Cornflower Witch

Chapter 7 Cold Mist Wine

A few minutes later, bright lights came on in the hotel, and several cavalrymen tied the man up with thick ropes. As for the wound on his shoulder, they only gave it a simple bandage to stop the bleeding.

Many people gathered inside the hotel, curiously observing, asking questions, and whispering among themselves.

Inside the room, Captain Frien, the innkeeper, and the merchant Vandersee were gathered together, while Hilti and Thaliel sat on the edge of the bed.

"I was woken up by that dark figure and immediately called for help. He panicked and tried to escape through the window, but Tia stopped him right away..." Talil excitedly explained what had just happened.

"So he was a thief." Frien rubbed his eyebrows, still feeling a bit unwell.

"Boss, do you know that man?" He turned to look at the innkeeper who was standing uneasily to the side.

"I vaguely remember him. He's a guy from town, usually idle and doing odd jobs. I never expected him to be a thief." The shopkeeper nervously clasped his hands in front of him as he explained. Although this matter had little to do with him, it was hard to say that he was not a suspect. If the cavalry captain investigated and arrested him, the consequences would be dire.

“Tell me slowly. Is there anyone in town who knows him well?” Frien thought of the local sheriff.

"Well... I don't know much more." The innkeeper couldn't really recall much, after all, he had only seen the man a few times before and heard others talk about him.

"Alright, you wait here for a bit, I'll have someone go and call the sheriff." He waved his hand.

Riverstone is Viscount Xuefeng's territory and does not belong to Baron Hollin. Therefore, he cannot avoid discussing security incidents that occur here with the local sheriff.

“Mr. Frien, would you like to come with me to the place where that person is being held?” Hiltiya stood up.

She had now put her reddish-brown cloak back on, with only a few strands of silver hair showing from her neck.

Strange as to why she would make this request, Frien nodded in agreement nonetheless.

Soon, the two men and several cavalrymen arrived at the place of imprisonment, which was the cellar of the inn, which the cavalrymen had just cleared out to imprison people.

"Captain!" A young cavalryman stood up straight and saluted.

"Hmm." Frien glanced around and felt it was alright. He then had a few people stand guard by the door before he and Sylvia went inside.

The man who had just broken into the hotel was now bound tightly with ropes, lying on the cold ground, his clothes stained with dark red blood.

"Miss Tia, have you made any discoveries?" Frien asked, glancing at the thief on the ground.

“Yes, he’s not weak. He probably knows breathing techniques and some kind of ability to conceal his presence.” Hilti’s eyes blinked slightly as the other person’s information resurfaced in her mind.

-

name: unknown

Race: Human (Mortal Body)

Status: Injured (bleeding has stopped)

talent:

Low-light vision [Good]: You can see somewhat even in dim light. Don't rely too much on this; if it's too dark, you still won't be able to see anything.

Destiny Card: [A person with dexterity and agility] (Sexual Rank: None)

Within the dimly lit border, a figure moved stealthily, with nothing else around.

Ability Cards:
[Breathing Technique Lv.1] (Blood Rhythm): Regulates blood flow rate through breathing, thereby enhancing overall strength and reaction speed. This ability places a strain on the heart and body and should not be used for extended periods (recommended not to exceed 1 minute per day).

[Concealment Technique Lv.0] (Mist Shadow): Allows the user to blur their form in dim lighting, making them difficult for the opponent to see and hit. (This ability is ineffective if a candle is present.)

-

"You mean, this guy knows breathing techniques?" Frien looked somewhat surprised after hearing Silti's story.

Breathing techniques aren't rare abilities, but if you know them, you can usually find a job. At the very least, you can become a patrolman in the village, which is much easier than doing other jobs.

"Yes, he should also have the ability to conceal himself, but it's not very strong, only somewhat effective," the girl added.

“If he really does, then I’ll have to wonder if he’s a member of the Thieves’ Guild.” Frien rubbed his beard.

After a while, he shook his head.

"No, he shouldn't be from the Thieves' Guild."

"Although the Thieves Guild isn't a particularly powerful organization, this kind of behavior is too beneath their reputation. They must have learned something from some source."

"Leave the interrogation to me, Miss Tia. You have to leave tomorrow, so you can go to sleep early." He had some methods that were not suitable to be displayed in front of a young girl.

"I understand. You should get some rest too." Hiltiya nodded, glanced at the man curled up on the ground, and left the cellar.

……

Back in her room, the candles were already lit, and Taliel ate the apologetic food the innkeeper had brought her, looking quite happy.

"Tiya, look, I saved half a roast chicken for you, it's especially delicious~"

Half a roasted chicken sat on a wooden platter, still steaming and fragrant; it must have been prepared by the chef at the hotel owner's request.

