How to Survive as a Genius Spy in the Game

Chapter 10: Herbology (3)

Chapter 10: Herbology (3)

Do you want to join me in messing with Mohen?

Huh? How?

Putting the mushroom powder in Mohens nose using the winds.

Denifs expression turned into an Oh shape. His open mouth formed a perfect circle, which looked amusing.

Orhen also widened her eyes in a similar way.

Thats an awesome idea!

Do you think Mohen will notice?

Well, I dont think hell catch on.

Since the kids often sparred with Mohen, their judgment would be quite accurate.

You wont tell anyone else, right?

Just to be sure, I asked, and Denif furrowed his brow.

Huh? Why would we? That jerk deserves it.

Its not a wrong thing to say, I believe.

Orhen chimed in.

At first, he was like that to me too. He changed soon enough though.

Denif smirked wickedly like a mischievous child. Orhen nodded subtly.

From what I heard, it seemed I wasnt the only one who experienced this.

Is that why hes been watching me?

I wondered if he paid attention to me because of Denif and Orhens talent.

And after thinking that I wasnt much, he decided to provoke me.

In that case, Denif, keep an eye on the door.

Now that the decision was made, we needed to act quickly. We didnt know when Marhan would arrive.

I tightly grasped the powdered herbs I had already prepared and pulled them out of the desk.

The process was very delicate. I kept watching Rekun and Mohen. Both of them were completely unaware of this side.

I used Winds to levitate the powder. It wasnt too difficult.

During training, I had used the wind to prevent dust from touching me.

Even when cleaning the room, I did the same, using Winds to their limits as Marhan instructed me to exercise with Winds.

Considering how I prevented dust from all directions, carrying the powder was relatively easy.

Dont clump them together too much; disperse it.

The potion room was quite spacious, and thanks to my Mystic, I could sense the flow of winds in the surroundings.

I quickly pondered. Riding the flow of winds would be better than moving straight away.

I sent the mushroom powder up through the airflow of the ventilation ducts toward Mohens direction.

And then, riding the ceiling, I moved it towards Mohen.

There were multiple vents in the ceiling, all emitting waves of magic.

It would allow me to conceal the waves produced by my Mystic as much as possible.

And if Marhan suddenly came in, I could immediately release it through the ventilation ducts.

Although I pretended to hold a mortar and pestle to grind the mushrooms, all my attention was focused on my Winds.

Orhen and Denif were next to me, gently transferring the mushrooms in my place.

I hadnt even thought about that, but they were smart enough to understand without me saying anything.

Meanwhile, the mushroom powder was above Mohens head.

Since Rekun was about 4 meters away, I didnt have to worry too much, which was fortunate.

I gradually directed the powder toward Mohens nose.

It took some time to disperse the powder.

When about 80% was in, Mohen sniffed and then raised his right arm to wipe his nose with his shoulder.

Then he glanced at the magical devices hanging on the desk with a strange expression. Did he sense something unusual?

Around 80% was enough.

I sent the remaining powder up through the airflow of the ventilation system. And I pretended to grind the mushrooms as if nothing happened.

Denif silently approached and locked eyes with me. I nodded subtly.

Denif chuckled. Marhan hadnt come in yet. It was fortunate that the conversation had taken longer.

I tried hard to hold back my laughter.

Didnt the effect start after 8 hours?

Ill look forward to tomorrow.

* * *

The next day.

The kids didnt know, but today was the day of the graduation ceremony. Mohen and Rekun found out only last night.

In fact, it was more of an evaluation ground than a graduation ceremony.

Under the Chief of Intelligence, the Duke, there were many intelligence units, but only four were highly utilized.

The Empire, Haisen, and two neighboring kingdoms of Haisen.

These intelligence units operated in a place where the highest-quality information had to be obtained quickly.

Not anyone could enter these four intelligence units.

Only those who had gained experience in various places and proved themselves were summoned.

That was why it was usually impossible to join at a young age.

However, the children personally raised by the duke were different. Their abilities were outstanding.

One could say it was a special privilege.

Although the work was challenging, they received better rewards in a slightly better environment.

The graduation ceremony was the process of recruiting graduates into these four intelligence units.

If they had performed well, they could choose the intelligence unit. It was an opportunity to express their desire to be recruited from various places.

But if they couldnt, they had to go where they were called.

Although that situation hadnt occurred, if nobody called, they would have to start from the bottom.

The intelligence units cooperated to the extent of sending personnel when needed, so there was no competition among them.

However, the most popular one was the intelligence unit in Haisen.

It was natural since it was their own country. It was the safest, easy to work in, and mentally comfortable.

Being near the duke also increased the chances of being noticed by him.

The duke wasnt someone who paid much attention to such things, but many intelligence agents believed so.

The least preferred unit was the one in the Empire.

It was far away, and activities in the Empire usually involved accompanying risks.

The Empire also had the most frequent personnel changes.

Rekun and Mohen knew that to some extent.

The reason for recent anxiety was also because of the graduation ceremony. Not knowing the exact date added to the uneasiness.

And the reason for the undetermined timing was that the leaders of your intelligence agency, either the leaders or vice-leaders, needed to gather.

Nevertheless, Mohen, who went to bed a little later than usual due to tension, woke up in the early morning.

My stomach

Experiencing severe abdominal pain, Mohen quickly got up from bed and rushed to the bathroom without looking back.

After about fifteen minutes, he was able to come out with an expression that seemed like he had survived.

However

Not even 20 seconds after coming out, he had to go back to the bathroom again, feeling the pain in his abdomen.

This repeated two more times.

It was only then that Mohen realized that something was seriously wrong.

Did I eat something wrong?

