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"Davian, you want me to ride on your back?"
"Yeah. It'll be easier to use detoxification magic that way. Since we're stuck together."
"W-Well, yeah, but... What if I'm too heavy?"
"What are you talking about? I've carried Latia twice, and she wasn't heavy at all."
Luna's eyes widened.
"You carried Latia twice? Besides when we were climbing Mount Fenon?"
"Yeah. I bet you're lighter than Latia, Luna. You're shorter, after all. Ah, not that I'm teasing you."
That wasn't important to Luna anymore.
"On Mount Fenon, Latia was too tired, so I guess it couldn't be helped... But when was the other time? When did you carry her?"
The Mount Fenon Latia piggyback incident.
Davian had carried Latia up the mountain when she was too exhausted.
It was a memory Luna greatly regretted.
Unlike Latia, who looked like she was about to collapse, she resented her own perfectly fine legs.
She even considered stopping taking the energy tonics, thinking it was all because of them.
But they were medicine made with Davian, and he had earnestly asked her to take one every month, so she couldn't not take them.
'So that wasn't the first time? No wonder she wrapped her arms around him so naturally after getting on his back.'
On the other hand, Davian suddenly couldn't remember when Luna asked.
He remembered carrying her twice, but when was the first time...?
"It was at night... When was it? I don't really remember."
"A, at night?"
Luna started to fidget.
"When was it? Why did you carry her? Think fast."
"Why would I carry her? Because I needed to, I guess... Ah! I remember. When we went to find the Stone of Enlightenment. I carried her so we could get through the forest area quickly. Nubes carried Liber too."
"Hmph..."
She felt relieved for now.
If it was then, Nubes and Liber would have been with them, and they would have needed to move quickly to go secretly at night, so there was a good reason to carry her.
In other words, it wasn't an incident involving any other emotions.
However.
Her relief was fleeting.
The fact remained that Latia had been carried by Davian twice.
'I'm the one who's always been by his side since the entrance ceremony.'
Luna made up her mind.
"Okay! Carry me, Davian. The closer our bodies are, the better. That way, the detoxification magic will be more effective for both of us."
That was a lie.
The effect was the same as long as they were within a 2-meter radius.
"Alright, Luna. Let's try again. Just like during our entrance exam."
"Yeah!"
"It's different from the hydra. We have to use the detoxification magic continuously, not sporadically. Tell me in advance if it looks like it'll be hard to keep the detoxification magic going. We'll have to get out of the poisonous mist right away then."
"Okay, I understand. I should be able to maintain it for about 10 minutes."
"Alright. That's enough for now."
Davian offered his back.
Luna jumped and clung to Davian's back.
His back was hard from the minor muscles developed while distributing mana points to external forces, but Luna thought Davian's back was really cozy.
"Here we go! Hold on tight!"
"Yeah!"
As Davian and Luna got closer, the catoblepas raised their claws.
Soon after.
Whoosh, puff.
With rough breaths, green mist spread from their mouths.
The concentration was so thick that the surrounding area was quickly filled with poisonous smoke.
Luna cast the detoxification magic.
Blue light emanated from Luna's hands, enveloping Luna and Davian's bodies.
Meanwhile, Davian shot a wind element magic at the first catoblepas.
Swoosh.
The sharp wind element magic flew through the green mist.
Thwack!
It left a deep wound on the neck of one of the catoblepas.
Green blood splattered everywhere.
'Their hide is thicker than I thought!'
It was a wind element magic aimed at cutting off its neck in one go.
But it only left a large laceration and dissipated into the air.
Then fire element magic this time.
Whoosh.
Boom!
The fireball that flew at another catoblepas exploded with a loud noise.
Whirr.
Its hide was too thick to blow it up in one shot, but it seemed vulnerable to fire attribute defense, and its whole body was soon engulfed in flames.
'This is a bit better.'
Meanwhile, he arrived right in front of the catoblepas that he had initially launched the wind element magic at.
Slash!
He swung the ice sword with force.