Hilti was also a little hungry at this point, so she didn't refuse. She sat down and carefully picked up the chicken leg with her fingers to eat. It has to be said that this was the best food she had eaten in ten days. No wonder Taliel was so excited.

After enjoying this rare and delicious meal, Hiltiya asked curiously, "How much does this kind of roast chicken usually cost?"

“A chicken cost about 8-12 copper coins, and if it was roasted, the price would increase by 2-5 copper coins,” Taliel recalled.

100烂铜币=1银叶币（通常要110个其他人才愿意交换），普通村民一个月收入2-3银币，烤鸡大概是1.5天的工资。

If you want to eat meat every day, it is indeed a luxury, Tia thought to herself. At this moment, she missed the prices in her previous life.

After finishing their late-night snack, the two went back to bed, but this time they didn't blow out the candles; instead, they drifted off to sleep by candlelight.

……

The next morning, feeling a little sleepy, Hilti and Taliel went downstairs. There were already quite a few people eating in the hotel lobby.

People were discussing what happened last night, and several members of the town's security team were sitting there.

They asked the owner for a complimentary breakfast, and the two sat quietly at a corner table to enjoy it. After they finished eating, a cavalryman came over and asked Hilti to come over.

"The captain is looking for you, and the sheriff is also there," he explained.

Hiltiah got up and followed, and soon arrived at a room in the backyard of the inn. Besides Frien, there was a short, pot-bellied man wearing chainmail, who should be the local sheriff.

"This must be Miss Tia, right?" As soon as the girl entered, he focused his gaze on her face.

The sheriff looked quite surprised by Hilti's appearance, and his originally lazy and casual attitude became slightly more formal.

"Yes, may I ask who you are?" Hiltiya raised her light blue eyes to look at the other person. "Ahem, I am the local sheriff. I am aware of what happened last night." If it were a commoner, he would have dismissed him casually and wouldn't have stayed to explain.

Although he didn't know which family Hilti belonged to, he could tell that the girl came from a noble background, so he was more polite to her.

"I'm very sorry to have disturbed Miss Tia's rest. I will take that thief back and interrogate him properly so that he will know the consequences of offending you."

“This…” The girl hesitated, glancing at Frien beside her.

After spending a few days together, Frien guessed what the girl meant; she probably hoped that he wouldn't be too harsh on her.

“Lord Mott, I think it is necessary for me to take this thief back to Three Towers Town and imprison him.”

"Oh, why is that?" Sheriff Mott frowned slightly.

Although a thief is a minor matter, he is Viscount Xuefeng's subordinate. If Baron Hollin's cavalry captain were to take him away at will, wouldn't that be a disgrace to the Viscount?

There are always various reasons to explain whether you do your job well or not, but if you lose face, you might get a scolding from the viscount or even lose your job.

“The other party’s target is Miss Tia, who is Lord Hollin’s honored guest. Such a big thing happened last night. If I don’t bring her back to report, I’m afraid I will have a hard time dealing with Lord Hollin.”

What Frien said made some sense, and as a fellow traveler, Mott could understand it, but ultimately these were Frien's business and had nothing to do with him.

Shaking his head, Mott indicated that he was also in a difficult position and could not easily let the person go.

The scene fell silent for a moment, and neither of them spoke.

“Lord Mott,” Hiltiya said at this moment.

"What is it, Miss Tia?" Mott turned around.

“I hope you will grant Mr. Frien’s request,” she said directly.

“This…” Mott didn’t know why the girl was asking such a question.

“I’m about to head to Scorched Stone City. Mr. Frien is here to escort me. If I meet Lord Scheffen in Scorched Stone City, I will praise your outstanding work and performance in front of him.” Hilti’s words dispelled Mott’s previous concerns.

"In that case," he hesitated for a moment, then nodded in agreement.

"Then I will grant Frien's request, but you still need to provide me with a detailed report so that I can explain myself if Lord Xue Feng really asks."

"Thank you, Lord Mott." Frien knew that having someone invite Siltiah over was definitely the right choice.

What followed was a natural handover. Frien had the man from the previous night tied up and put on the carriage, and then he and Hiltiya went to a private room to talk in detail.

"After questioning you about the details you discovered yesterday, I have indeed gained quite a bit of insight." This is why he wanted to take the person away.

“This is some money we found at his house.” He placed a money bag on the table.

"Of course, these are all secondary. The important things are a thief's diary and a bottle of 'Cold Mist Wine'."

He took out a tattered diary and a dark glass bottle from a nearby cabinet, the contents of which were filled with a grayish-brown liquid.

【Thief's Diary】: Records a thief's life and memos. You can learn simple lock-picking skills and the secret method of 'stealth'.

