The Cornflower Witch

Book 2: Chapter 20: Toad Advancement

Vol 2 Chapter 20: Toad Advancement

In the afternoon, the wind slipped through the summer shade.

Sylutia sat beside the pond behind her cottage, her feet soaking in the cool running water. While building various structures this time, she had connected a small pipe from the well-side pool to her little garden, so she no longer had to haul water every time.

As the pebble-lined pool slowly filled, Sylutia turned off the nearby spigot and soaked a while longer, lightly splashing the water with both feet in playful little beats. After playing, she picked herself up again, let her feet dry in the breeze for a moment, then put her shoes back on.

She filled her watering can with fresh water and began tending the trees, flowers, and plants in her garden.

Two new apple saplings had been added, though they were still juvenile, slightly shorter than the young woman.

“Grow quickly.” Sylutia sprinkled water around the roots, then rested her hand on a thinner branch. A faint verdant halo shimmered, and the apple sapling began to absorb moisture, then pushed out tender buds and lengthened its stem bit by bit.

After a short while she withdrew her hand and moved to the other apple sapling, repeating the same motions.

Verdant Dew Water + Branch Grooming Method + Nature Perception + Discernment Eyes, the four combined let her reach an astonishing level in plant cultivation. For Sylutia now, raising a plant to “perfect” quality was basically effortless.

Normally, gardeners learn Dew Prayer Method at First Tier, Branch Grooming Method at Second Tier, and near the end of Second Tier they merge the two into a profession ability. Even so, raising that profession ability to Lv.3 is difficult. It is rare for someone at Second Tier to boost their Gardener Apprentice rank to Lv.4. Without the aid of Discernment Eyes, even that level would struggle to match Sylutia’s current proficiency.One would generally need to reach mid-Third Tier and further improve cultivation skill to catch up with Sylutia’s current mastery. Even geniuses at that skill level are usually thirty to forty years old, yet Sylutia has been on the path of becoming a Transcendent for less than a year.

If people in the royal capital knew the truth about her, they would likely drop their jaws; she would be a superstar prodigy.

But here, at the Hidden Grove outpost within the Shadow World, information flow was poor. Only a few knew there was a newly advanced Second Tier apprentice progressing very quickly. How long she took or how she advanced—no one knew.

Such rapid advancement made those who heard about it suspect she had taken shortcuts, which was unavoidable.

After tending her small garden, Sylutia put on her Sun Hat and walked down to the field below the cottage. It was August; the sun was fierce. Walking through the fields, occasional summer breezes lifted her skirt, revealing pale legs.

Her sandals pressed against the ridges between rows, sometimes requiring her to hop over ruts. Her silver-white hair lifted in the wind and fell back down.

Fifty days had passed since this batch of Wheat was planted; they were now in the Booting Stage. In about two weeks it would be harvest time.

[Wheat] (Rare-81): Growth excellent, expected to yield abundant harvests.

After a little more time it should reach perfect quality, and then harvest would be close at hand.

...

Having finished the field-tending, Sylutia was preparing to return to her cottage when a few toads came racing over, excited.

“Ribbit, boss.”

“I advanced, ribbit.”

The lead toad shouted happily, the others trailing behind with cheerful croaks.

Advanced? Sylutia was slightly surprised, but then thought, after feeding them Alfalfa Buns for so long, advancement was indeed due.

“Let me see.” She walked over and had the red toad stand before her without moving.

Species: Toad Sub-human (Enhanced)

Status: Healthy (Tamed)

Talents:

Amphibious [Good Grade]: Equally adapted to life in water and on land, movement speed increases in water.

Fate Card: [Bloodwood Forest Frog] (First Tier · Bloodline)

‘The Bloodline aspect awakens within, enhancing bodily attributes and turning skin a red hue.’

- Effect [Swift Swimmer Body Lv.2]: The Bloodline aspect fills and circulates through the body, moderately strengthening constitution and improving speed and reaction.

Ability Card:

[Toad Bloodline Lv.2] (Bloodline): Your toad bloodline has activated, enabling faster movement in water, rain, and moist environments, granting burst power and partial toxin immunity.

After examining this toad for a while, Sylutia had a good grasp of its condition.

Although the condensed aspect was still not extremely powerful, it was at least growing, and might become stronger later.

Over the next few days, other toads advanced one after another. Their condensed aspects varied; Verdant Nectar and Snail Fish were most common, but there were also toads with Bloodline and Blazing Sun aspects.

