Chapter 164: Creating an Opportunity - 5
Chapter 164: Creating an Opportunity - 5
Once Asira was resting, Jiha washed up first.
While Sirel arrived for work and began healing his arm, he sorted through his thoughts.
'Right now it's just small-scale street skirmishes, but eventually it'll get serious. When that happens, Asira will be a huge asset. I need to learn from her about Warsland military operations, unit organization, and everything else.'
Jiha had grown accustomed to life-or-death battles while adapting to Warsland.
A skirmish is not a war. So he planned to learn what he could from Asira at every opportunity.
'I'll finish the third and final fight against Lungtao spectacularly in the Summoning War, right in front of the other escort guards and the citizens of Waris. That should win over Lungtao and the rest of the guards. Frame it as a fight over Leticia, and the people of Waris will start seeing me differently too....'
Jiha nodded to himself and moved on to the next issue.
'That's the setup for reeling in the escort guards. Narsha's a piece of work I don't particularly like, but I'll take her in when the situation allows. Asira's practically mine already, but she has no idea I've already taken Yura. I'll break that news and use it to tame her completely. Start by giving her small tasks....'
Lost in thought, Jiha was jolted back when Sirel finished and smacked his arm.
"There, treatment's done. But you need to be monitored for a day or two. Absolutely no strenuous movement. No fighting."
"I'll try."
"That's not an answer."
Without warning, Sirel grabbed Jiha's cheeks and stretched them wide.
"Hm? Is that how you talk to the person who just healed you? 'I will certainly do so, Healer.' 'Thank you, Healer.' 'I am grateful, Healer.'"
"......."
What would the others do if they saw Sirel treating Jiha like this?
Even Enril or Leticia, both Uniques, wouldn't dare pull this. They'd faint from shock.
It was only because they were alone, and because it was Sirel, that Jiha let it slide.
"Not going to answer properly?"
"Your job isn't supposed to hurt people."
"Oh, for...."
Sirel sighed, then looked at him with concern.
"You don't even participate in the Summoning War anymore, so where are you going and what are you doing to get hurt like this? Before it was playing with fire, and now you've gone and broken your arm."
"I've had my stomach sliced open before. This is nothing."
"It's different now. You know how to use Mana."
Sirel spoke matter-of-factly.
"A body reinforced with Mana doesn't get damaged in everyday life. It takes a Mana weapon or an impact of similar magnitude... which only tells me you're involved in something extremely dangerous."
"......."
"I also caught wind of a rumor that you were in a fight at an inn...."
Sirel looked at him seriously as she spoke.
"You're not actually doing something dangerous, are you?"
"It's nothing. Just a neighborhood scuffle."
Jiha had practically seized control of the city, but Sirel seemed completely oblivious.
Still, once he officially ascended as the ruler of Waris, he wouldn't be able to keep it from her forever. Somehow, that thought left him feeling a little wistful as he stood up.
"I'm off."
"Ah, wait. I'm bored, so stay and hang out a bit before you go."
What a shameless request to make during work hours.
Jiha stared at her in disbelief, then suddenly lowered his voice.
There was something he needed to confirm.
"You know anything about aphrodisiacs?"
"......Huh? What?"
"Aphrodisiacs. Drugs that arouse women."
Based on intelligence that Narsha's escort guards were secretly searching for them, Jiha had his own men investigating.
Catching them red-handed would be very useful.
Sirel's eyes went wide before she smacked his arm again.
"You really have no filter. Where did you even pick up something so vile...?"
"I'm not joking."
Jiha pressed his question again.
"Could something like that exist?"
"......You're serious? You're not planning to use it for something bad, are you?"
Sirel studied his face, then snorted.
"Right, as if our Sookmaek would go looking for something like that with bad intentions. Isn't that right, our Sookmaek?"
"......."
Jiha just kept his mouth shut and listened.
Sirel gave a serious explanation.
"So, a drug that induces sexual arousal, right? The market already has drugs that cause mild arousal. Couples or lovers in a rut mainly use them to spice things up. But those just relax the nerves and ease the mind—nothing strong enough to make someone lose control of their body actually exists. Officially."
"Meaning it does exist unofficially?"
"Mm... from here on it's my conjecture, but theoretically, yes."
Since she was speaking as a healer, giving a professional explanation, Sirel showed no embarrassment.
"A pharmacist who makes Mana drugs could manage it. You don't know much about pharmacology, right? It goes beyond simply mixing existing herbs. They use Mana to adjust the bonding structure and concentration. That's what pharmacists do. It's delicate work, so skill levels vary wildly. With a brilliant pharmacist and rare ingredients, it would be possible."
"For instance?"
"Well, an incubus. A legendary race that's extinct now, but records say their saliva or blood could induce sexual arousal that only affects women. Of course, it's just a written record, so I can't vouch for it personally."
"......."
Sirel had no idea Kamain was a cambion—a half-incubus, half-human hybrid.
In fact, she probably didn't even know Kamain was dead.
