Eileenburg (1)
The chaos of the day finally ended, and Mi settled down temporarily at Ellen Castle. Ellen Castle was like a green castle in a forest, the air filled with the fragrance of flowers and fresh scents. It was completely different from the opulent Earl Aldrich's mansion; here, there was a calming power. In just half a day, Mi felt she had fallen in love with this place; nature was the best place to heal.
"Miss, Miss Mi, please have some tea." Xiao Wei came in carrying a tray with a white ceramic teapot with red flowers and two bright dahlia cups.
"Is this ceramic?" Mi picked up the teapot to admire it. In the Flower Country, earthenware jars are mostly used by ordinary people, and most of them are grayish-brown. Those who are more particular may have brown or black ones. Nobles mostly use gold or silver ware, so such bright white ceramics are rare.
“A ship from the far east has just arrived at the East Gate. It carries many ceramics like these, as well as gorgeous, shimmering fabrics, all of which are presented to Her Majesty the Queen.” Xiao Wei patiently explained, “All the nobles received different rewards, and Miss also received a bolt of fabric.”
"Xiaowei, go get the fabric for Mi to make—" Ailian turned to look at Mi, "Do you like skirts, or do you want to continue wearing shirts?"
“I have clothes.” Mi thanked Ailian for her kindness. She had a witch’s space, so she carried all her important belongings with her. The only things she left at the Flower Fate Inn were some everyday clothes. The person who sent the message to Sheila would naturally bring her luggage. But the distant East still caught Mi’s attention. A piece of pink silk, the soft fabric with a pearly sheen, reminded Mi of Joe and of Blue Star in her memories. Was this the road to Blue Star? Mi stroked the fabric and quietly unfolded her witch’s headband. The headband was unchanged from before.
“I won’t be staying here for long.” Mi put down the fabric, picked up her teacup, and decided to tell the truth.
“Of course, Miss Mi, you can stay here as long as you like.” Ailian picked up her teacup, letting the rising steam blur her vision. “Don’t you like Ailian Castle?”
“It’s beautiful here, but I don’t like having my life arranged for me, even if you mean well, Miss Ellen,” Mi said carefully. “I want to go on an adventure in a while.”
“Then please stay here for a while, at least until Mrs. Aldrich gives up.” Ellen looked at Mi with a strange look, and after hesitating for a moment, she asked, “May I ask why you want to go on an expedition? If it’s to avoid Mrs. Aldrich, you can stay at Ellen Castle just the same.”
“Oh, it has nothing to do with Mrs. Aldrich,” Mi said, resting her head on her hand. Searching for the longevity seed was the last thing she had to do in the Flower Kingdom. “I have other reasons.”
"Do I know what it is? Perhaps I can help you."
Mi thought for a moment. As nobles of Sun City, they not only possessed special abilities but also enjoyed many privileges; perhaps they knew more. Mi cleared his throat and said, "It's like this, I want to try and see if I can meet a long-lived species." Ailian's eyes lit up, and she suppressed her excitement as Mi continued, "I'm a little curious about how long-lived species live for so long."
Ailian's shoulders slumped, but she quickly perked up and said with a smile, "I do know a little about longevity species." This noble lady was always simple and easy to talk to, but her servant Xiaowei stared at Mi with an increasingly serious expression.
Mi was very curious about the Long-lived Race. According to the records of the Flower Kingdom, the Long-lived Race was the native species of this country. Hundreds of years ago, there were more Long-lived Races than ordinary people, and there are no written records of who the first humans to arrive were. The Long-lived Race was very gentle; it was a race not good at fighting, a characteristic that doomed it to extinction. Nowadays, ordinary people can no longer see the Long-lived Race. Of course, it is said that the Long-lived Race looks exactly like ordinary people, and unless they actively reveal themselves, no one knows who is a member of the Long-lived Race.
“Miss Ailian, tell me about the Longevity Seed.” Mi put down her teacup and sat up straight.
"Let me explain to Miss Mi," Xiao Wei said, pulling up a stool and sitting down. The Flower Kingdom could originally be called the Flower Fairy Kingdom. In this country, every flower, even every tree and wild grass, is surrounded by long-lived species. These long-lived species eat nectar, drink dew, and bask in the sun, living alongside plants and animals. Their lives are inextricably linked to the plants; they rejoice in spring and hibernate when the leaves fall in autumn.
When outsiders entered the Flower Kingdom one spring, the long-lived species were overjoyed, observing this group of vibrant outsiders. They built houses, stored food, and lit warm fireplaces in the winter—all of which greatly attracted the long-lived species who slept under the open sky.
Outsiders were also drawn to the beautiful, gentle, and long-lived species, and gradually they began to intermarry. The long-lived species also learned to reproduce, and their children were ordinary children. The long-lived species especially loved children, seeing them as vibrant little creatures, like springtime. However, children were also the most susceptible to illness and the weakest in the world. The long-lived species used their longevity seeds to help these children, and the children quickly recovered. Adults, believing it to be a miraculous medicine, also sought remedies from the long-lived species when they fell ill. It was only then that ordinary people learned what the longevity seeds were all about.
