The Cornflower Witch

Book 3: Chapter 43: The Blood Clan's Scheme

Though the words were fantastical and unrealistic, coming from this young girl, they felt as if they should be so. If Sylutia had merely said she wanted to earn a lot of money or achieve some high position or rank, it would have felt somewhat regrettable, like a bright pearl covered in dust.

"Good luck, Hedra." Xinke blinked, offering sincere words of encouragement.

Although the two had known each other for only a very short time, she was the person who could resonate most with Sylutia. For her, many of the things ordinary people chased after held little meaning. The so-called wealth was already within her reach. The coursework and rank promotions that other students found difficult to master were, in her view, things she could easily achieve with just a bit more time.

Why does one live? How should this ultimately fleeting life be spent? These became problems faced by a small minority of people, and the answers they gave varied. The only certainty was that this answer would make her feel content, giving her a sense of complete peace and a resolve free of regrets.

This is the kind of life I want to live...

Even if it requires paying any price or enduring any pain, she would not waver because of it. Instead, she would accept everything in reality with great composure.

"You two are having so much eye contact, I can't understand it~" Lovier felt like Sylutia was about to be snatched away by Xinke, even though she was the one who knew her first.

Then, cheerful laughter rang out in the ice cream shop.

During the afternoon, Xinke accompanied the three of them shopping, introducing her usual favorite spots and the specialties of Water Lily Street, and so on. They didn't part ways until evening.

The next day, Monday.After the short holiday, returning to school again, Sylutia was still planning whether to go to the laboratory today to practice the newly learned Runic Inscription technique. Just then, the class suddenly became noisy.

"What happened?" someone asked curiously.

"Huadelin from School No. 73 was attacked, almost killed on his way home. Luckily, a Fourth Tier mage passing by saved him."

"An attack? Does that kind of thing happen in the Asra district?"

"Of course it does, but the kind he encountered is rare. Usually, attacks are for robbery or revenge killings. Huadelin's case clearly wasn't for either of those reasons, which makes it quite uncommon."

"Then who did it?"

"Don't know. Huadelin is still unconscious now, probably won't wake up for a few days."

"All the schools have been notified now, requiring us to travel in groups after school, not to walk alone at night, and so on."

"Will that be effective?"

"Who knows? But that's about all the school can do. Otherwise, assigning a guard to every student would require at least Third Tier guards to be effective against such attacks. But guards all at Third Tier? Just thinking about it seems impossible, right?"

The students chattered amongst themselves. After getting a clear understanding, Sylutia was about to go back to reading, but then someone came to find her.

"Hedra, the instructor is looking for you."

"Okay, I know." It's probably about what just happened.

She went to the office, and the instructor indeed told her to be careful during this period. Soon, the Principal also came over.

"This spherical pendant is lent to you. It has some protective effect and can also send a distress signal." As he spoke, the Principal handed her a silver-blue metal sphere engraved with intricate patterns.

【Gulfen Protective Orb】(Fourth Tier · Superior): Can deploy a protective isolation barrier lasting ten minutes. Its strength is equivalent to that cast by an ordinary Fourth Tier mage. Has a certain warning function; will automatically deploy when intense Aspect power fluctuations are detected nearby.

"I understand, thank you, instructor." Sylutia accepted it and curiously inquired about the details of the incident.

"We don't know the specifics either, only that the attack Huadelin encountered was likely an assault from another organization," the Principal explained.

Another organization? Those that the Mage Alliance would refer to as 'other organizations' across the entire Fourth Continent are probably only the 'Hidden Grove Alliance,' the 'Harp Flower Union,' and the 'Vast Sea Blood Clan.' Smaller school organizations probably don't even have the qualifications to be considered opponents.

Harboring some guesses, Sylutia left the office and returned to the classroom.

Thursday afternoon, Sylutia didn't attend class with the other students. Instead, she went to the lathe laboratory at School No. 106 to try making the small clock she had been researching recently. This was a mandatory test subject for admission to Tetis College.

After finishing the experiment, the sky gradually darkened. By the time she walked out the main gate of School No. 106, it was already six in the evening.

At this moment, the shops along the street had their lights on, and the carriages on the road had thinned out considerably, with only the occasional roaring steam vehicle passing by.

Walking back, Sylutia pondered the problems she encountered during the lab practice. The location of School No. 106 wasn't far from the dormitory, just a half-hour walk. She usually didn't specifically look for a ride back, preferring to take a stroll under the night sky.

Just as she was walking back leisurely as usual, two figures slowly emerged from the shadows at a street corner, gazing at the young girl's back under the streetlight.

"Is that her?" one of them asked.

"Yes, that black hair of hers is quite rare among students. She should be the 'Black Griffin' the school instructors mentioned."

"Reportedly a student of great talent, with the potential to reach Sixth Tier in the future."

"What a waste to leave such a person to the Mage Alliance," one of them said, licking his lips.

"Remember what Lord Ross said? For every such genius we successfully convert to the Blood Clan, he will reward us with a portion of 'True Scarlet Blood Brew.'"

"With that thing, advancing to Fifth Tier would be effortless for us," the burlier figure said, his words full of greed.

"Fifth Tier... If we reach Fifth Tier, we can become lords of the Blood Clan, establish our own islands and manors, enjoy endless money and countless beautiful women..." the thinner man beside him muttered to himself.

"But first, we have to succeed. That kid named 'Huadelin' earlier was so ungrateful, actually trying to run away halfway."

"Even though he was saved, he won't be advancing any further in the future. With the 'Bad Blood Poison' we administered, few in the Mage Alliance can cure it. Even if there are, those figures are all old monsters who don't concern themselves with worldly affairs. Why would they bother with such a trivial matter? Hehe."

"Haha, exactly. That guy really didn't know what was good for him. We wasted so many conditions on him that day, and he didn't listen to a single word."

"He didn't even consider that a normal human lifespan is only a little over a hundred years, while becoming a Blood Clan member, even a Third Tier one, can easily live for over three hundred years."

"Let's go. That little girl is about to enter the next street. Perfect for us to intercept her there."

"No matter how talented she is, what does it matter now? She hasn't grown up yet. Can a Second Tier possibly defeat two of us at Fourth Tier?" The two figures vanished into the shadows once more.

Meanwhile, Sylutia crossed the street, her footsteps halting as her gaze fell on a pastry shop by the roadside, wondering if she should buy something tonight to bring back for her two friends in the dorm.

Aurora would probably respond quite indifferently, but Lovier would definitely be very happy if she brought food back for her.

Thinking this, Sylutia turned and walked into that pastry shop.

Under the hazy lights, the colorful lettering beneath the sign appeared somewhat warm in the night.