The Cornflower Witch

The first time one rides a train, there's always a sense of awe and shock at the sheer scale of the thing.

The locomotive resembled a sea-going vessel, with a 'V'-shaped front. From the side, sturdy supports held up the sharp, ram-like nose, and this structure allowed it to push debris off the tracks as it advanced, like a ship cutting through waves.

Just looking up at this massive locomotive gave one a sense of towering, icy majesty, as if it might come to life at any moment. The rigid lines, the incredibly heavy materials—all of it conveyed a kind of indestructible, irresistible, violent beauty of engineering.

No wonder someone in the Mage Alliance had once said that a fully armed train like this was a fortress city advancing along the rails.

Thick steam whistles blared continuously. As the train carriages were being tested, billowing steam filled the station, and the roaring power furnace let out a powerful, pounding rumble.

As the personnel arrived, they boarded the towering military train in an orderly fashion under command, while crate after crate of supplies was loaded into the military carriages, neatly stacked and secured.

Sylutia, along with members of the Inspection Department, guarded the boarding points of each carriage, checking identities and counting supplies to make sure everything was correct.

At five o'clock in the afternoon, the two adjutants reported their compiled situation.

"Ma'am, all crew members for each carriage have boarded. Total: 9,264 people. Cargo loaded: 402,537 crates. Among them: 12,000 crates of Scorching Sun Crystals, 200,000 crates of grain, 43,000 crates of weapons and ammunition, 52,000 crates of various metal ingots, 31,000 crates of medicine, 12,000 crates of liquor, 12,000 crates of thermal insulation material, 24,000 crates of smoked meat, 8,000 crates of canned vegetables and fruit, 6,400 crates of various instruments, 2,137 crates of miscellaneous items, 335 trained beasts, 1,563 messenger and reconnaissance birds, and approximately 2,400 tons of coal briquettes for the train's fuel."

"How many days can 2,400 tons of fuel support the train's travel?"

"At full speed, we consume 420 tons of coal briquettes per day. That would last about five to six days."

"Under normal circumstances, traveling at full speed, we can reach Candela in just three days."

After hearing all the reports, Sylutia nodded. She then had the Inspection Department members work with the crew to close the doors of each carriage and make the final preparations for departure.

At that moment, she also boarded the train and headed toward the locomotive.

There, an old man was talking with the train conductor. He held a staff that resembled a walking cane, draped over an old gray marten shawl.

"Is the debugging complete?"

"We've inspected all the carriages. The power furnace is working normally, and the coal gas pipes have been cleaned. Exhaust and fuel can be transported smoothly." This train conductor was about fifty years old, somewhat stout, with a thick, black beard.

"Ma'am, all crew members for each carriage have boarded. Total: 9,264 people. Cargo loaded: 402,537 crates. Among them: 12,000 crates of Scorching Sun Crystals, 200,000 crates of grain, 43,000 crates of weapons and ammunition, 52,000 crates of various metal ingots, 31,000 crates of medicine, 12,000 crates of liquor, 12,000 crates of cold-weather material, 24,000 crates of smoked meat, 8,000 crates of canned vegetables and fruit, 6,400 crates of various instruments, 2,137 crates of miscellaneous items, 335 trained beasts, 1,563 messenger and reconnaissance birds, and approximately 2,400 tons of coal briquettes for the train's fuel."

"Find Hedra and Novadon. Also, summon the leaders of the other groups." The assistant nodded, but as he turned around, he quickly saw Sylutia walking in.

"Ma'am, Miss Hedra has already arrived." He reported to Master Ge Zhen, then bowed to Sylutia, walked past her, and entered the carriage behind.

The other person turned around, looked at Sylutia, gave her a slight nod, and then had the young woman sit down.

This was the upper level of the rear half of the locomotive. Through the glass windows was the locomotive's deck, offering a view of the distance. The locomotive's power components were on the lower level in front of the room they were now sitting in, where a complex array of machinery was housed.

After sitting down, Master Ge Zhen did not rush into conversation. He first took out a snuff bottle, slowly inhaled, and then focused his thoughts, as if checking every link, contemplating whether everything was fully prepared.

Soon, the various crew members arrived: the medical team leader, Amisa; the cooking team leader, Kubo; and the armed team leader, Hedra.

Minutes earlier, another important figure on the crew had arrived.

Novadon looked to be about eighty years old. His skin was a coppery brown, as if he had been baked by a furnace for years. He had exceptionally sharp eyes, a small face, and a sincere, passionate temperament.

"Master Ge, you called for me." His voice was loud and clear, echoing in the room.

Following Novadon were three more engineers. Although they were mages, they wore thick heat-insulating suits, and their staves resembled wrenches, made of sturdy metal that could easily smash an animal's skull.

"Yes, everyone is here." Master Ge put away his snuff bottle, tapped it lightly on the table to shake off the ash, then stowed it away and stood up.

Seeing this, Sylutia also stood up and walked over.

"Greetings, everyone. I am the highest-ranking manager of this Ninth Train. You may call me Ge Zhen."

