“Who did they say made this medicine?”
“Wouldn’t it be the Countess? I heard she’s exceptionally skilled.”
“Not much is known about the person who created it. Apparently, only the Countess and a handful of others know the formula.”
“Hmm.”
The temple officials took another look at the medicine resting on the table.
Where did something like this suddenly come from? They hadn’t even heard a rumor about such a medicine being developed.
“.....”
Meanwhile, one person’s reaction stood apart from the rest.
For some reason, he couldn’t tear his eyes away from the medicine, his expression filled with bewilderment.
It was the priest, Ersi.
“Ersi?”
At the call of Harbi, one of the high priests seated nearby, Ersi flinched and quickly looked up.
“What’s on your mind? You don’t look well.”
“Ah, it’s nothing. I was just surprised by the medicine.”
“It’s quite remarkable, isn’t it? A medicine that can cleanse demonic energy without relying on holy water blessed by divine power.”
While High Priest Harbi continued the discussion with the others, Ersi’s gaze drifted back to the medicine.
How can that medicine...
His eyes shook with confusion.
“Priest Harbi.”
Some time later, as the meeting came to an end and people began leaving one after another, Ersi called out to High Priest Harbi in a low voice.
“It seems there’s something you’d like to say.”
“Yes. About what I mentioned before...”
“.....”
A long sigh escaped Harbi.
“Do you truly intend to leave the temple?”
Not long ago, Ersi had suddenly announced his intention to leave. He wanted to give up his priestly robes and walk away from the temple.
Though he possessed no divine power, his sincerity and compassion had earned him the respect of many. They had been trying to talk him out of his sudden retirement.
“Let me ask you again. Why do you want to leave so suddenly?”
The last time Harbi asked, Ersi simply said that he wasn’t feeling well and wanted to take a break. But Harbi was certain there was more to it than that.
“I think I was more exhausted than I realized. I just want to rest.”
Hearing the same answer again, Harbi let out another long sigh.
“Very well. I’ll give it some more thought.”
“Yes, High Priest. I apologize for causing you concern.”
Ersi lowered his head. After a brief hesitation, he spoke again carefully.
“If it’s alright, could I take this medicine and examine it?”
“The medicine?”
“Yes. There’s something I’d like to check.”
“Of course.”
Since it wasn’t an unreasonable request, Harbi picked up the medicine from the table himself and handed it over.
“Thank you.”
After taking the medicine, Ersi bowed politely before turning away.
How can this medicine...
His gaze dropped to the medicine in his hand. Once again, his eyes wavered with confusion.
***
As usual, Where Your Steps Come to Rest was packed with mercenaries looking to fill their stomachs or cure their hangovers.
“Have you tried this medicine yet?”
“What medicine?”
“I used it during the Black Forest subjugation, and ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) it was incredible.”
“A healing potion?”
The other mercenaries immediately took an interest in the bottle of green liquid someone had placed on the table.
“It’s way better than holy water! Wounds start healing the moment you use it!”
“There you go again. Better than holy water? Give me a break. Does it even get rid of demonic energy?”
“Yeah.”
“What?”
“I said it gets rid of demonic energy too!”
A few mercenaries stared at him in surprise.
“No way. Then it must cost a fortune.”
“Good grief. If it’s better than holy water, there’s no way it’s cheap. Holy water’s already expensive as hell.”
“How much did you pay for that?”
“Ten gold.”
“Huh?”
“One bottle costs ten gold. You know what holy water goes for, right? A bottle barely bigger than your thumb costs over fifty.”
Ten gold wasn’t exactly cheap for a medicine. But compared to holy water, it was nothing.
The real issue was that no matter how outrageous the price, holy water was still considered worth carrying for emergencies. It could mean the difference between life and death.
“Where’d you buy it?”
“Come on, let’s go get some before it sells out.”
“Yeah, let’s move!”
The mercenaries immediately picked up the pace with their meals. Urgent or not, they were determined to finish their meals before leaving.
Thud.
“Huh?”
At that moment, something was suddenly placed in front of the mercenary who had brought out the medicine. It was a bowl of stew piled high with meat.
