Chapter 196: Michelle Starts Practicing Repayment
Bai Wei wanted the seeds of the Golden Tree, specifically the branches that fall off.
It's not actually a rare item. The Golden Tree is so big that it sheds many branches every year.
Not afraid of the Golden Tree turning into a willow tree that hits people, one can even pick it up and chop it with an axe directly.
With so many branches, it's no big deal to randomly pull out one or two, just like plucking a few hairs from a young person's head.
But pulling the same hairs might be different for some Middle-aged people from the Mediterranean. They might come up with all kinds of dirty words.
Golden Tree branches are high-level alchemical materials, usually used to make staffs and certain advanced contract books.
Because it cannot be cultivated, it can only be used in this way. On the market, it's worth around 50,000 Euros per kilogram.
Being able to directly reward students, naturally, it's because Tulip has a certain degree of control over the Golden Tree.
It belongs to the school's property, and also to the national property. The leadership of Tulip has a 30% right to use the Golden Tree branches, which is a reasonable reward.
The second prize, Golden Tree resin, is also first-rate enchanted and alchemical material. It can be consumed directly, a small amount can increase soul strength, but taking a large amount is a gastrointestinal artifact, one might have to go to the hospital for an enema.
The first prize is a set of Phoenix (feathers and tears) plus any legendary spell of choice.
These rewards, either freeload the Golden Tree or freeload the principal, it can be said that they lack a bit of sincerity but are more respectable. The students' response is still very enthusiastic.
“Mr. Devil, there's still one more week..."
“I know."
“It's impossible to enter the top three in one week, moreover, I don't have the qualifications to participate."
“There's always a way, as long as your mindset doesn't go downhill, there are always more solutions than difficulties."
“I..."
“Are you saying you don't want to repay the favor?"
“I really want to, but I can't do it, my lord." Michelle sighed softly.
She wasn't trying to avoid it, nor was it a fleeting thought. But becoming stronger also requires accumulation over time. Her foundation was already terrible. Within seven days, she had to receive a professor's recommendation and break into the top three. How high was the difficulty level? It was comparable to asking a traveler who had just arrived on the Tivat Continent for less than a month to break through twelve levels of the abyss.
However, the young man said, "I have confidence in you."
“But I lack confidence in myself," Michelle shook her head. "Instead of expecting me, it would be better to expect Alena. She should have the ability to enter the top three."
“She is her, and you are you. She doesn't owe me anything."
Michelle felt a bit joyful upon hearing Mr. Devil say this.
Yes, only she could communicate with Mr. Devil. Even as good friends, she didn't want to share this secret with Alena or Chao Lu.
“Is there a specific reward that Mr. Devil wants from this gathering?"
"I want the seed."
"Seed?"
"It's the one that can be downloaded after clicking... It comes with the appearance of the heroic character..."
"Mr. Devil, can you be serious, please?"
"Golden branch." Bai Wei didn't hide it either.
"I see..." Michelle didn't ask why, but the golden branch was not something she could obtain. Such items were naturally inaccessible to students, only professors had the priority to purchase.
"If you really don't want to participate, I won't force you." Bai Wei said.
"Wanting is definitely wanting, but not particularly wanting, or rather, it's like living somewhere before, where you can easily taste hometown delicacies, but now being in a distant place, what was easily within reach has been lost."
"But Mr. Devil really wants this, right? Do you have any other ways to obtain it?"
"...Not right now, doesn't mean there won't be in the future."
"Unusually, she sensed a hint of helplessness and embarrassment in the other party's tone."
"So, there's no way, right?"
"It seems that the mysterious and wise Mr. Devil is not all-powerful, and he now has a favor to ask from me... No no no, this is not a thought of using favors to repay, I always fulfill my debts as promised, it's just... I'm feeling a bit happy."
An indescribable sense of joy flowed through her heart like sweet spring water, making a tinkling sound.
Michelle pursed her lips and asked, "Is there really a way to make me reach the top three within a week?"
The young man said, "Are you changing your mind?"
"I am not rejecting Mr. Devil, I just think it's unlikely to be achievable." The girl's fingers twirled around her hair. "If you think I can do it, then I will try."
