Drawing Aggro Is a Skill Too.

Night.

The Dormitory Supervisor's Room.

Locked up for curfew and returned.

Today's work, done.

I turned on the game console.

Click.

The screen was on.

The boss was wandering around.

But today, the boss didn't catch my eye.

'.............'

Something else was spinning in my head.

'Shit.'

'How did that happen back then.'

I fell in the forest.

My hand touched the dirt.

Grass grew.

Spores burst.

It was something I couldn't do no matter how hard I tried.

'But why did it work that time.'

'.............'

I thought.

When I slumped down on the lawn, I didn't feel anything.

When I brushed past the flower bed in front of the cafeteria, nothing either.

'Could it be that not just any plant works?'

'Is it only reacting to specific species?'

'.............'

I put down the controller.

I looked at the game screen.

Not the boss.

I opened the character skill tree.

Scrolled down.

[Druid — Classification]

[General Type: Effective on all plant groups. High versatility. Most Druids fall under this.]

[Specialized Type: Reacts only to a specific plant series. Extreme specialization limited to that series.]

'.............'

[Specialized Type]

[Feature: No reaction to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠plants outside one's series]

[Feature: Several times the efficiency compared to General Type for plants in one's series]

[Requirement: Secure seedlings of the reactive plant series for training]

'.............'

'Reacts only to a specific plant series.'

'No reaction to anything outside that series.'

'Silver Myrtle reacted.'

'Poisonous Spore Plants reacted.'

'Lawn grass didn't work.'

'The flower bed didn't work either.'

'.............'

'Shit.'

'Is this it for me.'

There was a Druid in the game who chose this series.

They were ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠strong.

'This is the only way I can at least keep up with the average.'

Mana 63.

Bottom 3%.

No medium.

No equipment.

20 minutes to sprout a single seedling.

'There's no answer in the standard method.'

'No matter how much I run, it's 0.1.'

'That's 3 in a month.'

'At this rate, I won't even reach 100 before graduation.'

'But if this route works.'

'If I can use at least specific species.'

I scrolled down further.

[Seedlings of Reactive Series Required for Specialized Type Training]

[※ Training is only possible with seedlings of the corresponding ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠plant series]

[Price: 500~3,000 gold coins depending on the series]

'.............'

It was a series that required cash items even in the game.

Couldn't access it as a free-to-play.

That was the reason I didn't choose it.

'That's why I didn't choose this series.'

I searched with the mana stone crystal ball.

[Silver Myrtle Seedling — 500 gold coins]

[Poisonous Spore Plant Seedling — 800 gold coins]

My entire fortune.

12 gold coins.

[Silver Myrtle Seedling — 500 gold coins]

[Poisonous Spore Plant Seedling — 800 gold coins]

'Shit.'

'It was cash in the game too.'

'Is it cash here too?'

'It's the only way to at least follow the average.'

'Even that method is about money.'

I turned off the crystal ball.

Looked at the ceiling.

'If at least this works.'

'I might be able to follow at least a little.'

'Money.'

'Shit.'

'.............'

I pulled up the blanket.

Tried to sleep.

'.............'

Sleep didn't come.

'500 coins.'

I tossed and turned.

'12 coins.'

I tossed and turned again.

'.............'

I got up.

'Shit.'

'This way I can't sleep again.'

I dragged my slippers out.

The hallway.

Let's at least drink some water.

1st floor.

Walking towards the kitchen.

I saw the bulletin board.

'.............'

Something I don't usually look at.

Today, it caught my eye.

[Spring Light Tea Party — Cherry Blossom Festival Booth Staff Recruitment]

[Number of recruits: 3~4]

[Conditions: Preferential treatment for those with mana stone processing experience / Preferential treatment for those with distribution-related knowledge]

[Submit application to: Camilla von Edelweiss]

'.............'

[Mana stone processing experience preferred]

'.............'

I stopped.

Camilla.

Ducal house.

Merchant family.

Has distribution channels.

Buying wholesale is cheap.

Silver Myrtle seedling.

500 coins.

Wholesale then?

Camilla needs mana stone processing.

I need a seedling.

'This is.'

'Isn't this a deal?'

What did Camilla say?

"I don't need it."

'She says she doesn't need it.'

'But she knows outsourcing will kill the margin.'

'There's probably no one in this school who's processed grade 5 except me.'

'Shall I show off my writing skills.'

In my past life.

There were bastards who tormented me.

I wrote a rolling paper at graduation.

Made them all cry with my eloquence.

"Wow this is touching" "Shit I think I'm gonna cry"

The guys who tormented me cried at my writing.

A guy who could only say "Uh... hello" verbally.

I knew how to stir people up with writing.

'Shit.'

'I should show off my skills from back then.'

I drank a glass of water in the kitchen.

Leaned against the hallway wall.

Took out parchment.

Took out a pen.

'.............'

'Wait.'

'First, I need to run a simulation.'

'Camilla sees the application.'

'Sees the name.'

'Ian Valentine.'

'Rejected.'

'Without exception.'

'Mana 63. Bottom 3%.'

'The moment she sees the name, she throws it away without reading.'

'It's certain.'

'.............'

'Then.'

'I must catch her before she sees the name.'

'At the first line.'

'The moment she reads the first line, her hand must stop.'

'Stopping as she's about to discard it.'

'The most important thing is aggro.'

'.............'

'Good.'

The pen moved.

Quickly.

Without hesitation.

'.............'

I finished writing.

Looked at it.

'Is it a bit arrogant?'

