The Cornflower Witch

Book 2: Chapter 135: Clash at the Banquet

Vol 2 Chapter 135 Clash at the Banquet

Inside the carriage, Sylutia sat upright with her eyes closed, her hands resting naturally and lightly folded in her lap.

The carriage departed from the inn, heading towards the main thoroughfare. Along the way, the flickering lights, the hawking calls of the night market, the clamor from taverns, the crackling sounds of flames, and the conversations of passersby seeped into the small interior through the gaps in the windows.

The curtains swayed slightly in the night breeze, occasionally allowing slivers of lamplight to filter through, illuminating the girl's face like a fleeting glimpse of something breathtaking, only to vanish quietly.

Unconsciously, the carriage gradually came to a stop, and one of the accompanying riders lightly knocked on the door.

"Lady Tia, we have arrived at the City Lord's residence."

"Mhm."

The door was then opened. Sylutia, with her straight black hair, lifted the hem of her skirt and stepped down gracefully. Before her stretched a straight path leading to the banquet hall. Anty soldiers stood along the route. Compared to the garrison in Scorchstone City, these soldiers were noticeably far more disciplined.

Accompanied by the maidservant, Sylutia walked forward unhurriedly. Other carriages arrived intermittently, their occupants also proceeding along this path.

By the time she reached the grand entrance of the hall, she could already hear the sounds of numerous musical instruments, song, and dance from within.The maidservant handed the invitation letter to the soldier guarding the door, and soon someone went inside to announce her arrival.

"Please enter, Miss Tia."

A man dressed as a butler descended the steps to greet her. Judging by the embroidery on his collar, he was likely the family butler of 'Baron Prison Hound' rather than a military man.

The white double doors were pushed open. Bright light poured out from within, illuminating the girl standing at the threshold. Her flawless features and fair skin seemed to be coated with a faint, glowing halo, making her entire person appear as beautiful as fine porcelain or jade.

"Thank you," the girl thanked softly before stepping into the banquet.

After she entered, the butler bowed in return, his gaze fixed on her receding figure for a long while without moving.

"She is a true lady. I'm afraid even within the royal capital of Ante, there is no one who could rival her." He did not know this girl's background or origins, merely marveling that his master had managed to invite such a unique, extraordinary girl of exceptional bearing.

Intricate golden chandeliers hung down one after another. Candlelight refracted through the multifaceted cut crystals, creating spark-like brilliance that illuminated the entire grand hall brightly.

The banquet had already begun. Many guests were engaged in conversation and socializing. Most were notable figures originally from Valley City, with a minority being Ante nobles and high-ranking officers.

Although the banquet music was elegant and soothing, most of the guests here harbored anxiety. Some worried about future changes in the situation, some feared the general who had yet to appear tonight, some lamented the shifts in the times, and so on. Only a small portion of the Ante officers seemed relatively happy, talking loudly and occasionally clinking wine glasses with laughter.

Sylutia walked through the hall, her gaze sweeping lightly as she prepared to first find a seat to wait. However, someone had already spotted her and was approaching.

"Hello, beautiful lady. My name is Glenfence. A pleasure to meet you." This blond young man wore a sharply pressed dark crimson military uniform.

"Hello. You may call me Sylutia," the girl nodded slightly.

"I wonder if Sylutia has a dance partner for tonight? If not, I could offer my services," he proposed confidently and brightly.

Looking at him, the girl shook her head slightly. "Thank you, but I don't require one tonight."

It must be said, this officer Glenfence was indeed very handsome. If it were another girl, she would probably be smitten. This thought passed through the girl's mind before she walked towards the seat she had chosen and sat down gracefully.

Undeterred by the girl's polite refusal, Glenfence continued to follow, sitting down in a seat beside her table. However, this Sylutia had already closed her eyes to rest, not intending to respond to any further conversation.

Seeing this, Glenfence felt it inappropriate to break the tranquility. He merely sipped his wine slowly, occasionally glancing at Sylutia's profile across from him, speculating about this girl's background and origins.

Time passed slowly. Several other people at the banquet also attempted to come over and strike up a conversation, but Glenfence intercepted them all, saying the young lady needed quiet rest.

