Maple High School Academy Year 1
The Journey to Nightshade - Mission

Mission

SPENDING TIME IN THE LIBRARY has become Elleanor's habit. The girl even began to curl her braids if she had withstood some books, as she was doing this afternoon.

After accidentally eavesdropping on the teachers' conversation, Elle hurried to step foot into the library. Miss Therenia only smiled as the girl handed her student card.

“Doing tasks?” tanyakanya.

Elle blushed in embarrassment, then shook her head. “Only looking for reading material.”

“Aren't you supposed to be in Herbology class now?” The library guard looked carefully at Elle's face.

“Eh. Yes, Miss. I was looking for a book on some plants in pharmaceutical science and potions,” Elle explained as she lowered her head.

“Oh, you can search in aisle ten for pharmaceuticals, twelve for potions, and fifteen for herbology. However, if you are in doubt please call me.” The student card was returned with the friendly smile of the red-haired library guard.

After getting the information, Elle immediately darted into hallway ten. It took only 30 minutes for Elle to find what she was looking for.

The Maple High Scool Academy Library is a library for true learners. Like the library of historical fiction authors. Do not imagine a futuristic room with computers scattered everywhere. Wooden shelves soared up to the ceiling. Each passageway contains a wide variety of book classifications according to the subjects in Maple.

Elle loved this library from the first time she entered it. The smell of paper and parchment made him unable to choose his favorite place besides the library. She was grateful that her library keeper was a very beautiful and friendly woman. Although he heard the red-haired succubus was sometimes very creepy to the students who always slept in the library.

Within 30 minutes, Elle had already found six books by entering keywords through magic panels on each shelf. Two books each for the subjects mentioned by Miss Therenia. The Diverse Crops of Poison and Most Deadly Poison for Mystical Creatures were the two titles Elle took from the Pharmaceutical Aisle. While from the Potion Aisle, he found the Intermediate Level Potion book and Recognized the Basic Vegetable Element in Potions. The other two books that he considered could help him from the Herbological Aisle were the Classical Plants and their Efficacy as well as the Various Poison-Creating Plants.

The six books were placed on the table. Luckily the library has a lot of big glass. The afternoon sunshine began to highlight Elle who was so immersed in her reading. He seemed to be asleep with his books, while his notes continued to grow along with the completion of the book being read.

One of the human abilities that are directly passed down by their parents is the ability to read quickly and process data in a concise manner. And the girl felt grateful for that ability. Thus, when he finished all the books taken from the library shelf, he had already circled the notes in his book with a thick circle.

And the circle only ends in one place. Blackcaves.

As a speaker, Elle realized that maybe only she could help her best friend recover. What Peonies experience is not ordinary.

Wolfbane is a beautiful blue plant. Unfortunately, it has a very high toxic content. The poison is the kind that causes people to have seizures because blood is pumped excessively. However, in the right hands, the poison actually becomes a good stimulus drug for health. As medical science advances, wolfsbane that has been dried and finely ground and scratched at the right dose, will not be a problem. Only, the plant was still a taboo for the Werewolf race, no matter what the form of the plant was.

 Elle had just exited the library when Miss Therenia, the library guard, called out to her.  “Miss Thompson's. I just got some information, The Prof called you to the Main Room. Now.”

Elle's face instantly paled as he imagined the Main Room. The room with a red velvet carpet filled with many tables that Elle did not know of any use. Usually it is a meeting place for teachers to discuss important matters.

Elle walked out of the library, passing through the Trophy Room while thinking about her mistake that was missing from the Herbology class. As Elle climbed up the stairs to the Main Room, she passed by some students who kept staring at her. Someone called him, but he ignored him. The focus is only one. He should see The Prof immediately. Trying to give a logical reason for his absence in Herbology class today.

The Main Room door was not perfectly closed when Elle got there. With hesitation, he knocked slowly.

The door swung open and a woman in an attractive green leaf dress appeared behind the door. “Ah, Miss Thompson. Come inside. We've been waiting for you.”

Elle stepped in while looking at that row of self-moving tables. He realized that another student was present in the room. His brain memory started working. One thing he deeply regretted about his brain's ability was not being able to remember people's names and faces. Especially those who never interacted with him.

