Chapter 177 – Happy Graduation?

“If the price is right, I’ll buy one too.”

Mo Lan said as well.

These mutant crops were far more interesting than ordinary ones.

Most importantly, she had already tried just moments ago—even if she fed the fruits of the mutant crops to the Book of Cards, she couldn’t produce identical cards.

These mutant plants were closely linked to the Mana used to grow them. That trace of Mana simply couldn’t be replicated.

So if she wanted to enjoy these plants, she’d have to grow them herself.

Not that she needed these plants to fill her stomach—ordinary crop yields could easily be made into cards.

Since it was purely for fun, Mo Lan would only consider it if the price was reasonable. If it was too expensive, there was no need.

“I’m planning to set the initial price at 5 Mana. That covers growing all the crops I just introduced to you. In the future, as new mutant crops are cultivated, the range will continue to expand, with an additional 1 Mana for every 10 new varieties,” Sylph said. “What do you think?”

“Sounds fair! Have you finalized the contract template? If so, we can sign right now!” Vasida said.

“All ready!”

The two signed the contract on the spot.

Lilith, thinking about the Vampire blood fusion spell she was about to start selling, didn’t feel so reluctant about spending Mana anymore. After Vasida, she signed the contract as well.

Mo Lan held off on buying for now. She didn’t have time recently to grow these mutant plants for fun—there was no rush.

However, she did work with Sylph to produce the semi-finished seed cards for these mutant crops, letting her list them in the card marketplace.

Lilith and Vasida bought several types of Seed Cards on the spot, ready to go back and start cultivating.

“Further in, it’s dangerous plants like the Screaming Wind Chime Flowers, as well as plants whose functions I haven’t fully figured out yet. It’s not really safe for a tour…” Sylph said.

Every single plant in there had sent her to the infirmary at some point during the growing process.

She couldn’t guarantee her friends could tour safely.

Though Mo Lan and the others were curious, they didn’t push it and knew when to stop. “Then let’s head back! It’s getting late!”

On the way back, Mo Lan used her transcription magic to paint all the mutant crops she’d seen that day into one large illustration, which she handed to Sylph.

“Just add some plant descriptions on top and it should be more than enough!”

Sylph couldn’t put the painting down. “After the promotion is done, I’m taking it back to keep! It’s so beautiful!”

“Your promotional poster is definitely going to be the most eye-catching one!” Vasida and Lilith said enviously.

Their Sorceress Magic promotional posters couldn’t really be turned into paintings for advertising, so they’d inevitably pale in comparison to Sylph’s.

But when it came to magical effects, they had nothing to worry about.

Mo Lan wasn’t worried about losing attention at all. She even offered Vasida and Lilith suggestions: “You could totally demonstrate the effects of your Sorceress Magic in person—I’m sure that would be pretty spectacular!”

One could devour food to rapidly restore Mana, and the other could move at Super Speed like a Vampire and heal rapidly.

“What about you, Moira? Have you prepared any special promotional strategies? Like a tasting event or something?” Vasida swallowed.

“Posters and flyers will be enough,” Mo Lan said. “After all, buying my cards is what makes your Sorceress Magic work even better!”

All of their Sorceress Magic depended on her cards. The better their promotions went, the better her Card Magic would sell.

This was exactly why Mo Lan had tipped off her friends the moment she got the news.

Why promote it herself when she could have her friends do the heavy lifting?

Three days later, in the afternoon, Mo Lan, Vasida, Sylph, and Lilith headed to the Academy Castle with their prepared promotional posters and flyers. The group made their way around to the outside of a classroom on the west side of the second floor and pressed their ears to the wall.

“Isn’t there supposed to be an exam? Why is it so noisy?”

“This afternoon is when papers are submitted and graded. They should be announcing exam results and handing out rewards right about now,” Mo Lan said. “This exam was open-book! Over three days, you could look up any book you wanted, as long as you turned in your answer sheet by the deadline. Of course, a guardian Headmistress watched to make sure no one copied anyone else’s answers.”

“Open-book?” The three young Sorceresses had never heard of this exam format. Before they could ask more, the classroom door opened.

Lady Amisha, dressed in green robes, stepped out of the classroom. Seeing them, she winked and strode briskly away.

Now the voices from inside the classroom reached them much more clearly.

A chorus of wailing wouldn’t have been an exaggeration.

“It sounds like the seniors’ exam results weren’t exactly great?” Vasida said uncertainly.

Four little heads peeked into the classroom to have a look.

Good grief—every single person had a practice workbook in hand!

“Who on earth can actually solve arithmetic problems that hard!”

“Not me, that’s for sure!”

“Me neither! I couldn’t even find the answers by flipping through books!”

“This one, this one, and this one—we never even learned these before!”

“I just want to know—if we don’t do this practice workbook ‘reward,’ is Lady Amisha going to pop up one day and demand we turn in our homework?”

“Didn’t you hear what Lady Amisha said? It’s best to finish the workbook before leaving the Wilds. Right now we’ve barely developed the ability to survive in the wilderness. In places with intelligent beings, ignorance kills faster than incompetence!”

“I never imagined that after graduating, I’d still have homework to do! And such a thick ‘practice workbook’ at that! Nobody ever mentioned a graduation exam before!”

“Look at the last page of the workbook—this passage: ‘In tribute to the inventor of the Valen practice workbook and the one who spread the culture of workbooks and examinations from Earth—Sorceress Moira.’ Sorceress Moira—is that the first-year little Sorceress?”

…

Mo Lan yanked her head back in a flash, turned on her heel, and bolted—even activating Super Speed.

“Hey! Moira, where are you going?” Lilith caught up and grabbed her.

“I think today’s timing isn’t great for promotions. How about we come back tomorr—s-seniors?”

Mo Lan turned around to find the fifth-year seniors filing out of the classroom.

They were all clutching thick practice workbooks, their gazes burning as they stared at her.

Mo Lan’s scalp went numb!

Run! She couldn’t—Lilith was still holding onto her!

She had no choice but to tough it out. “Ahem! Seniors, happy graduation!”

The fifth-year witches slowly closed in. “So this practice workbook really was your doing?”

“It certainly was!” Mo Lan smiled on the surface, while actually whispering desperately to Lilith for help: “Hurry, hurry, hurry—get me out of here!”

Her Super Speed couldn’t outrun a broomstick.

Lilith hesitated…

Mo Lan: “This is a perfect opportunity to showcase your Vampire blood fusion spell!”

Lilith’s eyes lit up instantly. “Leave it to me!”