Chapter 41
At Idnia’s request, Dryad instructor Nayli nodded in agreement.
For Idnia, from the small Euros dormitory, winning the dorm competition was impossible, so raising the average extraction only punished her dormmates with penalties.
“I understand.
For every multiple of the average extraction amount, I will grant an exemption from penalty points accordingly.
For example, if the final average extraction is 2g and you alone extract 8g, Euros dorm can exempt three members from penalties.
How does that sound?
Does it motivate you to work harder?”
“Yes, thank you. That definitely motivates me.”
Idnia took a deep breath and began extracting.
Willow sap poured out at an incredible rate, pushing the meter displayed by illusion magic on the worktable upward.
“Wow… insane…”
The watching students were shocked.
In previous classes, Idnia’s extraction was impressive, but seeing it charted made them realize her scale was on a whole different level.
“Breaking 20 grams!? No way! That’s more than ten times normal students…”
“It keeps coming!”
“At this rate, she could exempt the entire Euros dorm by herself!”
“No, better — Euros might actually win!”
All students were stunned.
Extraction continued and surpassed 40 grams, but Idnia began to stagger.
“Ugh…”
Normally, she could have extracted much more, but maybe because she had extracted some mana last night or the pressure to raise the average, her mana was quickly depleting.
Still, she persevered and extracted a staggering 47 grams alone.
Considering the other 21 Euros dorm students extracted only 18.7 grams total, Idnia alone extracted three times the combined amount.
An overwhelming difference — about 60 times the average student.
Mari added 3 grams, bringing Euros dorm’s total to 68.7 grams.
“Ah… I could extract more but held back to manage the average. Should I try harder?”
Mari still had mana left after 3 grams, but others around stopped her.
“No, don’t. That’ll raise the average too much.”
“Idnia’s extraction is enough to exempt everyone.”
“Y-Yeah, I guess so.”
Mari was also amazed seeing Idnia’s huge output quantified.
Thanks to Idnia’s solo effort, the per capita average rose sharply to 2.98 grams.
“Wow, excellent. At least for willow extraction, there’s no mage like her.
Honestly, she’s better than me — extracting effective ingredients from willow, that is. Different materials and ingredients are another matter; don’t forget you still have much to learn.”
Dryad instructor Nayli applauded but warned Idnia not to become arrogant and neglect her studies.
“Next up is Zephyrus dormitory on the west side. It won’t be easy to win by sheer numbers.”
“We also want to choose an ace who can earn exemption points by extracting lots.”
Dorm head Crown Prince Rudolf chose Isolde Polzen as their ace to increase exemption candidates.
Isolde concentrated and cast the spell but managed only 8 grams alone.
Though less than Idnia, it was still overwhelmingly more than regular students.
“How can this be? I extracted much more liquid!”
Isolde was flustered.
She knew Idnia extracted huge amounts but thought their difference was not big.
She had squeezed a lot of sap from the willow.
But now it turned out to be almost six times less than Idnia’s extraction.
“That’s the fundamental difference.
Idnia extracts far more effective ingredients than others.
She must understand the key components to extract.
Her superb chemical knowledge and perfect spell pronunciation make this difference.”
Dryad Nayli knew why Idnia’s efficiency was so much higher.
“Oh…”
Isolde suffered again from inferiority.
Despite being a noble and trusting her magical talent, seeing Idnia easily surpass her was painful.
She could have extracted more normally, but was burdened seeing Idnia’s huge numbers.
“If you want to win in extraction, take chemistry classes later. Your extraction volume will rise significantly. Now, look at the charts.”
Except Isolde, Zephyrus dorm’s average extraction was 0.71 grams per person, lower than Euros dorm despite Rudolf and guards’ efforts.
Zephyrus’s total extraction was 50.6g — less than Euros’ 68.7g.
“Huh?”
“What now?”
Everyone expected Zephyrus to win, but Idnia’s dominance pushed Euros ahead.
