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Translator: penny
Chapter: 37
Chapter Title: The Mana Herb Blooms
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"Here, take this."
Mana Herb.
A mystical plant that has harbored the mana and energy of the earth across long ages.
This plant, resembling ginseng in form, bears a blue flower blooming upward, infused with a faint glow.
The true treasure is that flower.
The root is merely a conduit for absorbing mana. Only when the condensed mana reaches the flower bud does it reveal its true value.
That single small flower commands a value of thousands of runes.
And now, right before my eyes, the Mana Herb's flower was emitting a soft blue light.
"It... won't fail, right?"
I drew a deep breath to calm my trembling insides.
Now I was about to consume the Mana Herb.
This incredibly expensive plant worth a full ten thousand runes.
With my body, I couldn't expect any of its effects.
What if I failed to bloom it?
At that moment, I'd be no better than throwing ten thousand runes straight into the dirt.
'It's fine.'
For this, I'd spent a full year meticulously researching.
There was no reason to hesitate any longer. I picked up the Mana Herb and brought the flower close to my lips.
A faint, divine fragrance tickled the tip of my nose.
According to the lore, Mana Herbs could be eaten raw, so there shouldn't be any major issues. At worst, maybe a stomachache.
Without hesitation, I bit into the flower. A cold sensation spread through my mouth, accompanied by an inexplicable freshness dancing across my tongue.
It wasn't spicy, nor was it simply sweet. It had a peculiar, refreshing quality, laced with a subtle sweetness.
I dimly recalled tasting it a few times in my past life.
'...Minty?'
I didn't love mint, but I didn't hate it either, so the flavor felt surprisingly welcome.
I detached the flower with my teeth and slowly rolled it around in my mouth.
Gulp—
Finally, I swallowed it down my throat.
It was far more palatable than I'd feared.
No, to be honest... it was actually a little tasty.
The root was just a medium for channeling mana, so there was no need to eat it.
I steadied my breath for a moment, then closed my eyes and clasped my hands together. Visualizing the Mana Herb in my mind, I focused all my senses on my fingertips.
My fingertips began to tingle faintly. Soon, something cold and unfamiliar settled gently atop my hands.
With anticipation and anxiety swirling inside me, I slowly opened my eyes.
My vision sharpened gradually.
There, on my small, careful hands, lay a single flower glowing with vivid blue light, resting quietly.
My eyes went wide. An irrepressible wave of joy spread across my lips.
"I did it—...!"
It was the moment joy burst from my throat.
Zing—!
Suddenly, a short, sharp pain sliced through my head.
"Ugh!"
My vision flipped upside down.
It was a kind of agony I'd never felt before.
But before I could even writhe, the pain vanished as quickly as it came.
What was that?
My gaze quickly returned to the flower in my hand.
The pain was forgotten in an instant, replaced by the warm glow of accomplishment from blooming the Mana Herb flooding my body.
I clutched the flower and rushed straight to Camilla.
"It's a Mana Herb."
Camilla eyed the flower in my hand with cool indifference.
"Right? This is definitely a Mana Herb, yeah?"
"...Why ask me? Mother bought it for you."
"Y-Yeah, true."
Camilla knew nothing of my Divine Power. And Roselia only knew about the ability tied to my saliva.
I hadn't told a soul that I could bloom flowers myself.
And if possible, I never would—especially not this power to bloom Mana Herbs. It had to stay a strict secret.
"You plucked the flower. You know the effects fade if it's not used within half a day, right?"
I knew. But it didn't feel like a waste.
I could bloom one every day anyway. What was one flower?
I couldn't sell it right now, but the path ahead was already paved with success.
"Camilla, here... this is for you."
I held out the Mana Herb to her.
A flicker of surprise and confusion crossed Camilla's face.
"...What? You're giving this to me?"
Of course she'd be thrown off.
It wasn't just anything—it was a priceless Mana Herb.
"I thought it over carefully. Turns out I don't really need it. So I figured I'd give it to you."
"...If you don't need it, just sell it."
What was this? Camilla, of all people, making perfect sense.
I'd make plenty more later to sell.
Plus, with the effects fading in half a day, why not give it to her and earn some goodwill?
"I just... wanted to give it to you more than sell it."
"...Huh?"
Camilla blinked wide-eyed, mumbling in a daze.
"You're a genius with magic. Put it to good use."
Her stunned expression made me glad I'd given it to her.
It felt like I'd won something.
Buzzing with quiet triumph, I shrugged and patted her shoulder.
"Try not to bully me from now on, okay? Little sis."
It might've come off a tad smug.
