Cornflower Witch

Chapter 338 Faded Memories

Following the narrower steps up, Hiltija followed Madame Medisa to the second floor, where there was a spacious living room with black and white sofas and coffee tables, light blue porcelain vases, several oil paintings, and wooden racks for hanging clothes.

It's clear that this is where Mrs. Medissa usually holds salons and gatherings; it's rather quiet now that no one's around.

"Please sit wherever you like." She walked ahead and let Hilti sit first, then took out a pot of lemon tea with rock sugar from the cabinet behind her.

"Your name is Hedra, right?" After placing it on the table, she sat down on the sofa, crossing her legs.

"Yes."

Do you want to become a monk?

"Yes." After hearing the affirmative answer, Medisa looked at Hilti for a long time, seeing that her eyes were clear and she did not flinch or waver, before she fiddled with her pipe and took a small puff.

"It's quite rare. Most young people from Shangdu United wouldn't think of going so far to study."

"Could you explain why?"

“It’s probably out of curiosity about new and powerful things,” Hilti explained.

“Young people’s thoughts, hehe.” Medisa smiled slightly, but the perceptive Hiltiya still noticed a trace of sadness in her eyes.

“The Mage Alliance is indeed very powerful and dynamic. You can see many new things there, and living there often gives you the illusion that the times are moving forward beneath your feet,” Medissa said slowly.

"When I was young, I was similar to you, fascinated by the feeling of breaking free from old constraints, being free and open, and pursuing the path of truth."

"Logically speaking, I should have stayed there all along, just like a lady who is passionate about fashion trends should stay at the forefront."

"But in the end, I got tired. You could say I got old and didn't want to keep chasing new things. I just wanted to hold onto my memories, sit in the sunset, and slowly grow old."

"The price of rapid development and rise is that many old things also disappear quickly, and in the blink of an eye, the people you know have all changed."

"It seems like I've said some nonsense, haha. Okay, since you want to go, let me explain in detail the ways to study there."

"First, you must be a 'Castle Secret Word Golden Steam,' one of the three extraordinary aspects, at least at the first level. Second, you must pass the Mage Alliance's examination, which will cover all aspects, such as whether you have basic reasoning ability, arithmetic, language and writing, etc. After passing, you will receive a white card with your name and identity printed on it. Then you will go to the basic school on the border of the Mage Alliance to report for three months. There will be teachers there to teach for free."

"If you pass the assessment in three months, you will be given a blue card. Only with this card will you be considered to have crossed the threshold and be able to report to the academy area within the Mage Alliance. Most of the new students gather in the three regions of 'Gomoshu,' 'Mirne,' and 'Asra,' which together have nearly a million new students. They will live and study there until they pass the exam of a certain academy and officially become a member."

"The academies I'm referring to are the universities established by various schools of thought within the Mage Alliance. Each academy is comparable in strength to a kingdom in the outside world, with hundreds to thousands of mages of the third rank or above. Among them, the three most powerful academies are comparable in strength to an empire. They have more than five thousand formal mages, as well as 'named individuals' who can influence the balance of the continent."

"These academies are each responsible for different directions of truth exploration and research. They form the huge, roaring machine of the Mage Alliance like a massive skeleton. Under each academy, there are numerous workshops. These workshops are opened by powerful mages and will absorb lower-level mages and personnel to complete orders or tasks issued by the academy or the outside world."

"There, you can see mechanical dragons soaring through the sky, steam trains shuttling through the mountains, and many intricate bronze puppets. It is the gathering place of the wealthiest people in the Fourth Continent, and also the most extravagant and prosperous area. Of course, beneath the prosperous facade, there is also an equal degree of darkness. It depends on whether you can accept and adapt to it."

"If you don't want to go to the border of the Mage Alliance and learn basic knowledge with ordinary people in those low, dilapidated houses, you can study the courses on your own and then go directly to the Mage Alliance. They will give you a more difficult test. As long as you pass it, you can get a blue card and then go to the Academy District to start from there." "I suggest you take this path directly. If you can't even pass the introductory test, then you might as well give up and just stay here in Quebec as a wealthy young lady, living an easy and simple life."

“I understand, thank you for your guidance, Mrs. Medissa.” Hiltiya pressed her hand to her chest and bowed in thanks.

"Could you recommend a teacher who might be suitable for me?"

"Teacher... let me think, I seem to know someone. He lives in a lighthouse by the sea, and he is a man of few words but with solid knowledge."

"I'm certainly capable of teaching you enough, but whether he'd be willing to take on a student is another matter, since he doesn't like noisy people."

“I’ll prepare a fruit basket for you, and then on a sunny afternoon, I’ll take you to visit him. If all goes well, you’ll probably be able to become his apprentice. If he doesn’t agree, then you’ll have to ask Alanford to find someone else for you.”

"I understand, thank you, Mrs. Medisa."

"Go, go." With that, Madame Medisa saw Hiltija downstairs.

By this time, Mrs. Haye had returned to the shop and was complaining quietly to Alainford, roughly meaning that she felt the perfume was far too expensive.

"Even Ariel has never used anything this expensive..."

“I understand, Madam. Don’t worry, my love for Ariel will not diminish in the slightest.” Alanford had to reassure Madam Haye, and when he saw Hiltiya coming downstairs, he raised his hand to greet her.

"Hedra, how did your conversation with Mrs. Medissa go?" He blinked.

“We had a very good chat. Mrs. Medisa taught me a lot about perfumes.” Hiltiya nodded.

"That's good. I think it's getting late, so why don't we go for lunch first?"

"Yes, uncle."

Afterwards, the three bid farewell to Mrs. Medisa and left.

After Hiltiya left, Medissa sat alone in her room on the second floor, smoking and looking out at the azure sky.

It seemed like it had been a long time since she had chatted with young people like this. She recalled some events from thirty years ago when she was also studying in the college district with a group of young girls, and the group shared ways to save money.

Those days of poverty yet high spirits, pressure yet a touch of happiness, unfold slowly in my memories like faded old photographs.

"Is it already such a distant memory...?"

(End of this chapter)