"Greetings, Master Ge Zhen." The others in the room nodded.

"Additionally, accompanying us are Inspector Miss Hedra from the Inspection Department, and Expert Technical Officer Mr. Novadon. Should an accident occur, they will take over my position at any time." He introduced the two.

"Mr. Novadon hails from the Scorching Sun Furnace school. He has participated in the development of the fourth-generation Iron Fortress, studied and exchanged knowledge in Candela, and is very familiar with that place. With him leading a team of engineers and technical staff, they are worthy of our trust."

Since this was an emergency-assembled team, everyone present was still somewhat unfamiliar with each other and needed introductions regarding their identities and backgrounds.

"Miss Hedra hails from the Mithril Clock school. She was an Excellent member of the Finance Department and later entered the Inspection Department to lead the investigation into last year's major train derailment case. She is calm and intelligent, and the team she leads will ensure the supplies arrive on time."

"Miss Amisa hails from the Four Salts School. She is a very outstanding physician who once led the development of the new revival potion 'Amisa's Support.' She is a rising star renowned throughout the Alliance."

"Too much praise, Master Ge Zhen." Amisa replied humbly. She had flaxen hair and wore round-frame glasses. Her rank was 'Fifth Tier · Luminous Moon · Gold Steam'.

"Mr. Kubo hails from the Feast Ritual School. He once served as the head chef of the Council Hall and has explored many regions. He is knowledgeable about all types of food preparation. With him on board, even a tiring journey will not be dull."

This head chef was not tall and sported slightly upturned handlebar mustache. He bowed to everyone. His rank was 'Fifth Tier · Gold Steam · Bloodline'.

"Colonel Taggus hails from the Fire Essence School. Three years ago, he participated in the Western Mountain Range campaign, leading his legion to fight against local beastman warlords. He also currently assists in the development and research of new cannons. With the members of the Twelfth Legion he commands, the safety of this long journey will not be a concern." The 2,000 Elite soldiers accompanying this front-line military train all came from the Mage Alliance Council's directly-affiliated Twelfth Legion.

Colonel Taggus was the third-in-command of the Twelfth Legion. Although he was only at 'Fifth Tier · Castle · Gold Steam,' he was still relatively young at just over forty. Many people held high hopes for him, believing he would succeed the current legion commander after his retirement.

Apart from Sylutia, all the accompanying crew leaders were Fifth-Tier Transcendents with rich and impressive resumes. No wonder Professor Refas was somewhat worried about her. But in terms of actual combat power, the Inspection Department members led by Sylutia were likely the strongest force on the train. Among them were 107 Fourth-Tier members, and the rest were all Third-Tier members. They participated in various missions year-round and had executed many Black Mages and degenerate individuals. The rest of the train crew did not necessarily possess such combat capability.

As for the legion elite led by Taggus, although they numbered 2,000, the majority were below Second Tier, with only about 80 officers above Third Tier.

Finally, the leader of this Ninth Train, 'Ge Zhen,' was a master ranked 23rd within the Origin Hourglass school. He had led teams to excavate ancient biological remains in the northern cold moss regions and successfully extracted the bloodline of 'Cold Prison Mammoths' from frozen remains, using elephants to cultivate new 'Cold Prison Mammoths (Sixth Tier · Slumbering Winter).' Furthermore, he had presided over many academic seminars, was knowledgeable in various ancient fields, and had conducted research on the monsters slumbering beneath the Ice Sea.

After the mutual introductions, everyone briefly explained the situation of their respective groups. Once everything was confirmed to be in order, Master Ge Zhen announced the departure.

The flames in the power furnace burned their brightest. Surging hot air burst from the chimney. The steam whistle sounded. The heavy wheels began to turn slowly, their rhythmic sound growing faster and faster, faster and faster, until the entire train roared into the wilderness, disappearing into the end of the gray, dim sky.

...

After the train started, the ride gradually stabilized. It was already late at night. Many of the accompanying passengers had fallen asleep, leaning back in their seats. Sylutia was currently sitting in the empty, quiet dining carriage, gazing out the window at the silent wilderness, occasionally catching glimpses of scattered lights from distant cities.

Cerise came over with a tray of heated dinner and placed it in front of Sylutia.

"Eat something." She lifted the lid, revealing a steaming roasted chicken leg and taro corn soup inside.

"Thank you." Sylutia turned her head and began to eat, having been busy with various things all day.

"Have you eaten yet?"

"We have. The team members ate in shifts between nine and ten o'clock." Cerise stood beside Sylutia, cradling the scabbard of her sword in her hands, her gaze briefly sweeping over the pitch-black world outside.

Although she was also a Fourth Tier, she did not possess Sylutia's powerful eyesight. She could discern nothing from that dark land.

After finishing this good meal in small bites, Cerise cleaned up and took the dishes to the kitchen carriage to dispose of them.

Afterwards, the two conversed in the quiet dining carriage.

"The night watch is divided into three groups. Two groups are responsible for the first and second halves of the night, respectively. The third group doesn't need to stand watch and can rest fully." Cerise explained the day's arrangement.

