Witch’s Forest (1)

『Lillith reached Level 18!』

『Lillith reached Level 19!』

『Lillith reached Level 20!』

⁎ ⁎ ⁎

The morning after subjugating the Goblin Lord at a campsite near the Witch’s Forest.

I woke up feeling unusually refreshed today, and as soon as I got up, I happily began tidying the tent.

Even if I tried not to show it, it was impossible to hide my feelings. And why wouldn’t it be? I had instantly leveled up three times, all the way to Level 20, thanks to last night’s battle.

The experience from cutting down a few goblins that had come too close. The experience from receiving experience distribution by giving a support buff with Sharp Blade to the other three, excluding Agnes. And almost all of the subjugation experience from the Boss Monster, the Goblin Lord.

In the end, I even tracked down and hunted the remaining goblins that scattered in disarray after losing their boss, so it was truly the result of diligently collecting all the experience I could get.

Thanks to that, it was my first level-up in a long time, and my first since summer vacation began. Since I had solidly leveled up before the main event started, I couldn’t help but feel sweet.

“You look happy, Lillith.”

“Hmm, do I look like it, Ed~?”

“Did something good happen?”

“Hmm~. Well~. If it’s something good, isn’t just traveling to distant places with you like this, Ed, a good thing in many ways?”

“Th-that’s right? Of course, I also like traveling with Lillith.”

“……Ugh.”

Agnes, who was folding the tent next to me, openly stuck out her tongue and made a disgusted face, but I just ignored her.

Since I couldn’t use the excuse that I was happy because I leveled up, it was an unavoidable choice. It was better to be a cussing bitch than a crazy woman spouting nonsense.

‘If only I could, I’d just roam hunting grounds with these three and farm experience.’

Ignoring the Academy and the Hero’s Party, just traveling with these three was the most efficient party setup.

Ethan on the frontline, Agnes for clearing trash mobs, and I, Archmage Lillith, for the final blow on the boss.

…Well, the best magic I could use was still limited to 3rd Circle, but my maximum Mana capacity was already over 4,000. While I couldn’t actually use Archmagic, Mana Blast, at its maximum 2nd Circle output, was practically Archmagic anyway.

Of course, I was only wishing for it in my heart; in reality, forming a three-person party like this was impossible. Agnes was already part of Gyeotmwa Jyosyegigot’s party, and Ethan was the only son of the Blackwood Family, so he wouldn’t have time to adventure with me once he graduated from the Academy.

After roughly tidying the tent and preparing a simple breakfast, Prince Antonio cautiously opened his mouth during the meal.

“You worked hard yesterday, Prince Ethan. And Lady Rosewood. I was already well aware of Lady Agnes’s skill, but seeing yesterday’s battle, you two are certainly Academy students.”

It was the Prince’s quiet words of encouragement, though he was the only one who hadn’t really distinguished himself in yesterday’s battle. His expression, despite his words, looked a little bitter.

He probably wanted to show his best side in front of Agnes, but he only proved that he was the least skilled among the five, so he must have been quite disheartened. Though his help was better than nothing.

“Your Highness’s skill was also outstanding compared to your peers. Among first-year Academy students, there are still many who can’t even catch a Sand Beetle, let alone a goblin.”

“…Hmm, is that so. But Lady Agnes two years ago seemed to use Fire Magic without hesitation against a group of Lake Serpents, and comparing her then to me now…”

“Two years ago, I was already a 3rd Circle Fire Mage. Do you even know how many years it took me to get there? And you think you can catch up in just two years? Are you making fun of me?”

“Ah, no, Lady Agnes! Th-that’s not what I meant at all….”

How could he manage to step on Agnes’s every sore spot with every word he uttered?

No, to be precise, Agnes was also a child with many personality issues, so perhaps Antonio was relatively normal.

A “reverse scale” refers to the single scale on a dragon that grows in the opposite direction, but if Agnes were a dragon, half the scales on her body would probably be reversed. At that point, a dragon with so many reverse scales would have its own problems.

Well, with a personality like that, it’s no wonder she ended up with a solo ending in the original story unless she got together with the Hero. It felt like only those malicious Agnes fans who transmigrated as the Hero could handle a personality like that.

Though he might feel wronged, Prince Antonio ultimately had no choice but to adjust to Agnes. After all, in romance, the one who falls in love first always loses.

