The Cornflower Witch Chapter 187

“Direwolf Wilderness,” under a flag tent.

Under the bluish-black sky, the air was faintly cool, and the soil beneath their feet was exceptionally barren.

This was the Woodland Association’s outpost on the northwest side, near the border. The soil was barren and severely polluted, unable to produce useful crops. Though seemingly unsuitable for habitation, this outpost still had many students from the ‘Wildfire Cult (Blood Law – Beast Fang),’ ‘Tusk Grove (Beast Fang – Emerald Honey),’ and ‘Sky-Swooping White Eagle (Sky – Glorious Moon),’ three organizations that were permanently stationed here.

After traversing a vast expanse of yellowish wilderness, a camp with towering giant tents appeared in their sight.

Soon, a group of riders galloped on horseback, speeding through the stony, grassy wasteland and arriving at the camp.

They unloaded boxes from their horses and handed them over to the local association members, checking each item against a manifest.

“Alright, inspection complete.” After confirming the material count was correct, the local association member nodded.

Following this, the riders remounted their horses, secured the boxes laden with various furs and tusk bones, and departed.

Although the ‘Direwolf Wilderness’ couldn’t provide food crops, the furs and tusk bones produced here were well-known within the association. The students who trained here were all skilled in battling wild beasts and monsters.

In the afternoon, a young man returned to the outpost, carrying a bloody wolf’s head and fur, and tossed them into a wooden frame inside the large camp tent.

“Clean these up and calculate how many points and gold coins they’re worth for me.”

“Yes, Master Agren,” the orc slaves in the camp quickly carried off the wooden frame to clean it.

Afterward, the young man rummaged through a box in a corner of the big tent, found a bottle of wine, sliced off the cap, and then sat at a table, chugging it down as if it were water.

The wine was a vivid blood-red. As he gulped it down, the young man’s blood circulation accelerated, and strands of ‘Blood Law’ Aspect power seeped in, circulating and continuously strengthening his physique.

“Hmph.”

After finishing, Agren casually tossed the empty wine bottle into the wooden frame, where it clinked a few times before falling silent. He then went to a large bed covered with thick furs, preparing for a short nap to digest the absorbed blood wine’s power.

Unfortunately, before he had slept for ten minutes, a Woodland member in a short cape came to his tent, calling his name.

“Is student Agren home? This is a parcel from the association.” He placed a long wooden box inside the tent and looked around, spotting the sleeping young man.

“Alright, I got it. Just put it there.” Agren raised his hand, pointing casually to a spot.

“Understood, but you need to sign for it.” The other person brought over a book for the half-asleep Agren to sign.

Once that was done, the association member drew the curtains and left the large tent.

Around four in the afternoon, Agren woke up groggily, stretched, and felt completely refreshed.

“Ah, that was a wonderful sleep.” He sprang up, exercised his wrists and feet, and prepared to visit the camp market to find something to eat.

“Huh, where did this come from?” He noticed the wooden box in the tent, sealed with tape.

He walked over, inspected the seal, and concluded it must have been mailed from another outpost.

“I don’t think I ordered anything from that小子, Mond, recently. I haven’t even finished the last batch of blood wine yet.” He flipped the box over and saw the handwriting, which indeed indicated it was for him.

[Direwolf Wilderness, Agren]

“Strange, it really is for me. Anyway, I’ll just open it and see.” He pried open the wooden planks with his bare hands, dismantling the long wooden box.

Soon, a black-sheathed greatsword, wrapped in three layers of wood shavings, thick cloth, and oil paper, appeared before his eyes.

“What is this?”

He picked up the scabbard, drew the hilt, and the dark-gold blade poured out like flowing water, its smooth lines inspiring a sense of fondness.

Gripping the hilt, Agren swung it casually, feeling a natural, integrated ease.

“Excellent, truly excellent, exceptionally excellent,” he praised repeatedly. Then Agren found a broken, useless animal hide, and with a light stroke of the blade, a sharp, smooth cut was ripped open, the process remarkably fluid.

“This feel, it’s really comfortable.” He continued to admire the greatsword, joy filling his heart.

That very night, Agren took the sword to the camp blacksmith to have it appraised.

“Oh, this sword.” The blacksmith took it, made a few gestures, and then meticulously examined it under the firelight.

“It should be from the Glittering Gold Plain. The materials are top-notch; the entire blade is made of gilded ingots, exceptionally grand and generous. The craftsmanship is also superb, looks like it was forged by those familiar with the ‘Gold Forging Hammer’.”

“So, how much did you pay for this custom order? I’d say they wouldn’t even bother for less than 100 gold coins,” the blacksmith joked, putting down the sword and asking.

Agren sheathed the greatsword, smiling as he replied, “Paid?

“Of course, I didn’t pay a single coin, but a good friend of mine ordered it for me. She must have spent quite a sum.”

“It seems I’ll have to thank her properly next time we meet, but what was her name again, Tial, Shea?” Agren stroked his chin, struggling to recall the young woman’s name.

“Never mind, I’ll figure it out next time. I feel like I’m about to advance, and after that, I’ll check out other places. I’m getting tired of this godforsaken area anyway.”

“That fast? I recall you haven’t been here for a year yet, Agren,” the blacksmith said, surprised. He moved to a nearby seat, took out a kettle of fresh water, and guzzled it down.

“Heh, who do you take me for?”

“Didn’t I show you my badge when I arrived? I single-handedly slayed a second-tier Black Goat during my assessment, and it’s been more than half a year since. My strength has advanced by leaps and bounds. Killing those second-tier wolves in the wild is as easy as child’s play.” Agren sat next to the chubby blacksmith.

“Once I advance, I’ll take down that third-tier wolf king, claim the bounty, and then relocate the outpost.”

“Leaving so soon? I remember many young men in the camp look up to you, even call you Big Brother.”

“When isn’t a Big Brother expected to lead?” Agren shook his head.

“The rule of the plains is, as long as you’re strong enough, you’re the boss anywhere.”

“They call me that every day, but they’re just hoping to follow me, hunt and fight safely, and if they ever encounter something they can’t handle, I’ll step in.” With his hands clasped behind his head and leaning back in his chair, Agren crossed his legs and watched the bellows being pumped in the blacksmith’s forge.

“This fire is getting hotter and hotter.” He looked at the flames in the furnace, which were gradually turning orange-red and blazing white, as if remembering something, and then stood up.

“I recall there was a wolf head cloak in that equipment list you showed me before, right?”

“Oh, you mean that,” the blacksmith turned around.

“You’ll need to give me a formidable wolf’s head, at least second-tier, and four soft silver ingots for the lining. Then I’ll find a tailor to cooperate with, and I can make you a wolf head cloak.”

“With that, your movement speed could increase by about thirty percent. Combined with your breathing technique and other agility skills, your speed would be incredible, allowing you to kill enemies like butchering chickens.”

“Second-tier?” Agren shook his head.

“I have at least twenty wolf head souvenirs piled up in my tent, all second-tier. Wearing them would be a downgrade.”

“Give me two months. I’ll get a third-tier wolf’s head.”

“By the way, I won’t go looking for soft silver ingots. Don’t waste my energy on such trivial matters. I’ll give you all the second-tier wolf heads in my tent for you to handle. You don’t need to give me any extra money, just make sure to forge the cloak well for me.”

“Alright, Agren, you’re still as generous as ever, haha.”