The Cornflower Witch

Book 2: Chapter 212: Faded Memories

Vol 2 Chapter 212 Faded Memories

Ascending the relatively narrow stairs, Sylutia followed Mrs. Medisa up to the second floor. There was a spacious parlor here, black-and-white sofas and a tea set, a pale blue porcelain vase at the side, several oil paintings, and a wooden rack holding hanging garments.

It was clear this room was where Mrs. Medisa usually hosted salons and gatherings. With no one here at the moment, it felt somewhat quiet.

“Sit anywhere you like.” She walked ahead, let Sylutia sit first, then fetched a pot of rock sugar lemon tea from a cabinet behind and set it on the table.

“You are Hedra, right?” After placing it down, she leaned against the sofa, crossing her legs and lifting one ankle.

“Yes.”

“Do you want to learn to be a mage?”

“Yes.” On hearing the affirmative, Medisa watched Sylutia for a long moment. Seeing her eyes clear and steady without any evasiveness, she fiddled with a smoking pipe and took a small puff.

“It’s rare. Young people from the Merchant Capital Alliance don’t usually think of traveling so far to study.”

“May I ask why?”“Probably curiosity about new and powerful things.” Sylutia explained like that.

“Young people’s minds,” Medisa chuckled slightly, the corner of her mouth lifting. But perceptive Sylutia still sensed a trace of sadness in her gaze.

“The Mage Alliance is indeed powerful and vibrant. You can see many novel things there. Living there gives you the illusion that the era itself is advancing beneath your feet,” Medisa said slowly.

“When I was young, I felt much like you, enamored with breaking old constraints, embracing freedom and openness, following the path of truth.”

“In theory, I should have stayed there forever. Like women obsessed with fashion trends, they should stay at the forefront.”

“But in the end, I grew tired. You could say I aged and no longer wanted to chase new things so hard. I just wanted to clutch fond memories, sit under the setting sun, and quietly grow old.”

“The cost of rapid development is that many old things vanish fast, and before you know it, the people you knew have all changed.”

“I feel like I’ve said nonsense, hehe. Well, since you want to go, I’ll explain in detail how to study there.”

“First, you must be a Transcendent of one of the three major Aspects: Castle, Secret Word, or Gold Steam. At minimum, you need First Tier. Then you must pass the Mage Alliance’s assessment, which covers many aspects, such as basic reasoning, arithmetic, language and writing, and so on. If you pass, you’ll receive a white card bearing your name and identity. Then you report to the Alliance’s border preparatory school, where instructors will teach free courses for three months.”

“After those three months there is an assessment. If you pass, you’ll be issued a blue card. With that, you’ve crossed the threshold and can report to the inner academy district of the Mage Alliance. New students mostly gather in the Gemor, Ximilye, and Asra districts. Combined, these places hold nearly a hundred groups of freshmen. They will live and study there until they pass an academy’s exam and officially become members.”

“When I say ‘academy,’ I mean the universities run by the Mage Alliance’s various schools. Each academy’s strength can rival external kingdoms. Mages of Third Tier and above number from hundreds to thousands. The three most powerful academies rival an empire; they have over fifty hundred formal mages and even Named Ones who can influence the continent’s balance.”

“These academies each tackle different directions of truth exploration and research. They form the massive framework of the Mage Alliance like a colossal roaring machine. Under each academy hang numerous workshops established by powerful mages. These workshops absorb low-tier mages and personnel to fulfill orders or tasks from the academy or the outside world.”

“There you can see mechanical dragons racing through the sky, steam trains weaving between mountains, and many precise bronze automatons. It gathers the wealthiest people of the Fourth Continent and is the most decadent, prosperous area. Of course, beneath the prosperous façade lies an equal measure of darkness; whether you can accept and adapt to that is up to you.”

“If you don’t want to go to the Alliance border and study basic, crude knowledge in those low, shabby houses among ordinary people, you can self-study and then directly apply to the Mage Alliance. They will give you a more difficult assessment; if you pass, you can also get the blue card and then enter the academy district from there.”

“I recommend taking that direct route. If you can’t even pass the entry assessment, then you might as well give up and stay in Quebec as a well-off young lady, living an easy and simple life.”

“I understand. Thank you for your guidance, Mrs. Medisa.” Sylutia pressed a hand lightly to her chest and bowed in thanks.

“Do you think you could introduce a suitable instructor for me?”

“Instructor...let me think. I do know someone. He lives in a lighthouse by the sea. He’s taciturn but has solid knowledge.”

“He can certainly teach you, but whether he’s willing to accept a student, I don’t know. He doesn’t like noise.”

“I’ll prepare a fruit basket and choose a sunny afternoon to bring you to visit him. If things go well, you might be accepted as his apprentice. If he refuses, then you’ll have to ask Alanfude to find another candidate for you.”

“I understand, thank you, Mrs. Medisa.”

“Go on, go on.” With that, Mrs. Medisa saw Sylutia down the stairs.

By then Lady Haier had already returned to the shop and was whispering complaints to Alanfude, roughly meaning she felt the perfume was far too expensive.

“Eriel has never used anything that expensive...”

“I know, madam. Rest assured, my love for Eriel will not be diminished.” Alanfude had to placate Lady Haier. Seeing Sylutia come downstairs, he raised a hand in greeting.

“Hedra, how did your chat with Mrs. Medisa go?” He blinked his eyes.

“It went very well. Mrs. Medisa told me a lot about perfumes.” Sylutia nodded.

“Good. It’s getting late. Why don’t we go have lunch first?”

“Yes, uncle.”

Afterward, the three of them took their leave from Mrs. Medisa and departed.

Once Sylutia left, Medisa sat alone in the second-floor room and took another drag from her pipe, then glanced at the vast blue sky outside.

It seemed she hadn’t had such idle chats with young people in a long time. She recalled some events from thirty years ago, when she too had been studying in the academy district with a bunch of young girls, sharing tips on how to save money.

Those days of poverty yet vigor, pressure yet faint joy, spread out in her memory like yellowing old photographs.

“Has it already become such a distant memory...”