The second semester of the Academy has officially begun, and there are various events prepared that will help me, Murmur, grow.
One of them is Professor Aiaie’s class, “Let’s Make an Elixir with Friends~.”
『A new event has been confirmed!』
《Let’s Make an Elixir with Friends!》
〈Reward: Knowledge (Herbology Lv. 1)〉
The difficulty level isn’t too high, and the reward is decent. Plus, it’s a prerequisite for learning skills like “Alchemy” or “Enchanting,” so it’s like killing two birds with one stone.
And besides this, there’s also a golden opportunity that no veteran would ever miss…
“What’s going on…? What happened?”
“Hasn’t summer vacation just ended?”
“Isn’t the princess and the saintess sitting next to Murmur?”
“Did she… seduce them with black magic?!”
While I was organizing the information in my head, I heard voices whispering as they looked at me, Murmur.
Honestly, even I think it’s a bit overwhelming.
On my left sits Nicasia, on my right sits Monica, and Esme and Citrine are also sharing the same table.
Frankly, with such a lineup, it’s impossible not to stand out. If you hoped to go unnoticed with this group, you’d have to have no conscience at all.
“How did they get so close…?”
“I saw Murmur eating with the princess!”
“Me too! I saw her holding hands with the saintess!”
From the perspective of the younger kids, my situation must seem enviable.
But since they’re not openly trying to bully me, it’s manageable.
Nicasia occasionally makes an awkward face, but this isn’t really anyone’s fault.
“Alright, alright… everyone, please quiet down. I’ll now explain what you need to do in the Star Shadow Forest.”
The children’s whispers were completely silenced by Professor Aiaie’s clear voice and the sound of her clapping.
Today, the professor, dressed in a Halloween-esque outfit full of dazzling decorations, had a charming smile.
She would also get quite a few votes in a popularity contest.
“Starting today, you’ll be making elixirs with your friends. You’ll need to work with your group to create an elixir, and I’ll explain the detailed process.”
Professor Aiaie began drawing on the board.
“The elixirs you need to make for the assignment are the ‘Healing Elixir,’ ‘Mana Elixir,’ and ‘Strength Elixir.'”
“Professor! Are those the elixirs on page 162 of the textbook?”
“Yes, that’s correct. If you forget how to make them, be sure to refer to the textbook. Making elixirs is easy yet difficult.”
Esme, who had raised her hand to ask the question, looked proud.
The elixirs Professor Aiaie mentioned are ones we often see and use in the game.
Any player with a bit of gaming sense knows that buying and drinking them from the store is a waste, which is why they end up gathering herbs and crafting elixirs themselves.
Since I, Murmur, don’t know what might happen in the future, it’s good to learn how to make these elixirs properly.
“Everyone, pay attention! You can look at the textbook later.”
Clapping her hands again, Professor Aiaie used magic to show us a map of the Star Shadow Forest.
“As you know from the last collaborative assignment, the Star Shadow Forest is quite vast.”
The map displayed by Professor Aiaie had areas marked in red.
“You’re free to roam around and gather herbs, but there are dangerous areas you shouldn’t enter carelessly.”
“Are you talking about the places guarded by the security guards?”
“Yes, that’s right. Miss Esme. Do you all know the security guards who wear the Academy’s emblem?”
There’s no way students of the Academy wouldn’t know.
Everyone answered with a resounding “Yes~!”
“Just remember not to enter the areas they’re guarding… That way, you won’t be in any danger. Be sure to remember that.”
Professor Aiaie said with a smile.
Unfortunately, I, Murmur, plan to skirt dangerously close to those forbidden areas.
Because the rare herbs that can be found in the Star Shadow Forest are only available in those places.
Normally, it’s hard to even enter the Star Shadow Forest, so when a gathering opportunity like this arises, I feel like I’d be at a loss if I didn’t take full advantage.
Plus, herbs will be useful in many ways later. There are times when unique herbs are absolutely necessary.
Whether it’s for an elixir that the ‘Empress Dowager’ needs to drink or for exchanging or crafting items that can permanently strengthen me, Murmur, I need to gather as much as I can.
“I’m a bit envious that Nicasia can safely enter those areas.”
“I don’t plan on forcing my way into places I shouldn’t go.”
“Hmm… but why can’t we enter?”
“I think it’s because dangerous monsters or plants grow there?”
“… … That kind of thing shouldn’t be in the Academy, right?!”
Esme, who was horrified, was adorable as always.
Honestly, I agree with her opinion, but I’m also grateful for the opportunity to gather unique herbs.
“Still, compared to the worry, it’s a pretty easy assignment.”
“If we prepare the herbs properly, making elixirs seems like something we can do after just one or two classes.”
