After solving the breakfast problem, Noel picked up the Wilderness Survival Guide and flipped through it. It contained everything: how to avoid getting lost in the forest, how to find clean water, how to start a fire—everything was in there.
But the crooked handwriting… it was definitely Master's. Seriously, Master, can you not dump something you scribbled out in a single night on your apprentice for wilderness survival training?
And without even asking how I felt about it! He just dumped me in the middle of a forest without telling me a thing. Wasn't he even worried I'd get eaten by wild beasts before I woke up?
Noel had always thought alchemists were the most meticulous people in the world, but apparently, even they could be completely irresponsible.
Now that he was full, he was finally in the mood to read the book properly. He found a clean patch of grass and sat down, flipping through the pages while absorbing its contents.
To be fair, the contents were practical and easy to understand, not obscure theory but real wilderness survival knowledge that could actually be used.
How to light a fire, how to navigate in a forest, what plants were edible… If this book were sold in a bookstore, it would definitely become a bestseller.
But who would ever guess that an alchemist wrote it? A wilderness survival guide by an alchemist… it's hilarious.
When Noel reached the final page, he found a message, undoubtedly written by its mischievous author, complete with the Mond Workshop's seal:
> "If you're reading this, you must already be in the forest by now, right, Noel?"
> "Okay, I admit it might have been a bit much, but this is a test, kid. You need to survive in the forest for three days. Don't even think about leaving—the forest perimeter is sealed by a barrier I set up. So enjoy your three days in there!"
So this is a wilderness survival training exercise, huh?! I've barely learned the basics of magic, and he's throwing me into the middle of a massive forest. Isn't this a bit irresponsible?
Or does he think I'm some kind of genius who, after surviving three days in the forest, will master magic on the spot? Either way, it's completely unreasonable.
Noel could tell this was deliberately meant to force him to grow, but wasn't this pace too fast? I'm still just a kid…
As he thought about it, an uneasy feeling settled in his chest. But uneasy feelings wouldn't feed him. Right now, the biggest problem was:
What am I going to eat for lunch?
Flying fish occasionally drifted through the sky, but he had no desire to eat one again. His review of flying fish: "Tastes great. Never want to eat it again."
At the moment, Noel could only use wind magic, but he also knew a few alchemy spells, such as Equivalent Exchange, a core subject for every alchemist.
Equivalent Exchange was a highly practical magic, far more difficult to understand in principle than to use. But once you grasped the principle, using it became relatively easy.
The spell could be applied to any object—except people, of course. Using alchemy magic on people was forbidden.
Noel looked toward the depths of the forest, seeing nothing but endless green.
> "Wind Magic: Whirlwind."
A green magic circle formed beneath his feet, and a gentle whirlwind lifted leaves into the air, allowing Noel to hover a few meters off the ground.
He glanced around. The entire forest lay beneath him, but one tree stood out, towering above the others, so tall that even as he floated upward, he still had to crane his neck to see its top.
> "That must be the center of the forest," Noel murmured.
Since that was the forest's center, it was only natural to be curious and want to explore it. But that also meant unknown dangers, something he had to consider seriously.
He was alone, and if anything happened, he'd have to handle it by himself—a hassle he would rather avoid.
In the end, he decided to head for the tallest tree nearby and gently floated down onto one of its sturdy branches. Knocking on the trunk with his knuckles, he heard a solid thump-thump.
This tree is perfect, Noel thought. If he could hollow it out, it would make a good treehouse for these three days.
He had considered staying in a cave, but caves were too dangerous. They were often home to unknown creatures—vampire bats, giant armadillo-beasts, and other bizarre monsters.
Better to forget about caves. The monsters that lived inside were too troublesome and weird. While the forest was dangerous, he could use fire to keep beasts away, and if something truly terrifying appeared, the forest's open terrain would allow him to run.
Noel descended from the tree, gathering wind mana into his hand and shaping it into a shovel-like blade, preparing to dig out the trunk.
But his first strike bounced off the hard wood. The tree was far sturdier than expected, refusing to yield.
Noel carefully increased the wind element's output, making the blade vibrate at high frequency. When he touched it to the trunk, the blade roared to life, wood chips spraying everywhere in a fine mist.
The efficiency was impressive. In no time, he had hollowed out the trunk. He even managed to craft a small bed, a table, and a stool inside, turning the tiny tree hollow into a surprisingly cozy little home.
He also crafted a wooden door with a small escape hatch near the top, just in case something went wrong.
With a warm, snug little base established, it was time to think about food. Hunting was next on the list.
This season, wild animals tended to be plump, making them ideal for roasting—even without seasoning, the meat would taste great.
Besides, Noel knew a few edible herbs, thanks to the Wilderness Survival Guide, so he could gather some to season his meal.
One thing he would absolutely avoid was mushrooms. While mushrooms were common in forests, they were the last thing you should ever eat without caution.
If he accidentally ate a poisonous mushroom, there would be nothing he could do alone in the forest. If he was lucky, the worst would be a bad case of diarrhea. If unlucky, it could cost him his life.
Not worth the risk, Noel decided. It's best to keep my curiosity in check.
He cleaned up the burnt-out wood pile from that morning's failed fire, tossing the unusable remains aside. He would need to gather new kindling on his next trip.
For lunch, he would need something hearty to sustain him for the days ahead. Only then would he have the strength to continue surviving in this forest.
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