Fate Card: [Jadewood Forest Frog] (First Tier · Verdant Nectar)

‘The Verdant Nectar aspect awakens within, enhancing bodily attributes and turning skin a verdant green.’

- Effect [Woodland Perception Lv.2]: Can discern and sense plant growth conditions, revealing current plant statuses. (Effect equals one-quarter of a Verdant Eye potion.)

Ability Card:

[Toad Bloodline Lv.1] (Bloodline): Your toad bloodline has activated, enabling faster movement in water, rain, and moist environments, granting burst power and partial toxin immunity.

[Dew Prayer Method Lv.1] (Verdant Nectar): Gathers morning mist into dawn light, transforming it into Verdant Dew Water. (Verdant Dew Water promotes plant growth and aids cultivation.)

Seeing Sylutia use Dew Prayer Method so many times, a toad finally learned the ability, which filled the girl with a burst of delight.

—

Fate Card: [Summer Forest Frog] (First Tier · Blazing Sun)

‘The Blazing Sun aspect awakens within, enhancing bodily attributes and turning skin an orange-yellow.’

- Effect [Sunlit Skin Lv.2]: Absorbs sunlight to boost vitality and endurance, and prevents sunburn.

Ability Card:

[Toad Bloodline Lv.1] (Bloodline): Your toad bloodline has activated, enabling faster movement in water, rain, and moist environments, granting burst power and partial toxin immunity.

[Warm Breeze Blow Lv.1] (Blazing Sun): Can blow a current imbued with the Blazing Sun aspect; currently only useful for drying items, unable to ignite flames.

This one would be useful for sun-drying grain and separating kernels.

—

Fate Card: [Rainveil Forest Frog] (First Tier · Snail Fish)

‘The Snail Fish aspect awakens within, enhancing bodily attributes and turning skin a watery blue.’

- Effect [Moist Body Lv.2]: Can swim rapidly and filter and absorb moisture through the skin.

Ability Card:

[Toad Bloodline Lv.1] (Bloodline): Your toad bloodline has activated, enabling faster movement in water, rain, and moist environments, granting burst power and partial toxin immunity.

[Water Jet Lv.1] (Snail Fish): Can compress internal water and spray it outward, knocking down flying insects and small birds.

Maybe this one could help with watering? Sylutia thought.

During this week, sixteen toads advanced in total. For easier management, she selected the strongest individuals from each aspect and named them.

“Your skin’s red, so you’ll be ‘Blood Frog.’” She pointed at the Bloodline-aspect red toad, blinking with a hint of a smile as she named it.

“Ribbit, I am ‘Blood Frog.’” The named toad proudly stepped forward.

“Ribbit, Blood Frog is awesome.” The other toads who hadn’t condensed aspects looked on with envy and admiration.

“You’ll be ‘Wood Frog.’” She pointed to another toad that had condensed Verdant Nectar.

“Ribbit, Wood Frog, ribbit.” It strutted out with pride and stood in front.

“You’ll be... ‘Fire Frog.’” The girl named the orange-yellow Blazing Sun toad.

“Ribbit, ‘Fire Frog.’” It seemed excited as well.

Then Sylutia pointed at another Snail Fish-aspect toad.

“You’ll be ‘Water Frog.’” That name was indisputable.

The last water-blue toad stepped out and croaked a few times, joining the others.

“From now on you four will be the Great Ribbits, overseeing everyone’s tasks.” The girl assigned roles.

“Ribbit ribbit.” The four called out proudly in front of their kindred.

Among these sixteen advanced members, there were three red toads with the Bloodline aspect, six water-blue Snail Fish toads, two orange-yellow Blazing Sun toads, and five verdant Verdant Nectar toads.

Overall, Snail Fish and Verdant Nectar were most common, likely due to their swamp and rainforest environment. Bloodline is an aspect many animals possess, so three isn’t surprising. Two having condensed Blazing Sun was unexpected for Sylutia.

Perhaps it was another adaptation: most toads feared prolonged direct sunlight because it dried and cracked their bodies. To cope, some might move toward Blazing Sun to adapt to harsher conditions.

After reorganizing tasks, the toads began participating in plant cultivation rather than only fetching water, irrigating, and simple tilling.

Maybe due to advancement or bloodline awakening, the aspect-condensed toads grew noticeably smarter, roughly equivalent to ten-year-old humans. Where ordinary people could understand and learn things, they now could learn and comprehend as well.

Given this, training these toads held great promise.