The Cornflower Witch

Book 2: Chapter 119: Mountain Road Outside Scorchstone City

Vol 2 Chapter 119 Mountain Road Outside Scorchstone City

Dulin City, Gardener Association.

"Hello, may I ask what you would like to buy?" The shop clerk behind the counter looked at the girl who had just walked in.

"I'm a passing gardener. I want to buy some local specialty plant seeds. If you have any books about their origins and cultivation experiences, that would be even better." Sylutia glanced at the shop's displays and stated her purpose.

"Alright, please wait a moment."

Now the Verdant Nectar Aspect aura Sylutia gave off, after she had reined it in, was roughly equivalent to Second Tier. That made her less conspicuous and spared her a lot of unnecessary trouble.

After a short while, the clerk brought out several small jars, then carried over a few potted plants from the back garden for Sylutia to inspect.

"This is calendula. It looks very pretty when it blooms. This is catchweed, which bears tiny red fruits."

"This is white wool thistle, it can adapt to very arid environments..." The clerk introduced the local specialty plants with practiced words, clearly used to gardeners buying local stock.

"Alright, give me some seeds of each." Sylutia nodded, then placed several gold coins on the counter.With her current ability she could easily cultivate ordinary plants to Second Tier. Many seemingly ordinary plants would, after consolidating their Aspect, develop unexpected abilities and effects.

Although she couldn't make use of every plant's abilities, the process of collecting, observing, and cultivating slowly increased her understanding of nature. It also gradually improved her Verdant Nectar Aspect concepts, a drip-by-drip cumulative effect.

"Okay, I'll package them for you now." The clerk replied cheerfully.

While waiting, Sylutia looked around and asked about the surroundings.

"Do you have any particularly rare plants here? I've heard some gardeners consign their cultivated special varieties to the association for sale."

"We don't have many gardeners in Dulin City. Some consignments sat here unbought for a long time, and local gardeners got lazy about consigning for sale. Only one special plant remains."

After saying that, he carefully retrieved a bottle from a room in the back, with a seed sample sealed inside.

"These are Dragonclaw Grass seeds. Fully grown, it should be a First Tier · Verdant Nectar plant. Its leaves have hooked barbs and the stem is very tough. If properly cultivated, it can also consolidate into Second Tier · Verdant Nectar, greatly enhancing toughness."

"Do you have a mature specimen?" Sylutia remembered encountering eyeball grass on the Camel Tower before.

"No mature specimen, just a dried segment of stem you can look at." The clerk thought for a moment, then rummaged in a box and pulled out a brownish stem segment, about thumb-thick, with a few dried spiky leaves clinging to it.

The girl's eyes widened slightly, showing a faint verdant tint as she scanned the withered stem.

Dragonclaw Grass (First Tier · Pass): A fairly tough plant with hooked barbs, but difficult and slow to cultivate.

It seemed not a very successful specimen, no wonder it had been left unsold for so long. Still, she paid an extra five gold coins and bought a small bottle of seeds.

After paying, Sylutia left the association and wandered through Dulin City, curiously observing the residents' lives.

Also formerly part of Regas, this city was livelier than Scorchstone City. Its population was nearly forty thousand, a well-known regional city. Many houses were built from white bricks, and residents' diets included, besides common bread and sausages, many fruits and fish rare in Scorchstone City.

After staying two days, Sylutia set off again. She followed the main road west, passing through several counties and cities.

Half a month later, Sylutia arrived at Cedar City, east of Valley City and northeast of Scorchstone City. Dense pine trees surrounded the city; it was known for timber furniture and carriage equipment.

Returning to the local Gardener Association, after purchasing some seeds Sylutia asked about recent events.

"Are you heading west? It's not very safe over there right now." The clerk warned the young woman.

"Oh? What happened?" Sylutia accepted the Cedar and Sunfragrant Wood seeds she had just bought.

"Valley City is at war recently. Supposedly Prince Jabers has rallied his old followers, hoping to break from Anty's rule."

"How's the fighting going?" Sylutia asked with curiosity.

"Not sure, but people here don't have high hopes for Prince Jabers. He's too young and hasn't shown much talent in the past."

