The Cornflower Witch

Book 2: Chapter 170: Cornflower Dew

Vol 2 Chapter 170: Cornflower Dew

After staying in Dark Sand River Valley for three days, Sylutia and her team finished purchasing the local goods and began their return journey.

"These are the high-grade magnetite sand you requested."

Before departure, the local alchemist handed over three heavy jars of magnetite sand to Sylutia. Out of curiosity, Sylutia inquired about the uses of this sand.

"If it were our school, we would use it to make large-scale turbines. Of course, its applications aren't limited to that; it can also be used to create some precise instruments, such as astrolabes and detection devices, among others."

After loading the goods, Sylutia followed the team back. On the road, she flipped through relevant materials and began attempting to fuse the three Ability Cards: [Vine Overgrowth], [Vegetation Frenzy], and [Tree Sprouting].

All three involve catalyzing and manipulating plant growth. Once all are mastered, most plants in the world can be controlled, at which point they can be fused into [Natural Growth], consolidated into a single Ability Card.

Compared to the individual cards [Vine Overgrowth], [Vegetation Frenzy], and [Tree Sprouting], [Natural Growth] is significantly more difficult and has a broader effect range. One might think it was developed based on the three, but according to historical records, [Natural Growth] actually appeared earlier. It is said to be an innate ability of many high-tier Fairies. Later, Elves and humans, due to learning difficulties, split it into three different abilities.

After returning to Lantern Town, Sylutia began her fusion attempt.

Within the sea of consciousness, three cards with verdant borders on the Fate Plate shimmered and flowed with brilliance. The first card showed endless grass blades dancing like waves, the second card depicted numerous vines and thorns dancing together, and the third card held a towering, mountain-like tree piercing the clouds.The light from these three cards flowed and flickered, akin to breathing. Their frequencies slowly synchronized, then they emerged from the Fate Plate, overlapping and intertwining. Their patterns merged and interwove, flashing with waves of strange colors until, finally, the patterns clarified and a brand new card appeared.

Its border was entwined with cyan vines and branches. Inside was a harmonious natural scene: a large tree, shrubs in the woods, blooming small flowers, and lush grassland. All kinds of nature freely stretched their life within.

'Natural Growth', achieved!

[Natural Growth Lv.5]: 'The ability to catalyze the rapid growth of plants, usable for manipulating various types of plants.' (Compared to before, the range of influence is wider, the speed is faster, and the control is more precise.)

If 'Lv.1' could only make plants slowly grow roots, new buds, and tender leaves at a speed visible to the naked eye, then the speed at 'Lv.5' was extremely fast. If used to catalyze grass-type plants, the speed would be so fast it would be hard to keep up with.

For a lifeform of the Verdant Nectar Aspect, the ability [Natural Growth] is a benchmark, signifying the official entry onto the path of the 'Verdant Nectar' Aspect. This is because the application scope of this ability is extremely wide; it can be paired with many 'Verdant Nectar' Aspect abilities and spells for use, much like a versatile tool.

Its significance and value are comparable to the [City Wall Veil] of the 'Castle' Aspect.

After obtaining this ability, Sylutia tried using it in various places around Lantern Town. Thus, in these past few days, the town occasionally saw suddenly appearing small roadside gardens, benches that were bare one day gaining shade-providing trees the next, and dull ponds suddenly blooming with beautiful water lilies, and so on.

Gradually familiarizing herself, Sylutia could now use this ability to make newly sprouted grapevine tendrils freely outline various floral ornament lines, or make a large tree precisely avoid a nearby house, its canopy elegantly extending to one side to shield a windowsill from wind and rain.

Or, she could make a newly grown trunk form into a straight sword shape, then break it off to use as a wooden sword.

Now, regarding plant manipulation abilities, Tia had reached the pinnacle among her peers. Many gardeners often only fused the three abilities at the Fourth Tier.

Additionally, Sylutia also decided to temporarily focus her energy on cultivation. As for improving combat power, the many newly learned abilities of the 'Alien Star' Aspect were sufficient for the current stage. Even if she learned more 'Verdant Nectar' Aspect attack methods, they wouldn't be as flexible and useful as 'Alien Star'. It was better to save energy and concentrate on using 'Verdant Nectar' Aspect abilities to cultivate crops.

Life returned to its usual calm. Every day, the young girl shuttled between the town's administrative office and the gardens. After handling official duties, she would stroll in the greenhouse garden, relaxing while tending to the crops there.

Over three months, Sylutia carefully plucked the matured Third Tier cornflowers she had slowly cultivated and meticulously categorized them based on the depth of their petal color.

This way, she carefully divided the harvested cornflowers into 36 different shades of blue, from the lightest blue almost white to a blue-indigo very close to purple.

After sorting, she used an alchemical tool to extract the juice from these cornflower petals. Through a series of complex processes, she obtained 36 small vials of 'Cornflower Dew'.

[Cornflower Dew] (Third Tier·Verdant Nectar): Essence extracted from cornflower petals, quality: Perfect. Can be used for dyeing, painting, and making potions.

Each small vial was only the size of Sylutia's little finger, exceptionally petite. Yet, the pale blue hue inside was extraordinarily beautiful. Held under sunlight, one could see faint colors swirling within.

If Sylutia were an outstanding supernatural painter, she could probably use these dews to create exquisite 'Fourth Tier' supernatural paintings.

(Picture Book Colors, 'Cornflower Blue' +2)

A brand new color also appeared on Sylutia's picture book, recognized by it. Unlike the common 'Dewy Verdant' of the 'Verdant Nectar' Aspect, it carried the young girl's extremely distinct personal style and temperament.

Ah, so this could also increase the colors stored in the picture book? She had always thought she needed to accomplish something remarkable to be recognized and recorded.

Arranging this row of transparent glass vials containing the blue dew, the colors gradually shifting from light to dark, placed in a white cardboard box looked particularly beautiful. Finally, Sylutia picked up a pen and wrote the extraction date of the dew and her own signature on the box.

~'Covenant Epoch 2149, 11, 28, Sylutia'

After finishing this, Sylutia placed another cornflower she had grown herself above these glass vials of dew inside the cardboard box, then gently closed the lid.

Suddenly feeling a sense of completing a work, Sylutia held this cardboard box, looking at it over and over. Her fingers traced the glass vials, her gaze lingering on the transparent dew of different colors, sensing the Verdant Nectar Aspect it emitted and the faint, tranquil rhythm of the cornflower.

I really like it. After some thought, Sylutia decided to use it as a gift to reciprocate to someone.

So she sat at the table, picked up a pen, and wrote a long letter. In the letter, she recounted her experiences over the past two years, the joy of obtaining the 'Cornflower Seeds', and her gratitude towards the other person.

After writing this long letter, the young girl added one final sentence at the end.

'Thank you, Florerella.' — Your friend, Sylutia.

This should do. Sylutia folded the letter, placed it in the box containing the 'Cornflower Dew', sealed it, and stamped it with her own seal using sealing wax.

In the afternoon, Sylutia placed this box into a longer wooden box container with better protection, filled it with cotton, and affixed sealing branches of the 'Castle' Aspect to suppress the aura inside from spreading outward. Finally, she entrusted this gift to the team returning to the Hidden Grove alliance.

"Deliver it to Miss Florerella at 'Orchard Forest Spring'. It must be delivered in person."

"Yes, Lady Tia."

Carefully receiving it, the transport team set off for Mammoth. This gift would be transferred there to other garrisons and then delivered to the designated person.

A gift carrying emotions and friendship turned back once more. The so-called bonds probably deepen through such repeated exchanges.