The Cornflower Witch Chapter 259

After spending more than half a month in Scorched Stone City, Sylphidya heard that Stream Valley City to the north had been unsealed and the situation had stabilized. So, she decided to go there to visit Karen.

“Miss Tiya, please stay inside the carriage. We will handle everything else.”

A merchant with a small mustache respectfully invited Sylphidya into the carriage. He was the son of the ‘Oak Barrel Chamber of Commerce’ chairman.

Thanks to Sylphidya, the situation in Scorched Stone City had finally stabilized. The ‘Oak Barrel Chamber of Commerce’ no longer had to worry about Antian soldiers intercepting goods and extorting them under various pretexts.

For this, the entire Chamber of Commerce was extremely grateful to the young lady. Moreover, Madam Poli, the chairman’s wife, was a good friend of Madam Fran and had known Sylphidya for several years. Before Sylphidya went to the Forest Land, Madam Poli had even given her some travel supplies and gifts.

Given this close relationship, when Madam Poli learned that Sylphidya was going to Stream Valley City, she arranged for her son to travel with the caravan.

“After Stream Valley City is unsealed, it will probably be short of many supplies. It’s a good opportunity for us to do business there and earn some income. With Miss Tiya traveling with us, the journey will be much easier.” After explaining the reason, Sylphidya agreed to go with them.

This team heading to Stream Valley City included members of the Oak Barrel Chamber of Commerce, as well as some Antian soldiers specially selected by A Lu from the garrison.

These soldiers had actually been members of Somaelin’s merchant caravan years ago and were skilled in business. They didn’t care much about who their leader was, as long as they could make money. With them as cover, the caravan was less likely to be intercepted and extorted by the Antian army.

After the goods were prepared, Sylphidya sat in the carriage and followed the team to Stream Valley City.

…

The team walked quietly through the mountains, with the leading riders occasionally moving back and forth, their crisp bells echoing through the mountains.

Sitting in the carriage, Sylphidya occasionally lifted the curtain, glimpsing the mountain scenery through a sliver of light.

To avoid attracting attention, she did not wear the pale yellow dress Madam Fran had left for her on this trip. Instead, she accepted a dark green dress gifted by Madam Poli. The style of this dress was understated yet luxurious, with dark green satin sewn into an exquisitely pleated skirt, and intricate lace sewn onto the cuffs and collar.

Paired with a neck scarf, a golden brooch, black loafers, and white short socks, Sylphidya looked like the young lady of some noble family.

At night, the team camped in the mountains. The carriages were arranged in a semicircle to block the night wind, and a bonfire was lit in the center, where everyone began preparing dinner.

“Lady Tiya.” A maid opened the carriage door and accompanied the young lady as she stepped down. It was already dusk.

The sun had long set, leaving only a hint of orange-red afterglow. Sylphidya gazed at the mountain scenery, then lightly stepped onto the grass, intending to take a stroll.

Not far away, some members of the team lit firewood, some rested and chatted on the grass, and some whistled at the valley, creating a relaxed and casual atmosphere.

Sylphidya found a relatively clean rock, brushed it off, then hiked up her skirt and sat down, listening to the wind that ruffled her hair.

There was no sign of human habitation in the mountains, but the path still bore clear tracks, telling silent tales and making one feel not entirely alone.

At this moment, Sylphidya’s heart slowly quieted down. She could close her eyes and hear the subtle rustling of wind through the leaves on the distant mountains, a sound so soft and more captivating than any music from an instrument.

Unconsciously, the sky gradually darkened completely, and Sylphidya stood up at the maid’s reminder.

“Let’s go back. Dinner should be ready by now.”

Leading the maid, Sylphidya walked slowly towards the bonfire in the night. When she appeared before everyone, the firelight first illuminated her face and hair, everything seemed to be tinged with a faint golden hue, possessing an unearthly beauty, as if she were an elf from an ancient myth.

Of course, she was not an elf, and then her entire figure was illuminated by the firelight, becoming soft and real.

