Chapter 12: Gold

Leandro drove us home that day. We didn't speak much during the entire ride.

I was really thankful for the silence. I really don't want to talk about my sudden drama earlier.

Surprisingly, Genevieve didn't talk about what happened when we got home. She simply told me to go to my room, get changed, and take some rest. She acted like any other day.

Genevieve woke me up an hour before my class. Breakfast was already served on the table when I got out. She even prepared coffee for me, so I wouldn't fall asleep during class. Then, she dropped me off at our department.

She did convince me to take some rest today, but I was already set on attending my class. That's why we made some concessions. She'll allow me to attend my classes, but she will take me there and pick me up afterwards.

I could only agree, as my body is extremely worn out anyway. It's just this hardheadedness of mine that has kept me going.

As she promised, Genevieve was waiting outside our department building when I got out. She was happily chattering about her day as we drove home, while I silently listened from the passenger's seat. I didn't really like how much Genevieve talked at first. But as the days went by, I began to get used to it.

Genevieve put the hot water in the bath for me as soon as we got home. I used the pouch of powder Rebecca gave me and put all the contents in the tub. The medicinal bath was as miraculous as the first time I used it. My body felt extremely energized after soaking in it. Despite that, Genevieve still made me sleep the entire day.

….…

"I really thought I would reach at least the 50th floor this time. Unfortunately, the plant on the 45th floor was from somewhere I'm not really familiar with," Rose said in a regretful voice.

I accidentally met her as I was heading to my Lab 1 class today. We exchanged a few greetings and agreed to eat lunch together to catch up on some things. Since she still has a class afterwards, we decided to eat in the school canteen instead.

"It was rather unfortunate," I agreed. "All the plants from the 46th up to the 50th are from the subclass of angiosperms, Rosidae," I added.

"Ugh!" Rose groaned in frustration. The angiosperm family, or in simple terms, the flowering plant family, is the focus of Rose's study. Among its subclasses, she is more versed in the subclass Rosidae, where the rose family belongs.

"If not for that succulent, I would have reached my goal!" she whined.

I couldn't help but giggle as she tortured her food. It's like I could see fire burning from her eyes as she cursed every member of the Cactaceae family.

"By the way, how many levels did you reach in the tower? After you went ahead on the second floor, I didn't see you again."

"Oh, I didn't get past the tenth floor." I lied.

As per my request, the outcome of the trial was kept private. Knowing how people perceive the Dragon Tower, I don't want to cause any unnecessary uproar. Who knows what will happen if they find out that a first-year student who hasn't even been in the academy for a month for some unknown reason miraculously passed an almost impossible trial.

I might even get discredited if they find out how I passed.

"Huh? Then, how did you know what was on the 45th to 60th floor?"

I almost choked on my water.

"I, uh, heard it from the others who reached that floor."

I'm such a terrible liar.

….…

I was walking back and forth inside the elevator. I just couldn't control my excitement.

Today is the first day that I'll be working in the tower's Dragon's Garden! I can't wait to see what kind of exotic plants they keep in there!

"So you manage to pass the trial, huh?" I almost jumped back when someone suddenly spoke. I was so deep in my own thoughts that I didn't notice the elevator opening on a certain floor.

It took me a while to respond. "Yeah," I croaked.

I slowly slid to the side of the elevator, embarrassed by my previous action.

The one who spoke was Mr. Handsome Guy. He was wearing a caramel-colored suit vest today. It matched his beautiful, light caramel eyes completely. His medium-length hair brushed up, giving him a clean and fresh look.

'What a completely handsome specimen!' I can't stop myself from thinking. If the president has the face that can convince you to offer your loyalty to him, Mr. Handsome Guy has the face that can petrify you with a single look.

It's like when he looks at you, your body just starts to freeze, as if you were a small prey falling under a predator's intimidation—a medusa in a man's body!

"That was impressive," he said in a tone that didn't sound impressed at all.

Despite that, I said, "Thank you," for the sake of being polite.

We fell silent after that. The only sound you can hear inside is a calming piano sound played by the elevator. 100 floor, 200 floor… I began to fidget when it seemed that Mr. Handsome Guy was showing no sign of leaving. As a matter of fact, I didn't see him press an elevator floor!

