Iron Harvest: When Farming Becomes Conquest
Chapter 189 - 26: Witch Cultivation

Chapter 189: Chapter 26: Witch Cultivation

Farming wasn’t always smooth sailing.

But one victory could secure a great deal of development time.

At the very least, this spring, Roman had passed peacefully.

His tasks were also clear.

To farm, to build, to train soldiers.

It’s the same old development trio.

Roman was diligent and focused on development.

During this time, Galin was teaching Gwivelle and Sanna transcendental knowledge.

The doctor’s opening statement went like this:

"Just to be clear, I am only responsible for your enlightenment. The spells you learn depend entirely on your talent and perception, and have nothing to do with me. In the future, do not mention my name to anyone."

With his vast experience, Galin could ascertain that the ambitious young Lord was preparing for something big!

And it was unprecedented!

Just looking at the laws he had established, their purpose was glaringly obvious.

Should he succeed, it would be a transformation of the Human Clan that hadn’t been seen in thousands of years!

When Roman stood up and left the River Valley, the flames of war he would ignite could consume the entire land.

What role would these two little witches play by then?

They would become Roman’s claws in his conquest of the land!

Either adorning him with a crown upon his throne, or joining him in death amidst a sea of flames.

Galin asked himself if it was really okay for him to aid and abet such actions.

No, it wasn’t okay at all.

But he was sure.

This... wasn’t necessarily bad!

This land had shed too much blood over the years, and Galin saw nothing improper about the increase in bloodshed because of Roman.

To adhere to traditions was to wait for death; it was but a cycle, while seeking innovation might bring about vitality.

He had always been open-minded; otherwise, he wouldn’t have broken away from the Church Court.

Galin first enlightened the two little witches on the concepts of witches and spells.

"What is a witch? Simply a female wizard. In this respect, women have some advantages over men, much like men are more suited to physical strength. Witches excel at spells."

"You must understand that spells and Dharma Seals are essentially the same thing."

"When it comes to witches, you might think of court coups, conspiracies, assassinations, and stories of plots and poison... No? Alright, let’s just skip over that for now, cough cough."

"You don’t need to think of spells as too evil, nor do you need to consider them too holy. They are simply a means to protect oneself or to attack others."

"It must be the blood of demons flowing within us humans... Ah, but that’s not important. Some people are born sensitive, able to sense things in nature imperceptible to mortals. Through exploration, study, and developing skills, they have formed many wizard schools."

"Unfortunately, child, I do not come from a wizard organization and cannot teach you those spells. That would bring malice upon you, so I can only teach the basics."

"What can spells do? Hmm, can they allow you to play the deity or pull off some mystical tricks? Just like those wandering artists, each with their own signature stunts. You ask what wandering artists are? Sanna has only heard of them too? Well, given the development pace of this land, they will be performing here in a few years... I just hope you won’t find them full of flaws when they do."

"Spells enable you to do things mortals cannot, but don’t get too high and mighty. There are always great powers lurking in this world, even without those hidden ones. Conquest Knights also pose the greatest threat to you."

"Remember! Do not! Never confront a Conquest Knight head-on! Even if he is a low-rank Knight... Sanna might be able to try, but even if you must fight, you should prepare the battlefield in advance. Gwivelle, if your luck can’t keep you from that situation, then running away is the only thing to do, and you must be able to escape."

"Each witch has her strengths and weaknesses, which might be a gift from the All Gods. Compared to wizards, you awaken to Talent Spells from the very beginning. Sanna can strengthen her body, Gwivelle can control destiny... You ask about Shasta? That lady is a genuinely powerful witch."

"But I must remind you that even Shasta must tread carefully around Conquest Knights on the battlefield. Some wizards can cast spells with a simple hand gesture, but don’t expect them to be hugely powerful, or else this land would have been ruled by spellcasters long ago—of course, it’s more likely to have perished entirely... Spells certainly can do things that Knights can’t, but Knights can also do things that spells cannot."

"The difference between the two lies in the range. Even a person throwing pebbles can knock down someone without pebbles to throw. Some spells take effect from tens of meters away, and as long as you keep the distance, you naturally have the advantage in a battle—most of the time."

"Do you know about Cangyue? That cursed land, teeming with monsters, was once home to many schools and cults, all related to spells. The Church Court’s Demon Hunting Knights also originated from Cangyue. Hermits and wizards studied the properties of herbs and various minerals there to enhance their abilities. They concocted all sorts of Magic Potions—rumor has it that’s how those monsters came about—most formulas are now long lost, which is unfortunate for the Human Clan... But that’s not the point; the point is that Cangyue is a special place, where spellcasters who enter those mountainous lands experience a certain level of loss of control over their abilities. If you really should see for yourselves, those monster materials will greatly benefit you... Don’t ask what, I can’t answer, some big shots see Cangyue as a place of taboo, others call it Demon Land."

"Sounds terrifying? Heh heh, ladies, I have to tell you, this land is full of terrifying stories. The Dragon Clan legends of the North Ice folk, the giant beast legends of the Wandong people, and that glorious empire that vanished from history, there’s also said to be a Land of Divine Fall related to the Conqueror... Any one of them is incredibly terrifying, nothing to be fussing about, just another monster legend from Cangyue."

He was a man of great knowledge and quirky stories to tell, imparting ’common sense’ not accessible to the average person.

Laying the foundation, expanding awareness. The only thing he did not intend was to teach spells.

Roman was not in a hurry; he occasionally listened in when passing by and thought that Galin was quite capable, with a vast reserve of knowledge. He reckoned that inside the Church Court, Galin must be in a mid-level position, possibly something like a librarian.

He asked Jet for the lowdown on Galin, but as a Divine Mysterious Sword Master, Jet didn’t interact much with the Clergy of the Church Court and knew nothing about this "fellow townsman," and Galin was tight-lipped.

Of course, this yielded some insights.

Dick thought Galin was a member of some secret society, and therefore he had to keep things private.

This type of behavior would usually be considered heretical by the Church Court.

Wizard gatherings were even regarded as pagan by the Church Court; they had to be eradicated at all costs.

The Church Court suppressed spellcasters to show orthodoxy—that was how Roman understood it.

It was easy to oppress male wizards, as they required succession, but the birth of witches was filled with uncertainty, necessitating searches far and wide.

Witches are natural spellcasters, but that doesn’t mean their spell abilities pass muster.

A witch’s growth from awakening to proficiency could be as short as three to five years or as long as several decades. Some special witches had to spend a lifetime mastering their Talent Spells.

It ought to be this way.

Transcendents are built over time.

For a Conquest Knight from page to peak period, it also takes more than a decade to grow stronger.

There’s no helping it; growth needs to settle, and development requires accumulation.

Roman pondered whether to force growth...