The Herb Gathering Hustle
Herb gathering isn't the main event. The final exam notice was delivered directly to our dormitory door. Thanks to that, we were able to spread a large sheet of paper on the floor and read it together.
The Herbology final exam will be held in the mountains beyond the East Forest of Rainhart, concurrently with the Magical Biology final. That area, known as the Haila Mountain Range, is a range specially managed by Rainhart, rich in natural mana, where many herbs grow. The key is to distinguish between poisonous plants and medicinal herbs and gather as many as possible within the 8-hour time limit. While gathering many herbs will earn you a high score, be warned that submitting poisonous plants will result in a significant point deduction. Examiners will filter out the poisonous plants from what you gather, and you may keep all remaining medicinal herbs. Below is the point table for herbs and poisonous plants. Additionally, there are Zones A, B, and C in the exam area. Zone A requires 4th-rank proficiency, while Zones B and C require 2nd-rank and 1st-rank or higher, respectively. If your skills are lacking, be especially careful not to enter Zone A, which also serves as the 3rd-year exam area. Unlike the 1st-year area, robbery is permitted in the 3rd-year exam area. If you possess the performance ability and discernment to harvest precious herbs without being caught by 3rd-years, by all means, take on the challenge. Also, Professor Silariel will be participating as a special supervisor for this exam. Do not be startled if you encounter spirits. The exam date is...
“Wow, it’s the day after tomorrow.”
Of course, she had been mentioning it in class constantly. That the exam would be held in the mountain behind the school, and that it would be held quite early compared to other exams. She’d said the long gaps between exams were to give students time to recover. But I hadn’t expected it to be this intense.
“It’s being held alongside the Magical Biology final.”
After the Cactherian practical, we had been memorizing the appearances of magical creatures constantly. We’d even gone into the East Forest or visited the school market to see what the creatures actually looked like.
“I guess avoiding or properly dealing with the creatures is part of the score, too.”
“That won’t be a problem.”
“Huh?”
“Didn’t you see it during the Cactherian practical?”
“Yumia, magical creatures aren’t all that small... wait, don’t tell me?”
Aris now knew that what I said wasn’t just pure nonsense.
“...Then never mind.”
We looked at the bottom of the notice. A list of herbs and poisonous plants was written out, along with their point distribution. There was something peculiar about the distribution table.
“We’ll have to be careful not to pick up any poisonous plants...”
“Tell me about it.”
The points deducted for each poisonous plant submitted were massive. No matter how many herbs you gathered, two roots of poisonous plants would make it all for nothing.
But this was a golden opportunity. It wasn’t like I didn’t know the mountain behind the school; I just hadn’t gone there yet. This was my chance to stock up on materials for elixirs and potions!
“It’s a gold-farming run!”
“Heh, huh? What does that mean...”
Now, the exam didn’t matter anymore.
“Let’s start by making a plan.”
I ran a simulation in my head. Aris also started making a plan with her notebook in hand.
“First, we’ll clear Zone C... and then gather the herbs we know in Zone B...”
“Not thinking about Zone A?”
“Huh? You said there were seniors in Zone A, didn’t you?”
That wasn’t a problem. More than that, I coveted the herbs in Zone A. There were ingredients for elixirs there, and I could even make intermediate mana potions. If I could just make a killing here, I could solve my money and potion worries all at once.
“Sigh... but I’m glad it’s an exam, at least.”
“Why?”
“Because if it were a mission, it would have been much more dangerous.”
Why is she worried about me being in danger? I looked at the map enclosed with the notice.
‘Well, since I have Aris, who is practically an A-rank healer, I don’t have to worry about injuries.’
Judging by our last sparring session, she had enough skill to take care of herself. So, I could head to Zone A without any burden, right? I looked at the notice again. There was more text at the bottom.
[The exam will be conducted in pairs. Team assignments will be decided by drawing lots on the day of the exam.]
...?
Aris’s eyes were fixed on that part, too.
“Good... luck?”
Aris looked quite relieved.
“So... why am I in the same group as you?”
“I hate it too, you jerk.”
Robert shook his head as he looked at me. As soon as we drew the lots, the magic on the slips activated, and everyone had already found their temporary partners.
“Just don’t drag me down.”
“You should be worried about me dragging you down. Don’t worry and just ride my coattails.”
I’ll show you the absurdity of my inventory. I’m going to sprint straight to Zone A.
“You’re going to Zone A, aren’t you?”
Robert seemed to have grasped my intentions immediately. As expected, this guy is ambitious, so we speak the same language.
“Obviously.”
Judging by what the students were saying, this was also an event to support students, serving as an exam. Naturally, the payout would be much larger if we supported the 3rd-years, who were taking higher-level classes.
“I won’t stop you, but do you have a plan? It’ll be troublesome if you haven’t prepared. Especially regarding the herbs and poisonous plants.”
“I’ve already prepared countermeasures for everything. Don’t worry.”
We went to the starting line where the 1st-years were gathered. The route to the mountain behind the school was to cross the East Forest and exit through the East Gate. The gate was bustling with students who had come since the morning to take the exam.
“This is the East Gate...! It’s huge...”
“Where is the professor?”
