Visiting Scholar Heide

Sylutia's life began to settle into a remarkably regular routine.

In the mornings, she focused on practicing the Dew Prayer Technique, then read the books Mailin had found for her. In the afternoons, she practiced swordsmanship and the Breathing Technique, and watered the Swan Orchids she'd recently planted in the courtyard.

In this way, she gradually settled down, and everything moved forward in an orderly fashion.

A little over a week later, Sylutia finally completed her study of the Dew Prayer Technique.

[Dew Prayer Technique Lv.1] (Emerald Nectar): Gather the morning mist at dawn and turn it into emerald dew. (Dew Water can promote plant growth and cultivate plants)

She'd finally mastered the basics. With a sigh of relief, she looked at the bottle of Emerald Dew Water in her hand, now only a third full.

If she used up this bottle before learning the Dew Prayer Technique, she wouldn't have the money to buy another.

Now she should be able to support herself. Perhaps she might even have some Emerald Dew Water left over to sell to the Gardener Guild.

Just as Sylutia decided to take a day to rest and relax, a message from Winnie arrived.

That afternoon, Talia led Sylutia through the streets of the West District. Pointing to a residence in the distance, she said to the girl,

"Do you see that place, Tia?"

"That's Scholar Heide's home. My sister said she spoke with him a few days ago. All you have to do is go meet him today. He'll probably give you a simple test, and if you pass, you can study under him."

"I understand." She took a deep breath, calming her slight nervousness.

In theory, her knowledge already surpassed that of most people her age, so she shouldn't have to worry about a test. But no matter how she looked at it, this was the most important test she'd faced so far—much like her first job interview after graduation.

"Let's go." Once she'd steadied her mind and breathing, the girl walked toward the residence.

After knocking on the door, following a servant across the front lawn, and entering the residence, Sylutia went to wait in the side parlor.

Today she wore a simple white dress, and her smooth hair was tied back with a cornflower ribbon. She looked serene and lovely, standing there like a beautiful painting.

Before long, Scholar Heide arrived in the parlor with an old servant. He wore his scholar's robe, giving him a formal yet kindly air.

When he saw Sylutia, he adjusted his round spectacles and sat down in an armchair by himself.

"Sit down, child." He gestured for Sylutia to take a seat as well.

"This is our first time meeting. What is your name?"

"My name is Sylutia." The girl greeted him with impeccable poise before sitting down, her movements and bearing nearly perfect.

"Sylutia..." Scholar Heide murmured her name, as if searching his memory for any information about her.

"You're a fine girl." He nodded slightly, a kindly smile on his face.

"Lessons will begin next Monday. After that, we'll meet five days a week. If you run into any difficulties, you can talk to me."

Huh? The girl was a little surprised. Wasn't he supposed to test her first?

"We still have plenty of time today. Let's talk about how things have been going lately." Scholar Heide told her not to hurry off.

"Winnie told me that you'd forgotten much of your past and wanted to study supernatural Aspects to recover your memories. Is that right?"

"Yes."

"Hehe, there's no need to be so nervous. Let's continue. If your memory loss is due to the power of an Aspect, the most likely causes are the Mist Shadow or Nightmare Aspects." He reflected on what he'd learned in his life.

"To recover your memories, the Aspect Power that would suit you best is Radiant Moon. However, the Radiant Moon Aspect..." He paused for a moment.

"Following that path will make your studies more difficult." He spoke from experience.

"Why is that?" Sylutia tilted her head slightly, curious.

"Ordinary people have the most contact with the Castle and Blood Law Aspect Powers, followed by things like Beast Fang and Emerald Nectar."

"These Aspect Powers all have physical manifestations, so they're relatively easy to encounter and sense, and therefore easier to study."

"The three lunar Aspects are different. They lean toward the mental realm—they have no physical form, and are ethereal, dreamlike things. Of them, the Mist Shadow still leaves traces, but the Radiant Moon is like the moon hanging high in the night sky: distant and difficult to reach."

"Resources related to the Radiant Moon Aspect are scarce, so Transcendents who specialize in it are especially rare."

"But the Radiant Moon is still revered. Of all the Aspects, it's one of the three highest-ranked."

"From your expression, I take it you don't know about the three highest-ranked Aspects. This is a classification used among Transcendents. It doesn't mean these three are absolutely stronger, but compared with other Aspect Powers of the same level, they're often more versatile and powerful."

"Blazing Sun, Radiant Moon, and Dragon Eye. Those are the three highest-ranked Aspects."

