Asrar, a previous toxicologist, was very keen to learn about this continent's herbs. Though he found some herbs to be akin to those on earth, he was awestruck by the vast number of unknown flora. Driven by his curiosity, he sought guidance from the archives of the library and procured the book, "Exotic Herbs and Their Uses," for a fair sum of 7 merit points.

Initially, he possessed a mere 24 merit points. However, following the incident, he, like everyone else, garnered an impressive 60 merit points from the academy, swelling his coffers to a total of 84. And he used some of it on the dagger mastery book and the book on exotic herbs. So, only 68 merit points remained. Yet with today's acquisition of 7 merit points, his total stood at 75, which was an okay sum for a green cloak such as himself.

He had considered buying a skill book to engrave a skill. But enchanting gears was no easy feat. The process was wrought with complexities that even the older students would find daunting. It began with obtaining an unenchanted weapon or piece of equipment, which, in and of itself, was a challenge that could break a man's spirit. Even then, the journey was far from over. One had to procure a skill book, tailored to the specific piece of gear in question, to engrave the coveted skill. For boots, movement skills were most appropriate, whereas for weapons, attack skills were the norm. Alas, the costs were too exorbitant, and the risks were too great.

Enchanting, too, was no trivial task. It demanded one's utmost attention and perseverance. Obtaining an enchanting core was but the first step. One had to then head to the armory to procure the necessary tools to imbue their gear with mystical properties. However, the costs were steep, measured in precious merit points that usually took months to accrue. It was no wonder that many a green cloak spent an entire year just to have one skill enchanted, if they were lucky.

Asrar discovered that in this academy, merit points held more sway than mere talent. Determined to excel, he scoured his mind for a solution and finally unearthed one: a makeshift incense that could earn him these coveted merit points. After all, there were at least one hundred green cloaks remaining, their quarters thick with the pungent stench of blood.

Much like Elysia, he had scoured the academy's shop for a solution to the pungent stench that permeated the room. But all he found were bland perfumes and fragrant herbs that proved ineffective against the suffocating odor of death. Undeterred, he saw this as an opportunity to craft his own product and sell it to the students for merit points, hence why he made that herbal mixture.

After a brief slumber, he roused himself and set to work, wrapping the short sword in a strip of cloth and securing it to his belt beneath his cloak. Though it was not an enchanted blade, he had studied its form and knew it to be superior to any ordinary weapon. With its length of sixteen inches, it was a bit longer than a dagger, but nevertheless, he decided to use it in his practice of following the "dagger mastery"book. But what truly set this weapon apart was its razor-sharp edge, honed to perfection. Furthermore, it was an unenchanted weapon, so it had the ability to bear skills.

As the sun began its descent, he quickened his pace, attempting to reach the shop before darkness engulfed the academy. His precious "product" was ready for sale—a blend of fragrant herbs that could be used as incense, carefully crafted and portioned into batches. Each bundle came with a unique set of instructions, carefully inscribed on delicate parchment paper.

With a deep breath, he set forth to the shop, a modest two story building under the dominion of the academy. It stocked daily necessities for the noble students, who would frequent the place in search of their daily needs. In the entire Raven's Perch, it was the sole location where students could procure goods with coins, without the hassle of merit points, although one could still employ merit points to acquire the items.

Hence, it didn’t take long before some cunning youths discovered a way to transmute their merit points into coins. The academy, in its wisdom, chose to turn a blind eye to this practice, and soon enough, the shop came to be known as the "merit points exchange center."

Even so, there were few who would decide to part with their hard-earned merit points in exchange for mere coins, and for two good reasons. Firstly, the majority of students were nobles, blessed with an abundance of wealth. Secondly, the value of merit points far outweighed that of what coins could give inside the academy.

The shop lay beyond the great hall, and Asrar often pondered whether it might have been better had the academy allowed the use of horses, for its vastness was a great inconvenience. He journeyed for more than half an hour, traversing through winding paths, until he finally arrived at a bustling square, filled with a throng of people.

Asrar surmised that these individuals had not come for the shop, but rather for the trading center, a bustling marketplace where students could barter weapons and gear amongst themselves. However, the center was mostly frequented by those with purple and black cloaks, for they were the elite, while those adorned in green cloaks were too poor to trade anything.

Disregarding the hustle and bustle of the trading center, Asrar strode forth towards the shop. It lay at the far end of the square, concealed amidst two big edifices that appeared to be warehouses.

