The Cornflower Witch

Book 2: Chapter 14: Building a Windmill

Vol 2 Chapter 14 Building a Windmill

When Sylutia woke up the next day, she felt she had slept very well that night, and her mood became light and cheerful as a result.

The sun had long since risen by now, shining into the window. Checking the time, it should be a little past nine-thirty in the morning.

Washing her face simply with clean water, Sylutia felt a bit more awake. After washing up and changing into the goose-yellow dress Lady Franne had custom-made for her last year, she went out.

The Alfalfa in the fields was still lush. The small hut where the toads lived opposite was already open, with a few scattered toads coming out to work, while most were still asleep.

Considering there were no particularly important matters these two days, Sylutia didn't go to wake them up either, instead giving them all a day off.

"Just have a good rest today," she instructed the few toads who were awake.

"Ribbit, can sleep, ribbit."

"Thank you, boss."

Several toads happily hopped around, then some ran towards the water pool, planning to just stay there all day today.On the other side, Sylutia went to the cellar on the lower level of the stone house. A large quantity of seeds she had purchased earlier were stored here. The previously needed Alfalfa had also been taken from here.

Because her 'Verdant Nectar' had reached the Second Tier, she could now easily accelerate the ripening of crops. If quality wasn't a concern, she could make some crops flower and bear fruit within two or three days.

"What should I eat..." Sylutia looked at the rows of seeds, then selected some with short cultivation times and that were quite tasty.

"Let's choose strawberries and blueberries," she picked out two small packets of seeds and walked out of the cellar.

Behind the small house was her exclusive small garden. Most of it was currently empty, with only three White Camellia trees planted.

She had been busy with the Wheat and Alfalfa matters all this time recently, so she hadn't had the mind to tend to this place. Now, however, she could spare some attention to plant something.

After simply turning over the loose soil once, she sowed two rows of strawberry seeds, planted two rows of blueberries, watered them with clean water, and sprinkled some Verdant Dew Water.

Then she stood in the middle of the garden, focusing her attention on the strawberries. An intangible Verdant Nectar power emitted a halo, beginning to observe and interfere. Soon, they sprouted new shoots, then unfurled tender leaves.

About an hour later, the strawberry bushes here had taken preliminary shape and began to bear unripe fruit.

To make the taste better, Sylutia decided to slightly slow down the speed during the fruiting stage, letting them accumulate more nutrients and sweetness.

She treated the blueberries on the other side the same way. After a morning like this, both sides bore unripe fruit.

They could be picked tomorrow, the young girl thought, then strolled through the valley with light steps, appreciating the rare summer scenery.

...

The next day, the newly picked strawberries were washed, and the young girl put them in her mouth to taste.

Slightly sour with a refreshing sweetness, bringing a touch of coolness in the summer, making Sylutia's heart leap with joy.

The benefit of choosing [Verdant Nectar] was that when you wanted to eat any fruit, you didn't need to consider the season; you could quickly cultivate it yourself.

Although rapidly grown fruit didn't condense any Aspect and had no extra supernatural effects, just in terms of taste and freshness, it provided an absolutely excellent experience.

That evening, she tried making bread for the first time. After some experimentation and improvements, she finally brought out rows of baked 'Blueberry Bread'.

[Blueberry Bread] (Excellent): Baked with high-quality wheat flour, with blueberry pieces added inside, making its taste sweet and sour without being cloying.

After eating the Alfalfa Buns last night, the toads originally thought that was a special reward after the harvest, a one-time thing. They didn't expect to eat a brand new, delicious food again tonight.

"Ribbit, gonna cry tears, ribbit."

"So delicious, ribbit."

Compared to the Alfalfa Buns, the bread with added blueberries indeed had a better texture, making these toads eat it with great reluctance to finish.

"Can we eat it again in the future, ribbit?"

"There will be. If we have a good harvest later, I'll also make delicious food for you," Sylutia promised with a smile.

The process of using Alfalfa to fertilize the soil was about to be completed. The current fertility level in the fields was even stronger than using chemical fertilizer in her previous life. Sylutia felt it was about right and that she should also prepare for planting the next batch of Wheat.

However, this time she had experience. She planned to go to the fortress to buy some farming tools, and also ask the association to send people to build a windmill within the valley. With a windmill, whether it was threshing or grinding flour, it would be much more convenient.

Before going, Sylutia had the toads harvest the Alfalfa in the fields and store it as feed for the animals. Although the Alfalfa was no longer visible on the surface, Sylutia could still sense the Root System underground. If she wanted, she could catalyze it at any time, making the Alfalfa in the fields grow lush and abundant again.

But for now, it was better to harvest and clear it first. Because she would later invite people over to build the windmill. If there were so many Aspect-condensing Alfalfa plants in the fields, she wouldn't know how to explain it. After all, such an achievement was still far too astonishing.

After making proper preparations, she set off with ten toads, heading once again for White Stone Fortress.

The tall draft horse walked in front pulling the cart. Because it had completed the condensation of 'First Tier·Bloodline', its stamina and speed were noticeably stronger than before. Now, maintaining a trotting pace as it advanced, it surprisingly didn't stop to rest once along the entire journey.

Around a little past nine, Sylutia and the others arrived at White Stone Fortress. The time spent on the road was nearly half less than before.

Taking the sturdy draft horse and the toads to the post station to rest, Sylutia pulled up her hood and walked alone towards the Hidden Grove association to inquire about matters after advancement.

It was the same clerk who received her. She was sitting leisurely behind the counter, originally thinking it would be a peaceful morning.

"Hello, I'd like to inquire about matters after an apprentice advances," Sylutia sat down, revealing a few strands of silvery-white hair from under her hood.

"You are?" The other party was somewhat surprised, then only remembered after Sylutia's prompt.

"I remember you came to the Hidden Grove less than 4 months ago," she flipped through the roster in her hand, her face showing surprise.

"Yes," Sylutia nodded.

"You actually advanced so quickly?" The other party's gaze swept over her up and down, incredulous.

"Are you sure you didn't use any shortcut methods? I'd like to remind you that during the apprentice stage, there's no need to use methods that offer high short-term gains but have significant side effects to forcibly enhance your strength."

"It probably doesn't count as a shortcut," the young girl lightly pressed a finger to her chin, her gaze turning to the side in thought.

"Actually, I didn't expect the advancement to be this fast either."

Under normal circumstances, after First Tier apprentices enter the Hidden Grove, they first familiarize themselves with work tasks, then spend money on classes, learning various new abilities. Relying on Meditation Methods or Breathing Techniques, they gradually improve their attributes, then step by step advance and promote their various new abilities.

Finally, until a certain critical point arrives, with the support and clustering of various abilities, their own fate rank also changes, completing the advancement.

Even for exceptionally talented apprentices, this process takes nearly two years. And most apprentices probably need to stay in the Hidden Grove for five years before they can step into the Second Tier.

"I can't make the decision on this for now. Please wait two days, Tia. A specialized teacher will come to check your situation," the other party informed her like this.

"Alright, then I'll buy some things in the city these two days," she had other things to attend to anyway and wasn't in a hurry to return today.

Afterwards, Sylutia began inquiring about building a windmill. Compared to advancement, arranging the construction of a windmill was much simpler. The other party quickly helped her complete the application and collected fifteen gold coins from the young girl.

"The various fees originally totaled twenty gold coins. But considering that building the windmill also serves the Hidden Grove, enhancing regional strength, one-quarter of it is borne and paid for by the Hidden Grove," she explained.

"I'll contact the Stone Mason's Guild in the city tomorrow. They'll handle this matter properly."

"Thank you."

It seems I'll have to stay a couple more days.