The Cornflower Witch

Chapter 88: Changes Among the Students

"Miss Iona's swordsmanship still has room for growth, but your physical condition is not optimal right now, so I'm afraid it's not the time for training."

"Oh, you can tell my condition isn't good too, huh? Whatever, Scholar Hyde must have told you." She waved her hand dismissively.

"Since you say my swordsmanship has room for growth, then analyze it for me." She had displayed her swordsmanship a few times in front of classmates before, but those were not her full capabilities.

Sylutia thought for a moment, then pointed out some details in Iona's usual training that could be improved.

...

"Perhaps I underestimated you." This time, Iona's opinion of Sylutia changed significantly, and her tone shifted somewhat.

"You do have a very good eye." She pondered.

"Since you've demonstrated your own value, I can also show you respect. From now on in class, you can just call me by my name directly, no need for any honorifics."

"Here, this is for you." She pulled out a handwritten booklet from a cabinet.

"It contains the cultivation method for the 'Bee Dance Steps.' I won't teach you directly. How much you can comprehend and learn from it depends on your own talent.""Alright, that's enough for today's exchange. If you want to see me in the future, you can tell the maid in advance." She waved her hand, ready to see her guest out.

Sylutia expressed her thanks for the received booklet and then took her leave.

Soon, the room fell quiet again, and Iona stared blankly at the iron box in the corner for a long time.

"I never expected to encounter a true genius in a place like this."

What constitutes a genius varies in concept and answer from region to region, but as someone from White Cliff City, the royal capital, Iona had a deeper understanding of genius.

She had seen true geniuses and knew she herself was not that kind of genius, which was the source of her anxiety and unease.

"Since she has such a discerning eye, her strength probably isn't lacking either."

...

Not long after this visit concluded, Iona returned to Scholar Hyde's classroom. To the surprise of many classmates, this noble girl who previously disdained interacting with commoners had become somewhat more amiable. She would occasionally go to the training ground to watch and even participate in some practical combat training.

What surprised even more people was that she would actually take the initiative to talk to Sylutia and stand together conversing with her. This scene seemed unbelievable to many classmates, especially Valeny.

'Why? I was here first.' She bit her lip in resentment in the corner, but she didn't dare say it in front of Iona.

One day, Iona jumped down from the spectator stands on one side of the training ground, landing beside Sylutia.

"Do you know how to dance, Tia?" She directly used her name.

"I don't think I do." Among the memories she had recalled so far, there were no fragments of dancing.

"That's a bit of a pity. The 'Bee Dance Steps' originate from ancient court dance steps. If you don't know how to dance, it's hard to understand the rhythm within them." Iona shook her head, feigning regret.

"I see." Sylutia tilted her head in thought. Actually, she had already practiced the Bee Dance Steps a few times. Although somewhat unfamiliar, she could learn it. It was just that her current focus was on the 'Flower Blooming Method,' with no spare energy to learn it.

"Thank you for the reminder, Iona."

Seeing her like this, Iona couldn't help but shake her head. This girl really had no social experience. Couldn't she understand that her previous sentence was essentially telling her she could ask Iona for dance instruction?

However, Sylutia's simple and naive manner was actually something Iona viewed favorably. Perhaps she was also tired of the scheming and mind games with those society ladies and young misses back in White Cliff City.

Forget it, she might as well say it directly.

"If you want to learn to dance, I can teach you a bit." Hearing this, Valeny's fingers in the distance nearly turned red from how hard she was pinching them.

Why? Last time she had asked Iona, saying she wanted to learn about the court dances everyone did in White Cliff City, Iona had directly said she had no time.

"As for dancing, I probably don't have the energy to learn it right now." Sylutia shook her head. She had to tend to the flower fields, cultivate her own flowers daily, and also find time to practice and familiarize herself with several other skills. She simply couldn't spare any more time.

However, she wasn't completely oblivious to social cues. Probably sensing Iona's goodwill, Sylutia added, "Things will be less busy after the assessment is over. Please teach me then, Iona."

"If that's the case, we'll talk about it later then." Iona thought to herself that once she passed the assessment, she wouldn't have much time left in Scorchstone City.

The relationship between the two gradually grew closer. Occasionally, Iona would also ask Sylutia for clarification on some questions from the Secret History class and, in return, tell her some interesting stories about White Cliff City, which broadened Sylutia's horizons considerably.

"In the Regas Kingdom now, roughly what rank is the strongest person?"

"That? Indeed, many people are curious. I've heard my father talk about it before." Iona ran her fingers through her short golden hair.

"On the surface, the strongest is the 'First Knight,' Verto. He is a 'Fifth Tier' 'Winter Branch Knight.' But secretly, the Regas Kingdom should have hidden Sixth Tier existences." Iona answered.

Only Fifth Tier? Sylutia recalled the records in the ancient texts. It seemed the historical peak of the Regas Kingdom was only Sixth Tier. So indeed, this was the pinnacle of combat strength.

But, based on her vague childhood memories, she should have seen many higher-ranking existences, and her mother was at least a Seventh Tier or above figure; otherwise, she couldn't have performed that miraculous scroll magic.

Unfortunately, she hadn't encountered any existence above Fourth Tier yet. The most formidable person she currently knew was Lady Franne, who already felt invincible to her. She couldn't imagine what a Fifth Tier Transcendent would be like.

Single-handedly slaughtering a city, destroying a country? Or effortlessly sweeping through kilometers of low-tier opponents? It was all unknown.

The relaxed manner of their conversation was noticed by many classmates. Usually, even Mick and Komea wouldn't easily approach at such times, afraid of disturbing or offending Iona.

"Hmm, Tia has been taken by that bad woman." Komea, like Valeny, was unhappy in her heart.

"I wanted to tell Tia that I recently made a good friend, a snow-white Tili Wolf, very obedient." Her biggest gain during this break was encountering a clever and interesting creature while practicing her Phantom Eye.

At first, Komea was afraid this Tili Wolf would attack her, so she used her 'Phantom Eye' to influence it. Soon, it showed signs of friendliness, and the girl and wolf slowly became familiar.

Because it was pure white all over, Komea named it 'Doughball,' which was probably a slightly better name than 'Little White.'

On the other side, because of their previous spar, Mick and Solyn had become 'rivals' who often practiced against each other. It was probably that they both admired the other but didn't want to get too close, with a sense of quietly competing.

In the new year, everyone had undergone new changes, and the time for the Hidden Grove assessment drew closer and closer.