Harmonization Method

Fran returned to the single dormitory Cuilan Academy had assigned to each apprentice and eagerly took out the silver sheet titled [Harmonization Method].

After giving it a quick read, she saw something new appear under the Skills section of her Panel.

[Harmonization Method (Not Initiated) (Proficiency: 0/10): Do you know how? No, you do not.]

At the same time, another prompt appeared.

[Herb Identification, Herb Processing, and Harmonization Method can be fused to form a new skill.]

Fran's eyes lit up at the prompt. Fusion could create something new?

Generally speaking, anything produced through fusion was surely stronger than its components. Without pausing, Fran took out the materials needed for practice.

She had spent every silver coin left by the original owner of this body to obtain these materials.

To grind herb-related skills, she was really going all out.

While grinding proficiency, she had discovered that if she split one herb into two halves and identified and processed them separately, she could gain proficiency twice.

Although identifying a whole portion granted more proficiency at once, identifying two separate portions somehow gave her a little more in total.

For every herb, she closed her eyes and cut it into tiny pieces, then took them out one by one to identify and process them against the Basic Herb Compendium.

Using this exceptionally economical method, she had successfully grinded both skills to mastery.

As a result, her herbs were now practically pulverized into dregs, completely unrecognizable from their original forms.

[Place the two materials into the designated solution. Cast your spiritual power into the solution, coat the materials in spiritual power, and imagine the two materials mixing within...]

Following the instructions, she carefully placed a small amount of Ash Tree Root and Soul-Entangling Vine into it, then sank her spiritual power in...

A few seconds later, however, she awkwardly realized that there was too little material. She could not find it at all in the aqueous solution.

She could only add more material and try again...

[You have made an initial attempt at the Harmonization Method and gained some experience. Proficiency +2]

[You used the Harmonization Method for another attempt. You did not fuse the two materials together, but you learned some lessons. Proficiency +1]

[You successfully harmonized a cup of liquid with an unknown effect. Why didn't you first check the book for potion combinations before trying? Proficiency +3]

After making this solution, Fran reached into the material box and discovered that she had run out of ingredients.

There was nothing she could do. The Harmonization Method required a sufficient quantity of materials to use.

Her economical approach could not be used for this technique.

As for why she did not actually make a bottle of potion, that was purely an issue of money as well.

These two materials could not be made into a potion at all, but that was where the Harmonization Method's wonder lay.

It was a purely magical technique. As long as she had enough spiritual power, forget making a bottle of potion—she could even fuse two people together.

The two materials she used were both abundant and cheap, which was why she could buy enough for practice with so little money.

"I'm out of money. It should be time by now. Let's go out."

Fran arrived at the academy's Contribution Point Exchange Hall, a place specifically for apprentices to exchange the contribution points they earned from classes.

However, Fran was not here to exchange points for herself. She was here to sell them.

To Fran, the knowledge obtainable through Contribution Points was all extremely profound. It was not something a weakling like her, who had not even learned a Spell, could understand. Selling them directly for money was far more practical.

She spotted a tall male apprentice in uniform leaning against the agreed-upon pillar and immediately walked over.

The apprentice noticed her arrival and stepped forward to speak first.

"Hello, you're the one selling Contribution Points, right?" She nodded.

"Good... I'm Advanced Apprentice Milank... How many points do you have?"

Advanced Apprentice... Fran's mouth twitched. Cuilan Academy had no such classification. All apprentices were simply apprentices.

Milank called himself that because he had joined a society affiliated with a certain school of magic.

The requirements for joining such societies were having the potential to advance to Formal Mage and having Spells that met the school's requirements.

These societies were equivalent to seed-selection programs for their respective schools. After joining, members could obtain Spells that were difficult to find elsewhere.

Some apprentices, meanwhile, could only ever remain apprentices. Even most teachers at Jade Academy were merely instructors with particular specialties, still at the apprentice rank.

The apprentices who joined these societies developed a sense of superiority over the rest and began calling themselves advanced apprentices within their circles to show that they were different from ordinary apprentices.

Still, joining those societies was necessary if one wanted to become a Formal Mage, though Fran did not need to consider that yet.

"Fran. I have four Contribution Points."

"I see..." He sounded somewhat disappointed. Advanced apprentices called one another that not only out of superiority, but also to distinguish which apprentices were worth befriending.

Milank often purchased Contribution Points and had met quite a few advanced apprentices selling their points. This time, seeing someone he had never encountered before, he had wondered whether he could make a connection. The result disappointed him: she was just an ordinary apprentice.

He no longer felt like chatting and directly stated his request.

"I want one month of reading access to the first floor of the library, plus two books: Composition of the Soul and Astrology and the Sea."

The former cost two Contribution Points, while the latter two cost one each, using up Fran's points exactly.

Cuilan Academy's Contribution Points were recorded directly under the exchange hall's list. Apprentices only needed to verify their identity to redeem them.

There was no function for transferring one's points into another person's account, so every sale had to be conducted at this exchange hall.

The buyer simply stated what they wanted, and the person selling the points directly redeemed it for them.

What this advanced apprentice wanted to study was none of Fran's concern. She only wanted the money.

"Then let's discuss the payment. How many silver coins are you offering?"

"I can offer forty-eight... no, fifty silver coins."

Milank was the son of a merchant. His father had taught him from a young age to make more acquaintances among the academy's apprentices, so he was enthusiastic about building connections and had gained many benefits from his interpersonal relationships.

At the current market rate, one Contribution Point was worth twelve silver coins, but he deliberately added a little extra to show his sincerity and goodwill.

For her to have earned four Contribution Points, she must have received outstanding grades in two courses. Someone like that would become an advanced apprentice sooner or later, so he could not look down on her just because she was not one yet.

An apprentice's monthly stipend was five silver coins, and even then, part of it had to be spent on course textbooks and supplies. Fifty silver coins was an enormous sum for her, and the price was very favorable. There was no reason to refuse.

"Thank you for your generosity. I'll redeem them now."