The Cornflower Witch

Book 2: Chapter 22: An Evaluation Higher Than Excellent

Vol 2 Chapter 22: An Evaluation Higher Than Excellent

"Carry these wheat grains and store them in the warehouse inside the cave."

After thinking for a while, Sylutia made a decision.

Of the harvested 17,000 jin of 'Rare' grade wheat, 15,000 jin would be moved to the warehouse inside the cave for storage. It was cooler there, and the dried, sun-cured wheat grains were less likely to mold or spoil.

If wheat is not hulled, it can be stored at room temperature for 3-5 years; at low temperatures (below 15°), it can be stored for 5-8 years. This is while still guaranteeing edible quality. If one doesn't mind slight changes in texture, it can be stored even longer.

The remaining 2,000 jin of 'Rare' grade wheat would be placed in the warehouse next to the windmill for milling into flour, ready for sale or consumption.

As for the remaining 3,000 jin of 'Perfect' quality wheat, Sylutia planned to store it first in the cellar next to her own cabin. The environment there was safe, and it had a 'Castle' Aspect formation isolating it, preventing the aura of the 'Verdant Nectar' Aspect from leaking out.

After the arrangements were settled, the toads began moving these harvested wheat grains, meticulously dividing them into areas for stacking, which would make future inspections and handling easier.

After the harvest ended, a large amount of straw remained in the fields. Sylutia instructed the toads to keep and store the straw from the 'Perfect' quality wheat. As for the straw from the other wheat, the intact parts would be used by the toads as bedding material, while another portion would be woven into mats, hats, and other daily necessities.

As for the remaining scattered straw, it would be burned together with the turned-over soil. This could not only kill insect eggs within but also add some fertility to the land.After handling these matters, Sylutia once again made the alfalfa deep in the soil sprout and grow, occupying the entire field. Lush, verdant, tender alfalfa also bloomed with purple flowers across the patches.

It was time to go to the city and report, Sylutia thought.

She took some samples of each quality of wheat with her and set off for White Stone Fortress.

......

The carriage traveled across the early autumn wilderness, the wind high and the air crisp. Lying atop a tall stack of straw, Sylutia gazed at the distant blue sky, thinking about the future.

These past six-plus months in the Glittergold Plains could be said to have brought her rapid progress in the profession of gardener. Practice truly was the best teacher.

Now, in the field of gardening, she had reached a relatively stable stage. It was also time to explore other areas.

For example, learning 1-2 combat-related abilities, observing how bakers transformed wheat flour into higher quality food, how those skilled blacksmiths forged tools, and how expeditions into the borderlands were conducted, what gains they might have, and so on.

Thinking about it, she had been in the Shadow World for over half a year now, and the areas she stayed in were always limited to the valley and White Stone Fortress. It was also time to go and walk in other places.

Oh right, she had previously promised Agren to forge a longsword. Now she probably wasn't short on money and could help Agren with this matter.

Additionally, she needed to write a letter to Florerella, telling her about her recent situation, and so on. She wondered how that elf girl was doing lately.

Unfortunately, communication between the Shadow World and the surface was still difficult. Even if she wrote letters to Lady Franne and Scholar Hyde, they probably wouldn't receive them until half a year later.

At noon, as before, Sylutia had the carriage stop at the city's post station and left a dozen or so toads there to watch over it and reside.

Afterwards, she took a small bag of wheat grains and flour and came to the Hidden Grove association.

"Hello, Miss Sylutia." The person receiving her seemed to recognize her, welcoming her with a smile.

"Hello, I'd like to apply for the half-year assessment."

"Alright, let me check your number and records." This receptionist flipped through the roster and records, then found Sylutia's page.

"You arrived at the Glittergold Plains half a year ago. Since this is your first time participating in the assessment, as long as you reach 70% of the target requirement, it's considered a pass. However, if you wish to receive 'Good' or 'Excellent' evaluations, the standards remain unchanged from the original."

"I understand." The young girl nodded slightly, then continued to ask.

"Is the 'Excellent' evaluation the highest? If the results are even better, what rewards are there?"

"The 'Excellent' evaluation is indeed not the highest; above it is 'Outstanding'. However, this evaluation doesn't have exact standards. During the assessment, the instructor applies for it based on the situation, and it must later be appraised by five or more reviewers to be awarded."

"Very few apprentices receive the 'Outstanding' evaluation, probably only 3-5 per session. They are apprentices who have achieved exceptionally dazzling results during their training period."

"I see. What are the benefits after obtaining it?" She wondered whether she should try to achieve this.

"There are certainly many benefits. For example, a higher supply standard, more permissions opened up, and gaining more attention, and so on."

"For each apprentice who receives the 'Outstanding' evaluation, the association awards one 'Third Tier·Excellent' quality creation and allows them to select one intermediate secret art to be taught for free."

"Additionally, apprentices who receive the 'Outstanding' evaluation can use the teleportation formation to travel to various outposts without usage restrictions. This is generally a permission only Third Tier professionals have."

"If it's an ordinary, average Second Tier apprentice, they can only use the teleportation formation to travel between different branch outposts once every three months."

Originally, Sylutia also yearned for a leisurely, natural, pastoral life. But what the other party offered was simply too much. The right to freely travel to different outposts, this kind of 'freedom' right, instantly tipped the scales, making her choose.

Well, after becoming famous in the Glittergold Plains, she could just go walk around other places. Not everyone would know her anyway, the young girl secretly thought.