Could any dorm defeat Euros now?
“What shall we do, Prince?”
Students of southern Notos dorm asked Mazdari Prince Lorenzo.
“We tried hiding our strength and gaining profit quietly, but Karl Gustav Ansbach openly opposes us…
It’s all been exposed. We must fight now. Boreas dorm has too many reward points.”
Lorenzo gestured to subordinates and approached the instructor.
“We want to use our own extraction wands, not the issued ones. Permission?”
“Yes, approved.”
Surprisingly, they brought their own special extraction wands made of brass with gold trims.
Lorenzo’s wand had a jade decoration at the handle end.
“I will be the exemption ace.”
Lorenzo started extracting himself.
Notos students took turns using the brass wands, achieving much higher extraction amounts.
They averaged 0.9 grams per person, and Lorenzo extracted an impressive 10.2 grams alone.
Even using special wands, beating Isolde shocked her.
She had only been competing against Idnia and Mari; Lorenzo now revealed his true strength.
Notos achieved 54.3 grams total, less than Euros’ 68.7 but surpassing Zephyrus’s 50.6.
With fewer students, Notos showed higher individual ability than Zephyrus.
“Tch… miscalculation. The Betelgeuse noble Idnia is amazing.”
Lorenzo smiled bitterly.
He prepared his own wand and challenged, yet failed to beat Euros or even approach Idnia.
“She’s truly remarkable, the Betelgeuse noble Idnia.
If she weren’t from the Seonjehu family… if she were a mere saint candidate… I would have fallen for her.”
Lorenzo was surprised by his own thoughts.
He admired Idnia’s magic and her courage in negotiating with the instructor to protect her dormmates.
Her proud posture and determined attitude inspired him like a rare jewel.
Strong and beautiful.
Yet he had the mission to restore the Mazdari Duchy.
He needed a talented but controllable spouse.
The Betelgeuse family was too prestigious and independent to easily control through marriage.
“No, it’s foolish to think this. She publicly rejected marriage before Rudolph Kalliestra.
If I courted her, she’d never accept me.”
Though aware, Lorenzo still entertained the thought.
If she weren’t from the Seonjehu house, just a saint candidate without status, he’d want her by any means.
Only northern Boreas dormitory remained.
“Haha! Finally, have they revealed their hidden claws?
But it seems they haven’t used the secret family techniques passed down from the Mazdari noble house yet.”
Karl stepped forward seeing Lorenzo pushing mana to maximize exemption points.
But no other Boreas students came out — only Karl alone.
“Where are the Boreas students?”
“May I be the exemption ace, instructor?”
“Ah, yes.”
“Good. Then…”
Karl bit a willow branch, chewing and concentrating.
“Salicylic acid is the active ingredient, right?”
Surprisingly, Karl was trying to physically analyze and absorb the salicylic acid inside the willow by chewing.
Though the amount would be tiny, he was trying to detect it with his body.
-Body Analysis!
Karl cast a spell on himself. And…
“Found it! Now, let’s begin.”
Karl started extracting, pulling about 4 grams instantly.
A respectable amount but less than Lorenzo’s special wand and even Isolde’s output.
However…
‘Concentration…’
Idnia realized Karl’s total sap was low.
How much active ingredient was in the sap?
No one had matched Idnia in this regard.
Isolde squeezed out a lot of sap but with fewer effective ingredients.
Karl, however, extracted a smaller amount but with a much higher concentration.
His chewing was not just show — it really helped detect the active ingredient.
‘Impressive. But he probably used a lot of mana in the detection process — more than extraction. That’s backwards.’
With this info, Karl could extract more next time, but the problem was now.
No guarantee the instructor would keep awarding points this way, so spending mana now on detection was risky.
‘A good setup for later, but disappointing this time.’
Idnia judged.
Then Karl started moving.
Surprisingly, he intended to win this round.
