No More Pain For This Villain.

Chapter 341: Didn't mind

I stood outside my dorm, staring at the cloudy sky.

"It's been raining a lot these past few days," Blaze remarked, jumping onto my shoulder as I walked towards the academy.

Walking through the corridors, I felt the usual intense gazes on me. It was a daily occurrence,

to be honest. Today would be the first time I attended a class after coming back from Eshmera. It had been a while, and I needed to do something to stave off the boredom.

I headed towards the potion-making classroom. Leaning to the side, I saw Professor Night preparing her work desk.

"May I?" I asked loudly enough to get her attention, and she immediately turned her face towards me.

"Oh, Ren! Come in. You're attending today's class, huh?" she said excitedly.

I nodded and swept my gaze across the classroom, spotting someone familiar.

"Here!" Raven waved from her working platform.

I walked towards her, noticing that it was a group activity since everyone else was paired up. "Good morning," Raven greeted me cheerfully, and I greeted her back.

"It's been a while, so take care of me if I mess something up or drench myself in potion," I said.

Professor Night called for our attention. "Today, we are going to attempt to make a bit of a complex potion. Make sure that all of you keep your eyes and ears open and follow every step, because this might be on your year-end practical exam," she said.

The potion we were to brew was a high-grade underwater breathing potion. It gave the drinker the ability to hold their breath underwater for an hour or two, by minimizing the amount of air the lungs needed.

As Professor Night began her demonstration, Raven and I paid close attention, jotting down notes and whispering to each other about the process.

"First, you need to crush the Grimeshark scales into a fine powder," Professor Night instructed. "This is the base of our potion, and it must be perfectly ground to ensure the potion's efficacy."

Raven handed me the scales, and I carefully started grinding them with a mortar and pestle.

"Steady hands, Ren," Raven teased. "We don't want to mess up on the first step."

I chuckled. "No pressure, right?"

After the scales were finely powdered, Professor Night moved on to the next step. "Now, add the powdered scales to a cauldron of boiling water. Stir it clockwise three times and then counterclockwise once."

Following her instructions, Raven and I took turns stirring the mixture. The liquid in the cauldron began to shimmer, a good sign that we were on the right track.

"Next, add the Fenyweed extract," Professor Night continued. "This ingredient is crucial for the potion's underwater breathing properties."

Raven measured out the Fenyweed extract and poured it into the cauldron, while I continued stirring. The potion turned a deep, vibrant blue.

"Looking good so far," Raven commented.

Professor Night walked around the classroom, checking on everyone's progress. When she reached us, she nodded approvingly. "Excellent work, Ren, Raven. Keep it up."

The final steps involved adding a pinch of crushed moonstone and a few drops of essence of sea serpent. With careful precision, we completed the potion.

Raven and I gathered our materials, following Professor Night's instructions closely.

"We'll need to be precise," Raven whispered, glancing at me with a mix of excitement and determination.

I nodded, carefully measuring out the ingredients. As we worked, I noticed how Raven's focus never wavered. She moved with confidence and skill, her hands steady as she added each component to the cauldron.

"You're pretty good at this," I remarked, trying to keep the mood light.

She smiled, a hint of a blush coloring her cheeks. "Thanks. I've been practicing a lot. Potion- making is kind of my thing."

We continued working in sync, adding the ingredients in the correct order and timing our steps perfectly. The potion began to take on a shimmering blue hue, indicating we were on the right track.

"Okay, now for the final ingredient," Raven said, handing me a vial of crushed sea kelp. "This should make the potion activate."

I carefully poured the sea kelp into the cauldron, and the liquid bubbled vigorously before settling into a smooth, glowing blue.

"Excellent work, everyone," Professor Night announced, making her way around the classroom to inspect our potions. "Let's see how you did."

Professor Night checked our potion and rated it a B, which is fine, I guess, but Raven didn't seem to like it.

"At least this time I thought that I'd get an A," she murmured under her breath.

I stepped closer to her. "It's fine. You actually made a lot of progress, to be honest. I was dumbfounded by a lot of things that Professor said during the potion-making."

We both walked out of the classroom as the class ended.

"Pudding?" I asked, and Raven seemed to like the idea. We then made our way to the canteen, ate pudding, and left.

We walked side by side. I think I have a Beast Mastery class in an hour or so, and Raven seems like she's going to skip it.

"Are you sure you don't want to attend the class?" I asked her. The only class she's attended today is potion-making, and that won't actually be helpful for her because she's a second- year and I'm not.

"I really don't want to. It's boring. I'd rather be with you until your next class," Raven smiled.

I sighed. "Is it because of the rumors?" I asked.

"What rumors?" Raven's facial expressions shifted instantly; she has no skill to lie.

"You know them. Don't make me say it." I said as we walked through the crowd, which parted without needing to push anyone away. It's like they don't like me but are scared at the same

time.

Not the first time I experienced something like this.

'Where did you experience this first, then?' Smokeball asked.

In my classroom, when I brought a gun to school.

"I don't... mind them," Raven replied, her head hung low.