Became a Childhood Friend of an Academy Genius

19 – Outdoor Exploration

The day of external exploration for 1st grade C class.

A murmur grew among the cadets who had gathered in one corner of the campus to check the number of people.

Their attention was focused on a man protruding like an angular stone outside the line.

He had black hair and a somewhat rough appearance, but some people already knew his name.

Since the first day of admission, he was a cadet who was a hot topic for both good and bad reasons.

“Before exploring the Wizard’s Forest, let me introduce you to someone you will spend two days with. Everyone concentrate.”

“Yes!”

Wilhelm, a male professor with a rather strict impression and the homeroom professor of Class C, clapped his hands and drew attention.

Actually, even if we didn’t go this far, the eyes had already gathered.

He cleared his throat once and gently pushed forward on the back of Namsaengdo standing next to him.

It was an unspoken request to introduce yourself.

“I’m Bel Dinaur from Class E. He has a lot of curiosity about external exploration, so he used a tour ticket to find out in advance, and I’ll take care of you for two days.”

Clap clap.

Applause, not very sincere, resounded.

Excluding the applause from just one person, to be more precise.

“Cadet Elua?”

“Yes, professor.”

Lorne, who was looking at Bell with a fuss, calmly stepped forward at the sudden professor’s call.

“I heard that the two are childhood friends. So that you can help the Dinaur cadets as a team during the expedition outside.”

“Okay!”

Rone, who always showed a calm appearance in the classroom, replied with a high tension.

It’s just funny that he tried not to show it as much as possible.

Before long, Bell left Wilhelm’s side and approached Lone’s side.

Immediately, her mouth dropped open and she looked at her bell with her honey dripping eyes.

“Bell. Are you really here?”

Although she had heard of it beforehand, she did not know that it would be possible to really participate in Class C’s outside exploration, so Lorne’s joy was not tarnished.

“Then did you think it was a lie?”

“A little bit? Heh.”

Seeing Lorne fooling around innocently, Bell felt a bit nasty.

This side is preoccupied with worrying about Barter’s appearance.

Because the other side is just laughing as if they are going on a picnic with their childhood friends.

But looking at that smile, it feels like my tense mind is a little relieved.

Wouldn’t it be more grateful if you could smile like that naturally after this incident is over?

“What is that bastard pretending to know Elua?”

“Not Nandle.”

“It’s a childhood friend. Damn. The world is filthy unfair.”

“My words. I don’t know why God didn’t give me a childhood friend like that.”

I tried to ignore the jealous voices of the men behind me.

Bell got on the carriage that arrived soon after with Lorne.

It will take some time to reach the Wizard’s Forest, northwest of here.

Meanwhile, as she thought of joining in with Lorne’s chatter, Bell felt that she was already exhausted.

* * * *

Wizard’s Forest.

Some call it the Forest of Spirits, this Great Forest is located in the northwest of Delos Academy Island.

Basically, because of the dense forest, there is not much sunlight here.

Moreover, even within the island, it is a place that has built its own ecosystem to such an extent that it rains only in this area, so it is virtually no different from a wetland.

Therefore, upon stepping into this place, visitors are greeted with the smell of wet grass right after rain.

While riding in the carriage like that, Professor Wilhelm was reciting brief information about the Wizard’s Forest.

Looking around, I asked the most important question.

“Does anyone know why this place is called the Wizard’s Forest?”

It was a female student with light green hair and a bright impression who raised her hand proudly.

“Yes! I know!”

“Good. Sistine Cadet. Let me tell you.”

Enya Sistina is so good at all sorts of information that she is called a walking miscellaneous dictionary among friends she has become close with over the past month.

At her appearance, there was an outpouring of ‘Oh!’ Reactions from the people around her.

Wilhelm also nodded his head with an expression of high anticipation because he knew this side of his student.

Enya confidently opened her mouth at his nod, which seemed to encourage her to speak.

“Because of the existence of Astesia, the archmage who lived alone in this forest before the academy was established.”

“Yes. Do you know anything else?”

“Yes. The sorceress Astasia said that she wanted to leave evidence that she was alive in this forest, so she filled a special flower with the essence of her magical power she had gathered before she died and left. That’s why it is now called the ‘Blessing of Astesia,’ a flower that blooms only once every 10 years.”

Pair. Match. Pair.

A neat answer that seems to have literally copied the words written in the book.

In response, Professor Wilhelm gave a short round of applause and added an explanation.

“It is as you say. And it has become customary for the academy to bring Astesia’s blessing to freshmen who entered the academy every 10 years when they go on an outside expedition.”