To this, Sylutia neither responded nor objected.

Valley City was once the center of southwestern Regas. It had rivers connecting north and south, along with vast stretches of fertile farmland, always an important grain-producing region in the south. The city lord who ruled Valley City at the time was one of Regas's powerful earls. Many minor nobles from the surrounding areas would also make their homes here, only returning to their territories during tax collection.

However, with the fall of Regas, the situation had long since changed. Now, there were no nobles of Regas here. Even the nobles of the Kingdom of Ante had been purged as traitors during the recent battles. Currently, those with the highest status here were the high-ranking officers under Carkis's command, followed by the city's wealthy merchants and notable figures.

It was also for this reason that Glenfence could easily intercept many guests, with no one daring to force their way over.

The night deepened. Even after all the invited guests had arrived, just as some were growing anxious, a sharp voice called out from outside the main doors.

"Lord Carkis has arrived—"

This announcement caused the entire hall to momentarily pause. The previously lively banquet seemed as if it had been doused with the freezing waters of the northern sea, turning icy and piercing.

Surrounded by a retinue of knights, Carkis, wearing a military saber and long boots, stepped into the brightly lit banquet venue. Behind him, knights in full sets of gleaming silver armor with dark crimson capes followed. It was like a pride of lions entering a pasture full of rabbits and sheep. Wherever they passed, guests lowered their heads one after another, falling silent.

At this moment, Glenfence also stood up, standing ramrod straight. When Carkis passed the central line facing him from a distance, the young officer immediately snapped to attention and bowed his head, his movements sharp and forceful.

On the scene, officers similar to Glenfence all acted in basically the same way. When Carkis passed by, they all displayed discipline far surpassing that of ordinary people.

Faced with such a scene, the Ante people were naturally filled with pride, while the Regas people present only felt a heavy weight in their hearts, keeping their heads down without a word.

Afterwards, Carkis ascended the raised platform, surveying the entire banquet hall. Almost all the guests present were standing. The reason for 'almost' and not 'all' was because one figure remained seated in a corner, not having risen.

This observant general instantly spotted that different young girl. Just as the knight behind him grew slightly angry and prepared to step forward, Carkis raised his hand, stopping his subordinate's action.

"She has the qualification to sit there." As he spoke, an intrigued expression appeared on Carkis's face.

Unlike the mediocre guests present, Carkis had already perceived this girl's true Tier. Although only Third Tier, considering her apparent age and the special nature of her Aspect, this level of strength and talent was indeed stunningly brilliant.

"I have never been stingy with respect for true talent." He told the knight beside him once more. Then, the general's gaze swept over the assembled crowd as he spoke.

"Good evening, everyone. I am very pleased you could all attend this banquet as promised."

Although they were words of welcome, the feeling they gave was like being stared at by a vicious beast, making people uneasy. And soon, this premonition of the crowd would be realized.

"Over these past two years, Valley City has undergone many changes,"

"From Regas to Ante, from noble rule to military jurisdiction, all of you must have experienced a great deal."

"I am not a cruel man, but as a soldier appointed by the royal family, I have the duty and obligation to maintain the integrity of the kingdom's territory, ensuring it is united under the banner of the great King Attire."

"I believe all of you are also loyal people who agree with my thinking. I wonder if you all concur?" After finishing, his sharp gaze swept across the faces of those present one by one.

Cold sweat broke out on the backs of the wealthy merchants and notables originally from Valley City. During Prince Jabers's rule over the city, out of the shared identity as people of Regas, they naturally leaned more towards the prince's victory. Furthermore, during that period, Prince Jabers had invited them, one after another, to contribute personnel and funds, leaving them little room to refuse.

These actions naturally became difficult-to-wash-away offenses when the Ante people resumed control of Valley City. It was only because so many people were involved that Carkis had not emphasized the matter before.

They hadn't expected him to mention it so ostentatiously today. They were probably in for having to pay a hefty price to avoid disaster.

"Of course, we endorse Lord Carkis's thinking." One of Valley City's wealthy merchants was the first to raise his glass in agreement.

Afterwards, others chimed in one after another.

"We are loyal to the Kingdom of Ante and also revere the greatness of King Attire." A group of people bowed in salute, expressing agreement.

