Chapter 37 It’s shame on you to lose to the first graders.
William was not familiar with this name, and frowned when he heard it: "Edith Griffin?"
His first reaction was to refuse: "What are you thinking? You want me to challenge a first-year student? It would be so embarrassing if it got out!"
The friend raised his eyebrows. He was very familiar with his good friend - he didn't think it was shameful to bully the younger ones, he was just afraid that the top student was too strong and he didn't have a good chance of winning!
"Don't think so. After all, she is the best in her age group. She has the ability. Age is not a reason to ignore her level." After collecting the homework and explaining the precautions for admission, the teacher hurried out of the classroom, and the students also filed out. My friend mixed in the crowd and couldn't help but lower his voice, "You are not well-informed and don't know her, but I know a lot!"
"Let me tell you, this Edith is not from a noble family, but a companion of Hedda Turner. Think about it, have you ever heard of the last name Griffin? She is either a local noble or a merchant. For someone from such a family, it would be good enough for her to learn some spells with the help of her master's resources. How could she be allowed to learn potions?"
He became more and more excited as he spoke: "Let me tell you this, a girl who has the most library visits and comes from a poor family would be the first in her class. No one has challenged her yet, but that's just because the school has just started and the news hasn't spread yet. Wait a few more days, and Edith's name will gradually spread to everyone, and then there will be no chance for you to challenge her."
William's heart began to beat fast, but since no one had ever practiced the challenge rules, he was somewhat hesitant. "Are you sure she doesn't know how to make potions?" His mind raced, "After all, the Turner family is a big family, and they might really pay for the companion to take the elective course with them."
"Don't worry. I passed by the office of the School of Pharmacy this morning and heard the teachers discussing this." My friend lowered his voice and imitated the teacher's tone. "The commoner who just enrolled? No, of course she didn't take the Potions course. The tuition is not something that an average family can afford. Apart from this, every student who took the course this year only paid their own tuition. They can't even afford their companions, let alone commoners?"
"'Everyone only pays their own tuition'. Did you hear that? The Turner family didn't choose Potions for their companions." The friend swore, "Of course, you can also doubt the possibility that Edith paid her own tuition."
William sneered: "That's even more impossible."
Even his family could barely afford to let him study Potions, so where would the money come from for a companion?
"That's true." William's mind suddenly became clear after hearing his friend's weighing of the pros and cons. He couldn't help but lick his lips. "A freshman who has never touched potions and has five library visits..."
It's like a piece of gold dropped on the roadside. You can pick it up easily and put it in your pocket. I believe no one will not be tempted.
As for being considered as bullying freshmen? You can laugh at them all you want, but a good reputation is not as satisfying as the benefits you actually have in your hands.
He made up his mind, went back to the dormitory to study the school's new challenge process, and solemnly wrote the application.
... ...
Edith had just fallen into a sound and peaceful sleep again when she was awakened by Mulin's violent shaking.
She was sleepy and struggled to get out of the quilt: "What's wrong?"
Hedda, who was also woken up, pulled the quilt down a little, revealing half of her eye.
"You've been challenged!" Mu Lin looked anxious. "The dormitory manager just sent a letter of challenge with the teacher's signature on it, asking you to rush to the challenge site within an hour - hurry up! Otherwise, you will be considered a failure!"
Edith suddenly woke up: "What?"
She picked up the clothes that were casually placed aside, put them on, fastened the brooch, and put on the cape in one go: "How can someone challenge...who on the first day?"
Since he has the courage to challenge her, he must be at least in the top 50, and she should know him.
"William, William Lewis." Mulin quickly took out the "challenge paper" and pointed at the name and read it out loud.
Edith frowned: "William? Who is this?" There is no such name in the top 50?
"He is a senior student in the third grade. He is good at potions, and the project he challenged you to do is also potions." Bell waved the paper in his hand and walked in from the door. "I just asked for you."
"Third grade?" All three people present shouted.
Mu Lin's objection was particularly fierce. "A third-year student can challenge a freshman?" She suddenly trembled violently, "and challenge subjects that others may not have learned...Oh my God!"
