Chapter 1030 - 857: Farewell (Part 2)

He immediately recognized the origin of these slave creatures. They were part of the thirty-five thousand slave creature regiment he left behind when departing the Florence Continent, and those figures bent over working in the fields were the front-line troops who had once charged bravely on the battlefield.

"Where is the Winged Serpent?" Duke withdrew his gaze and turned to Vivian.

"Over there." Vivian raised her hand, pointing towards the undulating forested mountains to the east of the academy. Following her direction, Duke could vaguely see a rocky platform protruding on the mountain ridge. Thick vines dangled from the platform’s edge, seemingly covering the entrance to a deliberately concealed cave below.

"I let it guard the mountains over there, mainly responsible for perimeter alert. It hunts the wild beasts in the mountains by itself and doesn’t require extra feed from the academy. Every month, I go to inspect its condition and the operation of the perimeter defense array. It is now considered the guardian beast of Vivian’s Cottage. The magical beasts in the nearby mountains have been cleared out by it, so the apprentices gathering herbs don’t have to worry about safety."

"These slave creatures working in the fields are ones I’ve specifically selected from the regiment." Vivian pointed at the Rock Armor Heavy Army and Ray Lizards among the fields. "Most of the slave creatures are still stationed at several fixed camps in the Jade Province, responsible for patrolling and city defense.

I chose a few dozen with the highest learning ability and obedience, and they were trained for several months by the academy’s mentors before they could learn to do this farm work. Believe it or not, the Rock Armor Heavy Army may learn slowly, but once they do, they never slack off, much more reliable than hired labor."

"These Magic Potion Fields have now become an important source of income for the academy. After harvesting the Basic Magical Potion Materials, some are reserved for academy teaching while the quality ones are sold to the Giant Rock Commerce Association’s acquisition stations on the Florence Continent. Although the current production is not large, at least it covers part of the academy’s daily operational costs.

Once this batch of Starlight Moss and Moonlight Fern is harvested, I plan to expand the cultivation of a few plots of high value-added species. By then, apart from selling to the Giant Rock Commerce Association, we can directly supply the Thorn Holy Tower. The Thorn Holy Tower has a significant demand for these types of basic potions, and the prices are much higher than market acquisition prices. If this path proves feasible, Vivian’s Cottage’s potion industry can truly form a positive cycle."

Traversing the Magic Potion Field, they continued along a gravel path deeper into the Ancient Forest, where the vegetation gradually transitioned from neat furrows to natural woodland.

The ancient trees here are older than those in the core area of the academy, with thick moss climbing up the trunks and vines hanging from branches, swaying gently in the breeze.

At the path’s end, within a clearing embraced by several giant oak trees, stood a two-story wooden cottage.

The exterior walls of the cottage were made from the sturdiest old oak of the Moonlight Forest, left unpainted to preserve the natural gentle texture of the wood, which over the years of exposure had taken on a steady deep brown color.

The roof was layered with thick dried moss, and the trailing moss at the edges swayed lightly in the breeze, while strands of faint purple Wind Bell Grass vines hung from the eaves, crawling along the window frames.

There were no walls surrounding the cottage, only a low hedge of shrubs, dotted with tiny white flowers.

In the yard, there were a few rosemary and lavender plants, with a plump tabby cat sprawled on the stone steps sunning itself. It simply lifted its eyelids lazily at the sound of footsteps before closing its eyes again.

The air was filled with a faint herbal fragrance, wafting from the Wind Bell Grass and rosemary in the yard, much purer and more serene compared to the complex aromas of the Magic Potion Field in the distance.

Vivian pushed open the cottage door, stepping aside to let Duke in.

The interior was simple yet cozy; the first floor served as a living room and study, with bookshelves along the walls crammed with various books, including textbooks from the Thorn Holy Tower and travelogues scavenged from the West Coast.

Beside the bookshelf was a large oak desk, with several unfinished witch array site selection sketches spread across it. Next to them sat an unlit oil lamp and a cup of herbal tea long cold.

On the other side of the living room was an open kitchen, with a row of polished copper pots hanging above the stove and several pots of herbs recently transplanted from the yard sitting on the windowsill.

Upstairs were the bedroom and a small Meditation Room, where the half-closed door and afternoon sunlight streaming through the window could be seen from the staircase.

"Make yourself at home." Vivian took out a clean tea set from the cabinet, skillfully placing the teapot on the stove, her fingertips flicking out a thin stream of green magic power to precisely ignite the Rune Fire Stone beneath the kettle.

She then leaned against the sink, arms crossed, watching Duke sit down at the chair by the desk.

Duke’s gaze swept over the site selection sketches on the desk, then over the familiar books on the shelves, before finally returning to Vivian.

For the next half-month, Duke spent most of his time at Vivian’s Cottage.

In the mornings, when Vivian went to the academy to handle daily affairs, he would sit at the desk, continuing to refine the Florence Continent defense project plan, scrutinizing the site logic, coverage radius, and energy supply plans for each defense witch array.

In the afternoons, she would return to have lunch with him, and then they would stroll along the Moonlight Forest paths, sometimes attending a class in the academy area or watching the slave creatures work at the Magic Potion Field.

In the evenings, they would sit on the stone steps in the yard, watching the sunset descend through the gaps in the ancient trees, discussing the trivialities of life.

Half a month passed in the blink of an eye. With everything ready, Duke was due to return to the Six-Ring Tower.

On the evening before his departure, the two of them sat on the stone steps in the yard, just as they always did.

Vivian leaned against Duke’s shoulder, holding a steaming cup of herbal tea. After a long silence, she spoke, "The Thorn Holy Tower is already urging, and Master Grace suggested establishing a direct teleportation channel between Vivian’s Cottage and the Thorn Holy Tower. Once the defense witch arrays are established, the volume of goods and personnel transport will increase substantially, and relying solely on floating airship transportation is too inefficient."

She paused, shaking her head.

"But I’ve put that matter on hold for now. The cost of a cross-continent teleportation array is too burdensome for Vivian’s Cottage’s current finances. Starting now would squeeze out funds for the defense witch arrays. I think it’s better to solidify the foundation first. Although the academy’s Magic Potion Field is beginning to bring in revenue, it’s still far from being able to support such a large project. We can consider the teleportation array after the defense witch arrays are fully deployed and the potion industry is stabilized."

Duke nodded and didn’t say much on this matter.

Funding wasn’t the biggest issue; his reserves were sufficient to start both the defense project and teleportation array construction.

But he didn’t contradict Vivian’s decision because he knew that her choice to delay the teleportation array construction was not just about saving costs.

She was using her own way to help the academy she founded grow independently.

Duke could pave the way, but ultimately, it was a path she needed to walk herself.

On the morning of their farewell, as the morning light peeked through the ancient trees, dew still clung to the Starlight Moss in the Magic Potion Field.

Duke took a simple-style Space Ring from his pocket, gently placing it in Vivian’s hand.

"This is prepared for you." He said, "There are some wind attribute Elemental Crystals inside, ranging from Level 1 to Level 3. The Level 2 ones are suitable for you now, while the Level 3 ones are not yet needed. Keep them for when you need to break through to a higher realm in the future." He paused and added, "There are also various high-level magic potions for cultivation, recovery, and protection, as well as a few for critical moments to save your life, covering all sorts of situations. It’s enough for you to use for quite a while."