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Chapter 170

“See, you’re already making mistakes!” Penny continued when I stared at her blankly. “You were going to waste time in that library. The library only contains martial techniques. Unless you want to study how to punch things, there is no point in even going there. This university had a broad range of knowledge to benefit paragons, but only if you happen to know your way. Were these girls steering you wrong?”

She immediately glared at the Lou girls, Destiny taking the most offense. “Who do you think you are speaking to? I’m Lady Destiny Lou and this is my sister Fate. She was in the top ten in the martial contest.”

Penny gave her a single dismissively glance and sniffed. “The Lou family, is it? I heard your family has only recently gained a small favor from the Nikola family and is considered on the rise. I’ve heard your family has no background and no money. You honestly expect a woman from the Capala family to be impressed?”

“A branch line of the Capala family,” Destiny responded defiantly.

Penny sneered. “Just because my father elected to run a branch line so that he could search for opportunity doesn’t mean we’re anything like those extended family branches. We’re from the main line, and as soon as we return to the capital, we’ll be welcomed with open arms. It’s called Arcford, maybe you’ve heard of it? It’s where our lord lives.”

“I know what the capital is!” Destiny snapped unhappily. “One day, my family will be wardens to the lord. When that happens, you wouldn’t dare disrespect us.”

“One day?” She laughed. “What large ambitions… at least your family offers something of sufficient size.”

Destiny tilted her in confusion at first, but when she looked below where Penny’s eyes were located, she let out a gasp. “What’s so special about those being large?”

“It’s just the genetics, dear.” Penny smiled viciously. “Some women have better genes than other women.”

“You!”

I coughed. “Are you going to say that about the Lou family? Her sister is standing right there.”

Penny’s eyes moved over from two tiny hills to two billowing mountains. Destiny’s declining mood broke into laughter. Penny gasped, covering her chest instinctively before glaring at me.

“Who’s side are you on anyway?” Penny shot me a glare. “You’re a Capala! Act like it.”

“Aren’t you the ones who said I wasn’t a Capala yet?” I asked.

“This is this and that is that? Shouldn’t you side with your future wife?”

“I also want to know,” Destiny spoke up. “Which side do you take? Is it me or Fate?”

She reached out and grabbed Fate, who hadn’t been paying close attention to the conversation until she was suddenly grabbed.

“What are you all talking about?” Fate asked in confusion as Destiny pushed out her tiny chest next to Fate’s far more adequate one.

“Why does the person with the best martial skill need to be the person who should have worse posture?” Penny hissed.

“What does that mean?” Fate frowned.

“Well?” Destiny didn’t seem to want to let it go.

I sighed, looking off into the sunset like some lonely sage. “I only have ever taken the side of justice.”

The wind blew lightly, and the girls all stared at me, with complicated expressions on their faces. A moment later, Penny kicked me in the shin.

“Justice, my ass!”

“Ow… I thought you were a lady!” I grumbled.

“I am a lady, but even a lady must resort to lowly methods to deal with a hooligan!”

I noticed Destiny nodding slightly before she noticed me and stopped. These women were supposed to be rivals, but they were suddenly agreeing on things. It seemed like women didn’t change no matter what world they lived in. They’d always agree with each other just to screw men over. If there was a man they could be made to look foolish, they would say the sky was red and the grass was purple without batting an eyelash.

I could only let out a sigh and looked down at Penny. “Is that all you wanted? Can I go now?”

“Hmph, here? Did you even listen to me? What? Are you thinking that martial skills will allow you to keep your first place from the previous tournament?” Penny laughed. “The martial skills your opponents will use will all be superior to anything you could find in this library. Only loser families with no background would bother perusing such a library.”

Roland looked even more depressed now that a second person had spoken ill of the library. It was pretty clear his family was one of those without backgrounds.

“I’d still like to look.” I tried to argue, but Penny shook her head.

“Our family’s young lord didn’t go to such lengths for you to waste your time learning garbage techniques. Since you’re here, you will go to the mythic labs.

“The mythic labs?’

“You wish to become a botanist, don’t you? This is the place where every student goes to learn about mythics and their mystical properties.”

“Um… haven’t I already learned enough…” I scratched my cheek, feeling like if I could pass the botany exam, then I’d probably be fine.

“How could that possibly be enough? You’ve only qualified for the first level. Don’t you know there are nine levels of horticulture and nine levels of chemist?”

“Those nine levels are theoretical. I’ve never met someone greater than level four, and have only heard rumors of the fifth level.” Destiny cut in.

“Hmph… do you think this Province is the limit? The Audra Lightning Province’s highest is indeed the fifth level level, but we’re also one of the newer and smaller provinces. There are at least those of the sixth tier. Although I’ve never met a seventh tier before… they should exist…”

She looked slightly uncertain.

“Why wouldn’t they exist?” I asked.

Penny glanced at me and then rolled her eyes. “That’s right, I forgot you don’t have common sense.”

“I’m here, aren’t I?”

“Although you’ve already heard of the names, there is a distinct hierarchy of nine tiers for most skills,” Penny explained. “For medicines, there is herbalist, botanist, and then alchemist. These are considered the mortal ranks. When you reach the next tier, you are part of the paragon ranks. This is where you have Apothecary, Pharmacist, and then the Chemist, although anyone who reaches the paragon ranks is generally called a chemist.”

“Really? I thought botany and alchemy were two different things.”

“They are taught that way at this level. However, what direction could a botanist go, if not toward alchemy, and how could one become an alchemist without botany? Alchemy is the natural progression of botany, but to prevent bruising egos, it is sometimes treated as a second occupation. I’ve heard that in some places, botanists are treated as lower servants to chemists. Only here does a botanist gain nearly the same level of respect as an alchemist, and that’s merely because, without botanists, the alchemists in this area would struggle to even buy the plants they needed to do their profession.”

“I see, in that case, what about the other levels”

“The three levels passed paragon are called the godly levels.”

‘They’re theoretical.” Destiny spoke up. “No one even knows if such a level is obtainable.”

“I’ve said I’ve heard of the seventh level. I even know the name. It’s called a Biochemist.”

“A Biochemist? That sounds made up.” Ronald laughed, but when the girls all gave him dirty looks, he quickly quieted down.

“So, since I already passed the botany exam, that puts me in a second tier,” I spoke up to spare him. “I just need alchemy experience to become an alchemist.”

“You passed the botany exam?” Destiny asked with shock.

“Hmph! You weren’t given credit as a botanist. You’re only a herbalist. Don’t let it get to your head. That’s why you still must study hard if you want to be recognized as a true botanist.”

“Did you pass the botany exam?” Ronald asked me excitedly.

I shrugged helplessly, “Apparently, it doesn’t count. I still learned everything I needed to learn.”

I wasn’t lying. I had a good enough grasp on plants now that I could further my research at home. I wasn’t completely disinterested in the mythic labs. However, that wasn’t my priority at the moment. I still had a long way to go before I needed the resources such a place would give me.

“You’re not going to go to the mythic labs?” Penny pursed her lips. “I wanted to take you there to show you off… I mean, show you the distance between your current ability and how far you can go.”

That seemed to be more like it. Penny just wanted to use my botany knowledge to impress the people there. I didn’t feel like being some toy for her to put on display. I couldn’t be manipulated so easily.

I shrugged. “Sorry, I’ll go over there some other time.”

“It’s a shame too. After all, there are opportunities to make money there.” Penny glanced away as my eyebrow rose.

I lowered my eyebrow and coughed. “Money, you say?”

Perhaps, I could be manipulated so easily, as long as the right buttons were pushed.