Translated by XephiZ

Edited by Aelryinth

Lily stared at Mo Fan. "Are you being serious?"

She was dying to become a Mage who was respected by others. She would no longer have to work as a laborer. She wanted to be like the students of the Aorus Sacred Institute, treated like a princess no matter which country she went to.

"Of course, but it's up to you whether you can Awaken your first Element or not," Mo Fan warned her.

"I can do it!" The girl was surprisingly confident in herself.

"Can you wipe your tears and start bringing us around? Has your village always planted aloe vera in the past?" Mo Fan asked her.

Lily was very passionate after she was promised a chance to become a Mage, and answered every question they had. She was like a totally different person.

It was perfectly normal, since the chance of becoming a Mage was extremely rare in the Americas. The Magic Association was in control of the limited Awakening Stones, and allocated the Awakening Stones among the schools, government, military, and clans.

Lily had not attended a magic school. She was supposed to be satisfied with just having a job. It was almost impossible for her to become a Mage.

Mo Fan was well aware of her desire, and did not mind giving her a chance. It was part of the power given to the guest lecturers. He could ask the Magic Association for ten Awakening Stones every year without going through the school. He could just give them away as he pleased.

"Mo Fan, have your tastes deteriorated?" Zhao Manyan observed Lily closely, but he did not notice anything unusual about the girl, except for her bad temper. He had no idea why Mo Fan bothered wasting his time on someone like her.

"Is sex the only thing you can relate between a man and a woman? Can you be a little nobler? We are teachers now!" Mo Fan said.

"Hehe!" Zhao Manyan scoffed.

------

Lily had grown up in the village. If she was a local, she could live a luxurious life by planting the rarer species, but she was only lodging under her aunt's roof.

"My aunt forces me to work every day, while she has fun with different boyfriends..."

"You don't have to tell us that. We are more interested in the crops here. There must be a reason why the produce here is better than in other places, like a special way of planting the crops?" Mu Bai inquired.

"A special way of planting the crops? I have no clue, I'm not interested in it. I don't want to be a farmer," Lily replied disdainfully.

"Does the village export the produce here to other places?" Mu Bai asked.

"I think so, we are working with merchants from Europe. They will come here every season to take the products," Lily nodded.

"Do you know who they are?" Mu Bai's expression shifted a little, yet he remained indifferent on the surface.

"I have no idea who they are. I only know women in European countries, including Italy, France, England, and Greece, like our produce. My aunt is in charge of receiving the foreign merchants. She always brings me along to their meetings. Humph, does she think I'm unaware of their filthy business? Those old men always look at me in an uncomfortable way!" Lily said.

"Lily, considering your looks, I think they are just here for business," Zhao Manyan pointed out.

"Yes, you're the good-looking one here! Your kind has always been those muscular men's favorite!" Lily shot back.

"Lecturer, there's nothing to see here. Should we go to the next place?"

"This is boring. It's just a run-down village. It doesn't even have a restaurant. Are we going to eat cacti for lunch?"

"We can head to Norzak City. I heard it's fun there!"

Mo Fan, Zhao Manyan, and Mu Bai exchanged glances. They were planning to stay a little longer, but the students were asking to leave. It was not a good sign, since there were many places they had yet to visit. How could they possibly find out if the Black Vatican was hiding here?

"I saw a mountain at the back enclosed with fences. What's that for?" Mo Fan pointed.

"There? I'm not sure either, I guess it's where the more expensive species is planted. We aren't allowed to go in there. I bet they are scared we will destroy crops that are more expensive than gold if we step on them," Lily answered.

"Can we go take a look?"

"I need to ask my aunt."

-------

Lily's aunt was a tanned woman who did a great job maintaining her physique. She was surprised to see the people from the Aorus Sacred Institute.

"You are interested in the rare species on the mountain? Sure, I can bring you there," Lily's aunt received them warmly. She seemed friendly, unlike the old witch Lily kept describing her as.

That being said, she was only kind and friendly to the people of the Aorus Sacred Institute.

Mu Bai insisted on taking a look, despite the complaints from the students.

"Why aren't there any crops here?" Mu Bai looked at the plowed field in disappointment.

"We have already harvested the crops. The cacti and aloe vera have already been transported to the factories to be manufactured into goods. Look at my skin; it's because I've been applying aloe vera to it for many years," Lily's aunt declared. She even glanced at Zhao Manyan as she was talking.

Zhao Manyan shuddered, and pretended he did not notice.

------

The three had no choice but to leave the village, as the students were getting impatient.

The village was the most suspicious place where the Frenzy Poppies might be planted, but they did not see a single stalk of them. Mo Fan began to doubt whether they were looking in the wrong direction again.

They proceeded to exterminate a few nests of demon creatures as part of their disguise. At night, the three sat down at the beach gloomily and had some drinks.

"Did we really have no clues left?" Zhao Manyan asked.

"Perhaps we were a step late, and they already took the Frenzy Poppies," Mu Bai said.

"Are you still suspicious of the village?" Zhao Manyan said.

"Yes, they plowed the soil, which doesn't make any sense. Succulents can absorb nutrients and water from a huge area. There's no point in plowing the soil," Mu Bai said.

"Mu Bai, keep investigating that village. I'll check on another one," Mo Fan said.

"Another village?"

"The village I paid a thousand gold in compensation for their losses," Mo Fan said.

"Why? Are you trying to get your gold back? You just said you are a glorious teacher, yet you are going to do something so shameless!" Zhao Manyan said.

"I was thinking. Why did the students use Advanced Spells just to kill the Plowing Beasts? Are the students of the Aorus Sacred Institute really that stupid?" Mo Fan pointed out.