“We’re going to dash straight to the center of Zone C! Just grab everything, and check if it’s poisonous later. Got it?”
Some students were rambling in nervousness, while others were calmly setting up countermeasures. As various reactions erupted:
[The exam will now begin. Countdown starting.]
“I-it’s starting!!”
“Get ready!!”
The professor’s voice, amplified by magic, rang in our ears.
[5... 4... 3... 2... 1, GO!]
“Casting Enchant: Haste!”
Robert chanted the spell and ran after me. Our plan was simple. Since Zone A was quite high up, we’d run there with enhancement magic. Then, I’d activate my Observation Eye to the max and sweep up everything I saw.
Red Devil Sprout (R)
Shaped Stone (C)
Weed (-)
“Sweep it all up, aaahhh!!”
Even so, if I ran at full speed, Robert would struggle just to keep up. So, I just gathered everything myself. About ten minutes into the full-speed sprint:
“Huff... huff... khaaack...”
“Ugh, aaaaah...”
We reached the very end of Zone B, right before Zone A.
“L-let’s get some water.”
Robert grabbed a tree branch and gasped in a dying voice.
“No need for that. Here...”
I popped the cap off an isotonic drink, handed it to him, and then shoved one into my own dry throat. The chilled drink soaked into my throat.
“Ugh... I feel like I’m coming back to life...”
“When did you prepare something like this? No, is it a unique magic?”
Robert said, watching the plastic bottle disappear from my hand. Ah, he didn’t know about that. It didn’t really matter, though.
“...Phew. Just think of it as whatever’s convenient.”
After catching our breath, we started distinguishing the herbs from the poisonous plants.
“This is a medicinal herb, this is poisonous. This one is a medicinal herb.”
Robert sorted them out and tossed the poisonous ones behind him. Then, he grabbed one herb and rummaged through his bag.
“Hurry up.”
“Hey, you have to soak this in a reagent to know...”
“Don’t need that.”
Blue Thistle (R)
A plant that glows blue at night, resembling a thistle. It is a poisonous plant with no medicinal properties. I learned this just now: Observation Eye can also selectively retrieve the information I want.
“It’s poisonous. Just throw it away.”
I tossed it far away. Thistle was an herb that gave quite a lot of points, so that was a shame. As we finished sorting almost everything:
“Hey, why are you throwing that away?”
“This is a famous poisonous plant. Don’t you even know that?”
Red Moss (R)
Moss that grows in mana-rich environments. For a holder of Hundred Poison Immunity (R), it causes no harm and slightly increases mana.
“I can eat it.”
Robert exclaimed in panic, but I was nonchalant.
“W-what are you doing! Hurry, get the antidote...”
“I told you, I’m fine.”
I tucked the sack filled only with medicinal herbs into my inventory and crossed the boundary into Zone A.
When I was still perfectly fine after some time had passed, Robert shrugged as if he were dumbfounded.
“I’m really starting to wonder what you are. Even if you have immunity, to swallow a poisonous plant whole and be completely fine...”
“I told you, it’s nothing.”
My stomach just hurts for a second, that’s all. Besides, shoving boiling dragon blood directly into my eyes is a thousand times more painful.
“Ah, here it is.”
I saw a sprout poking out and immediately dug around it. Dust kicked up for a moment, and a plant that looked like a plump ginseng revealed its body.
◈ If dried, it becomes dried mandrake, which acts as the core for mana potions. You can make ten mana potions with just this one.
Zone A definitely had a different mana density.
“How do you know that immediately? I can’t even see it.”
Robert asked, looking puzzled.
“There probably isn’t anyone who can perform as well as I can in the forest.”
Thanks to Natural Affinity, magical creatures didn’t bother me at all. Observation Eye displayed the information of the herbs for me.
“I’m happy for me, but I wonder if I shouldn’t pay you later. Just getting away with this...”
In reality, Robert hadn’t done anything other than cast buffs.
“As long as you hand over all the herbs, I don’t care.”
If he wanted to take the herbs, I’d put them all in my inventory and run away. Though, with Robert’s wealth, he wouldn’t need to do that. I don’t forgive anyone who touches my materials.
Just as I was thinking that, a fierce voice called us to a halt.
“Hey, stop right there.”
“Huh?”
I turned around to see three 3rd-year students looking at us and snickering.
“Hey there, juniors.”
The student who seemed to be the leader spoke with an expression as if he were doing us a favor, raising his wand.
“It’s dangerous here. We’ll take you to the 1st-year zone.”
“Oh, of course, leave the herbs behind. Bwahahaha!”
Robert was flustered.
“W-when did you get here?”
“‘When did you get here,’ huh? We’ve successfully completed the 2nd-year curriculum. Stealth isn’t difficult for us.”
Robert shouted at them as they snickered at him.
“W-wait! Seniors, let’s make a deal!”
But the seniors didn’t seem to have any intention of doing that. As expected of the heir to a merchant guild, he was trying to find a way out even in this situation. But there was one thing Robert was wrong about.
“Yeah, let’s make a deal.”
I raised my wand and smiled cynically.
Natural mana swirled and rotated around me.
“Seniors. I’ll spare your lives, so leave everything you have and get out.”
The ones doing the robbing aren’t them.