Chapter 1052: Chapter 21: Sweet Dreams
23:30
Professor Chris opened the old gilded pocket watch to reveal the time.
As Professor Chris needed to go deep into the swamp to take care of some matters, Lu Li returned to the Giant Tree alone.
Cain instinctively followed him, but he was not yet accustomed to interacting with Lu Li — his respect and humility were awkwardly mimicked, or rather, not as natural as a true servant.
He had much to learn about being a servant from the old butler he consulted.
Returning to the Giant Tree, Lu Li inevitably encountered the Gatekeeper.
The two potions from Professor Chris spared him the tedious process of questioning, purification, and time-wasting by the Gatekeeper.
Moving from the dim and damp lower layers to the bright and cozy canopy, Lu Li returned to his dormitory and fell asleep.
…
The morning bell woke the slumbering canopy.
Low-grade students, drowsy and adjusting their collars, headed towards the hall.
“Mr. Lu Li.”
“His Excellency Lulian…”
They treated Lu Li as if facing a professor.
Lu Li’s black trench coat and the book in his hands deepened this perception.
“…Stu…”
Goudan uttered an abbreviated, meaningless word before beginning to eat.
Staring intently at the book Lu Li placed down, Goudan tried to read the title on the book cover, but recognized only one word.
“It’s ‘The Illustrated Basics of Weird Knowledge’,” Fudote habitually mocked Goudan’s ignorance, then asked Lu Li, “Are you preparing for the Level 1 Weird Knowledge Study examination?”
“Yes.”
“I read this book three years ago. My cousin told me that just by remembering the knowledge in ‘The Illustrated Basics of Weird Knowledge’, you’ve already passed half of the Level 1 Weird Knowledge Study trials.”
That’s why the old professor recommended this book to Lu Li.
“Can I take a look?” Goudan interrupted Fudote and Lu Li’s conversation.
“Learn to write your own name first…uh, learn the characters first!” Fudote paused and said shrilly with disdain.
Because Goudan really could write his own name.
Obviously, other than talent, students’ learning progress is divided into three stages: the illiterate citizen, the literate middle class, and the educated nobility.
These higher starting points come from nobility, family, or families with Weird Power — they have been in contact with weird knowledge even before attending the academy, though they also endure the cost: [Knowledge as Evil Fruit]
After breakfast, before the Mysticism Course began, Lu Li headed to the library to borrow more books.
Aside from books prepared for the Level 2 Mysticology trial, Lu Li additionally borrowed introductory books on Alchemy, Otherworld Study, Botany, and Divination Study.
Next, Lu Li only needs to memorize all the borrowed books, then he can prepare to partake in the corresponding trials.
In some way, what hinders Lu Li isn’t the speed of acquiring knowledge, but the cost of failing the trials.
“Weird Power. People who master this ability subconsciously call it that, but Giant Tree Academy prefers to call it Mystical Power, distinguishing it from the weird…”
In the Mysticism class, Professor Hagrid lectured about basic knowledge on the podium.
Lu Li quietly opened the book titled “Advanced Knowledge of Mysticology” and read.
The Mysticism Course clearly couldn’t keep up with Lu Li’s learning pace, especially after Lu Li attained Level 1 in Mysticology.
Professor Hagrid felt a slight sense of relief seeing Lu Li not reading books from other departments during the Mysticism Course.
With the end of the Mysticism Course, Lu Li followed some students to another area where the Divination class was taking place.
The nameless lady of the Divination class was already used to seeing students with dual majors arriving midway, pausing for a few seconds to let them settle before continuing with the lesson.
Compared to other courses, the Divination class lacked basic logic and reason — partly because of the mad behavior of the nameless lady, and partly because Divination Study itself required a lot of “intuition and subconscious” assistance.
The scientific Alchemy is “adding two-fifths of a liter of clear water”, traditional Alchemy is “a nearly full wooden bowl”, and if it were converted to Divination Study, it would become “a half-cup of water guided by intuition”.
Yet, the nameless lady’s madness surprisingly complemented Divination Study well. At least during this class, Lu Li didn’t peruse books he brought.
After the Divination class ended, Lu Li proceeded to the Botany class and participated for half a session, then, after nearly a half-hour break, entered the Alchemy class.
This was the last class of the morning.
A cauldron and Alchemical Materials were set up on the podium, similarly equipped with over a dozen Alchemy Stands in the front two rows.
Usually, the practical session of Alchemy chooses students to accompany the concoction — requiring Level 1 Alchemy, which obviously did not include Lu Li.
“Today, we will make a basic auxiliary potion, the Dream Elixir. Its effect is ‘to have a good dream’,” Professor Rubacher explained as he performed the Alchemy steps and added materials, then stepped off the podium to guide the students conducting the Alchemy.
“The flame is too large… Vinson, you forgot the Toad’s Claw… too many impurities, Dorothee, you added too much Revival Meat…”
Of the fourteen Alchemy Stands, aside from two students who failed by misremembering experimental steps and accidentally overturning their cauldrons, all other students produced finished products.
Once the warm potion was poured into glass vials, Professor Rubacher lined them up on the podium and advised, “We all know that Alchemical Elixirs require a qualification rate of 30% to be considered a successful concoction. For the Level 2 Alchemy trial, the basic potion must reach a qualification rate of over 50% to pass.”
Professor Rubacher’s eyes briefly lingered on Lu Li before he began evaluating the students’ potions, “Hmm… Robert and Vinson, your potions have too many impurities, with a qualification rate below 20%, drinking them might lead to not-so-good dreams~”
Amid laughter, Robert and Vinson lowered their heads in shame.
“The best effect is from Montrettie’s potion, I believe it has about a 60% qualification rate…” Professor Rubacher lifted a potion that looked like murky sewage, yet no sediment was visible. “Almost no visible impurities, Mr. Montrettie, if your other potions are at this level, I can congratulate you in advance for advancing to Level 2 in Alchemy.”
“Now, it’s time to taste the potions—”
Professor Rubacher selected several students from the front row to taste the potions, including Lu Li, to whom he gave the 60% qualification rate Dream Elixir.
“You need a good rest, Mr. Lu Li.”
“Thank you.”
Lu Li drank the potion, the grassy taste was followed by the bitterness of almond as the flavor spread on his taste buds, growing stronger and heavier…
“Ugh—”
Other students taking the potion retched from the bitterness.
Other students poured water into their mouths and then spat it out along with what they had swallowed.
“Because Wormwood was added to the Dream Elixir, drinking more water will only increase the bitterness, only milk and dairy products can eliminate the bitter taste.” Professor Rubacher’s laughter echoed in the classroom.
At that moment, a milk candy was placed in Lu Li’s palm.
Professor Rubacher winked at him, “Please pass the Level 1 Alchemy as soon as possible, I can’t wait to see you shine at the Alchemy Stand.”