Luo Wei sat quietly for a long while.

Stay calm, it might not be her problem.

Actually, the previous experiment wasn't rigorous enough; she should redo it with controlled variables.

While reassuring herself, she divided the twenty runes into three groups: five growth-acceleration runes, five speed-enhancement runes, and five overlapping sets of both types.

The flowers and seeds placed on the speed-enhancement runes showed little change, but those on the growth-acceleration runes gradually rotted, while the seeds slowly grew moldy.

Under the overlapping runes, both seeds and flowers rotted as quickly as in the previous experiment.

Case solved - the speed-enhancement runes were fine, but the growth-acceleration runes had the opposite effect.

Luo Wei watched the Infernal Arachne scuttling back and forth through the iron plates absorbing energy, and let out a long sigh.

The Infernal Arachne tilted its head, seemingly confused by her sigh.

Luo Wei tossed the iron plates with growth-acceleration runes to it: "Here, play with these. I need to figure out how to make these seeds sprout."

The Infernal Arachne jumped in place, caught the stack of iron plates with its claws like a diligent little porter, carried them to the corner of the table, then settled comfortably on top to watch her study the runes.

Luo Wei picked up her engraving stylus and, draining her last bit of magical power, began carving temperature-enhancement runes.

The growth-acceleration runes gathered earth elements, but something was wrong with her earth elements - instead of promoting growth, they caused decay.

If that was the case, she wouldn't use earth elements at all. After all, Professor Mike would be checking the flowers, not the runes.

Making seeds sprout wasn't difficult - with proper temperature and humidity, they would naturally germinate.

Once the seeds sprouted, she could add some nutrient solution, attach several speed-enhancement runes, let them bask in the sunlight - how could they not bloom?

Two days later.

Luo Wei carried a pot of blue morning glories into the rune class, blending into the sea of colorful flowers.

Most students were holding flowers, and while the varieties differed, anyone paying attention would notice they matched the wildflowers blooming around the academy.

A small number of students sat among the flower sea holding pots containing only soil, waiting with everyone else for Professor Mike's inspection.

However, Professor Mike merely glanced around after entering the classroom before walking to the podium: "Those who didn't grow flowers, stand up."

Everyone looked at each other in confusion, and about a dozen students holding empty pots stood up bewilderedly.

"The seeds I gave each of you were carefully selected. None of them should have failed to sprout."

He looked at these students with displeasure: "You're honest, but your assignments didn't meet my requirements."

"Whether you didn't take proper care of the seeds or drew the runes poorly, whatever the reason, your assignments failed, so minus five points!"

Luo Wei looked at her own flower pot, where green morning glory vines twined around small wooden sticks, trumpet-shaped purple flowers swaying gently in the breeze.

This was the plant she had grown in two days; the assignment wasn't really difficult.

With so many students, how could Professor Mike remember who got which seeds - mature or fresh, what color flowers?

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Those tiny seeds, all mixed together, were indistinguishable. He probably just said that to discourage them from taking shortcuts.

Luo Wei remembered the goal she had set for herself when she first arrived: to be top of the class in every subject.

She had set that goal because she was poor then and wanted to earn the academy's annual tuition waiver and substantial scholarship by being first in class.

Now she didn't worry about those few gold coins for tuition, but she still couldn't afford to let her grades slip in two subjects: Runes and Spells.

Her fake noble identity was always like a time bomb buried within her. If she wanted to survive when that bomb exploded, she had to study runes and spells diligently to become a magic master as soon as possible.

After rune class, Luo Wei headed toward the dining hall.

She hadn't seen Winnie for over half a month and wondered how she was doing.

"Miss Luo Wei!"

"Winnie."

On the familiar tree-lined path, Luo Wei encountered Winnie and Balke.

These two were always seen together, and today there seemed to be a different spark between them.

Winnie quickly pulled her hand away from Balke's, blushing as she ran over.

"I haven't seen you in so long! Are you going to the dining hall?"

"No, I came specifically to find you," Luo Wei asked gently, "Are you free this afternoon? I'd like someone to join me for afternoon tea."

"I'm free! I'm always free for your invitations!" Winnie said, then looked apologetically at Balke.

Balke gazed at her pitifully, like an abandoned puppy.

Luo Wei smiled and asked: "What about Balke? Would you like to join us?"

Balke's face instantly lit up with joy as he nodded vigorously: "Free, I'm free, absolutely free! Thank you, Miss Luo Wei!"

"Then shall we go now?" Luo Wei adjusted her soft cashmere shawl and winked at them. "If we go early, we can get good seats. Esqueray Pastry Shop gets very crowded in the afternoon."

"Esqueray Pastry Shop!" Winnie's eyes widened in disbelief. "You mean that shop where a slice of cake costs four silver coins?"

"Yes, indeed. You've already agreed to accompany me - you're not going to back out now, are you?"

Winnie and Balke were both excited and hesitant: "But the desserts there are so expensive..."

"I'm treating, so why worry about the price?" Luo Wei lifted her chin. "Do you want to go or not? Answer me."

"Yes!" they replied in unison.

"Then let's go."

...

Knowing they were still intimidated by the noble students, Luo Wei led them to a private room. Once the door closed, no one outside could see them.

Winnie and Balke finally relaxed and excitedly looked around the room.

Soon, the white plates on the table caught their attention.

"Is this... a plate?" Winnie hesitated to touch it. The plate was so white and bright, clearly expensive.

Balke also marveled: "What kind of plate is this? Why is it so smooth, like pearl!"

"It's porcelain, newly customized dinnerware for the shop, only provided to customers who reserve private rooms," Luo Wei explained softly.

More precisely, it was only provided in rooms reserved by gold and diamond level members.

This batch of ceramics was different from the color she used for the scythe and bone wings. She hadn't glazed those, and their color was more grayish, making them look like bleached bones.

The glazed porcelain had a lustrous finish with warmer tones, definitely not reminiscent of her scythe.

She needed to hire a group of fearless mercenaries to venture into the Demon Sea and secretly raise troops, which would be a huge expense. The cashmere and cake businesses alone couldn't sustain it for long; she needed to develop new revenue streams.

First, let the cake shop's customers become familiar with porcelain, then let them spread the word. Shrewd merchants would naturally come seeking to purchase it.

While Winnie and Balke were carefully touching the pristine porcelain, the maid brought in their ordered desserts.

Intoxicated by the sweet aroma, they eagerly picked up their small spoons and, after Luo Wei took the first bite of cake, began eating heartily.

However, halfway through their meal, a sudden commotion arose from the street outside, like a wave approaching from afar, followed by several screams from downstairs.

Luo Wei rang the bell to summon the maid: "What's happening? Why is it so noisy outside?"

The trembling maid replied: "The temple is executing a blasphemer. They just dragged them through the street on wagon wheels."

Crushed flesh and blood covered the entire street. The condemned's limbs were tied to the wheel spokes, spraying blood everywhere.

Winnie turned deathly pale at hearing this, and Balke also stopped eating.

"I think I heard my father mention it yesterday," Balke swallowed his pizza and recalled, "The temple was going to execute a farm woman today, called what, what... oh, I remember now, called Suzan!"

"""