The Cornflower Witch

Book 3: Chapter 71: Arriving at Tetis College

"Everything is loaded, Miss Hedra." In front of the carriage, a steward in a black uniform came over to report.

"Alright, thank you. I'll board in a moment."

Sylutia looked at the apartment building in front of her, along with the several classmates who had come to see her off. She gave them a slight nod, then waved goodbye.

Among the three of them, she was the last to leave. Aurora and Lovier had already arrived at their admitted colleges. Over the past few days, Sylutia had also finished arranging the final matters and was now ready to set off.

"See you all next time." With that said, Sylutia stepped onto the large carriage. The door closed behind her, and she could only see the outside through the window.

Soon, the carriage moved forward. The winged beasts pulling it flapped their wings, and under the activation of a special device, the carriage gradually became lighter. Then, it was lifted into the air by the two griffins in front and rose skyward.

The altitude slowly increased. The noise of the streets below faded away, and the surroundings gradually quieted down, leaving only the howling of the wind.

Sylutia leaned by the window, admiring the scenery below. This was her second time surveying this area from high above. Looking down from this altitude, the streets below looked like straight lines, cleanly dividing each block into neat sections, giving a mathematical sense of geometric precision.

In the span of a year, Sylutia had come to understand a great deal about the Mage Alliance. But it wasn't until she entered the advanced academy and became an official Third Tier mage that she truly stepped into the inner circle of the Mage Alliance and glimpsed the full picture of this vast national organization.

As for what lay ahead, she felt both curiosity and anticipation.The carriage moved forward, flying from morning until around four in the afternoon. Finally, Sylutia saw a cluster of massive towers appear at the edge of the sky. Their shapes were exceptionally straight and towering.

As the carriage drew closer to these towers, Sylutia could see rows of windows on each level. Through the glass, she could glimpse the interiors: some were tidy circular halls, others were alchemy laboratories, some were libraries, and still others were filled with instruments of various sizes.

Compared to the Asra District, the buildings here had straighter, cleaner lines, and the streets were spotlessly clean. Many official mages above the Third Tier walked about, while ordinary people without an Aspect were rare, only seen in a few shops.

A few minutes later, the carriage descended and stopped at a clock plaza. The square was lined with square flower pots and plants, giving it a warm, lively look. A few new students, much like Sylutia, had just gotten off their own carriages and were looking around curiously.

After the carriage stopped, the coachman helped unload several large chests, then told Sylutia, "Please wait here for a moment. Someone will come to assist you soon. Alternatively, you can report directly at that golden pavilion over there." He pointed in a direction, where one of the plaza's exits had a large golden pavilion by the roadside.

"Alright." Sylutia nodded.

The carriage departed shortly after, and Sylutia didn't have to wait long. A young mage in a black trench coat walked over. He wore glasses and a pocket watch on his chest, a white silk scarf at his collar, and specially made white gloves on his hands.

"Hello, new student." He approached, looked Sylutia up and down, and upon seeing the silver clock badge pinned to her chest, he gave a slight nod.

This badge had been issued to Sylutia by Tetis College after her admission, representing her identity.

"I'm a third-year student at Tetis College. Damian. I'm responsible for receiving you all." He introduced himself, then lightly pressed his fingers against his pocket watch, which displayed a special badge pattern.

When this appeared, Sylutia saw her own badge emit a responding silver glow, so she nodded in greeting.

"Hello, Senior Damian."

Seeing that Sylutia was obedient and polite, he seemed to be in a good mood and began telling her what to do next.

"First, we'll go to that golden pavilion to register and get your assigned dormitory number. Then, I'll take you and the coachman to your lodging."

"Follow me." With that, he led Sylutia over.

Since there were still a few students queuing ahead, the two chatted for a bit.

"Which school district are you from?"

"The Asra District, Senior."

"Oh, that's a peaceful place. As for me, I studied in the Ximilye District back in the day. Dueling is very popular there—whether it's academic debates, actual fights, or competitive achievements, and so on." As he said this, a hint of pride showed in his voice.

"Don't duels ever result in casualties?" Sylutia asked curiously.

"Of course they do, but it's rare. You see, people who fight a lot are actually less likely to get into serious trouble. The ones who really get hurt are usually those who rarely throw down, because they don't know their own strength."

