Paragon of Skills

Chapter 276

It’s not every day that people in Ashenmere get to witness such a wild competition.

Mr. Cabbage apparently just put up for stakes one hundred and fifty True Diamond Coins. It’s a ridiculous sum. It’s truly beyond ridiculous, if one wants to be precise.

Yet, as they observe the unassuming Mr. Cabbage, they notice not one tremor in his entire body. There’s nothing that gives away fear, anxiety, or even just… worry.

And worry he should since he just put up against Master Brendev so much money. Master Brendev himself, after hearing Mr. Cabbage ask him to stake his livelihood as a Tutor, a complete ban from Tutoring, and three slaps, nervously told Mr. Cabbage to put up his own life.

What left the crowd bewildered and worried was that Mr. Cabbage accepted!

How could he?!

Master Brendev now worries that destroying this pipsqueak too cleanly would reflect poorly upon himself. Not only he is about to rob him blind, but he is also about to put him in a grave!

Isn’t that a bit too much even for him?

Master Brendev licks his lips.

“Mr. Cabbage, I will stake the tutorship of Thalric Ashenvale against your money. You will not need to put up your life.”

“Master Brendev,” Jacob replies, looking at the stalls, taking in the smell of the herbs that Delilah, the disciple of the famous appraiser Master Velnaris, is gathering. “I sincerely thank you for the concern.”

Master Brendev nods.

At least this kid has some common sense. What kind of person would I look like killing him in the middle of the day like this? Wouldn’t that be bullying? How could I walk among these people if they think I’m a wanton murderer.

“But I must refuse,” Jacob says. “If you can’t recognize Thalric’s injury, you should not be allowed to Tutor. And not just him, but anybody.”

Master Brendev’s forehead’s vein feels like it’s about to burst but before the old man can rebuke, Delilah walks over.

“I’ve arranged all the necessary herbs,” she says. “They’ll go from the most common to the rarest. Some of them come from Master Velnaris’s own stock.”

Hearing that, the crowd is extremely curious to see what kind of treasures Master Velnaris carries with him. He’s the most famous Appraiser of herbs and plants not just in Ashenmere, but across several bordering countries.

Delilah has received two True Diamond Coins from Jacob as payment for her service. And given how insane that sum is for such a little thing, she scrambled to organize the competition at the best of her abilities.

“I’ll explain the rules, now,” she says. “First, recite the oath.”

Both Jacob and Master Brendev recite an oath to make sure neither shirks from the responsibilities, with Jacob going all the way.

“…and take my own life in case of loss.”

Delilah looks worried at that, but says nothing. She’s already tried to dissuade the infamous Mr. Cabbage enough times. By now, he knows what he’s getting himself into.

They have cleared a space inside of Lily Hall at the very center, with one large wooden table where a closed box has been placed. The wafting smell of medicinal herbs is currently overpowering and many feel inebriated by it. The audience even started placing bets on them.

Currently, however, there’s only one person taking all those bets against Mr. Cabbage.

“Yes, yes, how many Diamond Coins you said? Ten? What, did your mother give birth to you in a wasteland? What sum of money is that? Make it thirty! Oh, you think I’m joking! Fifty it is!”

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“If you want me to take such a small bet, go run off a cliff on the sea and bring me back a mermaid, you idiot!”

“Two hundred Diamond Coins? Finally we’re talking!”

Lancelot has been taking all the bets against Jacob at a generous five-to-one rate. Merchants are scrambling up to him and when they see that he has apparently almost as many True Diamond Coins as Mr. Cabbage, they rush over to their stall, grab all their money, and run back to bet them on Master Brendev.

“If you want to make some money and not let it all go to my assistant, you should post a bet yourself, milady,” Jacob says, smiling toward Delilah.

“I can’t. I need to stay impartial. If I partake in any bet, I might skew the result one way or another, even just unconsciously,” Delilah replies.

Jacob nods satisfied at the integrity of the woman, now knowing that he’s not going to get ripped off.

“Alright, both participants have said their oath,” Delilah says, “now, up first, by seniority, Master Brendev. Please, step up.”

Master Brendev and his shiny bald head slowly walk up to the wooden table.

Before the lid even opens, he smirks and announces, “Petalwood Flower!”

“What?! Is he crazy?! He didn’t even open it!”

“Oh no, has he lost his mind?! Has the pressure gotten to him?!”

“No, it can’t be! Why would he do something like that?!”

The audience is already despairing about their own money, when Master Brendev gives his back to the box, already walking back and scowling, “you men of poor faith, just wait a damn second!”

Delilah opens the box and a pink flower with red and blue spots appears in front of everybody.

“It’s the Petalwood Flower!”

“It is! It’s a Silver Rank plant! How did he do it?!”

“Master Brendev is truly an expert among experts.”

“Tutor Ocabj,” Delilah says, putting a lock of her flaming red hair behind her ear.

The first herbs are extremely easy to recognize. And this one has such a strong smell that if he knows his stuff, he should recognize it even before opening the box like Master Brendev just did. If he doesn’t, he’s done for.

Master Brendev is smiling widely when Jacob steps up to a box.

Delilah awaits expectantly as he finally comes to rest right in front of the wooden container with incredible self-confidence and pride. She can read in his gaze that he’s an incomparable expert himself, perhaps even greater than Master Brendev. Her instincts of True Diamond Ranker never betray her.

“So?” She asks with a smile.

“What?” The other frowns. “How can I tell with the box closed?”

The audience is floored and even Delilah sways on her feet.

What are you saying?! How can you not recognize this?!

“So?” He asks back.

Damn it! What True Diamond Ranker instincts, I should go sell broken shoes in an alley for the rest of my life!

Delilah sighs and opens the box. A red root with orange fuzzy hair is inside.

This is the Sunfire Root. It’s another Silver Rank plant. It’s even easier than the Petalwood Flower. It’s arguably the easiest plant that will appear throughout the whole competition.

Everybody looks expectantly and perks their ears, only for Jacob to pick up the Sunfire Root and squint at it.

The audience is forbidden to speak during the assessment unless they want to be kicked out of Lily Hall and banned from Master Velnaris’s services forever!

But everybody is dying to shout the answer. Literally everybody knows it!

There’s a couple of children whose parents had to plug their mouths with a piece of cloth since they were about to shout the answer!

“It kinda looks like…” Mr. Cabbage squints harder. “Maybe…”

Master Brendev himself is floored.

Is he an idiot?! Is he suicidal?!

But thankfully, Mr. Cabbage finally answers after slowly putting the Sunfire Root back.

“I believe this might be a Sunfire Root.”

“Yeah,” Delilah says, deflated.

“He’s dead.”

“Damn, I really feel bad for him. I thought I was about to witness a duel of wisdom between experts, but it appears that one of them was just a fool in disguise!”

“I can’t believe it. I feel embarrassed on behalf of Master Brendev. He must feel bad about facing such an idiot.”

Master Brendev does, in fact, start to feel bad.

He’s probably mentally challenged, Master Brendev thinks, wondering if he can get Mr. Cabbage out of the oath. Maybe Thalric was just pulling a prank without telling me or his father.

Master Brendev looks toward the stone cold Harvald, but the man gives him no sign that he knows anything.

Damn it, Thalric! If this is a prank, the lashes that will hit your back will flow with the blood of a thousand men!

“Next,” Delilah says, probably harboring similar thoughts, feeling like Mr. Cabbage is probably the mentally challenged scion of some big family and that everybody here will probably be executed for his death.

I’ve read something like that in a book once, she thinks. Karma is never kind to those who kill people like this guy.