Cornflower Witch

Chapter 20 Classmates Getting to Know Each Other

Backyard of Hyde College.

On the green grass, people sat on chairs of different sizes, forming a semi-circle around Mathematician Hyde, listening to him impart his knowledge.

"As we all know, the land we are on now, the continent, is located on the back of a giant serpent, rising and falling on a sea of ​​clouds."

"There are seven such continents in total, scattered in different ways, and the conditions of each continent are very different."

"But does anyone know where this vast land beneath our feet came from?" he asked, stroking his broad white beard.

Most of the commoner students were curious and puzzled by this question, while a few noble students were somewhat bored, because they already knew the answer.

"Yero, you answer this." Hyde pointed the thin wooden stick in his hand at the chubby little boy to his right.

"Me? Okay, teacher."

Hiero stood up, faced everyone, gathered his thoughts, and then spoke.

"The continents we know of, as well as the Heavenly Garden, are all formed from the remains of a giant fish that roamed the heavens and seas in an extremely ancient era."

"In that era, the whole world was like an ocean of equal size, and many large fish roamed in it. Some of them could grow to tens of thousands of miles long and were the largest creatures known to exist. These large fish were also the manifestation of the true nature of the fish."

"This era lasted for an unknown number of years, until an alien star shattered the world's shell and descended upon the earth."

"The terrifying wound torn open by the alien planet shook the world, and countless flames burst forth from the dark sky and sea, from which the first light was born, namely the 'scorching sun' and the 'illusory moon'."

“The ‘scorching sun’ scorched the sky and sea, and countless creatures died in the process. Their bodies then scattered across the sky and sea, becoming the original soil and land. (The real fish) gradually transformed into the ‘snail fish’ that we know today.”

“Alright, let’s stop here.” Maester Hyde gestured for Hierro to sit down.

"As for how these scattered soils and lands became the seven continents we have today, it involves the ups and downs of several eras, which you will learn about gradually in the future."

"Now we continue to tell the story of this vast and expansive world."

"The giant serpent roams in the twilight sea of ​​clouds, and the continent we inhabit rises and falls as a result. When we are above the clouds, the blazing sun is intense, which is commonly known as the 'season of the rising wind'."

"When the giant serpent sinks, the continent also sinks into the sea of ​​clouds. The rapidly flowing atmosphere brings strong winds and torrential rain. During this period, the [Sky Dome] is in flux, which is also known as the 'Stormy Season'."

"When the giant serpent sinks to the bottom and the entire continent falls into the sea of ​​clouds, the sunlight dims, everything is silent, and the world is like being shrouded in mist, submerged and invisible. During this period, the characteristics of [Winter Sleep] and [Mist Shadow] are pervasive, which is the most difficult 'Mist Season'."

"After passing through the most difficult year, when the giant serpent rises again, the continent breaks through the fog of despair and returns to the sky. During this period, the 'Sky Dome' reappears and is also known as the 'Trait Wind Season'."

Hyde's lectures were rich and engaging, making even complex concepts easy to understand, and the students were quickly captivated.

……

Afternoon
After lunch, it was time for the trainees to rest, and it was then that they began to truly interact with each other.

"Are you called Tia?" A girl with freckles on her face and wearing a gray linen dress greeted Xilu Tia curiously.

“Yes,” the girl replied, turning around.

"Hello, I'm Komia," the other person said, lightly touching her chest as she introduced herself.

While the two were talking, another ordinary girl came over. She was tall and had many calluses on her hands, indicating that she had done a lot of physical labor.

"Hello, I'm Karen." Karen has golden chestnut hair with slightly curled ends.

Three commoner girls sat together chatting, while four commoner boys gathered around talking on the other side. In the distance, Yero sat alone in a corner reading and studying, while in the round pavilion, several young men of noble birth surrounded Iona.

"Miss Iona, you are so beautiful~ I want to be your most loyal suitor~" The noble young man in velvet clothes knelt on one knee, holding a red flower from who-knows-where in his hand, and recited with deep emotion.

"Tsk." Iona was very impatient with this and didn't give the other person any face, turning her face away directly.

"Who is this guy?" she asked the others around her.

