Compared to the midsummer season in the Southern Hemisphere, Northern 1st District was currently in the middle of winter, and the weather was quite cold.
"But honestly, compared to my hometown, where snow blankets the sky, the academy here is so much better."
In the lounge of the Skylark Tower, Hestia and a few classmates were gathered around a table, chatting. Underneath the table was a warm fireplace, beside which sat two cats—one gray and the other a tabby.
"Since Northern 1st District is surrounded by mountains and valleys, it's shielded from the direct northern winds, making it relatively warmer," Mel explained while watching the small gray cat beneath her. She wanted to pick it up, but the little creature seemed unwilling—probably going through its rebellious phase.
"Aw, the kitty doesn't like me anymore," Mel said, feeling a little down.
"Meow~" The gray moon cat responded with a soft meow before curling up again beside the warm fireplace.
"Maybe it just prefers the fire down there," Hestia chuckled.
"Speaking of which, you've been at the academy a lot less lately, Hestia. I've looked for you a few times, but you were never around. The teachers said you were training off-campus for some competition," Mel suddenly remembered, her voice soft and sweet.
"Uh, yeah, there is a competition, but that's not until next year. Right now, it's just the preliminary phase," Hestia nodded at the adorable Mel, making it clear she wasn’t lying.
"Really? What kind of competition is it? Can I watch it when the time comes?" Mel's curiosity was piqued.
"Well… um… you should be able to watch it, but for now, it's still a secret," Hestia continued to explain, suddenly feeling like one of those bad people who trick innocent girls.
"Hestia is being so tight-lipped—it must be a special competition. I won't press you for details, then," Mel smiled knowingly, recognizing Hestia's difficulty in explaining.
Wow, Mel has gotten smarter, Hestia thought to herself. It seemed like in the time she’d been away, this girl had grown sharper and more perceptive.
Thinking about it carefully, Mel had always had good grades; she was just a bit naive in daily life. Perhaps she had been sheltered too well at home, with little exposure to the outside world.
"Right now, I still have to keep it a secret, but I'll definitely tell you later, Mel," Hestia decided to make a promise.
"Mm-hmm! Do your best, Hestia!" Mel nodded, speaking in her soft and sweet voice.
The conversation soon shifted to the current situation at Swallow Garden Academy and the upcoming end-of-semester exams. Unlike Edess Academy, which had already finished its exams, Swallow Garden had yet to enter its exam week. This was due to the difference in semester lengths—spring and autumn terms were shorter, while autumn-winter terms were longer.
"Aside from the regular exams, there's also the Northern Ten Academies Tournament, which takes place after the exams and is an important part of the Winter Festival."
"Since the northern regions aren't as developed as the south, the Winter Festival of the Four-Leaf Crystal Star Region never ranks among the top festivals. So, the top academies in the northern districts decided to organize their own tournament—bringing together the top ten ranked schools from each northern district," one student explained.
"So… it's a tournament for the losers?"
"Don't put it like that—it sounds too harsh! Hahaha!"
"Well, in terms of grandeur and intensity, it definitely can't compare to the grand Winter Festival competition within the star region, but the process is still pretty fun."
"There are always unexpected surprises, and the battle formats can be quite unique," another student mused, stroking his chin.
"For example, our Swallow Garden Academy uses magical animal partners in combat, which is rare in other academies. Then there's the Trinary Moon Academy, which trains sorceresses; the Blazing Sky Academy, which specializes in martial artists; the Rozen Eye Academy, which teaches puppet control techniques; the Twelve-Layers Academy, famous for its transformation arts; the Mountain Delicacy Bamboo Academy, known for its culinary expertise; and the Five-Colored Seven-Wounds Academy, which excels in poison refinement and medicine making."
"They're all remnants of the old era," a student remarked while taking a sip of tea before slowly setting down the cup.
"Well, we've entered the interstellar age. Things that were once powerful and unique don’t hold the same advantage anymore. So, to preserve their techniques and doctrines, these factions turned themselves into academies."
"At least there's still interest and demand for them, so these schools continue to survive, even if they aren’t particularly thriving."
"In that regard, our Swallow Garden Academy is actually in a relatively good position. If it weren’t for the environmental damage in Verdant Veil that destroyed the 'Garden' used to cultivate magical creatures, we might have had a shot at making it into the top ten of the star region."
"Just because something is from the old era doesn’t mean it has no value. I believe that one day, people will reignite their passion and appreciation for these things," one student declared with determination.