Astesia’s blessing is not just an ordinary flower.

A legendary potion made from the spirit of the forest that has been stored for 10 years and the essence of magical power left by the great wizard during his lifetime.

In fact, it is said that through Astesia’s blessing, the previous emperor, Tristan Arcadia, was able to escape from what was said to be an incurable disease.

‘That’s not all of the problem.’

Bell’s eyes narrowed as he listened to their conversation from the side of the carriage.

The information they recited a moment ago is not wrong.

However, that is only publicly known external information.

Actually, Astesia’s blessing is effective as a medicine, but it’s safe to say that the vast magic power contained in it is truly worth it.

He deserves it, mana has long been a source of power that spreads not only to humans, but also to nature, animals, and spirits.

Astesia’s blessing is because it is a seed and a flower that sprouted in the center of the forest where everything is preserved by attracting the surrounding magic power.

That’s why the magic contained within it has a gigantic size that is hard to imagine in the human realm.

In the original work, this is also the reason why Barter, a member of the followers, tried to take it with an evil spell.

The master worshiped by his followers, and the source of evil that was eventually stopped by the Sword Saint and imprisoned for eternity. ‘Algeros’.

In order to awaken him again, he needed the essence of untainted magical power, and the most suitable target for it was Astesia’s blessing.

‘In the end, Satan will rise again because I can’t deal with it.’

Recalling the original story, Bell licked her lips.

Of course, at the time of the Wizard’s Forest episode, Aden succeeded in stopping Barter and succeeded in bringing Astesia’s blessing to the academy.

However, while I was defenselessly storing it because I had no use for it right away.

This news reaches the ears of the followers, leading them to attack the academy.

A sigh escaped Belle’s mouth as she remembered that fact.

“Whoa.”

“Bell. What’s the matter? Are you getting motion sickness?”

Recognizing that his expression was unusual, Lone asked about the status of the car to check.

For some reason, the closer he got to the wizard’s forest, the darker the shadow over his face.

“I see. It’s a bit dizzy.”

She tried to smile, but Belle wished she had motion sickness.

If you get motion sickness, just sleep and wake up and it will be gone.

On the other hand, the incident he is worried about will not disappear when he wakes up, but will be in front of his eyes, so it is very hopeless.

Hearing his answer, Lone rolled his foot, not knowing what to do.

At this time, a male student overheard the conversation between the two and turned his head.

“Eat at least this if you get motion sickness. Did you say Bel Denauer?”

He was an impressive man with red hair and a rather thin face line, and he was carrying a bag that was a bit bigger than the others.

He took out something from there and found a round ring in his hand.

Bell could intuitively tell that it was effective against motion sickness.

“Ah, thank you. But the name… ?”

“Aldrick Vilmayr. He’s from a commoner’s family, and he’s not giving it to you for trouble, so you can eat it with confidence.”

With a mischievous smile, Aldrick waved both hands to accept it.

It’s not that I’m particularly sick with motion sickness, but I’ve always refused to give it anyway, so Bell took it and put it straight into her mouth.

“Oh, it’s very bitter.”

“Then the medicine is bitter or sweet?”

Aldrick was busy giggling as Bell’s impression of the green ring was crumpled.

Rone, who was watching this, rummaged in his pockets with his eyes shining that he had a good idea.

What came out of there was none other than a small package of yellow candy.

I brought it to eat when I was bored while exploring the forest, but Lorne held it out to Bell.

“Bell. I have candy, would you like some of this?”

“I’d like to say I’m Anya, but…. Thanks. I’ll eat well.”

Bell quickly opened the candy she handed her and put it into her mouth.

When I felt the sour lemon scent and the unique taste of sweet candy, I felt my tongue stretch out again.

Before long, as Bell was rolling her candy around in her mouth, she could see the entrance to the forest approaching before she knew it.

“Shouldn’t it have been faster?”

Looking at that scene, Aldrick studied Bell’s complexion with a shy smile.

Only then did he not see the effect of the motion sickness medicine for less than ten minutes.

Given the time taken for the drug to be absorbed into the body, it is safe to say that it was virtually meaningless.

“It’s okay. Rather fortunate.”

Still, Bell shook her head slightly, saying she didn’t care.

It calmed the beating of my heart, which started to speed up as I got closer to the forest.

‘It would be nice if this case could be solved this easily.’

At most, like the bitter aftertaste of a medicine that disappeared with just one piece of candy.

I want to easily solve the Wizard’s Forest incident and return to the academy.

That was his biggest wish now.