"A few years ago the Grand Duke of Regas and the Crown Prince couldn't defeat the Anty forces. It probably won't be easy now either," the clerk sighed.

"I see. What about Scorchstone City?"

"Scorchstone City? It seems a lord named Somerlin rules it now. He used to be a logistics officer in the army. They say he spent a lot bribing General Bett and some high nobles within the Anty Kingdom to get that territory."

"Now he's preparing to mine the mountain behind Scorchstone City and has hired a lot of workers. We've posted notices about it."

"There are mines there?" Sylutia admitted she had never heard of them before.

"I don't know either." It seemed only by going to Scorchstone City could she learn the specifics.

Knowing Valley City was at war, Sylutia felt a little worried for Karen, since after they parted years ago Karen had gone to the Valley City Hunters' Association.

She hoped Sister Karen would be safe. In Sylutia's impression, Karen was not someone who chased fame or status and likely wouldn't participate in a war, but reality changed in an instant; she couldn't be certain of Karen's situation.

Unfortunately Valley City was closed right now, with large armies stationed outside, so Sylutia would have to wait until the war eased to investigate.

After buying enough travel supplies, Sylutia left Cedar City and rode toward Scorchstone City in the southwest, quickening her pace. She estimated she could arrive by tomorrow night.

Riding her horse, the mountain forest began to feel familiar. The cool mountain breeze brushed Sylutia's cheeks. It was the season when winter snow just began to melt; a lingering chill remained in the air.

After entering Gale Season, the weather was colder than Rising Wind Season; at least winter now brought snow.

After a day of travel, as dusk deepened, Sylutia found a wind-sheltered spot not far from the main road and set up a tent for the night.

She quickly lit a campfire, set up a triangular iron rack and a small pot, and cooked some of her favorite foods, including potatoes, jerky, and some vegetables.

After adding salt and seasonings, a mild aroma rose from the bubbling pot.

Adding more firewood, Sylutia stood up. She took a wooden dipper from the saddle, traced a motion in the air, and clear water gathered from nowhere, falling into the dipper.

"Do you want water?" She walked over holding the dipper and offered it to the white Windtrust horse.

The packhorse that had carried her all day knelt, lay down, and lapped the water with its tongue, producing a soft slurping sound.

Seeing it drink happily, Sylutia stroked the horse's ears and head, then pulled out a carrot and offered it.

This Windtrust horse belonged to Lantern Town. It had been bred on the Glittergold Plains and was robust. Normally only formal knights qualified to ride a horse with a Second Tier · Castle Aspect.

But animals in the little town liked Sylutia very much. Not only did she exude a calm temperament, she also carried endless alfalfa and carrots. If she coquetted a little, she could always get treats.

After munching Sylutia's homegrown carrot, the white horse licked the palm of her hand, leaving a warm, damp feeling.

"Alright, no more. You've already had three today."

The carrots Sylutia fed it were Verdant Nectar produce fully consolidated into First Tier · Verdant Nectar. Feeding one per month met this warhorse's growth needs. Most stables would never be so lavish.

After eating, the horse contentedly lay by the campfire, watched Sylutia prepare dinner, and gradually dozed off.

When Sylutia finished her meal, the white Windtrust horse was already asleep, but a faint white light curtain spread around it, covering nearly fifty meters. Any approaching life would trigger its alertness.

Although it served a supporting role, the warhorse also possessed a Second Tier Aspect. Ordinary fighters and beasts could not defeat it.

At night, Sylutia doused the campfire, crawled into her tent, pulled the blanket up, and drifted into sleep.

Deep into the night, insects chirped incessantly in the mountain grasses, and occasionally bats flew across the sky.

On the distant mountain road, a group of people ran hurriedly by the faint moonlight without torches, while behind them a band of soldiers with torches and hunting dogs chased after them.

"Hurry, don't let them get away!"

"These scoundrels, instead of digging properly, actually dared to coordinate an escape."

"If they get away, Lord Somerlin won't spare us. Hurry and chase them!"

Amid barking and the clatter of hooves, the torch-bearing soldiers ran through the night, cutting off the fleeing refugees.

They ran eastward in single file, gradually drawing closer to the tent where the girl slept.