A flash of memory upon returning home from talent development training troubled him. A student runs into him and Peony. An indifferent face that looked at him sharply, then came a name, Adniel.

Elle had not paid much attention to Adniel before. Moreover, they are different classes and dormitories. For all the girl knows, the prince of the Fallen Angel race lives in Sci-Fi Dormitory. The only chance they can get in touch with each other is because Elle and his team beat Adniel's team at the Summer Battle in early July.

“Good afternoon, Sir,” replied Elle politely. He glanced at Adniel who was standing in front of Miss Grewyinn's desk.

“I'm sorry if I interrupted your afternoon schedule. However, I have news that I have to convey.”

Elle's stomach stiffened instantly. He felt an incredible heartburn. As a diligent child and promised to be diligent in learning to both parents, this is the first time Elle skipped lessons.

“This relates to the Werewolf students who were affected by the calamity.”

There was ice running through Elle's stomach. In his heart he was grateful this was not about his truant show, as well as worried about the news about Peony. The attention of the girl began to focus on the next phrase The Prof.

“We teachers have guessed and ascertained the cause of the events that caused Werewolf students to fall. I have also figured out how to solve this problem. So we decided to form a search team that will involve the students.”

Miss Grewyinn cleared her throat and continued The Prof. “The search in question is a search for plants that become the antidote for Werewolf race students. This team will be led by myself, and I beg you both for help to prepare to be part of this search team.”

Both Elle and Adniel looked at each other. Both were amazed at the choice of the teachers. Each of the minds of these two students was in disbelief. “Sorry, Miss Grewyinn, “ by Adniel, “Are you wrong?”

Miss Grewyinn looked at Adniel sharply. “You mean?”

“I understand why I was chosen. That's because I'm the best student in your class. However, why should this bespectacled student also join the search team?” adniel protest. He said this while still looking towards Miss Grewyinn.

“Do you understand the name of the search team? It means we're looking. And to find out what we need is a guide. This bespectacled student is our guide in search.” Miss Grewyinn kept looking at Adniel sharply. Make the student choose to bow their head.

“And one more. This girl has a name, Elleanor Thompson. Be nice, Adniel,” rebukes The Prof, further making Adniel lower her head.

“You two now, get ready. We'll leave after dinner. Bring enough equipment. Our journey is not so far away. It's just, we need to hurry.”

The two students finally withdrew. While outside the Main Room, Elle held back Adniel's steps.  “Wait!”

Adniel stops without turning over. “What's up?”

“No. It's just that we haven't officially gotten acquainted. I'm Elleanor from Fantasy Dormitory.”

Adniel sighed.”Yeah, I know. Summer Battle yesterday you beat my team. Anything else?”

Seeing Adniel's seemingly indifferent attitude, Elle shook her head. He realized that the position of Adniel behind him would not see his head. “No. Sorry, I just wanted to get acquainted. Moreover, we will travel together.”

Seeing no response from the men of her age, Elle finally chose to walk ahead of Adniel. Thinking of Adniel's indifferent and unfriendly reaction made the girl accidentally hit a schoolgirl who was heading for the Main Room.

“Ma-sorry.” The student apologized to Elle while looking down. Elle simply nodded without answering because she was actually daydreaming.

The student immediately continued his steps without daring to look at Elle. While this bespectacled girl was staring at the back of the student who had just hit her. Shalim. The student she saw in the hospital ward.

After seeing Shalima enter the Main Room, Elle chose to continue the steps back to the dormitory. He needs to prepare himself for the journey later. Although Miss Grewyinn and The Prof did not mention the purpose of their search, the girl understood that they were going to Blackcave. The only place nightshade grows.

As Elle deduced from the books he had read, the only antidote to the wolfsbane poison was nightshade. Nightshade is a shrub plant that produces a round plant as large as marbles. The fruit is red and black, and only one of them can be an antidote.

Whether to be grateful or feel too coincidental, tonight is a full moon. And the nightshade fruit that can be used as an antidote for poison only blooms under the light of the full moon.

Elle stared at her picture and Peony, who she accidentally put on the closet door. He felt the photo and said, “Tenang, friend. I'll find the antidote soon. And please promise me, you'll stay asleep until I get back later.”