A clean sword path.
Unnecessary movements were eliminated.
Thud.
The ice sword, which entered exactly where the wind element magic had cut, succeeded in separating the catoblepas's neck from its body.
"Okay. You can release the detoxification magic now, Luna."
"Okay. Good job, Davian."
"You too, Luna."
Davian and Luna came out of the green mist emitted by the catoblepas.
All twelve catoblepas had been defeated.
In Davian's hand was a long sword with a unique shape.
It was the tenth trace.
Luna pointed to the blood-red blade.
"The demons' swords have unique shapes."
"Yeah. But Luna."
"Yeah?"
"Don't you think you should get down now?"
"Huh? Ah!"
Luna jumped off Davian's back.
"Are we leaving now?"
"No. Let's wait here until the poisonous mist disappears."
The green mist emitted by the catoblepas was gradually dissipating as it spread into the air.
"What about after waiting?"
"The grass that the catoblepas were eating earlier. We need to dig some of that up."
"Grass? What are you going to use the Demon Realm's grass for?"
"Luna, don't you know? That's venenum grass."
Luna's eyes widened.
"Venenum grass?"
"You know what it is, right?"
"Yeah! I've seen it in books. If you refine poison with magic, it becomes a precious medicinal herb!"
Catoblepas only eat poisonous plants.
Venenum grass is one of the poisonous herbs that catoblepas enjoy eating.
"Actually, it's not refining the poison."
"Yeah! That's right. I heard it's transforming the poison. To only act on specific diseases."
Not all diseases can be cured with healing magic.
Especially diseases like cancer, there's no way to deal with them with magic.
If you apply healing magic to cancer patients, it will result in promoting the proliferation of cancer cells.
Of course, the magicians here don't even have knowledge of abnormal proliferation cells.
They've only realized through experience that they should never cast healing magic on cancer patients.
And this venenum grass.
It is a targeted anticancer drug that finds and kills only specific proliferation cells.
It also has excellent effects.
It is truly a miraculous herb.
"Are you going to donate it to the Royal Medical Center? Amazing... Davian. To even think of such a great idea."
"What are you talking about."
"Huh?"
"Why would I donate this?"
"Then?"
"Do you know how much this sells for? I have to sell it."
"Ah..."
He just happened to need money.
And Davian knew where to sell the venenum grass.
'It's not just making money, I could carry an entire marquis family on my back.'
5 days later.
The last day of August and the end of summer vacation.
The Gray Bear Exploration Team, which had found up to the eleventh trace, carefully placed the traces in a dedicated warehouse set up at the Academy.
"It's a shame. We only need to find one more."
"Finding eleven is good enough. Vacation is only five weeks long."
Davian nodded at Velum's words.
In fact, it can be said to be a tremendous achievement.
It's only the end of the first year's summer vacation.
They succeeded in collecting 11 out of the 12 traces of the Archmage.
All that remains is the last 12th trace.
They will be able to complete this event during September using the weekends.
It is a great improvement compared to the 3rd playthrough, where he could only find half of them until he was a 6th grader.
Davian was already wondering what kind of item with a rarity of ★★★★★ would be.
Liber, who was the last to close the warehouse door, stretched out languidly.
"Ah, tomorrow is the start of the semester. Vacation is so short."
Velum nodded.
"I know. It's such a shame. It was the most thrilling month of my life. The showdown with Leonel, the expedition to find the remaining traces. I really felt like an adventurer. I'll never forget this summer vacation."
Davian chuckled.
Chuckle.
It was a laugh that came out without him realizing it.
Velum immediately flared up.
"Why? What? Why are you laughing? Davian?"
"No, it's because you're cute."
"Suddenly? What did you eat wrong? I never thought I'd hear you say I'm cute?"
There was no other meaning.
He was just dumbfounded by the fact that he would never forget this summer vacation.
'I don't even know how many memorable events will unfold in the future.'
Starting with the friendly match with Kanzar Academy as soon as the semester starts.
