Chapter 685: Remed Omnia
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 685: Remed Omnia
Sssss.
The mist and the Scalers were a perfect match. That was likely why the enemy had unleashed the Mist of Massacre in the first place.
However, there were four knights here.
Ordinary monsters couldn't even buy time against them. Ragna was the first to prove it.
His greatsword cleaved through the Scaler acting as the medium for the sorcery. Normally, it wouldn't have been so easy. How had he tracked and killed the medium, which had been hiding far in the rear, keeping its distance and watching with shifting eyes?
Ragna had simply charged straight ahead, diving headlong into the enemy's encirclement.
If the monsters had been intelligent, they would have screamed that it was a suicidal charge.
If they want my back, I’ll just surround myself with them. Then I can cut down everything in front and behind me at once.
Ragna’s logic was brutally simple.
The Scaler pack’s fatal mistake began the moment their medium died to that unexpected charge.
Not that the mist would have mattered anyway.
Reaching that conclusion, Encrid took the hand of the lady in the Amber Dress and began his dance. His feet moved relentlessly, stepping and swinging his sword, catching a Scaler’s head in its path.
Slice!
The head of the creature caught on the Truesilver blade was severed without resistance. The Ink Gold edge added weight, lending power to his speed, while the Meteoric Iron maintained the balance. Beyond the sheer sensation of the kill, the feedback in his hands was enough to invigorate him.
It really is amazing.
Had Eitri’s skills improved, or was it the difference in materials?
Probably both.
The weapon fit his hand far better than the Ink Gold or Truesilver blades he had received before. The way it clung to his grip felt as if Lady Samcheol were whispering to him, saying she was delighted to have met such an amazing partner.
Me too.
Encrid muttered inwardly—words that would surely make others call him a madman again—as he kept his feet moving, guiding the lady’s dance.
He wasn't moving randomly. He was circling Anne.
With accelerated thought and sharpened senses, he calculated every incoming attack. Maintaining the form of the Wave-Blocking Sword, he repeatedly thrust and slashed whenever an opening appeared. Within the circular path of Encrid’s movements, neither the Scalers nor the Plague Brides could draw near.
Anne felt as if she were standing in the eye of an amber-colored hurricane.
"The Plague Brides have poison even in their breath," Anne said.
No one reacted. There were no brides left to worry about; they had all been slashed and stabbed at close range moments ago. Anne couldn't even see them clearly, but she felt she had to say what needed to be said.
It didn't even take half a day for the entire pack of Scalers to be wiped out.
The last few tried to crawl flat on their bellies, pretending to flee while targeting Anne, but it was equally futile. Magrun leaped around, plunging his sword into the ground.
Thud, squelch!
A few dead demonic beasts could be seen among the corpses, but that was all. There weren't even five of the lizard-like demonic beasts. Ragna had killed them all.
In terms of pure combat power, the demonic beasts would be more threatening.
That was Encrid’s assessment. The reason Scalers were dangerous was their ability to deceive even a knight’s senses. They hissed, vibrating the air to disrupt perception. Since they naturally emitted no scent, detecting them by smell was the hardest way to sense them. They were practically the natural enemy of the beastmen.
They possessed methods to subtly interfere with touch, hearing, and smell.
In that case, one simply had to verify with their eyes and then strike. His sixth sense, tingling at the back of his head, also warned him whenever they drew near.
There’s no way a knight would easily fall to creatures like that.
They were merely a nuisance. No further spells or sorcery had interfered in the meantime. It was a question that arose once he snapped out of his excitement, having spent so long swinging his sword in the company of a compatible lady.
Why did they attack? Why did they waste this much force?
He found the answer after the battle ended.
Thud, crack!
Ragna crushed the head of the last remaining creature with his greatsword. As he plunged the blade into its skull and twisted his wrist, fragments of bone scattered, and brain matter and black blood poured from the split head.
Grida, who had been keeping watch on their surroundings, frowned and spat, "Those bastards."
