Compared with the peak summer in the southern hemisphere, it is now winter in the northern region, and the weather is colder.
"But, compared to the snow-falling situation in my hometown, the academy is much better."
In the lounge of the Ring Bird Wind Tower, Heshia and several classmates were chatting around the table. Under the table was a warm stove. There were two cats squatting next to them, a gray cat and a tabby cat.
"Because it is an area surrounded by mountains and canyons, it is not directly blown by the north wind, so it will be much warmer." Mel said, while looking at the gray kitten under him, trying to get rid of it. He picked him up, but this guy seemed a little reluctant. He was probably in his rebellious stage.
"Ugh, Cat doesn't like me anymore." Mel was a little disappointed.
"Meow~" The gray moon cat below meowed after hearing it, and then continued to lie down next to the warm stove.
"Maybe it prefers the stove below." Hesia smiled.
"Speaking of which, Heshia hasn't been to school very much recently. I couldn't find you several times. The teacher said you had to prepare for some competition, so you went out for training." Mel thought of something and said in a soft voice. .
"Well, there is indeed a competition, but it won't be until next year. It's still just a warm-up." Heshia nodded to the lovely Mel, indicating that she was not lying.
"Really, what kind of game is that? Can I go and watch it then?" Mel's curiosity aroused.
"This, uh... you should be able to see it, but it has to be kept secret for now." Heshia continued to explain, suddenly feeling like the kind of bad guy who deceives ignorant girls.
"Heshia is so tight-lipped. It's probably because the competition is special, so I won't ask further questions." Mel saw that the girl had a hard time explaining, so she explained for the other party.
Well, Mel has become more powerful, the girl thought to herself, feeling that during the period when she was not around much, this girl became much smarter and more powerful.
In fact, if you think about it carefully, Mel's academic performance has always been good, but he is a bit naive in his daily life. This is probably because he was well protected by his family in the past and had relatively little contact with the outside world.
"It is indeed necessary to keep it a secret now, but I will definitely tell Mel in the future." This time Heshia decided to give the girl in front of her a guarantee.
"Yeah, come on, Hesia." Mel nodded and said softly.
After that, several people talked about the current situation at Yuantei Academy, talking about the exams that are coming at the end of the semester. Compared with the situation at Edes Academy, where the exams have already been completed, the examination week here at Yuanting Academy has not yet arrived. , this is because the spring and autumn semesters have different lengths. The autumn and winter semesters will be longer, while the spring and summer semesters will be shorter.
"In addition to the normal exams at the end of the semester, there will also be a league match between the ten northern schools. It will be held after the exams and is also an important part of the Winter Festival celebrations."
"Because the northern districts are not as developed as the south, and the Winter Festival celebrations in the Four Leaf Crystal Star Region are always unable to reach the top, so the top-ranked schools in the north simply organize a league of their own, which is the top ten schools in the northern districts. ." One student explained.
"Is this a loser's competition?"
"Don't say that, it's too cruel, haha."
"Well, although the level of splendor and excitement is definitely not as good as the Winter Festival Competition in the Star Territory, the process is very interesting."
"Probably because there are so many tricks, the fighting style will be very different." A student groped his chin in thought.
"For example, our Toyotei uses supernatural animal companions to fight, which is rare in other schools. In addition, there are three phases of the moon academy that trains witches, and the heat surge academy that trains martial artists and teaches martial arts. Luozhen's Eye Academy, which specializes in magic, Twelve Dan Academy, which is famous for its clothes-changing skills, Sanzhen Qingzhu Academy, which is good at cooking, Five Colors and Seven Injuries Academy, which is famous for its poison-making medicine, etc."
"They are all remnants of the old era." A classmate picked up the tea cup and took a sip, then slowly put it down.
"Because we have entered the interstellar age, the advantages of these powerful and exclusive things in the past are no longer so obvious. Therefore, in order to pass on their own skills and doctrines, those factions have turned into academies."
"Fortunately, there are always people who are interested and in need, so these academies continue to be tepid."
"Among them, our Yuanting is in a better situation. If it weren't for the environmental damage caused by Jade Skirt, which caused the disappearance of the 'courtyard' that cultivates extraordinary creatures, we might still be able to compete for the top ten positions in the Star Territory."
"Things from the old era may not be without value. I believe that people will rekindle their interest and enthusiasm for these things in the future." A student said with great ambition.
"Will there be such a day?" Someone asked quietly next to him.
"There will be." He patted his chest.
Although everyone knows that the possibility of this is actually very small, if it comes true, we can't bear to deny it.