Within the confines of the shop, several green-cloaked figures were in conversation with the shopkeeper. They had something of value they wished to trade, yet the shopkeeper appeared unimpressed and coolly dismissed them, leaving them crestfallen and hunched in disappointment.

The process was arduous and time-consuming. Nevertheless, Asrar was here to offer his product for sale, and so he waited patiently until the green-cloaked figures departed. Finally, he approached the shopkeeper, a middle-aged man with graying hair, attired in a white shirt, trousers of the same color, and a brown coat. He was of a somewhat rotund build, and upon first glance, Asrar noted a resemblance to Baldwin. He had never met this man; the last time he had been here, he had only encountered some servants.

"Cough; what do you need, young man?" The shopkeeper had a smile on his face as he asked.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

"Yes," Asrar responded, uncertain of the procedure. "I have come to offer a product for sale." The shopkeeper let out a deep sigh and replied, "Every student seeks to amass merit points with haste, but not everything is of value. Do not waste my time with trifles." Wearily, he continued, "Present to me what you seek to sell, so that I may assess whether it merits a place in my establishment." With that, he retrieved a piece of parchment and began scribbling on a nearby desk.

Asrar was unfazed by the man's initial words and began explaining the uses of incense and why it could grow to be in high demand among the green cloaks. The shopkeeper's tired eyes slowly widened with comprehension as Asrar spoke, and he nodded in agreement. "Ah, I see. Many green cloaks have come to my shop seeking fragrant herbs and such. It seems the stench of death lingers for far too long," the man said with a small smile, rubbing his beard.

"But I still need proof that your words are true and that this "incense" of yours can really evoke that smell," the shopkeeper said skeptically. Asrar didn't wait for the man to continue, producing a bundle of incense from his pouch. He instructed the shopkeeper to burn it at the tip. Despite his doubts, using a nearby candle, the shopkeeper lit the tip of the herbal mixture, and soon the air was filled with a scent that was simultaneously sweet and putrid.

Moments ticked by as the smoke began to spiral in the air around them, twirling into intricate patterns and filling the shop with a deep, soothing aroma that was unknown to the shopkeeper. But the fragrance was too strong, too potent, and it made the man's eyes gleam with delight as he took in a deep breath from his surroundings, savoring every moment of it.

"The deal is struck!" exclaimed the shopkeeper, his eyes glinting with excitement. "But tell me, where did you come upon this rare substance, and how much will you be selling it for? I must warn you; if it were up to me, I would..." His words were abruptly cut off by the sound of footsteps clattering down from the store's upper levels, followed by a gruff voice growling, "You old fox, always trying to swindle people," The shopkeeper scowled and waved his hand dismissively. "You impudent brat, I'm in the middle of negotiations. Go back up, and we'll talk later. And what do you mean, swindle? I haven't even had a chance to discuss the price."

Asrar was also confused, but he felt the guy's voice sounded familiar, and suddenly the guy descended the stairs and came into full view—it was Baldwin!

"Baldwinn? Do you know the shopkeeper?" Asrar was taken aback, finally realizing where his friend had vanished earlier today.

"Yeah, you could say he's a relative of mine."

At his words, the shopkeeper seemed to be irritated. "Relative? I'm your uncle, you brat!" He berated him before turning toward Asrar and adopting a more gentle tone: "Ah, kinship runs deep in these parts," the shopkeeper chuckled, his irritation seemingly forgotten. "I suppose you could call me Baldwin's uncle, though he's more of a thorn in my side than a nephew," he added, giving Baldwin a stern look. "But never mind that; you must be Asrar, the one who devised that clever strategy in the challenge. I've heard all about it from my nephew here." He shook Asrar's hand warmly, his eyes gleaming with approval. "It's not every day we see such ingenuity around here. You and that young lady must be quite the remarkable lot." He turned to Baldwin and gave him a playful nudge. "You've done well to surround yourself with such talents, boy. But mind your manners, or I'll have to teach you a thing or two."

Baldwinn let out a snort of annoyance. "Regardless, this guy is now a member of my team. So, let's settle on a fair price," he said, glancing over at the shopkeeper. The man grumbled, clearly unimpressed. "I know very well of your exploits," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "From what I understand, if you do your job well, you could fetch at least 20 merit points per piece for these bundles."

