Mist Empire’s Rise: Fake Noble to Fog Queen

Chapter 362 Mist Empire’s Rise- 361: Thanks to Melting Moon Four Winds' Divine Certification

Roman snorted heavily. "Miss won't like him. She can definitely tell he's faking. Miss likes me best!"

Rosie: "Yeah right. Stop flattering yourself."

She could tell—Yage hadn't hidden his personality in front of Miss at all. He was smart enough to know he couldn't fool her, so he was honest with her.

Besides, what he wanted wasn't Miss's affection—he wanted her trust.

Idiot Roman really thought everyone was like him, competing for favor all day!

Rosie was happy to watch him clash with Yage. Once he angered Miss, there'd be one less person competing for her attention!

Luo Wei, the subject of their thoughts, sneezed. She picked a few wilted gardenia branches and walked into the tea room, inserting them into a water-filled vase.

"This flower..." The dark elf stared at the green leaves and white blossoms in the vase, lost in thought for a moment.

Luo Wei looked up and saw his melancholy gaze. "What's wrong? Something about the flower?"

The dark elf shook his head. "No."

He'd just remembered a passage from the history books. Two thousand years ago, when elf envoys attended the Return Celebration, they wore gardenia wreaths woven by their people as farewell gifts.

Gardenia branches took root where they fell—traces that elves had once walked this continent.

Several days later, Roman went on "summer vacation."

Summer vacation was a concept in Luo Wei's mind, supposedly originating from ancient China's "school breaks." Western Continent schools had no such thing as summer or winter vacation. They only had "Festival Days," "Harvest Season," "Winter Welcome Festival," and so on.

So Roman wasn't on summer vacation now—he was on the "Wheat Harvest Festival" that Siria's city schools gave students to harvest wheat.

Though city residents didn't farm for a living, citizens had obligations to perform labor service for their lord. Those who couldn't pay the fine had to go cut wheat in the city lord's fields.

After cutting wheat, they'd dig potatoes. After potatoes, cut oats. After oats, plant carrots. After carrots, plant rye...

In short, if Luo Wei didn't pay Roman's fine, he'd spend the summer getting sunburned black in the fields.

But not paying the fine was impossible—the little guy needed to go to Golu City to explore the mines.

The night vacation started, Luo Wei returned the two divine swords to Roman and Rosie, instructing them to be cautious with their words and actions outside. Unless absolutely necessary, they shouldn't use their swords.

Over-relying on external objects wasn't good for their growth.

As the sun set, Troy blew his bone whistle to summon the griffin and grabbed Roman and Rosie to jump on.

The dark elf put on Troy's signature black cloak. The pulled-low hood covered his pointed ears on both sides. A few strands of white hair slipped out from under the brim, floating in the breeze.

"Caw!"

The raven spread its wings and flew onto the griffin's back.

Why not hitch a free ride?

It nestled comfortably in the thick fur on the griffin's back, squinting its eyes to enjoy being carried along.

Star Luo Residence suddenly lost four people and one noisy raven. It became considerably quieter.

Luo Wei held the kitten and sighed. "Big Orange, they've all left. Only you're keeping me company."

The kitten raised its head, voice sweet: "Meow~"

Luo Wei smiled and refused. "No way. Even though Luke left, you can't have his chicken leg. Give up on that idea."

"Meow~" The kitten hung its head dejectedly. It had sold out its body and still couldn't get an extra chicken leg?

Luo Wei stroked its soft body, thinking that after this month's exams she'd go out for practical training and miss the back courtyard wheat harvest. What a shame.

That wheat was the Western Continent's primitive variety. She'd actually considered crossbreeding first to get high-yield seeds, then planting with those.

But first, she couldn't find suitable parent plants in a short time. Second, she couldn't draw growth runes to make wheat mature quickly. So the breeding idea was shelved.

To cultivate excellent wheat varieties required at least seven iterations. Even in the smoothest circumstances, it would take seven years. With any setbacks, fifteen or sixteen years of research might yield nothing.

Fortunately, this world had magic, which could shorten the decades-long breeding process to a year or even a month.

The question was who would breed the wheat... She couldn't do it herself. Who should research it?

Luo Wei looked down at the round kitten in her arms and had an idea.