'.............'

'No.'

'Arrogant is right.'

'Because she'll only read it if it's arrogant.'

I folded the parchment.

Slipped it into the mailbox.

Slip.

Returned to the Dormitory Supervisor's Room.

Covered myself with the blanket.

'.............'

'Shit.'

'I think I wrote it arrogantly.'

'Will it be okay.'

I turned over.

'Well.'

'If I don't get selected, it's a shame but can't be helped.'

I closed my eyes.

Room 205.

Camilla's room.

The next night.

She was lying face down on the bed.

A magic bead was glowing inside the blanket.

Bluish.

Siegfried's crystal ball bulletin board.

Slip.

[Today's Training Record — Southern Training Ground]

A photo had been uploaded.

He was holding a sword.

Sweat was beaded on his forehead.

'Sword training again today.'

'He's really consistent.'

[Swordsmanship Department Group Photo]

He was standing in the back row.

The only one not smiling.

'............He's like that even in a group photo.'

Something posted yesterday.

[After Night Training]

Under a streetlight.

He had a sword sheath slung over his shoulder.

'.............'

There was a video.

Training video.

She played it.

He swung the sword.

Quickly.

Precisely.

'.............'

'I'm just watching how he swings the sword.'

'I'm just curious about the swordsmanship itself.'

'It's for reference.'

Rewind.

Play again.

'.............'

'I'm not even a swordsman.'

'Why am I watching this.'

'.............'

'I don't know.'

Rewind.

Play again.

Play again once more.

'.............'

She looked at the clock.

10 PM.

'.............'

'I've been watching since 8:30.'

'Get a grip.'

She pulled back the blanket.

Sat up.

Ugh-

Stretched.

'I have to work.'

She sat at the desk.

Four sheets of parchment were laid out.

Including the one that was slipped under the door this morning, four sheets.

'Let's sort out the applications first.'

She took a sip of herbal tea.

Infused mana into the crystal ball.

"Hello."

"Yes. It's Camilla. I've received all the booth staff applications."

As she flipped through the parchment.

"Don't worry. They're all decent people."

She flipped it.

[Number 1 — 3rd year Magic Department. Completed mana stone-related courses. From a merchant family.]

"One senior from the Magic Department. They said she took mana stone classes. Her family's decent too."

She flipped it.

[Number 2 — 2nd year Knight School. Has experience with festival booths. Possesses planning ability.]

"Someone from the Knight School also applied. They say she has festival experience. Seems useful."

She flipped it.

[Number 3 — 2nd year Magic Department. Member of the Aurelia Society. Capable of accounting.]

"The Aurelia senior also sent someone. They say she can do accounting. Perfect, right?"

While smiling.

While taking a sip of herbal tea.

"They're all elites. Since I selected them."

She flipped it.

"............."

The fourth one.

[Reason 1 Why the Cherry Blossom Booth Won't Work.]

'.............'

'What is this.'

'I asked for applications.'

'This person.'

She looked at the name.

It was written at the very bottom.

[Ian Valentine]

[2nd year Druid Department]

[Mana Output: 63]

'.............'

A voice was heard from beyond the crystal ball.

"Camilla? What about the next one?"

She tried to discard it.

Her hand tried to fold the parchment.

But the first line lingered in her eyes.

[Reason 1 Why the Cherry Blossom Booth Won't Work.]

'.............'

She unfolded it.

"Camilla?"

"............Wait a moment."

She read it.

[I will write down a scenario where the Spring Light Tea Party's Cherry Blossom Festival booth fails.]

'.............'

'What is this.'

'A failure scenario in an application?'

[The day of the festival.]

[The booth opens.]

[They sell cherry blossom drinks.]

[The booth next door also sells cherry blossom drinks.]

[Customers look at both sides and compare.]

[There is no difference.]

[If the price is the same, they go to the shorter line.]

[If the lines are the same, they go anywhere.]

'.............'

[It would have been different with mana stone lighting.]

[Because the atmosphere is different.]

[If the atmosphere is different, the unit price rises.]

[If the unit price rises, there is margin.]

[But without mana stone lighting.]

[It's just a flower drink shop.]

[There are twelve flower drink shops at the festival.]

Camilla's eyes narrowed.

"Camilla? Hello?"

[You will try to make mana stone lighting.]

[With grade 3 mana stones.]

[You will entrust it to a company.]

[A quote comes out.]

[The cost exceeds the margin.]

'.............'

[So you will turn your eyes to grade 5.]

[With grade 5, the cost is 1/7.]

[But you will contact a company.]

[The first company says. "We don't do ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠grade 5."]

[The second company also says. "We don't do grade 5."]

[The third company sends a quote.]

[It's double the margin.]

Camilla's hand gripped the parchment.

'.............'

[In the end, you will give up on mana stone lighting.]

[If you give up, it's just a flower drink shop.]

[It's one of twelve.]

[The first button comes undone.]

[Proof cannot be made.]

Camilla gritted her teeth.

"Camilla? Is it disconnected?"

[This is the end of the failure scenario.]

'.............'

[But I know how to process grade 5 mana stones.]

[It took three months.]

[I burned the wiring twelve times.]

[Seven prototypes were made. All were failures.]

[I succeeded on the eighth.]

[I have all the data from the seven failures.]

[If I do it, it's 1/3 of the cost.]

[It won't work without me.]

[You know.]

"............Wait a moment. I'll call you back in a little bit."

Click.

The crystal ball turned off.

"............."

The hand holding the parchment tightened.