Wizard: Starting from the Skill Tree-Chapter 577: Plants

A simple wooden bed, a wardrobe, a small dressing table.

The windows were tightly closed, and a faint smell of cheap soap mixed with dust filled the room.

"She was found in her own bed at night," Ossen stood at the doorway without stepping inside. "The maid who shared the room said she was fine before going to sleep, but couldn’t be woken up in the morning. She looked... just like Bob."

Duke entered the room and closed his eyes as well, releasing his spiritual power once more.

This time, the environment was even cleaner.

The wooden furniture emitted weak and dormant energy fluctuations; the air carried the lingering breath of a young girl’s life. It held the cleansing scent of soap and a faint, almost imperceptible, vitality of youth, which was also rapidly dissipating.

He focused his investigation on the bed and the dressing table; the bedsheet retained traces of the deceased’s last position, with energy imprints showing an unusual calmness, without any signs of sudden tension or struggle.

Small items on the dressing table—a wooden comb, a small mirror, and a nearly empty box of cheap hair oil—also bore a peaceful aura.

He confirmed once more: no curse, no evil spirit, no toxic energy, no signs of external intrusion.

Death had occurred silently, as if it was merely a natural extension of sleep.

Duke opened his eyes, scanning the small room before finally resting his gaze on the tightly shut window.

Outside the window was the view of the castle’s inner courtyard, where he could see the red-rock walls opposite.

"What about the other two places?" he turned to Ossen, his tone remaining calm.

"The other two, one was in the corner of the storeroom behind the kitchen, the other in the young master’s nephew’s bedroom," Ossen replied.

Duke nodded: "Take me there. The process is similar; I need to verify it firsthand."

The investigation results of the other two scenes were similar to the previous findings, both eerily clean. The deceased, all in relatively isolated environments, lost their lives in a state that was almost natural, with no identifiable traces of supernatural forces at the scene.

Having ruled out the possibility of clues left at the scene, Duke turned his attention elsewhere.

He instructed Ossen to take him to inspect all the Other Plane plants recently introduced into the castle and also decided to meet the unusually behaving old gardener, Hans.

After excluding the possibility of noticeable supernatural traces at the death scenes, Duke, led by Butler Ossen, began systematically examining all the interdimensional plants introduced into the castle over the past six months.

They left footprints in the hothouse, inner courtyard garden, and several masters’ living quarters.

Ossen dutifully introduced each specially marked interdimensional plant:

"Sir, this is the Starlight Orchid, from the Emerald Forest Plane. As its name suggests, in a lightless night, its leaves emit soft, star-like glows, a favorite of the lady," Ossen said, pointing to a cluster of slender, elegantly shaped plants.

Duke approached, not touching, but his spiritual power meticulously scanned each leaf.

He nodded: "Starlight Orchid, true to its name. Its glow originates from luminescent capsules in the mesophyll cells, requiring daylight to sustain its glow for approximately four standard hours at night. Non-toxic, no hallucinogenic effects, its glow even weakly benefits the spiritual power of low-level apprentices."

This knowledge, embedded in his vast repository like turning the pages of a well-known guide.

The Starlight Orchid itself is a relatively common interdimensional ornamental plant, unlikely the source of the problem.

Duke, having frequently studied magic potions, was extremely familiar with the properties of the Starlight Orchid, knowing it had no harmful traits and was certainly not responsible for the deaths in the castle.

They then moved to a fern with iridescent, flowing leaves.

"This is the Iridescent Fern, also from the Emerald Forest Plane," Ossen introduced.

Duke glanced over: "Iridescent Fern, its leaf cuticle contains a unique prismatic structure, refracting light to produce iridescence. Robust life force, prefers moist environments. Its spores and tissues contain no known alkaloids or neurotoxins, safe."

Next was a vine with small, silvery bell-shaped flowers cultivated in hanging pots.

"Silver Bell Vine, said to have a calming effect through its fragrance."

"Silver Bell Vine," Duke confirmed, "its fragrance contains trace amounts of a calming ester, indeed soothing to ordinary people’s nerves, but the quantity is far too low to affect consciousness or physiological functions, let alone be lethal. It requires prolonged exposure in an enclosed space over many days to produce a mild drowsiness effect."

They also examined the Golden Yew, its leaves dusted with golden powder, the Ice Crystal Lamp with petals as transparent as glass, and several other newly introduced plants with either peculiar shapes or vibrant colors. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

Using his solid knowledge of herbalism and magic potion studies, Duke identified each plant and quickly assessed their properties and potential risks.

"Golden Yew leaf powder is used as a gold pigment on some planes, causing very mild itching on contact with the skin for a few sensitive people. Ice Crystal Lamp root secretions repel certain pests, but are harmless to humans and animals..."

Duke’s ability to perceive with spiritual power, combined with his vast knowledge, acted like the most precise analytical instrument, scrutinizing these plants inside and out.

The result was disappointing, or rather, made the case more perplexing.

These interdimensional plants, though hailing from different planes, possessed no known properties capable of causing such bizarre, silent deaths in the castle.

They might offer some unique ornamental appeal or trivial auxiliary effects, but were far from being fatal.

All plant-related leads seemed to have come to a halt.

Even among ordinary Level 1 and Level 2 Mages, Duke was an undisputed Magic Potion Master, yet he still had not uncovered any clues within these interdimensional plants.

The castle’s death incidents were likely not due to these plants; a consideration of other aspects was necessary.

"Butler Ossen," Duke turned around, "take me to see the old gardener, Hans."

Ossen, apparently aware of Hans’s condition, nodded: "Alright, Sir. Hans... has been quite off since his apprentice Bob’s incident. He’s been placed in the small house next to the gardening toolshed, so his ramblings wouldn’t disturb the masters."

They left the main castle, crossing through the side yard to a more secluded corner.

There was a large shed for gardening tools and miscellaneous items, adjacent to a low red stone house.

Before they even got close, they could hear intermittent, indistinct muttering from inside.

Ossen stepped forward and knocked on the door, receiving no response, only the ongoing murmurings continued.