NOVEL FROG Chapter 59: The Play (III).
Chapter 59: The Play (III).
Only one more day left…
The heroine has completely memorized the script, the young knight wouldn’t leave her alone not unless she proved herself capable of being the best prince there was.
“Good morning, may everyone take your seats and remember that the laboratory has just gotten repaired so you have to tell me if you find a few glass pieces here and there.” All of the students minded where they were sitting as the new morning class started in a different classroom, it was the potion brewing laboratory.
“Tweet.” (Losimer) minding his business hiding in Analissa’s hair as he sees his master sitting not too far away.
“...” (Lady Evelyn) sees the pair and immediately waves at them as the Professor rolls in holding the textbook.
Thankfully, today they had school- meaning Lord Ein wouldn’t dare butt in and take her away from what she values most.
“Today we'll be making a laughing potion, it seems that I'll be your last class for the day and the lab has just been cleaned out of a minor accident- meaning this will be graded as your performance task.”
What she values most- education regarding magic!
“Fufu.”
Analissa hearing this was slightly happy, because yesterday she had some time alone with the villainess studying up in her dormitory on how to make potions, beginners level.
Potion Brewing 101 will be taught by their elven professor named Fraeya. A very well versed teacher who has a respectable amount of time teaching many royalties and aristocrats in the elven lands, now she finds herself at the service of humans. “I have already taught you what tools we are going to use in brewing, they are all available here in our lab. Remember class, potions brewing without a license is strictly forbidden.”
The elven professor just sees all of these students however to be lacking.
Even one student groaned, and his complaints did not escape her good hearing. “Honestly, why don't they ever ban potion making.” He did not believe that potions would be useful, for there is their magic already.
“Because they are also medicines, potions aid and there are many more good uses to it instead of poisoning and inflicting curses. For example, when a healer is tired from running out of mana what is there to help and aid?” (Professor Fraeya) eyes a few students who lower their heads, avoiding to be called up- well all, except for one.
“It is quite easy, what do you think is the answer, Miss Blanchet?” She calls onto the heroine who was startled upon hearing her name- but she was such a girl boss for studying that she knew exactly what to answer.
Analissa stands up beautifully, like the main character that she is. “Potions, specifically the tired healer can regain their mana by drinking a mana potion. They can also vary on how much mana can be gained, depending on the quality that it is made.”
The elven professor is at least impressed that there are a few humans taking their studies and learning seriously. She couldn’t help but faintly smile, praising the heroine who was a little nervous with everyone’s eyes being all on her.
“Very good, it seems that someone studied in advance.”
Analissa managed to dodge that bullet. “Whew.”
“You are fortunate to have the privilege to learn basic techniques that may help you in possible dangerous situations, these lessons being provided for you are not for nothing, it is not a waste of time and you are too young to realise that- one day you will be thankful.” (Professor Fraeya) eyes the student who complained and gave a disappointed expression on her face.
“It is a good thing that someone has answered my question, or else I would’ve doubled your homework.” Everyone hearing this breathed a sigh of relief, being a little thankful towards the blonde girl as their hatred towards her lessened.
Who in the world would want double the homework?
“Well done.” (Lady Evelyn) who was a few seats away from her couldn’t help but smile seeing the heroine looking so proudly nervous of saving the whole class from more piles of homework.
The student who complained however felt humiliated and was even scolded by his friend from almost being the reason for their homework being doubled. “Dude shut your mouth, don't get the whole class in trouble.”
“Damn sorry.”
The class moves on forward, Professor Fraeya casts out inventorium and takes the student list. “Today is your first time in a brewing class, so I'll go ahead and assign each of you a partner. You’ll be able to help each other out but after this you’ll be able to brew individually.”
“Ungh, a partner.”
“I bet I'll be doing all the work.”
“I’m good with a partner, I didn’t study up on potions brewing.”
The professor waits for everyone to finish their talk before continuing on, menacingly. “As I was saying, each will be assigned a partner where both will exchange potions and have their partner drink it.”
“What?” Everyone in the classroom looked at one another like they landed on a huge land mind of trust issues, honestly they have never trusted each other back then and now they have to because of a simple potion class!
“P-Professor? What if we um… make a few steps wrong and we make a dangerous poisonous potion instead?!” A good question raised, with a simple answer.