"Thank you for telling me this." The young girl slightly bowed, expressing her thanks, then took out the wheat grains she carried with her.

"This is the 'Perfect' quality wheat I cultivated. I wonder if it can make the instructors look at me with new eyes."

The golden wheat grains were spread on the black stone slab of the counter. Even though they had left their growing environment, these grains still contained vitality, as if they were still breathing faintly, emitting a faint halo.

Seeing this bag of golden, gleaming wheat, the woman behind the counter was full of surprise. She carefully picked up a few grains, placed them on her palm to observe, then asked the young girl to wait a moment.

"Please wait a moment, Miss Sylutia. I'll go invite the association's appraiser over."

Appraiser, a professional specializing in appraising items, often carrying a large box of lenses, mostly Transcendents of the 'Luminous Moon' or 'Secret Word' Aspects.

Soon, an appraiser hurried over, led by this woman. He approached the counter, briefly glanced at the silver-haired girl, then his gaze was drawn to the wheat grains on the table.

This appraiser, with neatly combed hair and a capable appearance, opened his waist pouch, took out a lens, and snapped it into the monocle frame on his nose bridge, then aimed it at the wheat grains on the counter.

[Appraisal Lens (Wheat Grain)] (Superior): A lens specifically used for appraising wheat grain quality. Numerous intricate detection formations are inscribed within. When various data points of the wheat grain meet standards, different light filament patterns appear on the lens.

At this moment, the formations on the lens activated. Subtle light rays passed through the lens, illuminating the wheat grains, then partially reflected back, bringing various information.

Nutritional level data feedback...

Freshness level data feedback...

Integrity level data feedback...

Natural texture data feedback...

...

'Pass' (gray light filament... lit)

'Good' (light green light filament... lit)

'Excellent' (cyan light filament... lit)

'Superior' (bright blue light filament... lit)

'Rare' (purple light filament... lit)

...

'Perfect' (golden light filament... lit)

That golden manifestation appeared, turning the spreading purple light filaments into pale gold, then bright gold.

Finally, the bright golden light filaments outlined a complete golden wheat ear pattern on the lens, incredibly clear and beautiful, like a breathtaking piece of art.

"Oh—simply unbelievable! This is the work of a Second Tier apprentice!"

"I mean, even some Third Tier gardeners don't have something so 'flawlessly perfect'." This appraiser reluctantly put down the lens, taking a good while before he could shift his gaze away from these wheat grains.

"May I know your name, this beautiful young lady?"

"Tia. You can call me Sylutia."

This silver-haired girl now answered with a clear voice. The etiquette and temperament she displayed made one understand how the word 'perfect' should be described. The trace of doubt that had originally surfaced in his heart was also cut off at this moment.

Indeed, a genius like this was exactly such an existence, obvious at a glance, impossible to ignore.

Afterwards, Sylutia's bag of wheat grains and wheat ears were passed up through layers, arriving on the desks of high-ranking figures in White Stone Fortress.

Originally, several of them still had doubts, but soon a gardener from the 'Four Seasons Alliance' arrived and told everyone that he had seen this young girl before, that she was likely a genuine talent. This dispelled some of their suspicions.

"So, you're saying that in our safe, stable, unremarkable central hinterland outpost, a shining new star has emerged, one even the dangerous borderlands would find hard to produce." A knight clad in sturdy armor sat at the head of the long table. His gauntlet-covered fingers tapped the hardwood tabletop, producing a thumping sound.

"They always say dangerous places train people better, and more resources should be tilted there. So over these years, funding and supplies for the Glittergold Plains have always been cut, and we're asked to provide more grain and products to support other outposts."

"Now, can we slap the faces of those old stubborn folks in the association?" A wizard wearing attire with a bright yellow base and vine-flower patterns stood with his hands behind his back by the window, looking down at the city below.

"Haha, I don't understand all that, and I don't care. But if that little girl wants some kind of reward, you can call me to forge it for her." A blacksmith with a thick, bushy beard sat at the table. He was stalwart in build, his muscles seeming cast from bronze, solid and powerful.

These three respectively represented the three major organizations entrenched in the 'Glittergold Plains': the 'Holy White Knight Hall', the 'Four Seasons Alliance', and the 'Forging Gold Hammer'. These three were also the earliest organizations to invest and establish the 'Glittergold Plains' outpost. Of course, these three here were branches, while the organization headquarters were on the surface continent.

"First, take people to the valley for an actual on-site inspection and verification. If the situation is indeed true, we also need to make some preparations." The tall knight at the head finalized the decision, and the other two parties also agreed.

"Rewarding talent is definitely necessary. We might even be able to use this opportunity to fight for some policy adjustments from the association headquarters. After all, we genuinely produced a 'genius new star' here, while those outposts that get large amounts of resources and still run deficits every year haven't produced any dazzling results."

"By both reason and sentiment, headquarters has to concede a bit to us."

After the few of them agreed, the wizard wearing bright yellow attire with emerald green leaf and branch patterns on his cuffs stood up.

"This time, I will personally lead the team to conduct the assessment and inspection." He revealed the badge on the side of his collar. It was a symbol of identity given to specific Fifth Tier Transcendents within the 'Four Seasons Alliance'.

Golden and emerald green leaves and branches encircled it, with vibrant tricolored flowers blooming within: golden 'Sunflowers', pink-white 'Clematis', and blue-purple 'Sage'.

'Spring Badge', awarded to 'Kuland Hill', in recognition of his averting the calamity brought by the 'Lost Lands' in Covenant Epoch 2107.