"It's late. Let's all go back to the dormitory and get some rest. We have to take classes again from tomorrow morning."
Unlike the large-scale vacation ceremony where all grades gathered in the common space and even Chancellor Hugo Molton came out, Elton Academy does not hold a separate opening ceremony.
The vacation ceremony actually had more of a meaning of completing the semester.
Completing each semester at Elton Academy is a meaningful thing.
On the other hand, they don't give much meaning to the opening of the semester.
It's just that the vacation is over and a new semester naturally begins.
The Gray Bear Exploration Team began walking towards the dormitory building.
"We have a common subject class right away in the morning, right? I'll see Professor Matteo after a long time."
"Well, it's actually more of an opening ceremony and homework check than a class."
"Liber, is the assignment going well?"
Vacation group project.
The group project of the Gray Bear Exploration Team, which was launched before the vacation ceremony, naturally became 'Finding the 12 Traces of the Archmage'.
The Gray Bear Exploration Team decided that each of the six members would organize the contents of the exploration of six traces, and Liber would compile this and complete the report for submission.
"Yeah. I'm done organizing up to the tenth trace. I just need to organize the contents of the eleventh trace that I got today."
Nubes asked.
"I'm in charge of organizing the contents of the eleventh trace. What should I do, Liber? Tomorrow is the due date for the assignment."
"Don't worry, Nubes. I'll just do the eleventh trace contents organization. It doesn't take me long to do it. I'll organize everything tonight and submit the report tomorrow, so don't worry."
Velum poked Liber's arm.
"Oh, Chatterbox. There are times like this when you're so reliable?"
"I didn't do much while searching for the traces. You guys did all the hard work. I just know how to read a lot of books, and I don't really have anything I'm good at, so I'll take charge of organizing the assignment. I'll make the best report, so look forward to it."
It wasn't just Velum who felt that Liber was reliable.
Now that everyone knows Liber's abilities, no one is worried about the report.
On the way back to the dormitory.
Velum asked.
"Hey, Chatterbox. Don't we have a big event when the second semester starts? What was it?"
"Ah, the friendly match?"
"That's right! The friendly match."
Nubes, who had a look of not having heard of it before, turned his head.
"Friendly match?"
"Ugh, don't you know the academic schedule at all? Didn't you see the booklet that was handed out at the entrance ceremony?"
Nubes scratched the back of his head.
"I tend to forget things quickly..."
Liber came to the front and turned around, walking backwards.
Liber was the only one facing all of his friends.
"I'll explain it to you. What a friendly match is. Elton Academy and Kanzar Academy. The freshmen of the two academies have a friendly match every fall. This is the 34th year since this friendly match was created."
Luna asked.
"But why only freshmen? Doesn't Kanzar Academy have up to 5th graders?"
"Ah, that's because. The level difference between the two academies is too great."
"Level difference?"
"Think about it. The prestige of Elton Academy, which is considered the best on the continent. And the admission cut-off to get here. In fact, the friendly match between freshmen always ends with a landslide victory for Elton Academy. But if you go up to 2nd and 3rd grade? The gap only widens."
"Ah... So that's why only freshmen have a friendly match?"
"Yeah. But as I said just now, it's just one of the new traditions. The game is not actually possible because the entrance cut-off is too different from the start."
Velum nodded.
"It's bad for the Kanzar Academy kids... Is this a friendly match to boost the morale of our Elton Academy freshmen?"
"Kanzar Academy created a friendly match with the intention of surpassing our Elton Academy. But they haven't won even once in 33 years."
But this year is different.
Of course, it is a fact that only Davian of the 4th playthrough knows.
"Prepare thoroughly."
Bonita turned her head to look at Davian.
"Does that mean to win more overwhelmingly than ever before?"
Davian slowly shook his head.
"No. Prepare thoroughly if you don't want to get your ass kicked."
Liber shrugged his shoulders.
"What does that mean, Davian? We're going to get our asses kicked? By the Kanzar Academy kids?"
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