Cornflower Witch

Chapter 58 Mastering the 'Pruning Technique'
After being taken out to a social event for the first time by Madame Fran, and spending a long morning and afternoon, Siltiia was finally able to say goodbye to these noble ladies.

"See you next time, Anluoer~" They waved their fingers and smiled as they said goodbye to the girl.

In response, Hiltiah returned the greeting by lifting her skirt again, and then boarded the carriage.

When she finally leaned back in her chair, the young woman breathed a sigh of relief; her tense state of mind finally relaxed.

Lady Fran sat opposite her, finding Hilti's appearance quite amusing.

"Are you a little tired? After all, you're the only junior here today, hehe." She was well aware of the situation Xilutiya was facing today, and lightly covered her face with her folding fan.

"However, once you get to know those people, even if I'm not home occasionally, you can ask them for help, so you won't be completely isolated and helpless."

"Furthermore, since you are my student, you will be known to everyone sooner or later. Hiding will only arouse suspicion. You might as well come out openly."

"I understand, Madam." Hiltiya knew that the other party was doing this for her own good.

After calming herself down, as the carriage moved along, the scenery along the roadside changed again. Through the gap in the curtains, she saw several noble classmates passing by.

Baron and Tos, riding horses with several attendants, looked like they had just returned from a hunt, with several prey, such as foxes and geese, hanging on the side of their horses.

Upon seeing Lady Fran's carriage, the two men seemed to know what was going on, and they slightly adjusted the reins, letting the horse lean against the side of the road so that the carriage could pass safely. This made Hiltia even more aware of Lady Fran's status in the city.

"Jiaoshi City isn't very big. The most distinguished person here is Viscount Xuefeng himself, followed by his family," Madame Fran introduced to Hilti.

"However, he has a small family. Apart from his wife, he only has a son and a daughter, and neither of them are currently in Jiaoshi City."

"Where is that?" Shiltia asked curiously.

"The Royal Academy in the capital city of White Cliff is a gathering place for the heirs of many great nobles. It also provides opportunities to socialize with the noble circles of the entire Kingdom of Regas, so most nobles send their children there to study."

“Iona in your class used to be a student there.”

"Apart from Viscount Scheffen, the people with higher status in Scorched Stone City are some powerful nobles, such as Baron Quaid, Baron Kenny, and the knights under Viscount Scheffen. Then there are those who, although they do not have noble status, still have considerable influence, such as the owner of the Oak Barrel Merchants' Guild, the head of the Adventurers' Guild, and the presidents of several major industry guilds."

"These figures form an important support system within Jiaoshi City, and ultimately, their relatives, friends, and subordinates depend on them."

"The Mrs. Polia you met today is the wife of the owner of the 'Oak Barrel Merchants', who manages a merchant organization of nearly a thousand people."

"Kari is the president of the Gardeners' Guild. Although her strength is average, you and she should have a lot of cooperation in the future."

"Moran is Baron Kenny's wife, the noblewoman in the navy blue dress with wine-red hair. She was originally the daughter of Viscount Worshan in the central part of the Kingdom of Regas, and has been married here for almost ten years."

Madame Fran introduced the backgrounds of the noble ladies she had just met to Hilti.

"As for me... how much information can you guess?" Mrs. Fran smiled jokingly.

"Yes, Madam said at the gathering that she came from the distant Land of Wind Chimes." Hiltiya had a good memory.

“You remember it very clearly, don’t you? That’s right. I was born in the Wind Chime Kingdom, which is located in the central part of the continent and slightly closer to the north. It’s a relatively small country, situated on grasslands, where endless and lush wind chime grasses grow. The climate is pleasant, and life is quite stable.” She recalled briefly.

"But these are all memories from twenty years ago, and I've been away from there for a long time."

……

"You ask me why I left my hometown? The reason isn't so clear. Maybe one day I suddenly felt like traveling around, and then I never went back."

"...I have traveled to many places, not only the Kingdom of Regas, but also the Kingdom of Winter in the north, the Merchant Union in the east, the Hot Rain Swamp further south, and so on."

“I stay in each place for a few years to familiarize myself with the local plants and special cultivation techniques, and then I go to the next place after a few more years.”

“Many gardeners stay in one place and focus all their attention on their garden. I think it’s easy to become complacent and limit one’s vision.”

“However, everyone has their own choices. For example, I sometimes joke with Carrie that she could go to the more distant Shangdu United City, where there would be many new things she likes. Unfortunately, she rarely listens to such advice.” Mrs. Fran gently waved her folding fan.

"The more places you go, the more friends you'll make. This nice dress you're wearing was tailored by an acquaintance in Xigu City. Although it's not as elaborate and gorgeous as the ones in Shangdu, it's still a rare and excellent piece even in the royal capital, Baiya City."

Mrs. Fran's narration broadened Hilti's perspective, allowing her to escape the increasingly repetitive student life and look at the present from a wider angle.

Even more distant places? Hiltiya secretly noted down these place names and features.

……

The carriage arrived at Madame Fran's residence. Hilti stepped out of the carriage, strolled around the courtyard for a while, and then returned to the living room.

After resting for a while, Lining came over and told her that Madame Fran was waiting for her in the flower field.

"Okay, I'm coming right now." She put her hat back on and walked towards the flower field in the backyard.

The sunflowers here are still in full bloom, their pale yellow and golden petals layered like waves, swaying gently in the sunlight and radiating warmth.

With a gentle touch, Hiltiya brushed aside the flower stems and leaves in front of her as she walked along the path in the flower field. Soon she saw Lady Fran in the center of the field.

She sat on a wooden chair in the flower field, with a small round table and an empty chair beside her, presumably reserved for Hilti.

"Please sit down, Tiya."

"Mmm," the girl replied softly, then sat down beside her.

"How's the scenery here? Isn't it very comfortable?" The sky above was a clear blue, and the occasional rustling of leaves in the wind could be heard beside me.

"Now that you're my student, I'll teach you your first lesson today: the pruning of flowers and plants, also known as the 'branching method'." She picked up her tea and began to speak slowly.

“Unlike the ‘Dew Prayer’, learning it requires you to have at least the ‘First Order Emerald’ rank.”

"Just like the literal meaning, it's like combing hair, clarifying and adjusting the condition within plants." Then, Madame Fran began to explain in detail the function, principle, effect, precautions, and so on of this secret technique.

Occasionally, she would even demonstrate it directly in front of Siltia.

Unlike Maester Hyde, who merely imparted the knowledge of secret arts, this one-on-one demonstration, which directly showed the abilities, allowed Hilti to quickly understand and gradually grasp some of the true meaning and rhythm within.

In about an afternoon, under Madame Fran's guidance, Hilti learned the 'branching method'.

【Ploughing Method Lv.1】(Cui Mi): This method involves pruning the plant's internal nutrients, water, fibers, structure, etc., and is an active way to regulate the plant's condition.

In the past, relying on observing the plant's condition and trying to create the most suitable environment was a relatively passive approach. For example, in order to achieve the most suitable humidity, it was necessary to repeatedly adjust the environment and water the plants. However, with the pruning method, the plant can be directly guided to absorb water or expel excess water. The same principle applies to the absorption of some micronutrients.

This method of cultivating plants makes it easier to reach their optimal state, or even exceed it, achieving a state beyond perfection.

(End of this chapter)