Chapter 141: The Price of Growth

"Weather Vane Blue Grass" was both a learning material for the miracle and a casting material, though each casting only required a small amount of the plant's extract as a diluent.

"This plant from the Old Continent went extinct hundreds of years ago. The Academy of Chemistry has an artificial nursery, but the next harvest isn't until two years from now. You're quite lucky."

Professor Garcia said.

"Quite lucky? So, a whole season takes..."

Xia De pulled his thoughts back from the doctor's situation and looked at the professor.

"About thirty years. You just happened to hit the twenty-eighth year; you really are quite lucky. The growth cycle of this peculiar plant isn't very short. You might not be aware, but generally speaking, the plant materials used by Ring Mages don't flower and fruit once a year."

Xia De somehow thought of the story of the monkey and the peaches. He shook his head to refocus his scattered thoughts, and the professor laughed:

"No more jokes. Although the plant is extinct in the Old Continent, the New Continent has this strange plant. The academy has already gone through channels to retrieve it, and it should be sent to you in about a month."

"Alright then."

Although Xia De was a bit disappointed, he accepted the fact; he could wait a month.

Since he had chosen his miracles, he wanted to return the library catalog, but the professor told him to keep it for a week and return it together with Miss Anate, so he wouldn't have to spend too much time thinking during his next selection.

That was the reward the academy gave Xia De, and as the teacher guiding Xia De's courses, Professor Garcia was very satisfied with the young detective, believing he had a bright future.

Therefore, Professor Garcia was personally willing to provide help for his studies:

"In August, I will be teaching an elective course called 'Folded Space,' which mainly covers large-scale ritual Labyrinths and rare miracle Labyrinths. Although such rituals are very complex and impossible to use below the Tenth Ring, listening to it will be very helpful for your future studies. The specific time for the course hasn't been set yet, but you will be notified when it is."

This was equivalent to opening an elective course to Xia De for free. Xia De immediately wanted to thank him, but was stopped by Professor Garcia:

"I value your talent, Mr. Hamilton. You have only just begun your path as a Ring Ringed Ringed Shushi, and I hope that one day, I will be able to see you in the academy. I believe that day will come."

"Since we are on the subject, Professor Garcia, may I apply to view the academy's 'Codex of Sublimation' in advance?"

Xia De asked cautiously. Professor Garcia was not surprised, but stroked his chin and asked:

"The reason? Why apply in advance?"

"Because I believe my progress might be relatively fast."

"Hmm... very well. After you return, write an application report and submit it directly through that sheet of poetry paper. If the application is approved, you will have the result next Saturday. Although the advancement of ordinary Ring Mages is slow, some people are indeed gifted. However, be aware that promotion does not mean you have mastered the power; the study of miracles requires time."

Professor Garcia gave his warning, and Xia De immediately indicated that he understood.

Besides these matters, Professor Garcia also asked on behalf of the Student Affairs Office about Doctor Schneider's performance in the Lakeview Manor incident.

The doctor had not distorted his experience in his report, so Xia De had nothing to add. As for the smell of sulfur he had detected, he did not mention it.

In fact, even Professor Garcia did not care about this matter; he was not from the Student Affairs Office. He even quietly told Xia De not to take this task so seriously, that he should prioritize his Ring Ringed Ringed Shushi studies, and if he encountered danger, he should just run. Professor Sanchez's tasks could be handled by periodically writing a report saying everything was fine.

It seemed that at Saint Byron's Comprehensive Academy, both students and professors were very adept at writing reports to deal with things.

Before Professor Garcia left, Xia De did not forget to ask about the three wishes. The story had been resolved, and now he needed to resolve growth and power:

"Professor, is there any way for an ordinary person, perhaps a child, to suddenly possess power without having to pay a price... or at least not too high a price?"

"Have you encountered something strange?"

Professor Garcia asked, but did not press further. Correspondence Ring Mages always encountered many things; this was part of growing up:

"Not really. Power always comes with a price. The price paid by Ring Mages is the 'other self' that accompanies them for life and the risk of losing control at any time. If you really encounter something strange, let the Ring Mages in your group handle it; it might be a strange relic losing control."

Xia De nodded and asked again:

"Then, is there any way to make a child suddenly grow up?"

"Of course there is, but if there are no side effects, it can only achieve short-term physical growth. Many potions can achieve similar effects."

The professor thought for a moment:

"Take a pen and record this; here is the formula for the potion."

Xia De took out the notebook he carried with him, and the pointed-eared professor dictated:

"5 ounces of Nine-Star Needle Flower stamen, nine drops of genetic material from a Barefoot Fire Ape, 2 units each of feces and saliva from an adult Fire-Tongue Sheep, juice from two live Star-Jumping Worms preserved at a constant temperature, any amount of earwax, eye gunk, hair, and blood from three ordinary people of different genders and ages, and 3 units of green phlegm from a hybrid of a horse and a donkey. Prepare the potion using spoiled, sour milk, adding the ingredients in the order I say, stirring clockwise for 3 weeks after each addition—no more, no less. Do not prepare it in an environment where the temperature is below freezing, or it will explode... oh, don't forget to add some honey."

