The Cornflower Witch Chapter 250

Outside the mine, within the camp, several braziers crackled with burning fire. Nearly thirty Anti soldiers were stationed here, most of them sleeping, while about ten others sat guard. Some were eating and drinking, while others were scolding new miners.

Suddenly, a strange figure entered the camp from outside. Their gray robe fluttered gently in the firelight, and their steps, though seemingly unhurried, took them directly to the center of the large camp.

“Stop,” Sylphidya said. This was her last chance for these soldiers.

“What you’re doing has already crossed the line,” her voice echoed through the night, not loud, but exceptionally clear.

Seeing a stranger appear suddenly, the soldiers present were surprised and suspicious. They all rose, some drawing swords and daggers, others aiming bows and arrows at the maiden.

A faint golden blade arc flashed, cutting through the arrows. The attacking lances and swords were also easily severed by the maiden moving swiftly.

In a few breaths, the soldiers lost their weapons, but they couldn’t even catch a glimpse of the maiden’s clothes. Sometimes she seemed to be right in front of them, but when they swung their blades, they always missed by a hair’s breadth.

After temporarily disarming them, Sylphidya took out a smoky potion from her sleeve, dropped it into her hooded eyes, and slowly closed them for a moment.

Then, she raised her gaze, and her usually clear, light blue eyes beneath the hood were now shrouded in smoky mist. Anyone who met her gaze would fall into a swirling vortex, their eyes, body, mind, and will all deeply entangled, unable to extricate themselves.

‘Phantom Eye’ enhanced her illusionary abilities, which could be used to hypnotize enemies.

Moments later, the soldiers slowly collapsed, slumping to the ground in a deep sleep. They would forget everything that happened tonight, as if they had had a dream difficult to wake from.

As for the soldiers still resting in the rooms, some got up when they heard the noise. When they saw those hazy, smoky eyes, their gazes also sank into the vortex of illusion, and they slowly fell.

After easily dealing with the soldiers in the camp, Sylphidya turned to the miners. She swung her blade, effortlessly cutting through their ankle and wrist shackles. Some locked iron cages were also broken open by her.

At this moment, some miners excitedly ran out, but seeing the sleeping Anti soldiers everywhere, they dared not shout. They could only weep and nod repeatedly, some even kowtowing to the maiden on the ground.

Sylphidya shook her head slightly at this, telling them to get up.

She put away her knife, then her sleeves fluttered, and a hazy, circular autumn scene unfolded in her hands. She then laid down boxes of food.

“Eat something first. There’s still water in the vat over there.”

“Thank you,” a few of those who could still speak whispered in response, then eagerly and quickly opened the boxes, pulling out dried rations and biscuits, and biting into them greedily.

Afterward, Sylphidya walked to the unconscious old man with black hair lying on the ground. She looked at him, only now barely recognizing Vanders. It wasn’t her fault, as the merchant used to be overweight and round-faced, unlike his current thin appearance. This change was truly significant, Sylphidya thought, and took out a healing potion from her embrace, pouring it into his mouth. She then gave him some ‘Clear Spring Holy Water’ to cleanse his body of attribute erosion.

Vanders slowly woke up, still a bit dazed and unsure of the situation.

Seeing this, a miner beside him quickly came over to help him up and told him, “You were just saved by this lord. Now the Anti soldiers are all asleep and can’t control us.”

“Hurry up and eat something,” he said. Although he didn’t know why this maiden appeared, seeing her walk straight to Vanders, he guessed her appearance must be related to the merchant.

“Thank… you,” Vanders struggled to sit up, and with the support of the miner, picked up a piece of hardtack and gnawed on it.

During this time, Sylphidya looked around and beckoned a few miners who were in good condition to come over.

“The few of you, take this food and go into the mine. Distribute it to those underground and tell them to come out quickly. We need to leave before dawn.”

Hearing this, several became exceptionally excited,原來This adult was going to take them away. “No problem, we must notify everyone, my lady, you wait.” They picked up the extra food on the ground and ran into the mine behind.

Afterward, seeing that there was not enough water, Sylphidya sent them to fetch water from the well next to the camp and pour it into the vat. She then used her ability to transform the ordinary well water into special clear spring water with purifying properties.

About three hours later, the laborers from the mine were called out one after another. They crowded into the camp, eating and some desperately drinking water. Some even wanted to pick up the broken weapons on the ground and cut the throats of the sleeping Anti soldiers.