Jiha felt the disconnect in several ways but simply nodded.
"On the flip side, there's speculation that a succubus's blood or saliva could sexually arouse men... but it's not certain. The only actual succubus I've seen is Lady Yura, and you can't exactly ask her that, can you? Besides, someone as gentle and well-mannered as Lady Yura doesn't seem the type."
"That's not what I'm trying to figure out...."
Jiha cut to the heart of the matter.
"Rare Grades and above have resistance to alcohol and drugs, right? They can expel it with Mana."
"Yeah, that's right."
"Could an aphrodisiac exist that paralyzes even a Rare Grade?"
"If the drug is strong enough. But a drug that powerful would plunge someone into hallucinations or a coma long before arousal."
"What if it's a Mana drug, like you said?"
Sirel thought for a moment, then nodded.
"I can't declare it absolutely impossible. Warsland has too many species, and I'm no expert in pharmacology."
"What about an aphrodisiac that works on a Unique?"
"What's going on?"
Sirel looked at Jiha with worry written all over her face.
She was clearly concerned he'd gotten tangled up in something perilous.
"A rumor like that is going around, so I'm investigating."
"......Mm."
Sirel shook her head.
"Overpowering a Unique would be incredibly difficult work. They call it a Mana drug, but at that level, you'd have to call it a curse. Mana drugs aren't easy to make in the first place. Look, I can use healing magic, but I can't turn it into a drug. I'm a healer. So could a pharmacist make it?"
"......."
Warsland had no such thing as a potion you could drink to heal wounds.
That was why beings like Asira, who could use healing magic on the front lines, were so invaluable.
"No, it's impossible. Like I said, Mana drugs are extremely delicate. The greater the effect, the more often they only activate in that one specific situation. For example, even with the same severe injury, a Mana drug for healing an arm is completely different from one for healing a leg."
"So Mana drugs lack versatility."
"Right, which is why Mana tools are usually fixed."
Sirel offered another example.
"See? A Mana weapon is a weapon that has undergone magical treatment. Grade 3 becomes harder and doesn't break even when you channel Mana into it. Grade 2 can pierce magical defenses. Grade 1 has a Special Ability imbued. Simple, right?"
"Hmm...."
"Mana lamps are the same. You press it, the internal Mana battery activates, and it produces light. Everything's built in a straightforward structure like that, but a drug that acts directly inside a person's body has to account for a staggering number of variables."
Jiha nodded.
"So a powerful drug is not only hard to make but also has limited applicability?"
"Yes. For instance, it might only work on a specific sex or species. Or it only activates when ingested with a certain drink or another drug. If it's strong enough to affect a Unique, I'd say it needs at least that level of conditioning. Anything simpler and the maker would be a true genius."
After Sirel's lengthy explanation, Jiha nodded again.
"Alright, I understand."
"If a Mana drug like that existed, it would trade for an astronomical price. Probably can't even be measured in money."
Sirel concluded calmly.
"It would truly be a drug of legend."
When he stepped out of the infirmary, Uben was waiting.
"Any intel come in?"
"Guason of the Seven Council wishes to meet with you in secret, Chief."
"Tell him not to come empty-handed. If he finds something worthwhile, then he can come. The better the goods he brings, the more favorably I'll look upon him."
"Understood."
Jiha paused in thought, then spoke.
"Also, Lungtao and I are about to clash in the Summoning War. Start spreading that rumor through the streets. We've already fought twice but were foiled by various interferences and couldn't finish it. This time, it'll end for good with all of Waris watching. Spread word that Leticia and the elves are involved too."
"I'll get it done."
"Just lay the framework for now. Let people speculate. We can release more details later and shape it in the direction we want."
He would whip up the public's anticipation and then reap the rewards. Jiha immediately began designing the next step.
"Lungtao can't keep his subordinates in line."
"What do you mean?"
"His escort guards are secretly searching for a powerful aphrodisiac. But that's not Lungtao's style."
What would someone do with a powerful aphrodisiac once they got their hands on it?
'Mayan was taken hostage because she can't use Mana. That means a strong aphrodisiac doesn't just cause sexual arousal—it also seals Mana. Combine that with the fact that whoever possesses Narsha shares control over the weapons she makes....'
There was only one answer: one of the escort guards was hunting for an aphrodisiac to rape Narsha.
'And Lungtao doesn't know. The way he sees his own daughter in Narsha seemed genuine.'
Jiha reached his conclusion.
"Starting now, we squeeze every pharmacology contact in Waris—illegal drug compounders, anyone who does dirty work—one by one. We'll track them down faster than the escort guards can. The drug's name is Bugra. Spend whatever it takes and find it as fast as possible."
"Should we seize it once we locate it?"
"No, just pinpoint its location. I won't use it."
Jiha spoke plainly.
"I'll track the bastard who wants to use it, leverage his weakness, and profit from it."
There's nothing easier to grab and shake than a man with dirty secrets.