The more floors we pass, the more awkward the atmosphere becomes. Or it's probably just me.

Ding!

The elevator door opened when we reached the last floor of the tower. Mr. Handsome Guy went out without looking or saying a word. I couldn't help but follow him with my eyes as he strode off. 'That guy is also another weirdo.'

"Lizelle, you're finally here!" Rebecca greeted me with her crisp voice as I got out of the elevator.

She's not dressed as a corporal today; instead, she's dressed as a gardener. Her hair was tied in a messy bun. Despite the casual clothing and her face being completely bare, she didn't look any less pretty. Instead, she had a youthful appearance that had previously been hidden by the use of cosmetics.

If during the trial she looked like a strict secretary, now she looks like a country girl with a fairy-like face.

"Come, I'll introduce you to Professor Palmer," she said as she anchored her arm on my elbow.

I didn't notice this when I reached this floor during the trial, but the 300th floor is just another reception area. The area of the reception area was twice as big as the one on the ground floor. Yet, compared below, the place is completely desolate.

The environment is also comparably more serene and cozy. In addition, the seats scattered all around looked more expensive than those on the ground floor.

What surprised me more was when I saw rare flowers being used as decorations for the place, like the Middlemist Red Camellia by the receptionist's desk or the chocolate cosmos placed in intricate places. Furthermore, within a giant glass tube at the very center of the reception area lies a very peculiar flower.

"Corpse Flower," I unconsciously said when I saw the looming flower.

No wonder it's encased in a glass tube. A Corpse flower smells extremely bad when in full bloom. Thankfully, this flower only blooms once every 8 or 9 years. The one inside the glass tube isn't blooming yet. However, the twelve-foot-long flower still looks majestic in my eyes.

All these flowering plants I see are rare spectacles that are mostly claimed to be extinct in the wild. The only ones left are those cultured by botanists in certain botanical gardens. Yet it's being used as a mere decoration in this place!

Isn't this a bit illegal?

"You do know your plants, huh," Rebecca commented while looking at me with her usual odd look.

I followed her as she headed towards the reception desk. The receptionist, named Grace, politely greeted us. Grace and Rebecca talked for a while, so I busied myself by looking around the place. Seeing plants I've only ever read about or seen in photos and videos is like a boon from heaven.

Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine seeing any of them in person! It's like I'm in paradise right now!

"Here." Rebecca handed me a plain black velvet box. It seems that she finished talking with the receptionist.

I accepted the box from her hesitatingly. I stared at the box for a few seconds, unsure of what to do. Rebecca gestured for me to open it. So I did.

The first thing that greeted me was a plain white card with the word, "Congratulations" written in gold and elegant cursive letters. I took out the card, and behind it was an I.D. card with the word "SPECIAL ACCESS" written at the bottom in black, bold letters.

Just like on a normal identification card, my basic information was written on the front. The list of places that the card grants me special access to was at the back. I was surprised when among the places listed on the card was a restaurant within the Dragon Tower 'Gourmet Palace'.

I wonder if that's the restaurant Genevieve went to when she came here.

"There's more inside, you know," Rebecca said.

I stopped admiring my special access card and looked at the other contents of the box. I found a plain black ID sling and then another card, much smaller than my ID card. At the top right corner of the card was a symbol of a Pixiu—a Chinese mythical hybrid creation that symbolizes wealth.

"Scan the code on the card," Rebecca said with a smile. Though confused, I still followed her directions.

[Verifying user…]

[Please enter the code written on your card.]

_ _ _ _

Rebecca pointed at the four-digit number written below the Pixiu symbol. I typed the four-digit number on the screen.

0 1 3 1

[Enter]

[Verification success!]

[Welcome to your Pixiu Bank wallet, Lizelle Laurier!]

I looked at Rebecca in shock and confusion when I saw the content of the online wallet. Rebecca giggled in response.

"That's one of the prizes for completing the trial. I mean, you don't think 30 academic points are enough of a prize for completing an almost impossible trial, don't you?"

It says "one gold coin!" One gold coin! That amounts to over 400 000 copper coins! Oh my gosh, I'm rich!