The Cornflower Witch Chapter 137

Compared to planting wheat, sowing alfalfa is exceptionally simple; merely tilling the soil and scattering the seeds suffices.

After planting, with Hylial’s use of Emerald Dew Water as a catalyst, the previously bare soil was completely covered by tender green alfalfa in just two days.

Growing in swathes, they make excellent forage and nitrogen-fixing plants.

These past few days, the two ponies even stopped eating their usual fodder, and would nibble on alfalfa in the fields whenever they had a chance, showing a particular fondness for this tender and delicious food.

“Oh well, let them be. The two little ones can’t eat that much anyway.” Hylial just shook her head, amused, then coaxed the large draft horse in the stable. While the ponies could go out and graze freely, if this big draft horse were to go out, it could probably devour two acres of land in a single day.

“Just bear with it a little longer. When the alfalfa matures, I’ll definitely let you eat it,” the girl said, brushing its mane and gently stroking its forehead.

Beneath its thick black eyelashes, the draft horse looked at the girl, snorted a few times, and then continued to graze. Through their interactions over the past few days, it had become very familiar with the girl, likely sensing her kindness and developing a strong trust. It was no longer restless and had gradually calmed down.

After tending to the large draft horse, Hylial exited the stable and went to check on the newly tilled land. Considering the previous issues with insufficient nutrients for wheat, she decided to plant this new plot with alfalfa first, then follow with wheat.

Thanks to the efforts of the toads and the draft horses pulling iron plows, fifty new acres were gradually cultivated and subsequently planted with alfalfa.

Thinking about how to better increase soil fertility and also to hone her own skills, the girl began to focus on cultivating alfalfa. With her previous experience with wheat, this time she was even more adept.

Alfalfa cultivation seemed simpler than wheat. After about ten days of observation and improvement, Hylial had this strange feeling.

This wasn’t just due to the difference in experience, but because she meticulously discovered that she found it easier to perceive flowering plants, or plants primarily characterized by flowers, and to grasp their unique life “rhythm.”

It took her nearly three months to elevate her wheat cultivation skills to excellent quality. For alfalfa, in just fifteen days, she had raised these alfalfa plants to excellent quality, and this was not even the limit.

(‘Gardening Skills – Alfalfa Branch’ proficiency +42)

On the twentieth day, the alfalfa bloomed, a purple sea of flowers dotting the valley plain.

The alfalfa leaves layered thickly, covering the fields. In this low-lying, tender green ‘jungle,’ small, pale purple flowers bloomed. Their calyxes spread in the wind, and the tough purple petals within, white on the inside and purple on the outside, were densely layered.

[Alfalfa] (Rare – 82): Forage rich in excellent nutrients, a favorite of many animals, and can significantly improve soil fertility and enhance its quality.

With such a striking comparison, Hylial gained a clear understanding of her own talents: she was more adept at cultivating flowering plants, or plants primarily characterized by flowers.

It made sense; even before advancing to the first rank, she was able to cultivate a first-order Emerald Honey Swan Orchid. She hadn’t realized the significance of this herself, but Madame Faran later told her it was the first time she had seen someone, without an affinity, cultivate a plant with an affinity from nothing.

In the following days, her alfalfa cultivation also advanced by leaps and bounds. Hylial increasingly gained insights; she not only used ‘Green Eye’ potion to enhance her observation skills but also periodically switched to her ‘Alien Star’ affinity, using the [Alien Perception] fate effect to observe hidden information imperceptible to normal vision, thereby gaining a more comprehensive understanding of the plants and their environmental conditions.

These, combined with basic [Nature Sense] and her ‘Gardening Skills’ and other acquired expertise, led to astonishing progress in her learning process through multiple overlays. (‘Gardening Skills – Alfalfa Branch’ proficiency +51)

A month later, Hylial sat on the hillside, looking at the sprawling alfalfa fields below, feeling a little worried.

This was certainly not because something went wrong with the cultivation. On the contrary, the situation was so good that she felt a bit overwhelmed. With a slight blink of her captivating eyes, the information of the alfalfa fields below was taken into her consciousness.

