Chapter 16: Truthful Rewards

Chapter 16: Truthful Rewards

Thankfully, Euphemia stopped following me after some time. I couldn't help but think that the girl was becoming crazier and crazier by the day.

"Thank you, Marie" I silently expressed my gratitude to Marie, who had managed to divert Euphemia's attention away from me.

At that moment, I found myself in one of the private labs of Estelle Hall, diligently mixing reagents. I was preparing simple healing potions and purification potions in anticipation of the upcoming joint combat exams.

These exams were scheduled to take place in two weeks, and they involved our senior students fighting against us, the first-year students.

The purpose was to foster friendship, impart knowledge, and give new students a taste of what to expect at Estelle Academy.

The second-year students would face off against us first-years, while the fourth-years would battle among the third years. It was an annual event that aimed to promote camaraderie and provide valuable insights into combat.

Of course, the real battles would occur in the magical, combat, and summoning departments, as their areas of study were more combat-oriented.

Meanwhile, those of us in the alchemy department had the task of preparing hundreds of potions to support the faculty and medical ward of the academy.

With the expected influx of injuries during the exams, our potions would be in high demand.

I couldn't help but feel a bit sorry for the second-year students who would be facing us first-years.

With the presence of the overpowered protagonist, Tristan, their chances of victory seemed slim, as he had effortlessly defeated all the second-year students he had encountered, leaving no room for a challenge.

Indeed, the quests provided by the system seemed to follow a pattern reminiscent of events in the novels I had read.

As I examined the first three quests, I couldn't help but draw parallels to the narrative I was familiar with.

Quests: 18! (Active quests) [click for more info]

[click]

[Heal 100 innocents'] [Reward: random XP, random stat +3]

[Cure 100 innocents'] [Reward: random XP, random stat +3]

[Protect the Innocent] [Reward: mana +500 aura +500]

In the novel, Tristan encountered similar events that required him to perform acts of healing and protection.

These events often served as a means to showcase his extraordinary abilities to the people around him. Healing magic was a rare and revered skill, typically associated with those blessed by light-based mana.

In this world, individuals possessing light-based mana were believed to be directly blessed by the goddess, elevating the status of priests and healers.

Tristan's accidental display of powerful healing magic in a crowded arena left a profound impact. News of his abilities quickly spread among faculty members who were struggling to attend to the needs of countless students.

As expected, they turned to Adrian to assist in healing and caring for the many who had not received proper attention.

Tristan's responsibilities extended beyond mere healing; he also had to employ Purification spells to aid those who had suffered severe injuries from dark spells cast by students of the magic department.

This demanding but rewarding experience brought fulfillment to Tristan, who had a deep-rooted desire to help those in need.

This significant incident marked the inception of Tristan's interactions with the Saintess, a woman utterly devoted to her divine duty as a servant of the goddess.

Her unwavering dedication led her to volunteer her services to the academy's faculty and healing wards, where she tirelessly tended to those in need.

With an aura of grace and compassion, she moved through the wounded and the afflicted, channeling her powers to mend their ailments.

It was amidst this backdrop of compassion and selflessness that the Saintess first laid eyes on Tristan.

Witnessing his divine attributes and the unmistakable purity of his heart, she couldn't help but take a profound interest in the young protagonist.

Her gaze held a depth of understanding, recognizing that there was something exceptional about him—something that transcended the ordinary.

With a sense of accomplishment, I gazed upon the last potion I had just finished brewing. A satisfied nod confirmed my work's quality, and when I turned my gaze to the side, I beheld a towering collection of potions, the result of my diligent efforts.

"Haha," I chuckled to myself, considering how I should enlist the golems to safeguard this precious stockpile.

These potions represented the culmination of my preparations for the upcoming exams, even though I still had a full two weeks to complete my share of the required potions.

Creating them ahead of time had several motivations.

Firstly, I wanted to avoid any procrastination and ensure that the task was completed well in advance. My past experiences with last-minute projects during my college years had left me with enough trauma to last a lifetime.