The mulberry orchard saplings had grown into small trees and didn't require much management.

Ordinary people could handle tilling, fertilizing, and irrigation ditches. Laura no longer needed to patrol the forest daily. Wouldn't Laura be quite idle in the second half of the year?

She didn't mind Laura taking money without working, but Laura herself would probably feel uneasy. In that case, better to arrange Laura's tasks for the second half of the year in advance.

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Thinking this, Luo Wei immediately carried the cat upstairs, placed the kitten on the desk, and pulled out parchment to write down the general steps for wheat breeding.

As she began writing, the kitten turned its head away, avoiding seeing what she wrote.

A pale hand turned its head back. "I heard cats like eating wheat sprouts. Big Orange, do you know wheat?"

Luo Wei smiled at the kitten, picking up the parchment with the wheat illustration and waving it before its amber eyes.

"See? This is wheat. When you play outside, have you seen wild wheat?"

"Meow~"

"You've seen it in the mountains? Then next time you see it, can you bring back its seeds for me?"

"Meow meow meow~"

"I need to breed high-yield wheat varieties. I need to find some wheat plants with excellent traits to crossbreed. This is my research plan."

"Meow~"

"It's okay if you don't understand. Kitties don't need to understand. I'm planning to give this task to Laura. No rush—we'll start next semester..."

Big Orange raised its paw to cover its face. "Meow..."

The oil lamp glowed dimly. One person and one cat lay on the desk talking, human voice and cat voice mingling.

...

Two days before the end-of-year assessment, Luo Wei received an invitation from Jane to attend a poetry gathering by the riverside in the suburbs the next afternoon.

Attending a poetry gathering under the blazing sun—it sounded hot just thinking about it.

Luo Wei wanted to refuse, but couldn't withstand Jane's persistent coaxing. She finally agreed.

As soon as lunch ended, Jane rushed back to her dorm to dress up. Luo Wei symbolically changed into a green dress and went out.

Arriving at the suburban riverside, the scene wasn't as plain as Luo Wei had imagined.

Jane had prepared for half a month before sending invitations. The poetry gathering venue was thoughtfully arranged.

On the grassy riverside where wildflowers bloomed, a small wooden house decorated with gauze curtains and rose vines lay quietly. Outside the house, a fence enclosed a courtyard.

Beyond the fence flowed a clear stream. Sitting under the willow tree by the stream, listening to the babbling water, feeling the cool breeze, smelling the flowers and grass—one felt refreshed in body and mind.

The wooden house was simple—no floor or walls, just a few pillars and a thatched roof. A long table inside held a lavish afternoon tea. Gauze curtains hanging around let light filter through, barely blocking half the sunlight.

But this very environment let people feel romantic rustic charm.

The noble young ladies who came brought books and writing materials. They'd sit in circles on the lawn under the trees, reading their favorite poems or sharing their own verses.

While reading poetry, they could have friends accompany on instruments or hum softly.

The gathering's host wore a dreamy misty pink ball gown, fluttering like a butterfly across the grass, freely radiating her charm. Her gorgeous, exquisite dress attracted envious gazes from the other girls.

When the poetry reading segment began, Jane was surrounded like the moon among stars. Holding a poetry book, she sang melancholy maiden love poems in a soft voice.

As she read, the sentimental noble ladies shed tears, holding flower petals with sorrowful expressions.

Luo Wei pulled up a clump of grass on her right. Coming to this poetry gathering was a mistake. She might as well have gone home to sleep.

After reading love poems for over an hour, the noble ladies finally tired. They stood up one after another and entered the cottage to enjoy afternoon tea.

Luo Wei was tired too. She wiped away nonexistent tears, shook grass bits from her skirt, and stood up.

During the break, everyone changed topics.

"After the assessment we'll choose magic professions. What do you want to pick?"

"Spellchanting, of course. I don't want to do rough work like hammering iron."

"First rule out magic runes, alchemy, and swordsmanship. Depends on assessment scores. I'm planning to choose between potions and spellchanting."

"I want astrology. Tarot cards are interesting, just shuffling hurts my hands when the copper pieces rub."

"Not just hurting—they clang when you shuffle! So noisy. I wish the academy would switch to parchment ones!"

"Cherish it. After the assessment and class assignments, you won't hear shuffling sounds anymore..."

