Chapter Content
Chapter 2. The Harmonization Method
Fulan returned to the single dormitory assigned to every apprentice by Cuilan Academy and eagerly took out the silver sheet containing the 【Harmonization Method】.
After skimming through it once, she immediately noticed something new appear under the Skills section of her panel.
【Harmonization Method (Not Initiated) (Proficiency: 0/10): Do you know it? No, you do not.】
At the same time, another prompt appeared.
【Herb Identification and Herb Processing can be fused with the Harmonization Method to form a new skill.】
Fulan’s eyes lit up when she saw the message. So they could fuse and create something new?
Generally speaking, anything formed through fusion would certainly be stronger than the components used to create it. Without hesitation, Fulan began taking out the materials required for practice.
She had spent every last silver coin the original owner possessed to acquire these materials.
She had truly gone all out just to grind her herb-related skills.
While grinding proficiency, she had discovered something interesting. If she split a single portion of herbs into two halves and identified and processed them separately, she would gain two increments of proficiency.
Although a full portion gave a higher proficiency gain per identification, performing two separate identifications somehow yielded slightly more overall.
For every portion of herbs, she would close her eyes and slice them into tiny fragments. Then she would compare them with the descriptions in “Basic Compendium of Herbs” to identify and process them.
Using this extremely economical method, she had successfully raised both skills to the Proficient level.
As a result, the herbs she now possessed were almost reduced to powder-like fragments, with no trace of their original form remaining.
【Place the two materials into the specified solution. Channel your mental power into the liquid, attach it to the materials, and imagine the two substances blending together within…】
Following the instructions, she carefully placed small amounts of Gray Tree Root and Soul-Twining Vine into the solution and sank her mental power into it…
However, after a few seconds, she awkwardly realized that the amount of material was too small. She could not even find it within the liquid.
She had no choice but to add more materials into the solution and try again…
【You made your first attempt at using the Harmonization Method and gained some experience. Proficiency +2】
【You attempted the Harmonization Method again. Although the two materials did not fuse, you learned from the attempt. Proficiency +1】
【You successfully harmonized a cup of liquid with an unknown effect. Why did you not first check the book for potion formulas before attempting this? Proficiency +3】
…
After producing that cup of solution, Fulan reached into the materials box to grab more supplies, only to realize there were none left.
There was no helping it. The Harmonization Method required a sufficient quantity of materials to function.
Her economical strategy simply did not work with this technique.
As for why she did not attempt to produce a proper potion, the reason was purely financial.
These two materials could not actually be used to produce a real potion. However, the wondrous aspect of the Harmonization Method lay precisely here.
It was purely a magical technique. As long as one had enough mental power, it could do far more than produce potions—merging even two people together would theoretically be possible.
The materials she had used were extremely common and very cheap. Only because of that could she afford enough for practice.
“I am out of money. Judging by the time, it should be about right. I should head out now.”
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Fulan walked into the academy’s Points Exchange Hall. This place was specifically used by apprentices to redeem the points they earned from their courses.
However, Fulan had not come here to redeem points for herself.
She had come to sell them.
For Fulan, the knowledge obtainable through points was far too advanced. She was someone who had not even learned a single spell yet—there was no way she could understand such material. It was better to sell the points and take the money instead.
She spotted a tall male apprentice in uniform leaning against the agreed-upon pillar and immediately walked over.
The apprentice noticed her arrival and spoke first.
“Hello. You are the one selling points, right?”
She nodded.
“Alright… I am Senior Apprentice Milank. How many points do you have?”
Senior Apprentice…
Fulan twitched slightly at the corner of her mouth. In Cuilan Academy, there was no such classification as “Senior Apprentice.” All apprentices were simply apprentices.
Milank used that title because he had joined a society affiliated with a certain school of magic.
To join such societies, one had to possess the potential to become a formal mage and have already learned spells that aligned with that school’s requirements.
These societies essentially served as screening grounds for those schools to select promising candidates. Once accepted, members could gain access to spells that were extremely difficult to obtain elsewhere.
Meanwhile, some apprentices would remain apprentices for their entire lives. Even many of the instructors at Cuilan Academy were technically still apprentices, merely possessing certain specialties.
Because of this, those who joined these societies developed a sense of superiority and began referring to themselves as “Senior Apprentices” within their circles to distinguish themselves from ordinary apprentices.
However, joining those societies was indeed necessary if one wished to become a formal mage. Still, that was not something Fulan needed to consider right now.
“I am Fulan. I have four points.”
“I see…” Milank looked slightly disappointed.
Senior apprentices often addressed each other that way not only out of pride but also to identify which apprentices were worth befriending.
Milank frequently purchased points and had encountered many senior apprentices selling theirs.
When he saw someone unfamiliar this time, he wondered if he might make a new acquaintance. The result disappointed him—she was simply an ordinary apprentice.
He lost interest in further conversation and stated his request directly.
“I want one month of reading rights for the first floor of the library, and two books: ‘The Structure of the Soul’ and ‘Astronomy and the Sea.’”
The first cost two points, and each of the books required one point. Altogether, it would consume exactly four points—precisely the amount Fulan possessed.
At Cuilan Academy, points were recorded directly in the Exchange Hall’s registry. Apprentices only needed to verify their identity to redeem them.
There was no function that allowed points to be transferred between accounts. Therefore, every transaction had to be conducted inside the Exchange Hall.
The buyer would simply state what they wished to redeem, and the seller would exchange their points for those items.
Whatever this so-called senior apprentice wanted to study was none of Fulan’s concern. All she cared about was getting paid.
“Let us discuss the payment. How many silver coins are you offering?”
“I can offer forty-eight… no, fifty silver coins.”
Milank was the son of a merchant. His father had taught him since childhood to build connections with apprentices in the academy, so he was enthusiastic about forming relationships with others. This had already brought him many benefits in terms of social connections.
According to recent market prices, one point was worth twelve silver coins. However, he deliberately offered a bit more as a gesture of goodwill.
Someone who could obtain four points must have earned excellent results in at least two courses.
Such a person would sooner or later become a senior apprentice. It would be foolish to look down on her simply because she was not one yet.
The monthly subsidy for apprentices was only five silver coins. Even that had to be partially spent on course textbooks and equipment.
For Fulan, fifty silver coins was an enormous sum.
This price was extremely favorable to her. There was no reason to refuse.
“Thank you for your generosity. I will redeem the items now.”