Her gaze was directed far behind what they had designated as the battlefield. They had stepped forward to fight to prevent the horses from getting caught in the fray, but an unexpected sight awaited them in the rear.
The horses that had carried them from the Border Guard lay on the ground, their throats slit. The bright red blood flowing from their necks stained the dark soil a deep, dark crimson.
"They took all the water and food," said Magrun, who had moved to check the horses.
Since they had been riding, there had been no need for them to carry their own baggage; all their household goods had been packed into the saddlebags, and their backpacks had been loaded onto the horses' rumps.
All of it was gone.
Was I too absorbed in the fight?
Encrid was not the type to despair over a mistake, but he didn't neglect reflection. He briefly reviewed the situation with tactical thinking, asking and answering his own question.
The answer to whether he had been too absorbed in the fight: No.
This had been the enemy’s goal from the very beginning. That was why they had deployed the Scalers and the Plague Brides. One was meant to disrupt their senses, and the other was meant to paralyze their sense of smell.
On top of that...
They even used a bold spell that risked revealing their location.
If he had been slightly luckier when blocking the fireball, he might have pinpointed the mage’s location.
It would have been possible if I had pushed myself.
But pushing himself would have meant putting Anne’s life on the line, so he hadn't done it.
What if I had called Ragna over to protect her while I moved?
In terms of detection ability alone, Encrid was superior. Of course, even then, he might have missed them. Besides, it was already in the past. There was no point dwelling on it. Even if the same situation arose again, he wouldn't be able to easily leave his post.
The enemy even revealed the existence of a shaman just for this.
They had done all this just to kill a few horses and destroy their water and food.
"It feels like they’re threatening us to turn back," Encrid concluded.
If not...
They say a mage uses multiple spells to manipulate a situation into the shape they desire.
What if that mage knew how to use their head like Krais?
"Since our mounted journey was coming to an end anyway, they must have targeted our food," Grida analyzed the situation as a pathfinder.
It wasn't a good development, but there was no need to panic. Ahead lay the mountains. It might be threatening to ordinary people, but not to her. The mountains were full of food. Since the weather was warming up, there would be herbs, berries, and fruits, and they could hunt wild beasts. They could also replenish their water as much as they needed along the way.
"We press on," Encrid shared the same judgment.
He looked at Anne as he spoke, his eyes carrying a silent question. It was as if he were telling her she could speak up at any time if she wanted to turn back. Anne clenched her teeth. Someone with malicious intent was targeting her. It wasn't a pleasant feeling.
But she wouldn't let fear make her back down. Never.
"I’m a healer. My goal is to cure every disease in the world."
Moreover, what awaited her in Zaun was one of the reasons her family had been taken from her.
"Right," Encrid replied.
Anne spoke again, steeling her resolve. Perhaps the duration of the amber liquid had expired, as the fluid scattered and dripped from the sword onto the ground.
"I’m not a lady anymore, right? From now on, just fight normally," Anne said.
It was likely her way of calming her nerves with idle chatter. Encrid played along to soothe her mind.
"Next time, I’d like a black tailcoat."
Anne’s response was the ultimate compliment.
"...The name of your order will probably never change."
The group set off once more. Thanks to their habit of carrying all their weapons on their persons, the only things they had lost were blankets, pots, cups, and food. The blankets could be replaced by wrapping themselves in cloaks. Ragna untied the cloak from his waist and handed it to Anne. It was an item he rarely wore, usually finding it cumbersome. Fortunately, it had been tied to his waist; otherwise, it would have been stolen too.
"Ah, thank you."
Anne folded the cloak in half and wrapped it around herself. Clad in the dark blue fabric, she took a step forward.
"Let’s go."
"Yes, let’s go," Grida echoed, and Magrun nodded in agreement.
It seemed both of them had concluded that something was amiss within Zaun. Otherwise, what was the reason for everything that had happened so far? Since this was happening before they had even reached imperial territory, both felt an uneasy foreboding.
As they began to walk, Encrid, walking beside Anne, asked, "What is Panax, and what is Remed Omnia?"
