Arriving at the ice cream stall, the two ordered the flavors they wanted and then sat at a table under an umbrella to wait.
Camilla leaned lazily against the table, resting her chin on her hands, gazing at Sylutia across from her. Time seemed to slow down at that moment, and the quiet gaze carried a sense of peace.
Finally, she suppressed her vampiric instincts because of this feeling of liking. Even though she hadn't defeated any powerful opponents at the moment, Camilla felt a faint sense of pride and satisfaction, as if she had made a decision she would never regret for the rest of her life.
The sunlight slanted in, some of it falling on Sylutia's wrist; even without looking, she could clearly feel the burning sensation.
This summer seems a bit hotter, thought Sylutia. Perhaps it's because the Gale Season is starting to warm up.
It is said that in the years Gale Season, there will be a slight rebound in temperature during the continuous cooling process.
In the bright season, the sunlight makes the colors of objects more vibrant, rather than the gray and gloomy atmosphere of the long winter.
As Sylutia waited, her gaze swept over the students strolling along the street. They were in the prime of their youth, the most beautiful stage of their lives, walking by in twos and threes.
Unlike those experiencing youth for the first time, Sylutia has hazy memories of her past life, so she not only has a perception of youth but also possesses it. This feeling is quite wonderful, as if she is enjoying a delicious fruit and knows clearly in her heart when she will finish eating this sweetest fruit of her life, and that she will never have a second chance to taste it.
She used to occasionally wonder if she really should spend so much of her best years studying and practicing, but thankfully, knowing that she possessed the Fairy's blessing of youth saved her from that anxiety.
I am grateful to my mother in this life, who foresaw this problem for me in advance, allowing me to fully explore this wonderful and prosperous world.
Thoughts drifted through her mind as Sylutia stared blankly at the street not far away. Her eyes, under the parasol, were as clear and distant as black crystal. Camilla etched this quiet scene into her memory, preserving it carefully deep within her heart.
"Your ice cream is ready." A few minutes later, the ice cream was finished, finally breaking the silence.
"Okay, thank you." Sylutia's eyes regained their liveliness. She got up, went to the window to take two double-scoop ice cream cones, and then returned to the parasol.
" Camilla, here." The girl handed one of them to the other person.
"Thanks."
Camilla took the ice cream from the girl, held it in her hands, and slowly savored it. The cool, sweet taste spread between her teeth, clearing her mind somewhat.
While munching on her ice cream, Camilla occasionally glanced at the girl opposite her, her mind wandering to many things.
It seems like it's been a long time since I've sat at the table so elegantly and enjoyed my snacks.
Since her mother's death, and after she and Katera took over the Blood Clan, no one could restrain or govern her anymore. She no longer had to maintain a ladylike and obedient persona in front of her mother as she had in her distant childhood, and many of the habits she had developed had been slowly forgotten over time.
Unexpectedly, many things came to mind again today.
Emotions are such complex and delicate things, she thought to herself once again, then curiously followed the girl's movements, trying to keep pace with her as she ate her ice cream.
As Sylutia put the last piece of cone into her mouth and ate it, Camilla simultaneously ate the last bit of her remaining cone.
The two stood up together, and then Camilla followed behind Sylutia as they walked out of the ice cream shop.
Next, they had to walk a long way to places they had never been before.
A week later, the Asura District began to welcome admissions officers from various Academy. They would set up exhibition areas in specific locations to demonstrate the different characteristics and advantages of each Academy, in order to attract more fresh talent.
Although the rankings of various Academy have been made public for some time, most students only know the rankings and do not understand the true situation and strengths of each Academy. Instead of blindly applying based on the rankings, it is better to choose Academy that you are more good at and like, which will lead to better growth.
According to the evaluations of senior students and teachers, the various schools of thought can be divided into four tiers. T1 is naturally the three most well-known schools: the Mithril Clock Origin Hourglass, and the Sun Furnace. T2 consists of the seven schools ranked fourth to tenth.
There is no specific standard for T3, but it can be roughly understood as the ten schools of thought ranked eleventh to twentieth.
In the final T4, few people pay attention to the relative strengths of the different schools of thought; since none of them are in the top twenty, they are all classified as T4.
Sylutia learned that the Bionics School was currently ranked eighteenth, which was also near the bottom of T3. No wonder Professor Knox advised her that there was no need to go there.
Actually, she quite likes the " Bionics School," as many of its secret techniques can simulate the abilities of various fantastical creatures, creating a beautiful blend of reality and fairy tales.
During the break, as usual, Sylutia tidied up her notes and went to the cafeteria with her two roommates. But as she passed Camilla's seat, Camilla nodded slightly to her. That brief exchange of glances was as if they were greeting each other.