"The competitive atmosphere in the Ximilye District is intense. It's an old campus of the Mage Alliance, with fierce competition for resources. If you just focus on studying, you probably won't get anything." He chuckled teasingly.

"The school sets rewards for weekly and monthly exams, then randomly shuffles the assignments. If you beat the other members in your group, you get the prize."

"I actually quite like this system, because the people assigned to the same group are usually of similar strength. Defeating them gives you a real sense of accomplishment."

"I heard that the Asra District has the smallest budget and resources among the three school districts. Since there's not enough surplus to set up rewards, they simply didn't implement this competitive reward system."

"I see." Sylutia thought for a moment, then continued, "Senior, could you tell me about the differences between the three school districts?"

"This... alright, since you're interested, I'll tell you. Looks like you didn't do any research when you enrolled."

"Among the three school districts, the Ximilye District was established the earliest. Many students there come from the core areas of the Mage Alliance. They've received a complete mage education from a young age, have a solid foundation, and easily gain an advantage over their peers. This district also gets the most resources allocated to it, but the competition is brutal. Those who can fight their way out of this district are all good seeds."

"Next is the Gemor District, which is close to the western side of the Mage Alliance. It has very rich mineral resources and is the district with the most courses related to machinery and metalworking. Many students there are skilled at crafting their own weapons, creations, and armor. Some can even wield a greatsword or a heavy hammer, and they can tinker with mechanical constructs."

"The last to be established was the Asra District. Most of its students come from the southeastern regions of the Mage Alliance and the outside world. Since these areas were later expansions of the Alliance, many students are from outside and have weaker foundations. As a result, this district places a lot of emphasis on making up for those foundational courses. And because there are so many students who aren't originally from the Mage Alliance, they don't care much about background or race. The atmosphere is more peaceful and friendly."

"For you to get into Tetis College from the Asra District, you must have worked really hard. Every year, only about 10% of new students at Tetis College come from that district."

"Let me think... This year, there seem to be 76 new students admitted. Only 6 of them are from the Asra District."

"That few?" Sylutia was a bit surprised.

"Of course. The reputation of Tetis College doesn't allow just anyone to waltz in." His voice carried a note of pride.

As they were talking, the people ahead finally finished queuing, and it was Sylutia's turn.

"Name?" the staff member inside the golden pavilion asked.

"Hedra." The girl handed over her badge.

The staff member checked it, dipped the badge in ink, stamped it on the registration form, and returned it to her.

"Here are your room key, student handbook, and carrying orb." With that, they handed Sylutia three items.

The key had a slightly peculiar shape. Its front end was square, with different cut-out outlines inside, seemingly inscribed with special magical array patterns. Inserting it into the lock would activate the door.

The student handbook was not just a book but also a Third Tier creation. Its cover was made of sturdy, wear-resistant "vertical-grain copper" and could serve as a small shield. When opened, it revealed special pale yellow "contract paper" inside, a type of paper that solidified once written on and could not be altered. Any attempt to smear or change the text would cause the entire page to crack.

"This handbook isn't for you to use as a notebook. When you attend classes and complete your studies, teachers or professors will stamp it to record your credits and grades." the staff member told Sylutia.

"Also, make sure to carry that orb with you as much as possible. It can effectively protect your safety."

"Thank you, I understand." The orb was similar to the one she had worn in the Asra District. It seemed to be standard issue for academy students; she had just received it ahead of time.

[Golden Vine Protective Orb] (Fourth Tier, Perfect) – Can rapidly deploy a powerful protective dome to block attacks. Built-in special slow-timer that can reduce the flow of surrounding things, creating a time-slowing effect. Additionally, the protective orb has a built-in distress signal and locator spell. Activation will trigger a response from the nearest tower.

Sylutia looked it over. The orb's surface was covered in golden vines. Its effects were almost identical to the "Silver Vine Protective Orb" she currently wore at her waist, except the color was slightly different.

"A golden orb. It seems they value you quite a bit." Damian put on the monocle hanging from his chest and examined it closely.

"Is there a difference?" Sylutia asked curiously.

"In terms of effect, not much. But the distress signal from a golden one has a higher rating. They're usually given to the top students in the year as a token of commendation." He took off his monocle after inspecting it.

