Swan Orchid's Bloom

Bang, bang...

Inside the training grounds, Mick and Ray were sparring as usual, the crisp sounds of weapons clashing echoing occasionally.

Sylutia stood behind the railing not far away, her gaze tracking the two as they constantly shifted positions, observing how they employed various tactics and utilized their own advantages to seize opportunities in battle.

(Basic Swordsmanship proficiency +2)

(Basic Swordsmanship proficiency +1)

Lately, she had been gaining less and less experience from watching their matches.

After watching for so long, she had formed a rough model of their swordsmanship in her mind. Closing her eyes slightly, Sylutia recreated their movements based solely on sound and memory. When she finally opened her eyes again, she found their actions and reactions matched her predictions perfectly.

With that in mind, she rested her fingers against her chin, contemplating how to guide them.

Her own swordsmanship could not be called vastly superior to theirs, but with her keen powers of observation, she could easily pinpoint their shortcomings.

Generally speaking, one's ability to observe or appreciate must exceed one's current skill level to ensure continuous progress. If a person's ability reaches the limit of their own vision—where they can no longer see any flaws in themselves, yet their strength is still inferior to others—that is the most uncomfortable and dangerous state to be in.

Through two months of training, both men had reached what they considered their ideal state, yet they had since struggled to improve further, having hit a bottleneck.

Reflecting on the months since she had awakened, Sylutia felt that what had the greatest impact on this life was not the still-unknown "Cornflower Attachment" or "Stars" talents, but rather this power of observation and comprehension that had been unattainable in her previous life.

Being able to hear ten people speaking simultaneously and understand and remember it all, along with observing subtle changes that others often missed—these two traits allowed her to progress at an incredible speed when learning new skills.

A few minutes later, the two sparring partners stopped. They returned to the rest area to drink water and wipe away sweat before questioning the black-haired girl.

"Well, Sylutia, did you figure it out?" Mick still didn't believe that this quiet girl could understand the nuances of his and Ray's combat.

"I mostly understand it." The girl nodded, though she paused to add a caveat.

"I can offer you some suggestions, but you must not tell anyone else that I was the one teaching you."

"Why is that? Fine, Ray and I won't say a word." Mick didn't understand, but after a moment's thought, he agreed.

"However, your advice better be useful, or I won't listen."

Over the time they had spent together, his previously impatient temper had been unknowingly softened by this girl, becoming much more level-headed.

Occasionally, he would recall that hot, drowsy afternoon when Sylutia had touched his forehead to check his temperature; perhaps it was from that day on that he had become unwilling to lose his temper with her.

Was he in love? That didn't seem right either; he didn't feel that hot-headed, desperate longing that Jero spoke of. It felt more like the scent of grass and flowers drifting in during a nap—always faint, yet something he would think of whenever he grew quiet.

While Mick was lost in his own thoughts, Sylutia took out paper and pen, sketching and calculating in her mind. After ten minutes, she finally finalized her strategy.

"Here." She walked to the blackboard and began to draw out their combat positioning and the way they utilized their weapons using a piece of chalk.

"This is my private tutoring session, so don't leak the secrets, and don't let your minds wander." The girl had already mastered the art of using her soft, melodic voice to keep them focused.

...(Mick Basic Swordsmanship proficiency +12)

...(Ray Basic Swordsmanship proficiency +9)

...(Mick Basic Swordsmanship proficiency +11)

...(Ray Basic Swordsmanship proficiency +8)

The tutoring session passed before they knew it. By the time Sylutia finished, Mick and Ray felt as if some barrier had been lifted, granting them a new perspective and understanding of many things.

"So, it could be done this way." Mick rubbed his chin.

"Ray, understood." Ray also flashed a goofy smile.

Whew, that finally taught these two blockheads. Sylutia breathed a sigh of relief and shook her head slightly.

This was only possible because she had been teaching them for a while and understood their comprehension levels and thought processes well enough to provide targeted explanations. Had it been otherwise, she truly wouldn't have known how to impart these things.

At this rate, their Basic Swordsmanship would likely break through to Lv.4 in a while. As for Lv.5, that would be difficult, as Sylutia herself had not yet reached that level.

"Next is Karen." She mentioned the girl who had been listening nearby.

"Your Spearmanship technique could actually be improved as well." She blinked, beckoning her good friend over for individual instruction.

The daytime lessons and training concluded. By evening, Sylutia returned to her residence.

The moment she stepped through the door, she sensed something different. Following this subtle feeling, she hurried to the backyard and discovered that the "Swan Orchid" inside the glass enclosure had fully bloomed.

Slender stamens extended from the unfurled petals, forming an S-curve—drooping down before arching upward like the graceful neck of a swan. The five surrounding green-and-white petals acted like the swan's wings, lying naturally flat with a slight curve, symmetrical around the central stamen. It was so natural, yet so strangely beautiful.

[Swan Orchid](Perfect-91): Blooming. Because of your meticulous cultivation, this Swan Orchid has bloomed near-perfectly. As a reward for your incredibly detailed care, nature has gifted you with the condensation of the "Emerald Nectar" Aspect Power.

[Swan Orchid Flower](First Order · Emerald Nectar): A manifestation of a Gardener's careful care and patient cultivation. Can be used to purify other Aspect Powers and create a tranquil environment free from interference.

Carefully kneeling on the stone slab, Sylutia observed the blooming Swan Orchid in detail. On the stamen, which resembled a graceful swan's neck, a faint, almost invisible pale golden halo seemed to emerge, then gently drifted into the surrounding air.

When she placed her hand lightly on the orchid's bulb again, a strange ripple traveled through her fingers into her body and mind. It was the condensed "Emerald Nectar" Aspect Power, like scattered fragments finally forming a complete picture. The orchid's own drifting and fragile Aspect Power no longer dissipated easily; it became condensed and resilient, even capable of acting like a magnet to guide and manipulate the hidden, latent "Emerald Nectar" Aspect Power within the surrounding flowers and plants.

As Sylutia immersed her consciousness into the Swan Orchid, she suddenly had an epiphany: if she performed the guidance, she could draw this initially condensed "First Order - Emerald Nectar" into her own Fate Disk, allowing the Fate Card [Sleeping Maiden] (Aspect Power Tier: None) to advance and acquire the "First Order · Emerald Nectar" Aspect.

Should she advance it now? She thought for a moment and decided to hold off, wanting to ask Teacher Heide before making a decision.

Moreover, the other two Swan Orchids were nearing bloom. She shifted her gaze toward them; their buds were already unfurling, beginning to coalesce the "First Order-Emerald Nectar" Aspect Power.

Coalescing the Aspect Power for the first Swan Orchid had been the most difficult. With the first one established, the other two would be guided and assisted by it, making the process significantly easier and more relaxed.

She certainly couldn't disturb the first one at this moment. She would wait until all three had bloomed before making any decisions, the young girl thought as she stood up.

As she did every day, she watered the Swan Orchids again, replenished their nutrients, and then carefully loosened the soil.

Once finished, she washed her hands, took up her book, and sat in the backyard once more. She read by the lamplight, occasionally looking up to gaze at the blooming "Swan Orchid" that radiated a faint golden halo in the night.

This patient cultivation, the harvest reaped after long periods of toil, brought her a quiet sense of happiness and fulfillment. Even if she were to take a nap in the backyard right now, she would feel much more at ease.