The Cornflower Witch

Chapter 207: Tiya's Hidden Bloodline

The carriage rumbled over the gravel-paved road, its slight jolts and swaying causing Sylutia, leaning against the carriage window, to watch the slowly changing scenery outside.

Meeting a friend after a five-year separation should have been a happy occasion, but a faint sense of melancholy lingered in her mind.

She tightened her arms around the pillow she held, burying her chin into it, her eyes gently closing.

She always felt she had many things weighing on her heart, probably certain concerns she kept tucked away in a corner of her mind. Though not overwhelming, they had always been there.

She wasn't the type who was intensely passionate about struggle and advancement, or who craved fame and fortune. She often wanted to steal moments of laziness, to stay in a quiet corner sleeping, playing quietly, watching the sun rise and set, and the clouds drift slowly across the sky.

However, when she first arrived in this world, it had felt far too dangerous, especially that first encounter with the fiery red Tia Wolf. It had left her with a certain anxiety about safety, as if a voice was constantly urging her forward. This voice wasn't loud, but it had persisted for a long time.

When would she be able to completely relax and sleep a carefree, beautiful dream? Sylutia's pale blue eyes watched the sheer curtain fluttering before her, her gaze lingering for a long time.

If she had never remembered anything from her previous life, she probably would have been like her peers, happily gathering together and then waving goodbye with casual ease, looking forward to the next meeting.

But she couldn't. She was too intelligent, too sensitive, and would inadvertently ponder many things.

Even now, while she could still joke and laugh with a few people, she was slowly becoming aware that they weren't entirely relaxed around her. There was a faint sense of awe and restraint.And this was only after five years. In the next five or ten years, as everyone experienced different lives and paths, the common topics they could discuss would become fewer and fewer. Eventually, they might only maintain surface-level politeness, just like the childhood playmates from her previous life.

Progress was good, but as the gap between them widened, an invisible barrier slowly formed. She couldn't bring these friends along on her astonishing life journey, and naturally, they would grow increasingly distant and unfamiliar.

Carrying such melancholy, she occasionally wondered if forgetting everything would make life easier, like a child running through a refreshing orchard, searching for the beautiful flowers and fruits she liked, savoring each moment's freshness and crisp sweetness.

Well, she was being sentimental again.

Gently rubbing her cheek against the pillow in her arms, Sylutia leaned against it and slowly fell asleep.

The summer breeze outside the window continued to blow, the slightly fluttering sheer curtain occasionally brushing against her curled hair. The sleeping girl's brows gently relaxed, forming a soft and lovely appearance.

...

One month later, Sylutia finished handing over the affairs of Sunblaze Garden. Those taking over its management were the juniors she had guided and nurtured over the past year. Many of them had now become Third Tier gardeners and were familiar with Sylutia's style.

"Don't worry, during the time Senior Tia is in closed-door training for advancement, we will take good care of this place." Sylutia's trip to the Mage Alliance remained confidential to the outside world. It was only said that her advancement was too rapid and she needed to learn a secret art to consolidate her foundation, requiring a period of deep sleep. Therefore, during this time, Sunblaze Garden's affairs would be transferred to her subordinates.

"Well then, goodbye~" Sylutia raised her hand, fingers giving a slight wave, bidding farewell to these familiar faces.

After leaving Sunblaze Garden, she arrived at the headquarters of the Hidden Grove Alliance, 'Illusory Color Grove', and met the bard she had encountered several times before.

"This is our third meeting, Tia." His narration sounded like a fated encounter from a poetic story, as he smiled and waved to her.

"My name is Elofis, from the distant 'White Violet Forest', the homeland of the elves, where white roses bloom in abundance."

"This time, let me explain the detailed plan to you." He guided Sylutia towards a pavilion in the garden and began to explain slowly.

"Because this is a very important matter, your identity must be able to withstand scrutiny and not cause any leaks."

"The members we send to the Mage Alliance are divided into two groups openly and two groups covertly. Openly, one part consists of elite apprentices recommended by the Grove for exchange studies. They are mainly alchemists, pharmacists, and scholars. The other part consists of more ordinary apprentices who apply at their own expense to study there. If they perform well, the Mage Alliance will consider recruiting them and pay us a sum to compensate for our previous training costs."