"In the Regas Kingdom, you can count on one hand the Transcendents who specialize in the Radiant Moon Aspect. If you want to follow that path, you'll need considerable talent." Though the girl had an excellent bearing, no one could guarantee she'd be equally talented at studying supernatural Aspect Powers.

"If that path really doesn't work out, you can also try studying the Emerald Nectar Aspect." He paused, then continued. "Emerald Nectar can't lead directly to Radiant Moon, but Silver Moon Orchids containing Radiant Moon Aspect Power can be cultivated. If you truly become a master in the relevant field, you could obtain high-level Radiant Moon Aspect Power by taking this roundabout route. Then you could find a skilled Pharmacist to prepare a potion for you and restore your past memories."

"Thank you, teacher."

The girl bowed in gratitude, filled with respect for the old man. No wonder he was recognized as a master scholar in Scorched Stone City. He'd so easily clarified the challenges she would face.

"All right, let's not discuss things so far in the future today." He waved his hand, inviting the girl to sit back down.

"What abilities and skills do you know at the moment? I may be able to offer some guidance."

"I know the Breathing Technique and the Dew Prayer Technique," the girl said, describing what she'd been learning lately.

"How long did it take you to learn the Dew Prayer Technique?"

"One week." Scholar Heide nodded, looking quite impressed.

"That must have cost you quite a bit. I remember practicing the Dew Prayer Technique has always been a luxury, which is why there are so few professional gardeners in Scorched Stone City."

"Um, can't you buy Emerald Dew Water from the Gardener Guild?" Sylutia asked hesitantly.

"Ah, that Emerald Dew Water is used to ripen flowers and plants. It's usually diluted, so it won't work for practicing. The Aspect Power in it is too weak." Scholar Heide shook his head.

"Usually, you need Emerald Dew Water with a concentration of over seventy percent. But you can only condense that kind of Emerald Dew Water after advancing the Dew Prayer Technique to the second stage, and it's quite expensive."

So that was how it worked. Sylutia recalled learning the Dew Prayer Technique. At first, sensing the faint Emerald Nectar Aspect had indeed been difficult. It had taken her quite some time to gradually get used to the feeling before she could condense her first drop of Emerald Dew Water.

"Looks like you had a benefactor who supplied the Emerald Dew Water you needed at the start." Scholar Heide stroked his beard. It was easy enough to understand. Anyone with a discerning eye could see that a girl with her looks and character had great potential, and wouldn't be too stingy with their support.

"I also have quite a few books about gardening. You can borrow them and read them whenever you have time." In this world, books were exceptionally expensive. Being able to borrow them was, in a sense, like gaining a great deal of wealth for free.

"Thank you, Scholar Heide."

"No, you should call me teacher now."

"I'm sorry. Thank you, Teacher Heide." The girl bowed in thanks, and the old man across from her smiled.

Afterward, the two discussed recent events in Scorched Stone City. Scholar Heide occasionally asked Sylutia what she thought about various matters, including economics, customs, and even small issues of management. As the girl answered, his expression grew more and more satisfied. Their conversation continued until dusk.

"Oh, is it dinnertime already?" Scholar Heide looked up and saw the colorful sunset outside the window.

"Manson, prepare dinner. Make it as lavish as you can to welcome Tia."

"Yes, sir." The old servant left the room and began preparing the meal.

After that, Scholar Heide told the girl to take a walk and rest in the courtyard for a while. She didn't need to keep him company and make conversation.

After leaving the side parlor, Sylutia found Talia waiting for her elsewhere.

"Tia, what did Lord Heide say? You talked for so long—you spent almost the whole morning and afternoon talking. Didn't your mouths get dry?" She grabbed the girl's shoulders, curiosity written all over her face.

"Maybe there was tea. But that's not important." The two of them then strolled around the courtyard, admiring the flowers growing there.

"My sister used to study here, too. Sometimes I'd come to visit her, and I'd see plenty of students her age."

"Where are those students now?" The girl was very curious.

"Some of them, like my sister, work in the city. Others continued their studies and went to other cities to further their education."

"Anyway, to become a scholar, you have to learn a lot and get recommendations from three official scholars. That's what my sister told me."

"Her grades were about average among the students in her year. She had little hope of becoming a scholar like Grandpa Heide, so she didn't continue her studies."

"But my sister said a few of her younger classmates were still pursuing their education and had gone elsewhere."

That evening, Sylutia and Talia sat at the dining table and had dinner with Scholar Heide. The day's main dish was wild boar stewed in mead, with brown bread and dipping sauce on the side.

It was a rare treat. If Sylutia and Talia had eaten out on their own, the meal would probably have cost two silver coins.

After dinner, the two said goodbye to Scholar Heide, and the girl began preparing for her studies in the days ahead.