[Alfalfa] (Perfect – 94): Forage highly rich in nutrients, a favorite of many animals, can greatly improve soil conditions, enhance fertility, and its root system extends nearly 50 meters underground, eliminating the need for additional watering, as it can replenish water on its own.

Well, this saves even watering. If she didn’t actively clear them, these rapidly growing alfalfa plants would spread and cover the entire valley in the next few years.

Perhaps it was a mistake for her to run a farm. If she had known that alfalfa cultivation was so easy, she should have switched to a ranch and started grazing instead, which would have significantly reduced the manpower required.

A summer breeze blew through, and numerous purple alfalfa flowers swayed in the wind. Their flower buds unfurled, and tiny stamens scattered in the breeze.

As if a signal had sounded, more and more alfalfa flowers unfurled their petals. Their [Emerald Honey] affinity gradually condensed in the comfortable summer breeze, like invisible purple flames spreading across the valley fields.

[Alfalfa Purple Flower] (First Rank · Emerald Honey): Blooming. Due to your careful cultivation, the alfalfa has bloomed perfectly. As a reward for your meticulous care, the ‘Emerald Honey’ law imbues your affinity with its essence.

‘Alfalfa Purple Flower can be added as a food additive, allowing living beings to more efficiently absorb and utilize nutrients from food (it can also enhance the absorption of affinity power).’

Oh no!

Watching this scene, Hylial had no time to react. The [Emerald Honey] affinity within her seemed to awaken, resonating with the purple sea of flowers before her. In her alternate vision, countless tiny specks of emerald honey light floated up from this blooming purple sea of flowers, flying towards her on the hillside and then merging into her body.

The fate card, originally surrounded by emerald vines, now glowed with light. Invisible emerald green currents flowed, and the landscape on the card changed. The cornflowers that had bloomed beside the girl were now reduced in number, with only a few remaining by her side. The large patches of grassland on the card were replaced by purple alfalfa flowers, encircling the central girl and transforming her style. Her simple dress was also adorned with a light purple waist tie and purple flower cuffs.

[Girl in the Sea of Flowers] (First Rank · Emerald Honey) → [Girl Surrounded by Alfalfa] (Second Rank · Emerald Honey)

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Name: Hylial · ※※※※

Race: Human (※※※)

Status: Healthy (no abnormalities)

Talents: Star [Unknown Level], Cornflower’s Affection [Rare Level, Upgradeable]

Fate Card: [Girl Surrounded by Alfalfa] (Second Rank · Emerald Honey)

‘The girl sleeping in a sea of purple alfalfa flowers possesses unimaginable potential. She has now discovered the secret of flowers.’

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Effect [Identification Eye Lv.4]: Originating from special talent and physique, you can distinguish four colors imperceptible to ordinary people, as well as the partial essence of things. (When you advance the rank of your fate card, this ability will also be synchronously upgraded.)

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Effect [Nature Sense Lv.3]: Imbued by the Dew Prayer Method, your perception of nature is more refined and sensitive. Even without Emerald Eye potion, you can still perceive some states of plants. (Current effect is approximately two-thirds of ‘Emerald Eye.’)

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Effect [Alfalfa Purple Flower Lv.3]: You can control the surrounding alfalfa, making it grow, bloom, and set seeds rapidly according to your will, and automatically adjust its state to approach perfect quality.

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Class [Gardening Apprentice Lv.4]: A matured class, capable of gathering Emerald Dew Water and possessing the ability to manage plant growth. (Dew Prayer · Branch Combing Lv.4)

Ability Cards: [Moonlight Breath Method Lv.3] [Blooming Flower Method Lv.3] [Hylial’s Spring Lv.3]

Skills: –

Combat Category: [Basic Swordsmanship Lv.5] [Military Swordsmanship Lv.5] [Garden Swordsmanship Lv.5], [Basic Archery Lv.4], [Basic Spearmanship Lv.4], [Nameless Blade Art Lv.3] –

Professional Category: [Secret History Knowledge Lv.5] [Gardening Skills Lv.6]