Cornflower Witch

Chapter 175 Returning to the Radiant Plains
"Oh, was it really that dangerous for you this time?"

Back in Berg Town that evening, the team gathered again, reminiscing and sharing stories around the table, which made Bonna scream out loud.

"Yes, it's a good thing you didn't come, otherwise you would have almost crashed like us." Bad Apple swirled the small wine glass in his hand and drank the burning liquid inside.

"Phew—" He exhaled deeply, as if only in this way could he dispel the trace of fear in his memory.

The other two were doing much better. Yann was gnawing on a roasted chicken leg, while Karl was patiently fiddling with the crispy pies in front of him. As for Tia, she was curiously teasing the black cat in front of her.

"Do you need something to eat?" She gently touched the black cat's front paw with her finger, eliciting a sweet meow from it.

Even though it is now a ghost, the black cat still retains its habits and memories from its previous life.

Under Hilti's gentle caress, it rolled onto its side on the table, stretching out its body, occasionally twitching its front paws as if grasping at the air.

After learning the whole story, Bona was still shaken but felt very fortunate.

"I won't tease you this time. What else would you like to eat? I'll go and prepare it."

"Really? Actually, I wanted to eat roast suckling pig." Bad Apple suddenly changed her sad and sighing expression, and her face became excited.

"Tsk, you certainly know how to make demands, Captain." She held out a hand.

"Give me the money, and I'll go buy the ingredients. But we can't make it today; you can have it tomorrow."

"Then forget it, let's just have roast goose instead." Bad Apple thought for a moment, then took out a few gold coins from his pocket and placed them in Bonna's hand.

"This should be enough to buy groceries."

“No problem,” Bona readily agreed.

So the next day, everyone got together again and spent the whole day at the cottage where Bona was staying. They ate snacks, had a big meal, played card games, chatted, and even Bad Apple and Tia had a friendly sparring session.

In the courtyard, the two men walked back and forth with wooden weapons, neither using breathing techniques, but simply exchanging blows based on pure skill.

Watching Hilti's incredibly light, coordinated, and precise movements, which repeatedly knocked Bad Apple's weapon away, the onlookers finally believed that this girl's strength probably far surpassed that of the people present.

"No good, Captain, you've lost five straight. Keep it up!" Bona teased sarcastically from the side.

Bad Apple picked up the dagger again and shook his head.

"It won't work. Unless we resort to other methods, we won't be able to gain the upper hand at all."

"Also, don't look at me like that. I've learned a fighting style similar to that of an assassin or thief, where one strike is enough to kill. In terms of a prolonged, head-on battle, I'm definitely not as good as those specialized swordsmen or warriors."

"But Tia isn't a warrior, she's actually a gardener."

"Who said that? I think Tia's combat skills are so proficient that most warriors can't reach that level." Bad Apple shook his head helplessly.

He has been in the woods for many years and knows the level of his peers very well. Even among his two cohorts, few can reach Tiya's level of skill.

After practicing for a while, the two stopped to rest, and it was already afternoon.

"It's really nice to stand here and enjoy the breeze." The group stood in the open space behind the small house, which was surrounded only by a low fence, and they could see the peaceful town and the smoke rising from the chimneys in the distance.

"Want to say anything?"

"Ah, you've asked the wrong person. I'm not the kind of person who's sentimental about the times." Bad Apple gripped the railing with both hands, easily flipped over, and then leaned his lower back against the railing.

"However, let's get together again next time. This kind of day is truly enjoyable." After spending this last day together, the team members headed towards the town's teleportation array the next day, saying their goodbyes and leaving.

"Tiya." When Hiltiya finished packing her luggage and was about to leave, Bona caught up with her and handed her a small booklet.

"This is a recipe I've compiled. If you're interested, you can follow it in the future."

"Okay, thank you, Bona-neechan." Hiltiya hugged the book to her chest and gave Bona a sweet smile.

"She looks so beautiful." Bona couldn't help but hug the girl again for a while, inhaling the fragrance of her hair.

"Alright, take good care of yourself from now on. You can come over and mooch some food from me when you have time. I'll probably be staying here for a while longer."

"Even if you leave later, you can write letters to 'Golden Orange Mountain Town', which is where I used to stay when I was in Tier 1, and I would go back a few times every year."

"I understand." The girl nodded again, indicating that she understood.

The two then parted ways, and Hilti walked into the pool under the tree and disappeared.

……

Her vision distorted for a moment, then cleared again, and Hilti found herself back in the Radiant Plains.

This is an elegant building constructed of white marble, standing not far from the White Stone Fortress, where many students and travelers come and go.

Following the others out of the pool, Hilti carried her heavy suitcase and headed towards the fortress.

"Would you like a ride, miss? One silver coin per person." There were many carriages waiting at the exit, and many students were too lazy to walk, so they just got on.

"Hmm." After thinking for a moment, Tiya took out a silver coin and handed it to the other person, then picked up her luggage and got into the carriage.

So she sat by the window and watched the scenery outside for a while. The three carriages gradually filled up. At this time, a girl with chestnut blonde hair also got on the train. She looked around and saw that there was still an empty seat next to Hilti, so she walked over.

"Hello, may I sit here?" Her voice was polite, her features were gentle, and she possessed a certain aristocratic intellect.

"Yes," the girl replied, turning her head. The other party was slightly surprised by Silti's flawless appearance.

"Thank you." But she quickly regained her senses and sat down quietly.

Shortly afterward, the carriage set off, swaying gently as it traveled along the road toward the city.

The two didn't say anything during the journey, but when Hilty looked at the scenery outside, the girl next to her, dressed in a black uniform with a white collar, would glance at Hilty's profile with considerable interest.

Upon arriving in the city, the two parted ways and went their separate ways down different streets.

Returning to the familiar 'Golden Plains', Hilti felt somewhat relaxed. Although she had only been away for a little over a month, returning here felt like coming home, with a faint sense of warmth.

She first went to the Forestry Association to register, because when she left, the association's staff told her that when she came back, she must visit them first.

There must be something she needs to tell her. Siltia thought of the time a little over a month ago when the branch leader of the 'Four Seasons Alliance' led a group to conduct an assessment and inspection in the valley.

She thought to herself, "This must be the official evaluation from the last application."

As the girl gradually joined the guild, her subsequent mission arrangements were discussed for several days among the higher-ups of Whitestone Fortress, and a decision was made.

However, Hiltiah, who arrived late, was unaware of all this.

(End of this chapter)