“Don’t kill them yet,” Sylphidya stopped them.

“They will be more useful alive.”

Seeing her order, everyone present had to hold back, as the maiden’s methods were mysterious and unpredictable, and she was their savior.

Around four in the morning, Sylphidya nodded slightly, seeing that everyone had roughly recovered their strength and condition.

“Now you’ll follow me. If anyone has difficulty moving, someone nearby will take turns helping to carry them. I don’t want anyone to fall behind.”

“Yes.” Although the demand was strict, hearing her command made everyone present breathe a sigh of relief. Some weak and infirm miners were carried by their companions, who then left the camp and followed the maiden into the night.

After they left, the weeds around the camp began to grow rapidly, and some rough vines intertwined among the grass, growing thicker and blocking the mountain path. This way, even if someone discovered something amiss and wanted to investigate and pursue, it would take a lot of time.

…

After a day of arduous travel, Sylphidya finally led these people to the temporary settlement she had arranged earlier. She hadn’t expected that what was only 31 people a few days ago would now become over four hundred.

Upon arriving at this settlement, and reuniting with those who had previously escaped, they finally learned who had saved them.

“Thank you, Miss Sylphidya.”

“It’s thank you, Lord Sylphidya,” a companion corrected.

“Right, right, my mistake, Lord Sylphidya,” some quickly corrected themselves.

Although the maiden lookedto be only about 17 years old, she was, after all, their savior and so powerful. No amount of respect was too much.

After enduring the dark and hopeless life in the mine, where they could only numbly await death, even the most ordinary well water tasted incredibly sweet when they got out, and even simple bread crumbs were like delicious delicacies.

It was truly wonderful. Finally, finally, they had escaped from that place.

Some even felt they were dreaming, afraid it was a dying hallucination, and sat in corners crying.

Others hugged people they knew, sobbing and shouting, hitting each other, as if only such pain could tell them that everything before their eyes was real.

Sylphidya sighed softly at this, lamenting the cruelty of war and death and how much it twisted and ruined people’s lives.

In this settlement, she no longer needed to hide her face. She directly removed her hood, revealing her soft, long hair, a few strands of which floated in the night breeze, some falling across her chest, revealing the maiden’s captivating yet slightly tender curves.

At night, everyone gathered around the bonfire after dinner. Although many had not known each other before, having gone through this great ordeal, an unspoken bond formed between them.

“After this, is there anywhere you want to go?” Sylphidya asked the escaped miners and refugees, sitting on a wooden chair.

“Because I used some illusion abilities when I rescued you, they will probably think they encountered an unknown monster in the mountains, rather than you actively fleeing.”

“So, as long as you don’t go back, the lord will probably think you all died outside.”

Hearing this, although those present felt some regret, even if Sylphidya hadn’t said anything, they didn’t want to return to that city of painful memories. Some said they wanted to go to distant relatives, others wanted to go to other countries, but most were lost and helpless. They had no one to rely on and were unfamiliar with the outside world.

“We don’t know where to go. We’ll simply let Lord Sylphidya make the arrangements,” one of the more knowledgeable middle-aged men stood up and bowed, asking for guidance.

“Don’t know, huh…” Sylphidya lowered her head in thought, a wisp of hair tracing her somewhat childlike cheek.

“If you stay within Anti territory, you’ll eventually be discovered, and it won’t be safe,” she predicted that there would still be war in Regas territory.

“I can recommend a place for you. It’s a place where you can avoid wars between nations, but it will also be very dangerous.” She thought of the ordinary people living in the Forest Land.

“However, before we go there, I need to communicate in advance, so for these few months, you still need to hide here and cannot go out freely.”

“We understand.”

Hearing that Sylphidya could arrange their destination, many felt greatly relieved. Even those who had planned to rely on relatives began to change their minds, as their relatives were mostly ordinary people, and their help would be very limited.

With their future arranged, the burden in their hearts lifted, and they slowly settled down.

Over the next two days, Sylphidya led them to expand many shacks and dug several cellars in the valley where the settlement was located, for storing grain crops.

Although it was still quite crude, compared to their previous life in the mines, life here was already better than anything they had dreamed of.

These people gradually settled down. They not only needed rest but also needed to alleviate the psychological trauma they had endured during this period.