But Camilla said nothing. No reaction at all.
Hm...
She seemed pretty shocked.
Did she want the Mana Herb that badly?
The next morning.
I lay in bed, sorting through my thoughts.
Being able to bloom Mana Herbs didn't solve everything.
I still had to figure out how to sell them.
Official channels were out of the question. Legit sales meant revealing the source.
If word got out that I could produce Mana Herbs by hand, the entire empire would erupt. It'd dominate the front pages of imperial newspapers.
Of course, that kind of fame wasn't all bad.
I'd gain renown, and it might even fast-track me to the Hero Party I'd always dreamed of.
But the risks were real.
Like the Black Altar scheming the Demon King's revival.
Roselia's Black Blood Group, ruling the underworld while gunning for the Archbishop's life.
And the hordes of lunatics driven mad by bloodlust and slaughter.
Beyond them, this world teemed with bosses numbering well into the hundreds.
I couldn't handle a single one right now. And in a child's body? Fame would bring far more harm than good.
In the end, Roselia was right. My Divine Power had to stay secret forever.
So how to sell the Mana Herbs?
No need to fret.
This was prime time to tap original knowledge.
The empire hid an underworld in its shadows. Roselia's Black Moon Group had risen from those depths.
And within that underworld lurked a secret auction house, run on total anonymity.
All transactions hidden—perfect for someone in my position.
Not that anyone could just waltz in. Entry required a special pass.
The hero of Kairen Chronicles scored one from an academy professor, gaining access to the shadows.
"Just get into the academy."
Couldn't sell yet. But enroll, snag the pass, and Mana Herbs would bring in a fortune.
Then I'd live contributing to the world on my own terms—no Rahel Tani handouts needed.
The academy. I would get in, no matter what.
With resolve burning, I rose from bed. Couldn't sell Mana Herbs yet, but they had their uses.
I clasped my hands like in prayer and shut my eyes.
Moments later, a blue flower bloomed in my palm. Its clear, brilliant glow filled me with quiet satisfaction.
The throbbing pain was far milder than yesterday.
I carefully plucked the petals and crushed the flower head into tiny pieces.
I fetched a small cup, added the crushed Mana Herb, and poured in hot water. The clear liquid soon took on a blue hue.
"As expected."
Crushed and steeped in water, Mana Herb became pure, usable mana.
It wasn't hype to call it a higher-purity concentrate than the refined mana sold at magic tool shops.
In other words, no more buying processed mana from those stores.
"Still, better test it."
I pulled out my custom-designed circuit diagram and unrolled it on the floor.
A simple one to stir a breeze just strong enough to tousle hair. I'd used it on Camilla before.
As I dripped water onto the circuit drop by drop, a sudden curiosity struck.
I lifted the cup to my lips once more.
'Does my Divine Power work on Mana Herbs too?'
I spat a few drops of saliva into the cup, stirred thoroughly, then placed five drops precisely on the circuit.
The ink lines on the paper glowed faintly before going still. Heart racing, I flung open the bedroom window and held the diagram outside.
If the power spiked and trashed the room, better to test outdoors.
I carefully pierced the circuit's starting point with my finger.
A brief spark flared, igniting the circuit. At once, a small whirlwind swirled to life atop it.
"Oh, it actually works."
Amazing that the Mana Herb alone could activate it.
The tiny vortex pulled in air, swelling steadily.
The circuit drew from the surrounding atmosphere, growing larger.
Any second now, it should pop with a bang and disperse.
But the vortex didn't stop. It kept gulping air, ballooning bigger.
"Hm...?"
In the span of a blink, it towered to my height.
Still no end in sight. It greedily inhaled more air, expanding relentlessly.
"Eh? W-Wait a sec..."
The air around us began whipping into a frenzy.
The window frame rattled as a fierce gale stormed into the room.
Wind roaring like a tempest.
Objects flew off the desk. The cup toppled, spilling Mana Herb liquid across the floor. Scattered circuit sheets swirled through the air amid dust.
"Th-This is bad... isn't it?"
Just as gut instinct screamed something was wrong.
Boom—!
The whirlwind detonated in a flash, blasting everything in the room.
Even me, the circuit's user, wasn't spared.
"Aaack!"
My small body launched into the air.
The back of my head slammed straight into the wall. The impact hurled me limply to the floor.
Searing pain raced up my nape as my vision slowly inverted.
Something warm trickled down my forehead. The droplets were blood, red as Roselia's eyes.
The raging gale sweeping the room vanished, leaving the bedroom in dead silence.
In my fading consciousness, what I faintly heard...
Was the frantic patter of footsteps.
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