Edith understood her fear. Mulin's family background did not allow her to take potions, and fortunately she herself had no interest in it. She had only expressed her desire to enter the School of Magic Circles at the pajama party. Her grades were just one step away from the top ten. If she finally struggled to get the opportunity, but the reward was taken away by someone who studied unorthodox methods, it would be too unfair.
"The total score of the exam can be maintained the same through assignment. I don't believe that the academy can't be fair in the challenge." Bell, who also did not choose to take potions, had a cold face. "Now it's you, then what about the next one? Will it be me?"
She was the owner of the silver brooch, second only to Edith.
"Perhaps this rule was designed for some students with good family backgrounds but poor academic performance." Heda chuckled twice, saying sarcastically, "What a dark world... The rule was changed this year, that is, this year's enrollment, the family background is prominent enough to influence the college, but because of poor academic performance, it can't make the top ten - who is it, it's hard to guess."
Everyone was silent, and the name Ivan Campbell suddenly popped up in their minds. He was the youngest son of the royal family who was forced to stay outside the top ten because of his frail health.
"...It's no use saying this now. I have to win first before I can make any demands." Edith pondered for a moment, "Let's go to the scene first."
......
Challenge the classroom.
The challenge of potions had to be conducted in the laboratory. Even though the corridor outside the laboratory was quite narrow, it was still crowded.
Everyone was enthusiastic about the first challenge after the promulgation of the rules, and many people even seriously considered the possibility of challenging lower grades.
No one wants to be the shameless person, but if someone takes the lead, they don't mind following behind and having a share of the spoils.
In comparison, first-year students are more anxious.
"Where's Amy?" A student tugged at the sleeve of Amy's roommate. "You are the first to participate in this kind of competition to defend the dignity of the grade. Why don't the top ten come to the scene to cheer?"
"He went to the library." The classmate sighed. "After hearing that she could challenge others at different levels, Amy yelled 'No!' and ran away from the dormitory. I heard that she was planning to use up her only chance to get the bronze brooch, so that she wouldn't lose anything if she lost the challenge."
"This rule is so unfair to the first graders."
He sighed and turned around, and suddenly saw Edith sitting next to him, and his eyes lit up.
"Hey classmate, why is it you?"
Edith was trying her best to distinguish the voices of the people around her, trying to get information about the challenger. When she heard the boy's clear voice, she looked around and then pointed at herself in confusion.
The man nodded quickly. "Yes, I'm calling you. Ah, you may not know me, but I know you. I was also in Teacher Taylor's class this morning. I saw you making medicine. You're amazing!"
As he spoke, he sighed again; "Why don't the third graders challenge you? That way our success rate can be at least 40%... We should really find someone to teach him a lesson, so that he knows that the first graders are not easy to deal with!"
The student who had just asked the question came over and listened to Amy's roommate's vivid description of Edith's actions, his eyes widened. "So you are the student who strangled Teacher Taylor to death!" He exclaimed, "What an honor, I finally met the real person."
Edith: “….” Which version of the rumor has spread to now?
Although she didn't say anything, the two students didn't think there was anything wrong. Geniuses always have a little temper. They were still discussing enthusiastically. "How do you know Edith can't give him a hard time?" The student who asked the question looked curious, "She is the number one in our grade, and that challenger doesn't even make it into the top 50."
"It's a well-known fact that companions don't learn potions. Edith is a companion and may be good at other subjects. Using your own weaknesses to compete with the challenger's strengths is a loss no matter how you think about it." The boy sighed, "Everyone has weaknesses. Allowing a challenge in a single subject is really... I don't know what the academy is thinking."
"By the way, has Edith arrived?" He paused and looked around as if he suddenly remembered something. "There are still 20 minutes left, and the teacher and challenger have already entered the classroom... Is she not planning on not coming?"
"If you don't come, you will be disqualified and the other party will be considered the winner."
Edith suddenly asked, "Do you want her to come or not?"
"If we win, I hope she comes. If we lose, I hope she doesn't come, so that William can win unfairly." The boy said confidently, "After all, if we open her mouth, everyone in the school will think it's easy to control the first grade. Then the top ten will have no peace of mind."