"Honey?"

Xia De, head bowed as he recorded, asked in surprise, feeling his stomach churn uncomfortably.

"Yes. The name of the potion is 'The Price of Growth.' Prepared in the amounts I said, it should be effective for about ten minutes. If you don't add honey, just think about these materials, and then think about the taste..."

Professor Garcia shrugged:

"You wouldn't want to know. These materials are relatively common; you can ask that Priest Ao Gu Si to help make it. Isn't he from the Academy of Chemistry?"

"Yes. Actually, I feel like adding honey would make the taste even stranger."

Xia De nodded, but he didn't know if potions or their raw materials could be brought into the past, or if these things counted as "supernatural items," which was hard to define. But asking Priest Ao Gu Si to help configure and prepare the extra materials was simple enough. He could try carrying the raw materials and the finished potion; even if that didn't work, perhaps that Saint could provide the materials.

"I have high hopes for you, Mr. Hamilton. If you want to conduct another time exploration, remember to report it to the academy first."

Professor Garcia prepared to leave. His warning reminded Xia De that although the Fifth Era-1068 key in his hand hadn't been completed, perhaps there were other ways to get a time key.

He could take the opportunity to go to another point in the past and test whether the ancient god's quest he encountered was a low-probability event, or if he would really be watched by that ancient god of time every single time.

It was just that the Academy of History recommended that the frequency of time exploration should not exceed once a month, so Xia De couldn't get a new key from the academy for now.

After seeing Professor Garcia off, Xia De went to the second-floor reception room to continue the conversation.

During Xia De's conversation with Professor Garcia, Doctor Schneider, who had been wearing pajamas, had also changed his clothes. He now looked quite healthy, showing no signs of the man who had been on the verge of death just a few hours ago.

As soon as Xia De pushed open the door, he heard the doctor enthusiastically delivering a "speech" about how to use the 1000 pounds of funds. He didn't know if it was the academy's potion that was too potent, or if the 1000 pounds were just that powerful, but the doctor's spirit was simply ecstatic:

"Xia De, is your business over? Sit down quickly."

The blue-eyed psychologist greeted Xia De with a smile and asked if Xia De had anything he needed to buy from the Saint Byron's library. After receiving a negative answer, the doctor slapped his own thigh:

"Look, none of us need to buy anything right now, and this money is valid until the end of this year, and no one needs to pay tuition, so we should withdraw all of this money."

"Can that be done?"

Xia De asked curiously, sitting next to Priest Ao Gu Si.

"Of course."

Priest Ao Gu Si stroked his chin, his eyes narrowing slightly:

"But it requires some technique."

"There will also be some losses."

Miss Lu Lu Lu Yisha also said. It seemed they hadn't done this for the first time.

"How much of the 1000 pounds can be withdrawn?"

Xia De asked again, planning his expenses in his mind.

This time it was Miss Anate who gave the answer. The sorceress was good at divining the future, but she was also short on money:

"Different methods have different speeds and reliability. We prefer to be safer, withdrawing about 200 pounds a month over half a year. In this way, we can get about 910 pounds out of the 1000."

Although losing a tenth was painful, this figure was quite impressive. Compared to the high consumption at the academy, even with the losses, withdrawing it was worth it.

"You really have your ways."

Xia De couldn't help but feel admiration. The old priest patted Xia De on the shoulder, looking sentimental:

"Young man, sooner or later, you will have your own ways too."

The withdrawal of the 1000 pounds would be handled by the doctor, completed in about four installments. Correspondingly, each time the money was received, Xia De, Miss Anate, Doctor Schneider, Miss Lu Lu Lu Yisha, and Priest Ao Gu Si would split it in a ratio of 2.5:2.5:2:1.5:1.5.

Xia De and Miss Anate got more because the former had taken care of Lady Lasoya, and the latter had destroyed the node of the evil god's descent. The doctor got 0.5 more because he was the one handling the operation.

No one had any objections to this way of splitting the money, and the doctor indicated that the first installment should be received in the latter part of this month.

Thinking about it this way, Xia De could probably benefit about 220 pounds from this 1000 pounds. Adding the reward he got from Miss Miss Jia Lin Na and the money in Detective Schluch Lake's wallet, in just two weeks, Xia De had steadily moved from being a man who had to collect relief food when he first arrived in this world to the middle class... provided he won the card game on Sunday and got the job Miss Miss Jia Lin Na introduced that didn't require manual labor. ===== CHAPTER 142 =====