Chapter 67: Chapter 67: Research, Four Draws, and The
Final Exam_1
Translator: 549690339
The research fell into a deadlock, lasting an agonizing four weeks.
The main problem was the sheer amount of prerequisite knowledge required, without any teacher to teach him and relying purely on self-study, those documents and literature were tough to digest.
So, in frustration, Link decided to temporarily put the pharmacological and potion-related parts of the experiment aside and focused exclusively on studying the various properties of a plant itself by the name of “Glasswort Herb.”
Pomona Sprout’s Talent for Botany really came in handy.
Link tested all the operations that had been or hadn’t been performed on the Silver Star flower, as well as any new Insights that popped up, on the Glasswort Herb.
Some yielded positive results, some had no effect at all, and some even had adverse effects.
The result was that Link had a thorough understanding of the Glasswort Herb, which was rare in the Tudor region.
Unfortunately, the research results couldn’t be published as a “thesis.”
At least not in the short term.
Link really didn’t want to experience having his work taken by others again.
So, his research once again came to a halt.
However, the public critique against Link did not stop, it seemed to grow more intense.
Harold Andrews, hiding behind the scenes, was determined to make things as difficult as possible for Link!
How could anyone tolerate this?
Link had tried to retaliate against Harold Andrews, but before he could start, his plan was disrupted by an Intelligent Law Enforcement Puppet.
So, he had to put his plan of revenge on hold.
Now that the holidays were approaching, Link didn’t believe that Harold Andrews could hide in the academy for a month and a half, so he had already begun to prepare for a thorough revenge!
Before that, he decided not to delay any longer and had his fourth card draw which he could have done a long time ago.
He had delayed it until now because neither “Pomona Sprout’s Talent for Botany” nor “Philius Flitwick’s Talent for Spellcasting” had been fully developed and utilized like the “Mind Closure Technique.”
Drawing another one in a short period of time might not necessarily provide something beneficial to his current predicament, but rather distract him.
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, after all.
Now, after four weeks, both talents had been further developed.
There were definitely opportunities for further development in the future, but this would need time and patience for the gradual improvements.
So, it was about time to spend some money and draw a card again.
“On God’s Body.”
Link cleansed himself, both physically and mentally, muttered the spell, and then said in his heart, “System, draw for me!”
The uncomplicated, effect-free card draw was done in an instant.
The only impact on the real world was that Link’s Magic Stone reserve was reduced by 100.
[Link Grande
Wizard Qualifications: Intermediate fourth rank
Wizard’s Level: Second-rank wizard apprentices
Zero Ring skills: Secondary Misty Rain Technique, Water Ball Spell, Water Shield Spell, Purification Water Spell (Water System), Birth Induction Technique, Withering Spell, Leaf Arrow Spell, Thorn Entanglement (Wood System)
Card package: “Severus Snape’s Magic Apothecary Talent” Talent Card
Used Cards: “Mind Closure Technique” Learning Card, “Pomona Sprout’s Talent for Botany” Talent Card, “Philius Flitwick’s Talent for Spellcasting” Talent Card
Draw count: 0 (1 standard second level Magic Stone)]
Looking at the content on the panel, Link did not know how to express his complex feelings.
If you say that the system is helpful, it timely provided “Severus Snape’s Magic Apothecary Talent” when the research hit a deadlock.
This will undoubtedly greatly enhance Link’s efficiency in self-studying Potion Study and will definitely be very useful in research, development, and potion-making.
However, what the hell is with that rise in price again!
A standard level one Magic Stone is the currency used among mortals and wizard apprentices, while a standard second level Magic Stone is the currency used among official wizards.
The market price for a standard second level Magic Stone is equivalent to a thousand level one Magic Stones.
According to the formula of the system where the cost of the next card draw = current card draw cost *10, it seems that there are no mistakes.
However, when there’s demand, there’s market. No one would exchange a standard second-level Magic Stone for you at a price of one thousand standard first-level Magic Stones.
Basically, it’s around one thousand two hundred standard first-level Magic Stones, and sometimes it even fluctuates a bit more.
“Damn, everything costs money!”
Link couldn’t help but swear at the system again.
A moment later, after Link had settled his emotions, he used the newly acquired Talent Card.
The instantaneous effect, which was identical to the first two Talent Cards he’d used, occurred as expected.
Link felt an immediate improvement in his understanding of the Potion Study knowledge he had struggled to grasp around him.
Subsequent reviews would undoubtedly further improve his understanding.
However, Potion Study, as a major subject, and the Pharmacist, as a popular profession, are obviously not that simple.
Link was still far from a beginner’s level; there was a lot to learn.
Compared with others, what is Link’s advantage?
Of course, it is the super memory given by the “Mind Closure Technique” + the sensitivity to raw material characteristics from “Pomona Sprout’s Botany Talent” + the talent enhancement from “Severus Snape’s Magic Apothecary Talent”.
One could say that most barriers to becoming a Potion Development Specialist and/or a Pharmacist have been removed.
The only things that can stop Link are the advanced knowledge and formula of Potion Study.
And these two obstacles, even if Magic Stones can’t solve them, Academic Points can somewhat overcome them.
Let’s leave it at that for now, no need to overthink it.
With the arrival of the twentieth week, or the last week of the fall semester, something that makes most of the Storm Sea New Blood anxious is about to happen.
The Academy is about to hold final exams!
Everything that happened before the midterm exams started to reappear.
Classrooms in the teaching buildings, reading rooms in the library, everyone was reviewing day and night.
It was chaotic, like a vegetable market.
If Link couldn’t hide in the lab, he wouldn’t have a place to study in peace.
Two days after the campus became noisy, the final exams were held as scheduled on Thursday.
Practical exams were still given first, covering “Botany”, “Zoology”, and “Human Anatomy”.
The content’s coverage, difficulty level, compared to the midterm exams, both had different degrees of worsening.
Most of the New Blood were thoroughly tortured by the test contents.
When they left the examination room, most people were seen with glazed eyes.
The theoretical exam was held on Friday, covering “Math”, “Rune Studies”, “A Brief History of Wizard Civilization”, “An Overview of Mental Power and Meditation”, “The Essence, Origin, and Development of Witchcraft”.
The difference from the midterm exam was the increased weight of “Math” and “Rune Studies”, with the most difficult question appearing in “The Essence, Origin, and Development of Witchcraft”.
There was only one question in “The Essence, Origin, and Development of Witchcraft”, where the examiner required the test-taker to answer the historical evolution of the most classic witchcraft – Spherical Magic, and the characteristics and differences of various elemental Spherical Magic techniques.
If you want to answer this question well, you must set a standard for yourself as if writing an “essay”.
The point of argument must be clear, the evidence must be solid, and the discussion and analysis must be in place.
With the breadth and depth of knowledge this question involves, it wouldn’t be enough to just self-study the textbook. You must have a habit of extracurricular reading materials and literature to be equipped to answer it.
Through this question, combined with various unusual phenomena observed in daily life, Link’s understanding of the Academy became deeper.
The Academy only ever guarantees the lower limit.
To reach the upper limit, whether it is life, learning or combat, the New Blood must explore, touch, and break through.
The Academy should attach great importance to exploration and innovation, but never emphasizes it.
All depends on personal comprehension..