At this point, his thoughts suddenly jumped, and he turned to Edith and asked, "Come to think of it, I don't know your name yet - let me introduce myself, my name is Vincent."
Edith watched the clock tick from two to one, estimated that the time was about right, stretched her muscles, stood up, and began to take off her cloak.
It would be too hot to wear a cloak indoors.
Vincent's outstretched hand was suspended in mid-air, watching Edith unbutton her collar, the black cloak suddenly slipped to both sides, and the golden brooch flashed by.
His mouth slowly opened wider, then unconsciously rounded into an "O" shape.
His jaw was sore, his eyes were dull, and his arms ached from being lifted for so long, but he was unaware and remained frozen in place.
Edith, who was about to leave, finally saw the boy's outstretched hand, raised her eyebrows, extended her hand and shook it gently.
"Thank you, nice to meet you. I'm Edith."
......
The witness teacher William chose was Marcia, and Edith couldn't help laughing when she saw the woman.
Well, that makes sense. I'm afraid of being scolded if I choose my own teacher, but I don't dare to choose the dean. I'm not familiar with Shelly either. After thinking about it, it is true that this teacher who teaches lower grades is the most suitable.
Marcia looked hopeless. Seeing Edith coming, she took a step back as if relieved, picked up the paper rules and read out, "This challenge involves preparing a potion. Due to the challenger's age and time limit, the drug chosen is a color-changing potion that does not need to be refined but only needs to be mixed."
"Whoever prepares a potion of better quality within the specified time will win this challenge. If the quality is the same, the one who takes less time wins." She took another step back and quietly left the center of the struggle. "The item to test the quality of the potion is the dark blue flower on the left hand side. The one with whiter petals wins."
The chattering outside the door disappeared in an instant. Everyone held their breath and quietly observed the two people in front of them—especially Edith, who they had heard of countless times in just one morning at the beginning of the school term but had never seen in person.
From the outside, you can't tell that she is a study partner...
However, it was reasonable to choose the color-changing potion, which a skilled person could prepare within three minutes, and it was a basic skill that every potion apprentice must learn - most people would learn how to prepare it under the guidance of a tutor.
If Edith hadn't been the reading companion, this task would at least have been possible for her to complete.
"I will win." Before the game started, William habitually said, "Don't expect me to be lenient."
"Yeah, yeah." Edith said perfunctorily, "You challenged the first grade, you have no shame."
There was a burst of laughter all around, and the first-year students booed collectively. Many people at the end of the crowd loudly echoed the word "shameless" - Edith even heard Hedda's voice among them.
William's face changed, but now that things have come to this, the most important thing is to get the reward. He continued, "A truly strong person should not be afraid of challenges."
"You challenge the first grade, you have no shame."
No matter what William said, Edith kept responding with the same words as if she didn't care. William was so angry that he almost turned over the table and started a fight with Edith, but was stopped by Marcia. "Physical harm is not allowed in potion challenges." She said sternly, "Now, return to your seat, and you are not allowed to talk until the game starts."
William walked back to his seat with a red face, and when Marcia finished counting down to ten, he immediately opened his mouth to retort: “What else can you say besides this?”
"Bang--"
As soon as he finished speaking, he heard Edith press an object heavily on the table. He had shouted too hard just now, and blood flowed to his throat, causing his eyes and ears to fail for a moment. He rubbed his eyes and came back to his senses, and found that what Edith placed in front of him was a crystal bottle filled with green solution.
Why does that thing look so much like - a color-changing potion?
"It's embarrassing to lose to a first grader."
Edith really changed her words, smiled softly, spread her hands and took a step back to show that she was not cheating.
You could hear a pin drop.
Marcia looked at the watch she had subconsciously checked in a daze. The bright red 5 seconds on it still stung her eyes.
"...Five seconds?" She murmured, her voice particularly harsh in the room that couldn't be any quieter at this moment, "...It only took five seconds to prepare the color-changing potion?"
Is this still the speed of a human?
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