No, that couldnt be it. This was a place with strict management. And yesterday, he only had a meal at the cafeteria.

Until now, there had never been any problems caused by food.

Although such incidents occurred rarely, just because he ate well didnt mean he always had smooth bowel movements.

But what was happening now was different from the usual.

Could this be part of the test as well?

He considered the possibility that he and Rekun had deliberately been given herbs in their food.

It was to see how they would cope with an unfavorable situation.

Since his usual performance had already been noticed, it was a test of his abilities as a spy.

Mohen pondered whether he should make and consume a remedy for his upset stomach.

Wait, herbs?

Mohen recalled the moment when his nose tingled while making the Heavenly Scent yesterday.

Was something smelling?

No, that couldnt be. He checked, and the magical device was functioning properly.

If it was emitting a smell, he wouldnt have been able to open his eyes in bed due to the pain, not the upset stomach.

Could it be that bastard Rekun did something?

Although he heard rumors last night, he might have done something while Mohen was asleep.

Damn it.

Mohen, cursing while sitting on the toilet, felt anxious.

He wanted to go to the intelligence agency in Haisen.

Not all the people under the duke were orphans. Mohen was a noble from the outskirts of Haisen.

Although his family had neither power nor wealth, they still held a noble status.

Because of this, Mohen didnt like orphans like Rekun, Denif, or Carlyn.

He thought they were fundamentally different.

Fuck.

First, he should make a remedy for the upset stomach and consume it. Whether it was a test or not, today was the graduation ceremony.

With that in mind, Mohen headed straight to the pharmacy.

Even while moving, he had to visit the bathroom two more times.

As a bonus, he almost wet his pants three times in the process.

In a hurry, Mohen quickly made and consumed the medicine, then visited the bathroom two more times before heading to the dining hall.

And then, he realized that it wasnt a test.

It was because Rekun, who was eating his meal, had a too-serene expression. Could it be this bastard?

But Rekun had also learned acting. It was difficult to easily discern.

Why are you looking at me like that? Did I do something wrong?

Im feeling sick, strangely so.

Are you suspecting me now?

Rekun furrowed his brow.

Although they were of similar age and often stuck together, Rekun didnt particularly like Mohen. He never showed it, but there were moments when he exhibited a strange sense of superiority.

It was the same when Denif first arrived and even with Carlyn recently.

Rekun tried not to act like he knew everything once they graduated.

While Mohen had considerable talent, Rekun didnt think he would be of great use due to his personality.

I was just asking. I thought this could be a test.

Mohen redirected the conversation. Rekun let out a sigh internally and relaxed his expression.

You didnt touch anything wrong yesterday, right? When you made Heavenly Scent.

The equipment was working fine.

Hmm, but you wiped your nose with your shoulder. You could have stained your clothes.

Mohen couldnt argue with that. It was because his stomach sent another signal.

Taking medicine didnt have an immediate effect.

Mohen thought he probably couldnt eat anything for now.

* * *

The process of graduation ceremonies was always different. The duke and Marhan planned it based on the opinions of the leaders of the intelligence division.

Since the duke only raised a few children, the exams were designed to suit them.

This time, it was very simple.

Both of them were inclined toward combat, so they decided to have a duel.

The comprehensive evaluation as intelligence agents had already been confirmed through small tests before the graduation ceremony.

That was why Rekun and Mohen were standing in front of the duke, Marhan, the leaders of the intelligence division, as well as the children, under the pretense of being spectators.

Everyone present noticed that Mohen had some kind of problem.

It was strange that they couldnt see it, considering he was pale and sweating.

His tension seemed excessive. There was never an evaluation of being so nervous, to begin with.

Um, excuse me, but can I quickly go to the restroom?

In the heavy atmosphere, Mohen sought permission and rushed to the restroom.

The leaders and vice-leaders understood the reason and nodded positively. It could be considered as a physiological phenomenon.

But as 20 minutes passed, their expressions gradually became grim. Even Duke seemed uncomfortable.

When Mohen returned, paler than before, Marhan sighed and asked.

Mohen, can we start now?

Yes, yes.

And the climax came when Marhan with a gloomy face signaled the start of the duel.

As soon as their swords clashed twice, Mohen stepped back and shouted.

Wait, hold on!

Rekun looked at Mohen with a face that questioned what he was doing.

And when he turned his gaze to Marhan, indicating they should stop, Mohen was already turning around and running.

The expressions of the leaders and vice-leaders turned sour, as was to be expected.

On the other hand, Carlyn, who caused this incident, was secretly smiling.

I didnt know today was the graduation ceremony.

Carlyn found it coincidental but didnt feel sorry about it.

Taking risks for Eccentric Actions, it was a highly satisfying outcome.

Carlyn was someone who believed that personality couldnt be fixed.

The sight of Mohen running away was quite amusing.

After another 10 minutes passed in silence, Haisens head of intelligence, let out a long sigh.

Duke, it doesnt seem like a situation to continue the duel. Can we test Rekun separately?

Do it.

Duke sighed and nodded, and that was the end of the graduation ceremony.

Rekun joined the intelligence division in Haisen, while Mohen headed to the Empires intelligence division.

No matter how poorly Mohen performed today, there was already a foundation built.

Besides, the Empires intelligence division was always short on personnel.

Mohen, who arrived late, tried to maintain his composure as much as possible.

However, it was difficult to deceive the eyes of the intelligence division leaders by acting that was close to panic.

I should discipline him properly.

While the leader of the Empires intelligence division was thinking that, Carlyn smiled once again at the message that appeared before his eyes.

[You have gained Stratagem experience. You are now at Stratagem Level 1. You have acquired the trait Inexperienced Trickster.]