"I am of the same mind..."

"Lord Carkis is so heroic and loyal, truly a model for us all..." Various fawning, assenting voices arose.

To this, Carkis merely smiled slightly, then raised his hand, quieting the hall once more.

"Since everyone is so loyal, I believe we should be able to swiftly accomplish King Attire's will." Then, he shifted the topic.

"Currently, the wild dog rebels of Regas are entrenched in the Trident Forest to the southeast. They are precisely the weak enemies and vile individuals obstructing our loyalty to King Attire."

"The merit of cleansing this pack of scoundrels cannot be mine alone. This is a shared glory belonging to me and all of you. I believe all of you are also brave individuals, surely willing to join me in marching forth, crushing the nest they have built, and eliminating them."

"This..."

"We are not skilled in combat..."

Hearing this, the crowd grew uneasy. Could Carkis be intending for them to follow the army onto the battlefield? But most among them were not combat professions. Some hadn't even condensed an Aspect. Rashly participating in war would likely result in...

Seeing their hesitation, Carkis let out a cold laugh and continued speaking.

"Everyone, are you still hesitating? Have you forgotten what you just said? Do you intend to mock the great King Attire?"

These three consecutive questions were each delivered with a voice louder than the last. With each sentence uttered, the knights behind him drew their swords an inch further. An intangible pressure of Aspect energy spread out, constricting the entire banquet hall.

The oppressive, heavy pressure in the entire venue was like water, making it difficult to breathe.

"We are willing to follow Lord Carkis, to clear the obstacles from the King's path for King Attire." One of Valley City's former notables, unable to bear the pressure, half-knelt and swore allegiance.

Thereafter, others followed suit one after another. Seeing more and more people joining, the gazes gathering upon those who remained standing intensified, the pressure growing heavier and heavier. Especially when Carkis's icy gaze swept over them, even the most resolute person's legs trembled, slowly bending until they too knelt.

"Very good, very good. I will remember the words spoken by everyone today."

"The army will depart in two days. Please prepare your battle armor and weapons, and report to the military camp beforehand. You will all become the King's blades and shields. I also look forward to your performance."

"Now, the banquet is concluded."

As his words fell, the people present finally let out a sigh of relief. One after another, they wiped the sweat from their brows, quickly stood up, and left, walking out of this hall.

Roughly three minutes later, most of the guests had left. Those remaining were only the high-ranking officers from the Ante military.

At this point, Carkis gave a few instructions to the knights behind him, after which they dispersed and left the venue.

Soon after, the band at one side of the hall began playing music again. Carkis, meanwhile, strode towards a corner of the banquet where a seated figure had remained unmoving and had not left.

Hearing the approaching footsteps, Sylutia slowly opened her eyes. By now, Glenfence was already standing to one side, awaiting the general's arrival.

Striding to the seat opposite Sylutia, the general turned and sat down with a domineering posture. Raising his wrist, Glenfence behind him promptly poured him a glass of deep red wine.

"I don't believe I know this lady's name."

"My name is Sylutia." The girl now also turned to look at this sharply dressed general.

"A fine name." He closed his eyes and took a light sip of the wine, savoring its flavor.

"What brings you here?" He inquired with great directness.

"To visit an old friend," Sylutia answered with equal directness.

"A very honest answer. I like that." He set down his wine glass.

"Miss Sylutia, what Path and progression path do you cultivate?"

"Verdant Nectar, gardener."

"A pity. I think if you switched to a war-related progression path, you would achieve greater accomplishments."

"If I could have a beautiful member of the opposite sex like you accompanying me, galloping across the battlefield together, it would surely be an incomparably wonderful thing."

"That truly is a pity, as I am not skilled in combat," the girl shook her head slightly.

"No matter. People change slowly. Just like how I used to dislike everything about Regas, but now, I've suddenly taken a liking to a person." His eyes focused on the space between the girl's brows.

"Is that so? That must be someone Lord Carkis greatly admires," Sylutia avoided the other's exceedingly direct gaze.

"Heh, Miss Sylutia's way of putting it is quite interesting. Why would you assume that my liking equals admiration?"

