Cornflower Witch

Chapter 334 Miss Hedra

The road paved with bluestone bricks has been there for many years, and after rain, it is full of potholes and puddles.

A somewhat overweight businessman in a brown-yellow coat led the way for Hilti. He looked to be in his fifties, with rather thick fingers, but his skin was still quite rosy.

“That’s the house over there. My daughter Hedra lives there.”

Hilti and Elofis followed him through the streets and alleys, and then into the rather low wooden doorway.

The room was dimly lit and the walls were damp. After Hilti entered, she heard a slight cough. Then the man pushed open the bedroom door and saw the black-haired girl lying on the hospital bed.

She was about 19 years old, her face was slightly pale, and she was covering her mouth with a handkerchief. Her chest was heaving and trembling, and the outline of her bones could be vaguely seen under her thin clothes.

Seeing her father bring the two of them over, she looked slightly surprised, then lowered her head, pressed her hands against the blanket, and remained silent.

The man looked ashamed, went up to pour her some hot water, and then asked about what had happened that day.

"You can go now." That was all the other person said, as if they had neither the strength nor the will to say anything more.

Seeing this, the man could only gently pat her shoulder and lead Silti and Elofis out.

"I'm sorry, you must have found this amusing." After coming out, he took a deep breath and shook his head as he spoke.

“Hedra is indeed my daughter, but we’ve only known each other for a few months.”

"To talk about her background, I'd probably have to mention the ridiculous things I did when I was young."

“About forty years ago, I was born in a village not far from here. Later, when I was about 17, I came to this small town with some acquaintances from the village to find a job. That’s when I met Hedra’s mother.”

"She was the daughter of the town's tailor. She was very beautiful and always wore nice clothes made by her family. She was the most popular girl in town."

"Back then, I was just a helper in a tavern, loading and unloading goods every day. It was very tiring work, and the money I earned was barely enough to live on."

"After finishing their work, the helpers would get together, get some sour wine from the tavern, and drink it to pass the time."

"Back then, people would talk about which family's girl was the prettiest, and of course, the one mentioned most often was Vanessa, Hedra's mother."

"Vanessa was the tailor's daughter. She never had to worry about food or clothing growing up. Her fingers weren't as rough and calloused as other girls', and she had long, jet-black hair."

"Back then, I was also naively in love with her, just like many young guys at the time. However, I didn't think anything would happen between Vanessa and me because there was too much of a gap in our social status."

“But accidents always happen. One night, after I finished work and was about to go home, I heard struggling and shouting coming from the alley, so I went over out of curiosity.”

"Then I saw a big, dark-skinned man grab Vanessa, cover her mouth, and prepare to assault her."

"At that moment, I acted impulsively and rushed up to smash the man's head with a stone, causing it to bleed profusely."

"Soon after, the man died, and Vanessa was terrified."

"Fortunately, she came to her senses later and took me to find her father. With her father's help, the matter was finally resolved peacefully. The police announced that the man had died after falling while drunk."

"Because of this incident, I met Vanessa, and our relationship progressed rapidly. Unfortunately, her father didn't approve of me at the time and thought Vanessa should marry into a better family."

"I argued with her father several times about this, and then I couldn't stand his ridicule anymore. I also felt that I really didn't have the ability, so I left the town feeling disheartened."

"After that, things were relatively simple. I went to many places to look for work and earn money. Later, I was fortunate enough to meet my future partner, get married, have children, and start a successful business, accumulating some wealth."

"So, until a year ago, I occasionally returned to this small town, wanting to see those people from the past. I found out that Vanessa was actually pregnant with my child back then, but unfortunately I didn't know. Because of this, she was beaten and scolded by her father, her reputation was ruined, and she never got married. Later, she raised her daughter alone."

"After hearing the news, I was filled with remorse. I wish I could have come back a few years earlier, but I was too late. Vanessa had passed away two years ago, leaving Hedra all alone."

“I found her, told myself that I was her father and that I would do everything I could to take care of her, but Hedra clearly had no feelings for me, her neglectful father, and was unwilling to do so.”

"She is as stubborn and strong as her mother."

"However, due to years of malnutrition and poor living conditions, she developed lung disease. After I consulted a doctor, he said it was already too late, and even with expensive medicine, it could only prolong her life, not cure her." He shook his head and sighed as he spoke.

