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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Chaos
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“It works?”
“What kind of potion is it?”
Rick and Camibarez approached, intrigued.
The page Simon had open described a potion that temporarily paralyzed tendons and contracted muscles.
“It’s called Nervie, I think.”
Meilyn circled the potion’s name.
“Judging by the symptoms, it’s a nerve-paralyzing poison that weakens muscle strength. It says it’s effective against a wide range of monsters, from small to medium-sized, 3rd-grade and above. Even if it doesn’t have a dramatic effect, it should at least slow down the Cyclops.”
“How do we apply it?”
“Make it drink it or apply it to a wound. We could injure it and then throw the potion vial at the wound; that should work.”
Everyone nodded seriously.
It was best to be prepared, anything that could help defeat the Cyclops was worth considering.
“We can reserve a practice room with a cauldron. The problem is the ingredients…”
Meilyn bit her thumb, studying the list of ingredients in the textbook.
“We can easily get the basic ingredients at Kizen. The tricky ones are Rehak Mushrooms, Blood Slime, and Silk Vines.”
“Let’s see.”
Rick scanned the list.
“If I go to Rochester and do some legwork, I should be able to find them.”
“Really?”
Everyone’s eyes widened.
Rick nodded confidently.
“Let’s do it. I’ll go to Rochester after class.”
Simon pointed to an item on the list.
“I’ve seen Rehak Mushrooms at Kizen.”
“Huh? Where?”
“The Forbidden Forest.”
He had seen the mushrooms when he went into the forest looking for Pier.
They were growing in abundance under a large oak tree near the edge of the Forbidden Forest.
Meilyn and Camibarez’s expressions hardened slightly.
“How do you know…? No, that’s not the point! Are you planning to go into the Forbidden Forest?”
“It won’t take long. Rick is risking punishment to go to Rochester, so I should at least do this much. I’ll quickly gather them before it gets dark.”
“Hmm.”
Meilyn frowned.
“Aren’t there monsters there? Rochester is one thing, but the Forbidden Forest is too dangerous.”
“Then I’ll go with you!”
Camibarez raised her hand.
Simon looked at her, surprised.
“It’s too dangerous. It’s also against school rules.”
“That’s why you shouldn’t go alone! I can’t let you go into the forest by yourself!”
Camibarez was surprisingly insistent.
Simon hesitated, but he couldn’t come up with a good excuse when a group member insisted on accompanying him for a group activity.
“…If it seems dangerous, we’ll leave immediately.”
“Okay!”
“Great, so we only need to get Blood Slime and Silk Vines in Rochester? Rehak Mushrooms were the most difficult to find, so this saves me some time.”
“I’ll gather the basic ingredients and wait for you in the practice room.”
Just then, the bell rang, signaling the end of class.
Francesca, the Toxicology assistant, announced,
“Alright, that’s all for today.”
“Thank you!”
The students streamed out of the classroom.
Team Seven, now with a mission, quickly got to work.
Rick headed to Rochester, Meilyn to the practice room, and Simon and Camibarez to the Forbidden Forest.
As everyone left the classroom, a student who had been silently lying face down on a desk, concealing their presence, slowly sat up.
Then they walked towards someone.
“Hey, Hector.”
Hector, who was quietly packing his things, looked up.
“I have some interesting information. Want to hear it?”
***
“It’s dangerous to go through the main gate. Follow me.”
Rick led Simon and Camibarez to a stable on the outskirts of Kizen.
“Cabin! Are you there?”
Rick knocked on the stable door.
A moment later, the door opened, and a middle-aged man with a sun-weathered face peeked out.
“Oh, Rick! Going out again today?”
“Yeah, that’s the plan. These friends are coming with me today.”
Rick flicked a coin towards the man.
Cabin grinned and caught it with a practiced move.
“Follow me, customers!”
Simon had wondered why there was a stable at Kizen.
It turned out they kept not only horses but also large skeletal steeds.
A skeletal horse snorted and looked at them, making Camibarez jump and hide behind Simon.
“Right here. Enjoy your time!”
Cabin led them to a corner of the stable.
It was a simple area covered with straw, but no horses were there.
“I’ll go first!”
Rick walked towards the wall.
Suddenly, the straw-covered floor caved in, and Rick disappeared.
“What the? Rick?”
“Over here!” a voice called from below.
Simon and Camibarez exchanged glances and walked to the same spot.
The floor gave way, and they tumbled down a tunnel.
Rick grinned, spreading his arms.
“Welcome to the secret route out of school!”
Simon looked around.
“I didn’t know this place existed.”
“Heheh, it’s a route only a select few know about.”
They could see Cabin covering the hole in the ceiling with straw.
“Now, let’s hurry before it gets any later.”
“Okay!”
“Yeah.”
Rick, Camibarez, and Simon proceeded through the tunnel in that order.
Rick, in the lead, took out a lantern from his subspace and lit the way, guiding them confidently.
“Watch your head!”
At first, they could walk by just bending over slightly, but the passage gradually narrowed.
Soon, they had to crawl on their hands and knees.
“…Cami.”
“Yes!”
