Miss Witch Doesn't Want to Become a Songstress-Chapter 219

Thilan and her group settled down temporarily in the Withered Tree Garden, where the arborists provided them with comfortable accommodations.

The group curiously looked around the spacious room, taking in the unique architectural style of the house.

The house was roughly circular, with four levels in total—three above ground and one below. The top floor had a mushroom-like dome, but this dome was shaped like a crescent moon, with part of the circle hollowed out. It was perfect for sunbathing, enjoying the scenery, or simply relaxing in the shade.

The first floor had a cozy living room, dining area, and kitchen. The second floor was dedicated to bedrooms and a study, while the basement housed the bathroom and additional bedrooms. Compared to the ground level, the basement was cooler in summer and warmer in winter.

After assigning bedrooms, the group gathered in the main hall, where a dinner prepared by the local arborists was laid out on the table.

"There’s not much meat, but there’s plenty of fruit and pastries," Iyepher remarked, lightly pressing the translucent green jelly before taking a small bite.

"Slightly sweet with a refreshing coolness. The texture is great. This could easily be classified as a T5-grade food in the outside world."

"The main dishes are sliced bread and dried meat, accompanied by yellow citrus soup, light green sweet jelly, and fresh fruit slices."

"It’s a rare feast. I was getting tired of canned food," someone commented as they sat down and began to eat, offering their thoughts on the meal.

Although everyone in the group came from well-off families, they weren’t so spoiled that they couldn’t eat lower-grade food. This was likely due to the advanced state of the food industry—even without special effects, the taste was still decent.

After eating their fill, everyone was relieved to sleep in comfortable beds instead of the cramped vehicle.

The next day, Thilan woke up at around nine in the morning.

Still feeling a bit drowsy, she sat on the edge of the bed for a while before standing up. Dolores, who shared the bed with her, was still asleep.

Sitting in front of the dressing table, Thilan quickly combed her hair before returning to the bed and gently tapping Dolores’s forehead with her finger.

Although there were many rooms in the house, there weren’t enough for all twelve of them to have their own bedrooms. So, they usually shared rooms in pairs. This was the first time Dolores had shared a bed with someone, and she had talked with Thilan late into the night before finally falling asleep.

Dolores’s black nightgown covered her fair skin. Compared to Thilan, Dolores had a more voluptuous figure. When she slept on her side, Thilan’s arm occasionally brushed against something soft.

This was the first time Thilan had seen Dolores asleep. Usually, it was Thilan who napped in the clubroom or rested her head on Dolores’s lap. Today, she had woken up early and got to see Dolores in deep sleep.

Thilan retracted her finger and continued to watch Dolores sleep. Her hair spilled over her collar and pillow, her body rising and falling gently. Seeing that Dolores showed no signs of waking, Thilan stood up.

She decided not to disturb her and let her sleep. It seemed Dolores had stayed up late for the first time last night, as her usual routine was very consistent.

After changing her clothes, Thilan left the room and went downstairs. Several of her companions were already sitting in the main hall.

"Good morning," she greeted them, sitting down at the dining table to eat the reheated corn porridge and sandwiches. After breakfast, she led a few of them to meet the local arborists.

Half an hour later, under the guidance of an arborist, the group arrived at a building beneath a withered tree dome. It was cool inside, and faint mechanical sounds could be heard.

"This is our water supply system. The water in Withered Tree Garden is drawn from deep underground, but it can’t be used directly. It has to go through a complex process of disinfection and purification before it can be used for daily life and irrigation."

"Because the process is so complicated, water is very precious here," the arborist explained as he led them into an underground passage.

The passage was dimly lit, but it was bright enough to see. It was clear that they were conserving electricity.

As they descended the spiral staircase, a massive spiral extraction device came into view. However, what caught their attention was something unusual in the large sedimentation pool nearby.

"Are those fish?" Thilan asked, looking at the dark shadows swimming in the water.

"Yes, they’re fish from the underground river. Compared to the toxic rain on the surface, the underground environment is much better, and some fish have managed to survive. They get sucked up along with the water."

"These fish provide us with protein. We also release some fry back into the underground river to maintain the balance," the arborist explained.

Next, they followed the water pipes to a greenhouse. The greenhouse was enclosed by transparent glass, and rows of lush, vibrant crops grew in channels. Bright red fruits hung in the middle, and autonomous robots moved among the plants, picking the ripe fruits and placing them in baskets.

