The Cornflower Witch

Book 3: Chapter 58: Two People Walking Down the Street in Summer

June, the weather gradually growing hotter.

Sylutia walked down the street wearing a light yellow summer dress and a sun hat. Her beautiful eyes blinked softly as her gaze traveled along the road in the distance.

It had been almost a year since she came to the Mage Alliance. She had now integrated into this environment and become familiar with life in the Mage Alliance. For a while now, she had been busy studying, until last weekend, when she finally finished the courses on her schedule. For the time ahead, it would be review and preparation for the assessments.

According to the rough plan she had set for herself, she would join the ‘Mithril Clock’ school this year, advance to Third Tier next year, reach Fourth Tier in two years, and then see how things went before making further choices, gradually delving deeper.

Since the current tasks were complete and there was no rush, she had recently been taking it easy for a change.

Come to think of it, she hadn’t even walked through the entire Asra District yet. There were some streets here she had never visited before.

Since she had free time lately, she might as well look around. Perhaps she would discover something new and gain something valuable.

The bright June sunlight scorched the ground, and cicadas chirped incessantly from the roadside trees. The occasional summer breeze lifted her skirt, bringing a slight coolness to her skin.

She rather liked summer. Probably because, back in her school days, summer vacation always left joyful impressions. Even after all these years, that happiness still lingered in her memories.

Since the current tasks were complete and there was no rush, she had recently been able to relax for a change.Was it the butterfly dreaming of her, or was she dreaming of the butterfly? This ancient philosophical concept still shimmered with thought-provoking charm.

However, she wasn’t the type to obsess over such questions. She held a lighthearted mindset of “take things as they come, settle where you are.”

Just listen to her heart in the present moment.

After sorting through some thoughts in her mind, the girl’s steps grew light again. Occasionally, she mimicked Lovier’s habitual movements, spreading her arms slightly, hopping lightly, and stepping gracefully over the stone bricks.

After spending time with that golden-haired young noblewoman, it seemed she had been infected by her radiant temperament.

On the other side, at the corner of Beetle Street.

Carmilla stood by the wall holding a parasol. Her beautiful long hair lay draped over her chest as she listlessly stared at the blazing sun blocked by the umbrella’s canopy, thinking about why summer wouldn’t hurry up and pass.

As a Blood Clan member, though she wasn’t burned by sunlight, because of some ancient curse’s price, she still felt uncomfortable under the sun.

Compared to the trio of Sylutia and the others in her class, she was a beauty whose appearance rivaled theirs, but her temperament was far more mature. Especially in figure, only Lovier could compare to her in terms of fullness. When wearing summer dresses, this contrast became particularly obvious.

Her pale red fingernails reached out from under the parasol, touching the sunlight outside. The burning heat made Carmilla shake her head again before pulling them back.

If she weren’t bored at home, she really wouldn’t want to go out. Aimlessly walking down the street, she wondered if she should find some delicacy to replenish herself.

Blood Clan possessed the ability to extract enemies’ blood and condense the ‘Bloodline’ Aspect. Simply put, they could restore stamina through ‘bloodsucking.’ If the target’s blood contained a strong ‘Bloodline’ Aspect, they could even raise their rank through absorption.

This method—the more you killed, the stronger you became—allowed the ‘Blood Dynasty’ to rise rapidly in the distant past, unifying the Third Continent and becoming the supreme dynasty of the land.

As for its later decline, it was naturally also because of ‘bloodsucking.’ After all, when enemies were all gone, one had to look internally for bloodsucking targets. And other Transcendents with the ‘Bloodline’ Aspect could also extract stronger power—this was the root of the Blood Dynasty’s internal strife in its later years.

After the dynasty collapsed, the last princess fled to the Fourth Continent, establishing the ‘Sea Cliff Blood Clan’ lineage. To prevent a repeat of the same situation, this lineage strictly restricted the birth of new Blood Clan members and continuously strengthened internal control, restraining every Blood Clan member. Most Blood Clan members remained holed up north of the Ice Sea, without building a vast empire like the Blood Dynasty.