Jane sat down beside Luo Wei and asked quietly, "Luo Wei, which magic profession are you planning to choose?"

"Me? Spellchanting, I guess." Luo Wei said.

"I really envy you," Jane said, chin propped on her hand. "Your grades are good in every subject. You can choose whatever you want. I also want spellchanting, but I can't qualify."

Luo Wei: "The assessment hasn't started yet and you're already saying you can't qualify."

"The class scores are right there. My talent isn't good. I definitely can't become a spellchanting apprentice. I just hope the academy doesn't assign me to alchemy or swordsmanship classes. I can still try with magic runes, but I really can't persist with hammering iron or sword practice."

Luo Wei comforted her: "There are still potions and astrology classes. You won't end up hammering iron or practicing swords."

Jane's eyes were melancholy. "I hope so."

Luo Wei sipped grape wine, watching the white gauze curtains blown by the wind. "Why hold a poetry gathering today? Tomorrow's the end-of-year assessment."

"Precisely because tomorrow's the assessment—I called everyone out to relax!"

Jane tilted her head back, swinging her toes under her skirt, murmuring: "Not everyone can pass the assessment and advance to the intermediate department. Those with poor talent who don't work hard will be filtered out. After this assessment, some of us will have to withdraw from the academy."

"Actually, withdrawing now is fine. My sisters at home who are my age already have one or two children. If we withdraw now to get married, there's still time."

"If we wait until eighteen to withdraw, we can only marry widowers who've been married once. Those guys are old and ugly!"

"I don't want to marry yet. I must pass the assessment, even if it means hammering iron..."

Jane rambled on. Luo Wei listened quietly.

Gauze curtains fluttered. The warm wind brought the scent of roses mixed with grass and sunlight.

Youth hazed in the drowsy afternoon. Those young ladies' affected poetic verses gradually became clear in her ears.

The next day, Siria Magic Academy's end-of-year assessment officially began.

Considering that junior department magic apprentices recovered magic slowly, the seven courses' assessments were spread over four days.

Day one tested potions and magic runes. Day two tested astrology and spellchanting. Day three tested swordsmanship and horsemanship. The final day tested alchemy.

Before exams started, Luo Wei received pre-exam care from four professors. Professor Mike, Professor Moses, Professor Tobias, and Professor Temple all indicated she should choose their professions, hoping she wouldn't score low in other courses just because she favored one subject.

Luo Wei could understand the first three professors seeking her out—she'd shown decent talent in astrology, magic runes, and spellchanting. But why did Professor Temple also come?

Wasn't her hammering technique quite mediocre?

Facing Luo Wei's doubts, Professor Temple showed a knowing smile. "Child, you simply don't like hammering iron, but I can see you have outstanding talent in alchemy."

"Your alchemy knowledge is rich. You must have explored and studied privately, yes?"

"I heard you crafted a flying magic device with Hessel from the intermediate department. This proves you're not uninterested in the alchemy profession."

"These past centuries, alchemy's development has been regressing. Just hammering iron is useless. Alchemy needs to open new paths. Child, alchemy needs you."

"Of course, don't feel pressured by my words. Choose whichever profession you like. I just hope that even if you choose another profession, you won't abandon practicing alchemy."

Professor Temple's eye for talent was indeed accurate. In her past life, Luo Wei had studied polymer materials and engineering—a chemical engineering major. Rounded off, wasn't that basically alchemy?

Of course she wouldn't abandon her specialty. Therefore she said solemnly: "Thank you, Professor. I will always love alchemy."

Hearing her answer, Professor Temple was gratified.

First exam: potions.

Luo Wei unfortunately drew the question to make an enema potion. Preparing the potion was one thing, but they actually tested clinical operation! Though the subject was a straw dummy bent over, she still couldn't help her hand shaking as she inserted the enema tool crookedly.

Damn it, she'd rather die than become a plague doctor!

The bonus question draw was bloodletting based on astrology. The subject was still a straw dummy. This time Luo Wei's hand was quick and accurate, but she'd already decided she absolutely wouldn't choose the potions profession.

The junior department at least only tested brewing medicine and clinical operations. After advancing to intermediate, they'd have to dissect various animal corpses and brew terrifying potions with insect corpses, mice, poisons, and hair!