This was a stretch of grassland covered with blood-red pastures.
An elderly wizard with white hair and a kind smile on his face was walking across the grassland with several apprentices. In the apprentices' hands were collection containers made of metal.
"Our existence is devoted to uncovering truth! The path of a Wizard is an endless journey of seeking truth — studying every object and phenomenon in the world, extracting the laws within, and applying them to ourselves. That is the source of a Wizard's power!"
As he walked, the old wizard lectured his trailing apprentices in a patient and instructive tone.
"I've already told you about the properties of Blood-pattern Grass, but you've only ever seen diagrams and specimens. Now I've brought you here to see Blood-pattern Grass in its natural growing environment…"
"Arno! Come take a look at this Blood-pattern Grass. How is it different from the others?"
The old wizard addressed a freckled boy among the apprentices.
"Mm! It's weaker and thinner than the others of its kind, and the blood-colored markings on its surface aren't very clear. It probably encountered some natural enemy during its growth… the specifics… the specifics…"
Arno was still a big boy with a faint ring of fuzz on his upper lip. He stepped forward and reached his right hand toward the Blood-pattern Grass to get a closer look.
Shoo!
In the blink of an eye, a red-black shadow shot out from the Blood-pattern Grass and struck straight toward Arno's face!
"Aah—" Arno stumbled back several steps and fell to the ground, his face twisted in terror.
Smack! A beam of black light shot from the old wizard's hand, blasting the shadow onto the ground.
It was a red, beetle-like creature with grey spots on its back. Its razor-sharp mandibles glinted coldly, and teeth that made up fully half its body kept grinding together.
"That's a Sawtooth Beetle! The natural enemy of Blood-pattern Grass! They love gnawing on the roots of Blood-pattern Grass. If you're cultivating it artificially, you have to inspect the fields every day to keep this kind of infestation at bay…"
"Arno! You didn't even perform the most basic defensive measures during a field observation! Carelessness like that will cost you your life someday!"
The old wizard shook his head and walked on ahead.
Arno's face flushed slightly as he rubbed his head, then quickly scrambled to his feet and followed.
"Hey! Big guy! You sure are lucky! The Sawtooth Beetle's spiral sawtooth attack is terrifying — even a Second-rank Apprentice might not be able to block it. If the Mentor hadn't been here, you'd be a cold corpse right now…"
A girl apprentice walked past, letting out a disdainful snort through her nose.
"Heh heh…" Arno scratched his head, looking rather sheepish.
"Move it. Someone this dim can become an apprentice? He's nothing but a disgrace to us and the Mentor!" A well-dressed boy who had clearly received noble etiquette training walked past, leaving Arno far behind.
"Teacher! Blood-pattern Grass can enhance physical attributes to a certain degree and has a strong attraction for certain high-energy creatures. The places where it grows are often hunting grounds for those creatures — shouldn't we be on our guard?"
That noble-born apprentice ran up to the old wizard.
"Your reasoning is sound. However, I investigated beforehand. The most dangerous creature around here is just a Gale Chain Weasel — it's right at the limit of what you lot can handle."
The old wizard nodded, clearly pleased with this apprentice.
"Although Blood-pattern Grass has some physique-boosting effects, for us humans the toxins it contains are far too potent. They must undergo detoxification before it can be refined into a potion! Your task now is to gather enough Blood-pattern Grass to prepare one standard dose of the Physical Enhancement Potion, and complete the detoxification process!"
The old wizard began assigning the task.
"Understood, Mentor!" The apprentices immediately dispersed with their instruments, loosely circling the old wizard at the center so he could reach anyone in time if needed.
"Mm." Seeing this, the old wizard nodded with satisfaction.
Shoo! A Sawtooth Beetle burst from a patch of Blood-pattern Grass, grazing past Arno's face and sending him sprawling to the ground in shock once more.
"Haha! Look at this idiot! The Mentor just demonstrated that these stunted Blood-pattern Grass plants could very well be hiding beetles, and he still goes to collect them!"
The noble-born apprentice happened to walk by. He raised a hand, recited a few broken syllables, and launched a corrosive sphere that destroyed the beetle. Then he mocked Arno without restraint.
"Look! I've already nearly gathered enough raw material, and you haven't even filled the bottom of your container!"
The noble apprentice opened his own container and showed it off smugly to Arno.
"Never mind him! Levi! Come help me! The roots of this Blood-pattern Grass are way too tough!" The girl from earlier let out an annoyed hump.
"Coming! Coming! I'll be right there!"
Levi immediately abandoned Arno and hurried over to the girl, eager to ingratiate himself.
They were still children, but youngsters on the South Coast matured early, and some signs of that were already faintly showing.
The old wizard watched the scene, a reminiscent look surfacing in his eyes. "That's youth for you…"
He murmured softly, then produced a pipe adorned with golden filigree and began puffing on it. Rings of white smoke rose and drifted above the bowl.