"Because General Lord Carkis would not like weak people. And for someone to be liked by you, they must be very powerful, someone you could admire. Am I guessing correctly?"

*Clap, clap, clap.* The sound of applause echoed in the now-empty hall. Carkis then lowered his hands and turned to the young officer standing behind him.

"See, Glenfence? This is a beautiful and exceedingly intelligent girl. She can easily guess your thoughts. And if she had the inclination, she could let you experience supreme happiness."

Hearing this commentary, Sylutia lightly covered the space between her brows with her fingers, shaking her head, feeling somewhat disinclined to continue conversing with this Ante general before her.

After this brief exchange, their conversation returned to the main topic.

"Since Miss Sylutia came to Valley City to visit a friend, I should not interfere with Sylutia's private affairs. However, as a follower of King Attire, I also have the duty to recommend outstanding talents to the King."

"If Miss Sylutia is interested, I am willing to personally write a letter of recommendation for you to go to the royal capital of Ante, to become a Royal Court Gardener. There, you could witness many splendid sights and things, enjoy treatment that Regas could never offer you, have access to the secret collections of the royal library, obtain unimaginable knowledge of secret arts, and learn of many ancient, forbidden histories, glimpsing the truth behind this world."

This promise, made to a foreigner met for the first time, could indeed be called generous. Moreover, with Carkis personally guaranteeing it, if Sylutia were to betray them or commit a major offense in the future, he, as the recommender, would also be implicated.

Although the conditions offered were indeed good, unfortunately, for the current Sylutia, they held little attraction. Her status and position within the Hidden Grove already far exceeded that of an ordinary gardener. Furthermore, she had no desire to become entangled in the conflicts between the southern kingdoms.

"My apologies. I already have other arrangements for my future path. I thank Lord Carkis for the offer."

Carkis's gaze remained fixed on Sylutia's face, unmoving for a long while. Only after roughly ten seconds did he slowly speak.

"It seems Miss Sylutia's mind is made up. I was a step too late."

"Since that is the case, then I shall make a small request of Miss Sylutia."

"In three months, it will be Princess Moanda's birthday. I hope Miss Sylutia can cultivate a special and beautiful flower for me, to be given as a gift to the Princess."

"Of course, the remuneration will not be lacking."

This request seemed simple on the surface. If it were any other gardener, they would probably agree readily and happily. But Sylutia's heart was as clear as a mirror; she understood the consequences of agreeing perfectly well.

If she, as someone ostensibly within Regas territory, presented a gift to that Ante Princess, even without swearing allegiance, it would be tantamount to indicating to the outside world her willingness to side with and show goodwill towards Ante. After expressing such an inclination, it would be difficult for her to regain the trust of local Regas forces. Although she didn't particularly care about that, this act of being forced to take sides and being used still gave Sylutia a sense of disgust.

Indeed, he was a renowned war commander from Ante, not easy to deal with. Every conversation with him felt like a clash.

"My flowers only wish to bloom quietly. They do not wish to participate in such grand occasions. Please find someone more suitable, Lord Carkis."

To this, Carkis did not show a surprised expression, as if he had long anticipated the girl would answer this way.

"What a pity. I originally wanted to see what kind of beautiful flower Miss Sylutia would grow. If it possessed even one-third of your beauty, it would be worth me remembering for a lifetime," he replied with feigned regret.

"Since Sylutia is unwilling to help, then please stay in Valley City a while longer. The current Regas is not stable, but this Valley City where I am will certainly protect you, keeping you free from disturbance." Although these words were phrased as a suggestion, given Carkis's consistently forceful style, they might very well be a kind of warning.

It seemed that if she didn't want to start a conflict and fight him today, she would probably have to stay in this Valley City for some time.

Sylutia herself could naturally withdraw unscathed, but the members of the merchant caravan who came with her, and Karen, would be a different story.

Considering these factors, Sylutia nodded slightly, temporarily accepting his suggestion. After all, she didn't have anything particularly urgent to do recently. Staying here to accompany Karen for a while would also be a good opportunity to solidify the various abilities and secret arts of the Third Tier.

This way, if things truly developed to the point of unavoidable conflict, she would be better prepared to handle it.