Chapter 26
Simon gave an opinion.
So the problem is that Meilyn cant dodge the Cyclops attacks, right? Then I can help her with Summoning magic.
How?
Skeletons. Ill take out the undead to distract the Cyclops while Meilyn prepares a Dark re and attacks it.
It was undisputed that Meilyns Dark re was the most effective means of attacking in Group 7 right now.
And if protecting Meilyn was a problem, Simon could make a move in terms of Summoning. Not only could he attract attention, but he could also receive the attacks directed towards her with his undead instead.
Ohh.
Meilyn smiled a content smile.
Now youre talking. So a special admission is a special admission, huh?
Ngh.
A solution to the most important problem of Meilyns survival seemed to be showing. There were no other good ideas, so Rick had to ept his role too.
Meilyn turned her head, face lit-up.
What about you, Cami? Are there any binding skills in Hemomancy?
Camibarez scratched the side of her head and smiled.
Blood magic is a versatile study, absolutely focused on offense so I think it would be better for me to just use curses.
Meilyn nodded, satisfied, and looked at Rick this time. Rick, who was squeezing out the idea, finally sighed profoundly and resigned,
Ill train exhaust for a week.
Mhm, mhm. Thats for the best of the team!
Said Meilyn as she became high-spirited. Simonforted Rick with a smile.
We haven''t finalized the strategy yet. We still have time until our next strategy assessment ss, so lets keep thinking.
Y-Yeah.
After answering with that, Rick saw Simon in a new light.
The group leader was Meilyn, but it was Simon who coordinated the differences between the members and brought up the atmosphere like a real leader. And all the while, he also took what he could.
If he could protect Meilyn, who was the core of the attack, with his undead, high evaluation in the teamwork grade was definitely guaranteed.
As they discussed the specifics, the bell rang, announcing the end of the ss. Jane got up and said,
By next ss, prepare a 10-minute presentation on how to hunt the Cyclops. The role of each member and the dark magic used must be clearly stated in the document. Thats all.
Thank you for the ss!
Simons face, which was serious from the discussion, finally broke into a wide grin. The moment of a ss ending was pleasant no matter how many times he enjoyed it.
Run, Simon!
Said Rick while reaching into his bag.
Theres a limited hamburger steak at restaurant 3!
Simon smiled and stood up.
I cant miss that.
* * *
After finishing the meal, Simon and Rick arrived at the lecture room for Poisonous Alchemy, where thest ss of the day would be held.
To be precise, it wasnt a lecture room, but a ce called Poisonous Alchemy 2nd Lab, andrge magic pots were ced under the writing desks.
When Simon and Rick were unpacking their things while sitting somewhere in the middle
Hey! Merchant!
Meilyn entered the lecture room wide-eyed. Camibarez was following next to her while smiling.
Your information was wrong! You said theres a hamburger steak in restaurant 3, didnt you? It wasnt even on the menu!
Rick giggled.
That sold out in 5 minutes and was removed from the menu right away.
Ah, so annoying.
Thats why you shouldve run like crazy to the shortcut like me and Simon.
I dont know such a way! Would it kill you if we moved together?
Rick waved his hand.
What? You want to eat together with us too? Thats too much. Lets not act like we know each other except in Beginner Dark Magic.
I dont like it either.
Meilyn said so and unpacked her things on the seat next to Simon.
But theres nothing I can do until the Cyclops performance assessment. Ill make it clear. If you guys are uncooperative and drag down my grade, I wont just sit back.
Woah, how frightening. You wont just sit back and what?
As she stood still speechlessly, Rick came over and pricked up his ears.
Ill listen to you closely! So what? What are you going to do? Calm down and say it.
While snarling, she said,
I-Ill curse you! Im going to ce 100 cursed dolls in your room!
Rickughed.
Before that, youll either get caught in my informationwork and get arrested for breaking into the mens dormitory, or be found dead because of an angry Kajann Edvalt.
Whos Kajann Edvalt?
A certain someone.
Rick grinned and supported the back of his head with his arms.
Who are they?!
Meilyn was shouting at Rick to tell her, and Rick was teasing her that he won''t. While they were quarreling like children, Camibarez and Simon''s eyes met.
She gave a smile with her eyes.
Hello~
Hello.
