Chapter 45
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 45
Chapter Title: 23. Elective Courses
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After flipping through the booklet for a while, my eyes suddenly stopped on one course.
[Basic Herbalism]
Reading the description, the content was straightforward.
It was a class focused on wandering through forests to gather herbs and learning about their effects.
Compared to the flashy other courses, it was one that scraped the bottom of the popularity barrel—a true unpopular subject.
Most students flocked to practical magic or swordsmanship they could use right away in combat, or interesting ones like monster studies.
There was no way they'd be interested in a boring class about picking herbs.
That meant low competition.
'And since it's mostly practical, the exams should be pretty lenient too.'
It reeked of an easy-A course where you just go up the mountain, pick some grass, and watch the credits roll in.
Of course, there were downsides like bugs and getting your clothes dirty, but that was no big deal for me.
'I've already been through worse in the mountain range.'
But the biggest advantage was, without a doubt, the low number of students.
Especially, protagonists like Iris or main heroines wouldn't take a class like this.
'Perfect.'
I inwardly cheered and picked up my quill to check the [Basic Herbalism] box on the application form.
Swoosh.
At that moment, I felt a hot gaze from the side.
"…?"
Turning my head, I saw Celine repeatedly glancing at my application.
"…What are you staring at?"
"Oh, nothing. I was just curious what course you'd pick, Brother."
She pretended to be casual, but her eyes never left my form.
'No way she's thinking of following me?'
…Nah, no chance.
Celine wouldn't take something like herbalism. She had no interest in it.
More than that, it would be a total waste of time for her.
After a moment's thought, I figured she wouldn't follow and answered honestly.
"Basic Herbalism."
"…Basic Herbalism?"
Celine's eyes widened round.
She looked genuinely surprised.
"What? Is it weird?"
"No, not weird exactly… It just seems like a waste of your skills, Brother."
"What skills?"
"I, I see… Basic Herbalism, huh."
I shrugged and firmly pressed the quill to the form.
Herbalism secured. Now for the rest…
Scratch scratch.
That's when it happened. I heard the sound of a quill scraping paper from the side.
Casually turning, I saw Celine with a subtle smile on her lips,
marking something on her own application.
[Basic Herbalism]
"…"
"…"
Eh?
I blankly stared at her hand for a moment.
Thinking maybe I saw wrong, I rubbed my eyes and looked again—yep, definitely checked for herbalism.
"Lin. What… are you doing right now?"
"Huh? Why, Brother? I'm just applying for courses."
Yeah, I know that.
Obviously she's applying for courses.
What I'm asking is why.
Why are you applying for the herbalism I picked just because I did?
"No, I mean, why herbalism of all things? It's useless for you."
"Useless? I thought it'd be good to learn about herbs for once. That way, if you get hurt later, I can at least gather some for you?"
She answered innocently with an awkward smile.
'What nonsense.'
Gather herbs for me? Even in the capital, far from home, we're still a count's family.
We'd never run short on potions. Besides, she can use healing magic.
What kind of foolish behavior is this?
'No matter how I look at it, she's just following me.'
"…Lin. Are you serious?"
"Doesn't matter. It's with you, Brother."
Her firm attitude left me speechless.
"Oh my, Celine. You're taking herbalism too?"
Then, Elysia von Arden, sitting on the other side, jumped in with sparkling eyes.
"Yeah. To take it with Brother."
"Oh. Then maybe I will too?"
Wait, hold on.
Something's going weird here.
"…Why you, Miss Elysia?"
I looked at her in bewilderment.
She replied casually with her usual bright smile.
"Our Arden family are forest-loving elves, so learning more about herbs doesn't sound bad."
"Still…"
"And above all, it seems like it'll be more fun since you and Lady Celine are taking it."
Her eyes gleamed with mischief.
Clearly, less about herbs and more just tagging along for fun.
+ +
"That concludes today's class. Hand in your forms to me."
After collecting the last form, Professor Aria smiled satisfactorily and tapped her desk.
"I hope your choices lead to no regrets."
As soon as the professor left, I packed up to stand.
Now I had to head to the elective class.
I slowly made my way to the herbalism room.
'It should be this way, according to the booklet.'
Following the map, I finally found the herbalism room.
It was behind the main building, in the annex.
Passing a weed-choked garden and pushing open the creaky wooden door,
a musty earth smell mixed with the pungent scent of various herbs assaulted my nose.
The classroom was surprisingly spacious.
Herb samples and dried plants filled the walls, and large pots in the center made it feel like a botanical garden.
"Oh my. It has such atmosphere."
Elysia admired the surroundings, but my gaze fixed elsewhere.
A female student sitting alone by the window in the corner.
