Dew Prayer Technique

Two days later, Sylutia left the Adventurers Guild hall alone, carrying a book and a small pouch of seeds.

Mailin had given them to her. She said she had gotten them from Lady Falan in the West District, who was apparently an expert in gardening.

Back home, Sylutia sat in the shade of a tree in the backyard and leafed through the nameless notebook. It was filled with hand-drawn diagrams and little tips.

The book was thin and described the cultivation process for just four flowers: "Spring—Sweet Honey Dendrobium," "Summer—Blood Wolf Poison," "Autumn—Swan Orchid," and "Winter—White Camellia." The seeds included with the book were for the Swan Orchid.

Normally, it took nearly half a year for a Swan Orchid to grow from seed to bloom, but there were only two and a half months left before autumn ended.

"This is probably Lady Falan's test for me." Sylutia set the book down.

If she only watered the flowers and tended them like an ordinary person, Lady Falan certainly wouldn't be satisfied. She must be looking for someone who was determined to become a professional gardener.

"In other words, I need to learn the Dew Prayer Technique to encourage plant growth."

[Dew Prayer Technique] (Emerald Nectar): Gather the morning mist at dawn, and turn it into emerald dew. (Emerald Dew Water can promote plant growth and cultivation.)

At dawn, the Blazing Sun Aspect Power had just appeared and was at its gentlest. Its vitality could be gathered and transformed. By noon, it would become violent and difficult to convert. The amount of Emerald Dew Water she could gather each day also determined how many plants she could cultivate at once.

But learning the Dew Prayer Technique required some Emerald Dew Water as a guiding seed, just as learning the Stealth Art required Cold Mist Wine.

To pursue her studies, Sylutia needed money—the gardening profession could be lucrative—learning to become a gardener required Emerald Dew Water—buying Emerald Dew Water required money—the gardening profession could be lucrative.

Getting started really was difficult. The girl laid the book on her head and sighed softly.

Mailin, her sister Winnie, and even Uncle Vandhi had all helped her a great deal. Without them, she would be in an even tougher spot.

"I'll try not to ask anyone for help this time." The girl stood and went to the bedroom. She lifted a brick beneath the bed and took out her treasured purse, then poured the coins onto the bed.

"One, two, three, four, five, six..."

Kneeling on the bed, the girl counted the little silver coins.

"Eighteen silver coins in all." She kept copper coins in a drawer for everyday use.

She had spent quite a bit on books and household necessities, and now she had only eighteen silver coins left. They said the Gardener Guild sold Emerald Dew Water, but she had no idea how much it cost. She picked up the coins and put them back in her purse, thinking to herself.

She'd go and see. If she didn't have enough, she'd have to borrow money from her sister Winnie. The girl felt a little ashamed. Was she being too precious about things? If all else failed, she could go out and make a living as a songstress. Mailin had said she had a lovely voice, and that if she went somewhere like a theater, she'd surely be hired and become famous.

With the few silver coins she had left, Sylutia put on her reddish-brown hooded cloak and went to the Gardener Guild.

She found a clerk dozing inside. Keeping one hand on her hood, the girl asked,

"Hello, do you sell Emerald Dew Water here?" Her voice was quiet. The clerk slowly opened his eyes and answered with a yawn.

"Ten silver for a small bottle of Emerald Dew Water, but you have to order it in advance. It'll be ready tomorrow."

Hearing that, Sylutia breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed Emerald Dew Water wasn't expensive, probably because it wasn't as rare as Cold Mist Wine.

"Here are five silver coins. Do I need to register?" She placed the coins on the counter.

"You do. Put your name here and come back tomorrow to pick it up. Oh, and don't come too early." Still sleepy, the clerk casually pulled a ledger from beneath the counter and asked Sylutia to register.

"All right." The girl cheerfully wrote her name, "Tia," and handed the ledger back to the clerk.

"That's all. You can go now." He waved her off, then slumped back down and fell asleep.