"After the two open groups, next are the two covert groups. The first group goes to the Mage Alliance under various disguised identities, but not as apprentices. They have various professions and roles, collecting intelligence, contacting different factions, and investigating the internal situation of the Mage Alliance."

"The second group, like you, will enter the Mage Alliance as free apprentices seeking education, joining powerful schools or organizations, and gradually becoming core members, obtaining the most crucial intelligence and secret arts."

"I know this places a significant moral burden on you. You are not someone without your own mind, nor would you feel at ease deceiving others."

"Therefore, we won't give you any mandatory tasks. After you go there, you only need to focus on learning, treat it as an opportunity to access a new knowledge system, and delve deeply into your studies."

"When you truly reach a certain height, you won't need schemes or tricks. Merely your ideas and perspectives will slowly change the situation."

After listening to Elofis's words, Sylutia nodded slightly but still felt a bit curious.

"What if, after I complete my studies there, I am unwilling to return? Or if my perspectives gradually change and I no longer stand on the same side as the Grove?"

"Well, then there's nothing to be done. It would just mean our care for you wasn't enough, like a grown child finding their parents annoying and not wanting to return home." The elven poet spread his hands helplessly.

"You are very intelligent, as almost all geniuses are."

"Methods used on ordinary people, such as threats, inducements, control, etc., cannot be used on true geniuses. They easily see through such tactics and become enemies, causing even greater damage instead."

"I believe that even if you no longer agree with the Grove in the future, you will still hold some fondness for old ties. You would ensure that when the Mage Alliance expands, it wouldn't be too violent or cruel. In that case, our plan wouldn't be entirely wasted."

"Additionally, due to the great distance and the rapidly changing situation, assigning you mandatory tasks would often create awkward flaws. It's better to let you act freely, which would appear more natural."

"Our greatest wish is for the Grove to be peacefully passed down. Regarding the Mage Alliance, there isn't actually a life-and-death hatred between our two sides. That's also why there are many moderates within the Mage Alliance."

"However, this situation is slowly changing. As the Mage Alliance's power expands and resources become scarce, their desire for external expansion is difficult to halt. The moderates can still control the situation now, but the future is uncertain."

"You have two main missions there. First, influence the high-ranking officers of the Mage Alliance to delay the outbreak of war as much as possible. Second, strive to learn the Mage Alliance's system and its most core, cutting-edge secret arts knowledge."

"If the Mage Alliance's path is an inevitable destiny, then we should be the ones to reform and adapt ourselves, not passively complete it under the conquest of others."

"Castle, Secret Word, and Gold Steam complement each other. The current Mage Alliance has initially built them into a reciprocating cycle. This is a great advancement for human civilization."

"Though they are opponents, we also respect their achievements. If not for the inevitable conflict, probably many within the Grove Alliance would also look forward to seeing how far they could ultimately go."

"However, not everyone within the Mage Alliance is so simple or kind-hearted. There are also many members who are obsessed and fanatical, and quite a few who are intoxicated with power and corrupted by pleasure. They are often supporters of the radical faction, because the Mage Alliance's expansion inevitably brings numerous benefits that can satisfy their inflated greed."

"Human nature is complex. I hope you are prepared early on and remain cautious, carefully examining the various ideas and doctrines circulating there."

"That's all regarding the mission aspects. Next are the specific arrangements, such as your identity issue."

"An ambiguous origin will affect your subsequent development within the Mage Alliance. People won't care about a passerby's background, but they will absolutely want to know the experiences of a major figure, especially when that figure gradually stands at the Eye of the Storm. At that point, even the smallest flaw can trigger a violent storm."

"You might think we are being overly cautious, or that you might not necessarily reach such a position. But not just me, many of the Grove's important figures who have met you would not deny the absolute charm you radiate. Even if you never master the Mage Alliance's obscure and complex theories, merely your appearance and voice would be enough to change much."

"Please have a bit more confidence in your own charm, Tia."

...

Three days later, Elofis led Sylutia to meet a reclusive Sixth Tier wizard of the Grove Alliance. The other person didn't look very old, appearing to be only around forty years old.

"Haha, but in reality, I am already 168 years old, child." He laughed heartily, then looked at the young girl with a gentle gaze.

"So you are the child they spoke of. No wonder they all praise you. Even I can't help but be momentarily captivated."