After a while, other students came in, and the lecture room became full. Then, the professor of the Poisonous Alchemy entered the ssroom too.
Eh- Whos the ss president in this ss?
The professors name was Lang Strauss, an old necromancer with a skinny body, a bent back, and a wrinkled appearance.
We dont have one yet!
Then you do the greeting from now on.
Yes sir!
Jamie Victoria stood up.
Everyone, stand up! Bow to the professor!
Hello sir!
Yes, yes. Wee.
Lang was the only professor in Kizen who made the students stand at attention and bow towards him. He slowly climbed up to the tform with his cane.
So whats your ss again?
Were ss A!
Oh, right. Was this the first ss for ss A?
Yes, youre right!
Lang said as he opened the textbook,
Eh- Then everyone, please turn to page 1 of the textbook.
Lang then began to read the textbook in a slow tone.
The impact was great. 10 minutes after ss started, the eyes of the students started to droop.
The destructive power of his way of speaking and slow ss tension was truly outstanding. It wouldnt be an exaggeration to say that he almost liked spraying sleeping gas from his mouth.
Eh- therefore- Poisonous Alchemy isnt just about handling the poison. Combining and arranging various potions to
Dozing.
Ricks head dropped down all of a sudden. Simon let out a wryugh and hit Rick with his elbow to wake him up.
He got up in shock, but his head went down again in five minutes, making Simons efforts be in vain.
Under the guise of reading a textbook, a boring theoretical exnation continued for 40 minutes. Half of the students were resting their heads on their desks.
Lang raised his head and said, Eh- Then well try to make the low-grade poison potion written in the textbook
Atst, a practical exercise! The students who were dozing off raised their heads one by one.
The teaching assistants, who started working for the first time ever since the ss began, moved quickly and put the potion ingredients in front of the students desks.
Eh- Then well begin Lets see. Brewing a potion requires- a thorough- measuring and
Quantitative regtion with a thorough measuring and putting order were the most important. Students urately measured the materials with a gauger on one side.
The assistants filled the pot with water and sliced in Poisonous Gurodan Mushroom and frogs tongue.
And the next is Cough! Cough!
Suddenly, Lang bent his back and began to cough violently.
Cough! Cough! Keeeeeeeugh! Kuegh! Kough!
The students eyes popped out of their sockets from the surprise, and the assistant teachers rushed in to check Langs condition. There was something like purple blood on his hand as he coughed.
Professor, you overstrained yourself. You should get some rest.
Said the assistant. Lang shook his head even though he was coughing.
No. That cant be. The ss wouldnt run without me
Its going to be practical exercise now. We can conduct it under our control. You need to take care of your health.
After being earnestly persuaded by the assistant teacher repeatedly, in the end, Lang went out of the ssroom with the support of other assistant teachers.
The students blinked their eyes, wondering what was actually going on.
And instead of Lang, an assistant with red hair stood up on the tform. She let out a small sigh and found a male student who was still dozing off among the students.
She lightly lifted the heavy textbook with one hand and threw it at the student.
* * *
* * *
m!
The textbook crashed into the male students desk, and he woke up in shock.
Everyone, stand up.
?
Stand up!
The students recovered their senses and jumped to their feet. The red-haired assistant folded her arms and red at the students.
What kind of rude attitude are you showing to the professor, ss A?
Sleeping on the desk because the ss is boring? How can a rotten bastard like you guys be students of Kizen?!
A tremendous force.
Everyone stood up straight with a tense face. She stayed silent and put her hand on her forehead as if trying to cool herself.
Lets keep themon courtesy to each other. Do you understand?
Yes maam!
Sit down.
The students who were all of a sudden behaving took their seats. She let out a deep sigh and tied her hair up with a hairband.
Im Professor Langs assistant, Francesca Velmond. Starting now, Ill conduct the ss on behalf of Professor Lang. The product for this exercise will be a low-grade poison potion. Please close your textbooks.
Students closed their textbooks with bewildered faces. She took the chalk and walked to the ckboard.
The most important factor in brewing a low-grade potion is the brewers flexible response, not the variable control with the thorough measure and unification of steps. The water should be boiling in the pot by now. Add smander power and barley power from the ingredient pack on your left.
One student raised their hand.
How much should we put in?
