The Cornflower Witch Chapter 152

‘Fir Tree Dark Forest’

Passing through the shaded pool beneath the great trees, Hylial followed the clear path downhill. Soon, turning around a mountain bend, a small town with wisps of smoke from chimneys appeared before her eyes. Scattered houses dotted the hillside, connected by stone-paved paths.

Compared to the ‘Glittering Gold Plain’ in the central region, the Fir Tree Dark Forest had a small permanent population of only 2,000 people, spread across various areas. ‘Beg Town,’ as the stationed center, had a permanent population of nearly 800.

Along the way, Hylial saw occasional young students. Looking at their badges, most were between Tier 1 and 2. As for those above Tier 3, she only saw one, likely the town’s resident apothecary, dressed in a lush green robe embroidered with intricate floral patterns.

“Dean, you’re back.” An aunt hanging herbs in a roadside shop greeted the passing young man.

“I’m back, Aunt Helin.” Saying this, the young man with a broadsword on his back walked over and chatted with her for a few moments before leaving.

“Lusha, you’re here too. Did you just come from the teacher’s herbal cottage?”

After a few steps, Hylial heard another voice. The young man named Dean just now waved to a young woman passing by.

“Yes, I’ve been busy all day, finally getting the Margarine Potion Base ready for the teacher.” She yawned as she spoke.

“All I want to do right now is sit in a tavern, eat something good, and then go to sleep.”

“Hehe, it’ll be over soon. Next time we go to the Gravel Riverbank, do you want to come along?”

“There? Sure, but you’ll have to protect me well. I don’t have much combat power.” After that, the two chatted for a few more moments before parting ways.

On the road, Hylial’s keen hearing picked up several similar situations. It seemed the residents of this small town, whether students or permanent residents, were all very familiar with each other.

It made sense; after all, the town only had a total of 800 people. Over time, those frequently seen would naturally be known by name.

There were two organizations stationed in this small town: ‘Orchid Fragrance Elixir’ and ‘Elk Horn.’ The former consisted mainly of apothecaries, while the latter was composed of rangers, Battle Dancers, and Beastblood Fighters, all professions suited to the forest environment.

Arriving at the tavern in the center of town, Hylial stopped. This must be the largest building in town, she thought. Under a tall triangular roof was a three-story wood and stone building. Lively chatter spilled out from the open doors and windows.

Out of the town’s more than 800 people, probably over 200 were gathered here. Some were drinking and eating, some were chatting and laughing, and others were conducting business at a counter on the side of the hall.

Seeing the situation at the counter, Hylial understood why there were so many people here. It turned out that this tavern was an asset of the ‘Woodland Association,’ and even its local office was located inside the tavern, making it extremely convenient.

The spacious hall could easily accommodate hundreds of people, and even with the noise, it wasn’t too crowded. Hylial still saw many empty tables.

The tables and chairs here were mostly made of pine wood, and beeswax candles hung around the hall’s support pillars, their faint scent drifting with the candlelight.

Hylial found a small table in a corner of the hall and sat down. Soon, an enthusiastic server came over. She bounced around, a raised tail behind her, looking like a Cat-Humanoid.

“What would you like, please?” She placed a wooden menu on the table, with lines of crooked handwriting.

“Do you have any recommendations that are good and particularly tasty?”

Hylial glanced at the menu, and noticed that the main ingredients were all commonly found in the forest.

“This must be your first time here, right? Then I recommend the mushroom savory pie, paired with a refreshing blueberry juice. That’s the best combination.” She helped Hylial choose her dinner for the day.

“That will be it then.” Hylial decided. “Alright~ Please wait a moment. The pie crust and sautéed filling will take some time.” The cat-tailed girl hugged the menu, waved at Hylial, and bounced away again.

This girl should be of the ‘Tier 1 Beast Fang’ Aspect, Hylial observed as she watched her leave.

She couldn’t help but wonder how the tavern here could afford such a staff, as the prices for their dishes, though higher than outside, weren’t excessively so. Was the girl also a student, performing some kind of duty or task?

Then the girl’s gaze shifted to the other side, where the association’s counter was located, next to a bulletin board displaying various large and small signs for bounty hunts and announcements.

“Seeking Plum Lily Flowers, one Gold Coin per plant.” There was also a sketched flower drawing next to it.

“Seeking snake slough above Tier 2. If complete, bought for 20 Gold Coins per piece.”

“Selling a Serpent Sword, ‘Tier 2 Excellent’ quality, price 50 Gold Coins.” Fine details were provided, stating the sword had (+2 Sharpness, ‘+1 Bleed’) effects.

“Seeking a specialized ‘Purifier,’ required to reduce the effect of Distortion erosion by over 40%. An additional 10 Gold Coins will be paid per expedition, and spoils will be equally divided.”

…

A Purifier? This was the first time Hylial had heard of this profession. It seemed to imply the ability to slow down the erosion effects of the ‘Distortion’ Aspect.

About 20 minutes later, Hylial’s mushroom savory pie finally arrived, hot and steaming on the table, along with a glass of prepared iced blueberry juice.

“That will be 2 Silver Coins in total.” The price was about 8-10 times that outside, but it was acceptable in the woodland.

The crispy pie crust covered sautéed mushrooms, onions, and garlic slices, topped with cheese, exuding a fragrant heat. Hylial cut a small piece with her knife and put it in her mouth. It was slightly hot, followed by a savory taste. The mushrooms were crisp, balancing the richness of the cheese, and the onions and garlic slices added to the flavor.

After finishing the mushroom savory pie, Hylial drank half a glass of blueberry juice, then sat for a while, slowly finishing the sweet and sour blueberry juice before heading to the counter.

“Hello, I’d like to inquire about expeditions into the depths of the forest.” She asked the association staff member.

“Oh, you must be new here, aren’t you?” The staff member hadn’t seen Hylial before.

“If you’re looking for resources in the Secret Realm, I suggest starting from the small river to the south, following it downstream, and then heading into the valley. You might find something there.”

“The monsters and anomalies along that path aren’t highly dangerous, making it suitable for beginners.”

“If you want higher returns and are looking for some rarer resources, you’ll probably need to form a team and plan your route. It’s best not to stay in the Secret Realm for more than five days.”

“Staying longer increases the risk of accidents, and the Secret Realm itself will gradually be eroded by Distortion, so you’ll need to exit promptly to recuperate.”

“Every time you traverse the gray-white Shadow World, it brings a slight erosion. This isn’t obvious at first, but once the erosion on a Fate Card exceeds 30%, it becomes extremely difficult to handle. So, expedition teams usually return as soon as the erosion reaches 20%.”

Is that so? The young girl couldn’t help but recall her accidental entry into the Shadow World. She had traveled through that black and white world and indeed felt a strange discomfort, requiring her to expend her own Aspect power, but she hadn’t suffered any erosion.

Perhaps it was because the part she visited was a shallower layer, and therefore less dangerous.