Messy dark brown hair, thick horn-rimmed glasses, hunched shoulders timidly.
'Hyera.'
I'd vaguely expected her to take this class.
Didn't know she'd arrive before me, though.
Herbalism and alchemy were inseparable.
For an aspiring alchemist like her, this was practically required.
"…"
She'd been spacing out at her seat, but suddenly
sensing someone, she looked up toward us.
The moment our eyes met, her eyes went wide.
"E-Evan Young Master!?"
Her mouth slightly agape.
Blinking in confusion as to why I was here.
I shrugged and approached her with a light greeting.
"You're taking this class too, Miss Hyera."
"U-Uh, y-yes… H-Hello!"
She scrambled up and bowed.
So startled her glasses slid down her nose, but she had no time to fix them.
"You got here early. As expected of an aspiring alchemist?"
"Y-Yes… I, I'm really interested in herbs…"
Spotting Celine and Elysia behind me, Hyera shrank even more.
S-class students filing into this unpopular herbalism room—enough to fluster anyone.
"Oh my, hello. I'm Elysia von Arden. Call me comfortably."
"Celine Dreadnote. We were in S-class together, right?"
"Eek…"
Elysia approached first with her friendly charm, and Celine gave a brief intro.
Hyera floundered, bowing back and forth to them.
"I-I'm Hyera Rain… P-Please take care of me…!"
I could only give a wry smile at the sight.
'Four people now.'
I came to take a class they wouldn't be interested in,
one they'd avoid. But this made it pointless.
[Absorbing negative emotion 'Tension'.]
[Absorbing negative emotion 'Anxiety'.]
Thud. Thud.
"Hm? Quite a few students this semester."
A voice spoke in a tone of wonder.
Turning, a burly man with short white hair, bushy beard, and a rough leather apron entered, carrying a basket full of herbs.
His arms were log-thick, his wrinkled face stubborn more than kind.
He didn't look like a herbalism teacher at first glance.
More suited to bare-knuckle fighting.
'Alke Clay. Professor of Basic Herbalism and Alchemy.'
In The Glory, he held a unique position in herbalism and alchemy.
But his cranky personality made him unpopular with students.
Professor Clay scanned us and snorted.
"Hoh. S-class students venturing to this backwater. Must be some misunderstanding. My class isn't for noble brats killing time."
His voice was rough but forceful.
"No need for greenhouse flowers. Delicate hands scribbling magic circles can't pick a single herb properly."
His gaze lingered on Celine and Elysia. Both subtly stiffened at his blatant scorn.
"Especially you noble ladies. Hate getting dirt on your hands? Leave now. I don't need pampered students."
His provocative declaration would have made someone like Rosalyn storm out already.
But Celine and Elysia exchanged glances and held their seats steadfastly. Elysia even smiled back.
"It's fine, Professor. I like the smell of earth. I grew up in the forests back home."
"I came to learn, Professor."
Only then did Professor Clay nod, seemingly satisfied with their resolve.
"…Good. At least you've got guts. Let's begin."
At his gesture, we and the other students gathered at the large central practical table.
Of course, besides our four, there were a few more in this herbalism class.
"Herbalism. You might think it's boring."
Professor Clay slammed the herb-filled basket on the table.
"But this continent's powerhouses couldn't exist without alchemy. Potions, antidotes, enhancers—all stem from these weeds."
He pulled out a wilted, blackened leaf from the basket.
"Anyone know what this is?"
Hyera, gauging the mood, tentatively raised her trembling hand.
"M-Me! That's… the poison herb 'Tear of the Dead.' Ingestion causes instant full-body paralysis and respiratory distress."
"Correct. Smart one, aren't you? Not bad."
Professor Clay nodded approvingly at her precise answer.
"Heh… hehe."
Her face flushed red again, unaccustomed to praise.
In herbalism, her usual timidity lifted briefly, her eyes sparkling with excitement in her specialty.
Indeed, in alchemy and herbalism knowledge, Hyera was unmatched in S-class.
'As expected of Hyera.'
"Definitely better than flashy noble ladies."
I felt his gaze turn our way with the overt insult.
No other nobles here besides me and the girls.
"…"
Elysia kept smiling, but Celine's brow furrowed slightly.
'Come to think of it, that professor has a bad case of noble phobia?'
Clay was a self-made man from commoner roots, deeply resenting nobles.
"Now, next herb."
The professor tossed a dirt-caked root onto the table.
"What are its effects and toxicity?"
Hyera raised her hand again, but he ignored her and pointed at me.
"Next… right, you. The cynical-looking one. Speak."
Caught off-guard by the call, I rested my chin and stared at the root for a moment.