Lazy Salvation Surviving Botany 101

The next morning, a sleepy Ashen found himself slouched in class.

No matter how magical Mana was, yesterday's training had wrecked him.

On his right, Seraphine let out a cute yawn. She had thrown on his oversized jersey over her class uniform, with her hoodie pulled low over her hair, taking yesterday's warnings about hiding her figure seriously.

On his left, Braun sat with his arms crossed, looking as intimidating as ever. His massive fra made the academy uniform, which was supposed to make everyone look tar, seem like a joke.

Sotis, Ashen forgot that this guy used to be a butcher. He was always so gentle around them.

Unlike yesterday, today's professor was a woman.

She wore green robes, had shoulder-length brown hair, and was noticeably overweight… so much so that he had to wonder how she even fit through the classroom door.

Aside from that, she was surprisingly diligent and serious about her job.

There was just a minor issue.

Today's lesson was about plants.

And she was droning on about different types… their edibility, toxicity, dicinal properties… on and on and on…

Ashen's eyelids grew heavier by the second. He fought to stay awake, but his head kept dipping forward.

Not helping matters, the sleepyhead on his right had already drifted off to La-La Land.

BAM!

The loud impact jolted Ashen awake, instantly banishing his drowsiness.

"W-What?!"

Seraphine's flustered voice rang out as she was startled awake.

Whatever dream she had been enjoying was rcilessly torn away by none other than Mrs. McClintock.

Blinking away his haze, Ashen found himself face-to-face with their professor, fuming.

Her cheeks reddened by the second, and coupled with her green robes and extra-large figure, he couldn't shake the image of a giant frog from forming in his mind.

It stuck there now, refusing to leave, even as the tension in the room escalated.

"…Not paying attention in my class only highlights your ignorance and naivety," she declared, her voice dripping with disapproval.

"You may think this knowledge is unimportant now, but when you find yourself stranded in an unknown land, without food or water, your ignorance will be your downfall."

"Eat the wrong plant in desperation, and you'll only have yourself to bla."

She took a deep breath, recomposing herself before continuing, her tone firm.

"Don't assu such situations are unlikely. Where you're headed, anything can happen, including soldiers starving to death or poisoning themselves because they failed to be prepared."

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A ripple of unease spread through the trainees. Many shook off their drowsiness, so even looking guilty for neglecting such a basic survival skill.

Even Ashen had to admit she had a point. He nodded slightly, resolving to focus

"—even if I already know all this…"

But his newfound resolve was imdiately tested as he heard Seraphine grumble under her breath, clearly unimpressed. His lips twitched in amusent.

Mrs. McClintock, satisfied with the shift in atmosphere, decided to drive the point ho with one last remark.

"For those of you who haven't visited the mission hall yet, let enlighten you... 40% of the missions posted there involve herb collection in the outskirts."

"Knowing what to look for and where to find it will be imnsely helpful once your mandatory weekly missions begin next month."

That got their attention.

The class perked up, now far more enthusiastic about the lesson.

"Ehm... now that I have your attention, let's jump into sothing a bit more interesting…"

Professor McClintock spoke mysteriously, piquing the class's curiosity.

"Let share sothing fascinating: Humans aren't the only ones capable of breathing mana." She started.

"Sure, other races and beasts do, but what's often overlooked is that even plants can breathe mana. For most plants, it simply improves their taste and overall health."

At this point, McClintock's excitent beca evident.

She raised her finger, her eyes sparkling as she adjusted her stance and took a mont to steady herself, her robes shifting slightly as she leaned on the lectern.

"But what's truly remarkable," she continued, her voice rising in pitch, "is that there exists a rare, delicate plant that can actually retain a portion of the mana it absorbs, making these plants extrely precious."

A murmur rippled through the room as so students exchanged glances. One student in the back scoffed quietly, while another whispered, "That sounds a bit exaggerated…"

Taking a deep breath, McClintock regained her composure. "These rare plants are categorized into two groups, based on their environntal resilience."

"The first type is known as EnerLeafs. These plants, if they survive long enough, adapt to their surroundings… the mana they absorb can even change to match the environnt."

As he listened to the enthusiastic professor, Ashen noticed Seraphine's gaze lingering on the board. Her eyes softened, and a small, almost imperceptible smile tugged at her lips.

A quiet sign that she was genuinely interested in the subject.

'I never expected her to be so into plant lore.' He quietly thought.

He didn't linger on observing her amusing reactions and focused back on the professor as she talked and elaborated further.

"Imagine a patch of plants growing on a snowy mountain. Most will simply sprout and wither away."

She perked up, "But!"

"In a rare case, one may evolve into an EnerLeaf! Refining the mana it inhales so that, if it survives, its mana adapts, gaining a cold attribute."

At this, Braun raised his hand and piped up, "So, you're saying we could just eat one of these plants and suddenly have, like, ice magic?"

A few students snickered or rolled their eyes—one even mimicked a dramatic gasp.

'It seems that so were already acquainted with the subject.' Ashen noted.

McClintock's eyes flicked toward Braun, and she cleared her throat, her posture stiffening slightly.

"Gaining an attribute is exactly that… an attribute."

"It doesn't magically grant you the ability to cast spells out of thin air. Instead, it can amplify and complent the spells you've already learned."

She explained, her voice asured and controlled, though a subtle flush betrayed her enthusiasm.

She continued, "Unfortunately, attributed EnerLeafs are exceedingly rare. They're usually harvested too early, before they have a chance to develop, or they perish before their full potential is realized."

Her tone softened for a mont as she allowed the information to sink in, then brightened with a teasing lilt.

"Now, the second type of plant? Well, you might not even encounter it in your lifeti. We'll discuss that later, if any of you are interested."

With a final, decisive clap of her hand, she concluded, "Alright, class dismissed. And don't keep that brute 'coach' waiting. Trust , that guy is a royal pain in the arse."

With that, the class ended, and everyone rushed out as if they were escaping a scary killer.

They might as well have, since the professor almost bored them to death with her lecture.