Chapter 656: Plant Poison - 656
Skymender quickly looked over it and could tell at a glance that it was different from a usual poison recipe. Both the materials used to create it and the methods used to concoct it were abnormal and very specific.
He looked up at the Imperial Scholar.
"This particular poison is only useful on the common weeds in this area. Our gardeners use it, though it is created elsewhere. It is not particularly useful, but it is extremely valuable. Many would pay a lot of money for it, not just to get rid of weeds, but because it could give them or those who work for them an insight on how to create similar poison recipes."
Skymender nodded. "Thank you."
"Of course. Anything to further the knowledge of such a talented individual."
Although his words were spoken normally, Skymender imagined that deep inside, it was just empty words.
"Now, let me begin to teach you about some of the unusual components in the concoction process."
The Imperial Scholar began to describe, explain, and suggest. His focus was on the unusual concoction method included in the recipe.
It was more complicated than a normal poison recipe, requiring the heat to be skillfully manipulated and the timing to be nearly perfect.
The Imperial Scholar finished up exactly as the hour ended.
"Alright. Good luck with your concocting."
Skymender thanked him again and left. He headed directly to the herb shop. He had already been told about the few materials on the list he hadn't known. None were nearly as valuable as the Yellow Lightning Thorn, and neither were they restricted or classified.
The uniqueness of the recipe lay in the concoction process, not the materials.
Leaving the herb shop with a large bag on his back, Skymender headed over to Master Chef Garb's restaurant. He entered, and Master Chef Garb looked at him.
"Using the poison room." Skymender said.
Master Chef Garb nodded.
As Skymender walked towards the door, he paused. "Is it safe to have a poison room so close to food?"
Master Chef Garb looked back at him. "Is it safe to have a poison room anywhere?"
Skymender nodded in agreement and headed down the stairs once again. In the same room, he took out everything and began. He mixed materials, timed additions perfectly, and manipulated the heat, though he struggled to do so.
He failed his first attempt, as well as his second. However, after the first, his skill had clearly grown. As he began his third, there was an obvious difference. Still, it was not enough.
He failed on his third attempt and his fourth attempt, finally succeeding on his fifth attempt.
He produced a few vials of the poison. He didn't value the poison itself that much. Instead, he valued the practice and experience he had gained, as well as his new insights on different types of poisons.
Skymender cleaned up and headed upstairs to test the poison out. As he walked outside, he looked at one of the boards. On it was a test date. The next time that they met with the Imperial Scholar, they would be tested on what they learned through his methods, and be given points as a result.
Skymender noted it in his head and walked over to the grass. After looking around for a little bit, he found a patch of the common weeds in the Imperial Capital. Although there were many different types of weeds, these were the most common species around.
Skymender uncapped a vial and dripped a few drops on the weeds. He also intentionally got some on the grass. He watched as the poison that touched the weeds was sucked inside of it, but the poison that touched the grass simply slid off, not affecting it.
Moments later, he saw the weeds shriveling up at a speed visible to the naked eye. After five minutes, all that remained of the weed patch was a bunch of dry, dead weeds.
Skymender was impressed by the effectiveness of the poison. The normal grass and ground was completely untouched, while the weeds were completely eradicated. It did what it needed to do and it did it perfectly.
Since he had a test in two days, he decided to head to the library and study.
Clearly, everybody had gotten the memo, as the library was just as full as when it first opened. Skymender made his way to the medical section and began to study. Unlike usual, he actually began to study medicine and healing. He had been intending to do so for a long time, but had always focused on poison.
Now, he decided it was the right time.
As expected, medicine was very similar to poison. From the methods to create a medicine or a cure, to the materials used. All of it was eerily similar. For the first time, Skymender truly understood the saying, "A master of medicine is a master of poison".
Even just by accident, it seemed possible to make poison from a few of the medicine recipes. Just a single additional material or one missing could make a concoction go from healing to killing.
Skymender stayed inside of the library for more than sixteen hours before leaving and falling asleep. He made sure he got plenty of sleep and went to the library as soon as he woke up.
When he arrived it was around 10 PM, or 14 hours before his test with the Imperial Scholar. He would spend all of the time before that studying.
In the library, he perused various sections, even stepping out of the medicine section to look at how broken bones were healed. He became curious as to how doctors actually worked, but staved off his curiosity for the sake of the test.
It felt like the blink of an eye, but 11 AM arrived. Skymender had an hour before his test. To say he was not a little tired would be a lie.
Therefore, he left a bit early and stopped at a cafe, picking up the most energizing coffee that they gave out.
Chapter 657: Closing the Gap - 657
The coffee was loaded with sugar and espresso, an energy enhancing drink. Skymender finished it as he walked towards the Education building. By the time he arrived, he was wide awake and full of energy. Luckily, he was able to calm his mind down before the Imperial Scholar was ready for him.
