'D-Did she hear that?' 'Oh, seriously! Idiot Dick! It's because of you again...!' As everyone stiffened with nervous expressions, Francesca walked past the group and headed to the podium. 'D-Did she not hear?' She seemed to glance at Simon's group from the podium, but said nothing and proceeded with the class. 'We'll move on to the next page.' She rolled up her sleeves and tied her long hair back tightly, looking as resolute as a gladiator preparing for battle. 'There's a famous saying about poison.' She took a deep breath and said, 'Alle Ding' sind Gift, und nichts ohn' Gift; allein die Dosis macht, daß ein Ding kein Gift ist (All things are poison, and nothing is without poison; only the dose makes a thing not a poison).' '.......' 'What is poison? Simply a toxic agent? No. Anything that is harmful to humans can be poison.' She looked around at the students. 'So, here's a question. If you consume the same amount of spice and poisonous herbs, why would the spice be more harmful to your health?' Jamie, the class representative, raised her hand brightly. 'Because the amount of poison hasn't reached a lethal dose!' 'Correct, Jamie. I'll award you 5 learning points.' Jamie's face flushed with visible delight. 'Any poison requires a lethal dose to take effect. Many poisons are even used as medicine if they don't exceed the lethal dose. Then, conversely, why aren't non-poisonous substances considered poison? Jamie.' Suddenly, the question was thrown back at her. Jamie pondered with a stiff expression before saying, 'B-Because they're not harmful to the body?' 'It's simple. Because the lethal dose is an amount that would make your stomach burst and kill you.' Scattered chuckles erupted throughout the room. 'Therefore, the basics of handling poisons are accurate assessment of the lethal dose and analysis of the target. If you're using poison on a monster, you'd need to apply a new lethal dose. Now, let's learn about the three laws required for dosage calculation.' Francesca explained difficult theories fluently and without hesitation. Mei-rin had her clasped hands pressed to her cheeks, an enraptured expression on her face. 'Ah—this is so good. How can every single word be so easy to understand?' Simon silently took notes, listening to Francesca's lecture. Then Dick nudged Simon's arm with his elbow. 'You're only quiet during Toxicology class. Is something wrong?' 'Huh? Not really.' Time passed, and the Toxicology class ended. Students packed their bags and left the classroom. Just as Simon was about to leave the classroom. 'Huh?' He saw a familiar person. It was none other than Jane's teaching assistant. He remembered receiving combat guidance from her when he was preparing for the Duel Evaluation. After that sparring session, he had a feeling she was avoiding him. 'Ah!' She was constantly looking around, then spotted Simon and approached him. 'Simon!' 'Hello, Teaching Assistant. What brings you here...?' Instead of answering, she asked a question. 'Have you decided what mission you'll take this weekend?' 'No. I'm still thinking about it.' 'That's good!' She grinned and continued. 'Professor Jane has called for you.' * * * Simon arrived in front of Jane's research lab with the teaching assistant. The assistant lowered her voice and whispered, 'Professor Jane has been very sensitive lately due to various incidents, so please keep that in mind.' 'Yes. Thank you for letting me know.' 'Then, here we go.' The assistant took a deep breath and politely knocked twice. 'Professor Jane. I've brought Simon.' A voice from beyond the door told them to enter. The assistant opened the door and bowed slightly to Simon. Simon also politely greeted her and stepped inside. Jane, as always, was buried under stacks of documents. Her original office was said to be at Kizen Headquarters, but if her research lab was like this, he couldn't imagine the sheer volume of documents at the headquarters. 'Have a seat.' Jane continued to move her quill, still not looking up. 'Yes, thank you.' Simon sat down, clasped his hands on his knees, and straightened his back stiffly. It was always nerve-wracking to face Jane, just like last time. 'A designated mission has been issued to Simon.' A designated mission. Unlike general missions where students freely choose from posted requests, this was a case where an external client directly specified the student to perform the mission. Naturally, this method was only possible for significant figures or wealthy individuals who could exert influence over Kizen. 'Check the details.' Jane handed him a request form that was neither white nor blue, but golden. Simon's eyes gleamed as he read the contents. Request: VIP Escort Request Rank: D Reward: 1,000 Gold Location: Blue Harbor Territory Details: Close escort of the client during the Undead Exhibition period. Special Notes: Participation in the Blue Harbor Undead Exhibition. Simon's eyes widened as if they would pop out after reading the request. 'A D-rank request with a 1,000 gold reward?!' That was double the 500 gold he had cleverly earned from his previous mission. As expected of a designated mission, the reward was on a different level. More than anything, he was curious about the Undead Exhibition event. 'Of course, a designated mission isn't mandatory. Will you take it?' 'Yes! I definitely will!' It was rare to find a mission that satisfied both interest and reward. Given the nature of VIP escort, the difficulty of the mission might vary depending on the target, but it wouldn't be longer than 5 days, would it? Simon thought it was definitely doable. 'Then I'll take that as acceptance.' Jane quickly scribbled her signature on the request form and stamped it firmly. 'I was actually thinking of sending agents to that exhibition anyway, so you've saved me the trouble.' 'Huh?' 'For modern Necromancers, exploring and analyzing new trends is extremely important.' She handed Simon several documents. 'While you're at it, make sure to thoroughly observe the exhibition. And after you return, I'd like you to complete these documents.' 'These are...?' They were reports. Professional reports, at that, requiring estimations of investment value, core competencies, and future profitability. Simon made a flustered expression. 