The Cornflower Witch Chapter 260

After finishing the dinner provided at the inn, Sylphidya slept soundly, and the night was peaceful.

The next day, she changed into a plainer dress, dyed her hair black, and then exited through the side door of the inn, heading to Karen’s residence in Stream Valley City.

Recalling the address Yarrow had given her, Sylphidya walked along the street. It was around eight in the morning, and there were many pedestrians. She blended in unnoticed.

After some searching, Sylphidya didn’t take long to arrive at the small courtyard where Karen lived, a house on the eastern side of the city.

“Knock, knock.” She knocked on the door and waited for a while outside.

Soon, Karen opened the door and saw her old friend after three years.

“Tiya, is that really you?” Karen’s voice held a hint of surprise.

“It’s me,” the girl winked, confirming her identity.

Then, the two walked into the small courtyard. Karen invited Sylphidya into her small house and brought her hot water.

“It’s quite simple here, I apologize for the inconvenience, Tiya.”

“No, not at all.” Sylphidya shook her head, her gaze briefly sweeping around.

The house wasn’t large, and the furnishings in the living room were very simple. However, the bow and arrows hanging on the wall were quite striking.

Seeing the girl’s curiosity, Karen explained, “I rented this two years ago. The previous owner was an aunt from a local oil pressing mill, and she’s gone back to her hometown now.”

“I originally planned to study here for a few years, and then travel to other places, but with the current unrest, I haven’t moved.” Karen explained.

“I heard there was a big battle in Stream Valley City not long ago, and I was worried if sister Karen was involved,” Sylphidya said, referring to recent events.

“It was a fierce battle, but I stayed home the whole time and didn’t go out much.” Karen recalled the smell of burning corpses everywhere outside Stream Valley City during that period, shaking her head slightly.

“You must be curious about the battle in Stream Valley City recently. I experienced it firsthand, so I can tell you all about it in detail.” Afterwards, Karen narrated the situation in Stream Valley City to Sylphidya.

“So, Prince Jobs conspired with the then Lord of Stream Valley City, and also recruited a large number of old Regas officials and knights.”

“Yes, at that time, his subordinates basically controlled Stream Valley City. Many people on the streets openly declared their identities and mobilized residents to join the army.”

“Someone also approached me, asking me to join the patrol team and help them hunt down Anti scouts, but I refused.”

“War is a cruel thing, and I didn’t want to get involved casually. Moreover, Prince Jobs hadn’t yet shown the demeanor of a wise ruler, making it difficult to trust him.”

“What was the specific outcome of that great battle?”

“The Anti army broke through the city wall in their first assault, and after that, it was a one-sided slaughter and chase. Many new recruits died in the siege.”

“After occupying the castle in the south of the city, the Anti discovered that Prince Jobs and Princess Masha had already escaped, so General Nocton led an elite force to pursue them.”

“However, on the way, they reportedly encountered an ambush by a mysterious third party, which resulted in General Nocton being seriously wounded and unconscious, and many of his knights also suffered heavy losses.”

“After this incident, Baron Cerberus Katchis, who took over command from Nocton, issued a strict lockdown order to search for resistors or cultists in the city, and many people were arrested.”

“However, with the long-term lockdown, supplies in Stream Valley City became scarcer and scarcer. Seeing that the situation was about to spiral out of control, Katchis finally ordered the lifting of the lockdown.”

“Now, merchant caravans can freely enter and exit Stream Valley City, but there are still many patrols on the streets. General Katchis hasn’t given up yet.” Karen finished recounting the recent situation.

“Tiya, how did you come back? I heard that students in the Forest Land are not easily allowed to leave.”

“Well…” Sylphidya thought for a moment, her eyes closing slightly then opening. Her originally light blue and clear pupils now had a touch of emerald green. This emerald green seemed to possess an enigmatic vitality, infusing the surrounding world, making Karen feel the vibrant energy of sprouting plants.

“This is… Tier 3 Verdant Dew?” Karen’s mouth dropped open in astonishment.

She knew the girl was exceptionally talented, but she never imagined that she could advance to Tier 3 in just three years.

