It's Overwhelmingly Convenient That the Female Lead Has Darkened - Chapter 31

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The darkened heroine is overwhelmingly more convenient.
#31
“It’s a weed.”
“That, that can’t be right. This is clearly—”
“A weed.”
“Passed down since ancient times—”
“A weed.”
“For breaking curses—”
“A useless weed.”
“I am—”
“A weed.”
……
“Eleven weeds and one medicinal plant. Well done!”
The weed, having fallen gloriously in battle, clutched at her chest and sank into her seat.
The first-year student who’d been in her group patted her shoulder in consolation.
“I think gathering twelve different weeds is still impressive.”
“Eleven.”
“You’re one of them.”
“Drop dead!”
“You drop dead! You’re the one who said these were all medicinal plants!”
“And you couldn’t even memorize them all!”
The two first-year students locked hands in each other’s hair, squabbling and sparring with words.
But the other newcomers paid them no mind.
And for good reason—every group that had been assessed so far had faced much the same ordeal.
They’d all done so poorly that a group could consider itself blessed to have found even three medicinal plants, earning nothing more than the faintest smile from the professor and the lingering scent of red bean tea drifting from her thermos.
But they didn’t know.
Of everyone present, it was the professor whose heart burned the most intensely.
The professor, who’d downed the red bean tea like liquor in one shot, shook the now-lighter thermos with bitter resignation before moving toward the last group’s location.
‘Compose yourself. True gems are buried in mud.’
Even if they looked like giant lumps of earth now, with time and careful polishing……
‘But Glacière wasn’t buried in mud!’
Neither was Feathergreen!
Nor Zeller!
Remembering her beloved disciples—currently holed up in the research lab with dark circles hanging down to their jaws, studying medicinal plants—the professor sighed with longing.
Every year, these were the ones who stood out like sharp tacks, unmistakably brilliant.
They’d been invited to the laboratory, savored the professor’s carefully brewed red bean tea, and then became slaves—no, research assistants.
It was these marvelous assistants who’d even harvested the poisonous plants for this foundational course.
So why, this year of all years, were there no such slaves—no, assistants—to be found?
This was the last collection practical; if there was nothing here either, she’d have to write off the entire year.
What a waste of the red bean tea she’d brought.
With that thought, Professor Abiyad Qutub opened her mouth in a tone utterly devoid of hope.
“Then shall we examine the last basket? If everyone would just stand up……”
But Abiyad couldn’t finish her sentence.
The sight of the first-year students rising to their feet was shocking.
The two female students looked the worst.
The platinum-haired girl, who appeared innocent, had her jacket and outdoor cloak torn to shreds in countless places, as though she’d swum through a thorn thicket.
And the reddish-brown-haired girl, pretty in a modest way, had mud splatters scattered across her white shirt and school uniform skirt, with thick clumps of dirt clinging to her shoes.
And the other three weren’t exactly clean either.
Though not as badly as the two girls, they bore the unmistakable marks of having tramped through deep forest.
“Good heavens, what a sight!”
“Looks like they’ve just come from fighting a troll.”
“Or maybe a pig.”
Snicker, snicker.
Laughter rippled through the gathered first-years.
“You’d believe she was a farmer’s daughter instead of a count’s daughter.”
“Isn’t Müller not even a noble? Pretending to be one, but now she finally looks the part.”
“Hey, that’s going too far!”
……
Anemone lowered her gaze and bit her lip.
Humiliation threatened to bring tears to her eyes, but she held them back.
Never show weakness in front of the enemy, Father had said.
Anemone’s resentful gaze fixed on the girl standing confidently beside her.
‘This is all Daisy Seiblehart’s fault……!’
* * *
Before joining the group, Anemone had meant to shatter the Cleanse-enchanted orb she always carried with her.
The artifact was hideously expensive, but she wouldn’t have minded the loss.
Anything would be better than standing before others looking like this.
But then Daisy suddenly snatched the orb away.
‘What—what are you doing?! Give it back!’
‘This has a Cleanse spell on it, right?’
‘How could you—no, never mind! Just give it back, quickly!’
‘Don’t use it.’
‘What?’
‘Don’t use it.’
‘What are you talking about?! You want me to go out there looking like a beggar?! Are you doing this on purpose?! You already beat me in the wager—why are you tormenting me?!’
