I Need Money to Level Up

Chapter 12: Leveling up Something

The kids on the next level were just a year older than the others, so those three still stood out like sore thumbs. Their new instructor told them to observe for the day.

In the new level, the kids were doing basically the same things as in the previous level. Still, they also had not only to improve in their studies but they also had to work on their social skills by reading full sentences in front of everyone. Raiden could tell that Javier and Ruth were sweating cold thanks to that.

The kids learned some new exercises and fighting moves in the more practical activities. Most of them focused on grappling and throwing the adversaries on the ground, so they were relatively harmless.

"This feels quite familiar," Raiden thought while he watched the lesson.

Despite that, the test to pass that level wasn't related to that. Aside from reading an entire chapter of any book out loud and without making any mistakes, the kids had to complete a lap around the village while running on the walls... they couldn't stop for any moment, and they couldn't slow down either.

"I guess it is a way to make the kids train by themselves and develop some independence," Raiden thought.

Raiden could tell now why the soldiers of the village were hired often... he saw several groups leaving the village on a daily bases to complete those missions. Although Iri was a clingy one when he was at home, he also could see her often biting her nails, waiting for her chance to leave the village and do some jobs as well.

Despite that, it didn't look like Harth believed that she was ready to leave without his guidance, and since he was the one training most of the soldiers, it was rare for him to leave as well. He left to free the kids in order to make sure that no mistakes would be made or traces would be left.

"I don't interact with Lenore too much; she keeps studying me since she feels that I am her patient... it will be weird when that happens," Raiden thought.

After working for one week with the old man healer, Raiden learned a bunch of things. When it comes to harvesting them, he should harvest herbs when they are at their peak potency, which is usually in the morning after the dew has dried but before the sun gets too hot. Use clean, sharp scissors or pruners to harvest the herbs. This helps minimize damage to the plant and ensures a clean cut. When harvesting leafy herbs, leave at least a third of the plant intact to allow for regrowth.

When it comes to cleaning, Raiden should remove dirt, insects, or damaged parts from the harvested herbs. If they are particularly dirty, he can rinse them briefly under cool running water. However, he must avoid excessive washing, as it may remove some beneficial compounds.

About storing plants, he had to tie the herbs into small bundles, making sure not to overcrowd them. Hang the bundles upside down in a cool, dry, and well-ventilated area away from direct sunlight. Once dried, store the herbs in airtight glass jars or containers. Label them with the name of the herb and the date of harvest. Keep the jars in a cool, dark place, as exposure to light, heat, and moisture can degrade the herbs' quality.

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"You learn fast, and I can help you with that if you come here every day, but I spoke about you to the other healers, and they want your services as well; you can learn from them, too," The old man healer said.

"Thanks, I will do that," Raiden said.

"As promised, aside from the payment, you can have some of my tools, they are old, but they are a good starting set," The old man said and then began to pack a bunch of things in a box. "I wish I could give you some seedlings or samples, but I can't afford to do that."

"It is okay, it is more than enough, and I am thankful for your gifts," Raiden said and bowed slightly. "You can hire me again if you need help."

Raiden got a bunch of starting tools to produce herbs, and he was sure that those were far more expensive than he could afford. It felt like the old man was getting rid of his junk as well, but someone's junk is also someone else's treasure. As long as Raiden works hard, he can save a lot of money for a while with those tools.

The box was really heavy since some vases also had all kinds of dirt used for the plants as well, so Raiden arrived at home, and he was exhausted. At that point in time, there was no point in hiding what he was doing in his free time, so he told everyone how he was spending his afternoons while he was having dinner.

"Having a job is an admirable thing at your age, but I thought that you didn't need anything aside from what you already have," Harth said while showing a confused expression.

"It is just a way to make good use of my free time and learn something useful while I am at it," Raiden explained. "I am already far behind most kids here, so I don't have time to waste."

"Why the herbology of all things?" Lenore asked.

"It seemed the best way to make money, and it is a field that is always in high demand," Raiden explained.

"I appreciate your honesty, but I feel that you won't take it seriously if you are In only for money," Lorene said while furrowing her eyebrows.

"Having a good reputation is extremely necessary for business, so I won't do half-assed things," Raiden explained again. "I am not planning on becoming a healer exactly, only cultivating herbs and making medicine. The real healers can decide if my products are worth it or not."

"I suppose that is fine... it seems that you put a lot of thought into this," Lenore said and then nodded. "If you have any questions, feel free to ask me anything."

"I don't get what is so fun about herbs; it seems a boring job," Iri shrugged.

Lenore looked at her daughter with a cold smile, but Iri didn't notice it. It seems that Iri was a bit of an airhead... She learned magic from her mother, but only basic stuff when it comes to medicine.

"You can use the garden as you see fit," Lenore said. "I like the smell of medicinal plants; it will make things more pleasant here."

Some plants have a refreshing and cooling aroma, characterized by a strong, sharp, and clean scent with a hint of sweetness. Others have a distinct floral and herbaceous fragrance. They were often described as sweet, calming, and slightly woody.

Raiden liked the plants that had a strong, sharp, and intense scent. It was refreshing and invigorating. Some others have a gentle, apple-like scent, often described as sweet and floral with a hint of fruity aroma.

Raiden obtained the chance to use the garden easily... he felt that he was using the situation a bit too much to his advantage. He had to repay the favor something, and not just by making the house smell better.

The next morning, aside from his mourning routine of doing some exercises, Raiden set up the vases that he had in the backyard of the house and then decided to check if his power could affect them.

(Do you wish to spend 100 fortune points on the medicine vase? Y/N)

Medicine Vase Lv 02

Herbal Production: 05

Herbal Efficiency: 05

Herbal Resiliency: 05

Free Points: 05

As soon as he chose yes, Raiden was able to see the status screen of his system. It looked like everything that he used his fortune on would reveal its status to him.

"It looks like I can really improve them, but I don't have much money, and I need to save for the herbs, so I can't make them level up now," Raiden thought. "Getting at least one sample of each type and then increasing their numbers by using the powers of my system will help a lot."

Raiden could also focus on mass-producing the most demanding types for short-term gains. That would make him gain money and level up faster as well.

Things were getting interesting since Raiden could imagine his business working really well. He would make a name for himself fast if he made the vases level up at least once. That way, he would be able to double the speed of production and the quality of the herbs.