“His name is Baron, the son of Baron Quaid,” someone replied with a gloating tone.

"do not know."

Iona shook her hand and walked to the other side of the pavilion for some fresh air, while Valenie, the daughter of Knight Levin, quickly followed.

"Miss Iona." She spoke in a high-pitched voice, trying to establish a good relationship with the young lady. "Hmm, what's your name?" Iona asked without turning her head.

“My name is Valenie,” the girl replied excitedly.

"Alright, sit here."

Iona's attitude has improved this time, or perhaps she simply wants to find a little follower.

"Tell me about Jiaoshicheng, such as the powerful figures there."

“I admire Mrs. Sel the most. She often holds salons and invites celebrities from Jiaoshi City, including great artists and painters, to tell us about the latest fashion trends.” Valenie said with longing and excitement.

"A salon? Like this one?" Iona shook her head, feeling a little like laughing.

She has hosted countless salons and gatherings in White Cliff City, and she even started some trends in the Kingdom of Legas. How outstanding can a salon organized by a country noblewoman be?
“I mean powerful superhumans, not some art or fashion enthusiasts,” she had to interrupt Valenie’s introduction.

“Superhuman, huh…” Valenie stammered.

“My father, Levin, is a very powerful knight.” She suddenly remembered something and recommended her father to Iona.

"Knight Levin is a knight who swore allegiance to Lord Schefeng, right?" Iona turned her head and asked.

“Yes, Miss Iona,” Valerie replied proudly.

"Ha, how could I possibly steal someone from my own uncle?" Iona felt that the guy in front of her was full of useless nonsense.

Moreover, judging from Valenie's appearance, her father must be quite old. Although he is a knight (third tier - castle), his potential is probably limited, with little room for improvement. In the past, her father had countless men like him under his command.

Thinking of her father, Iona's face darkened, and her mood soured again.

If my father had won the 'Battle of the Windmills,' I wouldn't have ended up in this poor, remote place.

The conversation inside the pavilion fell silent for a moment, becoming somewhat somber.

……

"So Karen used to hunt?" Komia chuckled, covering her mouth, then asked curiously.

“Yes, my father is a hunter in the village, and I’ve been familiar with these things since I was a child. However, drawing a bow can easily hurt your hands, so my father hasn’t allowed me to touch a bow and arrow for the past two years.” Karen spread out her palms, which had many scars and calluses.

Of the three, Komia's parents are employees of a merchant guild, while Karen is the child of a hunter from the village.

"How did Karen get to Burnstone City?" Hilti asked with a hint of curiosity.

“Because I learned breathing techniques before the New Year, the old people in the village felt that a child like me would be wasted if I stayed there, so they pooled their money and sent me to Jiaoshicheng to make a living and learn some skills.” A hint of nostalgia appeared on Karen’s strong face.

"The people in the village are very nice," the girl exclaimed.

“Yes, everyone is a very nice person,” Karen replied.

"How has Karen spent her time since she came to Scorched Stone City?" Komia asked, leaning closer.

"How did I get through it? At first, I didn't understand anything. It was an older brother from the same village who told me to go and work."

"First I helped out at the market, where they always needed manpower. Then, because I was familiar with archery, I went to work at the arrow-making workshop in the city. Although it was hard work, the pay was decent, about four silver coins a month." Karen said this with great satisfaction.

Arrows are consumables, and crafting them yourself is extremely time-consuming, so many adventurers and wealthy people simply buy them.

"Tia, have you been studying with Maester Hyde all this time?" The group first met her today when she was with Maester Hyde.

"No, but my former teacher was a student of Hyde, so I'm a little familiar with him," the girl replied.

"I see."

The three sat on a wooden bench under a tree and chatted, gradually becoming more familiar with each other. Komia was a bit more lively, while Karen was more simple and honest. As for Hilti, their current impression of her was that she was a very beautiful, somewhat delicate girl who rarely interacted with the outside world.

Gradually, the three of them, including Hilti, became familiar with each other.

　Thank you to readers 20250902073130164, Shenqi Taitai wants to stick close to Alice, TaoTaoLing, XingxingdeGeyao, uYeXiu, XianyuLiaoChui, and others for their generous donations.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)