"After that, I searched everywhere for a cure and asked some pharmacists and doctors in the guild. They said that I would need a targeted drug of level three or higher to cure the disease. I really couldn't find a way to buy it, so I could only post it in the bounty notice, hoping that someone could help me."

After listening to his account, Hiltiya roughly understood the whole story.

Tier 3 healing potions are easily obtained by the Woodland Organization, but for ordinary people on the surface continent, they are life-saving elixirs that money can't buy.

Afterwards, Elofis first comforted the man, and then discussed the next steps with him in detail. With the bard's superb communication skills, Elofis easily persuaded him to complete the next steps according to his requirements.

“We will help you treat Hedra and find her a very safe and stable place to receive her education and for her future life.”

"However, in exchange for this, the name Hedra will be temporarily lent to other members of the organization. I hope you can understand."

Having already witnessed Elofis's extraordinary abilities, the man had no room for doubt or refusal and quickly agreed. Upon seeing this, Elofis smiled and nodded.

"Next, it's time to comfort the girl inside. Let me handle that."

The three entered the room again, but this time Elofis was in front. He told Hedra a lot by her bedside, telling her the whole story of what happened back then, her father's mistakes, her mother's regrets, and his own future. He also used magic to show the black-haired girl fireflies dancing in the air. They emitted different halos, flew around the room, shuttled back and forth, and formed various interesting patterns, successfully making the girl laugh.

"Do you want to learn? Do you want to see that magical other world? I'll take you there." Elofis's voice was delicate and gentle, captivating the girl, who then readily nodded in agreement.

After calming them down, the three of them settled down in the small town for the time being.

"Tia, you'll be taking care of Hedra for the next few days. Talk to her often; she's a kind-hearted girl."

"Okay," the girl nodded in agreement.

"During this time, try your best to memorize the environment of this town and all its details. In the future, you will take Hedra's place and go to the Mage Alliance."

"I see."

For the next month, Hilti accompanied Hedra to every corner of the town. The two chatted about their past and the things they liked. Hedra told Hilti about everyone she knew and the big and small things that had happened there. "My closest friend is Jenny from the Aimo family. She has chestnut-gold curly hair, loves to eat fish, and we used to study arithmetic together."

"However, she has now moved with her parents to Songhu City, which is a better place. She only comes back once every month or two to see me."

“I’m quite distant from everyone else. If Tia were living as me, it would be normal for them not to recognize me after a few years. But Jenny and I are too familiar with each other, so I probably can’t hide it from her.” Hedra was slowly becoming aware of the future arrangements.

“I will be careful,” Hiltiya nodded.

However, Hedra was indeed a very clever girl. She was worried that this flaw would affect Hilti's future mission, so she told the girl another secret.

"If one day you meet Jenny and she wants to expose you, tell her this secret, and she will believe you and keep it a secret for you."

Gradually, with the help of Hilti, Hedra took medicine specifically for treating lung disease, and his health slowly improved. His complexion gradually returned to a normal rosy color, and his previously thin and bony figure became much healthier, allowing him to run and jump a little.

Seeing that the time was right, a carriage took Hedra away. She would go to live in the woodlands with Elofis, while Siltia would go with the merchant to the city of 'Quebec' in the north of Meteor Lake.

……

Several days later, the ship sailed through the turbulent waters of Meteor Lake and arrived at the port on the shore.

With the merchant's help and guidance, Hilti, dressed in a black off-the-shoulder summer dress and wearing a wide-brimmed sun hat, slowly walked off the ship.

Seagulls circled around, and the pier was bustling with people. The girl could smell the distinct fishy odor and the moist scent of the sea.

"This is Quebec, Hedra." The merchant looked up at the azure sky, then turned to greet Hiltija.

"Yes, Uncle." Her primary identity to the outside world is that of a distant niece of a businessman. Because both her parents have passed away, she was taken in and raised by her uncle, Alanford Griffin, in his home in Quebec.

Soon after arriving in Quebec, a carriage came to pick them up.

After getting into the carriage, Hiltiya looked around with a hint of curiosity. Judging from the carriage's exquisite design, the 'uncle' in front of her must be quite wealthy.

That makes sense; if one weren't wealthy enough, it would probably be impossible to send one's 'niece' to study at the Mage Alliance.

