The Cornflower Witch

Book 2: Chapter 76: The Turn of History

Vol 2 Chapter 76: The Turn of History

After two weeks of round-trip travel, Sylutia led the team back to the garrison once more, this time transporting the large quantities of charcoal they needed, along with some metal and a small amount of flint.

With the garrison's fuel problem solved, glass refining could finally continue.

Over the following month, Sylutia, leading a team that was gradually becoming more skilled, began mass-producing glass and constructing large greenhouses.

Through this practical experience and study, several apprentices mastered the foundational knowledge of the 'Six-Part Glaze School', and Sylutia no longer needed to personally oversee everything going forward.

When the construction of three large greenhouses was completed, the building project had to be halted due to the depletion of auxiliary materials.

"A small portion of materials remain, enough to construct one more building. Which one does Lady Sylutia plan to choose?"

"The current options are a large dining hall, a meditation hall, an indoor training ground, and an association building," a scholar beside her inquired.

"Let me think for a moment." Sylutia did not answer immediately, instead sitting down at a table to ponder.

Under her silver-snow bangs, her blue eyes were exceptionally clear. When this young girl was deep in thought, her earnest and beautiful expression involuntarily drew the gazes of those around her.She looked to be only sixteen or seventeen at most. At first glance, a trace of youthful innocence still lingered between her brows, and her figure possessed the gentle, moving grace of a young girl. Yet, when she was thinking, she also radiated an aura of trustworthiness, which slowly calmed the others around her who had been feeling anxious.

Although Sylutia herself was not particularly conscious of it, many apprentices within the garrison viewed this young girl as the object of their secret admiration. However, the garrison was not yet stable, so no one chose to confess or act on their feelings at this time.

"Buildings for training and office work aren't urgently needed right now. Let's prioritize building a place for everyone to eat first. That way, it can also be used for organizing activities in normal times."

Considering that the Darkmist Mountains, where they were located, was a dim region where sunlight was hard to find, Sylutia worried that staying there for too long might lead to depressive moods among the group. She decided it was better to first improve their living comfort. Additionally, having more activities could bring some joy and alleviate the oppressive mood brought on by the environment.

"As for the second floor of the dining hall, we'll first build the framework. For now, it can be temporarily used for office purposes. The various departmental branches within the garrison can gather there to discuss and resolve problems."

"We understand." The young scholar nodded in agreement.

After discussing the building matters, Sylutia also inquired about the situation regarding the 'Candlefort School'.

"I remember the Candlefort School has branches in many countries, right?"

"Yes." The other party was surprised that Sylutia was interested in this.

"Are you familiar with the country of Regas?" Since coming to the Hidden Grove, Sylutia had found that many people didn't know where Regas was, having only heard of the Kingdom of Ante.

"I know of it. That's the country founded by the 'Knight King', Regard Bouverie. It has been established for over 800 years now." The scholar nodded. For a scholar well-versed in history, knowing such past events was fundamental.

"Have you been there before?" Sylutia asked again.

"I have been to White Cliff City, where I studied for half a year," the other party continued to answer.

"Could you tell me about the situation there? I'd be very grateful." Hearing the young girl's soft voice making this request, the young scholar was momentarily stunned for a few seconds before snapping back to reality.

"It's just a small matter." He averted his gaze, no longer looking directly at the young girl before him, feeling that if he continued, he might embarrass himself today.

"Ahem, let me start from when I first arrived there..."

He then recounted his experiences studying in White Cliff City four years ago: the most prestigious nobles in the city at that time, the knight who won the championship in the grand tournament, and the several most famous young men and women within the circles of young nobility.

"Among His Majesty King Grace's children, the Crown Prince, Leon, is tall, robust, and powerfully built. Nearing forty years old, he is a powerful Third Tier knight, the commander of the palace guards, and the heir designated by His Majesty."

"Although Crown Prince Leon has no major flaws, he seemed somewhat mediocre compared to the intelligent and talented Second Prince. The year I was in White Cliff City, I heard that several nobles were more supportive of the Second Prince, Higli, inheriting the throne."

"Among them was a representative from the military, Viscount Caren." Hearing this name, Sylutia felt a slight shock in her heart, thinking of that familiar name.

