Herb-Pulling Heartache and Profitable Potions

Second period was Basic Alchemy.

The classroom wasn't a lecture hall—it was a lab.

As I headed down to the second floor, someone started tailing me from behind.

"I'll come with you!"

Unlike first period, Ash was grinning from ear to ear.

She glued herself right to my side.

I grabbed Eodukshini, who was naturally trying to slink over to her, and shoved him roughly into my pocket before asking the beaming girl beside me,

"You have Alchemy second period too?"

"Yeah! Our schedules match up perfectly."

She'd really lined up every single class with mine.

Still, I had to wonder if a pure physical fighter like her even needed to take Alchemy.

As if reading my mind, Ash answered before I could even ask.

"People ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠think mercenaries just need to fight well, but that's not true at all. Knowing how to handle herbs alone can skyrocket your value."

"Why's that?"

"Mages hire them way more often! If you've got a merc who can spot and gather high-quality herbs, you save time, effort, and lives. How great is that?"

Fair enough. Humans will pay extra just to shave off thirty minutes.

She could probably pull it off no problem.

"Hold on. So you're learning how to handle herbs?"

"Yep. Why? Something wrong?"

"Then what are we even making..."

"Obviously later. Who learns to run before they walk?"

Whoa.

When I made a shocked face, Eodukshini forced his head out of my pocket and asked,

—You didn't even think of that, did you?

'...Yeah, I didn't.'

I seriously hadn't given it a single thought.

I'd just figured it'd help when making holy water or whatever.

—Ugh, ugh, you thick-headed... Argh!

I shoved Eodukshini back into my pocket roughly.

Then I pondered seriously.

'...Should I just bail?'

But that would mess up my plans.

I needed to be the student who attends class but doesn't give a damn—not the one who skips and sleeps through it.

'Guess I have to stick it out. Herbs... freaking herbs...'.

Disappointment drooped my shoulders.

Ash looked flustered beside me.

"Wh-what's wrong?"

"Nah... just despairing that we have to start with herbs."

I'd figured it'd be ratios or types at most, not digging them up and crap...

To console my disappointment, Ash patted my shoulder and said,

"Don't ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠worry, though. It'll actually be a huge help for you."

"?"

"Truth is..."

She leaned in close.

Whispering secretly, just loud enough for me to hear.

"Combining herbs with holy water... creates effects better than any healing potion out there. Even a tiny bit of holy water makes something superior to anything on the market right now. Know what that means?"

Ash winked playfully.

Her usually deep, dark blue eyes sparkled brighter than ever.

"It means 'monopoly'."

"But other priests exist too. They'd make holy water way better than me."

Ash wagged her finger side to side.

"Nope. This is something only you can do."

"?"

"Because the 'Temple of Light' officially bans combining holy water with potions."

"!"

I widened my eyes.

What kind of idiotic rule is that?

It could rake in mountains of cash!

"But you're not a follower of the Light God, right? So you can do it."

"Ooh..."

I nodded in admiration.

My cooled interest in alchemy reignited.

Eodukshini muttered in a deadpan tone.

—That money grubber...

Shut it.

You've never lived without cash, so you wouldn't get it.

"So partner up with me. I'll fund everything and bring in more backers."

"Partner up?"

"Yeah. Oh, don't worry about me ripping you off or anything. I'm doing this for real."

Ash handed me the paper she'd been scribbling on.

She'd handwritten it herself, but for mana oaths, activation was the key—not the quality.

'Whoa... she's insane. Eodukshini, check if it's real.'

—Mm.

As a divine beast, he was sensitive to mana flow and could tell if it was legit.

—It's real.

"You made this by hand?"

This was something you could just whip up by hand?

"Yep. Want me to teach you?"

"Sure, sounds good... but what's in it for you?"

"Your love?"

"?"

Ash shook the paper with confident flair.

"And it can't fail. We're Sky Academy students—that's built-in marketing. Get the right backers, and promotion's a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠breeze."

Should I?

It was tempting as hell.

Potential? Overflowing, even by my standards. Holy water sells on name alone.