Asrar was astonished to hear that Baldwinn was knowledgeable about the current market prices, and he couldn't hide his joy upon learning that they could sell the incense for as much as 20 merit points. Initially, Asrar had set his sights on a modest 10 merit points, but the thought of earning double that amount left him feeling elated.

It seems like this guy is also interested in things other than chicken. But how can a noble have a shopkeeper for an uncle? Or is Baldwin not a noble?

The shopkeeper shook his head and let out a resigned chuckle. "Ah, you really can't do business among family..." He grinned mischievously, his eyes glinting with cunning. "But don't worry, I'll make sure to squeeze every last merit point from those green cloaks." He leaned in conspiratorially. "And if you have any more of this delightful concoction, bring it to me. I have contacts who would pay handsomely for such a rare find." Asrar expressed his gratitude toward the shopkeeper and Baldwinn and handed over the 19 batches of the herbal mixture before taking his leave, heading back towards the dormitories.

His journey back to the dormitories took another half hour, and the sun had already set, casting a gloom over the land. The darkness was pierced by sporadic magical bulbs and flickering torches that lined the path. As he walked, he encountered some patrol guards who were also carrying torches. Among them was Eddard, who recognized Asrar and offered him a torch to light his way.

Asrar felt a warm sense of gratitude towards the guard, Eddard, who had always been helpful to him. And had even gone out of his way to procure those herbs for Asrar from the distant town of Birom. Though those herbs were widespread they were not easily found within the academy, which only dealt with poisonous plants and herbs. Furthermore, the academy's forest was closed off, making it impossible for Asrar to venture inside to seek out these specific herbs.

Thinking about the forest, I need to find a way to bathe properly. The river was a good option, but I don't know when it'll be opened again.

Upon reaching his lodging, Asrar hung the torch outside and closed the door behind him. As he lit the oil bulb and placed it on his desk, he couldn't help but feel relieved to be back in the warmth of his own room. He took off his coat and hung it up before turning his attention to his studies. As always, he recorded his experiences with the incense and the shopkeeper in his journal. With a flick of his wrist, he opened the worn pages of his "human anatomy" book and immersed himself in it.

Asrar took the book from the library shelves to unravel the secrets of the human body in this world. To his amazement, he discovered that the body structures of humans in this realm weren't so different from those of humans on Earth. He found the information to be quite intriguing and was fascinated by the idea that, despite the differences in environments between this world and Earth, the human body still functioned in a very similar way. And other than the relative lack of body fat and the greater degree of muscle mass, the overall physiology was still very similar

Even though the forbidden art of healing was not tolerated by the monastery of light, books detailing the intricacies of human anatomy, plants, and herbs had an unexpected connection to the art of assassination and poisoning. Thus, such books were allowed to circulate without interference from the monastery's authorities.

Asrar spent the night poring over the book's content, his eyes tracing the intricate illustrations and text that detailed the workings of the human body in this land. He eventually began to take solace in the understanding that the same biology that bound him to his home planet also bound him to this world. He also made notes in the margins of the book, eager to retain any information that might prove useful in his future endeavors.

Time passed, and he took from his bed a red patch of cloth and a ring—items he had found before in this room from the hanged corpse. He still didn't know if that corpse was Gawain's or not, but the guy was most likely dead as he had not seen him at all.

Asrar inspected the mysterious ring and red cloth he had acquired several times, turning them over and over in his hands. He sought the counsel of the librarian, who was known to be knowledgeable, but even their knowledge did not reveal the purpose of these objects. Despite his efforts, Asrar could find no clues as to their origin or meaning. However, one thing was certain: since he obtained these items, the dark and foreboding nightmares that had plagued him for so long had ceased to haunt him.

Though he didn't know if this was just a coincidence or not, he began to regard the items as lucky talismans, guarding them closely at his bedside to ward off any unwelcome dreams. The thought of relying on trinkets to bring him good fortune made him chuckle wryly, as he had never put much stock in superstition before. Nonetheless, he found comfort in having these keepsakes close at hand.

This is a world where magic and wonders happen, so anything is possible.

With these musings in mind, he arranged everything back into its proper place before settling into his bed for the night. Baldwinn had yet to return, but Asrar had grown used to his companion's absence from their shared room. He often pondered where Baldwinn spent his evenings, but now he believed he most likely slept at his uncle's shop at the square.

The night passed quietly, and with it came the promise of a new day. As the bell tolled once more, Asrar stirred from his deep sleep. In an instant, he jerked upright, his body slick with a sheen of sweat.

"Fuck, that nightmare came again."