Although the two went shopping and took a walk together last weekend and got along very well, at school, Camilla didn't seem to want to appear close to Sylutia. She would consciously keep a certain distance from Sylutia and would only greet her Tia to show that she didn't mean to distance herself, but just had her own extra reasons.
In response, Sylutia guessed that the other person might not like being with too many people, or that they habitually kept a low profile and didn't want to be the center of attention, because she had a similar habit in the past.
Like a radiant sunflower, Lovier attracts attention wherever she goes. Her lively and carefree demeanor might make Camilla uncomfortable, because when they took a walk together that day, Sylutia felt that Camilla was a quiet and gentle person in everything she did.
In the school cafeteria, students were excitedly discussing the various schools of thought that had recently arrived in the Asura District.
"Did you hear that huge sound that echoed Asura District yesterday?" a student said excitedly.
"That's a masterpiece of the Resonance School '!"
The " Resonance School " is a school of thought that studies sound, sound waves, vibrations, and harmony. They share the same origin as the Opera School, both praising the great melody and believing that the world originated from a grand chorus, a concerto that connects all living beings with the earth.
Historically, during the Fifth Era, the Fairy of the mythical era gathered together, hand in hand, and sang, causing the World Tree to sprout and grow. This shattered countless floating islands, which were then brought together by the roots of the World Tree, giving birth to the first continent of this world, the foundation of the world known as "the Earth."
Although they share the same origin, the current " Resonance School " and the Opera School " are quite different. One focuses on expanding the influence of sound waves and transforming the world, while the other values its performance and the power to convey ancient legends and stories.
" The Resonance School, huh? Shall we go check it out this afternoon?" Sylutia, quite curious.
The other two said they had no objections. Aurora said she was actually quite familiar with the Resonance School as well.
"Because the Opera School and they share the same origins, and some of their secret techniques are very similar in origin, we often discuss and study together. That's how I occasionally get to know professors and masters from that school."
"However, there aren't many Mage study the Resonance School,' and they currently rank behind the Opera School." Hearing this, Lovier immediately became curious and interested.
"What about other schools of thought? What other schools of thought does Aurora know about?"
"Let me think about it." Aurora tapped her lips with her finger as she pondered.
"I'm also quite familiar with the Lock and Key School and the Gem School. When I was little, I really liked a gift my parents bought from the Lock and Key School —a beautiful box that no one but me could open."
The " Gem School " is quite renowned; they excel at refining gemstones of various Aspect Power, which are in demand by many Mage and Transcendent. It is currently ranked fifth among the most powerful schools of thought.
"People are generally familiar with the top schools of thought in the Mage Alliance, but the smaller schools are not as well-known," she explained.
"I'll go check it out this afternoon. I think I'll need to catch up on some classes too, to see if there have been any new developments or changes in the various schools of thought in recent years."
After agreeing on their plans, the three of them walked out of the restaurant together.
In the afternoon, the three arrived at the recruitment area specially designated by the Asura District. There was a huge open space with large circles enclosed by circular roads. Each Academy would set up its own exhibition hall in the circular open space to showcase the characteristics and advantages of their school of thought and attract students to enroll.
--
Upon arriving, the three of them had just gotten out of the car when they saw the exhibition area filled with students of various clothing styles. They came from many schools in the Asura District and were curiously touring each exhibition hall.
"Looks like we'll have to wait in line for a while." Aurora, anticipating this, took out the parasol she had brought. The black and blue parasol had white pleats like a skirt around its edges, and when opened, it released a faint sense of coolness.
"Oh, it's a treasure with the ' Winter Slumber ' Aspect Power." Lovier looked at it curiously. She wasn't afraid of the sun and was wearing a beautiful Golden Wind Tulip hat on her head.
This is a second-tier " Winter Slumber " creation, and it is quite exquisite.
Aurora walked alongside Sylutia, holding an umbrella, while Lovier walked briskly on the other side, the summer breeze gently lifting the pink and gold petals on the brim of her hat.
The three of them weren't in a hurry, and they talked about the various schools of thought they had encountered as they walked.
"To maintain balance, none of the top ten Academy have arrived yet."
"As for the Mithril Clock school that Hedra wants to go to, its subordinate Thetis Academy will arrive in the last month, a month later than the other Academy," Aurora explained.
"This is to prevent them from stealing the spotlight and depriving other Academy of the opportunity to showcase themselves."
More than ten minutes later, the three followed the student crowd into a tall, domed exhibition hall, where everything was filled with gold.
