After school, Xilutaiya stood before the quiet mansion, took out her key, unlocked the side door, and stepped slowly inside. Looking up at the grand, elegant Western-style manor, she still found it somewhat hard to believe that she had actually moved into a place like this.
Before she could head to her bedroom to change, the mysterious maid called out to her.
"Miss Tiya."
With steps that appeared leisurely yet were remarkably brisk, the maid arrived before Xilutaiya.
She looked to be around nineteen years old, with pale-blonde hair and an exquisite maid's headband. Her black-and-white uniform fit impeccably, and on closer inspection, the texture of the fabric was exceptionally fine.
"What is it, Lining?" Xilutaiya tilted her head in curiosity.
"You must not wear such plain dresses at home from now on," she said, pointing out the girl's attire.
"That..."
The girl blinked. Aside from her plain white dress, virtually all of her clothes would be considered "plain" in the eyes of this maid.
"Whether you are at home or heading outside, I can prepare specialized garments for your ease of movement," she continued explaining to the girl. "Common fabrics hinder movement through friction and rough texture, but certain specially made fabrics do not." Lining seemed mildly disappointed that Xilutaiya was unfamiliar with such matters.
"Please come with me." With that, the maid led Xilutaiya to a building behind the main mansion, where she opened a sealed metal chest and brought out a stack of neatly folded, smooth fabric.
[Fine Snow Chiffon] (Superior): An exceptionally smooth, gentle fabric that does not restrict movement and rarely pills or frays. A fine article among textiles.
"In addition, if you ever need garments tailored for combat, there is this type of fabric." She then brought out another stack of fabric, pure white with a silvery sheen.
[Silver Snow Chiffon] (First-Order · Emerald Honey): Spun and woven by professional tailors harnessing the attribute power of 'Emerald Honey' using extraordinary-grade fibers. Possesses exceptional resilience and remains pristine and unstained. Can deflect arrows and blunted weapons, resisting punctures.
"It seems even Viscount Xuefeng has never worn fabric like this," Xilutaiya remarked, a little surprised.
"No, the viscount's household certainly has it. He simply cannot bear to wear it on ordinary days and reserves it strictly for formal occasions," Lining countered, dispelling Xilutaiya's assumption. "After all, having a single piece tailored costs nearly twenty to thirty gold coins. With the modest tax revenues of his domain, Viscount Xuefeng naturally feels the pinch." She was evidently well aware of the viscount's finances.
"Although the viscount's domain generates a respectable income, his expenses are equally vast," Lining explained briefly. "Madame, however, has no such worries. Her pocket money has always been inexhaustible. If you become a gardener like Madame in the future, you will likely have more money than you can ever spend. Compared to other vocations, gardeners skilled in cultivation are always welcomed by everyone, and there is never a shortage of people in need of the things they produce. These exquisite fabrics were actually a gift from another gardener who is Madame's friend."
*No wonder Madame was so generous to me, and no wonder this mansion is so lavish,* Xilutaiya thought to herself.
Come evening, Lining drew hot water for Xilutaiya, allowing the girl her first taste of the mansion's undeniably luxurious bath.
Soaking in the warm water, Xilutaiya felt the minor scratches she had received during the day slowly knitting together. It was likely due to the vitality of the 'Blazing Sun' attribute infused within the water. She glanced down at the pale-golden petals floating on the surface—petals Lining had handed her before the bath. Steeping in the water, they not only emanated the vitality of the Blazing Sun attribute, but also kept the water warm so that it would not cool down quickly.
After her bath, Xilutaiya changed into a snow-gauze nightdress that Lining had laid out for her. As she strolled down the mansion's corridors, the gentle evening breeze fluttered the hem of her gown, bringing a light, comfortable touch against her skin.
With plenty of time remaining before bedtime, Xilutaiya noticed the warm candlelight flickering from the dining room and stepped inside. Dinner had already been set for her. What made her feel slightly uneasy, however, was that beside the long banquet table capable of seating nearly twenty people, there was only a single chair placed for her—and it was set right at the head of the table.
Lining was already waiting in the dining room. As Xilutaiya walked past, the maid bowed respectfully, then stepped forward to stand beside the girl's seat to introduce the evening's meal.
"The main course is Summer Wind Broiled Steak, accompanied by onion soup and stewed potatoes. The beverage is Red Chrysanthemum Cointreau."
Once the introduction concluded, Xilutaiya began her meal. The flavor of these dishes was in no way inferior to what she had tasted at Jelia Restaurant; in fact, the ingredients were slightly superior.
"Is Madame Falan not joining me for dinner today?" She had seen Madame Falan just yesterday.
"No. Madame has departed on a long journey today. She asked me to inform Miss Tiya that she will likely not return for about a week."
"That long?" The girl had assumed the madame was merely going out for a day or two. But on second thought, this was not Earth with its advanced transportation networks; a journey lasting only a week was actually quite brief.
She had originally intended to consult Madame Falan today regarding her advancement, but to her surprise, the lady had already left.
Still, a week was hardly an eternity. She could afford to wait.
"Tomorrow, Lining, please accompany me to inspect and tidy up the field," the girl said, mindful of her duties.
"Understood, Miss Tiya," Lining answered with a slight bow. Though her tone was occasionally cool and distant, her demeanor had always remained impeccably respectful.
***
The following afternoon, Xilutaiya and Lining walked through the vast sea of tender yellow and golden sunflowers. As the autumn wind brushed past, the broad leaves undulated like rolling waves, creating a scene of magnificent beauty.
"With such a massive field, how do you usually water it?" Xilutaiya asked curiously.
"With convenient tools, of course." Lining bent down and brushed away a layer of soil, revealing tree roots beneath that looked like water pipes. These peculiar roots were distributed throughout the soil. When Lining produced a small bell and shook it, a crisp, melodious chime rang out, and droplets of dew began to seep from the roots' surfaces.
"Water-absorbing roots have been planted throughout this entire area for Madame. They can draw moisture from deep underground rivers to irrigate the sunflowers."
"What about Emerald Dew Water?" the girl asked, wondering if it required the aid of Emerald Dew Water.
"There is no need. Sunflowers are plants of the Blazing Sun attribute; they can directly absorb the faint attribute power within sunlight," Lining said, shaking her head. "However, if left to happen on its own, this absorption is very slow. It requires a senior gardener standing in the field to guide and harmonize the flow."
*No wonder Madame Falan often strolls through this sea of flowers with a parasol in hand,* Xilutaiya suddenly realized the reason behind the lady's walks.
And so, while checking on the sunflowers' growth, Xilutaiya listened to Lining's explanations, gradually learning the intricacies of sunflower cultivation. An entire afternoon slipped quietly away.
The next day, after inspecting the irrigation, she took the shears Lining handed her and began pruning the sunflowers in the field.
This task took considerably more time and demanded extraordinary care, yet Xilutaiya found genuine pleasure in it. Through repeated observation and trimming, she came to understand the temperament of these sunflowers more and more.
If she were given a handful of seeds right now, she was confident she could raise a sea of sunflowers of her own. However, elevating all of them to the first-order standard would require immense effort, as she was not a practitioner of the 'Blazing Sun' attribute.
In the future, she would likely cultivate a sea of cornflowers. Standing in such a field, a gardener's power could be unleashed to its fullest potential.
Chapter 52