The Cornflower Witch

After returning to the academy, Sylutia began catching up on the required courses she had missed from the previous semester. Fortunately, the number of compulsory courses for third-year apprentices was quite small, and within roughly two months, she had completed them all.

"This is the last class on 'Dense Runes.'" The instructor stood at the podium, beginning the lesson. "Time has passed without us even noticing—more than three years already." He sounded somewhat nostalgic. "Now that you've entered your third year, your required courses will become fewer and fewer. This doesn't mean you have less to learn, but the academy believes that at this stage, broad general courses are no longer suitable. You've reached the point where you should choose advanced courses based on your own development direction."

"If you're interested in mechanical creations, you can sign up for Professor Ruhrn's 'Red Copper Key' or Professor Mossel's 'Steam Power,'" he introduced for the apprentices. "Additionally, if you have a passion for analytical academics, you can study 'Microscopic Manifestation' and 'Tower of Life Force' under Professor Sigvard. If you're interested in Alien Stars and creatures, you can enroll in courses like 'Visitor from the Star World' and 'The Descent of Falling Stars.'"

"Aside from these, there are also skill-related courses, such as divination, alchemy, potion-making, and decree-based studies, among others. Knowledge is a vast and boundless ocean—every type of knowledge has its use. But our lives are finite, so try to choose courses relevant to your main goals rather than studying broadly. That is my advice." After saying this, he began the final lesson.

"By this class, you've already learned many runes—some are very basic, some are relatively complex 'compound runes,' and some are even more profound 'advanced runes.' These runes are like the underlying brushstrokes of spells, sketching out beautiful paintings, which are the spell models we use. How to combine runes to achieve various magical effects is a never-ending joy of exploration. Every mage school has accumulated vast experience over long stretches of time."

"The runes you're learning now are the results of our predecessors' exploration and summarization. If the entire world is a grand, endless symphony, then the runes we know are but a single measure within that grand symphony. They are part of the world's rhythms. Once we become familiar with them, we can pluck this small measure of rhythm to influence the world."

"Basic runes are the simplest notes. Advanced runes are notes with stronger rhythms. Compound runes are the shortest melodies formed by multiple notes. Spells are relatively complete tunes. Looking at it this way, doesn't it give a sense of neat and clean beauty—the entire world explained?" The instructor's words gave the students a feeling of sudden clarity.

In a corner at the back of the classroom, Sylutia sat by the window, also listening to the lecture. The pen in her hand occasionally brushed across the paper, writing down a line of words.

The notion that the world is a grand, endless symphony wasn't something the Mage Alliance had originated. She had heard similar ideas during her studies at the Hidden Grove. The earliest proponents of this theory were the Fairies. In the history they wrote, before the World Tree was established, the world was chaos and barrenness. But under the chorus of the Fairies, the World Tree took root and sprouted. The initial order was established, and the world moved from an era of disorder into one filled with rhythm.

[Creation Ceremony · The Grand Chorus of the World Tree] (Verdant Nectar · Insect Moth · Snail Fish)

"All things floating in the world, the natural cycle's logic—are hereby established."

However, this was not a complete creation, nor the earliest one. It was merely the Fairies' attempt to reshape the world. It constructed many things and concepts, and from that time onward, the "Hours" became clearly defined.

Later, when the True Dragons replaced the Fairies as the world's rulers, they also conducted a creation ceremony.

[Creation Ceremony · The Treasure Guarded by the Seven Dragons] (Dragon Eye · Bloodline · Beast Fang)

"The world is like a body of flesh and blood, like a treasure guarded by scale walls, belonging to the True Dragons."

After that, the True Dragons grew unprecedentedly possessive. Other beings feared their majesty and gaze, forced to hide and serve. The dragons' scales also enveloped and sealed off the world, making it difficult for the starlight from another world to penetrate. Even without the World Tree's shelter beforehand, other beings could no longer gain enlightenment from the starlight or once again possess wisdom.

Before they knew it, the class was nearing its end, and the instructor announced it was over.

The students stood up to express their gratitude, then began packing their things. At that moment, Sylutia was still sitting in her seat, lost in thought. Her eyes, visible beneath her bangs, gazed out the window. Her dark hair contrasted with her fair skin, radiating a naturally quiet beauty.

A few students noticed her and wanted to remind her that class was over, but they couldn't bear to break that tranquility, simply stealing glances at her from afar.

Two minutes later, her thoughts returned. Sylutia blinked, finally noticing that class had ended. Seeing several people secretly watching her, she felt a bit embarrassed. She lowered her head, tidied up the things on her desk, and prepared to stand up and leave.

"Chief Hedra." Someone called out to her.

The young girl suddenly turned back, her gaze curious as she looked at the few students. "What's the matter?" Since entering the third year, everyone had much less time studying together. Now, many students had their own things to busy themselves with. As the Chief, she no longer had to handle certain tasks like before, making her quite a bit more idle.

"Uh, we were wondering if the Chief has any interest in going on a Shadow World exploration together." Being looked at by those eyes, a few students felt their hearts sway, their words not as natural as before.

"Oh, that sounds good. I can go with you all recently." The young girl nodded. She did want to get out for a bit; staying at school the whole time was inevitably a bit stifling.

"Really? Ahem, nothing—since that's the case, we'll set off together three days from now." The group was very happy.

"Mhm." The young girl nodded.

Seeing her agree so easily, the other students in the room immediately felt a wave of regret. If only they had known it would be this simple, they would have invited this increasingly adorable Chief girl earlier.

Perhaps it was from spending so much time together, or maybe she had gradually shed the burden of maintaining an image. Since this year, Sylutia's demeanor and actions had become much more relaxed, slowly revealing a youthful and endearing side of the girl—rather than the powerful, calm image everyone had initially revered.

If she now suppressed the aura of her Aspect level and changed into a simple dress, walking down the street, no one would associate her with the genius Chief of Tetis College. Instead, they would see a girl radiating youthful curiosity. Those eyes were exceptionally captivating, requiring no extra decoration. Just looking at her made one's imagination run wild and one's heart tremble.

It was like a splendid, sharp-edged wing folding in and disappearing, leaving only a white dress and strands of hair dancing in the summer breeze—giving a hint of anticipation and longing, a beauty within reach. That gentle smile was so close at hand.