The Cornflower Witch

Book 2: Chapter 53: Enhanced Alfalfa Buns

Vol 2 Chapter 53 Enhanced Alfalfa Buns

"For your outstanding performance in the first half of the year, the association has awarded you an 'Outstanding' evaluation. This is the badge of commendation."

Seraph handed Sylutia a specially crafted badge. Its base was made of metal with a faint blue luster, engraved with a pure white crescent moon surrounded by alternating white and blue bellflowers.

"The badge contains a small amount of mithril, making it quite valuable. With this badge, you can receive double the supplies until you reach the Fourth Tier," Seraph informed Sylutia.

"Additionally, a custom Third Tier weapon or piece of equipment will be commissioned for you, along with free coursework worth 1000 gold coins."

As he said this, the envy in Sophitina's eyes behind him was evident. Although her first-half evaluation was 'Excellent,' compared to 'Outstanding,' it was a world of difference.

In each cohort of apprentices, about 8%-10% might receive an 'Excellent' rating, but those who receive 'Outstanding' are less than 0.1%, exceptionally rare.

One must understand that those who can come to the Hidden Grove have already been selected once, being the most outstanding among ordinary people. Then, from this group, the few most exceptional are selected again. Those who receive this evaluation are without exception geniuses among geniuses.

After explaining the rewards, Seraph discussed future arrangements with Sylutia.

"Normally, Second Tier apprentices can freely choose a residence to live and grow. However, the association has higher expectations for you.""You have just recently stepped into the Second Tier and still need to consolidate your foundation and learn many things. In about six months, the association will likely assign you a task, most probably at a border outpost, to participate in practical training. We hope you will be prepared."

"Border outpost... does that mean I need to go there to participate in combat?" Sylutia asked curiously.

"You do indeed need to learn some combat abilities for self-defense. However, sending you there is not primarily for combat, but to allow you to adapt and learn the experience of pioneering within the Shadow World."

"There, you will come into contact with elite apprentices from various rear outposts. They are responsible for all sorts of tasks, such as maintaining the outpost against attacks by the Shadow World's aberrant creatures, forging weapons for the outpost's members, preparing potions, constructing fortresses and dwellings, and clearing land for cultivating crops, and so on."

"Years later, when that newly established outpost operates stably, you will become its founding elders, enjoying many privileges and benefits."

"I see, I think I understand," Sylutia nodded.

This process reminded her of Earth's history of exploring new continents—colonial ships carrying people to unknown lands, establishing settlements, producing locally, finding resources to send back to the old continent, while also growing stronger in the process.

"Use these six months well to prepare." After some encouragement, their conversation concluded.

The next day, Sylutia returned to the valley with her luggage.

The gentle breezes still encircled the place. In the month Sylutia was away, another 50 mu of land had been cleared within the valley, and the toads had transplanted quite a few of those alfalfa plants to the new fields.

When Sylutia's figure appeared in the valley, the toads living there immediately gathered around, croaking happily beside her.

"Ribbit, the boss is back from hunting."

"Been gone a long time, ribbit."

"Boss is still alive, ribbit."

Having been gone for nearly a month, the long-unseen toads missed this young lady dearly. Of course, there was another reason: with Sylutia absent, they had only been able to eat Doughball paste during this time, with no more of the delicious Alfalfa Buns.

"Alright, alright, I'm back," the young lady tilted her head, amusedly responding to the toads. Then she walked with them through the valley's fields, revitalizing the listless alfalfa plants.

The Distortion pollution seems to have spread up again;

I'll have to purify it once more, Sylutia thought to herself after inspecting the fields.

Time to start working again. But this feeling wasn't unpleasant;

in fact, she was somewhat looking forward to seeing the next bountiful harvest.

After settling back in, Sylutia stayed in the valley for five days. During these five days, she led the toads in clearing and harvesting the alfalfa from 100 mu of land, preparing to make it into silage.

Silage, or ensiled fodder, involves harvesting fresh plants with moisture content, then stacking and sealing them for fermentation. This type of fodder has a sour, fragrant smell, is soft and juicy, palatable, nutritious, and suitable for long-term storage, making it an excellent feed source for livestock.

For the next two days, she first directed the toads to chop up the harvested alfalfa and the reserved straw, then began the ensiling process.

