Summoning Genius of Kizen - Chapter 27 "It's effective?" "What kind of potion is it?" Dick and Kamibarez also approached with interest. The page Simon had opened described a potion that temporarily paralyzed tendons and contracted muscles. "It's called Nervie." Mei-rin circled the potion's name vigorously. "Judging by the symptoms, it's a nerve-paralyzing poison that weakens muscle strength. It says it works well on small to medium-sized monsters of Grade 3 or higher. While it might not have a dramatic effect, it should at least slow down the Cyclops's movements." "How do we apply it?" "Make them drink it or apply it to a wound. If we wound it and then throw a glass bottle containing the potion, it should work somehow?" Everyone nodded with serious expressions. It was best to prepare anything that could help them catch the Cyclops. "We can reserve the magic cauldron in the practical lab. The problem is the ingredients……" Mei-rin bit her thumb slightly as she scanned the ingredient list in the textbook. "Basic ingredients are easy to get in Kizen. The tricky ones are Rehak Mushroom, Blood Slime, and Silk Vine." "Let's see." Dick quickly scanned the ingredients with his eyes. "If I go down to Rochester and put in some legwork, I should be able to get them somehow." "Oh, really?" Everyone's eyes widened. Dick nodded confidently. "Let's just do it while we're at it. I'll go down to Rochester after class." Simon, who was examining the ingredient list, pointed to one item with his finger. "This, I've seen Rehak Mushrooms in Kizen." "Huh? Where?" "The Forbidden Forest." He had seen these mushrooms when he went into the forest to find Pier. They were growing in abundance under a large oak tree at the entrance of the Forbidden Forest. Mei-rin and Kamibarez's expressions stiffened slightly. "How do you know that…… No, that's not the problem! Are you going to the Forbidden Forest right now?" "It won't take long. Dick is risking disciplinary action to go to Rochester, so I should do at least this much. I'll quickly collect them before it gets dark." "Hmmmm." Mei-rin's brow furrowed. "Don't monsters appear there too? Rochester might be okay, but the Forbidden Forest is too dangerous." "Then I'll go with you too!" Kamibarez raised her hand high. Simon looked back at her with a flustered expression. "It's too dangerous. And it's against school rules." "That's precisely why you can't go alone! I can't let Simon go into the forest by himself!" Kamibarez was quite adamant. Simon swallowed hard and pondered, but in the face of a group member's justification for a group activity, he couldn't think of a suitable excuse. "……If it seems dangerous, we'll pull out immediately." "Yes!" "Okay, so in Rochester, we only need to get Blood Slime and Silk Vine, right? Rehak Mushroom was the trickiest, so this buys me some time too." "I'll gather the basic ingredients and wait in the practical lab." Just then, the bell signaling the end of class rang. Francesca, the Toxicology teaching assistant, announced. "Yes, that's all for today's class." "Thank you for your hard work!" Students rushed out of the classroom. Group 7, now with tasks, also moved busily. Dick to Rochester, Mei-rin to the practical lab, and Simon and Kamibarez to the Forbidden Forest. And as everyone exited the classroom, a student who had been quietly slumped over his desk, erasing his presence, slowly got up from his seat. Then he walked towards someone. "Hello, Hector." Hector, who was quietly packing his belongings, looked up. "I've got some good information. Want to hear it?" * * * "It's dangerous to go out the main gate. Follow me." Dick led Simon and Kamibarez to the stable on the outskirts of Kizen. "Kevin! Are you here?" Dick knocked on the stable door. After a moment, the door opened, and a middle-aged man with a sun-tanned face poked his head out. "Oh, Dick! Going out again today?" "Yes, it seems so. These friends are with me today." Dick flicked his finger, sending a coin flying. Kevin grinned widely and caught the coin with a practiced motion. "Follow me, customers!" Simon wondered why Kizen had a stable, but it turned out they kept not only horses but also large skeleton horses. When a skeleton horse, snorting steam, turned to look at them, Kamibarez gasped in surprise and hid behind Simon. "Right here. Have a good time!" Kevin led them to a corner of the stable. It was just an ordinary space covered with straw, but this particular spot had no horses. "I'll go first!" Dick walked towards the wall. Suddenly, the straw-covered floor gave way, and Dick disappeared. "Huh, what? Dick?" From below the floor, a voice called out, 'Over here!' Simon and Kamibarez exchanged glances and walked to the spot where Dick had gone. Soon, the floor beneath them gave way, and the two also fell into the underground tunnel. Dick spread his arms and laughed. "Welcome to the secret route out of school!" Simon looked around. "There was a place like this." "Hehe, it's a route only those in the know are aware of." They could see Kevin covering the hole in the ceiling with straw again. "Alright, let's hurry before it gets too late." "Yes!" "Okay." Dick, Kamibarez, and Simon walked through the tunnel in that order. Dick, in the lead, pulled out a lantern from his subspace to light the darkness, guiding them as if he knew the way by heart. "Watch your head!" At first, they could walk by just bending their backs slightly, but the passage gradually narrowed. Soon, they reached a section where they had to lie on the ground and crawl on their knees. "……Kami." "Yes!" "Want to switch places?" "Why?" She, who was ahead, turned around with wide eyes. Their eyes met, and