Cornflower Witch

Chapter 65 Visitors from afar
After spending the day at Winnie's, Hilti and Thaliel returned in the evening, completely satisfied.

This time, we not only expressed our gratitude to Sister Winnie, but also learned a lot about the preliminary screening and assessment of the Hidden Woods.

It seems to happen every two years. Four years have passed since Winnie's time. The last time, Maester Hyde retired and did not preside over the event. The person who won the spot that time was a commoner from Scorched Stone City. His father was a merchant guild employee, and his family was relatively well-off, which supported his studies. He was also quite talented and showed a special talent in the 'Death' aspect.

At the young age of seventeen, he mastered two abilities of the 'Death' aspect and successfully killed the second target in the assessment by using the 'Corpse Poison' he created, thus obtaining the qualification.

As for Winnie's class, the two who ultimately killed the target were a skilled hunter who used a specially designed trap to greatly weaken the target's stamina before finishing the kill, and a warrior who wielded a giant axe and defeated the target in a head-on battle.

Although the young warrior was also seriously injured after killing his target, he was favored by Viscount Schefeng and Maester Hyde because of his bravery and was awarded a spot.

Over the past few days, Hiltija has finally integrated the Dew-Inducing Method and the Pruning Method she had previously learned, completing the transition to the [Gardening Apprentice] class.

Then her Destiny Card changed from [Girl in a Sea of ​​Flowers] to [Girl Apprentice in Horticulture], and in addition to [Discerning Eyes] and [Natural Perception], it added another effect, [Dew Prayer - Branch Combing Lv.2], which is a fusion of the previous Dew Prayer and Branch Combing methods. This freed up two slots in her ability list again.

This method of converting destiny cards into specific job classes allows for the absorption and fusion of multiple abilities, leaving room for individuals to continue growing and learning. It is an important characteristic for testing whether an extraordinary individual is powerful.

Organizations with deep-rooted traditions often possess secret techniques for cultivating high-level professions, which is why their members are stronger than ordinary extraordinary individuals.

With an empty slot in the ability panel, Silti can now begin learning new abilities.

Back at Madame Fran's mansion, Hilti took out the transcribed 'Blooming Technique' again and looked at it once more. The difficulty of learning this ability had clearly increased to a higher level. Even she, after spending a week, had not been able to fully master it.

"I still need to practice more," the girl thought to herself. Then she went to the pot of 'Swan Orchid', placed her hand lightly on the orchid, closed her eyes to sense it, and then synchronized her 'Emerald Honey' nature with the orchid, drawing upon the 'Emerald Honey' power contained within it.

This subtle feeling is like searching for a fragile thread in the dark; it requires extreme patience to catch, and there is no trace to be found, nor any other method to assist in its discovery.

Sometimes it's like taking a chance, Hilti thought to herself.

This time, she finally found that thin thread and gradually synchronized her rhythm with the other. Then, following this subtle perception, she connected with the swan orchid under her hand. A wonderful sense of synchronization unfolded, as if she were that swan orchid, experiencing a completely different world through the plant.

This wondrous realization captivated Hilti, making her unaware of the passage of time.

When she regained consciousness, it was already completely dark outside.

How long has it been? It's already eight o'clock in the evening. Hilti was surprised at how quickly time had passed. Then she came to her senses and realized that she seemed to have completely cast the Flower Blooming Technique just now, without the interruption and loss of sensation that she had experienced in the past.

【Blooming Magic Lv.1】(Emerald Honey): A magic that blooms, stimulating the flower's own subtle power and spreading it to the surrounding environment. (Completion 4/300)

Phew, I finally learned it. It's been a week already. I wonder if I've gotten dumber or if there's something wrong with the way I learned it, the girl thought to herself.

Hilti was pleased to have just learned this ability. She stood up, wanting to tell Mrs. Fran, but unfortunately, Mrs. Fran had gone out again yesterday and didn't know when she would return.

Forget it, I'll continue studying. Also, I need to check on how the 'Fire Orchid' is being cultivated.

Arriving at her own little garden, which has been fitted with transparent glass lattices, the entire space resembles an exquisite glass greenhouse, where some of Hiltiya's flowers and plants are displayed.

At night, Hilti came here with a candle, placed it on a tray stand, and then looked forward to the row of Fire Orchids.