Anemone lunged at Daisy to snatch the orb back.
She was certain she could take it easily.
Daisy was shorter and smaller than her, after all.
But then…….
‘Ugh……! Why is she so strong……!’
How could anyone have this much strength?!
She couldn’t pry open Daisy’s clenched fist no matter how hard she tried.
Desperate, Jessica even rushed in to help her.
Yet Daisy’s hand holding the orb didn’t budge an inch.
‘You said herbalism or nothing.’
‘Yes! Which is exactly why——!’
‘Just go.’
‘I can’t! If I go out looking like this, I really——!’
Raven Hall was already notorious as the dormitory with the most nobles in attendance.
She could easily imagine how those haughty aristocrats would gossip about her filthy appearance.
‘I should have brought two orbs! Why didn’t I pack a spare?!’
While Anemone stamped her feet in frustration, Daisy spoke calmly.
‘To be honest. I don’t like you.’
‘What?! I don’t like you either!’
‘So I actually didn’t mind the idea of expelling you from the academy, herbalism or not.’
‘You——!’
‘But…….’
When I thought about it, I realized it wasn’t entirely your fault.
The words she exhaled like a sigh made no sense to Anemone.
‘And besides, this wretched group apparently goes all the way to beginner classes, so… I don’t have a choice. Having one more person might actually make things easier.’
‘What are you saying?! Just give it to me already!’
‘That’s why I’m telling you—don’t use the Cleanse spell. Just go out like this.’
‘N-no! I’m not going out like this……!’
‘Here we go.’
‘Ah—aaahhh!’
Anemone couldn’t resist the tremendous force of Daisy’s shove and was pushed out of the forest.
I was going to try to frame this girl as easy prey?
This wasn’t a pushover—this was a tiger itself…….
* * *
And so she found herself standing before everyone in this wretched state.
Anemone held back her tears while picking at her roughened hands.
Her hands bore small cuts in various places, fine threads of blood seeping from the wounds, her nails caked with dirt.
Her legs were spotted with smudges, and when she’d wiped the sweat from her forehead, she’d left a faint streak of mud there as well.
The mocking whispers that had been echoing around her like an endless refrain suddenly fell silent.
Clap clap clap clap!
Applause erupted from somewhere—somewhat frivolous and loud.
“Magnificent! Simply magnificent!”
The source of the applause was, surprisingly, the herbalism professor himself.
“This group possesses all the qualities needed to become great herbalists!”
“……Pardon?”
The freshmen, who had been sneering all along, snapped to attention with shock written across their faces.
They had never seen the professor in such a state of excitement.
“This passion! Getting down in the dirt, risking injury and filth to harvest herbs! Everyone look and learn! Absolutely flawless, flawless!”
Clap, clap, clap!
The professor, applauding enthusiastically, withdrew a carefully dried Seyerd branch from his robes and flourished it.
Transparent droplets bubbled up from beneath the five students’ feet, and in an instant their bodies were spotless.
More than spotless, even.
Torn uniforms mended themselves, and tangled hair suddenly gleamed with a silken sheen.
‘High-grade aesthetic magic…!’
Depending on the mana poured into it, it was magic that not only washed away grime but left hair, nails, and skin far smoother and more lustrous.
Observing the five students, now immaculate beyond anyone else in the room, the professor spoke.
“Students of such excellence deserve a reward, wouldn’t you say? Thirty points each to your respective dormitories, and this group is exempt from submitting the practical collection report!”
“……!”
“……!”
The freshmen’s jaws fell open.
Anemone and Jessica clapped hands over their mouths in disbelief, while Boris removed his spotless glasses and wiped them clean again, as if seeing things.
The only ones unmoved were Felix, who was apathetic about nearly everything,
‘I knew this would happen.’
and Daisy, who had already foreseen it all.
In the original story, Abyad Kutub, the professor of herbalism, had been a rather straightforward man.
“Passion! The most important thing in herbalism is passion! That eagerness to throw yourself into adventure to harvest herbs—that is the first step toward becoming a true herbalist!”
That was it.
Abyad Kutub was a man intoxicated by passion.
He adored the students most caked in mud, and he never hesitated to reward them.
So in the original story, did Daisy, who had collected every herb, receive that reward?
Not even once.
Of course, it had been because of Anemone.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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