"Weather Vane Blue Grass" is both a learning material for thaumaturgy and a material for casting spells, but each spell only requires a diluent of some plant extract.
"This plant became extinct in the Old World hundreds of years ago. The School of Chemistry has a nursery where it is artificially grown, but the next harvest will not be until two years from now. You're lucky."
Professor Garcia said.
"Good luck? So, the whole season will be..."
Shad's thoughts were pulled back from the doctor's matter and he looked at the professor.
"About thirty years. You just happened to encounter the twenty-eighth year. You are really lucky. The growth cycle of this strange plant is not very long. You may not know much about it. Generally speaking, the plant materials used by ring magicians do not bloom and bear fruit once a year."
Somehow, Shade thought of the story of the monkey and the peach. He shook his head to focus his scattered thoughts again. The professor smiled and said:
"No kidding. Although the plants in the Old World are extinct, there are such exotic plants in the New World. The academy has already obtained them through channels, and they will be delivered to you next month."
"Oh well."
Although Xia De was a little disappointed, he accepted the fact that he could still wait for a month.
Now that he had chosen his thaumaturgy, he wanted to return the library catalog, but the professor told him to look at it on his own for a week and return it with Miss Anat, so that he wouldn't have to think too long the next time he made his choice.
The above is the reward given to Shad by the academy. As the teacher who guides Shad in the courses, Professor Garcia is very satisfied with the young detective and believes that he has a bright future.
Therefore, Professor Garcia personally offered to help him with his studies:
"In August, I will have an elective course called 'Folding Space', which will focus on large ritual mysteries and rare thaumaturgical mysteries. Although this ritual is very complicated and cannot be used by those below the tenth ring, it will be very helpful for your future studies to listen to it. The specific time for the course has not yet been determined, and I will notify you when the time comes."
This was equivalent to opening an elective course to Shade for free. Shade wanted to thank him immediately, but was stopped by Professor Garcia:
"I am impressed by your talent, Mr. Hamilton. You have just started on the path of a ring wizard. I hope to see you in the academy one day. I believe that day will come."
"Since we are talking about this, Professor Garcia, can I apply to see the academy's "Code of Ascension" in advance?"
Xia De asked cautiously. Professor Garcia was not surprised. Instead, he stroked his chin and asked:
"Why? Why do you need to apply in advance?"
"Because I think my progress might be faster."
"Well... OK, write an application report when you go back and submit it directly from your poem manuscript page. If your application is approved, you will get the result next Saturday. Although the general ring sorcerers advance very slowly, some people are just talented. But please note that promotion does not mean that you have mastered the power. The study of thaumaturgy takes time."
Professor Garcia gave a warning, and Shad immediately said he understood.
In addition to these things, Professor Garcia also asked Dr. Schneider about his performance in the Lake View Manor incident on behalf of the Student Affairs Office.
The doctor had not misrepresented his experience in his report, so Shade had nothing to say. As for the sulphurous smell he had detected, he did not mention it.
In fact, even Professor Garcia didn't care about this matter, as he was not from the Student Affairs Office. He even quietly told Shade that he didn't need to take this task so seriously, and that he should focus on his studies as a ring wizard, and just run away if he encountered danger. Professor Sanchez's task was to write a regular report saying that everything was fine.
It seems that St. Byron's College, whether students or professors, are very good at writing reports to deal with things.
Before Professor Garcia left, Shad did not forget to ask about the three wishes. The story had been solved, and now he needed to solve growth and strength:
"Professor, is there a way to allow an ordinary person, perhaps a child, to suddenly have power without paying a price... a price that is too high?"
"Did anything strange happen to you?"
Professor Garcia asked, but didn't ask too much. Correspondence ring sorcerers always encounter many things. This is part of growing up:
"No, power comes at a price. The price a ring wizard pays is the 'other self' that accompanies him throughout his life and the risk of losing control at any time. If you really encounter something strange, let the ring wizards in your group deal with it. Maybe it's a strange relic that has lost control."
Xia De nodded and asked:
"So, is there a way to make a child suddenly grow up?"
"Of course, but if there are no side effects, then it can only achieve short-term physical growth. Many drugs can achieve similar effects."
The professor thought for a moment:
"Take a pen and write it down. This is the formula of the potion."