Sitting on a tree stump by the bonfire, Sylphidya accepted her dinner plate and slowly enjoyed it with everyone. Afterwards, she didn’t rush back to the carriage to rest but continued to sit there, listening to everyone chat about various things, occasionally laughing boisterously at jokes, arguing over bets, and dancing while drinking.

Even though there had been significant conflicts initially, now that they were gradually familiar, the Antians and Regasians in the team seemed to have no fundamental differences.

This atmosphere of everyday life gradually blurred the boundaries between them, and it also reminded Sylphidya of many books she had read before.

Many pieces of knowledge, even if known, were still not as deeply understood and remembered as when experienced firsthand.

…Two days later, the team arrived at Stream Valley City.

After some negotiation between the accompanying personnel and the city gate guards, Sylphidya’s caravan successfully entered the city and was even exempted from the tedious entrance fees.

“How did they manage that?” Sylphidya asked curiously from the carriage, pulling back a corner of the curtain.

“Lady Tiya.” The mustachioed man riding outside followed alongside.

“It’s not actually difficult. Among Antian army groups, they generally don’t make things too difficult for each other if you just offer a bit of money. This is completely different from how they treat us Regasians.”

“It certainly saved us a lot of trouble having them accompany us this time.”

“Please wait in the carriage for a moment. We’ll find a suitable inn to settle in, and then we’ll ask you to disembark.”

Although Stream Valley City had been unsealed, there were still many patrolling soldiers on the streets. Moreover, with Sylphidya’s appearance, appearing in their line of sight without caution could easily draw attention.

“I understand. Thank you for your trouble,” Sylphidya nodded, then closed the curtain.

At night, the caravan finally found a suitable place to stay, settled in, and began unloading goods.

The accompanying maid in the caravan also opened the carriage door for Sylphidya and led her to her resting place.

“Lady Tiya, your room has been arranged. I’ve already tidied it up a bit. Please follow me.” This maid originally served Madam Poli. This time, Madam Poli specifically asked her to accompany the caravan and take care of Sylphidya.

“Thank you.” Sylphidya nodded slightly, stepped out of the carriage, and then looked around.

This was likely a large inn in the city, with ample space for parking carriages. Several buildings were ahead, and one of them was brightly lit at the moment, with the constant sounds of talking and drinking, which was probably the inn’s dining area.

“Let’s go.”

The maid walked ahead with a candle lamp, and Sylphidya followed behind. They avoided the crowded areas and headed directly to a well-decorated building on the side.

During this process, due to the dim light, not many people in the inn noticed them. However, in a building not far from the inn, a figure hidden in the darkness silently observed the team and the young lady in the dark green dress going upstairs.

Only when the young lady’s figure disappeared around a corner out of sight did he begin to move, leaving his observation point and quickly heading towards the castle on the south side of the city.

Since General Nocton, who suppressed the rebels, was severely wounded in an attack by the Hundred-Eyed Cult during his pursuit, the elite Antian forces were now under the command of “Baron Cerberus” Katchis.

This military baron was skilled at raising hounds and tracking, and after General Nocton’s incident, he had been searching for the hidden members of the Hundred-Eyed Cult. Now, the arrival of this special caravan quickly attracted his attention.

In the brightly lit staff office, Katchis listened to his subordinate’s report, nodded slightly, and then looked at the clearly drawn map on the table.

“From Scorched Stone City, and a lady so beautiful at that.”

“There must be many stories I don’t know about this, hehe.” He showed a playful smile.

“Prepare yourselves. Tomorrow, a banquet will be held at the castle, and invitations will be sent out individually to the people on this list.”

“How should we deal with the caravan you just mentioned, Lord?”

“Of course, send them invitations as well, especially that young lady in the dark green dress you mentioned. I want to see how much truth there is to her ‘peerless beauty’.”

“If such a person were colluding with a cult, that would be truly unpleasant,” Katchis said, his voice revealing a hint of sinister ruthlessness.

“Yes, my lord.”