Cornflower Witch

Chapter 195 Knight's Flower - Sylvia
White Stone Fortress, Church of the White Knight.

Hiltiya rode a white horse, practicing in circles in the training ground, constantly steering the warhorse over obstacles along the way, or accelerating to hit targets along the way with her light long spear.

(Riding Skills Proficiency +11)
(Riding Skills Proficiency +15)
……

The silver-haired girl, dressed in a white hunting outfit, continued to practice her skills in riding the warhorse and gradually became familiar with the horse beneath her.

An hour later, Siltia, her back soaked with sweat, stopped training and went to rest in a nearby seat.

"Have some water, Tia." Sophitina thoughtfully brought her some water and handed it to her.

The two sat on a shady chair and talked about their recent situation.

"The association has arranged a lot of training for you recently: horseback riding, archery, marksmanship, and military management knowledge. Are they preparing to train you to be a knight?" Sophitina asked with a hint of curiosity.

“No.” Hiltiya shook her head and wiped the sweat from her forehead and face with a towel.

"It seems like they're going to give me a comprehensive education and test my potential in various fields." She stretched her legs slightly to ease her body.

"During the day I have to learn riding and marksmanship, and at night I have to go to several teachers for lessons." Hiltiya counted on her fingers the courses she had to take every day, feeling like she was back in the stressful high school days.

Does the other world also emphasize all-round development in morality, intelligence, and physical fitness? She shook her head and tied up the hair at the back of her head to make it more breathable, allowing her sweaty back to dry slowly in the wind.

However, it's good to learn new things. During this time, she not only improved her 'Basic Spear Technique' to Lv.5, but also learned 'Knight Spear Technique' and improved it to Lv.3. Today, her 'Riding Skills' training also improved to Lv.3, making her comparable to many knight squires.

"What is Tiya learning tonight?"

"It's probably about 'financial management' and 'resource development,' including a lot of miscellaneous items. Basically, it's the management knowledge that a small city lord needs to know." Siltiya just wanted to lean back in her chair and take a nap.

Although she is very talented in this life and learns at a speed several times faster than ordinary people, this state of focusing attention and enhancing perception also increases the consumption of energy, making her occasionally sleepy.

"Tia, you've had a hard day. Sleep here for a while." Sophitina lovingly held Tia in her arms, letting her rest her head on her lap, and she slowly fell asleep.

A gentle afternoon breeze rippled through the air, and the bright sunlight shone on the training ground, casting a dazzling white light. Occasionally, the sounds of students practicing combat could be heard from afar, and the air was relatively quiet for a moment.

About 20 minutes later, Hilti woke up, feeling much better and much more conscious.

She stretched, waved to Sophitina sitting on the bench, then went back to the stables, led out the white horse, and began the afternoon training.

……

One month later

In the same training ground, young students gathered. This time, there were not only members of the 'Holy White Knight Hall', but also some apprentices from the 'Four Seasons Alliance' and 'Forging Iron Hammer'. Everyone was gathered around the railing, curiously watching the scene of fighting inside.

On the knights' track, two figures rode their warhorses toward each other, each holding a lance which they slowly lowered as they accelerated, facing forward.

Then, in the instant the two crossed paths, their lances clashed. One struck the armor, sending up a spray of broken wood chips and fibers, and the figure struck fell from his horse, tumbling to the ground.

Because of the armor's sturdiness and the lance's deliberate use of lightweight and easily broken materials, no external bleeding occurred, but the internal shock and impact on the body were certainly unavoidable.

After the competition ended, the other rider slowed down on his white horse and, amidst the cheers of the onlookers, took off his helmet, revealing long, flowing white hair. His captivating figure and face caused many of the students to scream with delight.

"Siltia!"

"Siltia!"

"Siltia!"

The girl, dressed in silver armor and a white dress, nodded to everyone, then slowly stopped her white horse and dismounted.

A knight then led the girl onto the stage and placed a woven green crown of branches and flowers on her head as a glorious reward for winning the equestrian competition. "Let us congratulate Sylvia on winning the championship of this competition."

