The Cornflower Witch

Book 2: Chapter 70: The Garrison at the Mountain Foot

Vol 2 Chapter 70 The Garrison at the Mountain Foot

At the border town of Mammoth, a team was preparing to set out.

This was the garrison closest to the Darkmist Mountains that still had a teleportation magic array. If they continued west toward the Darkmist Mountains, there would be no convenient teleport arrays to use.

“So from here on, you can only advance relying on pack beasts.” A seasoned knight stood on a makeshift wooden platform and addressed the members below.

“I am your guide for this expedition and the transport officer for the garrisons that go to and from the Darkmist Mountains. You may call me Reginson.”

“This time I will lead you across the Black Lion Wastes and then arrive at the foot of the Darkmist Mountains. That spot is one we specially surveyed and found suitable for establishing a garrison.”

“You will build a new supply outpost there. I hope you can complete the mission smoothly.” He swept his gaze over the young apprentices below once more.

“Now, mount your horses, secure your supplies, and follow me!”

Soon, the sound of copper bells rang out ahead of the column, and the long procession began to move.

The whole convoy numbered about two hundred people, with over fifty wagons carrying all kinds of supplies—some urgently needed to build the new garrison, others bound for the frontline at the border.In the middle of the column, Sylutia rode on horseback, listening occasionally to the introductions from companions beside her.

“Tia senior apprentice, there are sixty-three apprentices in this first group of garrison pioneers. Besides the fifty-two conscripted from the Glittergold Plains, eleven are scholars and craftsmen from the Candlefort School.”

“They will support our construction in the early stage, but once the first phase is finished, they will leave.”

“Who will handle later maintenance?” Sylutia glanced at the robed members behind her;

most wore white scholar’s robes similar in style to Scholar Hyde’s.

“One or two will stay behind as caretakers. If new buildings need to be constructed, we’ll apply through the association and then send staff over.”

“Can’t they be stationed permanently?” The girl sounded a little puzzled.

“Permanent postings consume a lot. Plus, unless they’re building structures, they don’t have much to do.” It was clear that within the Hidden Grove, organizations like the Candlefort School did not hold high status.

“I see...”

The column gradually left Mammoth and advanced toward the Black Lion Wastes. The cloud cover above grew heavy and low;

under the dim sky everything began to feel oppressive.

It was like heading downhill forever. After leaving Mammoth, Sylutia felt the entire convoy slowly moving into ever darker, lightless regions.

Days later, when she looked back toward Mammoth, she could only see the junction of dark-gold clouds and the horizon;

the rest was a wasteland—there was no sign of the town at all.

Ahead lay the same gloomy sky, merging with the horizon in the distance as if the land opened into a rift dropping into an abyss.

No wonder the association offered such generous terms to get people to work here. The psychological pressure this place imposed was immense, like a fear that never let you go.

A week later, the convoy came to the foot of a pitch-black mountain range. The terrain formed a horizontal V, with mountains on both sides and a triangular patch of flat ground in the middle.

Using the protection of the mountains, this spot was sheltered from the eroding winds. At the mountain foot there was relatively safe, easily defensible land.

“This is it, Sylutia.” Reginson rode up to the girl.

“Your new garrison will be located here. If successful, this will become a transit station between the Darkmist Mountains and the Hidden Grove border.”

“My team and I will stay here three days to help guide the construction. After that, we’ll set out again to deliver supplies to deeper garrisons in the Darkmist Mountains.”

“Thank you, I understand.” The girl nodded, then gestured for her companions to dismount and began surveying the surroundings.

By evening, the members who finished initial scouting gathered around the campfire to rest and cook dinner.

“Is the water source secured?” Sylutia asked the scholars and craftsmen who had come with her.

“The water source is fine. In fact, it was confirmed when the site was selected, otherwise the association wouldn’t have chosen this place as a garrison.”

“However, the water is near the depths of the Twilight Sea and heavily polluted. It must be drawn up, allowed to sit in pools for purification, and only then can it be drunk.”

“We will also build a dedicated shrine at the well to purify the water and provide a protective barrier.”

“Understood.”

That night, everyone ate and slept in their tents, resting soundly.

Over the next two days, after discussion and planning, the construction blueprint for the new garrison was finalized.

“First we need to build a perimeter wall to enclose the entire garrison.” A bespectacled scholar tapped the blueprints.

“Because manpower and resources are limited initially, we only need to enclose this line.” He pointed to a solid line on the drawing.

“If the garrison expands later, it can be extended step by step according to these three dashed lines.”

After determining the wall’s location, phase one of construction began. Apprentices quarried stone in the mountains, cut it into suitable blocks, and built the wall along the mountain range.

“The arrangement of these bricks, the stacking order, the layout patterns, are all strictly controlled by the Candlefort School scholars. Only in this way can we construct special magic arrays capable of dispersing and resisting Distortion’s corrosion.”

Elsewhere, Sylutia discussed the cultivation fields with several scholars.

“The light intensity here is less than thirty percent of the Glittergold Plains;

I’m afraid wheat won’t grow.” One scholar warned the girl.

“I know, so I prepared other crop seeds in advance.” Sylutia nodded.

She had already researched this: light is weak in the Darkmist Mountains and many crops cannot adapt. Shade-tolerant plants must be used. For staples she chose potatoes and taro;

for vegetables she selected water spinach, lettuce, spinach, carrots, and broad beans.

“Still, the environment is worse than I expected.” Sylutia worriedly watched the sky.

Not only is the soil heavily polluted, even the wind is corrosive. Ordinary plants exposed to it would quickly die. No wonder there was almost no vegetation along the route.

“We’ll need to build glass greenhouses to isolate against airflow and the corrosive winds. How large of a glass greenhouse can you construct?”

“Um...” The scholars exchanged awkward looks.

“It’s not that we don’t want to, but building greenhouses to your specifications requires special glass.”

“Ordinary glass can block wind, but under corrosion it will become brittle after about three months. Stone walls would block the wind and be more durable, but then sunlight can’t penetrate.”

“What kind of special glass did you say is required?” The silver-haired girl turned to ask.

“We need Second Tier, Superior quality inlaid-wire glass to resist the Darkmist Mountains’ relentless corrosive winds.” One scholar answered after a moment’s thought.

“Inlaid-wire glass is made by embedding special metal wires during manufacture. This increases strength and allows the wires to form rune patterns that add specific effects.”

“To resist corrosion, we recommend the Swan Arched Window or the Snowmira Gate inscriptions from castle craftsmanship.”

“How much is such glass per pane?” Sylutia braced herself for the cost.

“A square pane one meter per side is roughly forty gold coins. If we order in bulk, we might reduce it to thirty gold coins each.”

“The only major supplier of such glass is the Six-Part Glaze School. Many of the association’s appraisal lenses are also produced by them.” This reminded Sylutia of the appraiser who graded her perfect-quality wheat using a special lens.

“What if we produce it ourselves?” She remembered Seraph’s lectures included knowledge about the Six-Part Glaze School.

“If we had suitable alchemists and craftsmen, the cost could be around ten gold coins per pane,” since the raw glass materials and special metal wires would still need to be procured.

“I understand.” Sylutia nodded.

“Let’s use ordinary glass for now, and replace it with inlaid-wire glass once we have the funds.”

Phase one of the garrison construction began with the perimeter wall, stone houses for residence, and towers. Next were the tall greenhouses for cultivating crops.

As for the association hall, tavern, and inn, those were scheduled for phase two. For now, survival and core objectives came first.