"Is this the beginning of trouble?" Mi asked softly.
"Xiao Wei, you may leave," Ai Lian's face turned pale. "Mi, let me tell you." Ai Lian picked up her teacup, letting the rising steam blur her vision. She whispered, "No one knows how many long-lived species still exist. I only know that the royal family has registered more than twenty long-lived species, and there are many more unregistered ones outside. After five hundred years, most of the long-lived species have migrated to other places." The Flower Kingdom currently has more than twenty long-lived species, but only eighteen have actually been granted titles.
Initially, the reproduction of long-lived species was not restricted, but they could not bear the thought of their children growing old while they themselves remained young and vigorous. Later, the mothers of long-lived species made a collective decision: to pass on their longevity seed to their children so that their offspring could continue the cycle of life. Now, long-lived species possess an exceptionally long lifespan, but also a fatal flaw. During childbirth, the longevity seed is naturally inherited by the offspring of the mother. Long-lived species are weaker than ordinary women after childbirth, and none of them live to see their children reach adulthood; most only live a few years after giving birth. Furthermore, long-lived species are exceptionally devoted to their partners. Those who lose their mates rarely raise their children alone. Male long-lived species will follow their lovers after finding a guardian. If there is one fatal flaw in long-lived species, it is their excessive attachment to love.
If a long-lived being marries a non-long-lived being, the female long-lived being usually chooses to maintain her title through marriage and rarely bears children. There are eight such long-lived being titles remaining, each over a hundred years old, a young and beautiful grandmother in her family. Male long-lived being who chooses an ordinary marriage partner will usually have their partner consume their longevity seed before childbirth to ensure their offspring will also be long-lived. There are six such titles. The remaining four titles are inherited long-lived being titles. Miss Ailian belongs to this category; both her parents were long-lived. Her mother passed away when she was six, and her father passed away when Ailian was twelve, having secured her inheritance. Long-lived beings have long lifespans. As a non-first-generation long-lived being, Ailian didn't reach adulthood until she was thirty. Miss Ailian is thirty-five years old this year and has only inherited her title for five years. Since King Derek I enacted the Longevity Law, long-lived beings have been strictly protected in the Flower Kingdom, which is why Mi didn't know Ailian was a long-lived being.
"Why are long-lived species registered?" Mi thought of the history book he saw in Lincheng 17. Derek I issued strict laws prohibiting the hunting of long-lived species. However, as long-lived species that possess long-lived seeds, being registered makes it hard to say whether it is for protection or imprisonment.
“Some people enjoy power, while others crave freedom. Longevity seeds aren’t entirely useless; we’ve seen it all over the years,” Ellen said. “Longevity seeds registered and protected by the royal family are required to be surrendered when necessary. If you want to take risks, you need to know how dangerous the border is; there are never enough longevity seeds. Mrs. Aldrich is so arrogant not because of her power, but because she has longevity seeds, she can find them, and she can reach those who need them.”
"She killed the royal family's registered long-lived offspring?" Mi thought of the obese Mrs. Aldrich. So she was also in this business. Mi decided he had to deal with her before leaving.
“No, not at all. All the registered longevity species in the royal family are required to contribute their longevity seeds when necessary to save the life of an important person. Their longevity seeds cannot be traded.” Ailian shook her head. “She’s just a middleman, a middleman with a guarantor. But Mrs. Aldrich has a special quality: she can find people who can get longevity species to voluntarily give up their seeds. The Derek family has been able to rule the Flower Kingdom for hundreds of years because their bloodline has always had some special characteristics. Back then, Derek I was on good terms with the longevity species, which is why he specially enacted laws for them. The Flower Kingdom has been around for five hundred years; there must be someone who can get longevity seeds.”
"This is really complicated," Mi sighed. She hadn't imagined that longevity seeds would be turned into a business. She couldn't imagine who would take longevity seeds and not use them themselves, but instead sell them. However, as long as the price was right and the profit was sufficient, she asked curiously, "Who can get their hands on longevity seeds?"
Ailian stared at the rice, thought for a moment, and then answered, "Those who can gain the trust of the long-lived race, those who attract the long-lived race. The long-lived race doesn't think there's anything good about eternal life; they will give everything for the people they love."
Only long-lived beings with eternal life would think this way. Ask any elderly person in their twilight years, which one wouldn't want to be given another life? Look at those critically ill patients, which one doesn't want to regain their health? Mi asked, "Have you ever seen a long-lived species?"
Ailian nodded and asked, "Do you also need longevity seeds?"
“Oh, no, I just want to see what long-lived species look like.” Mi didn’t know how to say it. She had many questions in her mind. She wanted to ask the long-lived species how long they had lived, and what the world looked like at the beginning. She also wanted to ask what they thought about their home being occupied. So many long-lived species were willing to give up their longevity seeds. What did life mean to them? What was it that was worth giving up their lives for?
Ailian stared at Mi's face. Mi looked very healthy and smelled so good. She could tell that Mi was telling the truth: "Long-lived species won't reveal their identities. Even if you go on an adventure, you won't know who the long-lived species are. Maybe you already know one, but you just don't know it."
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