"So, it seems your grades must be among the best of this year's new students. Otherwise, the college wouldn't place so much importance on you."

"Come on, let's move your things first." After that, Damian called the coachman over. They loaded Sylutia's chests onto the carriage and set off for her dormitory.

"Let me see the address... South, Black Rose Palace-1..." He read the address, his eyebrows raised slightly, and he checked it several times.

"How could this be the address?" He seemed puzzled, then looked up at the girl sitting across from him in the carriage.

"Is there something wrong with this address, Senior?" the girl asked, equally confused.

"Generally, new students go to South-Stream Palace, Wind Cotton Palace, or East-White Stone Palace, Pottery Rock Palace. This is the first time I've seen someone going to Black Rose Palace."

"Is that place special?"

"Yes, Black Rose Palace is surrounded by a barren mountain. It was originally planned as a residence for high-level mages, but it's never been used and has been sitting empty. I didn't expect them to put it to use now."

"Let's go take a look. I guess it's been renovated while I wasn't paying attention."

Several dozen minutes later, their carriage arrived at the destination. When they got off, the two of them looked at the mansion built into the mountainside, very surprised.

It wasn't so much a student dormitory as it was a large villa. There was a surrounding wall, and in the yard, newly planted black roses were in bloom.

"Do new students get such good living conditions now?" Damian stared for a while before leading Sylutia over.

At the main gate, Sylutia took out her key and inserted it. With a soft click, the lock opened, and the two stepped inside.

The interior was decorated quite warmly. The floor was made of wooden planks, and the windowsill was adorned with various small flowers. The house had three floors in total: the first and second were for living, while the attic on the third floor could be used for storage.

On the living room table was a checklist with instructions for the house: how to use hot water, which days of the week someone would come to collect trash and clean up, instructions to put laundry in the box by the door, and so on. If basic necessities were lacking, one could write them on the board and hang it up, and someone would deliver them later.

"This is practically the treatment of an academy teacher. For a student, it would usually be an elite from the upper grades who gets to enjoy this." Damian commented after reading it.

"It seems I had some misunderstandings about you, Hedra. Could you be the descendant of some big shot?" He rubbed his chin and thought for a moment.

"Forget it. I won't pry into these secrets."

"Your current residence isn't far from the 'Minute Hand District.' It's about a 20-minute walk. All your classes will be there. Freshmen courses are very centralized, so you won't have to run around. In another year or two, you'll probably be assigned to study under a specific teacher or professor. By then, you'll likely be familiar with the place."

"Five days from now is the opening ceremony, which all new students will attend. Before that, your academy uniform should be delivered. Make sure to change into it." He began going over things one by one.

"As for meals, the Minute Hand District has the academy's restaurant. You can eat there for free with your student badge. If you want to eat better, you'll have to go outside. On the 'Redtail Sparrow Street' south of the academy, there are many restaurants offering high-quality meals. If you're flush with cash, you can go there often."

"In your first year at the academy, you'll need to learn the various basic secret arts of your school. By the second year, you should be able to get into some more practical stuff. By then, you'll usually be at Third Tier, and you can look for work from teachers or outside workshops to put what you've learned into practice."

"This way, you not only train yourself but also make a decent amount of money. As for money, it has many uses."

"In a sense, the speed at which you make money in the Mage Alliance roughly matches the speed at which you advance in rank. That's because powerful mages use this virtuous cycle to constantly grow stronger."

"The only purpose of knowledge is to use it. If you just keep memorizing things, they'll eventually drift away from reality, and you'll end up wasting a lot of effort."

"Though everyone says studying is hard, I see it differently. I actually love the process of mastering a new secret art and using it to accomplish something. It gives me an incredibly fulfilling feeling, and it's full of accomplishment."

"Trust me, this addictive feeling is your greatest motivation to learn."

"Alright, as your senior, I'll leave you with that. See you later. The place I live now isn't on campus; it's at 78 Black Stork Street. If you ever have new ideas or discoveries, feel free to come and discuss them with me. As for daily trivialities, go to the academy's teachers. I'm not good with that stuff." He said jokingly.

"I understand, Senior." Sylutia smiled and bowed in thanks.

"Then see you next time, dear Hedra." He waved his hand and got on the carriage to leave.