Secondly, I wished to keep my brewing activities hidden from Euphemia's prying eyes. The thought of her bombarding me with countless questions, coupled with her penchant for stalking, sent shivers down my spine.

Lastly, I had a pressing engagement outside the academy tomorrow, where I would obtain an item meant for our protagonist, Tristan.

This particular item was set to appear in Volume 4 of the novel, and while I did feel a pang of guilt for acquiring it ahead of him, it was simply too perfect for my needs.

I couldn't help but smirk as I thought about it. After all, Tristan had never made full use of the item in the novels, which had left me incredibly frustrated.

The item in question was known as the "Night Robe"

A supremely overpowered piece of equipment. It rendered the wearer invisible to the naked eye, effectively erasing scent, sound, aura, and mana.

As long as even a hint of darkness touched the wearer during the night, they would become invisible.

I couldn't fathom why Tristan had misused this remarkable item.

During the Beast Subjugation arc in Volume 4, he had used light magic while invisible, alerting the beast of the night Kaksan and allowing it to inflict significant damage.

That incident had nearly cost him the life of Louise, and it had been a source of great frustration for me as a reader.

Returning my attention to the reagents and potions once more, I cast a simple magic missile spell into the air. A golem promptly appeared by my side, ready to assist.

"What can I do for you?" the golem inquired.

"Hide—no, keep these potions in a secure location," I instructed.

"As you command," the golem responded, swiftly springing into action to ensure the safety of my valuable concoctions.

I stared at the letter I had started to write just before diving into the potion-making process, and a wave of uncertainty washed over me. Would this excuse I'd crafted suffice? I carefully reviewed the words on the page:

"Due to personal reasons involving my family, I am kindly requesting a leave of absence for tomorrow and the day after."

A deep sigh escaped my lips as I pondered the adequacy of this excuse for my teacher. It felt weak and lacking in detail, and I couldn't shake the nagging worry that it might not be convincing enough to cover the real urgency of my situation outside the academy.

...

I let out a sigh of relief as the letter had worked like a charm, and my professor had readily accepted my excuse.

I couldn't help but wonder whether it was due to my high-ranking noble family background or my position as the top student in our department that such family excuses often seemed to work.

Regardless, I was grateful for the teacher's understanding.

On the other hand, I couldn't help but chuckle at the teacher's denial of Euphemia's request for leave. Watching her attempt to come up with excuses to leave class early had been quite amusing.

After some time, I had finally arrived at my destination. Getting here had required finding a carriage willing to take me into Kaksan Forest, a massive woodland located in the northeastern part of the academy.

This forest was so vast that it bordered two major countries, the Lumenian Empire and the Holy Kingdom.

While these two nations were considered allies, the claim over the enormous forest was always open, leading to both countries seeking ways to incorporate Kaksan Forest into their territories.

Deep within this sprawling forest lay the Night Robe, a unique item that only appeared during the night when a very special thousand-year-old tree was bathed in moonlight.

This tree was unique because it was actually alive, belonging to the rare species of treants, trees with full consciousness.

Although I had no idea of the tree's current location, I was confident that I could find it. I had arrived during the day to start my search early.

To locate it more efficiently, I planned to rely on not only my knowledge from the novels, based on Tristan's descriptions of the place, but also on the full extent of my authority.

[Authority: Eyes of the Wandering Crow: {Passive}]

With this authority, I could discern the mental states of almost all living beings. Finding that ancient tree should be a manageable task.

As long as I focused and looked at most of the trees in this forest, I was certain that the tree would be thinking about something right now.

However, I needed to exercise caution while using this power. The influx of information sent to my brain could be overwhelming, and I didn't want to lose my mind amidst the abundance of thoughts. n/(o.-V-)e(.l((b--I(-n

While it might be tempting to assume that ordinary trees had no consciousness, the reality was quite different.

Most trees and plants were actually often occupied with thoughts of reproduction every single day.

'Honestly it's quite disgusting'