Cornflower Witch

Chapter 81 Aster in Midsummer
The dense white swarm of bees moved and changed in the air, the buzzing emanating from the cluster sounding like the vibrating of metal sheets, a dense and crisp sound.

These white bees formed a shape resembling a hand and rushed into the temple ruins, searching for any possible living creatures. When Hiltiah saw them from afar, she ran quickly, preparing to leave the temple ruins.

But at this moment, there were swarms of bees not only behind her, but also in front of her, though not as large as those behind her.

Swarms of bees flew up from the trees surrounding the temple and surrounded it, forcing Hiltiah, who realized something was wrong, to retreat step by step back to the central fountain.

"This is bad," the girl thought to herself.

Her current swordsmanship isn't very effective against these bees; the only thing capable of harming these white bees is probably the [Strange Black Cat].

Before Hiltiya could think for long, the bee wings vibrated, like a signal for an attack. These jade-like bees swooped down like bombers, scraping off a layer of stone pillars and walls along their path, turning them into fine stone dust.

Faced with the swarm of bees that was about to engulf her, a glint flashed in Hilti's eyes, and at the same time, the black card on her Soul Destiny Plate also shone.

Dark light emanated from the card, and countless twisted strands rose from it. The still black cat emerged from the card once more, its lemon-yellow eyes wide open in anger. It arched its back, its fur bristled, and let out a howl.

"His ha——"

The black cat materialized from its illusion, blocking the swarm of bees. It was then devoured by the white bees, transforming into a pervasive, distorted black mist. This distorted black mist spread like an abyss, in turn devouring the withered white bees that attacked it.

The black and white mists clashed and fought each other. Countless jade-like bees fell from the sky, struggled on the ground, became stained with black spots, underwent unnatural changes in their bodies, and then died.

Although a large number of withered white bees died, the black mist in the air was also being consumed and reduced. Hilti was not sure if the strange black cat could completely kill the swarm of bees in front of her. She looked around and finally had no choice but to jump into the pool behind her.

The icy water instantly soaked her entire body. The pool, which seemed shallow, was like a bottomless abyss below, causing her to sink continuously, while the light above the pool grew farther and farther away.

Hilti didn't remember ever learning to swim, and seemed to have no experience in this life either. However, she didn't feel uncomfortable in the water. Instead, she felt increasingly clear-headed, and this clarity tended to be excessive.

She seemed to lay herself completely bare, all her thoughts and ideas becoming clear and distinct. Countless memories surfaced simultaneously. At this moment, she could even recall the names of her kindergarten classmates, the lunch they had, the games the teacher led them in, and the taste and texture of ice cream she experienced for the first time that afternoon.

Everything that was once blurry is now completely clear and continues to spread forward, tracing back to the past.

Is this the power of 'Radiant Moon'? The 'Radiant Moon' essence in the pure water converges around her, causing her entire body to be enveloped in a faint halo, especially her long, silvery hair, which now resembles flowing moonlight, floating in the water.

As if a switch had been suddenly flipped, her consciousness instantly entered a dream, stepping into the dream world fully conscious.

……

……

"Tiya~"

"Hiltiya".

"Miss Siltiia".

She suddenly opened her eyes and found herself standing in a sea of ​​flowers, with the sun shining brightly overhead and the sky a clear, beautiful blue, like a jewel. This contrast between the 'clean' and 'pure' feeling made her realize that her previous life in Jiaoshi City was like living in a world polluted by coal ash.

Where is this? She was just thinking about this question when the answer automatically came out of her mouth.

“This is my mother’s garden.” She looked around and saw purple chrysanthemums blooming among the green grass.

These flowers have a pure bluish-purple hue, like the sky at dusk, and are called 'Aster'.

Layer upon layer of aster flowers bloom under the bright blue sky, swaying in the breeze. Their fragrance lulled the young girl into a peaceful afternoon nap, protecting her small frame amidst the blossoms. Following a vague memory, she ran through the sea of ​​flowers, her little skirt billowing in the bright sunlight, making it difficult for her to see clearly in the distance.

She stepped across the green grass and onto the white marble slabs, finding a path through the sea of ​​flowers. Ahead stood a white round pavilion amidst the flowers, and inside sat a serene figure with her back to her.

She ran around in a frenzy, and along the way, maids in black and white uniforms bent down to form a black and white fence around her to prevent the little princess from falling.

She called out to her mother, then opened her arms and rushed towards that figure, finally running into the pavilion and embracing that warm figure with both hands.

"What's wrong, Xiaotiya~" Her mother's gentle and quiet voice came from behind her. She was wearing an elegant long dress with white as the base and dark purple as the accents, and her face was revealed in the hazy light.

She had the same long, silvery hair and the same dreamlike, flawless face, but she possessed a dignified and composed demeanor that Silti had yet to acquire.

“I…” Hilti couldn’t hear what she said at the time, probably something trivial.

Her mother gently stroked her hair, then hugged her tightly.

"You got bullied by Ilya again, huh? Aren't you best friends?" She smiled and comforted Siltia.

"But I can't beat her." That sentence left a deep impression on me.

"Why fight? It's not elegant for girls to fight~" Mom said with a smile, gently pinching Xilutiya's cheek.

"However, you also possess powers that Ilya doesn't have."

"Look~"

As she spoke, her mother lightly turned her wrist within her snow-white sleeve, and a silver rose appeared. Then the rose turned bluish-purple, and then transformed into a spinning windmill, a small rattle, scattered fluttering butterflies, and white doves soaring into the sky.

"The moon is the embodiment of dreams, with countless possibilities. Although it is not as great as the sun, it can give you the power to change and be yourself."

As she spoke, she took Xilutiya's small hand, took a simple step, and then the two of them arrived at the center of the flower sea, where asters were blooming everywhere, as if they were traversing the folds of space.

"Does Xilutiya like to draw?" The mother looked up at the sky, and with a slight lift of her wrist, the asters in the entire flower sea fluttered, and countless petals rose up into the sky little by little.

“I love watching my mom paint,” Siltiya replied as a child.

"Then you should learn to draw too." The mother turned around and smiled. Countless aster flowers shattered in the sky behind her, turning into a strange purple color, as if dyeing the entire sky, flowing in the celestial river.

Then, Hilti witnessed an incredibly breathtaking scene: the entire sky was like a canvas, with lifelike aster flowers depicted on it.

These flowers, outlined with golden lines by the sun's rays and filled with soft, tranquil purple, gradually fill the field of vision until finally, the blooming golden asters surround the sun in the center of the canvas, forming a magnificent and splendid scroll painting.

Finally, the scroll that covered the sky slowly descended, shrinking continuously until it finally landed in front of Hilti.

【Aster Summer】(Seventh Tier · Emerald Honey · Blazing Sun · Glowing Moon)

"Capturing sunlight, capturing the height of summer, and coloring the sky, this magnificent spectacle is a miracle, possessing unimaginable magic capable of altering the climate, shifting the seasons, and creating a sea of ​​flowers across the land."

"Now, have you learned it, Siltia?"

The mother gently touched the tip of the girl's nose with her finger, waking her from this long-lost dream.

(End of this chapter)