At almost exactly 12 PM, the office door opened and someone exited. It was not someone Skymender had ever paid attention to.
The Imperial Scholar walked out and saw Skymender.
"I'm ready for you."
Skymender nodded and walked over. Entering, he sat on a chair across from the Imperial Scholar.
"Would you like to be tested on medicine or poison?" The Imperial Scholar asked.
"Poison." Skymender responded. Although he had been studying medicine, it had been almost completely in relation to poison.
The Imperial Scholar nodded and took out a piece of paper prepared in advance.
"You have up to thirty minutes to complete the first section. If you finish early, we can move on. Begin."
Skymender grabbed a nearby writing utensil and began. The questions were basic, but tested a vast array of knowledge. A part of it was naming plants, which was quite difficult. Another involved other, non-plant materials.
Another section gave made up scenarios and asked Skymender what he would do in that situation.
Skymender flew through it, completing what he was able to within twenty minutes. He handed it to the Imperial Scholar.
The Imperial Scholar nodded and placed it to the side. He then began the second portion of the test, where he asked specific questions.
These could be whatever he wanted or believed could pertain to what Skymender was studying, which was poison.
It was similar to the test, with a few unique questions thrown in. All in all, as he left the Imperial Scholar's office, he wasn't sure how good or bad he had done.
He returned to the library, where he continued to study. He knew that the final test would be conducted a day later, around 4 PM. Results should come out the same day since most of it was decided by the Imperial Scholar and not some sort of system.
The next day, at 10 PM, he began to walk to his room in order to get some needed sleep. That coffee had kept him up for far longer than he should have been awake.
As he walked, he passed by the billboard and looked at it. It did not have any sort of test results on it, but simply a paper that said, "See board for results". The board it was referring to was the big board in the teaching room of the Education building. As curious as Skymender was, he was even more so tired. He returned to his room and fell asleep. Around 12 hours later, when he woke up, the first thing he did was get ready for his day.
The second was to go to the Education building. Entering the teaching room, he looked at the board.
4th, Miria - 37 Intelligence points
3rd, Luke - 40 Intelligence points
2nd, Skymender - 50 Intelligence points
1st, Charles - 51 Intelligence points
In other words, during this round of testing, Skymender was at the top.
Ignoring Miria and Luke, Charles had only gained 8 points, while Skymender had gained 10.
He had cut the lead down to one point. Wherever Charles was, he was surely unhappy.
Skymender did not let it get to his head. He returned to the library and studied with even more intensity than usual. After all, he was coming off of around 12 hours of sleep.
At noon, he met with the Imperial Scholar.
"Congratulations on your victory. Let's continue." The Imperial Scholar said.
Skymender nodded and began to receive teachings.
The Imperial Scholar was truly a terrifying individual, his knowledge gathered over years seemingly endless. Skymender wasn't confident that, given the same time, he could have as much knowledge as the Imperial Scholar.
Eventually, the hour passed and Skymender left. As usual, he had gained a lot. He left straight for the library.
As he left, the next person scheduled did not immediately enter, but waited outside in confusion, wondering why the Imperial Scholar had not called him in.
Meanwhile, after Skymender left, a person stepped into the room from another door. An arrogant and tall man stood with his hands behind his back.
"How is it going so far?"
"It is going as well as expected, your Imperial Majesty." The Imperial Scholar said.
The Emperor nodded. "Is Skymender doing well?"
The Imperial Scholar nodded. "Incredibly so. Say, where did you find that kid with the photographic memory?"
The Emperor spoke simply. "I have tabs everywhere. It is simply by coincidence that someone with a photographic memory has been born in this time, and is the perfect age to be a rival for Skymender. No, call it fate."
The Imperial Scholar nodded.
"Do you want me to change anything? I believe that on his second appearance, Skymender may become worthy of being the next Imperial Scholar."
The Emperor shook his head. "Continue on. You are better suited to such matters."
The Imperial Scholar nodded in agreement.
The Emperor turned around and walked back through the same door. As he left, he left a few words behind.
"Make sure that Skymender can really surpass the challenge that is Charles. Otherwise, it might be better to let Charles be the next Imperial Scholar."
With that, he was gone.
The Imperial Scholar shook his head.
He muttered to himself. "It has just begun. Charles may be a one in a million talent, but Skymender is a monster in body and soul. This is still the warm up. When the second time comes, who knows if Charles will be qualified to receive a glance from him."
The entire time, neither Miria nor Luke were spoken of or thought of, as if the competition they were participating in didn't even consider them challengers, simply extras. In the eyes of the Imperial Scholar, they were no different from the other 12 people, not including Charles and Skymender.
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