Chapter 37: It Was All Ajef’s Merit

Chapter 37: It Was All Ajef’s Merit

Moonlight flowed like water through the well-like suspended window, quietly filling the small room.

The faint glow of the Virtual Scroll appeared even more sacred under the moonlight.

Eileen sat by the soft couch, tilting her head as she gazed at the windowsill, where two winter mallow plants grew—one with spiral leaves, the other with broad leaves.

When the master had first cultivated these two variants, she had requested two seeds and planted them by the windowsill. There was no particular reason—she simply wanted to. Waking up to see them brought her comfort and peace.

It was the first time she had felt this way since her mother’s passing.

She withdrew her gaze and turned her attention to the Virtual Scroll.

"Lady Eileen, thank you! You are truly a kind and virtuous soul!"

"Sister Eileen, can I learn Wood Spirit Magic? I heard it’s a type of Specialized Magic—is it especially difficult?"

"Every winter, people in our town die from winter mallow poisoning. This year, no one should starve anymore. On behalf of the town, thank you, Lady Eileen."

Reading these comments, Eileen smiled faintly.

After a brief pause, she opened the message board and began editing a post in the "Master’s Notes" section:

[Thank you all for your concern. I’d like to clarify two things:

1. While I did cultivate the non-toxic winter mallow, the induce mutations for both variants were actually completed by my mentor, Master Ajef.

2. Please don’t thank me—I’m truly not as remarkable as you say. All of this is Master Ajef’s merit. He taught me the most profound knowledge of Wood Spirit Magic. Everything is his accomplishment.

Also, let me share a little secret: Master Ajef has been researching improvements for staple crops, including black grain, yellow rice, millet, panicum millet, glutinous millet, and black-skinned stems… Some have already achieved breakthrough progress. I can’t reveal specifics, but I can say this—doubling their yield per acre is no longer a problem.

In my eyes, Master Ajef is the true hero. He is the God of Agriculture!

Winter mallow is just a wild vegetable he considered insignificant, which is why a mere magic apprentice like me could practice on it and stumble upon some results. Please don’t overpraise me!

As Master once said, ‘Food is the paramount necessity of the people.’ Filling bellies is the ultimate truth.

I believe it won’t be long before no one eats winter mallow anymore—it’ll become livestock feed. I eagerly await that day!]

After finishing, Eileen carefully proofread her words, ensuring no typos remained, then clicked "Confirm."

The moment she pressed the button, a weight lifted from her heart, and a sense of clarity washed over her.

Lately, her mind had been under tremendous strain.

From obtaining the purple snowwood wand… to becoming Master Ajef’s assistant… to encountering knowledge of Wood Spirit Magic that diverged from the Empire’s teachings… to March’s provocations… to Master Ajef’s righteous fury… and finally, to her current fame spreading far and wide.

Truthfully, had she not endured so much hardship since childhood, hardening her resolve, she might have long since lost herself to arrogance.

Only now, after writing those words, did she suddenly achieve mental clarity—realizing that everything she had was due to Master Ajef’s appearance.

Indulging in vanity would only bring her suffering.

It's better to remain a simple magic apprentice, following behind the master, diligently studying Wood Spirit Magic, striving one day to possess the ability to worry for the world, just like the master!

With that thought, she turned off the internet, lay down on the soft couch, glanced at the winter mallow on the windowsill, then closed her eyes and fell into a deep slumber.

That night, she slept exceptionally soundly.

In her dreams, her mother chopped up broad-leaf winter mallow, mixed it with a small amount of black grain flour, and cooked a huge pot of dough drop soup. She ate until she was sweetly, blissfully full.

……

Eileen had no idea that while she slept soundly, the internet of the Keville Empire was thrown into a massive uproar because of her words, leaving countless people sleepless through the night.

……

……

From the only mercenary tavern in Buck Town came a unified toast: "To the eternally beautiful Lady Eileen!"

"Clink!"

"Whoo-hoo!"

"Long live Lady Eileen!"

After the toast came the chaotic clatter of cups, wild shouts, and all sorts of drunken ramblings.

A closer look revealed that most of those raising their glasses were mercenaries who lived by the blade.

Getting such people to sincerely revere someone was no easy feat!

But Eileen had done it.

In the eyes of the world, mercenaries symbolized chaos, freedom, defiance, rootlessness, and greed...

But most didn’t know that mercenaries were still human—many of them were originally farmers.

Who would willingly live by the blade unless driven to desperation?

Precisely because of their farming roots, they understood the hardships of farmers best and knew the importance of winter mallow.

It was a wild vegetable that could keep people alive—even if it was toxic.

Now, a magic apprentice had removed its toxicity. Can you imagine what that meant?

"Crash!"

Someone suddenly stood up, knocking over tables and chairs, sending cups clattering to the floor.

But he paid no mind, his weathered face flushed as he bellowed: "Quick, quick! Eileen... Eileen..."

"What about Eileen?"

"Hahaha, Garr, did one mug of horse piss make your tongue swell?"

The mercenaries jeered.

Garr’s face burned red, and it took him a while to straighten his tongue: "Eileen... sh-she... she spoke in her private space! Look, look!"

"What? Eileen spoke?"

"By my old mother!"

"O great being from the Azure Star, Master of Language and Script... Ah, what comes next? Damn it, drank too much, I... I forgot."

"Good heavens, Lady Eileen really left a message!"

The tavern instantly descended into chaos.

Some were too drunk to even recite a prayer properly;

Others fumbled to log into the internet but, unfamiliar with the functions, couldn’t find Eileen’s private space for the longest time;

Still others, completely illiterate, frantically crowded around whoever had summoned an internet scroll.

"Hey, hey, what did Lady Eileen say? Read it to me!"

The illiterate ones urged impatiently.

"Quit rushing me! Shut up and let me finish reading!"

"By my old mother, I always wondered how a magic apprentice like Eileen could create non-toxic winter mallow—turns out there’s a mastermind behind her!"

"Who the hell is Ajef?"

"I remember now—isn’t he that mage who summoned a giant to avenge Eileen?"

"Yeah, yeah, that’s him!"

"My heavens, so Lady Eileen is actually Ajef's student—Ajef is the true hero!"

"From what Lady Eileen said, does that mean our grain yields could double in the future?"

"That seems to be the case!"

"Of course! Even a magic apprentice managed to make winter mallow non-toxic and even developed two variants. Their mentor must be even more incredible!"

"If what Lady Eileen says is true, then Ajef truly deserves the title of God of Agriculture!"

"Say what you will, but Lord Ajef is truly noble and respected. Lady Eileen herself admitted she only developed the non-toxic winter mallow, while the spiral-leaf and broad-leaf variants were cultivated by Ajef—yet he gave her the credit. How fortunate Eileen is to have such a mentor!"

"Exactly! Back when I was an apprentice, all my work was claimed by my master. When has a master ever helped their apprentice like this?"

"Wait, what’s going on? Don’t just chatter—explain it to me!"

Those who could read were already deep in discussion, while those who couldn’t scratched their heads in frustration.

At that moment, the tavern erupted in excitement.

Similar scenes played out in countless other places.

The name of Ajef would surely resound across the world!