I was strolling along the cobblestone streets that run through the city center with a big smile plastered on my face. Today is my first day off!

When I used to live in the village, I never paid too much attention to the plethora of public holidays and religious ceremonies. But ever since I started working as an apprentice and discovered that I have to work every day from morning till dusk and there is no such thing as a free weekend, I was dismayed, to say the least.

I wondered every day how people could put up with such treatment. 'Where are the strikes or the unions?' However, I soon discovered that humans are surprisingly adaptive creatures. They can adapt to almost anything. I, too, adapted to this abysmal working schedule, although it was very hard for me at first.

This is why I now look forward to every free day with almost religious fervor. All around me, people are happily chatting while they busily prepare for some kind of celebration. I don't know what it is, and honestly, I don't care. All that matters to me is that I don't have work today and can do whatever I want.

But that also presents a dilemma: What should I do today to make the most of this opportunity? I don't know when the next free day will be, so I don't want to waste it.

I wanted to continue my investigations into the Moonlight Aster, but I don't know where else to look or with whom I could talk about this. There are a few other herbalists in the city besides Isadora, but I don't know them well, and I can't risk them telling Isadora about our conversation. She mustn't find out that I have more of these mysterious flowers until I know their true value and purpose.

With nothing better to do, I decided to go check out the city's forest. Despite its proximity to the city, I've never been there until now since it still takes at least an hour of walking and I didn't have a reason to go there before. But my savings are running out, and I need to find a way to replenish them.

It was nowhere near as dangerous as the Forest back at the frontier, where I came from, because it was right next to the city and regularly patrolled by the Beast Hunters.

And gathering herbs in the forest is the easiest way to make money that I know of. But I knew that this time it wouldn't be anywhere near as easy as back in the village.

As I walked out of the city through the massive frame of the northern gates, I could see crowds of people traveling in the same direction as me.

Contrary to what one might expect given the obvious dangers, the city's forest is immensely popular, especially among the city's poor.

While the majority of citizens were preparing to celebrate, there were whole families laden with carts and baskets trodding along the road toward the forest.

The forest is a trove of resources for the poorest of citizens. Adults work tirelessly to gather firewood while the children gather various berries and mushrooms to improve their meager meals.

It was also the place where the city's hunters and herbalists came to gather herbs. All this meant that, compared to the untamed wilderness back home, this forest was regularly picked clean of any valuable resources, and it would be hard to find anything.

Still, I wasn't worried that I would come back with nothing. I can use my magic sense to track down the traces of magic in the plants and use it to find any hidden patches of herbs others might have overlooked.

Also, at the very least, I need to familiarize myself with the forest. I've seen that Elena was sent here to gather herbs before. I'm pretty sure I too will be sent here during the course of my herbalist training. So the sooner I learn about this place, the better.

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As I approached the edge of the forest, the sounds of bustling streets faded away, replaced by the rustling of leaves and birds chirping. The forest loomed ahead of me, its thick canopy casting dappled shadows on the ground.

I stepped onto the soft dirt path that wound its way through the trees. The air was thick with the scent of pine needles and damp earth. The trees towered above me, their trunks thick and gnarled, their branches stretching out like fingers reaching for the sky. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, dappling the forest floor with patches of light.

I walked deeper into the forest, and soon the path began to narrow. Bushes and brambles sprouted up on either side of me, their branches laden with plump berries, and deep brown mushrooms were growing in the shadows.

I knelt down and plucked a handful of berries, popping them into my mouth. They were tart and sweet all at once, exploding with flavor on my tongue. A smile spread across my face as I continued on my journey, gathering berries and mushrooms as I went.

Deeper into the forest, I noticed that the trees began to thin out, giving way to a clearing. In the center of the clearing was a small pond, its surface sparkling in the sunlight. I immediately saw several small fish darting through the water, their scales shimmering in the light.

'I guess this is a good spot for a break...' I thought as I sat down on the grassy bank of the pond. After I recovered my stamina from the long walk, I looked around to see if there was anyone else, but I was all alone.

Since I discovered this pond, I wanted to test out my mana capacity, as it had been a long time since I last did it. I closed my eyes and focused my energy.

It took a long time to create many water spheres before I ran out of mana, but I soon found out the answer:

STATUS:

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Name: [Darian]

Race: [Human]

Age: [10 years]

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Mana: 648

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Spells: [Stone Bullet], [Fire Manipulation], [Air Manipulation], [Water Manipulation].

I remember that just a few years before this, I had trouble casting a single spell, and now I can cast hundreds of them without breaking a sweat. My growth over the years has been astounding. But I still don't have any comparisons with other mages to see if it is normal or not.

Well, as long as I'm still getting stronger, everything is fine. I will find other mages sooner or later, and I will have my answer then.

I then decided to continue exploring the forest. I noticed the forest floor was mostly clean without many leaves or twigs lying around, a testament to the activity that takes place here every day. The forest appeared to be the lifeblood of the city, providing the residents with many natural resources.

I turned to my right and saw a group of children playing among the trees. Their laughter echoed through the forest. I also watched as a group of women came to gather the fallen wood, their arms laden with branches and logs. They worked with practiced ease, their chatter ringing out through the forest as they went.

All this time I focused on my magic sense, trying to feel the traces of mana signaling the presence of true herbs, but until now I couldn't find any.

'They truly turn over every leaf in here.' I thought with growing frustration.

It took me many hours of scouting, and I had to venture deep into the forest until I couldn't hear the sounds of other people's activity anymore. But in the end, my perseverance paid off. I finally sensed something.

Hidden behind a small hill in the shade of a towering tree, I found a whole patch of umbrifila herbs. 'Bingo!'

I quickly gathered them while making sure I remembered their precise location. Knowing the hidden spots where the true herbs grow is a valuable secret for every herbalist, and they closely guard such knowledge.

I was grinning as I remembered the other day when Elena returned from the forest with a single umbrifila and how smugly she smiled while she presented it to Isadora.

'I'd love to see her face watching me with fifteen of them,' I thought. But I decided I wouldn't lower myself to her level.

However, that doesn't mean I will forgive her for her constant bullying. I will get back to her simply by showing her how inferior she is to me. I will work hard, and I will learn as much as I can.

I shall use my prior knowledge and experience of gathering herbs, combined with my mastery of magic, to my advantage. I will demonstrate that I'm better than her at every aspect of herbalism, despite her three-year head start.

Watching her slowly lose her sanity over it will be the best kind of revenge...