in recent years. This is a task with a certain degree of danger, but I believe that, with your strength, you won’t be afraid."

"If you can handle several major issues within the Alliance well, there will be even more important responsibilities for you to bear afterward. I know this may not be what you want, but it will undoubtedly be beneficial for your future advancement. It will greatly broaden your horizons and give you a clearer understanding of the rules that govern the world’s operations."

"If you only ever hide in the laboratory doing research, detached from the environment that verifies your knowledge, your understanding will gradually become distorted and skewed. Moreover, once you want to verify a grand blueprint, a massive amount of manpower and resources is absolutely essential."

"You can’t build a large ship in a pond, nor can you grow a towering tree in a flowerpot. You are one of the best seedlings I have ever seen, and I don’t want you to be overlooked." He slowly turned around.

"Hedra, many people have placed their hopes on you." When he said this, his voice was filled with emotion, breaking away from the previously indisputable, steady tone.

It seemed he still had many words and sighs he wanted to express, but in the end, he said nothing, merely looking quietly at the girl seated upright on the sofa.

"Do a good job."