Potions too—more popular than holy water for convenience and variety.

A chance to uniquely combine them...

'This could make bank.'

Betrayal? No sweat. Mana oaths were unbreakable law.

Break it, and you lose your mana and half your body—who'd risk that?

But.

"...Later."

"Huh? Not right now?"

"Need to check more, see the potential. Big stuff like this needs thought. What if I suck at alchemy?"

"Mm, fair... but I actually learned from an alchemist once, and uh..."

"And?"

"I wrecked everything..."

"..."

What the hell did she do to wreck it all?

But since I might end up the same, I couldn't laugh.

"...How'd you even know ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠about it? If it's officially banned?"

Ash gave a meaningful smile at my question.

"Who knows~?"

Regressor karma blocking her again, probably.

I shook my head and picked up the pace.

"Whatever, idiot. Too chicken to ask."

"Hey! Wait up! Let's go together!"

"Cl... class... I am Murdersonal, in charge of Basic Alchemy..."

The professor was a tree.

Not a metaphor—a literal tree growing from her body.

Two branches poked up where hair should be, vines wrapped her arms and legs, and her face was... beautifully bizarre.

Ash, noticing my stare, whispered softly.

"The only elf race coexisting with humans on the continent."

'Elf race?'

I'd figured some otherkin, but an elf?

Shock hit briefly, but I shook it off.

Orcs as gentlemen and elves as thugs? Seen weirder.

But the other students seemed properly stunned.

"Th-that prof's human, right? Not a monster?"

"Shh! You nuts? Quiet."

"I know that prof... Tree elf."

"...An elf?!"

Excluding me, Ash, and Princess Banasi, most were C-to-B class mixes of commoners and nobles—rowdy vibe.

Banasi, displeased, raised her hand.

"Quiet."

"..."

"..."

One word, and the noisy class fell silent instantly.

Impressive charisma.

No effect on me... but enough for regular students.

Having tamed the class, Princess Banasi stood, bowed to the elf prof.

"Professor, sorry. It got too loud... please continue."

"You... have fine leadership... Good. Then, what we'll learn today..."

The elf prof's face twisted awkwardly.

...Is that a smile?

Other students thought she was mad and cowered, but Banasi nodded coolly and sat with perfect poker face.

Slither.

A vine by my foot moved.

The arm vine wriggled, grabbed chalk.

Scritch, scratch.

It wrote one word with practiced ease—like years of experience.

Mindset?

Elf prof Murdersonal tapped the chalk on the letters.

"Today... we'll check your mindset..."

"?"

"?"

What the—? I stepped back instinctively.

The desk I'd rested my arm on vibrated faintly.

Too subtle for most, but Ash noticed too and pulled back.

"Now..."

Crack-crack-CRACK!

Desks burst open, something shot out.

Students who missed the vibe got flung or toppled.

Crash! Thud!

Chaos imminent.

I eyed what popped up before me suspiciously.

"Gah! Aaaah!"

"Wh-what is this?!"

Freshly planted herb mimicking a sapling.

Murdersonal ignored the commotion, droning on slowly.

"Today... pull that herb..."

Pfft, too easy.

"If you yank with brute force... roughly... without care... it withers..."

Or so I thought.

"Now... calmly begin..."

I reined in my arrogance, examined the herb closely.

Pretty sturdy... deep roots.

But familiar—I'd seen it near the temple.

'Grew by the shrine.'

Lazy cooking days, I'd chew it raw.

Tasteless, but decent texture if prepped right.

"Mm... pull this...?"

Unlike me, Ash—seeing it first—already clutched her head in thought.

I reached for the herb.

'Gently... but firmly...'

Like handling a child, I gripped the stem and tugged up lightly.

Pop.

With a soft whoosh, it came out easy.

No wilting—the leaves unfurled proudly, showing off.

"...Huh?"

It worked?

Slither.

A vine snaked over, grabbed my arm.

The tree elf approached slowly, eyes gleaming.

"You... first try... talented..."

...No talent here, prof!