"The temperature and humidity in the greenhouse are controlled to create an ideal environment for plant growth. Growing crops here isn’t difficult," the arborist said as they walked through the glass-enclosed greenhouse. The sight of the clean, vibrant fruits gave everyone a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment.

"It feels great. Everything looks so good," Thilan said, bending down to lift a bright red strawberry. She really wanted to taste it.

In the past, when money was tight, she could only afford small boxes of strawberries, which barely satisfied her cravings.

The arborist, understanding her desire, handed her a small pair of scissors.

"Use these to cut it off, then put it in the basket."

He then handed her a small basket, and her companions received the same.

As they picked strawberries, the lead arborist explained the cultivation process.

"Actually, strawberries are a recent success for us. Before this, watermelons were our main focus. The yellow-fleshed watermelons produced in Withered Tree Garden have been improved over six generations to remove the toxins absorbed during growth, finally earning approval for sale in the Federation market."

His voice was filled with emotion, hinting at the hardships behind this achievement.

"Growing plants in this desert isn’t the hard part. The real challenge is preventing the toxins from the toxic rain from accumulating in the crops."

"Chemical toxins can be filtered out with current technology, but the toxins in the rain that corrodes the Verdant Veil aren’t just chemical pollutants."

He began to explain the root problem plaguing the planet.

"The production of magical artifacts also generates magical byproducts. Hundreds of years ago, to synthesize rare four-leaf crystals, vast amounts of water were extracted and used in ritual reactions."

"Disposing of this wastewater by sending it into outer space was extremely inefficient and costly. At the time, there wasn’t enough resources to spare, and the industrial sector couldn’t afford the drop in productivity, so the issue was shelved."

"As the civil war grew more dire and production pressures increased, the wastewater was eventually dumped directly into the ocean. That was when the fish populations in the Verdant Veil began to die out."

"Nowadays, it’s rare to see fish on the dinner table, or if you do, the variety is very limited."

"Physical and chemical methods can filter out the chemical toxins, but the magical toxins are much harder to remove."

"Drinking the water isn’t a big issue—mid-sequence transcendents can resist the effects. However, the toxins that accumulate in plants and animals are more dangerous. Consuming them over time can slowly cause the body to deteriorate, as if under a curse."

"That’s why the market in the Verdant Veil strictly tests all food products. Only those that meet the standards can be sold."

"Where do most of the ingredients in the market come from now?" Thilan asked curiously.

"Lower-grade ingredients in the Verdant Veil mostly come from the less polluted southern districts, where specialized greenhouses use clean water cycles to create ideal growing conditions."

"Then there are imports from other star regions. Most of the T4-grade ingredients we see on the market come from there."

"The higher the grade, the stricter the requirements for origin, pollution levels, and quality. Ingredients produced in the Verdant Veil are almost never exported," he said with a hint of regret.

"In the past, the Verdant Veil was a major exporter of high-quality ingredients. It produced many T3 and T4-grade ingredients, and even a few rare T2-grade ones."

"In today’s world, high-grade ingredients with magical effects are highly sought-after commodities. No matter where you go, people want to advance their transcendent sequences or gain some kind of enhancement. The demand for high-grade ingredients is enormous, and the market is always hungry for more."

"Losing this important source of income has severely impacted the Verdant Veil’s economy. Now, we rely on the remnants of our industry to keep things afloat, but industry only brings more pollution. It’s a vicious cycle."

The arborist clearly disliked the planet’s heavy reliance on industry.

Noticing the group’s skepticism, he led them to a grand hall. The architecture here was ancient, resembling a giant’s temple.

"This is the place," he said, stopping in the spacious hall and raising his withered wooden staff.

A halo of light spread from the top of the staff, and the hall gradually lit up, illuminating the dome’s inner walls.

Colorful murals depicted arborists dressed in colorful leaf uniforms. Among them were elves, humans, and even a few beastfolk. The lead arborist, wearing a golden rose emblem on his chest—a symbol of his allegiance to Isanisha—stood beneath a massive tree, his arms raised high. Behind him, on the central wall of the hall, an enormous tree canopy slowly revealed itself.

The giant tree was outlined in golden lines, its form beautiful. As the light shone on it, the lines shimmered with a special, radiant gold, as if woven from multicolored threads.

