Cornflower Witch

Chapter 217 A Year of Cornflower Girl

Dark Mist Mountains, Lantern Town.

A brand-new circular domed greenhouse is under construction. Its exterior is made of a large amount of glass panels, simulating a hemisphere covering the greenhouse. Inside, there is a garden in the center that is one level higher than the surrounding area, while outside the garden is a large area of ​​flat land.

Today, a large number of blue cornflowers are planted here. Even though the sky outside the dome greenhouse is dark, it is still beautiful. The stamens of many cornflowers emit specks of blue fluorescence, like a dream.

In the central garden bushes, a small round pavilion stands. Hiltiya sits on a chair in the pavilion, flipping through the book in front of her, occasionally glancing at the sky above, her gaze sweeping over the sea of ​​flowers in the distance, lost in thought, and reminiscing about some things.

Before I knew it, a year had passed since I arrived in the Dark Mist Mountains.

She thought for a moment, then took out her diary. Actually, she didn't know what to write at that moment, but she felt like she should write something.

"It's been a year, and the cornflowers are blooming all over the garden."

……

"Perhaps I should change something."

Closing the book, Hilti stood up and went to the cornflower field outside the small garden. She strolled quietly among them, relaxing her control over her body and letting herself follow her feelings. Occasionally, her sleeves brushed against the sea of ​​flowers, and her fingertips touched the petals and leaves under the dome.

She closed her eyes, and the rough and delicate sensations traveled along her fingers to her heart.

My heart is like an empty cloud, where small worries sometimes rise and then quickly dissipate.

She didn't particularly want anything, but she also didn't want to lose anything; she somewhat liked this quiet and lighthearted feeling.

who am I

I was once an ordinary office worker living on Earth, and I feel that my youth was wasted and dull, and I can only immerse myself in my childhood memories.

I am the eldest daughter of the Mezalans family. I have lived surrounded by maids since I was a child, enjoying the best living conditions. I am a happy princess with a few minor troubles.

I am a silver-haired girl who has lost her memory and woke up alone in the forest. I am a girl who is curious about the world, but also a little lost.

I am a genius in the woods, someone who is excessively pampered and favored by everyone. I have a slight sense of accomplishment in managing the camp, but I also want to be lazy and hide in the garden by myself to read and take a nap.

Slowly, Hiltiya opened her eyes, her body floating down as she lay in the sea of ​​cornflowers.

A gentle sense of calm enveloped her; her vision was covered by the glass dome, and around her were clusters of cornflower stems and leaves of varying sizes.

As if surrounding her with everything

Sylvia gently raised her hand and plucked a cornflower, holding the light and dark blue blossoms before her eyes.

The clear pupils reflected the cornflowers, like equally beautiful gemstones.
Her eyelids fluttered slightly, then closed.

He opened his eyes again shortly afterward.
He removed the cornflower from his fingers, casually stretching out his arms, unconcerned even as dirt stained his hair and back.
Hiltiya slept soundly amidst the sea of ​​flowers, feeling more relaxed than ever before, free from any lingering thoughts or anxieties.
Just lying here, taking a quiet nap.
Time passes imperceptibly during sleep; dream scenes transcend time, passing gently by.
That was her entire life.

It also has a regrettable past.
……

At some point, the girl in the sea of ​​flowers slowly stood up, gently shaking her hair to shake off the dust and fallen leaves.

We walked out of the sea of ​​flowers again and returned to the pavilion in the garden.

She opened the book again, her gaze occasionally sweeping over the ancient words.
Just like usual

But some things are different now.
.
Time and memory etch a person's past.
Shaping her into who she is today
Nothing in my memory has changed.
But those images, like glass under sunlight, were like glass.
Shining and clear ————

With the arrival of the new year, many new faces have appeared in the town of Tilan.

"Croak~ Is this the boss's new territory?"

A group of toads croaked curiously in the town square, while the second-phase members who led them to the settlement sighed and rubbed their foreheads in exasperation.

These toads were so talkative the whole way that he, as the accompanying knight's squire, almost went insane. Fortunately, they finally made it to their destination.

Shortly after they unloaded their luggage and supplies, several trainees from the first cohort arrived.

"Finally, I've met you all!"

Rachel, who was in the lead, was dressed in light white armor. One hand was on the hilt of her sword at her waist, while the other hand patted the other person's shoulder amidst laughter.

"Greetings, senior!" The knight squire immediately stood at attention, looking at Rachel with admiration. Back in the Radiant Plains, it was Rachel who had taught him basic swordsmanship and combat skills.

"Mmm." Rachel nodded, looking at him with a hint of satisfaction, and then asked.

"How many people did you bring this time? How much stuff did you prepare?"

"We have a total of 112 people here this time. As the second batch of support members, most of them are students from Huijin Plain, and more than 30 people are drawn from surrounding areas."

"The supplies include 120 'Tier 1 Castle' white-maned horses, 40 'Tier 2 Castle' wind-measuring horses, 200 sets of 'Tier 2 Excellent' quality armor, 40 barrels of building materials, 230 'Tier 1 Castle' inscription crystals, 60 'Tier 2 Castle' silver-gray stones, and 12 'Tier 3 Castle' holy engraving stones."

"In addition, there are 658 sets of books for learning various skills and knowledge, 42 stone tablets for inheritance, and a temporary beacon."

After hearing the report, the first batch of members who had come along had their eyes shining and kept nodding.

After that, they escorted the newcomers to their apartments and arranged their rooms, and then checked and stored their supplies one by one.

In the evening, a lively and sumptuous New Year's banquet was held in the main hall of the lantern town.

During this time, Hilti also made a grand appearance, wearing a white dress with blue embroidery that exposed her shoulders. Her long silver hair contrasted with her fair shoulders and neck, and her bangs were gently swept to one side. Three cornflowers of different sizes were inserted in her hair, echoing her blue eyes, making her exceptionally beautiful.

Faced with this young girl, the trainees from the first cohort consciously stayed by her side, adding to her prestige as she took the stage.

Over the course of the year, everyone has become familiar with the girl's personality. Although she looks young and gentle, she has become increasingly wise and skillful in handling various affairs within the base, earning everyone's respect.

However, if you were to meet her for the first time, you would probably be misled by her gentle and quiet appearance, and you would be curious whether she could really hold onto that position.

Therefore, the core members of the first generation would pay attention to helping the girl establish authority during their first meeting, in order to facilitate subsequent management.

Standing on the wooden platform in the brightly lit hall, Hiltiya finished her welcoming speech and the things to note in a soft voice. She blinked her eyes slightly, as if she had forgotten what to say next, which made her look innocently cute.

"...So, I hope everyone can live a happier life here in the future." After saying that, she gently bent her knees, lifted her skirt slightly to express her gratitude, and then walked down from the platform.

A round of enthusiastic applause filled the hall, and pairs of burning, bright eyes were fixed on her, lingering for a long time.

　I've been thinking about a lot of things lately and have figured out some issues.

　　I just suddenly felt like writing this chapter, and I hope it brings you some strange and fresh feelings. 0 0/
　　
　
(End of this chapter)