Enthusiastic applause and cheers rang out again in the arena. Afterwards, the organizer, the 'Holy White Knight Hall', presented the girl with a white stone chess piece badge as a reward.

With this 'Tier 2 Castle' chess piece badge, she can change her own nature and choose the 'Castle' nature for career advancement. Even if she doesn't use it for advancement, she can still provide protection through the badge's effect.

[Knight Squire Badge] (Tier 2, Castle): A badge symbolizing victory in the competition. It can release 'Holy White Armor' once every seven days. (1/1)

After hanging the badge on the girl's armor, the three giants of the Radiant Plains slowly walked up the steps, causing the cheers below to gradually subside.

"Today, I have something to announce." Kassiu's loud voice instantly pierced through the entire room, silencing everyone.

"The headquarters of the Forestry Society has issued a dispatch order to send about 60 trainees to the Dark Mist Mountains to establish a new base."

“This expedition is of great significance. Each station will select personnel to participate. If you sign up, not only will your supply standard be increased to 300%, but you will also receive additional supplies sponsored by ‘Huijin Plain’…” His words immediately aroused the trainees’ curiosity and excitement.

The three then gave a detailed account of the manpower mobilization and announced it at the end.

"Furthermore, the leader of this exploration mission is an outstanding student from our Radiant Plains, beautiful and exceptionally talented—'Siltia'!"

This announcement surprised many of the students present. They had originally thought that a skilled member of the third or fourth tier would lead the team, but they did not expect that the association would choose the girl who had just won the championship.

In the past, many students would have been dissatisfied, believing that this was a deliberate favoritism by the association's higher-ups. However, after this period of training and competition, everyone has clearly recognized the girl's beauty and strength. Therefore, even though they were extremely surprised, not many people questioned her abilities.

"I didn't expect the higher-ups to make such a bold arrangement, letting a second-tier student lead the team."

“Siltia, I admit she is indeed very capable, but can she really handle such an important mission?”

"Without the participation of third-tier official knights, wizards, or professionals, can we really establish ourselves in such a place?"

Although no one questioned the legitimacy of Silti's position, there were still many concerns, as the girl looked too young and it was difficult to feel completely at ease.

"Let's take it one step at a time. According to the commander, we'll mainly be responsible for logistics and won't be involved in the most dangerous front lines, so there shouldn't be any major problems."

"In addition, high-level professionals often have their own tasks, and it would be difficult to mobilize them in a short period of time."

The Forestry Society is not a rigid military organization, but a complex union of many organizations. When recruiting full-time professionals, the wishes and arrangements of each subordinate organization must be taken into account. However, for apprentice members, the transfer and arrangement are much easier and simpler.

After the personnel allocation was finalized, the association in Huijin Plain began to mobilize, preparing various supplies for the team that was about to depart.

Meanwhile, Hilti also arrived at the 'Forged Iron Hammer's' base to receive the newly forged 'White Flower Armor'.

This knight's armor combines aesthetics and protective features. It features tough silver plates on the chest, waist, arms, shoulders, and sides of the skirt. The lining is made of a softer material, making it resemble a princess dress for a trip. The white sleeves and skirt are decorated to soften the overly rigid feel of the armor.

【White Flower Armor】(Tier 3, Rare): This armor is made primarily of mithril and snow steel, combined with pure white rose cloth and holy moon silk thread. It offers excellent overall protection and is exceptionally lightweight, allowing the wearer to move freely without hindering their activities. It achieves a perfect blend of art and practicality.

This set of armor alone is worth an unknown amount, and when she accepted it, Hilti felt flattered.

"Please accept this. I know you may feel uneasy, but don't forget that this is the association's expectation of you and our recognition of you."

Holding the armor, Hilti's heart was filled with emotion.

Since awakening in this world, she has received help from many people, even those who were also considering investing in her future. Their trust and generosity have moved her deeply.

"Thank you." The girl silently made up her mind.

　I'll be quite busy lately, so I'll only be able to update twice a week. I'll probably be able to resume three updates a week around December.
　　
　
(End of this chapter)