Countless colorful birds surrounded the tree, and its branches were heavy with fruits of various shapes, glowing like condensed gold, dazzling and magnificent.

The World Tree, or one of its descendants, was undoubtedly the legendary World Tree of the elves.

It was said that whenever the elves colonized a new planet, they would plant a seed of the World Tree and nurture it carefully. If the tree took root, it would gradually improve the planet’s environment.

Undoubtedly, this planet had once had such a World Tree, and the arborists were its guardians, gathered beneath its branches.

"Is that the World Tree?" one of the group members asked, gazing at the magnificent tree on the wall.

"Yes," the arborist bowed reverently before the image.

"What happened to it?"

"It withered. It died three hundred years ago. Northern 2nd District was once the capital of the Verdant Veil, and the World Tree stood here."

"The withered World Tree gradually decayed. Instead of being a blessing that improved the planet’s environment, it became a source of toxins. The fallen tree was cut down and sent to the heart of the sun to be burned. This is just the site of its remains."

"If the planet’s environment doesn’t change, there will never be another World Tree."

"We pray and strive to change this, but the world is far more complex and difficult than we imagined." freёnovelkiss.com

"Outside the glass greenhouses and controlled environments, almost no plants can survive the toxic rain. Our efforts are confined to these small indoor spaces, unable to experience the vastness of nature and its beauty."

"We hope to find a new kind of plant that can overcome these obstacles, not only surviving the toxic rain but also neutralizing and settling its toxins. Only then can the Verdant Veil return to its former glory."

His voice grew more passionate and louder as he spoke.

Finally, his voice echoed through the hall, and the walls slowly slid open. The howling wind and sand outside blew in, and though the group didn’t move, it felt as if they had stepped into another world—a desolate, sorrowful world.

"This is our long-standing regret and hope," he said, his voice softening again.

"Do you want our help?"

"Yes, if possible, we would like some assistance."

He waved his staff again, and the walls slowly rose, returning the hall to its quiet, spacious state.

"In the past, we would never have asked outsiders for sympathy or help... but even the most stubborn and determined people have learned to adapt over the centuries. Our time is running out, or rather, our numbers are dwindling. If we don’t make progress soon, the remaining members will likely disperse within the next century."

"Change? That’s not an easy task..."

Thilan looked up at the massive mural, the golden tree canopy still shining brightly, a testament to the glory of centuries past.

Suddenly, she remembered the words of Vetrina, the senior who had welcomed her to Swallow Garden Academy.

[Welcome to Yuanting Academy, Hestia. We are the successors of the ’Wind Swallow Garden,’ the children of humanity who follow the ’Path of Bonds,’ and the spiritual inheritors of the ’Tree of Life Sect.’]

"How do you see yourselves?"

"How we see ourselves? Well... it’s something like this," the arborist hesitated for a moment before growing more resolute.

"We are the guardians of the World Tree, the children of nature who follow the legacy of Isanisha, and the spiritual inheritors of the ’Tree of Life Sect.’"

"It really is similar," Thilan smiled.

This was the Rose Federation, a nation that inherited the spirit of the ’Tree of Life Sect’ from the Twilight Era, striving to explore and maintain biodiversity, ensuring the continuation of civilization.

Unlike the ’Mechanical Council,’ which pursued efficiency and uniformity, or the ’Original Heart,’ which sought spiritual purity and unity, or even the ’Deep Sea Union,’ which embraced isolation and self-reliance, the Rose Federation sought to embrace a diverse array of life and voices.

Maintaining such a vast and complex nation was undoubtedly difficult. Countless arguments, countless misunderstandings—without the mediation of the past Songstresses, this nation would have likely fallen apart long ago.

In the past, Thilan might have thought, "Why don’t these people just leave this land? Why not leave this planet?"

But after experiencing so much, she had come to understand the different obsessions in people’s hearts. What might seem trivial or unimportant to others could be the very purpose and joy of someone’s life.

"I think I might be able to help you, but I also hope this friendship will be remembered. Because one day, I may need your help too."

"That’s only fair."

The arborists bowed deeply, and before them, the girl’s eyes shimmered with light, a faint moon mark appearing on her forehead. A soft glow surrounded her.

Through that glow, they seemed to hear the birdsong and wind of centuries past, the dense forests and vast fields, and the towering golden tree canopy, its branches heavy with fruit, surrounded by colorful birds soaring through the clouds.