"Yes, just like that. Place a layer of alfalfa, then a layer of straw," Sylutia instructed the toads storing the fodder in the warehouse.

They first laid three layers of straw on the warehouse floor, which was semi-buried underground, to absorb moisture. Then they continuously stacked alfalfa and wheat straw on top. After each layer was placed, they compacted it with a stone roller, then added the next layer. Layer upon layer, finally covering the top with thick cloth, compacting and sealing it with soil.

Wheat straw can neutralize the excessive moisture in alfalfa and is itself excellent dry fodder, participating in the fermentation to keep the silage in the optimal semi-dry state. The lactic acid and fatty acids produced during fermentation kill germs and insect eggs in the fodder, and destroy weed seeds, preventing them from sprouting again.

Furthermore, compared to dry fodder, silage is soft, juicy, tender, and tasty. After fermentation and decomposition, nutrients are more easily absorbed. The fermentation process also produces aromatic substances, making it more appealing to animals.

After ensiling all the harvested alfalfa and the previously reserved straw, the next step was sowing new wheat in the fields.

After watering the wheat seeds and waiting for them to sprout, Sylutia finally had some free time.

That evening, she once again made many Alfalfa Buns for the valley's toads as a reward for their labor during this period.

"Ribbit, delicious~"

"Boss made buns again, ribbit~"

"Last time, I fell asleep right after eating, ribbit."

"Ribbit, ribbit, I want buns."

In the valley square at night, Sylutia sat by the bonfire, lifted the lid of the steamed basket, took out the buns inside, and handed them out one by one to the toads in line.

"One each, ribbit. Eating too much will be overwhelming." This time, she had used Rare-grade flour and processed it with the newly learned 'Baking Method,' making the effect far superior to before.

[Alfalfa Bun] (First Tier · Verdant Nectar): A special bun made from Rare-quality wheat flour and 'First Tier · Verdant Nectar' Alfalfa Purple Flowers as ingredients. Its nutritional value is approximately sixty times that of an ordinary bun. Under the influence of the alfalfa, even ordinary creatures can digest and absorb it. (Nutrition +4, Stamina Recovery +2, Aspect Condensation +2)

To prevent the nutritional effect from being too strong, she had specifically cut the buns a bit smaller this time. But judging by the results after these toads ate them, they still couldn't hold out for long. Due to the excessively abundant blood sugar and nutrition, their consciousness became dizzy, and soon they fell asleep soundly in their rooms.

"Ribbit, so tasty."

One toad walked unsteadily into the dwelling's small hut. Before even reaching its sleeping room, it leaned against the corridor and fell asleep.

"Full, ribbit."

Another toad fared slightly better, managing a few more steps before propping itself against the door of its sleeping room and falling asleep.

By the time Sylutia finished feeding them, toads lay scattered inside and outside the hut. The only few still conscious were the toads who had previously condensed an Aspect and stepped into the First Tier.

"Do you want more?" Although she couldn't give any more to the other toads, these few should still be able to eat.

Holding the idea of 'if it won't kill them, feed them more;

there are leftover buns anyway,' Sylutia beckoned to these few ribbiters.

Looking at the silver-haired girl by the firelight, then at the bun in her hand, one ribbiter thought longingly and slowly walked over. But halfway there, the continuous stream of nutritional energy from its belly told it that it really couldn't eat any more.

"Ribbit, so sad."

"Clearly... there's still a bun waiting for ribbit."

It took a few more steps, but the overwhelming feeling of fullness finally forced the toad to give up.

"Ribbit, can't eat anymore, ribbit. Will explode if I eat more, ribbit." It patted its belly, turned around, and squatted down, afraid it couldn't resist the temptation.

"Sigh, can't eat anymore?" Sylutia thought for a moment, then took a small bite of the bun in her hand, tasting it slowly.

She was now in the Second Tier and wouldn't fall asleep as easily as before. But after just a small piece, her stomach felt full.

"Hmm, that's only about one-third." After a moment's thought, she put away the remaining bun, packed it up, and took it back to her dwelling's small hut for storage.

As the night deepened, Sylutia sat at the small desk in her bedroom, summarizing and recording the adventures of this period, and finally wrote down her recent goals.

Cultivate a new round of crops to earn money, study intermediate-level Secret History Knowledge, and understand her future advancement direction.