The young man fell silent for a moment, and Michelle was waiting for his response.
"You need to have some confidence in yourself." The Devil's words still had the power to incite and tempt. "I said the first time I met you, you are no worse than anyone else."
Michelle shyly smiled and said, "I will."
She doesn't believe in herself, but she believes in the belief her Mr. Devil has in her. Her Mr. Devil.
Michelle somewhat enjoyed this feeling, the feeling of being needed.
In the past, she was seldom needed. Her friends always stood out wherever they went, being outstanding and exceptional, while she remained the supporting role next to the blossom without any complaints, willingly accepting her role.
She lacks ambition and doesn't have the idea that she should shine brightly since birth. Her progress to this point has been somewhat driven by the environment, even just a few days ago, she believed there was nothing wrong with going back to the countryside and staying there.
But today, her thoughts have changed a bit. She has started to truly embrace and enjoy the changes in her life trajectory.
She realizes that this is her own... unique life.
She was being needed, and this simple fact filled her with motivation, her heart filled with joy, unable to contain it.
Even though it couldn't be considered dependence by any means, she was still very happy.
Does this mean that her relationship with Mr. Devil is no longer simply familiar, but has entered a new stage?
Mutually using each other?
No, perhaps it should be replaced with another, better term – mutually supporting each other.
Support, it sounds pleasant~
She felt a little light-headed, her thoughts wandering like a kite drifting with the wind. After a while, she snapped out of her trance and lightly tapped her cheek.
It's fine to fantasize about the future, but one must know when to reign it in.
Michelle held onto her goal of striving, telling herself that she was ready. Perhaps after such a long period of confusion, it was time for her transformation and she should realize that she couldn't continue to drift along aimlessly.
The girl looked at the notice board for the friendship tournament, and a strong desire to win surged in her heart.
...doesn't want to disappoint him.
When she agreed, this thought started to uncontrollably grow more and more intense.
Michelle asked, "What should I do now?"
Her gaze scanned the names of some outstanding students posted on the notice board.
"I'll do anything as long as I can catch up to them."
Bai Wei was surprised how Michelle seemed to have changed in just a few sentences. Could it be that the power of words had taken effect?
He looked at the top of Michelle's head and noticed a floating phrase burning with flames.
【Climbing the Peak Again】
【Time Limit: 100 Days】
A permanent buff lasting for three months. If high school students could obtain this buff during their 100-day sprint leading up to the college entrance exam, wouldn't the Wudaokou Vocational and Technical College be left in awe?
The duration of 100 days makes it clear that it's not a joke. This girl is serious...
Is this the way she wants to repay him?
Bai Wei is very worried that she might do something against the Hedgehog Cat's approval with a cucumber rolling pin at night.
Seeing Michelle's enthusiasm, Bai Wei also expressed affirmation and praise.
"Don't worry, I have a surefire method." The young man smiled. "One week is enough for you to learn something new."
"I trust Mr. Devil, but what am I going to learn?"
"It's a simple little thing." Bai Wei said in a relaxed tone. "Engraving."
"What is engraving?" Michelle had no impression of it.
"It used to be called engraving, and now it's probably called Emblem?"
Michelle's expression was stunned. Emblem is a crystallization of magical arts, a collection of knowledge that a mage exhausts their lifetime to study. Once completed, it's like turning a spell into a firearm. Although its internal structure is a black box to others, as long as magic power is input, it can function. That's what Emblem is. Low-level Emblems can only record a few spells, while high-level Emblems can record multiple spells.
Creating an Emblem is like writing a book, but it's different from a rigorous scientific structure. The higher-level the Emblem, the more complex it becomes, making it harder to mass-produce and analyze.
As a village girl, she naturally wouldn't have an Emblem at home. Even for a hereditary inheritance in a mage family, there wasn't a great number of Emblems passed down to their children.
That's not something trivial. Even a high-level mage may not be able to complete a specialized spell Emblem in their entire lifetime.
But Bai Wei's words were casual, leaving her with no choice but to believe.
"Seven days should be enough time to complete the preliminary construction of the inscribed prototype... As for the theme, let's go with my expertise in gold and the dragon that suits you the best."
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