The Cornflower Witch Chapter 199

Glass forging completed means that the greenhouse construction can begin, and with the greenhouse finished, this outpost will be able to achieve food self-sufficiency and establish initial stability.

In the outpost at the foot of the Dark Mist Mountains, a new round of construction has commenced.

During Hylial’s dedicated study of glass craftsmanship, the artisans and scholars had already built the students’ residences. These structures resembled apartments, though only three stories high, with four rooms on each floor, and two students residing in each room.

“Three large residential blocks like these will be enough to house the current students,” remarked a inspecting member after the first building was completed.

The windows, doors, and walls of the houses adopted the esoteric craftsmanship of the Candlefort School, effectively resisting “distortion” and maintaining a stable structure that even first-order monsters would find difficult to damage.

With the residential buildings complete, the construction of the greenhouse garden began incrementally.

Compared to building houses with stone bricks, the greenhouse garden’s structure was much simpler, with only one story. Its main body comprised stone columns and bricks for support and framework, followed by widespread installation of glass to ensure transparency.

After approximately 5 days, the first small greenhouse was completed. Hylial and a group of Gardening Apprentices began planting potatoes and watering them with pure water and Emerald Dew Water.

Twelve days later, the large greenhouse at the outpost was finished. This time, Hylial did not immediately plant crops but first sowed a batch of alfalfa to enhance soil fertility.

A week later, seeing the garden full of blooming alfalfa, many apprentices were surprised. This Senior Lia had, in such a short time, cultivated plants that condensed aspects—such incredible power.

‘No wonder Senior Lia was chosen as the team leader; she possessed such formidable means.’

“With alfalfa for fertilization, growing any other plant will be much easier.”

“At first, I thought establishing an outpost here would most likely fail, but now I feel at ease.”

“No wonder the Association chose her as the leader. They must have seen Senior Lia’s immense potential in pioneering new territories.”

“This way, we’ll be much more relaxed. At least we won’t have to risk going outside to find food like other outposts.”

“Ah, do we still need to go out to find food?” someone asked, greatly surprised.

“Of course. The food within the outpost is not enough, and the supplies brought by the relief team are limited. We have no choice but to forage ourselves.”

“The other side of the Dark Mist Mountains leads to the Abyss of the Twilight Sea, teeming with monsters. A small portion of these monsters is edible and serves as an emergency food source.”

“Can’t we directly catalyze plants?”

“The pollution here is severe; would you dare to eat catalyzed food? Besides, while catalyzed food might suffice for ordinary people, everyone stationed here is a Transcendent. Ordinary food struggles to replenish such energy consumption.”

“I heard that for some royal families, the greatest difficulty in maintaining knights is the inability to provide high-quality food.”

“For a third-order knight’s activity consumption, ordinary food would require about nine times the intake to meet training needs. This means they would be eating while constantly needing to visit the latrine, a truly uncomfortable process.”

“Therefore, nobles who cannot provide high-quality food simply cannot afford to keep knights; even if they could, the knights would soon leave.”

“For second-order students, ordinary food can also sustain their physical strength, but in intense combat or situations involving extensive use of abilities, ordinary food struggles to ensure physical recovery.”

“High-quality grain from the woodland areas is directly managed and acquired, with very little circulating in the markets.”

“Previously, in the Glittering Gold Plain, only Senior Lia could produce such a quantity of ‘rare’ quality crops. The fact that that bakery would even borrow money from peers to buy them shows how hard these ingredients are to come by.”

While the others discussed food crops, Hylial was troubled by something else.

“Senior Lia, the firewood in the outpost is running out,” reported a student responsible for logistics and resource management.

“Firewood, huh…” Hylial looked out at the barren landscape, wondering where to find supplies. There was no coal or petroleum in this world; fuel could only be obtained from firewood and charcoal.

“Are there any channels for obtaining these resources in other nearby areas?” she wondered, thinking other outposts surely needed fuel too, and how they managed it.

“The frontline checkpoint outposts, located within the canyons of the Dark Mist Mountains, have abundant timber resources, so they’re not short.”

“As for the lookout outpost atop the mountain, though vegetation is sparse, they can acquire a batch just by descending the mountain. Besides, their personnel are few, so consumption is slow.”

“We are at the foot of the Dark Mist Mountains, on the outskirts. Although this means we don’t have to worry about powerful monster attacks, the corrosive wind prevents basic plant survival, let alone the production of timber or firewood.”

“I see,” Hylial nodded, pacing back and forth in the room.

Cultivating plants in a greenhouse for fuel was certainly an option, but it was far too extravagant, a case of putting the cart before the horse. They were establishing this outpost for frontline supplies; to use precious food for burning was truly…

“How long until the first batch of potatoes in the greenhouse is ready for harvest?” she asked another Gardening Apprentice.

“Another two weeks, but the first yield won’t be much.”

“I know,” Hylial nodded.

“However, a portion must still be sent to the front lines, and in exchange, we must ask for a large quantity of wood, both timber and firewood.”

“As for the outpost itself, everyone will just have to endure for a bit. After this month, once the crops in the large greenhouse mature, we shouldn’t lack for food.”

“I’ll explain to everyone in a moment,” she said, stopping her pacing and having a student inform the others.

At noon, in the temporary dining hall, Hylial explained the current situation and her decision, hoping everyone would bear with it for a while.

Although eating a bit less every day was disappointing, everyone at the outpost understood the situation clearly and had no complaints. Moreover, Hylial had done an excellent job, making the outpost somewhat successful in a short time.

After arranging the matters for the next two weeks, Hylial decided to take some food and travel to the frontline outpost, not only to inquire about their situation but also to establish initial contact for future trade of goods.

“While I’m away, the outpost affairs will be jointly discussed and decided by Rachel, Glen, and Elton, the three of you.” These three were the respective leaders of the ‘Knight Attendants,’ ‘Scholar Artisans,’ and ‘Gardening Apprentices’ in the camp.

“No problem.”

“Please rest assured, Lia.”

“I will take care of the greenhouse garden,” they each nodded in agreement, a hint of excitement showing, as if they anticipated having free rein while Hylial was away.

These guys, Hylial thought with a chuckle. Though they usually seemed quite mature, they were, after all, young people around her own age, full of ideas and drive.

“Alright, discuss things with everyone often, and don’t be too hasty,” she instructed again. Then, Hylial led a caravan of twelve people.

Their group consisted solely of second-order Knight Attendants, all in full silver-white armor, mounted on warhorses. Hylial, at the forefront, was even more resplendent in her bright armor, the pure white skirt and silver armor exuding a transcendent elegance and beauty.

“Let’s go, we’re off.”

They escorted the horse-drawn wagons, laden with food and supplies, out of the fortified outpost, and into the dim, barren Black Lion Wilderness, heading deep into the distant Dark Mist Mountains.