10 minutes have passed. Time to send out the elementals.

“It's time! You can go!”

“Yay!!”

The small lights then hurried to where the students were. Astrea then looked at the projected scene made by the spirit of light.

They were running as if their lives were on the line. Well, depending on who caught them, that would be the case.

Oh. Some elementals caught up to the slowest student. He got lucky, he only ended falling into a five meters hole.

The high spirits and Astrea just watched the event unfolding.

In two hours, there were only 4 out of 52 students who managed to finish.

The rest were dying. Luckily, the health system was really great here. As this school is managed by gods, they could make sure no one died. There could be nothing left from the body, but if you died here, the god of life could remake the body and the god of death would put the soul inside. As for injured, they are used as experiments for the new potions of the druids and alchemist.

Astrea looked at the four. They have potentials for others art, but not for the one she trains in. She won't choose them for specialization next year.

Next, she looked at those who caught the eyes of the spirits. There was a good number of them, 28 were chosen. None of the rare elements were interested in them. But it was still a good result. She would also not get them for her special course... they will be going to the spirits consultation one.

She is only left with 20 students to pick from.

"Well, I'm not surprised with the result. The high spirits have gone easy on you. Still good job on not dying. Today lesson is finished. Go and rest."

'It was going easy!?' 'I don't want to continue!' 'I don't mind! I got lucky to contract a spirit! I will be able to get away from her next year!'

The students then left for the infirmary. Astrea turned to the elementals.

“Was it fun?”

“Yes!”

“Would you like to do it again?”

“Yes!”

“Then next time bring more friends. It will funnier.”

“Okay!”

“Thanks for coming. See you!”

"Bye-bye!"

A portal then appeared out of nowhere and the spirits entered it. They waved goodbye and it closed.

It was 4:00 pm when they finished. She decided to go to the greenhouse. She left her seedling there as it began to take someplace. It already grew to be around three meters tall. At this rate, it would be fully grown in another two weeks according to Gwenael.

Arriving inside, everyone seemed to be busy with something. Even the carefree nymphs seemed to be fidgeting. She asked one of them :

“Hey, what's wrong?”

"Some- Someone stole the golden apple's tree!"

“Golden apple's tree? There was something like that here?”

“What are you saying!? It's your tree!”

“Ha?”

“Astrea! You are finally here!”

Gwenael closed on her and caught her shoulders.

“Someone stole your tree!”

“Why would they?”

“Don't you know what are golden apples?”

“No.” she said while shaking her head.

"To put it simply, it grants immortality to mortals and boosts a god's rank."

“So, it's very precious.”

“Yes.”

“Who would take it then?”

"That's what's is annoying. There are too many people interested! If I catch this bastard, I will turn him into fertilizer for the trees!"

It was the first time for Astrea to see teacher Silvius so mad. He is usually very composed and soothing. Now he seems like he could stab someone at any moment.

"That's why we need you!"

“How?”

“You fed the tree with your spiritual energy! There is a connection between the two of you. You just need to follow it and we will catch those thieves!”

“Okay.”

Astrea concentrated to search for the tree. She found its approximate position.

“Found it. I'm going.”

She ran to a certain direction. Behind her, Gwenael and the nymphs followed.

After running for thirty minutes, she arrived in a garden. Gwenael was being carried by one of the dryads.

“Pant, y- you run way too fast! Pant!”

“Oh. Sorry. Do you know where this is.”

“Hmm... I don't know this place. You may have not noticed, but before we arrived here, there was a powerful illusion barrier. But you broke it without realizing it. The creator should have sensed it and should rushing here. Look at all those medicinal herbs. From the lowest to even the rarest divine ones. Someone powerful must be cultivating it.”

“Let's hide. We should ambush him.”

“Okay. Let me send a signal to my students to warn the administrators.”

Gwenael pulled out a communication talisman. Those who have the same symbols written on it are the only one able to receive the messages.

They hid under a big tree with a lot of foliage to cover them. In under ten minutes, a shadow appears.

"Tch! He is hiding his true appearance with a jamming enchantment. It should fade out in a few minutes."

“Should we jump on him now?”

“Let's wait a little more. He may lower his guard more.”

The shadow looked around for a trace of intruders. He couldn't sense anyone around as the two were hidden by the dryads who covered their presence to mix with nature. The enchantement finally dispersed and they could finally see his true appearance.

“I still don't recognize him. He mustn't be from this world. But to get in without being noticed... He is too dangerous. We need to run.”

“I agree.”

'It's like when I first met Janus. He feels like a simple human even though he isn't. Those kinds of people are too annoying to face right now.'

“I thought you would want to fight?”

“I'm not a battle maniac. I know when not to.”

“Too bad. I wanted to see you try.”

“!?”

A hand hit the back of Astrea neck. Gwenael pulled out a talisman and activated it. In the next second, he left the scene.

"My, my... what an awful man. He abandoned a lady. But he seems like a veeery guilty man to escape this fast. To even use a Recall talisman. Janus should have been more careful of who he hires. Now, what should I do with you?"

The dryads left inside are trembling in fear under the man pressure.

“I will leave you alive. In exchange, take care of the plants here.”

The tree nymph nodded hard.

He then left with Astrea through a portal. The garden resumed its usual peace.