"Let's try eating this first."
I took out a packet from the bag. The packet had detailed information about the plant and its toxicity. Let's see.
"'Flarotte's Bud,' a 7th-tier plant-type magical creature, can be harvested from Flarotte. It contains powerful mental stabilizing components, but its strong toxicity can cause sepsis."
The effects were clear: if someone without poison resistance ate it, they would either die or their body would be ruined. I wondered why the botanical garden even dealt with such things, but then it hit me—they probably sold it to people like me. Without hesitation, I opened the packet.
The bud of an underdeveloped plant, Flarotte's Bud, had a distinct, pungent medicinal smell.
The scent practically screamed, "I'm toxic, don't eat me," but I chewed it up without a second thought.
As I swallowed the juice-like substance, my eyes and throat immediately burned.
"...It's fine for now."
I didn't like the burning sensation in my eyes and throat, but I could feel the sharp pain that had been tormenting me dulling.
The pain that had been plaguing my body was fading, allowing my brain to focus entirely on magical calculations. The pain-relieving effect was significant, just as the man had described.
But the real problem was just beginning.
Bubbling, my stomach started to churn.
Abdominal pain accompanied by labored breathing. The medicinal effect of the poisonous plant had reached my lungs.
[You have consumed 'Flarotte's Bud.' The poison is flowing into your lungs!]
In an instant, my complexion turned pale.
My already pale face became even paler.
But even in this state of poisoning, I didn't panic.
[Based on the Hundred Poisons Immunity recorded in [Weak Body Resistance], the analysis of 'Flarotte's Bud' is underway.]
[Progress: 7.9%]
[Progress: 23.8%]
[Progress: 55.1%]
...
...
[Progress: 100%]
[You have perfectly analyzed the 'Flarotte's Bud' that invaded your body!]
[Antibodies and resistance to 'Flarotte's Bud' are now implemented in [Weak Body Resistance]]
This is it.
Exactly as I had envisioned.
The skill, [Hundred Poisons Immunity], integrated into [Weak Body Resistance], had the ability to easily adapt to toxins weaker than its origin, 'Gu.' Given how quickly it adapted, it seemed like it could handle even stronger poisons.
Still, there might be unforeseen side effects.
I decided not to consume more than ten types of poisonous plants in a day.
Any more than that, and all the fluids in my body might become toxic. The idea of reaching the perfect state of a "Poison Person," as pursued by the Four Heavenly Kings, was a bit too much for me.
That level is a bit too extreme.
"I'll stick to eating the poisonous plants like this, and for the ones with weaker effects, I'll dry them and smoke them like cigarettes."
I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand and thought.
As expected of poisonous plants, the taste was quite strong.
It was unbearably bitter.
But processing them for absorption would reduce their efficiency. Among the various poisonous plants I bought, I decided to dry and smoke the ones with weaker effects.
This was solely to benefit from the pain-relieving effects of the poisonous plants sold at the botanical garden.
"Now that pain and poison resistance are taken care of, next is getting some equipment."
Before the next scenario or an unexpected quest arises, I needed to get my hands on some equipment as soon as possible.
Not cheap factory-produced stuff, but top-quality items made by a master craftsman.
And coincidentally.
As the middle-aged man at the botanical garden had mentioned.
There was someone nearby who fit the bill.
***
The day after buying the poisonous plants.
Since it was Saturday, I quickly put on my outdoor clothes and left the academy grounds.
Today's destination wasn't far.
Right around here.
It was right next to the building where I bought the poisonous plants.
"...It's been a while since I've gone out, so I'm a bit nervous. No one will recognize me, right?"
"With the mask on, they probably won't. Ah, but if it were me, I would have recognized you even with the mask."
"Actually, isn't the mask pointless? In this neighborhood, with your natural physique, proportions, and the same suit every day, you're unmistakably the teacher."
I've gotten used to the glares from students, teaching assistants, and professors at Seven Stars.
But receiving sharp looks from ordinary people was still a bit uncomfortable.
Honestly, it's unfair to be blamed for things I didn't do.
I wanted to complain to the students, but with the victim right in front of me, I couldn't bring myself to say anything.
What on earth did the owner of this body do before I possessed it?
When I looked at Isabelle, her eyes sharpened as she felt my gaze.
"What are you looking at? Are you going to insult me for being ugly again?"
"...When did I ever say that?"
"Two years ago, at the Guchun Family meeting. Want me to tell you the exact date and what you said?"
"Sorry for bringing it up..."
Isabelle, who openly dislikes me.
I've gotten used to this dynamic by now.
By the way, if she's going to be like this, she shouldn't have joined my group in the first place. I don't understand why she came under me just to act like this.
Maybe she's planning to pay me back in kind.
As my mind grew complicated, Seong Yeon-hwa stepped between us.
With her characteristic awkward speech and bright expression, she said.
"Stop fighting, you two! Today is a good day. But teacher, why are we going with you to get your equipment?"
"I thought I'd get you guys something while we're at it."
"Wow! Really?"
At my words, Seong Yeon-hwa jumped up and down with joy.
Clink, clink!
The sword hanging at her waist swayed with her movements.
A famous sword gifted to her by her father, the head of the Jecheon Family, to his successor.
Even though she carried a sword that anyone could tell was a masterpiece, she was overjoyed at the idea of me gifting her a weapon.
I couldn't bring myself to say that it would be hard to match the quality of her sword.
But gifts are about the thought, not the money.
...Well, that's something people without money usually say.