‘Speaking of which, thanks to leveling up, I now have 10 Skill Points. Where should I invest them to make the best use of them?’

The old me would have definitely gone for the offensive magic tree, but these days, I’ve been thinking it might be fine to just stick to the standard Lillith build and go for the support magic tree.

After all, Ethan would be by my side until I graduated from the Academy, so I figured I could just give him buffs and have a relatively easy time until then.

I had already invested more points in support magic than offensive magic while picking up various skills for the Kraken Subjugation Battle and the Agnes sparring match during the Evaluation Match. If I were to start investing in offensive magic again now, I’d become what they call a ‘ruined character,’ and as a ghost of the former 『Luminor Academy』, I couldn’t quite accept that.

…Well, I’ll think about it later. I even have a plan to spend all 10 points at once if necessary, so it wouldn’t matter if I saved them up and invested them all at once.

“Ah, speaking of which, Lady Agnes.”

“Hm?”

“I’m asking because we’re about to enter the Witch’s Forest, but did you properly pack your Insect Repellent Perfume?”

“Why would you ask something so obvious?”

“I was going to give you one if you needed it. I have one bottle left even after taking my and Ed’s share.”

“That’s unnecessary meddling.”

Indeed, Agnes, like me and Ethan, must have known we were heading to the Witch’s Forest a week ago, so she would have surely packed it herself.

“I’ve been to the Witch’s Forest before. I heard rumors that only the witch living here makes the Elixir of Mana Enhancement. I had a hard time back then, so I made sure to pack properly this time.”

“You’re talking about ‘Natia’s Suspicious Potion,’ right?”

“…What, you took it too? No wonder your maximum Mana capacity seemed so immense….”

“Of course not. That potion is incredibly expensive, isn’t it? Doesn’t it cost at least ten Gold Coins?”

“It was five when I bought it.”

“Anyway. Before I entered the Academy, I was a Debt Maid from a poor noble family, so my salary was one Gold Coin every six months, and even that was immediately used to pay off my debt. So, aside from what I earned from odd jobs, I lived with almost nothing.”

“…I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine. I don’t really mind.”

In my case, I had increased my Mana by chewing a ton of raw garlic without such a potion, so it truly didn’t matter now.

I didn’t know for sure, but I probably ate more garlic than Ungnyeo for a few days back then.

“Should I buy it for you, Lillith? I think I can easily afford five Gold Coins.”

“It’s okay. I already have plenty of Mana without it. And that potion is more effective the younger you are when you take it, so it wouldn’t be of much use to me now.”

To be precise, it was more efficient to take it at a lower level, not necessarily when younger, but in this world, the meanings were almost interchangeable, so there was no need to differentiate.

“Hmm, I see…. Is that so….”

“Oh, by the way, after this expedition, would you like to buy some dried Mandrake Roots?”

“Huh…? Why suddenly that…?”

“I heard it’s good for men in many ways. If Ethan buys some and takes it little by little, his stats… anyway, there’s no harm in him getting healthier, right?”

“…….”

In 『Luminor Academy』, dried Mandrake Roots were items that increased male characters’ maximum HP, attack power, and charm stats.

While maximum HP might not be very noticeable, attack power and charm stats received level-up bonuses even with small increases.

So, I suggested it, thinking it would be good to have him take it when his level was still low, but for some reason, Ethan was looking at me strangely.

“Excuse me, Lady Rosewood.”

“Yes? Is there something you wish to say, Prince Antonio?”

“As far as I know, the reason dried mandrake roots from the Witch’s Forest are good for men is that they’re a good medicine for night work….”

“…….”

……Ah.

Wait, so the increase in attack power and charm in the game, did it mean that…?

“Th-that’s not what I meant by ‘good’! I just meant it was good for basic male virility… no, vitality! Vitality! It’s not that Ethan lacks it, but since this isn’t a place we can visit often, I meant it wouldn’t be bad to get some if we could….”

“Alright, I get it. We’ll buy it if we have the leisure to pack it. And Lillith will verify its effects, right?”

“Th-that’s not what I meant at all…!!”

“Stop spewing nonsense, Lillith.”

No, this is truly a ridiculous slander.

I barely raised any male party members, so how would I know if it was a good item because it was good for virility?!

This time, I’m truly being wronged!