The quantity doesnt matter. Add as much as you want.
Simon and the students freely put the materials in, following Francescas instruction. Soon, Simons magic pot turned green and started to smell bitter.
Now, for the students who see blue smokeing out from the pot, please raise your hand.
Around half of the students raised their hands.
These students will make a poison potion with a paralyzing effect. What about the students with green smoke from the pot?
The rest, including Simon, raised their hands.
The students with green smoke will brew a poison potion with an acute headache and hallucinogenic effects. Its useful against magicians or necromancers.
The students blinked and looked at each other. Indeed, this was know-how that wasnt found in textbooks or prior learnings.
She stepped down from the tform and moved around the students, pouring out information like a rapid-fire cannon.
Students with green smoke, please take off your uniform jackets and hang them on your chairs. The assistants will prepare additional materials.
From now on, itll be the same steps for everyone. Use adle to remove the oil thats spreading in a lightyer on the surface of the liquid. Vegetable fatty acids make the poison less potent.
Keep stirring. You need to stir continuously until the potion develops some viscous consistency. If the heat is too strong, the potion may harden, so please be careful about controlling the fire.
Perhaps because it was after Langs ss that just made the students sleepy, Francescas ss was colorful and even dynamic. She also passionately taught her students while dripping with sweat.
Perhaps influenced by her skills and efforts, the students began to follow her, their eyes twinkling.
My potion has a yellowish color. Is this okay?
A job very well done, Student. The slightly yellowish color is a special product among poison potions. That would be enough to be sold at Rochester.
A potion that could be sold! Hearing the unexpectedpliment, the students face brightened up. Friends next to her congratted her by tapping her with their forearms.
I-Im Catherine Meyer! My pot had blue smoke at first, but it turned into green smoke!
Its because the ingredients on the floor rose up and the effect changed as you stirred with thedle. I guess youll have to change towards the hallucinatory effect. Teacher Hesse, please prepare the ingredients for the green smoke here.
Francesca began to look after the pots while walking around the students. Then, a female student raised her hand.
Im udia Menzies! Professor, my potion seems a bit
Francescas expression hardened up. udia soon realized that she had made a mistake and quickly covered her mouth.
Im not a professor, udia.
I-Im sorry, Assistant Teacher!
Yeah, so whats the problem?
Her anger didntst any longer than that moment. Francesca instructed udia with her potion, a gentle smile on her face.
When udia heard the exnation and added more Smander power, Francesca even stroked her hair, saying she did well.
Hey, hey. Simon.
Rick leaned his head towards Simon and whispered quietly in his ear.
I think I now know why the old geezer professor Lang survived in Kizen. The assistant is insanely capable!
Right.
udia even started consulting about her major as she got hooked on Poisonous Alchemy.
Simon was looking at Francesca softly answering udia, feeling an odd mix of emotions.
Whats wrong?
Nah, its nothing.
The ss was now reaching its end.
Francesca gave free time to the students who sessfullypleted the potion and taught the students who failed by giving them another chance.
Simon, who seeded in making the poison potion, was browsing through his textbook.
Simon! Wanna prepare some of this for the Cyclops battle? Dont you think the poison potion will have some effect?
Simonughed because he was thinking the same thing.
Youre going to have to push your skills to the limit this week to face the Cyclops. Instead of taking ss carelessly, make it your own and use it for the performance assessment.
He felt that all the ss contents could bebined with reality.
Certainly, Janes skill in ss was great.
Idiot. Something like this wont work.
Then, Meilyn approached with her arms folded. Camibarez also stood next to Simon with a smile on her face.
Low-grade poison wont work starting from medium-sized monsters, let alone a cyclops.
Is that so?
Simon was browsing through the textbook without saying a word, but his hand stopped on a certain page.
The ingredient is Lehark Mushroom?
It was the mushroom that Anna Polentia sometimes used for cooking after neutralizing the poison.
Simon kept his head down and read through the text.
Meilyn, how about this?
What is it?
Meilyn came close and looked at the part Simon was pointing at.
After being silent for a while, Meilyn lifted her head and ran to her seat.
Simon! What page is this again?
254.
Meilyn hurriedly opened her textbook and began to read the contents seriously.
Guys! If we can actually make this, I think itll work!