【Cold Mist Wine】(Tier 1 - Mist Shadow): A special wine containing the 'Mist Shadow' attribute, which can be used to cultivate the 'Mist Shadow' attribute ability, or for other purposes.

The bottle contains less than a quarter of the liquid, indicating it has been used.

“He must have learned the invisibility ability by following the method in the diary and using this bottle of Cold Mist Wine,” Frien explained.

"Besides the nature inherited in one's bloodline, if one wants to obtain other 'nature powers,' one must rely on external objects as seeds for cultivating that ability."

“Each of us has a weak and latent ‘blood rhythm’ aspect within us. Learning breathing techniques can directly cultivate and strengthen this weak blood rhythm aspect. However, other aspects are not like this, so we need to use some methods. For example, this bottle of ‘Cold Mist Wine’ can open up the cultivation of the ‘Mist Shadow’ aspect.”

“During the foggy season, on nights when the moonlight is dim and indistinct, some flowers and plants in the forest will be imbued with a faint ‘fog shadow’ energy. If you collect them before dawn and give them to someone skilled in special secret techniques, you can refine them into ‘cold fog wine’.”

"I heard this from Scholar Fagan, who is the Baron's advisor. Many years ago, when I was still a soldier, I went into the forest to look for these kinds of flowers and plants, but unfortunately I didn't have much success."

Frien picked up the bottle and shook it gently; the liquid inside swirled like mist, which was quite strange.

"Judging from its appearance, it must have been made during the last fog season, which is at least twenty years ago. The 'fog shadow' properties have also dissipated by more than half."

“That man’s talent is average. He used most of the bottle but still couldn’t complete the cultivation of the ‘Concealment Technique.’ It’s also possible that too much of the spiritual energy in this bottle of ‘Cold Mist Wine’ dissipated,” he analyzed.

“Tia, I doubt you can use this, and I don’t recommend you learn it. I will take this bottle of Cold Mist Wine and the diary back and give them to the Baron and Maester Fagan.”

“Even if it’s not very useful, Scholar Fagan is very interested in this kind of thing and should reward him with some money.” As he spoke, he took out about 20 silver coins and put them into the pocket on the table.

"Here's all for your travel expenses. You must come from a respectable background, but finding your relatives won't be easy. Having money will always make things much easier."

After receiving the money pouch, Hilti bowed in gratitude before standing up.

"Where did that person get these things from?"

“I asked him about it. He found it in a hidden cave by the river. It used to be a place where some thieves hid their stolen goods, but an accident happened later. Several members died inside, and they didn’t take the goods with them, so it went to that guy.”

"He has secretly sold off all the valuable items inside, and much of the rest is rotten and useless. If you are interested, I can have someone take you to see it."

"No need," Hiltiya shook her head. She figured that kind of place would be terrible, full of mud and stench, and she didn't want to go.

"Hehehe." Frien chuckled in response.

"Alright, let's get ready in a bit, we should set off."

After a morning's delay, the group had lunch before setting off. Shortly after leaving Heshi Town, they parted ways at the crossroads.

"I'm quite familiar with the blacksmith Mu Yan in Jiao Shi City. When you get there, just mention my name, and he won't cheat you. If you need to maintain your sword or weapon, you can go there." After last night's battle, the short sword that Xi Lutiya had just acquired developed several small nicks. If she wanted to continue using it, she had to find a blacksmith to maintain and repair it.

"Understood, thank you, Mr. Frien." Hilti said goodbye to the departing cavalry before returning to the carriage and setting off again.

Recalling her experiences last night and today, Hilti gently rubbed her forehead, feeling somewhat incredulous. Perhaps it was because such an experience was so different and exciting compared to her previous mundane life.

Leaning back in her chair, Hiltiya gathered her thoughts and then returned to the "Thief's Diary".

Before leaving, she asked Frien for the diary, read it through on the way, wrote down the important contents, and then returned it to Frien. She also gained a lot of understanding of the 'concealment technique' and 'mist shadow' properties in it.

Unexpectedly, the sexual encounter of 'Mist Shadow' was related to 'Radiant Moon'. She opened her light blue eyes and looked at the forest scenery outside the window.

As the three lunar attributes that split from the 'Illusion Moon' in ancient times, 'Mist Shadow' inherited the 'Illusion Moon's' hazy, illusory, concealed, shadowy, veiled, and deceptive qualities, while 'Radiant Moon' inherited the 'Illusion Moon's' clarity after shedding its haziness, which is the pure moonlight.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

The characteristic of "Mist and Shadow" is: (the gap in radiance, the blurred form, and the shadowless darkness).
　Thanks to Moving Forward, Nanchengfengzch, and Yoyo Deer Nova.
　　Salted Fish Cuisine, u夜汐u, Don't Part Easily, Chen Fangmo's Reward~
　　Please vote and recommend next month!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)