“I didn’t order anything else.”
“It’s on the house.”
When he looked up, Ceres was standing there with a smile.
“What about us?”
“Yeah, how come only he gets one?”
“Because I felt like it.”
He was giving her free advertising, after all.
Ceres watched with a pleased smile as the mercenary grinned from ear to ear and hurriedly guarded his bowl before anyone else could steal a bite.
Jingle.
Just then, the door opened and a new customer stepped inside. Ceres casually turned toward the entrance, only for her eyes to widen slightly.
Someone she never expected to see was walking in.
“So this is your shop.”
A low, cool voice cut through the noise of the crowded hall.
It was Princess Nailia.
What’s she doing here? Ceres watched the Princess approach, unable to hide her confusion.
“May I sit down?”
“Sure. Have a seat.”
When Ceres pointed to an empty table in the corner, Nailia immediately sat down and looked around.
“This place is quite...”
“......”
“Old.”
...Did she come here just to pick a fight?
The thought crossed Ceres’s mind, but Nailia looked genuinely impressed by how old the place was.
“What brings you here?”
“I have a favor to ask.”
“A favor?”
Ceres studied the princess for a moment.
“Since when were we close enough to be asking each other for favors?”
No matter how she looked at it, that wasn’t the kind of relationship they had.
“Then how about we develop that relationship starting now?”
“I think I’ll pass.”
“That’s a problem. This isn’t something I can ask of just anyone.”
For someone who seemed so aloof at first, she’s surprisingly shameless.
Princess Nailia hadn’t shown up at the Academy for days, saying she had something to take care of. But now, she suddenly appeared asking for a favor.
“What favor?”
Figuring she might as well hear her out, Ceres took the seat across from her.
“There’s something I’d like restored.”
“Restored?”
“Like the letter you restored before. I’d like you to return an item to its original state. You still have that magic potion, don’t you?”
...That’s just water.
“Hm.”
Unfortunately, it was a little late to tell her that now.
Some time ago, Nailia had asked where she’d gotten something so valuable. Ceres had spun a story about finding it while cleaning out the family warehouse. Supposedly, it was tucked away inside a box left behind by Tom the Mercenary King, the founder of House Drow. She’d even added that there was barely any left.
Looking back, Nailia had seemed genuinely disappointed to hear it.
It’s not like lost relics are uncommon.
“What is it you want restored?”
.
.
.
Chapter 32: Tamer Relic
“What time is it?”
“It’s...”
“Never mind.”
Click.
“I have a watch.”
“......”
Del barely managed to hold back a laugh. He’d heard that same question so many times today that he’d stopped counting.
Is he really that happy about it?
A pocket watch engraved with a white wolf. It was the gift Ceres had given Kainel a few days ago.
Ever since then, Kainel had developed a habit of pulling it out whenever he had a spare moment. Sometimes, he’d even ask for the time first, only to check the watch himself a second later.
“You do remember that watch cost 2,000 gold, right?”
“She must’ve chosen this one because the white wolf is my family’s emblem.”
“And we’re the ones paying the remaining 1,900 gold.”
“The color suits me. The design isn’t bad either.”
“......”
He’s not listening.
1,900 gold was still coming out of their coffers. Could it really be called a gift at that point?
“It’s 1:30.”
“Yes. It was 1:20 when you checked a moment ago.”
The corner of Del’s mouth twitched. In all the years he’d served Kainel, he’d never seen him act like this.
“What’s this?”
“I just found it.”
“...Are you giving this to me?”
“Yeah. Take it.”
The look on Kainel’s face when Ceres handed him the watch was something Del would remember for the rest of his life.
He looked like a child who’d just been handed a surprise present.
Ever since that day, Del’s newest duty was to pretend not to laugh whenever Kainel checked the watch for absolutely no reason.
“......”
A moment later, the amusement vanished from Del’s eyes. In one swift motion, he drew a small dagger from inside his coat and moved to fling it toward the window.
“Stop.”
Kainel stopped him and rose from his seat.
“Someone you know?”
At the brief command, Del immediately lowered the dagger and stepped back.
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