“Do you want to switch places?”
“Why?”
She turned around, her eyes wide with curiosity.
Simon quickly averted his gaze and mumbled,
“It’s nothing.”
“?”
To avoid a potentially awkward situation, Simon kept his head down and continued crawling.
Rick, who understood the situation, chuckled, but Camibarez remained oblivious, tilting her head in confusion.
They soon reached their destination.
Rick stood up and tapped the ceiling.
The ground shook and opened like a lid.
He climbed out smoothly and helped Camibarez and Simon up.
“Wow, we’re actually outside.”
They could see the walls of Kizen in the distance.
Rick closed the lid and covered it with dirt to conceal their exit.
“Let’s split up here. I’m going to Rochester.”
“Okay.”
“Be careful, Rick!”
Rick headed towards Rochester, and Simon and Camibarez set off for the Forbidden Forest.
Night fell quickly in the forest.
Under the bright full moon, darkness settled among the trees, and the sounds of insects and owls filled the air.
The atmosphere was quite eerie, and Simon worried that Camibarez might be scared, but…
‘…Why does she seem to like it?’
Her eyes sparkled as she looked around with delight.
She crouched down to touch the wildflowers and sniffed the earthy scent.
She seemed much brighter and more energetic than when they were at Kizen.
“A night walk is so much fun!”
Simon belatedly remembered that she was a vampire.
“You like the night?”
“Yes!”
She turned around, her hands clasped behind her back, and smiled.
“The night is so comforting.”
‘…Is it?’
He didn’t quite agree, but he decided to respect her racial preference.
Camibarez, now in high spirits, started chatting.
“Sorry for the late introduction, but thank you for helping me in Martial Combat class.”
“Ah, when you were mounting the hippogriff?”
“Yes! I couldn’t get on by myself. I looked around, feeling embarrassed…and everyone just pretended not to notice and turned away. I understand, it was a competitive class, but you were the only one who readily offered me a hand.”
“I just did what anyone would have done.”
She looked at Simon intently.
“Doing what anyone should do is what makes it so great!”
“…I-Is that so?”
As they talked, they neared their destination.
Simon, accustomed to traversing the rugged mountains of Leshill, found the forest path easy.
He had a good memory for routes he had taken before.
“There it is.”
Simon pointed.
They could see the mushrooms growing under the oak tree.
“Ah, they really are Rehak Mushrooms! There are so many!”
“I don’t know how many we need, so let’s pick them all.”
“Okay!”
Simon took out an empty box, and they began picking the mushrooms and carefully placing them inside.
The box was full within minutes.
Simon closed the lid and stored it safely in his subspace.
“That was faster than I expected.”
“Yeah.”
They still had a lot of time before Rick returned.
They decided to head back to Kizen and meet up with Meilyn.
“Oh! By the way, Simon, why did you come to Kizen?”
“Hmm.”
Simon thought for a moment.
“Initially, my parents sent me here.”
“Ah, that’s usually the case.”
“But as I started attending, I gradually developed my own goals and aspirations.”
He had discovered Summoning at school and, for the first time, wanted to become a necromancer.
He had also learned his father’s secret and formed a contract with his father’s undead legion.
He had also made good friends.
“Then, Cami, what about…”
Simon suddenly stopped.
He held out his arm, stopping Camibarez, who was walking beside him.
“What’s wrong?”
“Hide!”
Simon grabbed her wrist and pulled her behind a tree.
In the distance, lantern lights illuminated the darkness of the forest.
They could also hear the hurried footsteps of several people.
“Ah…!”
Camibarez’s face paled.
“They’re Kizen’s Watchmen…!”
“Watchmen?”
“Yes, they’re in charge of security around Kizen! They also manage the forest and hunt monsters to control their population. If they catch us…!”
She gulped.
“Even if it’s the student protection period…we won’t get off easy.”
Woof! Woof!
They could even see hunting dogs, sniffing the ground.
As the lights drew closer, they could make out figures carrying bows on their backs.
Simon frowned.
‘This is strange.’
The timing was too perfect.
A large-scale search by the Watchmen so soon after they entered the Forbidden Forest?
Moreover, Rick knew the patrol schedules of the guards and said he only used the times when they weren’t around.
This meant it wasn’t a regular patrol but a sudden mobilization.
‘Well, I’ll think about that later.’
For now, they had to focus on escaping.
Simon turned to Camibarez, who was trembling, her face white with fear.
She kept muttering, “What should we do?”
“Cami. Look at me.”
Simon firmly grasped her shoulders and turned her to face him.
He could see the fear in her eyes.
“We can get out of here. Just trust me and follow me. Keep your eyes on my back and run. Can you do that?”
She bit her lip and nodded slightly.
Simon let go of her and tapped the skull-shaped badge attached to his uniform.
‘Pier. Respond.’
A moment later, a blue light flickered in the skull’s eye sockets.
[Hmm? Did you call me, boy?]
‘Things have gotten a bit complicated.’
Simon said to Pier with a determined expression, his gaze fixed on the approaching lantern lights.
‘I think it’s time for the legion to step in.’
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