After returning home, Sylutia went into the backyard, ready to clear the little courtyard, which was full of weeds and wildflowers.

First, she changed into a linen work dress and tied her hair up in a neat ponytail. Then she fetched the shovel she had bought recently and started turning the soil from the corner...

The soil was a little hard. As she dug, the girl recalled watching the adults work back in her hometown when she was little. She imitated some of their movements, like stepping on the back of the shovel to drive it into the earth.

An hour later, Sylutia stood beneath the eaves, wiping the sweat from her forehead. She let out a breath, set down the shovel, and sat in a chair to rest.

She had turned over nearly all the soil in the courtyard, and it was much looser now.

Ten minutes later, she got up again and pulled the weeds she had dug up onto a nearby stone to dry. They would probably be dry enough by the day after tomorrow. Then she could shake off the dirt and burn the excess weeds in the fireplace.

After turning the soil, Sylutia soaked the Swan Orchid seeds in water, then planted them one by one.

Once she was done, Sylutia changed out of her dirt-speckled dress and went to bathe.

At dusk, freshly bathed and dressed in her nightclothes, she returned to the courtyard and sat in a chair, admiring the purplish-red sunset. The gentle autumn breeze dried the lingering dampness on her skin, leaving her feeling wonderfully comfortable.

Well, this sort of life seemed pretty nice, too.

The next day, she went to the Gardener Guild.

"Here's the Emerald Dew Water you ordered. If you're using it to bring flowers to bloom early, remember to mix it with plain water. Don't pour it all over the flowers." A new clerk, a woman, explained.

"The ratio is about ten drops per bucket of water. This bottle contains roughly thirty drops of Emerald Dew Water."

"All right." She wasn't going to use it for watering flowers, but she was still curious.

"Do other people buy this often?"

"Some do. Wealthy households sometimes use Emerald Dew Water to make flowers bloom early for banquets or celebrations, to decorate their gardens and homes." The clerk answered fluently.

"Many experienced gardeners know how to use Emerald Dew Water. They just can't afford to use it regularly."

After completing the transaction, the clerk handed the girl a tiny glass bottle.

"Thank you." The girl's eyes shifted as she examined the quality of the Emerald Dew Water.

[Emerald Dew Water] (Tier 0—Emerald Nectar): Dew that allows flowers and plants to grow and bloom rapidly. (Concentration: 14%)

Only 14% concentration? the girl wondered, though she couldn't tell whether that was a reasonable amount.

She'd just have to go home and try it.

After getting the Emerald Dew Water, she felt excited and eager all evening. It was very late before she finally fell into a deep sleep.

The next morning.

Sylutia opened the window. The sun had only just risen, and the morning air still held a chill.

She poured a few drops of Emerald Dew Water onto the only celadon plate in the house. Then, following the instructions for the Dew Prayer Technique, she closed her eyes and focused on learning.

First, she sensed the faint Emerald Nectar Aspect Power in the small amount of Emerald Dew Water on the plate. Then she slowly reached out with her mind and drew it in.

Time passed second by second. The droplets on the celadon plate remained unchanged in the dawn light, and the girl standing by the window stayed perfectly still. The soft lines of her brow were illuminated by the sunrise, and a faint golden glow touched her cheeks, revealing the fine down on her skin.

Gradually, the sun rose higher, nearly reaching the point where it could no longer shine on the girl. Wisps of water vapor swirled in the air, eventually condensing into a tiny drop that fell and mingled with the Emerald Dew Water on the plate.

(Dew Prayer Technique progress +6)

[Dew Prayer Technique Lv. 0] (Emerald Nectar): An ability not yet fully formed. Current progress (6/100)

Phew, she had finally taken the first step. The girl opened her eyes and looked at the extra drop of water in the dish.

If she really could become a gardener, she'd be able to make a life here, wouldn't she? As for what came after that... she'd take it one step at a time.