"Teacher, really? You're going to get us equipment too?!"
"Not a full set, just one piece each."
"Aw, we're not that spoiled. We'd be grateful for just one piece of equipment!"
Lee Ji-han was overjoyed, and the other students were happy too.
Even though they were all elite students at Seven Stars, they were still students.
Player equipment required a lot of money, and for kids without a steady income, the idea of being gifted a piece of equipment was incredibly appealing.
Especially Lee Ji-han, who was jumping up and down with excitement.
But don't get the wrong idea.
Not all students were short on money.
"How can we trust you? What if you're planning to rip us off or saddle us with debt?"
Isabelle spoke up in a somewhat sharp tone.
Everyone's faces stiffened, but it wasn't an unreasonable concern.
There had been cases like that in the past.
Five years ago, there was a professor who promised to gift weapons to students, but he ended up scamming them and disappeared after making a fortune.
The professor was caught within a few days, but the students, who had been through so much stress, couldn't focus on their studies and ended up failing their performance evaluations.
"That's not going to happen. I'm already getting enough insults as it is. Why would I add another charge to my record?"
"Because you're shameless."
"Besides, I'm not short on money. What would I gain from scamming students?"
"Well, that's true."
Only people without money resort to scams.
Baek Seung-woo, the head of the Cheonho Baek Family, even if he was just a figurehead, wasn't so desperate for money that he would scam students.
Even if he were short on money, his pride as a noble wouldn't allow it.
He'd rather take it openly.
Baek Seung-woo wasn't the type to resort to underhanded tactics.
And neither was I, who had possessed his body.
"Um... I'm not doubting you, but can we really trust you?"
"Ji-han, do you want to get hit?"
"By the way, teacher! Who are we going to see?"
"A craftsman you've probably heard of before."
"Well, I'm not worried about that. As the head of the Cheonho Baek Family, you'd only use guaranteed items."
Isabelle nodded, acknowledging my taste.
Even if she didn't trust Baek Seung-woo's personality, she seemed to trust his aesthetic sense.
Even if she didn't trust my judgment, there weren't any low-quality blacksmiths in this area. Those kinds of places would have gone out of business due to bad word of mouth.
'This is that kind of neighborhood.'
The area near Seven Stars Academy was full of shops selling player-related equipment and miscellaneous items, making it a popular spot for students and active players.
But recently, the increasing franchise trend had made business difficult.
The success of 'Cheonho Pharmaceuticals' for potions and 'Hephaestus' Hammer' for equipment had a significant impact.
They expanded their influence globally, sweeping up all the money. As their business flourished, traditional blacksmiths were losing their foothold.
However, to create items tailored to the client's preferences and tendencies, one had to seek out specialized workshops, so some blacksmiths stubbornly held their ground despite the changing times.
The place I was heading to was one of those.
'I'm sure it's around here.'
The area was lined with various blacksmith shops.
The streets were bustling with Seven Stars students and players who had come to commission weapons, taking advantage of the Friday night.
What I wanted wasn't here.
Navigating through this crowd to reach the blacksmith I wanted seemed difficult.
So, I opened my eyes wide.
My red eyes turned purple, and the world's colors became monotonous.
Amidst the dense magic in the air and the various colors of magic flowing through people's hearts, it wasn't easy to pinpoint what I was looking for.
But I scanned left and right, trying to find a unique and out-of-place color.
The place I was looking for would be run by a special person, after all.
"What kind of person should run a blacksmith shop?"
"Really, what a pointless question. You should ask the blacksmiths in the back, not me."
"I haven't really interacted with those kinds of craftsmen. On the other hand, you've commissioned various weapons and talked to many blacksmiths. What's with the 'friends are good' talk? Help me out, okay?"
"No."
"If you keep acting like this, I'll follow you around with a fox tail. Ah, maybe a rabbit tail would be better..."
"Alright, the impression is that the more benevolent the middle-aged man or the older the grandfather, the more skilled they are."
"You should have said that from the start."
Eve had unilaterally talked about the novel before.
But she rarely sought my advice.
Praised as a great mage and active as a military commander, she knew more than she didn't.
Even in hellish situations, her ingenious strategies saved our lives more than once.
In the military, Eve was the very symbol of wisdom and knowledge.
For her to seek advice from me, or anyone else, was a rare occurrence.
'Except when she asked me for advice about the novel.'
From the general personality of a blacksmith to the depiction of martial arts, including swordsmanship. The feelings of a soldier sent to a battlefield teeming with magical creatures with just a sword, and so on.
Eve actively incorporated these experiences, which couldn't be learned from reading books at a desk, into her novel.
That's how the blacksmith I'm about to meet was born.
In a way, he could be considered my child.
'No, not really. I didn't write the novel myself, I just answered Eve's questions. So, it's more accurate to say I'm like a plastic surgeon rather than a parent.'
Based on my experiences, I helped shape a character from Eve's draft.
It was closer to the relationship between a plastic surgeon and a patient than a parent and child.
Moreover, if he was created according to my answers, he would definitely be the 'patient.'
I entered a secluded alley.
There was no sign of anyone, but my eyes were pointing to this place.
A blacksmith shop with no signboard, blocked by iron bars.
Confident, I broke the iron bars with flames and entered.
"Hey, it's Ou Yezi, right?"
In the corner of the blacksmith shop, an old man was lying on a chair.
I called out his nickname to confirm, but...
He looked like a wreck, pale and hollow-eyed, as if he could collapse at any moment.
"...Huh?"
Did I come to the wrong place?
***
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