“No wonder, no wonder you were able to come back.” She pressed her hand to her chest, taking a deep breath, as if trying to process the shocking news. Afterwards, Karen became interested in Sylphidya’s experiences in Forest Land and asked the girl how she had spent those years.

Sylphidya recounted her experiences and sights in the Forest Land, starting from the farm in the valley, then studying in the Golden Glades, and then going to the Dark Mist Mountains to establish an outpost, and so on.

Karen was impressed by Sylphidya’s rich experiences over the past three years. Although she herself had made considerable progress compared to before, in terms of excitement, it couldn’t compare to Sylphidya’s.

“Sister Karen has also worked very hard,” Sylphidya comforted her. Her situation was indeed quite special and not something ordinary people could imitate.

The two talked until noon. Afterward, Karen and Sylphidya made lunch together. After eating, they briefly exchanged archery skills in the courtyard that afternoon. Karen also showed Sylphidya the new abilities she had learned and her Archer class.

Class [Archer Lv.3]: A developed elementary class, proficient in the art of archery. (Eagle Eye · Hear Wind Discern Position Lv.3)

“Actually, I’ve been hesitating recently whether to choose the ‘Castle’ Aspect or the ‘Blood Law’ Aspect,” Karen said, mentioning her recent troubles.

“The ‘Castle’ path has many secret techniques inherited from elite army archers, while the ‘Blood Law’ path has many inherited techniques from ranger archers.” Karen briefly described the differences between the two.

If they were to delve deeper into the differences, the elite archers of the ‘Castle’ path are more specialized, with extremely powerful long-range lethality, while the ranger archers of the ‘Blood Law’ path are more versatile and suitable for dealing with many unexpected situations.

“That depends on what kind of life Sister Karen wants,” Sylphidya thought for a moment.

“If you choose the ‘Castle’ path, it will be more stable, but you’ll inevitably have to associate with people and matters of the Royal Sealing Academy, which means you’ll have to join an organization.”

“If you choose the ‘Blood Law’ path, it’s relatively much freer, but life often won’t be very stable, because the advancement of the ‘Blood Law’ Aspect often requires you to hunt high-level creatures to obtain resources and complete trials.” Sylphidya analyzed for Karen based on her own knowledge.

After listening to Sylphidya’s analysis, Karen fell into thought.

“Let me think about it for two days. Thank you, Tiya, for today.”

In the afternoon, Sylphidya bid farewell to Karen and returned to the inn.

However, as soon as she entered the room, she was stopped by a maid who had been waiting for a long time.

“Lady Tiya, there’s a special invitation letter for you,” she said, handing over a special invitation letter with the wax seal of the Anti Kingdom.

“Baron Cerberus Katchis?” Sylphidya was sure she had never met this person before, but why would he send her an invitation? And after only one night in Stream Valley City, did he already know her identity?

“Yes, the soldier said he was delivering General Katchis’s invitation and insisted that we deliver the letter to you. He also said that he hoped Miss Tiya would not break her promise, otherwise something bad would happen.” The maid described the soldier’s attitude when he delivered the letter.

“Something bad? Is this a threat?” Sylphidya’s fingers lightly played with a strand of her hair.

She picked up the invitation letter, somewhat disliking it, and opened it to check the time and place.

“It’s even for tonight. How impatient.” Sylphidya even suspected that this was specifically directed at her.

She had only been in the city for a day, had the matter of Scorched Stone City been exposed?

That couldn’t be right. If they knew about Scorched Stone City, they wouldn’t be so polite. After all, General Katchis’s strength was around Tier 4. If he really wanted to target her, he wouldn’t go through so much trouble and notify her in advance.

If it wasn’t targeting her, then why was Katchis looking for her?

Was it just curiosity, or was there some other unspoken secret?

As Sylphidya pondered, she took off her plain outer garment and changed into her luxurious dark green dress. Afterward, the maid helped her comb her hair and put on an exquisite golden hair ornament.

By the time Sylphidya was ready, it was already dark. It was time to leave for the banquet.

“Let’s go.”

Escorted by a few riders from the caravan, Sylphidya boarded the carriage. Listening to the rhythmic sound of horse hooves outside, they gradually drove towards the tall castle on the south side of Stream Valley City.