Chapter 33
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I'll purchase divine power with money.
Chapter 33
"In all my years, I never thought I'd do something like this."
I really didn't want to do this either.
But I couldn't very well test a potion's effects by wounding someone else's body, could I?
If I did, rumors would inevitably spread that the Saintess was up to her old tricks again.
Beyond that, there was one more reason why I had to do this alone.
【Activating the skill 'Blessing'.】
I infused the potion with my blessing.
The bright orange liquid took on a faint crimson hue.
From the beginning, this was what I'd been curious about.
If a blessed divine substance could alleviate Lute's pain, couldn't it also enhance a potion?
Without hesitation, I drank the potion immediately.
Somehow, it went down much more smoothly than before.
And the effects were equally remarkable.
"Wow, this really works."
The wound on my left forearm, which had been bleeding profusely, began to close visibly and rapidly.
It took just over a minute for it to heal to the point where only a reddish mark remained.
It wasn't comparable to the speed of the potions Idella had created in the original story, but considering this was blessed by a Saintess with only 10% divine power, the effect was remarkable.
If I infused it into a higher-quality potion, the efficacy would double.
"From now on, I'll bless every batch before distribution."
However, I couldn't let Airic find out I was using my blessing, so I'd have to do it secretly.
But how?
I stared at the potion and began to rack my brain intensely.
Sigh, I don't know why there are so many lies to tell in this second life.
* * *
"This isn't it either."
Potion Creation Workshop.
After receiving Ordel's approval on the first sample, the production team accelerated their potion refinement research.
Though Ordel said they could take their time, the alchemists obsessed with research had been glued to potions all day long.
No matter how much they researched, nothing better than what the active alchemists were selling came out.
"Since it contains the divine power of the Sun God, it should absolutely surpass alchemical potions."
Genric tore at his hair.
The results were clear, but not knowing the process was driving him absolutely mad.
"If I could just find the right ratio for these two ingredients, I could really perfect this...!"
"Are you still not giving up on mixing those conflicting materials?"
Wolfgang, whose face was just as ashen as Genric's, clicked his tongue.
"Everyone knows that mixing Amin flowers and Lindal grass creates poison—it's common knowledge even for non-alchemists. Isn't it time you let go of this obsession?"
Amin flowers, which had stabilizing effects, and Lindal grass, which had hemostatic properties, were materials frequently used in potion creation.
Yet remarkably, when these two were mixed, they became a serious poison.
So many people had died from ignorantly using them together that it had become common knowledge even among ordinary folk.
That's why Wolfgang found Genric's lingering attachment frustrating.
"This isn't stubbornness. And it's not forcing things either."
Genric ran his fingers roughly through his hair.
"Before, I was so curious about why those two plants were incompatible that I spent about two years researching it...."
Wolfgang didn't mock him for wasting two years on something pointless.
For alchemists, being unable to resist curiosity was a common trait.
"If we only consider the components themselves, there's no conflict between them. In fact, they complement each other quite well."
"Really?"
"Yes. But the reason toxicity emerges is because if either one becomes even slightly excessive, the effect becomes far too potent."
A stronger medicinal effect wasn't always better.
Sometimes excess could actually worsen the condition instead.
"So if we just get the proportions right, everything will be solved."
The ratio between the two ingredients would need to be precise enough to extend into decimal places.
Honestly, it was nothing but tedious labor, but Genric desperately wanted to accomplish it.
How could I call myself an alchemist if I couldn't even solve this level of curiosity?
As Genric clenched both fists tightly, Wolfgang exhaled a sigh.
"...What if you ultimately fail and the Saint drives you out? First, please resolve the potion performance issues before that happens."
"Hey! Don't dampen my spirits!"
It was the moment Genric's voice grew slightly louder at the discouraging remark.
"...A-are you two not fighting right now?"
Lana, who had been buried in books in one corner of the workshop, timidly asked.
Ever since the marble floor incident, Genric and Wolfgang had become acutely aware of her voice, and they immediately denied it.