Will there ever be such a day? Heshia looked sideways at the stove under the table. There were still small pieces of firewood burning in it, and there were occasional slight sparks, adding a touch of warmth to the quiet room.
Compared with electric stoves and heaters, such stoves are undoubtedly primitive, but looking at the burning orange flames and the occasional slight sound of sparks gives people a kind of spiritual peace and comfort.
The progress of technology is inevitable and unstoppable, but as an animal and a life, humans will still be attached to things that bring them personal feelings, such as beautiful clothes and delicious food. Get along with the fluffy animal companions, the strong body and sense of strength, the scent of the nose and mouth, and the trees and plants that are close to nature, etc.
Perhaps it is these seemingly useless and instinctively liked things that make people live bravely. After all, people are not machines, so they need meaning and a world that brings them colorful feelings.
Suddenly, Heshia had a kind of enlightenment or premonition. She had a premonition that the future would not be like in many science fiction stories, where human lifestyles and architectural styles would be unified. That kind of architectural scene like bricks neatly and brilliantly, maybe in the third After the flash in the pan appeared briefly in the Fourth Age, it would never appear again.
The gradual affluence of materials will make people gradually turn to the pursuit of their own personality and preferences. In fact, if you think about it carefully, you will understand how there are exactly the same people in the world, so everyone's personality and preferences must be very different. A little different.
In the past, the pursuit of unity was to overcome harsh natural disasters and fight and compete with enemies of various countries. Only by being unified and consistent can we ensure our strength and safeguard our dignity and interests.
However, now is the interstellar age. Human beings no longer huddle on the small earth to fight trapped animals in cages, and have even gradually spread to other galaxies.
The reasons for war between countries have become very few. If it were not for the hyperspace technology, we might not encounter each other for hundreds of years. And the so-called rare resources in the past are not special in the entire universe. There are no The dazzling attraction of the past.
After entering the unfettered universe, it is inevitable that various decentralized ideas will spread. How to maintain a vast territory and prevent the country from falling apart is the biggest difficulty.
Most of the resources in each star system are self-sufficient. For people in this era, natural disasters are no longer a threat, and the resources are mostly sufficient. There are no racial and national conflicts caused by the narrow geographical area in the past, so many stars in the star field People will think, why do we still stay in the federation, subject to various jurisdictions and restrictions.
This question is not easy to answer. Heshia thought for a while and then gradually gave up. It is estimated that she will have an answer after more experience in the future.
Although she didn't know how to answer, she also vaguely felt that if the Federation was really disintegrated, it would not be a good thing, but the beginning of hell. How much violence was born under absolute freedom.
Although the Rose Federation has many shortcomings, its existence is ultimately a blessing.
The thoughts in her mind gradually faded away, and Hesia continued to add a few pieces of firewood to the stove before raising her head.
"Where is Hesia going?" Mel saw her standing up after adding some firewood, thinking that Hesia was leaving again.
"I'm going to get something to bake. I'm a little hungry." The girl turned around and waved to her, saying not to worry.
After that, Heshia asked for some pieces of potatoes and sweet potatoes from the restaurant downstairs, and then some oranges she bought herself. They placed them next to the small stove under the table, and some were buried in the ashes of the plants under the stove.
"Hesia is so skilled. Well, can oranges really be roasted?"
"You can bake it, but not for too long, it will be very sour." As she said this, she placed a few other oranges on the warm table and gave them to the classmates present.
"Ahaha, I haven't eaten grilled oranges yet. I'll give it a try today."
There was a little more laughter and excitement in the lounge.
the next day.
Heshia is taking care of the three kohl ducks she raised. Now the three little ducks have grown larger, and their feathers have completely changed to white. The girl can't even hold a kohl duck in one hand.
"It seems that you three have gained a little weight." Squatting on the balcony, Heshia touched the feathers of the three big ducks with her hands. They felt very fluffy and warm. No wonder winter clothes in the past were filled with duck down.
"Quack~quack~quack~" Surrounded by this young girl, three large white ducks with orange-red flat beaks squawked, seeming to be looking for her to eat.
"Okay, okay, stop barking, I'll take you to the buffet later."
The girl touched the three ducks, feeling a little reluctant to part with them, because the end of the semester was coming, and these three ducks would be handed in as answer sheets for the course. At that time, the academy teacher would grade the three ducks based on their growth and degree of training. .
"Unknowingly, I have grown up." Think about it. Two months ago, these three little guys followed me to the pond to swim with crooked steps. Now they can fly.