Simon quickly turned his head, replying in a muffled voice. "It's nothing." "??" Since looking forward would be a bit awkward, Simon silently lowered his head and walked. Dick, who had caught on to the situation, chuckled, but Kamibarez remained oblivious, tilting her head in confusion. They reached their destination before long. Dick stood up and tapped the ceiling, and the ground shook and opened like a lid. He skillfully climbed out, then grabbed Kamibarez's and Simon's hands, pulling them up. "Wow, we really made it outside." Kizen's city walls were visible in the distance. Dick covered the lid again and camouflaged the area with nearby dirt so it wouldn't be noticeable. "Alright, let's part ways here. I'm off to Rochester." "Got it." "Be careful, Dick!" Dick headed towards Rochester, and Simon and Kamibarez began walking towards the Forbidden Forest. The forest night quickly arrived. Under a large full moon, darkness settled between the leaves, and the sounds of insects and owls could be heard. The atmosphere was quite eerie, and Simon worried that Kamibarez might be scared, but. '……Why does she look like she's enjoying it?' Her eyes sparkled as she freely looked around. She squatted down to shake a flower blooming in the field, and even sniffed the scent of the soil. Her mood was brighter and more lively than when she was in Kizen. "Night walks are truly enjoyable!" Simon belatedly realized that she was a vampire. "You like the night, I guess?" "Yes!" She turned around, hands behind her back, and smiled sweetly. "The night is so cozy." '……Is it?' He didn't particularly empathize, but he decided to respect it as it might be a racial trait. Kamibarez, seemingly in a good mood, chattered away. "It's a bit late for this, but thank you for helping me during the last Martial Arts class." "Ah, when you were getting on the hippo's back?" "Yes! I just couldn't get on by myself. I looked around, feeling helpless…… and everyone turned their heads away, pretending not to see. It's a competitive class, so it couldn't be helped, but still, only Simon readily offered his hand." "I just did what was obvious." She looked at Simon with intensity in her eyes. "Practicing what's obvious is what makes it amazing!" "……Is, is that so?" As they talked, they were already close to their destination. For Simon, who had run through Reshill's rugged mountains several times a day, such forest paths were familiar. He could remember a path he had taken for a long time. "There it is." Simon extended his hand. A cluster of mushrooms growing under the oak tree was visible. "Ah, it really is Rehak Mushroom! There's so much!" "We don't know how much we'll need, so let's pick all of them." "Yes!" Simon took out an empty box, and the two of them picked mushrooms, carefully placing them into the box. The box was full within minutes of starting. Simon closed the lid and safely put it into his subspace. "That finished faster than I thought." "Indeed." They had too much time left to wait for Dick. The two decided to return to Kizen first and meet up with Mei-rin, so they started walking. "Ah! Speaking of which, Simon, why did you come to Kizen?" "Hmm." Simon thought for a moment, then spoke. "Well, the initial reason was that my parents sent me." "Ah, that's usually the case." "As I attended school, I gradually developed my own personal consciousness and goals." He encountered Summoning Studies at school and for the first time thought about becoming a Necromancer. Then he learned his father's secret and contracted with his father's undead, the Legion. He also made close friends. "Then Kami, you……" At that moment, Simon's words stopped. He extended his arm, stopping Kamibarez, who was walking beside him. "What's wrong?" "Hide!" Simon grabbed her wrist and led her behind a tree. In the distance, the light of lanterns illuminated the forest's darkness. At the same time, the hurried footsteps of people could be heard. "Ah……!" Kamibarez's face turned pale. "They're Kizen's Watchmen……!" "Watchmen?" "Yes, they're the people responsible for guarding the area around Kizen! They also manage the forest and hunt monsters to reduce their numbers. If we get caught by them……!" She swallowed hard. "Even during the student protection period…… we won't get off lightly." Woof! Woof! Even hunting dogs were visible. They were sniffing the ground. As the light drew closer, figures with bows strapped to their backs also appeared. Simon's brow furrowed. 'Something's off.' The timing was too perfect. A large-scale search by the Watchmen began shortly after they entered the Forbidden Forest. Moreover, Dick knew all the guards' schedules and said he only used the times when they were off duty. In other words, this was not a regular search but a sudden movement. 'Well, I'll think about that later.' For now, he had to focus on getting out of here. Simon turned his head and saw Kamibarez, her face white with fear, trembling. She kept muttering 'What do we do?' in a rapid tone. "Kami. Look at me." Simon firmly gripped her shoulders and turned her around. Her terrified eyes met his. "We can get out of here. Just trust me and follow. Keep your eyes on my back and run. Can you do it?" She bit her lip and nodded slightly. Simon let go of her and tapped the skull-shaped badge hanging from his uniform. 'Pier. Respond.' A moment later, a blue light flickered in the skull's eye sockets. [Hmm? Did you call me, boy!] 'The situation has gotten a bit complicated.' Simon, gazing at the countless approaching lantern lights, spoke to Pier with a determined expression. 'It seems the Legion will have to step in.'
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