Gilded decorations, gilded statues, golden flowers and leaves, spellcasters dressed in elaborate golden lace dresses, and golden mirrors and Rotation stage.
The Gold Foil School " is a school of thought that excels at using gold wire, gold powder, gold leaf, and other gold-based creations. They are not skilled in combat, but they can maximize the potential of gold. Many royal families invite them to build palaces and decorate objects for them. Their creations are known for their exquisite craftsmanship and longevity.
"So beautiful~"
"Joining this school of thought seems to require a certain level of wealth."
"Is it all made of gold? That's so luxurious."
"Although it's not a very strong school of thought, joining them will definitely ensure we won't be poor in the future," some students discussed.
In the Mage Alliance, the Gold Foil School ranks thirty-three, which is very low, but it still cannot stop the enthusiasm of many students to apply, because the Mage of this school are generally wealthy and do not have to worry about making a living.
Aurora led the two on a tour, occasionally whispering supplementary information to the Mage's narration on stage.
"While the Gold Foil School is known for its luxurious, beautiful, and aesthetically pleasing qualities, these are the main impressions people have of it. However, their school of thought is not without its merits."
"The secret techniques of the Gold Foil School can create an extremely transparent golden film to block toxins and corrosion. Items sealed with gold leaf can withstand the erosion of time and be preserved for a long time."
"Some of the old items in my family were also preserved with their help."
"Furthermore, gold's excellent ductility makes it useful in many intricate creations, and they often supply products to other schools of thought, ensuring a steady stream of income."
"I see."
After touring the exhibition hall, the three continued forward, crossed the road outside, and entered a new exhibition hall.
If the exhibition hall of the Gold Foil School " is a golden world, then this is a dazzling venue where multiple colors compete for attention.
A giant folding fan in pure white and azure blue, emerald green vines hanging from the sky, deep purple fruits on the trees, colorful lizards climbing and perching among the leaves, and crimson petals blooming under the shade of the trees. The Mage on the stage, who is giving the introduction, is also dressed in colorful and orderly clothing, as beautiful as a peacock.
The " Color School," ranked thirty-second, is a school of thought specializing in manipulating color changes. They can easily create vibrant colors that don't originally exist in the world. Their most famous products are fireworks, pigments, dyes, and colored paper. Their motto is "Decorate the world with the most beautiful colors."
Here Sylutia saw a variety of bright and rich colors, and the carefully crafted and matched creations, such as fans, dresses, paintings, book pages, and exotic fruits, all left a deep impression.
After leaving the exhibition hall, the three continued forward.
As they entered the new exhibition hall, shrouded in a hazy mist, the three of them quickly lost sight of the other students just a few meters ahead, and the sounds coming from behind them became faint. Even though they knew perfectly well that this was the Academy's exhibition hall, the three of them still had the illusion of stepping into another world.
As they walked forward along the path, they occasionally saw towers, clocks, owls, small tombstones, and hazy figures passing through the mist.
"That's Mist Spirit, said to be a part of a person's will after death," Aurora whispered.
The Mist Porcelain School," ranked thirty-first, is a school that studies mist, concealment, mist porcelain, and mist-transformed bodies, among other hazy phenomena. Although their ranking is not high, their combat power is relatively strong. In the past, a powerful "Mist Posture School Mage " once slaughtered an entire city, and it was not discovered until a month later.
Continuing forward, the three arrived at the next exhibition hall, where plaster sculptures were everywhere. In the very center of the hall stood a giant Griffin sculpture about ten stories high, its wings spread as if about to take flight. Each feather Sharpness and slightly curved, and the sculpture's muscles were clearly defined and exuded a strong sense of power.
In addition, the exhibition also features many beautiful human-shaped plaster sculptures.
The Plaster School," ranked thirtieth, is a school dedicated to the study of Petrification materials such as plaster, lime, solidification, and sealing. They are masters of plaster craftsmanship, capable not only of sculpting exquisite plaster statues but also of manipulating stone figures to instantly construct Sturdiness Castle, solidify and seal enemies, and even Petrification them. Their motto is "Please call me the Stone Music Craftsman."
The various schools of thought displayed their unique characteristics, leaving the students overwhelmed and unaware that evening had arrived before they knew it.
"Ugh, I'm hungry." Lovier said, pulling on Sylutia's hand with her eyes wide open. Although she didn't explicitly say she wanted to go out to eat, Qiao and Aurora knew that the child definitely wanted to go out and get something to eat.
"Hehe, wait a minute, let's take a detour and go to the Feast School, ranked twenty-second," Aurora said, "Where they offer far more luxurious cuisine than the Asura District." Aurora's words cheered Lovier up again, and she followed her down the road.