"Fighting? We're just feeling a bit hurt!"
"We were worried the Saint might drive this person away."
As they earnestly insisted they weren't fighting, Lana's face brightened with relief and she smiled widely.
"That's a relief...!"
We're the ones who should be relieved. We managed to calm things down before Lana threw a punch.
Genric and Wolfgang quietly sighed with relief.
"And... the Saint wouldn't drive us away just because we haven't produced results."
Then Lana spoke with an unusually firm voice.
It was a surprising statement coming from someone who feared the Saint so much.
"...I-I just think the current Saint would be like that."
As Genric and Wolfgang's eyes widened, Lana's cheeks flushed red and she hung her head low.
Now that I thought about it, they said Ordel Kiris had reformed.
I'd heard several warnings here that her actual personality was quite terrifying, so I should be careful.
They said she was scarier than Lana—just how frightening was she?
The two men simultaneously looked at the marble floor that Lana had shattered.
The repairs still weren't complete, and the memory of that day came vividly back to mind.
'If Lana the priestess is capable of this much, then the Saint with far greater divine power could destroy not just the floor, but pillars, or even the entire building, couldn't she?'
The thought sent a sudden chill down my spine.
They silently resolved never to provoke Lana, and certainly not Ordel Kiris.
* * *
"Oh, Saint."
I turned my head from where I was having tea with Monica and Victoria Lawrence in the Garden.
Genric was shuffling toward us, his face ashen and hollow-eyed.
"...I thought I told you sleep isn't something you do after you're dead."
"The research isn't progressing, so I simply can't fall asleep...."
At his bitter smile, I sighed and patted the seat beside me.
"Come here and have some tea. Rest a bit."
Genric didn't refuse, shuffling over slowly before collapsing into the chair. He looked almost like a zombie.
"Problems are actually solved better during rest than when you're wracking your brain."
I offered him comfort. Truth be told, I was in the same situation.
I couldn't think of an excuse for blessing the potions, so I'd ended up coming outside and idling away the time like this.
Still, I wasn't particularly anxious.
It was the same when I was tracking murderers in my past life. When I was hunched over a desk, I couldn't think of how to make an arrest, but the moment I took a break to clear my head, inspiration would strike.
Once, it even happened while I was showering.
I have a fond memory of almost running out naked if my junior colleague hadn't grabbed me.
"So you have some tea and take a breather too."
"Yes, thank you. I'll gratefully accept."
Genric took a sip of the tea Monica had prepared for him.
Thanks to drinking something warm, a bit of color returned to his face.
"Now that I think about it, I can't remember the last time I took a break."
"With so few visitors coming anyway, if a corpse shows up here too, we're truly finished. Work at a leisurely pace before you die."
At my advice, Genric burst into laughter.
He's laughing? That wasn't a joke—I was serious.
"I should do that from now on. Resting feels this good."
Genric, still taking my words as a joke, spoke comfortably.
"But what is this tea? I've never had it before, and it has such a pleasant taste on my tongue. Somehow it feels like my heart is becoming more at ease too."
"It's tea made from dried Hyas flower petals. It's a flower that only grows in the Sun God Grand Temple."
Among the flowers that had nearly withered away in the Grand Temple, the Hyas flower was the only one that had survived.
This flower could thrive naturally with only sunlight and the Sun God's divine power.
As long as the sun doesn't disappear, this flower will never vanish from this place.
"Since the flower contains divine power, it brings peace to body and mind. It's exactly what you need with your head about to explode, isn't it?"
"Yes, that's.... Wait? This flower contains divine power?"
"Yes. I'd wager the Grand Temple of Sea God has something similar—flowers or plants imbued with divine power unique to that place."
"That's right. They have a tree there. A guardian tree, I believe?"
Monica nodded in affirmation.
"Flowers imbued with divine power...."
Genric murmured absently.
A sudden, overwhelming madness erupted from those weary, saffron eyes.
What is this? I'm terrified.
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