"Do you really think that day will come?" someone asked softly.
"It will." The student patted his chest with confidence.
Even though they all knew the chances were slim, no one wanted to outright deny the possibility—what if it really happened?
“Will that day really come?”
Hestia turned to look at the fireplace under the table. Small pieces of firewood crackled inside, occasionally sending out tiny sparks, adding a warm and comforting atmosphere to the quiet room.
Compared to electric heaters and central heating, this type of fireplace was undoubtedly primitive. Yet, watching the flickering orange flames and hearing the occasional soft crackling of embers brought a sense of peace and solace to the mind.
Technological advancement was inevitable and unstoppable, but as living beings, humans carried an imprint deep within their genes—a longing for things that engaged their senses. Beautiful clothing, delicious food, the companionship of fluffy animals, the strength of a well-trained body, the pleasant scents that filled the air, and the embrace of nature through trees and plants.
Perhaps it was precisely these seemingly "useless" yet instinctively beloved things that gave people the courage to keep going. After all, humans were not machines—they needed meaning, and they needed a world that could offer them vibrant and colorful experiences.
Suddenly, Hestia had a moment of clarity, or perhaps a premonition.
She felt that the future would not unfold like the countless sci-fi novels had predicted—where humanity's way of life and architectural styles would eventually converge into a uniform, sterile landscape of perfectly arranged, gleaming buildings.
Perhaps that kind of scenery would briefly emerge during the Fourth Epoch, but after that, it would never appear again.
As material abundance continued to grow, people would slowly turn toward pursuing individuality and personal desires.
After all, when you really think about it—how could there ever be two completely identical people in the world? Everyone had different personalities, different preferences, and even the smallest variations would exist.
In the past, the pursuit of uniformity was necessary to overcome harsh natural disasters and to compete in wars between nations. Only by maintaining unity and consistency could a nation ensure its strength, uphold its dignity, and safeguard its interests.
However, in this current interstellar era, humanity is no longer confined to the small planet Earth, engaging in a desperate struggle within a cage. Instead, its reach has gradually extended to other star systems.
The reasons for wars between nations have become fewer. If not for superluminal technology, it might take centuries before two nations even encounter each other. What were once considered rare and precious resources, when viewed from the vastness of the universe, no longer seem so special or hold the same irresistible allure as before.
As humanity enters the boundless universe, decentralized ideologies inevitably spread. The greatest challenge now is how to maintain vast territories and prevent the collapse of the nation-state model.
Most star regions are self-sufficient in resources. Natural disasters are no longer a threat to people of this era, and resources are largely abundant. Without the geographical constraints of the past, which often led to racial and national conflicts, many within the star regions have begun to question: why should we remain under the jurisdiction and restrictions of the Federation?
This was not an easy question to answer. After thinking about it for a while, Hestia eventually gave up, believing that she might only find the answer after gaining more experience in the future.
Although she didn’t know how to respond, she had a vague sense that if the Federation were truly to disband, it would not be a good thing. Instead, it would mark the beginning of a nightmare—after all, much violence is born from absolute freedom.
Despite its flaws, the existence of the Rose Federation was, in the end, a kind of fortune.
As her thoughts gradually faded away, Hestia added a few more pieces of firewood to the furnace before looking up.
“Hestia, where are you going?” Mel asked, seeing her stand up after adding the firewood, thinking she was about to leave again.
“I’m going to get something to roast. I’m feeling a little hungry,” the girl turned back and waved her hand, signaling there was no need to worry.
After that, Hestia went down to the cafeteria and got a few potatoes and sweet potatoes. She also brought a few oranges she had bought herself, placing some beside the small furnace under the table while burying others in the ashes beneath the fire.
“Hestia, you’re really skilled at this. But, um… can oranges really be roasted?”
“They can, but not for too long, or they’ll turn really sour.” Saying this, she placed a few more oranges on the warm tabletop and shared them with her classmates.
“Haha, I’ve never had roasted oranges before. I’ll give it a try today.”
The lounge became even livelier, filled with laughter.
…
The next day.
Hestia was taking care of the three Call Ducks she had been raising. By now, they had grown quite large, their feathers completely replaced with pure white plumage. She could no longer hold even one in a single hand.
“It looks like you three have gotten a little chubby,” she murmured, crouching on the balcony and stroking their soft, fluffy feathers. It was no wonder winter coats had always been filled with duck down.
“Quack~ Quack~ Quack~” The three white ducks with orange-red bills circled around her, calling out as if asking for food.