“If you follow simple elementary instructions, there would be no need to. This will test your faith, trust and your confidence in yourself. If you think my class would be easy, carefree and learning nothing- you'll be wrong.”
“Trust your partner and trust yourself, know that you are capable of doing this.” Analissa could almost clap at that very moving speech the elf professor has made for them today, still a partner system on brewing a potion?
And your partner has to drink it?
“...” The blonde hair girl immediately turns towards the villainess who was also giving her the longing stare.
She already knew who she wanted to be partnered up with.
“I wish I could be your partner.” (Lady Evelyn) mouths to her these words and the heroine’s heart jumps happily feeling the same thing.
“Me too, milady.” (Analissa) smiles very widely, the two girls creating a separate set of aura just between them while the others are desperate. These two seemed to be very much in lovey dovey spirit.
“Ahem…”
And the elven professor has caught on to it. Hundreds of years of teaching, she was one to observe if one likes another inside the classroom. “Miss Analissa Blanchet and Lady Evelyn Alarie, the both of you will be partners for this activity.”
Everyone in the classroom was once again conflicted with the sudden arrangement, it's like the universe was trying to set them up together.
“Oh my!”
“Goodness gracious hold me.”
“Why is it Lady Evelyn again?!”
“I don't even think they hate each other anymore. I sort of… erm… don't they kind of look cute together?”
The two girls who were called on first were startled on how their wish came true, being each other's lab partners but the villainess had her heart slowly melting like butter after hearing both of their names together.
“You two may now take your seats together, go ahead Miss Blanchet move your things.”
Analissa went on to grab her textbook where the potions list were and sat down right next to Lady Evelyn with a composed smile. “I'll be your partner for today, please take care of me.”
The Japanese streamer even lowers her head politely at the villainess who shyly scratches the side of her cheek. “Please take care of me as well.”
Everyone in the classroom could feel it, there was no denying it.
These two- have become closer, but since when?!
The blonde girl was excited about doing their new potion brewing activity, going so far as to take her written notes for the detailed step by step instructions on how to make the potion of laughter. “So Lady Evelyn, about the laughing potion. We already reviewed this ahead of time so I think I'll be fine. How about you?”
Lady Evelyn leans over to see her detailed notebook with a bunch of scribbles by the side, her eyes catch a familiar fruit drawing and she couldn't help but laugh at the memory.
‘It's an orange on the side of her notebook.’
“Likewise… I'll… be fine and I want to find a way to make this orange flavored so you'll like it more.” (Lady Evelyn) replies teasingly, making the blonde girl cover her mouth and cringed at the memory.
Her heart felt ashamed of how she behaved when she was sick, “Y-You don't need to find a way to make it taste like orange.”
Lady Serene who was watching everything was holding onto her skirt, a little envious that her best friend was taken away but she was also… glad.
“...”
She can't deny that ever since that commoner has come into her friend's life-
“Haha! You really don't want me making the potion orange flavored? You might get rather pouty if I don't.” (Lady Evelyn) says teasingly, trying so hard not to poke the girl’s puffed up cheeks.
“Lady Evelyn please spare the embarrassment. That memory is preserved into a locked safe I would like to not open, ever.” Lady Evelyn has started to smile and much more often, that is something even she cannot do so easily.
“...” The lackey felt like she wasn’t… being enough for her to continue staying by her side. What is she missing? How come you’re talking to her with such lowered guard that she hasn’t seen before ever since that incident?
“Lady Serene Sinclair and Lord Einsel Loucrat. You'll both be partners for this project, please find your seats together.” (Professor Fraeya) was almost through all the list of students that were in need of partners, seeing that the two noble pairs are engaged she thought it would be best if they were paired together.
“Ugh not him, anyone but him.” (Lady Serene) crosses her arms at her fiance who walks over, holding his textbook and the fake smile plastered on his face.
Lord Ein tilts his head, “Is there something wrong with being partners with me?”
“Oh nothing, just your annoying little quirk of keeping secrets, adding twists and personal changes, not telling us beforehand because you think it was fun?” (Lady Serene) really didn’t look happy or even safe of having Lord Ein as their partner, everything she was saying to him were in whispers so their classmates would mind their own business. “Do you think I’ll trust you after our history?”