Race: Cole duck subspecies
Status: Healthy (sub-adult)
Job Description: Natural Sequence 2·Quick Feather White Duck (Ordinary Red Bronze Level)
Talent: [Duck Down White Feather] (Normal): It has a good thermal insulation effect and can also assist flight.
ability:
[Quick Feather] (Excellent): When the feathers are flapping, they can obtain greater lift and power, making flight possible.
[Cold Resistant] (Normal): Can live normally above minus 10°C.
Skills: [Flying Lv.2] [Fishing Lv.1]
Just looking at the panel, you would think it was very ordinary, but if you let the school teachers evaluate it, this girl is definitely talented as a trainer.
Because Cole Duck is an ordinary animal, and its IQ is not outstanding. If you want it to condense magic power, it is extremely difficult to advance to an extraordinary animal. What's more, these three are not only Sequence 1, but have even entered Sequence 1. 2. Even the most basic Sequence 2 core template will be a record-breaking existence as long as it is successfully condensed. After all, in the past, these types of ducks were only raised as basic pets or even poultry. Very few people would specially cultivate them into extraordinary ones. animal.
————
Three days later, the students each brought their own ducks to the scene. The whole scene was filled with quacking sounds. Many students could be seen chasing their ducks for fear of getting lost. In order to distinguish each other's ducks, everyone also Tie their names and numbers on their feet.
"Look, look, even though I can't catch them when they fly into the tree, you can see how strong they are. The little cuties I raised have always eaten well." A chubby boy stood with his hands on his hips. Under the tree, he spoke to his companions and called twice from time to time, trying to call the ducks down from the tree.
"I really don't understand. The duck's flippers are obviously not suitable for grasping the tree, so why does it stay there and not come down." After shouting for a while, the chubby boy was a little embarrassed when he saw that the duck he raised was not showing respect.
"Probably because you are down there, haha." Several companions around them laughed, but they could also see that these ducks were indeed well raised. They could also fly up trees, were in good health, and had bright white feathers.
"Okay, next one." In the middle of the scene, the teacher finished scoring the duck raised by a classmate, and then called the next student.
"I'm here." Wearing a gray and blue winter jacket, Qiu Shu came trotting all the way. Behind him were three quacking big white ducks. It seemed that he usually took his ducks for runs.
"Okay, let me take a look and check." The teacher greeted him with a smile, and then asked one of the ducks to be weighed on the scale.
"Well, the weight ratio is good, the wings are very powerful, the cry is clear, and there are no diseases or diseases on the body. It seems that I can't justify not giving you a '3A'."
"Hey, thank you for the compliment, teacher." Qiu Shu put down the duck in his hand and scratched his head.
"Next, Heshia." After finishing the grading, the teacher continued calling from the list.
"I'm here." On a bluestone at the scene, the gray-haired girl was sitting there, looking at the three white ducks swirling around her feet under her.
Heshia jumped off the bluestone and came to the teacher with three swaying guys.
"Hexia's training is pretty good." The teacher looked up and saw the three ducks with snow-white feathers. He couldn't help but praise them, but soon his eyes froze again, as if he couldn't believe it.
"Did you let them advance?"
"Well, yes, didn't you say before that the purpose of our study is to help many animals that are not talented enough and not very smart to advance to the next level? So I tried for a while and barely trained them to Sequence 2. It's a pity that It will be difficult to go forward." The girl shook her head and regretted that although the big white duck is a bit cute, the existence lifespan of Sequence 2 is only slightly better than that of ordinary ducks, and it cannot accompany people for a long time.
Seeing the girl's regretful look, the teacher wanted to say something to comfort her.
"Actually, it's pretty good. No, no, no, it's already broken the record. Heshia, you may not know that the first grade is mainly about familiarity. You haven't come into contact with various secret techniques that help extraordinary creatures advance. Raising extraordinary animals is unlikely to be achievable...but it is surprising that you can do this in the first grade." He shook his head.
"Animals have high and low lifespans, and differences are inevitable."
"The original arrangement here at the academy is that after you have finished cultivating these Cole ducks, they will find suitable owners and let them live as pets. However, these three of yours are special, and it will definitely not work for you to keep them all the time. Yes, this will delay your study and life energy. If you don't mind, the academy will adopt it for you and place it in a small lake in the back mountain, where there are also other birds with gentle personalities living there."
"Thank you, teacher, for the arrangement." The girl bowed and saluted, knowing that she was making an exception for herself and putting the teacher in a difficult position.
"It's okay, I just feel that there are many talents in this generation. When I was in school, I was a little genius, but now it seems that I am not as good as your generation."
(End of chapter)