Xia De took out the notebook he carried with him from his pocket, and the professor with pointed ears dictated:
"Five ounces of Nine-Star Needle Flower stamens, nine drops of Barefoot Fire Ape genetic material, two gl each of feces and saliva from an adult Flametongue Sheep, two live Springtails squeezed and stored at a constant temperature, any amount of earwax, eye mucus, hair, and blood from three normal people of different genders and ages, and three gl of green phlegm from a hybrid of a horse and a donkey. Use spoiled and sour milk to prepare the potion, adding it in the order I mentioned, stirring clockwise for three weeks after each addition. You can add more, but not less. Don't prepare it in an environment where the temperature is below freezing, otherwise it will explode... Oh, don't forget to add some honey."
"Honey?"
Xia De, who was recording with his head down, asked in surprise, feeling very uncomfortable in his stomach.
"Yes, the name of the potion is The Price of Growth. According to the amount I specified, it will take about ten minutes to take effect. If you don't add honey, think about these ingredients and the taste..."
Professor Garcia shrugged:
"You don't want to know. These materials are relatively common. You can ask that Augustus priest to help you make them. Isn't he from the School of Chemistry?"
"Yes. In fact, I think it tastes even weirder with honey."
Shade nodded, but he didn't know whether potions or the raw materials of potions could be brought into the past. It was difficult to define whether these things were "supernatural items". But it was easy to ask priest Augustus to help configure and prepare additional materials. He could try to bring the raw materials and finished potions. Even if that didn't work, maybe the saint could give him the materials.
"I am very optimistic about you, Mr. Hamilton. If you want to conduct another time exploration, remember to report to the academy first."
Professor Garcia was about to leave, but his warning reminded Shade that although the key to the Fifth Era - 1068 in his hand was not yet completed, there might be other ways to get the time key.
He could take this opportunity to go to another point in the past and test the mission of the ancient god he encountered to see whether he had encountered a low-probability event or was really being watched by the ancient god of that time every time.
It’s just that the History Academy recommends that the frequency of time exploration should not exceed once a month, so Shade is currently unable to get a new key from the academy.
After sending Professor Garcia away thoughtfully, Shad went to the second floor reception room to continue the conversation.
While Shade was talking to Professor Garcia, Dr. Schneider, who was originally wearing pajamas, had changed into new clothes. He looked quite healthy now, and it was hard to tell that he was dying a few hours ago.
As soon as Shade opened the door, he heard the doctor excitedly and loudly giving his "speech" on the use of the 1,000 pounds. He didn't know whether it was because the academy's potion was too strong or because the 1,000 pounds was too strong, but the doctor was now in a state of excitement:
"Shad, are you done with your business? Sit down."
The blue-eyed psychiatrist smiled and asked Shade to sit down, then asked if Shade needed to buy any items or knowledge from the St. Byrons Library recently. After receiving a negative answer, the doctor patted his thigh:
"Look, no one wants to buy anything right now, and this money is only valid until the end of this year, and no one will pay tuition, so we have to take out all this money."
“Can you do that?”
Shade asked curiously as he sat next to Priest Augustus.
"sure."
Father Augustus stroked his chin and said, his eyes narrowed slightly:
“But it takes some skill.”
“There will be some losses.”
Miss Louisa also said that it seemed that this was not the first time they had done this.
"How much can you cash out from 1,000 pounds?"
Xia De asked again, planning his expenses in his mind.
This time it was Miss Anat who gave the answer. The sorceress was good at predicting the future, but she was also short of money:
"Different methods have different speeds and reliability. We prefer to be more cautious and withdraw around £200 per month over half a year. In this way, you can get around £910 out of £1,000."
Although the loss was only one-tenth, this number was still quite impressive. Compared to the high expenses in the academy, it was worth it to withdraw the money even if there was a loss.
“You guys are really resourceful.”
Shade could not help but admire him. The old priest patted Shade on the shoulder and said with emotion:
"Young man, sooner or later you will have your own way."
The withdrawal of 1,000 pounds was handled by the doctor in about four times. Accordingly, after each receipt of the money, Shade, Miss Annette, Doctor Schneider, Miss Louisa, and Father Augustus divided the money in the ratio of 2.5:2.5:2:1.5:1.5.
Xia De and Miss Anat got more because the former killed Lady Lazoya and the latter destroyed the ritual node of the evil god's advent. The doctor got 0.5 more because he was the one who handled the money.
No one had any objection to this way of dividing the money, and the doctor said that they would probably be able to get the first payment late this month.
By this calculation, Shad could probably profit about 220 pounds out of the 1,000 pounds. Adding in the reward from Miss Carina and Detective Sparrow's wallet, in just two weeks, Shad went from collecting relief food when he first came to this world to steadily moving towards the middle class... ... provided that he won the card game on Sunday and got the job that Miss Carina introduced that did not require any work.