Daughter Awaiting Dawn

At noon, Xilutaiya, Yelu, and Scholar Haide shared a carriage to Viscount Xuefeng's castle. Traveling along stone-paved roads beneath an overcast, grayish-white sky, the creaking carriage slowly rolled past the ancient, moss-covered stone walls. "This must be Xilutaiya. What a lovely young girl." Today, the viscountess wore a dark red velvet dress as she received the three inside the castle. "Come, sit beside me." With a warm, gentle smile, she welcomed Xilutaiya, taking the girl's hand to inquire about her circumstances. "...Lost in the forest, and then lost your memory? Such a pitiful child." As she spoke, she put on a sorrowful expression, shaking her head with a sympathetic sigh. "Never mind, though. You can treat Burnt Stone City as your home from now on. If you ever run into any difficulties, you can always come to me." With that, she summoned a maid and produced a ring bearing Viscount Xuefeng's family crest. "Here, take this. With this ring, the castle guards won't stop you." "Thank you, my lady," Xilutaiya expressed her gratitude. Afterward, the noblewoman held Xilutaiya's hands and chatted with her for quite a while until Viscount Xuefeng arrived, whereupon they all sat down to lunch together. The lunch was lavishly prepared; the flavor and quality of the dishes matched the finest restaurants in the city. A single meal like this would likely cost seventy silver coins outside. After finishing lunch, Viscount Xuefeng also spoke with Xilutaiya for a time. He possessed a genial disposition and clearly held the young girl in high regard, gifting her quite a few things, which even included a residence in Burnt Stone City. "If you don't normally have use for it, you can just treat it as a place to store sundries. Don't worry—it's located in the West City District, where public order is very good and no thieves prowl about." "Thank you, Lord Xuefeng." The girl felt rather curious as to why Viscount Xuefeng was suddenly showing her such goodwill. Could it be because of Madame Falan? Once the meal and conversation in the castle drew to an end, Xilutaiya, at Scholar Haide's suggestion, followed a maid toward the high tower where Iona resided. "Please follow me. Miss Iona's residence is just ahead." The maid guided Xilutaiya toward the somewhat desolate high tower, opened the door, and led the way up the spiral staircase. Before long, they arrived at a chamber door within the tower. She knocked lightly on the door. "Miss Iona, your classmate has come to visit you." "I'm not seeing anyone." Though the voice sounded somewhat weak, it was still tinged with pride. "It was arranged by the viscount. He hopes it might help ease your loneliness," the maid spoke again. This time, silence lingered inside for a long while before Iona's response finally came. "Wait a moment." About half an hour later, Iona opened the door and saw the maid and Xilutaiya, who had been waiting outside for quite a while. By now, she had changed into a deep crimson gown embroidered with gold thread and adorned with pearls. Her hair was swept up into an intricate, elaborate coiffure, looking as though she were attending a high-society noble gathering. "Come in." She cast a glance at Xilutaiya behind the maid, then turned around. The chamber inside the high tower was extraordinarily magnificent, furnished with all manner of gold and crimson furniture and decorative ornaments. It was clearly a bespoke, matching suite, as if a princess's bedchamber had been transplanted here. After entering, the maid brewed tea for the two of them and then took her leave, leaving Iona and Xilutaiya alone. Leaning back against the velvet sofa, Iona crooked her right arm to lightly prop up her cheek, looking down at the simply dressed girl before her. "If you came just to fulfill the teacher's task, you can sit for a bit and then leave." Her voice was cool, devoid of emotion. At this, Xilutaiya parted her lips slightly, wanting to say something in response, but deciding it was unnecessary, she kept silent. The pale red tea steamed gently from the low table between them, the vapor curling upward. The room fell into total silence. Perhaps feeling that something ought to be said, Xilutaiya thought for a moment before speaking. "I heard from our teacher that you weren't feeling well. Are you feeling any better now?" Iona had been staring blankly at the patterns carved into the tea table. Hearing the voice, she raised her gaze and looked at Xilutaiya for a moment. "Better," she answered offhandedly. "Your voice is quite pleasant, at least." She seemed to register something. "It's just a pity you're such a bookworm." She picked up her teacup, preparing to take a sip. "Thank you." Xilutaiya lifted her teacup as well, and the two sipped tea in silence. Just as Xilutaiya began to think this courtesy visit was effectively over, Iona glanced at a wide iron box in the corner of the room and asked: "Walaini's notes—they're yours, aren't they?" "Uh, yes." Xilutaiya remembered how Walaini had borrowed her notes twice before. "I haven't gone to classes lately, so she brought the notes over