'Quebec' is a major commercial port of the Commercial Capital Union located on the northwest shore of Meteor Lake. Many ships come and go here, and Quebec is not far from the territory ruled by the Mage Alliance, which is on the edge of the Woodland's sphere of influence.

Additionally, it should be noted that the 'Merchant Capital Alliance' is a large power comprised of numerous ports and cities along the shores of Meteor Lake. Their strength is roughly equivalent to that of a kingdom, and they possess considerable wealth. While Meteor Lake is nominally a lake, it is actually an inland sea in the southeastern corner of the Fourth Continent, and the second largest inland sea on the continent, after the 'Ice Sea' in the north.

As the carriage passed through the bustling market, Hiltiya peered through the curtains, taking in the scenery outside.

The prosperity here is no less than that of Baiya City, and it is even more vibrant. The decoration style of the shops and buildings on the street is also very different from that of Regas.

White Cliff, as the capital of Regas, exudes a faint, solemn aura of royal power. Located in a cold region, the buildings are predominantly white, blue, and gray. In contrast, Quebec, a seaside city, features orange-yellow roof tiles and stone walls with a subtle pinkish-sea salt hue. The soft, warm tones complement the azure sea and sky, creating a particularly comfortable atmosphere.

A few minutes later, the carriage stopped in front of a large mansion. Soon after, the black wrought iron gate slowly opened, and the carriage continued inside, stopping only when it reached the main gate of the mansion.

The mansion's butler, accompanied by several servants, came to greet them. Alanford got out of the car first, then helped Hiltiya walk out slowly.

The black-haired girl immediately caught the attention of the servants present. Faced with her beautiful face and delicate temperament, everyone present couldn't help but take a few more glances, and some were even lost in thought.

"Ahem..." The butler had to cough to remind everyone before the welcoming ceremony could continue.

"Master, you're back." He placed his hand on his shoulder and bowed.

"Yes, I'm back." Alanford looked at the mansion he hadn't seen for almost a year, filled with emotion.

"Hedra, this is your home from now on." He turned around and told Hilti, his expression the same as when he looked at the sickly girl before, probably thinking of his long-lost daughter.

“Yes, Uncle Alanford.” Hiltiya bowed politely in return.

Hiltia followed Alanford into the front hall of the mansion. She had barely sat down when she heard the sound of angry high heels.

A noblewoman dressed in a gold silk dress strode into the hall. Her gaze first swept over Alanford, then quickly shifted to Hiltija.

After scrutinizing Hilti's appearance and clothing, she first frowned, then looked back at Alanford with a hint of resentment in her eyes, as if questioning him. However, since there were guests present, she refrained from immediately losing her temper.

“Haye, this is my niece, Hedra. Her family suffered a tragedy, and all her relatives passed away, so I brought her here to live with us from now on.” In order to keep Hilti's identity a secret as much as possible, Alanford had to lie to his wife.

"Really?" the other person questioned, but ultimately held back.

After taking a few seconds to mentally prepare herself, the noblewoman smiled and walked towards Hiltiah to welcome her.

"Is this Hedra's niece? I feel truly sorry and regretful to hear the news about you. But don't worry, you can stay here in peace from now on. Our home will also be your home." Although she complained about her husband and thought Hedra's identity was questionable, she still didn't get angry at the girl.

That evening, the family gathered for dinner. Alainford sat at the head of the table, with his eldest son Ecol on his left and his wife Haye on his right. His daughter Eriel was second from the left, and Hedra (Hiltija) was second from the right.

“Hedra, this is your cousin, Ariel.” Sitting opposite the girl was a tall woman with long, golden waves in her hair; she was the eldest daughter of Alanford and Haye.

"Hello," Ariel greeted her coldly, seemingly unwelcoming to the young girl.

“Also, sitting next to me is your cousin, Ecol.” The young man looked similar to Ariel, but his expression was not as cold, and was slightly gentler.

Hello, Hedra.

"Finally, there is my wife, whom you can call Auntie, or Aunt Haye."

"Aunt Haiye." The girl nodded slightly to the noblewoman beside her.

"I've already told you about Hedra's situation. She's had some misfortunes, but thankfully she came to us. Eriel, Ecol, you can take good care of this little sister from now on."

"Understood, Father." The two siblings nodded.

And so, in a somewhat awkward and uneventful atmosphere, Hiltiya's first night in this new family passed by peacefully on the surface.

(End of this chapter)