“Ah that.” (Lord Ein) did recall of doing a few unforgettable and mean things out of boredom in the past, but… that was because- he can’t remember why.
“Exactly, let's just get seated before I even lose any of my good mood.” The two get seated on their own seats as their other classmates finish pairing up. The elven professor takes an hourglass, placing it in the front of the class.
Professor Fraeya uses her wind magic to make the ingredients float around her, one by one as the cauldron’s heat rises. “I'll demonstrate first on how it should be done. Everyone please watch and take notes, for I won't do it a second time.”
“Boil water for about five minutes, while you have that being taken care of in the meantime you can prepare some of your ingredients. Fairy Dust will need to have their magic extracted to be turned into liquid, to do that you'll need to do a simple spell of conversion.”
“The professor is amazing!” (Analissa) was watching in awe at how the ingredients were floating around so easily, a few things were being thrown into the cauldron as well.
“To make the candy floss from scratch- apologies in your textbook it's called cotton candy. You'll only sugar for this one, you'll need a spinning head and a bit of fire magic.”
“I could smell the sugar being heated up! Gosh that smells good.”
“For the baby's tears.”
Analissa waits eagerly on what to do with the baby's tears.
“I have not been given permission to bring an actual human baby into this lab, so I have decided we'll be using pre gathered tears.” (Professor Fraeya) looked disappointed that she wasn't going to be legally making babies cry today.
“I was hesitating if she'll actually bring an actual baby here just to make it laugh till it cries.”
“Lady Evelyn, she planned to, it's just that she was never allowed to.”
Once the professor has shown how it was done, it was now the student’s turn to try. The villainess and the heroine have worked together side by side, helping brew the ingredients and keeping the temperature of the head in their cauldron to a minimum.
“Lady Evelyn, here are the baby’s tears. I just finished up using them.” (Analissa) pats her hand before handing over the bottle of tears to Lady Evelyn.
“Thank you.” (Lady Evelyn) reaches over for it, their hands slightly touching.
“...!”
“...”
The two stared at each other for a bit before going back to their brewing.
Lord Ein watched as he enjoyed seeing the love of youth in front of him, “Lucky.” He couldn’t help but envy his friend a little bit but soon hears the witch’s yelling that he should grind the stone next.
“Hey Lord Einsel, don’t gawk and work. If I’m failing this class because of you then you won’t hear the end of it from me. My grades matter too, you know.” (Lady Serene) holds an empty vial, cleaning it with water before getting the cork.
…
“Miss Analissa and Lady Evelyn?”
All the audience in the back were too distracted and amazed at what they were watching, the boys had to double check if they were hallucinating but- those two were blushing just because of a simple hand hold?
“I think I’ll just fail this class at this point, I’ve already failed Miss Blanchet.”
“H-Hey don’t get too discouraged. Two girls holding hands is normal, don’t think too much of it.” The student was just cheering his friend up, but it was clear that touch seemed a little intimate to be called ‘friends’.
After the brewing session, the heroine and the villainess drank each other’s potion safely, getting a high mark on their activity. Professor Fraeya leaned over their cauldron and was impressed by the laughing potion’s color, “Well done to you both, you have the highest marks so far.”
“Lady Evelyn!” (Analissa) raises her hands asking for a high five.
“...” (Lady Evelyn) chuckles, giving it back.
Meanwhile…
“And you… two.” (Professor Fraeya) was seeing how the young knight and lackey did. The color of the portion was too deep, there seemed to be extra ingredients floating around that hadn't been melted. “Lord Einsel and Lady Serene, both of you have gotten the lowest mark I could give.”
“There is no way in hell I’m drinking his potion then.” (Lady Serene)
“Likewise.” (Lord Ein) agreed.
“In this case, both potions that you’ve made have turned into poison. The potion of laughter is usually harmless… but you both managed to make it that way using the same ingredients while following the instructions- even this much it shouldn’t turn out this way. I’m both impressed and confused.” (Professor Fraeya) chuckles, taking a few samples before noting down that these two should never be together or else.
Then again they’re already engaged.
“Looks like you both made a new discovery.”
The engaged couple… didn’t know what to feel hearing that, as the class was finished the two felt that their marriage was a mistake but what else can they do?
…
Tomorrow is the day of the play, the school festival is open!
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