“Alright, alright, stop calling. I’ll take you to the buffet later.”
As she petted the three ducks, a hint of reluctance surfaced in her heart. The semester was about to end, and these ducks would soon be submitted as part of her coursework. The academy’s instructors would assess them based on their growth and training progress.
“Time flies… you’ve all grown up,” she mused. Just two months ago, these little ones had waddled clumsily behind her to the pond for their first swims, and now, they could already fly.
========================
Species: Call Duck Subspecies
Status: Healthy (Sub-adult)
Pathway: Nature Sequence 2 · Swift-Feathered White Duck (Common Bronze Rank)
Talent:
[White-Feathered Down] (Common): Provides excellent insulation and aids in flight.
Abilities:[Swift Feathers] (Excellent): Generates greater lift and propulsion when flapping, making flight possible.
[Cold Resistance] (Common): Can live normally in temperatures above -10°C.
Skills:[Flight Lv.2]
[Fishing Lv.1]
========================
At a glance, their status appeared quite ordinary, but if an academy instructor were to evaluate them, they would likely call Hestia a prodigy in the field of animal cultivation.
After all, Call Ducks were originally just common animals, not particularly intelligent, and making them gather magic power to advance into magical creatures was exceptionally difficult. Even more astonishing was that these three ducks had not only reached Sequence 1 but had even broken into Sequence 2. Although it was only the most basic Sequence 2 template, the fact that they had successfully advanced was already a record-breaking achievement. Typically, these ducks were merely kept as pets or even as livestock—rarely did anyone cultivate them into extraordinary beings.
…
Three days later, all the students brought their ducks to the assessment site. The entire area was filled with quacking as students chased after their ducks, fearing they would get lost. To distinguish them, everyone had tied name tags and numbers around their ducks’ legs.
“See? Even though they’ve flown up into the trees and I can’t reach them, don’t they look strong? My little ones have always eaten well,” a chubby boy stood beneath a tree, hands on his hips, boasting to his friends. Every now and then, he called out, trying to coax his ducks down.
“I don’t get it. Ducks don’t even have the right kind of feet for perching in trees, so why won’t they come down?” When his ducks ignored him, the boy’s face turned slightly red with embarrassment.
“Maybe because you’re standing right below them, haha.” His friends laughed but also acknowledged that his ducks looked well-raised—healthy, with bright white feathers, and even capable of flying up into trees.
“All right, next!” In the center of the site, the instructor finished scoring one student’s duck before calling the next.
“Here I come!” A boy in a gray-blue winter coat, Qiu Shu, jogged over, followed closely by three quacking white ducks. It seemed he often ran with them.
“Okay, let’s take a look.” The instructor gestured for one of the ducks to be weighed.
“Hm, good weight ratio, strong wings, clear voice, and no signs of disease or parasites. I’d say this deserves a ‘3A’ rating.”
“Hehe, thank you, sir!” Qiu Shu scratched his head, beaming.
“Next, Hestia.” The instructor continued down the list.
“I’m here.” On a green stone in the distance, a gray-haired girl sat watching the three white ducks circling her feet.
Hestia hopped down from the stone and led the waddling trio to the instructor.
“You’ve done well raising them,” the instructor praised as he looked at the three snowy-white ducks. But then, his eyes narrowed in surprise.
“Did you advance them?”
“Yes,” Hestia nodded. “You told us before that our goal was to help animals with limited talent or intelligence advance, so I gave it a try and managed to push them to Sequence 2. Unfortunately, progressing further is proving very difficult.”
The regret in the girl’s voice made the instructor pause.
“In fact, you’ve already done incredibly well—no, you’ve broken a record,” he shook his head. “Hestia, you might not realize it, but first-year students are only meant to familiarize themselves with the basics. You haven’t even learned the advanced techniques for aiding magical creatures’ progression yet. Achieving this in your first year is beyond impressive.”
“An animal’s lifespan varies, and separation is inevitable.”
“The academy’s plan was to find suitable owners for your ducks, letting them live as pets. But since your three are quite special, keeping them with you would interfere with your studies. If you don’t mind, we can adopt them and place them in a peaceful lake in the back hills, where they’ll live alongside other gentle birds.”
“Thank you, sir.” Hestia bowed, knowing this arrangement was already an exception made for her.
“It’s no trouble. Every generation brings forth new talents. I was once a prodigy myself… but looking at you all now, I feel I’m no match for this new era.”