"Elofis has already told me. Later, you will go to the Mage Alliance side, but we still need to make a small disguise, such as your hair color and facial features." After saying this, he turned to look at the bookcase behind him, searching through the materials inside.

"Most secret arts and abilities used for disguise cannot deceive those powerful mages and would bring unnecessary flaws and risks."

"I will teach you a method to change your own appearance through the essence of life."

"You must be very curious about what 'essence of life' means. Let me put it this way: every person carries the bloodline heritage left by their ancestors, but not every characteristic within it will manifest."

"For example, parents with different hair colors often have children who only inherit the hair color of one parent. The characteristic of the other hair color does not manifest but remains hidden."

"Your current silver-white hair color is probably inherited from one of your parents. But as long as both parents don't both have silver-white hair, then manifesting the hidden characteristics can bring about a miraculous transformation."

This... Sylutia listened, her eyes blinking slightly, thinking about the difference between dominant and recessive traits in genes. She hadn't expected similar situations to exist in different worlds.

"I know my hair color is probably inherited from my mother. According to your meaning, if I use this secret art, I can make my hair color and other physical details revert to the characteristics of my father's bloodline, right?"

"Absolutely correct. You truly are a clever child."

"Would you like to try it, Tia?"

"Then let's try." The young girl nodded. She suddenly became curious about who her father in this life actually was.

Would he be a descendant of some major family from the First Continent? Or someone else entirely? She always felt that given her mother's personality, she wouldn't easily marry someone she didn't love. And who could attract her mother, make her willingly marry? What kind of person would that be?

For the following week, Sylutia remained there learning the complex bloodline awakening secret art, and following instructions, she prepared her own potion to test the effects.

"Whew, it took quite a bit more time, but it's finally prepared." The wizard handed Sylutia a bottle of the prepared Illusory Color potion.

"Your mother's bloodline is truly too powerful. Even with this potion I've given you, it can only suppress it for a period. Afterwards, you'll need to prepare it yourself and take it regularly to ensure the effect continues."

"I understand." Sylutia took the potion, curiously observing it.

[Dominant Bloodline Suppression Potion] (Fourth Tier · Superior): Specially concocted for you. Can temporarily suppress the dominant characteristics of the bloodline within your body, allowing hidden characteristics to manifest. (Duration: Three Months)

Holding the potion, she slowly drank it. Sylutia felt a cool sensation spreading through her body, then sat in a nearby chair to slowly wait for the effects.

First, her hair color slowly changed. The previous silver-snow hair color was gradually overlaid with a faint chestnut hue, which grew deeper and deeper, finally becoming a pure black.

It seemed she wouldn't need to dye her hair in the future. Her father was probably black-haired. Afterwards, Sylutia took out a mirror to observe her face.

Her blue eyes gradually turned into a black crystal-like color, serene as water, harmonizing exceptionally well with her hair color. She even felt the lines of her eyebrows had become more slender and soft, making her look like a noble young lady who had long stayed within the inner chambers, never stepping beyond the family gates.

"Black hair?" The wizard took out a special identification mirror to observe the young girl's hair.

"This pure black is quite similar to the residents of the Sixth Continent. That is the land blessed by the 'Jade Dragon'."

"Although black hair exists on other continents, it is often mixed with brown hues, not this pure."

"Can you tell roughly where my father is from?"

"I suspect he is likely a resident of the Sixth Continent. That's where you find such pure black hair color. Oh, right, I remember now."

"Tia, do you like sweets?"

"Sweets? I don't dislike them. Why?"

"How many sugar cubes do you like in your coffee?" The wizard asked again with a smile.

"Probably 1-2. Any more and it doesn't taste good."

"Then it seems your father is indeed from the Sixth Continent. They have a higher sensitivity to sweetness. For others, they would probably need to add more sugar to find it tasty."

"Although you've avoided the overly striking silver hair, this black hair of yours is also quite unusual." He stroked his chin.

"Ah well, thinking about this won't change anything. As long as you don't enter the Mage Alliance using the identity 'Sylutia', it should be fine."

"Did you memorize the potion preparation method? You'll have to make it yourself later. In a while, we'll arrange a suitable replacement identity for you and send you off to adapt."

"I've memorized it."

"Then look forward to it. You're going to the most prosperous central region of the Fourth Continent. There, you won't just see mages; you'll also meet many races and visitors from distant continents."

"When I was young, I also lived there for a time..."