for me to read." Remembering this, Iona nodded slightly. "You took very meticulous notes, and your handwriting isn't bad." Even if the handwriting was elegant, in Iona's eyes, such things were merely servant skills; no matter how well learned, they were of little real use. "If you don't find a good future for yourself, you can come work for me as a transcriber." Even with printing technology in existence, many precious texts were never published at all, existing only through noble loans and transcriptions. "I see." "As for next month's assessment, you shouldn't go. If things go wrong, people die." Iona felt she was being remarkably charitable in warning the girl before her. "Are you referring to the selection assessment for the Hidden Woodland?" "Exactly." "Well, I've already agreed with Teacher Haide that I'll be participating." Xilutaiya tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, pondering how to explain. "You?" "You really have a death wish." Iona shook her head. "Don't assume that just because you do well in secret history class, you can find greater opportunities in the Hidden Woodland. That place isn't as... 'gentle' as Burnt Stone City." After pausing for a few seconds, she spat out that word. "Thank you for your kindness, Iona. I know it will be dangerous there," Xilutaiya said, pausing before continuing. "Why do you want to go there as well? If I remember correctly, someone of your status should be able to avoid that sort of danger." "Dangerous? Yes, it is indeed dangerous." Speaking of this, Iona showed a rare flicker of interest. "You probably don't understand. Even among nobles, there are vast differences. And if I want to protect certain things, I have to pay a heavy price." "Besides, if I don't go there, what kind of 'good life' do you think I'd lead? Living out the rest of my days in Burnt Stone City like an ordinary person?" "That..." Xilutaiya vaguely understood Iona's situation. She was sharp and caught on quickly. "I see." "I hope you achieve what you desire, but going to the Hidden Woodland isn't the only path." She guessed that Iona probably wanted to restore her family's former glory, as she had already learned a fair amount about Iona's background from other classmates. "Oh? Dissuading me so early—do you have the confidence to beat me in the competition?" Seeing Xilutaiya's earnest expression, Iona couldn't help but tease. It was truly strange. Had anyone else said that, she would likely have grown impatient; in truth, plenty of people had tried to dissuade her just as Xilutaiya had. The girl shook her head and answered. "It's not about confidence, just some reflections on life." Recalling her experiences across two lifetimes, many things that had once felt overwhelmingly dire seemed not so terrifying at all when looking back years later. "Forget it. You're always so cautious when you speak, not lively at all." Before her father met with misfortune, Iona had been a prominent socialite in White Cliff City, always favoring the company of witty, cheerful peers. She had never gotten along with reserved types like Xilutaiya; had she not found Xilutaiya pleasing to the eye, she wouldn't have bothered to say more than a few words. With the silence broken, Iona began chatting with Xilutaiya about other matters. "...So Mick and Lei's rapid progress was all thanks to your tutoring?" She had not missed the shifts in her classmates' grades. "Yes." Xilutaiya had initially thought to be modest, but considering Iona's personality, she decided to be forthright. "Oh." Iona nodded slightly at her direct answer, finding it much more to her liking—why beat around the bush about everything? "Then do you think my swordsmanship still has room for improvement?" Iona asked casually. "Miss Iona..." Looking at the blonde girl, Xilutaiya saw lines of information appear before her eyes. Name: Iona Karen Race: Human (mortal body) Status: Poor (forcibly acquired abilities, leaving behind hidden injuries) Talent: Golden Blood [Superior]: A trace of 'Golden Honey Blood' flows within your body. Though faint, this bloodline still grants you affinity with the two attributes of 'Blazing Sun' and 'Insect Moth,' allowing you to grasp the abilities of these two attributes with greater ease. —The royal court of the Golden Tree and bees was a mighty empire later known as the 'Golden Honey Dynasty,' which once prevented the Dragon of the Corona from reclaiming the throne of 'Blazing Sun.' Destiny Card: [Daughter Awaiting Dawn] "A golden frame like a princess's portico encloses the figure standing with eyes closed in the picture; behind her lies cracked, parched earth, weathered tree roots, and scattered skeletons." - Effect [Sun Radiance Body Lv.2]: Due to specific talents and attributes, your body gradually adapts to the 'Blazing Sun' attribute. You can directly dissolve the power of 'Blazing Sun' into your blood for comprehensive amplification. ((Recommended not to exceed 3 minutes per day)) Ability Cards: [Sun Radiance Breathing Method Lv.3] (Blazing Sun) [Golden Needle Piercing Blade Lv.3] (Blazing Sun) [Bee Dance Footwork Lv.2] (Insect Moth)