"The Caren family has served as leaders of the Golden Tree Legion for generations. Their ancestors also followed the 'Knight King', Regard, in his campaigns and were highly trusted by the royal family."

"In this generation, Viscount Caren believed that the southern continent would experience many upheavals and changes in the next dozen or so years, requiring a more powerful monarch to control the situation for Regas to prosper."

"This view gained the agreement of many nobles, so the more talented, more intelligent Second Prince was supported by them."

"Furthermore, Viscount Caren's daughter was even betrothed to the Second Prince, making the alliance even more solid."

"I remember Viscount Caren's daughter is named Iona, right?" Sylutia's heart was filled with mixed emotions.

"That's correct. That golden-haired young lady was a famous socialite within White Cliff City, enjoying immense popularity, sometimes even overshadowing Princess Mursa."

"After the Grand Princess, Mathia, married far away, the only remaining princess in the royal family, the Second Princess Mursa, should have been the most watched noble young lady in White Cliff City. However, during my studies, I often heard that Miss Iona hosted banquets and gatherings, excluding Princess Mursa."

"Why is that? There's no conflict of interest between them, is there?" Sylutia was puzzled.

"I'm not clear on the specific details. I only heard that before Princess Mathia married away, as the eldest princess, she was highly revered by many noble young ladies. At that time, to strengthen ties between the royal family and their own families, many nobles would send their children to the palace to serve as attendants, maids, or study companions for the princes or princesses. Iona also served as an attendant to the Grand Princess Mathia during that period."

"But during that time, Miss Iona seems to have been reprimanded by Princess Mathia, which left her feeling deeply humiliated and upset. Later, she had to leave the palace ahead of schedule."

"So, you mean, since Iona couldn't find Princess Mathia to vent her resentment from those years, she could only transfer her anger onto Princess Mursa?" Sylutia recalled the time she spent with Iona. Although the other girl was somewhat proud, she didn't seem like a petty or unreasonable person.

"Many people in noble circles speculated that at the time. I'm just repeating hearsay."

"However, this favorable situation didn't last long. Later, when the Kingdom of Ante and Regas went to war, the battle commanded by Viscount Caren ended in failure, causing Regas to lose over forty knights and tens of thousands of regular troops. This disastrous defeat ruined his reputation and drew the furious condemnation of the Grand Duke of Regas and numerous nobles. In the end, he was stripped of his title."

"How did that battle fail?" Sylutia asked curiously.

"At that time, the military strength of Regas and the Kingdom of Ante was roughly equal. Both sides fought over the Windmill Plains, which were the granary and important territory in the north of Regas."

"In the early stages of the battle, Viscount Caren, relying on his superb military command, gained a certain advantage. But then, during a major engagement, the Kingdom of Ante dispatched a surprise attack force that circled around to the rear, cut off the supply lines, and suddenly charged out during the battle. This left the army formation commanded by Viscount Caren attacked from both front and rear. Many soldiers panicked and fled in disarray, ultimately leading to the failure of the entire campaign."

"Was that force very strong?" Sylutia inquired.

"They were not locals, but a mercenary army of other races hired by the Kingdom of Ante. It's said they were tribes from the Lion's Bite Mountains. If one delves deeper into their origins, some within the Candlefort School speculate they might be the mountain tribes that were expelled by the 'Knight King', Regard, back in the day."

"During the battle, they fought desperately, suffering heavy casualties to slaughter the fleeing knights of Regas. This directly led to a significant reduction in Regas's core military strength and a decline in national power later on."

"If not for a blood feud and legacy of hatred, these other races would not have fought so desperately. Later, after scholars' research, it was confirmed that their ancestors were indeed the mountain tribes who fled from within the borders of Regas."

"I see."

The spiral of history? She recalled the history of Regas's founding that she had once read. Although the occurrence of such events gave a sense of fate turning full circle, what Sylutia didn't understand was how a tribe secluded in the mountains possessed military strength capable of rivaling the regular army of Regas.

Unfortunately, very few people knew about the circumstances of that tribe. This scholar had only heard a couple of mentions.

The revival of a mountain tribe led to Regas's defeat in a crucial battle. This caused Viscount Caren to fall from power, leading Iona to come to the remote Scorchstone City, where she later met Sylutia.

Everything was like a domino effect;

a small change ultimately brought about widespread consequences.