Dew Prayer Technique

Two days later, Sylutia walked out of the Adventurer Guild hall alone, clutching a book and a small bag of seeds.

These had been given to her by Mailin, reportedly obtained from Lady Falan in the West District, who was said to be a master well-versed in the art of gardening.

Back home, Sylutia sat in the shade of the trees in her backyard, flipping through the nameless notebook. It was filled with handwritten illustrations and various tips.

The book was thin, recording the cultivation processes for four types of flowers: "Spring-Fragrant Honey Dendrobium," "Summer-Blood Wolfsbane," "Autumn-Swan Orchid," and "Winter-White Camellia." The seeds gifted with the book were for the Swan Orchid.

Normally, it took nearly half a year for a Swan Orchid to go from germination to blooming, yet there were only two and a half months left until the end of autumn.

This must be the test Lady Falan has set for me, Sylutia thought, setting the book down.

Simply watering flowers like an ordinary person would certainly not satisfy Lady Falan; she clearly wanted to see someone aspiring to become a professional gardener.

"Which means, I must learn the 'Dew Prayer Technique' to accelerate the plants' growth."

[Dew Prayer Technique] (Emerald Nectar): Gather morning mist at dawn, transforming it into Emerald Dew Water. (Emerald Dew Water can promote plant growth and assist in cultivation.)

At dawn, when the "Blazing Sun" Aspect Power first emerges, it is at its most gentle; one can collect and convert its vitality. By noon, it becomes too violent to convert. The amount of Emerald Dew Water she could collect each day would determine the maximum number of plants she could cultivate simultaneously.

However, learning the "Dew Prayer Technique" required some "Emerald Dew Water" as a starter seed, much like how learning the "Stealth Art" required Cold Mist Wine.

To pursue her studies, Sylutia needed money—gardeners could make money—learning to be a gardener required "Emerald Dew Water"—buying "Emerald Dew Water" required money—gardeners could make money.

The starting phase is truly difficult, the young girl sighed softly, pulling the book over her head.

Mailin, Sister Winnie, and even Uncle Vandhi had helped her quite a bit; without them, she would likely be in an even tougher spot.

I won't ask for help this time. The girl stood up, went to her bedroom, pried up a brick under her bed, and retrieved her cherished coin purse, pouring the coins onto the bed.

"1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6..."

The girl knelt on the bed, counting the small silver coins one by one.

"Eighteen silver coins in total." She kept her copper coins in a drawer for daily use.

She had spent quite a bit on books and daily necessities, leaving her with only eighteen. She had heard that Emerald Dew Water could be purchased at the Gardener Guild, though she didn't know the price. She picked up the silver coins, put them back in the purse, and pondered silently.

I'll go see. If it's not enough, I'll have to borrow from Sister Winnie. The girl felt a twinge of shame; was she being too sensitive? If it really came to it, she would have to show her face and become a singer. Mailin had said her voice was beautiful, and that she would surely be hired and become famous at a place like the theater.

Clutching her remaining silver, Sylutia donned her reddish-brown hooded cloak and headed to the Gardener Guild.

Finding a clerk dozing inside, the girl lightly pressed down on her hood and asked, "Excuse me, do you have 'Emerald Dew Water' for sale?" Her voice was soft. The clerk slowly opened his eyes, yawned, and replied.

"Emerald Dew Water is 10 silver for a small bottle, but you have to order in advance. You can have it tomorrow."

Hearing this, Sylutia breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed "Emerald Dew Water" wasn't that expensive; it was likely less rare than "Cold Mist Wine."

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

"Yes, sign your name here and come pick it up tomorrow. Oh, and don't come too early." The clerk, still drowsy, pulled out a ledger from under the desk for Sylutia to sign.

"Understood." The girl quickly wrote her name, "Sylutia," and handed it back.

"That's all. You can go." The clerk waved a hand and slumped back to sleep.

Returning to her residence, Sylutia went to the backyard, intending to clear out the weeds and wildflowers.

She changed into a linen dress suitable for work, tied her hair into a neat high ponytail, found the shovel she had recently purchased, and began turning the soil from the corner of the wall...

The soil is quite hard. As she worked, the girl recalled scenes of adults laboring in her hometown, imitating their movements, such as using her foot to press the back of the shovel into the earth.

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

By now, the soil in the small yard had been turned over and was much looser.

Ten minutes later, she stood up again and gathered the pulled weeds onto a rock to dry. In a couple of days, they would be dry enough to shake off the dirt and burn in the fireplace.

Once the soil was turned, Sylutia soaked the "Swan Orchid" seeds in water and planted them one by one.

After finishing, Sylutia changed out of her dirt-stained dress and went to bathe.

At dusk, after bathing and changing into her pajamas, she returned to the yard. She sat in her chair, admiring the purple-red sunset on the horizon. The gentle autumn breeze brushed against her slightly damp skin, feeling exceptionally comfortable.

Well, this kind of life isn't so bad either.

The next day, she arrived at the Gardener Guild.

"This is the 'Emerald Dew Water' you ordered. If you use it to ripen flowers, remember to mix it with fresh water; don't drip it directly onto the blossoms," a new female clerk explained.

"The dilution ratio is about 10 drops per bucket of water. This bottle contains roughly 30 drops of 'Emerald Dew Water'."

"Understood." Although she wasn't planning to use it for watering, she was still curious.

"Do others buy this often?"

"Yes. Some wealthy families occasionally use 'Emerald Dew Water' to ripen flowers for banquets or celebrations to decorate their gardens and mansions," the clerk answered professionally.

"Many veteran florists know how to utilize 'Emerald Dew Water,' but they usually can't afford it."

After the registration was complete, the clerk handed a small, exquisite glass bottle to the girl.

"Thank you." The girl's eyes flickered 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 thought, though she wasn't in a position to judge whether such a value was reasonable.

She would just have to go back and test it.

After obtaining the "Emerald Dew Water," she felt a mix of excitement and anticipation all night, eventually drifting into a deep sleep only very late.

Another morning arrived.

Sylutia opened the window, just in time to see the sun that had only recently risen; the morning air still held a fair amount of chill.

She poured a few drops of the Emerald Dew Water onto the only celadon plate in her home, then, following the records of the "Dew Prayer Technique," she closed her eyes to sense and learn.

First, she had to identify the faint power of the "Emerald Nectar" Aspect Power within that small amount of "Emerald Dew Water," then slowly use her mental perception to guide it.

Time ticked by second by second. The water droplet on the plate remained unchanged in the morning light, and the girl standing beneath the window did not move either. Her soft brows were illuminated by the dawn, her cheeks tinged with a faint gold, and the fine down on her skin was clearly visible in the pale golden glow.

Gradually, the sun continued to rise, and just as it was about to move to a spot where it could no longer shine on the girl, wisps of mist gathered in the air, finally condensing into a tiny droplet that fell and merged with the "Emerald Dew Water" on the plate.

("Dew Prayer Technique" completion +6)

[Dew Prayer Technique Lv.0](Emerald Nectar): An unformed ability, current progress (6/100)

Phew, she had finally taken the first step. The girl opened her eyes, looking at the extra drop of liquid on the plate.

If she could truly become a gardener, she would be able to gain a foothold here, wouldn't she? As for what came after... she would take it one step at a time.