The next day, Sylvia went to the Apothecary Guild to purchase a Medicinal Herb Identification Guide. The clerk even thoughtfully gifted her a 'Hemostatic Medicine Formula.' As for the Horticulturist Guild, it was quite meager; Cinderstone City wasn't a very wealthy place, and there weren't many people who cared about flowers and gardening. They only sold common flower seeds, had no cornflowers, and the books on gardening knowledge were relatively thin.
Placing a wooden chair in the small yard behind the house, Sylvia sat down and opened the book 'Medicinal Herb Identification Guide' on her lap to read.
The afternoon courtyard was exceptionally quiet, with a bit of sunlight entering the yard and falling on the open space by her feet, bright but not blinding.
The yellowed pages, clearly printed text, and herbal illustrations emitted a faint scent of ink upon being opened, making one feel that the high price was indeed somewhat justified.
Nearly ten days after arriving in this world, Sylvia had been coming into contact with new things almost every day, stepping into one unfamiliar environment after another. Only now could she finally relax a bit, leaning quietly against the back of the chair to spend a perfectly peaceful afternoon.
The sunlight in the yard slowly shifted; from not reaching her at first, it gradually shone on Sylvia's calves, bringing waves of warmth.
Her slender fingertips gently brushed across the pages, turning one over. After finishing another introductory chapter, Sylvia looked up at the sun-drenched courtyard. A faint sense of lightheartedness and happiness rose within her, making her want to take a nap in this breezy afternoon.
She marked the page in the book and placed it on the small table beside her. Then, she pulled her legs back slightly, resting them on the crossbar beneath the chair, leaned her head against one side of the backrest, and closed her eyes.
In such a quiet and relaxed state, a few strands of hair swayed gently against her cheek, yet they didn't wake her from her nap. Her brow was relaxed, and her soft face looked quite cute and innocent in the afternoon glow.
The insects on the trees continued to chirp; beneath the tender green and pale yellow leaves, the young girl slept soundly as time slowly passed.
...
Several hours later, the sound of a key turning in the lock followed by the push of a door echoed through the house. A lively, bouncing figure walked in, circling the house before finally finding Sylvia napping in the backyard.
"Tia~ I'm back." Talia came to the sleeping Sylvia's side, her hands resting on the armrests of the wooden chair as her eyes curiously examined the young girl.
The sleeping Sylvia didn't look as intelligent as she did when awake, but she had another kind of cuteness, Talia suddenly thought.
Then, the girl beneath her opened her eyes, gently shaking her head and hair as she sat up.
"Talia's back, I see." Her gentle voice held a hint of laziness and was extraordinarily soft and sweet, as if this were her true tone of voice.
"Mm-hmm, wakey-wakey, Tia~" She helped Sylvia sit up properly, then ran back to the living room to bring over a light green melon, similar in size to the watermelons in Sylvia's memory.
"Uncle Hook gave this to me; I was helping him out this morning~" Hook used to be a resident of Basswood Village and now sold fruit in Cinderstone City, while also doing some other small business.
"I thought of Tia right away and brought it back to eat together." Talia expressed that she was a good sister and wouldn't forget Tia.
"Thank you, Talia." The girl replied with a smile. Talia's somewhat scatterbrained enthusiasm dispelled the anxiety and tension she felt upon arriving in an unfamiliar world.
"Let's cut the melon; it won't taste good if we leave it for too long," Talia spoke up impatiently.
"Okay." Sylvia thought for a moment, found a kitchen knife in the cupboard, and the two of them briefly washed the melon's skin with stored water in the kitchen before cutting it open.
Once the light green melon was cut, it revealed pale yellow flesh inside along with many white seeds. The two of them each took a slice and stood in the backyard to eat; since there were no outsiders, there was no need to be too formal.
As she bit into the flesh, the sweet juice overflowed, jolting Sylvia's spirit and making her much more alert.
It was delicious; while not as sweet as a watermelon, it had another kind of woody sweetness that left a pleasant aftertaste.
"What kind of melon is this?" she couldn't help but ask.
"This is a 'Fluffy Leaf Melon.' Some people grow them on the sunny slopes around Cinderstone City and bring them into the city to sell. However, they spoil very easily, so they're hard to find in other places." Talia knew Tia would be interested in this, so she had specifically asked Uncle Hook before leaving.
"Oh?" At Talia's preemptive answer, Tia tilted her head slightly and soon understood the reason.
This girl must have prepared the answer in advance.
"Thank you," she replied, smoothing the hair in front of her as a faint warmth flowed through her heart.
"Hehe." Talia proudly patted her chest, indicating that she was also very useful.
"Come on, there's still a lot left. Uncle Hook said this can't be kept for long, so it's best to finish it today." The two of them returned to the kitchen to cut more melon.
"Sigh, but I can't eat any more."
"No, you must finish it," Talia pushed the helpless Sylvia forward.
In the end, the two of them still couldn't finish it and decided to save some for the evening.
In the evening, the two of them went to Winnie's house again. Today, Winnie had anticipated their arrival and prepared a sumptuous dinner.
While enjoying dinner, Anchel told them the results of his inquiries at the merchant guild today.
"There's a job as a Messenger and Courier at the guild. The work involves delivering various letters, items, and notices around the city. The pay isn't high—only 2.4 silver coins—but it's relatively easy."
"Ah, I like that one!" Talia raised her hand.
Winnie and Anchel weren't surprised at all; they knew Talia would like a job like that.
"And then regarding Scholar Edson, unfortunately, he said he can't find time to teach. However, I also got another piece of news: Scholar Edson's teacher, the previously retired Mr. Hyde, will likely reopen his classes next month to teach a group of students."
"Ah, is Teacher Hyde teaching again?" Winnie covered her mouth in surprise.
"When I graduated back then, Teacher said he would spend his golden years in peace and wouldn't teach anymore. Why has he changed his mind now?"
"I'm not sure; maybe there's another reason."
"Since Scholar Hyde is teaching again, it should be the best opportunity for Miss Tia. He is the most learned person in Cinderstone City; there is no better mentor than him."
"It won't be until next month. I can ask Teacher if there are any restrictions for this enrollment," Winnie thought for a moment.
"In the meantime, how about I help Miss Tia check her basic knowledge?"
Although she had received an education in her previous life, she was indeed still very unfamiliar with this world, so Sylvia quickly agreed.
"Alright, then starting tomorrow, both of you must come to my place every morning to study," Winnie said, holding up a finger.
"Ah, I have to come too? Didn't brother-in-law say he found a job for me?" Talia protested.
"He did, but there are still a few days before you start. Don't think about slacking off," Winnie said, asserting her authority as the eldest sister.
"Ugh, I wasn't slacking off. I even went to help Uncle Hook yesterday," Talia argued.
"Yes, but you also know that you can't be as willful as a child anymore."
"Fine..." Knowing her sister meant well, Talia could only lower her head and agree.
Seeing Talia repeatedly being put in her place by Winnie, Sylvia found it amusing and heartwarming, reminding her of the companions she grew up with.
Are they also living well now?