Of course, such measures only worked for a time. When that last princess (queen) was still alive, naturally all Blood Clan members obeyed. But by her granddaughter’s generation—when Carmilla and her sister took the stage—the royal family’s internal control had drastically declined, to the point where some Blood Clan lords no longer obeyed restrictions.

She couldn’t understand why that cheap sister of hers had driven her out, weakening her own support. Though Carmilla often argued with Catella in the past, their relationship wasn’t that bad.

Lost in memories of the past, Carmilla leaned the parasol on her shoulder, walking while slowly rotating it, her gaze growing drowsy.

Suddenly—

A figure like a butterfly quietly passed by on the opposite side of the street. Her long hair fluttering gently in the wind seemed to carry a faint fragrance, stirring a sense of longing and impulse within Carmilla.

She placed a finger between her teeth, biting it gently. The blood and pain stimulated her, gradually sharpening her consciousness.

Why was there such a ‘sweet’ smell…?

Carmilla gazed at the familiar acquaintance walking across the street not far away, unable to understand why she always felt a faint impulse toward Hedra—a contradictory feeling of wanting very much to taste that enticing blood, yet reluctant to destroy that purity.

It was like seeing a very clear and enticing transparent pudding. She could be certain that Hedra’s blood would taste wonderful, but once she drank it, that perfect, flawless pudding would be ruined. So in class, she often existed in a state of wanting yet not wanting.

After this semester ended, Hedra would enter the advanced academy. At that time, she would probably have no further chance to interact with her. Thinking of this, Carmilla finally took a step and walked toward the opposite side of the street.

Then she stopped in front of the road the girl was about to pass.

“Good afternoon, Hedra.” The girl with amber-golden hair gently pressed the strands against her collar with her fingers, greeting the approaching girl.

“Hello.”

Sylutia looked up at her classmate, who was holding a parasol and wearing an elaborate long dress, thinking that this was the first time she had seen a girl wearing such an elaborate outfit while shopping. Even Lovier, when going out to have fun, would dress lightly.

“Interested in taking a walk together?” Carmilla extended the invitation.

“Sure.” Sylutia nodded, gently pressing down on her sun hat in the wind, tidying her hair, and walked over to Carmilla’s side.

The two strolled along the street at a leisurely pace.

“Does Hedra like summer?” Carmilla spoke in a soft, gentle voice, like a soft feather brushing past the ear.

“I like it very much.”

“I also enjoy the feeling of the summer breeze, but I can’t stand the intense sunlight.” Carmilla looked ahead, speaking of childhood matters.

…

“Where is Hedra from?”

“Meteorite Lake in the south. It’s a warm place.”

“No wonder. It must be easy to think of your hometown during this season, I suppose.” While speaking with Hedra, Carmilla discovered for the first time that her tone could be this gentle and patient.

“My hometown is also by the sea, but in a very cold place in the north. In certain seasons, you can even see large chunks of ice floating on the sea.” Carmilla reminisced.

Speaking of distant hometowns and childhood topics, the two gradually became familiar with each other. The bloodsucking impulse that had arisen in Carmilla earlier was suppressed by this gentle, nostalgic atmosphere, gradually calming down.

How strange, this feeling, Carmilla thought to herself.

It was like seeing iced fruit juice in summer—both a faint, enticing urge, yet moved by the clear, beautiful color of the juice in the sunlight, giving rise to restraint, not wanting to just drink it up.

And so, pulled back and forth between faint impulse and restraint, Carmilla savored this novel experience, accompanying the girl as they walked down the street.

Their conversation had no purpose or pressure—softly, nostalgically discussing the past, like old friends who hadn’t seen each other for years.

Before they knew it, they had walked through several streets. At this point, a place finally appeared on the road ahead where the two could pause and rest.

Carmilla gently swayed her parasol, turning back to look at the girl beside her.

“How about it? Want to go sit over there and eat some ice cream?”