“I think so too. The textbook has a pretty detailed method written in it.”
“What about you, Citrine? You can distinguish all the herbs, right?”
Citrine and Esme, who had already agreed to be in the same group, were already discussing how to brilliantly complete the assignment.
There’s no way Citrine, the adopted daughter of a renowned herbalist, wouldn’t recognize the herbs needed for the Healing Elixir.
And Esme has such a good sense that she wouldn’t fail at crafting the elixir.
On the other hand…
“Umm… I understand it intellectually, but I feel like I’d fail if I tried to make it myself.”
“That’s right. If the princess bubbles, it goes pop-pop-pop, right?”
“Ugh… Even if Monica hadn’t seen it with her own eyes, I was planning to ask Murmur for help.”
“We just need to gather the herbs diligently!”
“… … Monica, can you tell them apart? They all look like the same grass to me.”
“Hehe…”
Nicasia and Monica were, as expected, a “bust.”
With genuinely clueless expressions, the two were clutching the textbook and groaning.
But I deliberately chose Nicasia and Monica.
“Will Nicasia and Monica be okay? I heard this assignment will be properly reflected in our grades.”
“The last collaborative assignment was also properly reflected. Failing would be a disaster.”
The reason Esme and Citrine didn’t complain about not being in the same group as me, Murmur, was also because of “grades.”
Cosmos Academy is a place to select heroes, so following the curriculum diligently is considered more important than anything else.
Fortunately, though, the system doesn’t expel students for not meeting a certain score.
But still, failing consecutively would be a different story.
“It should be fine for now.”
“I think it’ll be okay!”
Nicasia and Monica said with smiles, but they were clearly nervous.
If you fail in an assignment where everyone else is passing, it’s obvious things will get tough later.
“… … I want to see Nicasia and Monica at the Academy for a long time!”
“I feel the same way.”
“W-well… it’s not that bad yet.”
Nicasia cleared her throat and looked at me.
“I’ll make sure Murmur gets a perfect score.”
“Murmur is the best!”
Monica smiled brightly and cutely rested her head on my shoulder.
Anyway, there’s a reason I deliberately chose Nicasia and Monica, who know nothing about herbs and elixir crafting.
If I were with Citrine and Esme, I’d have to explain every time I secretly gathered rare herbs, right?
They’d seriously ask what I was going to use them for, or if they weren’t needed for this assignment, and how could I possibly lie about all that?
“Murmur will leisurely gather herbs in the Star Shadow Forest with Nicasia and Monica.”
This assignment seems like it’ll be a breeze to enjoy leisurely.
With the combination of Nicasia and Monica, there won’t even be any petty, cute arguments!
* * *
“Miss Murmur? Can I talk to you for a moment?”
“Ugh…”
While trying to escape the classroom with Nicasia, Murmur was eventually caught by Professor Aiaie.
Since she had promised to “attend after-school classes” to stop Lady Jepar’s schemes, Murmur waved to her friends and trudged over.
“Today, I won’t keep you long, so you’ll be able to play with your friends soon.”
“Murmur is happy.”
“I’ll ask a few simple questions. Just answer them comfortably.”
Professor Aiaie wasn’t even sitting down.
She really only planned to ask one or two simple questions before sending Murmur on her way.
“Miss Murmur, you seem to have a deeper understanding of magic than your friends, so I wanted to ask you something.”
“Murmur will answer diligently.”
“Then… how many elements do you think make up this world?”
Murmur blinked her emerald-like eyes.
“Murmur thinks there are four.”
This time, Murmur didn’t misspeak.
“Four… Is there a reason you think that?”
“It’s written like that in the textbook.”
“Hoho, I see. You’re a student who studies hard.”
Professor Aiaie smiled and patted Murmur’s head.
“You can go see your friends now.”
“… Murmur isn’t having an after-school class?”
“Today, I have something I need to do.”
Murmur quickly took a step back, then bent at a 90-degree angle to bow.
“Murmur hopes Professor Aiaie has a good day.”
With a spirited bow, Murmur left, and Professor Aiaie watched her go with a smile.
After Murmur left the room, Professor Aiaie let out a deep breath and sat down in her chair.
“Four, huh…”
Tapping the desk with her finger, she had been deep in thought for days.
“Last time, she definitely said… ‘a genius mage who controls six elements.'”
It wasn’t something that could be dismissed as a simple slip of the tongue. For Professor Aiaie, the “six elements” were a matter of life and death.
“… … If she shows outstanding performance in this assignment, I’ll need to prepare for proper after-school classes.”
Murmur had no idea that Professor Aiaie had such high expectations of her, watching her with the same intensity as a professor scrutinizing a graduate student.