Sylutia nodded slightly to show she understood. Although she had led a team for a while before, that time was for executing a local mission, not like now where patrolling was needed at night as well.

"What about me? Which group am I assigned to?" Sylutia suddenly asked out of curiosity.

"You can just go to sleep directly. We'll call you if something happens." Cerise looked at this innocent and adorable young woman and couldn't help but shake her head slightly.

She really didn't know what the upper echelons of the Council were thinking, letting her take on such a position. Even if it was just for gold-plating her resume, they could have chosen a place with less pressure and more safety.

Cerise acknowledged Sylutia's abilities. It was just that the young woman's innocent disposition occasionally made Cerise worry whether she could endure the environment under immense pressure. If she made no mistakes, it would be fine. But if she did make a mistake and this young woman got scolded, Cerise didn't know if Sylutia could hold back her tears.

If this young woman shed tears, they would probably be those quiet little sobs, so pitiful and endearing. Cerise's mind began to wander.

Unfortunately, Sylutia did not have the ability to read minds. She had no idea that this subordinate behind her was already thinking about how to comfort and placate her in the future.

After dinner, she could have gone straight to sleep, but she still felt a faint excitement, or rather, the thrill of being entrusted with a great mission for the first time, which left her with no sleepiness at all.

After sitting for a little while longer, Sylutia stood up, picked up the sword placed beside her, and walked out of this carriage.

A few team members waiting at the carriage connection saluted and greeted her, then followed behind her as she went to inspect the carriages behind.

The public order on the train was not the responsibility of the Inspection Department members. Their greatest mission was to ensure that the 12,000 crates of 'Scorching Sun Crystals' arrived safely in Candela, and also to ensure that the accompanying supplies were put to proper use, rather than being embezzled or wasted.

Arriving at the carriage storing the 'Scorching Sun Crystals,' Sylutia looked at the neatly stacked crates. She used a special key to open one of them, revealing eight fist-sized, orange-gold crystals arranged neatly inside.

[Scorching Sun Crystal] (Fourth Tier · Superior), one of the 'Fire Seeds' produced by the Scorching Sun Furnace school. It contains powerful energy and can be used to start large war machinery. If detonated accidentally, it can also cause devastating damage.

These 'Scorching Sun Crystals' were supervised by the Inspection Department members led by Sylutia, while the engineers and technical officers led by Novadon knew how to use them. A single crystal was worth over a thousand gold coins. The total of 12,000 crates was worth over 100 million gold coins, equivalent to the entire annual income of a thousand Regas kingdoms.

She wondered what kind of magnificent furnace core inside Candela required so many 'Scorching Sun Crystals' to operate. Sylutia recalled the intelligence she had obtained before departure.

'Candela' was located in the wilderness south of the Ice Sea. The 'North Wind Defense Line,' stretching nearly a thousand kilometers, was constructed there. It was said that upon activation, it could generate an upward wind wall, deflecting the southward rushing gales, diverting them to pass at high altitudes, reducing damage to the rear plain regions.

Such a defense line was built over seven hundred years ago. It was originally a crazy concept proposed by the Star-Gazing School, but at that time, it was only half-built before the civil war broke out and halted the project.

After the Mage Alliance was reunified, the interrupted project was slowly resumed, and it was preliminarily completed over four hundred years ago. Successive generations have since expanded and reinforced it, eventually forming its current shape.

The establishment of the 'North Wind Defense Line' made many previously uninhabitable desert regions in the north livable. This expanded the grain-producing areas for the Mage Alliance; otherwise, it simply could not support such a large population.

If the North Wind Defense Line were to collapse, not only would the cities and regions behind it be battered by violent storms, but grain production would also plummet drastically.

If this were the past, it might be manageable. The Mage Alliance's population was not large back then, roughly on par with the Hidden Grove Alliance. But the Mage Alliance of today is no longer what it used to be. Once these grain-producing areas are lost, it would cause immense panic and lead to widespread famine. Although mages are adept at smelting metal, constructing buildings, and creating machinery, they are relatively mediocre at animal husbandry and farming. They are not as meticulous as the Hidden Grove Alliance, which has guidance from various races and ancient schools.

Sylutia hadn't seen any industrially produced fertilizer in this world yet. Perhaps the mages had never even thought about the possibility of industrial fertilizer. After all, most people's intuition was that plants and animals belonged to one category, while metal and machinery belonged to another, and the two had no direct connection.

If she could develop industrial fertilizer technology...

Sylutia thought about it and felt it would be quite a challenging task. It would probably require a lot of time and energy. She could only attempt it after finishing the current mission.

After the inspection was complete, she led her team back to the rest carriage. Here, she had a private compartment, equipped with a bed, a small table, and washing facilities.

Entering, she quickly washed up. Sylutia changed into a clean dress and sat in front of the mirror, combing her damp hair.

Then she lay down on the small bed and covered herself with a blanket.

At first, she was bothered by the noise of the train moving forward, but gradually, she adapted, slowly forgot about it, and drifted off to sleep.