It was probably the latter, she thought.
Closing her book, Ash glanced at Larvavine, which had nearly retreated entirely into the bushes.
Ultimately, she resisted the urge to reach out and test her theory.
Even though the Spirit Beast Compendium stated that Larvavine had gentle temperaments and generally didn't attack humans, Ash wasn't willing to risk testing just how gentle this one was—especially since it might have Venenum-type spiritual energy in its body.
Getting bitten wouldn't be a joke!
"All right, it's time for me to head back," Ash said, standing up slowly while picking up her book and a bag containing nothing but a single piece of pork belly.
She needed to write down her plans for the following week while they were still fresh in her mind.
If she missed something and only realized it after her school's month-long break, it would be a major headache.
"Goodbye, little guy," she said with a smile, bidding farewell to Larvavine who had fully hidden itself in the grass.
Whether or not it could understand her didn't matter.
Seeing a Spirit Beast she'd never encountered before had added an unexpected splash of color to her otherwise mundane life.
This was just a chance meeting, one neither of them would remember for long.
Ash's most pressing task now was to prepare for her upcoming trip to Azure Bay Mountain.
Adventure, it seemed, was in her nature.
Even someone as cautious as her wasn't immune to its call.
Besides, her body was technically seventeen years old—rounding up, she was seventeen.
So, liking adventure was perfectly normal for someone her age, wasn't it?
...
Thursday, after school.
Solvale Beast Master High School, Medical Office.
"You want an antidote?"
Maxim, who was in the middle of copying his personal work summary, put down his pen and looked at the girl standing at the door, his brows slightly furrowed.
On Gaia, there were various types of antidotes.
Beyond those used in daily life to treat poisoning caused by ingesting toxic wild plants or animals, there was a special antidote designed specifically for countering Venenum-type Spirit Beast attacks.
These weren't rare items—you could buy one at a pharmacy or item shop for 120 beastdollar.
Naturally, the school medical office had both types of antidotes on hand.
They were meant to be used in emergencies, like when a student accidentally consumed something poisonous or was attacked by a wild Venenum-type Spirit Beast.
However, these antidotes were seldom needed, and it was rare for anyone to come to the school medical office to request one.
After all, the antidotes were readily available at nearby shops, making a trip to the school's office unnecessary.
Of course, there were exceptions.
For instance, right now, Ash was standing at the medical office door.
Ash was fully aware that the antidotes for Venenum-type Spirit Beast attacks could be bought at any local shop.
Still, she had mustered the courage to come to the school medical office to ask Maxim, the substitute intern doctor, for one.