'Can I really write such important reports? I'm still just a... 'A Kizen student is no amateur. Kizen is structured like a school, but it's also a regular organization that pays salaries.' She put down her quill and clasped her hands. 'You are the only Kizen student going to this exhibition. Participate in the event with the mindset that you are representing Kizen. Under no circumstances should you act in a way that brings discredit.' 'Yes, I'll keep that in mind!' Somehow, the matter seemed to have grown bigger than he expected. A 1,000 gold mission and representing Kizen. Simon stood up, his heart pounding. * * * That night, Pier's Ruins. [Kyaaaah! Blue Harbor!] Erzebet shrieked happily, placing her hands on her cheeks. [It's a really famous beach resort!] [We're not going for a vacation, Erzebet.] Pier said, wiping his greatsword with a dry cloth. [I heard that island has a unique ecosystem, having been isolated from the mainland for a long time. We need to find new undead to strengthen the Legion's power...] [Commander! How about this outfit?] Erzebet touched her own body, and her dress transformed into a swimsuit. Simon's face flushed instantly, caught off guard. '...Erze!' [Or how about this one?] With another touch, it became an even more revealing swimsuit. Simon quickly turned his head and said, 'Are you going swimming? Aren't undead not good in seawater?' [It stings a bit when it touches me, but isn't there a resort atmosphere with a wide beach? I'm so excited, I don don't think I'll be able to sleep tonight.] '...You don't sleep anyway.' Pier slammed his fist on the stone altar. [Pathetic, Erzebet! How can you be a Legion Captain with such rotten thoughts?!] [I think it's better than a Legion-obsessed, old-fashioned, serious bore.] [...? What do you mean by that?] [I'm learning their slang in case I need to transform into Kizen students these days.] [I don't know what you mean, but it makes me feel very unpleasant!] 'Alright, alright. Stop fighting.' Simon stood up and opened his subspace. What he pulled out was an empty suit of armor. 'This is for Pier. I ordered a bigger size than before.' [Oh! Yes, this is more like it!] 'And Erze. I'm telling you now, I need to focus on the mission. There probably won't be time to play.' Erzebet, who had been switching between a one-piece and a swimsuit, made a sulky face. 'Just enjoy your vacation on the beach. I'll drop by for a bit after the mission is over.' [Really?!] She clapped her hands in delight. Simon turned his head to look at Pier. 'What will you do, Pier?' [I will explore the island and see if there's anything useful! Contact me immediately if anything happens!] 'Alright, sounds good.' Simon stretched. 'I'm looking forward to tomorrow.' * * * The next morning. Simon was the first among the Kizen students to travel by teleportation magic circle. This time, he was alone on the teleport. Wooooosh! He comfortably surrendered his body to the now familiar sensation. A moment later, he opened his eyes. 'Oh.' A completely different landscape unfolded before him. A vast blue sky that cleared his mind and white sandy beaches. Beyond them, the emerald sea crashed against the shore. This was Blue Harbor, the island known as a natural paradise resort. Simon's sudden appearance out of thin air startled a young couple who were kissing nearby, causing them to embrace each other tightly. Simon gave an embarrassed smile and bowed his head. 'Have a good day~' Simon moved to a more secluded spot and released Erzebet and Pier from his subspace. 'Please refrain from drawing too much attention here, both of you.' Saying that, Simon looked alternately at Erzebet in her bikini swimsuit and Pier in full plate armor under the scorching sun, then pressed a hand to his forehead. '...It'll be hard not to stand out, so just please don't cause any trouble.' [Kukuku! Don't worry, boy!] [Freedom and happiness await this maiden!] Simon parted ways with the two undead and followed the map recorded on the request form. Although it was an island and not huge in scale, the more he saw of it, the more he thought it was a beautiful city. The buildings were stylish and modern, and the streets were neat and clean. The fact that all the house roofs were uniformly blue, emphasizing the name Blue Harbor, was also striking. 'Ah, here it is.' He arrived at his destination. Among the modern buildings in this city, there was a particularly large and luxurious mansion. Just by looking at it, he could tell it was the kind of place a wealthy person who could pay 1,000 gold for 5 days of security would live. 'A little nervous.' Simon adjusted his tie and ran a hand through his bangs, then walked forward. Two burly men, who appeared to be guards, stood at the gate. 'Ah, hello. I am...' Swish! The guards moved aside to the left and right, simultaneously bowing 90 degrees in a folder-like greeting. 'Welcome! The Count is waiting for you.' They seemed to have recognized him immediately by his Kizen uniform without him even needing to show the request form. Simon easily passed through the mansion's security. 'Wahahahaha!' As he entered, he heard a child's laughter from the garden. He saw a boy running around, a trowel in one hand and a basket in the other. His face and clothes were covered in dirt, and two middle-aged men in butler uniforms were flustered, trying to stop him. 'Oh!' Just then, the boy spotted Simon and pointed a finger. 'It's Kizen! He's here!' The boy threw his trowel on the ground and scurried over. 'Your clothes are super cool!' Then he started touching Simon's uniform with his dirty hands. Simon inwardly shed tears. He had just laundered this not long ago. 'Hello. What are you doing here?' 'I was playing! My name is Shun!' 'I'm Simon. I'd like to meet the Count, where should I go?' The boy smiled brightly. 'I'm the Count!' 'Hmm?' The butlers behind him cleared their throats and approached. 'Please show proper respect. This is Count Shun Oldwon.' Simon's eyes widened. So this child was the client who paid 1,000 gold?
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