Chapter 181 - Flora Of The Highest
Polschk's mansion was huge. Considering he was a high ranking official for several decades, the fruits of his hardwork and labor is truly reflected by his house.
"Welcome to my humble home," Polschk said. He was still carrying his cage of butterflies, not letting them go for even one second. "I will give you refreshments inside, so please. Let's go in."
The old man was the first to enter his palace-like mansion. Everything was scaled to luxury, up to the most intricate detailings. There was a theme for the overall look of the house.
It was floral.
Though the floral theme screamed feminine, the masculinity and the subtleness of the designs made them neutral. The flowers of the pillars and columns were painted the same color as the column, making them look like engravings but when you touch them, they're actually bumps.
The crown mouldings of the ceiling also follows a specific floral pattern. And the railing of the stairs and the balconies had metal flowers in them.
To say the least, Polschk is really living up to his magical affinity. He kept his magic through the theme of his home, seemingly combining himself with it. Intimately being connected.
"We're going to put these butteflies to my home garden," Polschk said. "I already told my maids to prepare your refreshments. I have tables in my garden, we can enjoy the tea and food there."
"Okay," Elliot was the one to respond. They followed Polschk deeper into his house, through the two-way stairs of the foyer, which had a hallway in the middle, and into the backyard where a large glass cage was.
It was the same size as the Butterfly Garden, though it had less flowers. Polschk opened the door and hurried everyone to go inside before he closes the glass door.
"You're free, my children," Polschk said to his butterflies, retracting his vine cage down to his palm, the butterflies inside flying out and roaming free inside the garden.
"This area is too barren," Polschk clapped his hands once. "I need more flowers. Uhm, Christina dear? Do you have any Buff skills I could use? I would want to grow beautiful flowers through your royal blood."
"Of course," Christina said, smiling as she walked to Polschk and holding out her hand. "This magic requires me to hold my target's hand. I would want you to cast through your other hand as I pass on to you the water energy you need."
"Interesting," Polschk said with a large smile on his lips. "This is why I love the water affinity so much."
Most Adventurers know that water affinity is the most versatile affinity. It has the widest range of correspondence, from ice to water vapor, to flora itself. Water affinity also includes healing, boost, and protection.
A person with water affinity is incredibly rare and is mostly found in royals or nobles. Back then, when the world just started to discover the enhancement of their magic through the Adventurer system, they discovered that the water affinity has more skill set.
So, the royals did what royals do best. They monopolized people with water affinity, putting on seige to every village they could find.
Though their reasoning is shallow, the royals thought it would not be best to hand over such versatile and complex magic to commoners. They think that they, the ones in higher social classes, were the ones deserving of such gifts.
Thus, the rarity of water affinities increased, and the number of people who used it were less and less.
Although things have changed since a few centuries ago, some of the olden mindset were retained to the modern world.
"Aqua Boost," Christina casted right after Polschk offered his hand. She placed her other hand on top of the old man's wrinkly one and let her palms glow.
The light traveled to Polschk's body, trailing up to his head and down to his feet. The man had a wide toothy grin on his lips, slowly kneeling down and taking a deep breath and closing his eyes to feel the ground beneath.
"Un Magica Et Supremo: House of Flowers." Polschk casted, opening his eyes which turned into a glowing green one.
The whole garden shook gently, as if something was growing underneath it.
"Woah," everyone else gasped at the shaking of the ground.
"I bet Braun cannot do this," Connor mocked.
"Oh, hold that thought," Polschk said, dragging his hand on the ground like he was drawing something with it. "Well, he was previously an Adventurer of a big guild, a top 10 guild. Just so you know."
"Top 10 guild?" Elliot gasped. "But what happened? And speaking of which, how come you know him? How did you two even meet?"
Polschk was silent once more, focusing his attention on the symbol he was painting on the ground, activating his spell that created a magic circle under the entire garden. This magic circle was huge. They could all see how powerful Polschk really is in terms of this field, growth and protection.
Although his age rendered him unfit for combat, the scars on his arms testified that the old man was fearsome in his younger years. That even in his age, he could still cojure a magic circle as large as the glass garden, which was about 800 meters squared in size.
"You see, we have the same affinities," Polschk said. He let the flowers grow in the garden, the green trunk and stock growing first before they bloomed with different array of colors. "When he was kicked out from his guild, I saw him in the streets. And considering that I saw him before during one of the meet and greets with the Royal Elites, I took him in."
"So, you treated him like a son yet he betrayed you," Lance quirked his brow up, the annoyance was evident in his face. "How original. It's pathetic."
"I think Braun only lacked guidance. I am done now, Christina, thank you," Polschk said and gently removed his hand from Christina's.
He then sat on his chair and took a sip of his tea. "It's just… it's frustrating why he fell into the wrong hands. I thought I had my successor."
"What do you mean?" Elliot asked. "You were going to make him your heir?"
"Something like that," Polschk pursed his lips, disappointment covering his face like a mask. "He found my studies about the real reason why we hold the Championship of the Greats, and he found himself some nasty friends. His friends would–"
"Wait, wait, hold on," Lance cut the old man off, waving his arms as he did. "What do you mean the real reason why we hold the Championship of the Greats? Isn't it to determine the ranks of the guilds?"
"Oh, no," Polschk said, retracting himself. "I guess you don't know, so I'll tell you. We hold it to keep track of how much time had passed since the first Twilight Bless."
"T-Twilight Bless?" Elliot stuttered, not liking what he was hearing. "What do you mean?"
"The Twilight Bless is the 555th Championship of the Greats, I don't know the real details but it will give the winners the power to change the the world, or completely destroy it."