The Cornflower Witch Chapter 58

Chapter 58: Mastering the ‘Branch Combing Method’

After being taken out for her first social event by Madame Faran, and enduring a long morning and afternoon, Hylial could finally bid farewell to the ladies.

“See you next time, Anluoer~” they waved, smiling as they bade the girl farewell.

Hylial curtsied again, then boarded the carriage.

As she finally leaned back against the seat, the young girl let out a sigh of relief, her previously tense mind finally relaxing.

Madame Faran, now sitting opposite her, found Hylial’s demeanor quite amusing.

“Are you a little tired? After all, you were the only junior today, heh heh.” She was well aware of the situation Hylial faced today, gently covering her face with a fan.

“But now that you know them, even if I’m occasionally not at home, you can ask them for help, so you won’t be completely isolated and helpless.”

“Furthermore, as my student, you will eventually be known to everyone. Constantly hiding will only arouse suspicion, so it’s better to step out openly.”

“I understand, Madame.” Hylial knew that Madame Faran was doing this for her own good.

After calming down, as the carriage moved, the scenery outside the window changed again. Through a gap in the curtain, she saw several noble students passing by.

Balun and Toss were riding horses, accompanied by several attendants, looking like they had just returned from a hunt. Several game animals, such as foxes and wild geese, hung from the side of their horses.

After seeing Madame Faran’s carriage, the two seemed to know it, and even adjusted their reins slightly to let their horses move to the side of the road, allowing the carriage to pass safely. This made Hylial even more aware of Madame Faran’s standing in the city.

“Burntstone City isn’t large. The most respected here is Viscount Xuefeng himself, followed by his immediate family,” Madame Faran introduced Hylial.

“However, his family members are few. Besides his wife, he only has one son and one daughter, and neither of them is in Burntstone City now.”

“Where are they then?” Hylial asked curiously.

“At the Royal Academy in Whitecliff City, the Royal Capital. Many heirs of great nobles gather there, and through networking, they can get in touch with the entire Regas aristocratic circle. So, most nobles send their children there to study.”

“Iona from your class used to be a student there.”

“Besides Viscount Xuefeng, the higher-ranking figures in Burntstone City are some powerful nobles, such as Baron Quaid, Baron Kenny, and knights under Viscount Xuefeng. After that, there are people who, although without noble titles, still have significant influence, such as the owner of the ‘Oak Barrel Merchant Guild,’ the head of the Adventurers’ Guild, and the presidents of several major trade guilds.”

“These figures form the important pillars of Burntstone City, and finally, there are their relatives, friends, and subordinates who are dependent on them.”

“Madame Polia, whom you met today, her husband is the owner of the ‘Oak Barrel Merchant Guild,’ managing a merchant organization of nearly a thousand people.”

“Kalay is the president of the Gardeners’ Guild. Although her strength is ordinary, you and she will likely have much cooperation and contact in the future.”

“Moran is Baron Kenny’s wife, the noble lady in the sea-blue dress and wine-red hair you just saw. She was originally the daughter of Viscount Warshan from central Regas and has been married here for almost ten years.”

Madame Faran introduced the backgrounds of each noble lady Hylial had just met.

“As for me… how much information can you guess?” Madame Faran smiled teasingly.

“Well, Madame said at the gathering that she came from the distant Wind Chime Kingdom.” Hylial had a good memory.

“You remember it very clearly, indeed. That’s right, I come from the Wind Chime Kingdom in the central part of the continent, slightly closer to the north. It’s a relatively small country, located in the grasslands, where vast and lush wind chime grass grows. The climate is pleasant, and life is quite stable,” she recalled briefly.

“But these are memories from twenty years ago. I’ve been away from there for a long time.”

…

“You ask me why I left home? The reason isn’t that clear. Perhaps one day I suddenly wanted to travel around and just never went back.”

…

“I’ve traveled to many places, not just Regas, but also the Kingdom of Winter in the north, the Merchant City Union in the east, and the Hot Rain Swamp further south, and so on.”

“In each place, I would stay for a few years, getting familiar with the local plants and special cultivation techniques, and then after a few more years, I would move on to the next place.”

“Many gardeners always stay in one place, dedicating themselves entirely to their gardens. I think this can easily lead to stagnation and limit their horizons.”

“But everyone has their own choices, just as I occasionally tease Kalay, telling her she could go to the more distant Merchant City Union to see, where there would be many new things she would like, but unfortunately, she rarely listens to such advice,” Madame Faran said, gently fanning herself.

“The more places you go, the more friends you make. This nice dress you’re wearing was tailored by an acquaintance of mine in Valley City. While it can’t compare to the ornate luxury of the Merchant City Union, it’s still a rare and excellent piece, even in the Royal Capital, Whitecliff City.”

Madame Faran’s narrative expanded Hylial’s perspective beyond her repetitive student life, giving her a broader view of the present.

More distant places, Hylial secretly noted down these place names and characteristics.

…

The carriage reached Madame Faran’s residence. Hylial stepped out, strolled briefly in the courtyard, and then returned to the living room.

After a short rest, Lining came to tell her that Madame Faran was waiting for her in the flower field.

“Alright, I’ll go right now.” She put her hat back on and headed towards the flower field in the backyard.

The sunflowers here were still brilliant, their pale yellow and golden petals layering like waves, swaying gently in the sunlight, radiating a warmth.

Gently parting the flower stems and leaves in front of her, Hylial walked along the path in the flower field and soon saw Madame Faran in the center of it.

She was sitting on a wooden chair placed in the flower field, with a small round table and an empty chair beside her, which was presumably left for Hylial.

“Sit down, Lia.”

“Mhm,” the girl responded softly, then sat beside her.

“How’s the scenery here? Isn’t it comfortable?” The sky above was a clear blue, and occasionally, the rustling and friction of branches and leaves in the wind could be heard from beside them.

“Since you are my student, today I will teach you your first lesson, about the grooming of flowers and plants, that is, the ‘Branch Combing Method’,” she said slowly, taking a sip of tea.

“Unlike the ‘Dew Prayer Method,’ mastering this requires you to be at least of the ‘First-Order Jade Nectar’ rank.”

“Just as the name suggests, like combing hair, it involves neatly organizing and adjusting the internal conditions of plants.” Madame Faran then began an in-depth explanation of the uses, principles, effects, and precautions of this secret art.

Occasionally, she would even demonstrate it directly in front of Hylial.

Unlike Scholar Hyde’s method, which solely imparted theoretical knowledge of secret arts, this one-on-one approach, directly showcasing the ability, allowed Hylial to quickly understand and grasp some of its true essence and rhythm.

In about an afternoon, Hylial learned the ‘Branch Combing Method’ under Madame Faran’s guidance.

【Branch Combing Method Lv.1】(Jade Nectar): This ability allows you to actively regulate the state of plants by organizing their nutrients, water, fibers, and structures.

Previously, nurturing plants relied on observing their condition and creating the most suitable environment, which was relatively passive. For example, to achieve optimal humidity, one had to repeatedly adjust the environment, sprinkle water, etc. With the Branch Combing Method, one can directly guide the plant to absorb water or expel excess water, and the same applies to the absorption of trace nutrients.

This makes it easier to cultivate plants to their optimal state, or even surpass it, reaching a perfect state or beyond.

(End of Chapter)