'Is that even legal?' (Silas)

'Is what legal?' (Gwyn)

'Stabbing someone sounds like murder. Stabbing someone repeatedly without killing them is like torture.' (Silas)

'But she didn't actually stab him in the final version of reality. All he remembers is things that didn't happen, so you can't really impose any consequences for things that didn't actually happen.' (Gwyn)

'That feels like cheating through a loophole in the legal system.' (Silas)

'It's more that no legal system can really address the weirdness that happens when time magic is invoked. At any rate, it's not something that happens often, so most people don't usually encounter the system breaking at the seams like this.' (Gwyn)

'If she can rewind time to choose the version of reality that she wants, how did she even get stabbed?' (Dennis)

That's what you're concerned about?

'Time magic isn't all powerful. Like all magic, it is bound to the rule that it is only possible to make possible, but unlikely events happen. So it cannot make the impossible happen, even though it shows its users more possibilities than most does in exchange for using more energy. If you die in every possible version of reality, you still die.' (Gwyn)

'Meaning that she chose to get stabbed in the heart because some alternatives are worse?' (Dennis)

Gwyn shrugs.

'We're kind of detracting from the point of this lesson though, and there's not that much time left in the day, so we should get back to it. Or rather, we never actually even started the point, so let's make up for lost time.' (Gwyn)

'You're just going to continue like nothing happened? My friend just got forced out!' (Silas)

'You seem to be a bit slower on the uptake, so let me repeat the earlier point. Nothing actually happened, and he chose to stop on his own accord. Group 1 will continue with three members tonight. Any objections?' (Gwyn)

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He still looks pissed, but doesn't seem to want to press the point further.

'Now, the reason why we let you guys keep your training weapons is because you will be using them from now on as well. While the forest here is clear of intelligent humanoids, there are wild animals here. And this is not necessarily a bad thing, because some of them are cute, defenseless things you will heartlessly murder for dinner. Most animals you encounter are edible, unless they are coloured bright red, yellow and black. Those without sharp claws and teeth like rabbits are basically free meals if you catch them, and those with an ability to defend themselves are risks you will decide if you want to take. Bird eggs for the most part are also excellent nutrition, if you can find them.

When you go on missions, you will want to prepare yourselves properly and bring enough rations to ensure you can complete your assignment and return, but sometimes things don't go as planned. In that case, you will need to -ration- your rations, and make up for the shortfall using food you obtain from the bounty of nature. Each of the five remaining groups will be assigned half the amount you received last night, and the rest you will make up for using what you find. You will also find in today's ration pack containers of salt, pepper and sugar, which you may find useful to make what you find palatable.

For plants, avoid mushrooms whenever possible because it's difficult to differentiate toxic ones from edible ones, but if you run out of choices, there is a three step procedure. First, look at the cap. Caps that are coloured anything except white, yellow or brown or have spots on them are out. Second, look under the cap. Gills that are white are out. Third, look along the stalk. Any mushroom that has a ring on it is out. Some edible mushrooms will actually be failed by these rules, but it's better to miss out on a bit of energy than get severe poisoning. Also, some mushrooms that pass these rules are mildly toxic, but they're less likely to kill you.

Next, among the other plants, avoid plants that have thorns or shiny leaves, which have light-coloured berries, or which smell sour or bitter when crushed. Crush the part that you're intending to eat on your skin and wait 15 minutes to see if you develop a rash. If nothing happens, put it around your mouth and wait for 15 minutes. If nothing happens, put it on your tongue for 15 minutes without chewing. If nothing happens, chew it for 15 minutes. Only if nothing happens at that stage should you consider putting it together with the rest of your food sources to cook for a meal.

Since there are four of you to a party, you can test four types of potential food per hour. Prioritise plants you can gather large amounts of for tests, and those with starchy parts, since there's no point to test something if it won't fill your stomach anyway.

There are guide books available at each Adventurer's guild around the country with details on which plants are edible, so you may want to equip yourself with one, but for the purposes of this training you'll be going in blind only with first principles,' smiled Gwyn, 'to see if you will survive if absolutely everything goes wrong, while you're still within range of people that can reverse any damage if you fail.'