Compared to the native Swan Orchid, Fire Orchid is a new species artificially bred by horticulturists. It has higher requirements for the environment and will easily die if not cultivated properly. It can hardly survive in the wild.

【Firefall Orchid】(Excellent-63): A variant of the Laeli Orchid, with flowers as vibrant as red flames. It requires good light and ventilation, dislikes dampness and low temperatures, and is afraid of direct sunlight and dryness.

They dislike damp, cold conditions, and are also sensitive to direct sunlight and dryness, making them significantly more difficult to care for than swan orchids. Their growing environment requires a special mixture of red ironstone and fir bark; they need moderate watering, but should never be allowed to dry out completely.

Holding a small watering can, Hirutiya pressed the nozzle, spraying out bursts of water mist to moisten the Fire Orchids. Then she brought her hand close to the flower stems to sense their current growth.

It will probably take some more time to upgrade the quality from excellent (60+) to outstanding (70+).

As for the 'White Camellia' on the side, it is much easier to care for. The small sapling grows slowly and is currently in the stage of flourishing branches and leaves. Its cultivation time is longer than that of 'Fire Orchid'. The advantage is that it does not require too much care and is less difficult to cultivate.

After taking care of them, Hilti's gaze turned to the 'Bubble Grass' beside her. This plant was growing quite well, but according to Lady Fran, with Hilti's current strength, she probably wouldn't be able to make it bloom. She would only be qualified to truly cultivate it once the girl reached 'Second Tier: Emerald Honey'.

'Bubble Grass' is an important raw material for 'Floating Potion'. This type of potion is expensive and can be used not only to prevent falls from great heights, but also to cultivate certain 'Sky' attribute abilities.

Picking up a booklet from the garden greenhouse, Hiltiya noted down the amount and details of today's watering, then closed the door and left.

That night, she looked at the 'Swan Orchid' in the glass dome by her bedside, said 'Goodnight,' and then drifted off to sleep.

In the dead of night, the frequency of her breathing in her dream gradually synchronized with that of the swan orchid beside her bed, as if she were practicing the 'blooming technique' in her dream, making her rhythm closer and closer to that 'swan orchid'.

……

The next day, as usual, Hilti watered the flowers in the early morning, took a walk around the flower field, and dealt with some necessary minor issues.

But today seemed different from usual; someone rang a bell at the front gate.

Without Lining's prompting, she skillfully returned to her bedroom, changed into a bright yellow dress, groomed herself in front of the mirror, and then slowly walked down the steps.

Today's guest is a middle-aged man who looks to be in his thirties. He is dressed in a black suit, has a capable demeanor, and a handsome mustache.

Guided by Linin, he waited patiently in the front hall of the mansion. When he heard the sound of Hilti coming downstairs, the man immediately stood up and bowed to the beautiful and delicate girl from a distance.

"It's a pleasure to meet Miss Anluer." It seems he had done his research beforehand and knew Xilutiya's current reputation in Jiaoshi City.

"Hello." The girl entered the living room, simply lifted her skirt in return, and then sat down.

Lining silently served tea to the two of them, then stood quietly behind Siltia.

“I come from the distant city of Windcliff, which is in the north of the Kingdom of Regas,” he began by introducing himself.

"Because of its proximity to the border battlefield, Fengqiao City needs a large amount of medical supplies, and I am a representative of the local chamber of commerce. I have come here specifically to request your assistance."

“Medical medications…” Hiltiya said thoughtfully.

Among the many extraordinary aspects of this world, those with healing effects are few. They are mainly four: Blazing Sun, Radiant Moon, Emerald Honey, and Blood Law, with Dragon Eye, Snail Fish, and Hibernation in winter as secondary aspects.

The effects of each element are different. Blazing Sun and Blood Rhythm are suitable for severe external injuries, while Radiant Moon and Emerald Honey are suitable for treating diseases and hidden injuries. As for Snail Fish and Hibernating Winter, their treatment methods are somewhat indirect, such as freezing or petrifying the broken wound, which may stop the bleeding.

Since it's a battlefield, there are bound to be many external injuries, which means there's an urgent need for the raw materials of 'Blazing Sun' and 'Blood Law'. Although sunflowers themselves don't have any healing effects, their 'Blazing Sun' properties can effectively enhance the effects of certain drugs and replenish the vitality of the wounded.

(End of this chapter)