"Pardon?"
Anne turned her head and blinked. The vast plains had receded behind them, and after crossing a few low hills, a rising grassy field welcomed them. As they trod upon the grass, the terrain gradually began to slope upward. They were beginning to scale the mountain range, signaled by the increasing number of trees.
"Where did you hear that? It means the same thing as an Elixir, but 'Panax' is what the elves call it. Some scholars even say that melting the Philosopher's Stone serves the same purpose."
Encrid knew the word Elixir. He had heard it was the water of life, a medicine that cured all diseases. It was a common trope in bards' tales—not from those reciting historical facts, but from stories filled with legends and entertainment. Some stories called it a golden apple, while others described it as a potion that moved on its own even inside a glass bottle.
But if asked whether it existed in reality, it was a mystery that no alchemist on the continent had yet managed to realize.
"Remed Omnia is a term used in alchemy. To put it simply, it refers to a form that cures all diseases."
"Does such a thing actually exist?" Encrid asked.
Grida, walking right beside them, chimed in. "Whenever a wandering alchemist claimed to have such a medicine, ninety-nine times out of a hundred, it was closer to poison. Isn't medicine originally just a hair's breadth away from poison anyway?"
Anne looked at Grida. "Do you have some knowledge of alchemy? You're right. Even poison can become medicine if used correctly. Conversely, medicine can become poison if misused. Some medicines become poisonous if taken in excess, while some poisons can act as medicine in tiny doses."
"So, what I'm asking is, can a medicine that cures all diseases actually exist?" Grida asked in a nonchalant tone.
Encrid simply listened in silence.
Anne didn't answer immediately. She walked along the path where tree roots protruded, gazing at a solitary tree standing tall in the distance. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead. Though she wasn't physically weak and the group was walking at a pace that accommodated her, it was still exhausting.
I should tell Ragna to carry her on his back in a little while, Encrid thought.
Only after taking a few more steps did Anne speak. "Those who study the healing arts in alchemy all dream of the Elixir. But early on, I thought all their attempts were foolish."
As expected, she was saying it didn't exist. Anne’s talent was outstanding even among her peers. It was to the point where the alchemist Raban coveted her talent while simultaneously envying it. Thus, even though Raban had only shared a fraction of his knowledge, Anne had surpassed his level of healing arts long ago.
If there were geniuses in swordsmanship, there were geniuses in alchemy as well. Anne herself merely thought she had grasped the principles because luck had favored her, viewing her sudden flashes of inspiration as mere fortune. To others, however, such a thing was called talent.
Because she possessed such exceptional talent, she knew that an Elixir was a medicine that could never be created. It was a medicine that belonged only in legends.
"But what if we shift our perspective slightly? People believe that words like Elixir, Panax, and Remed Omnia refer to a medicine, right?"
"Perspective?" Grida asked.
Encrid focused on listening intently.
"What if it's not a medicine, but a title?" Anne replied.
Encrid felt his ears perk up. A shift in perspective. If it was a title rather than a medicine, then the legendary potion did not exist. However...
"It's my dream. Remed Omnia. My goal is to become a person who cures all diseases."
A person could exist. That was Anne’s dream.
Hearing those words, Encrid suddenly felt as if he understood what the enemy wanted. Shifting his perspective through tactical thinking revealed their intent.
"I smell water," Grida said just then, leading the group.
Crossing a small hill, they saw a modest lake. The water was clear, and a steep path rose behind it. It was water pooled in a hollow depression, likely fed by groundwater, as a chill emanated from it. Since they had several canteens, they weren't short on containers.
However...
"Wait," Encrid stopped Grida and looked at Anne. "Can you check if there's anything wrong with the water?"
"Pardon? Yes, of course."
Alchemists were people who scrutinized even the quality of water. That was why many tea connoisseurs associated with them. Hadn't Marcus often said as much?
"If you know an alchemist friend, finding good water is easy. Though they say the best is the dawn dew made by the elves."
Anne approached the water source, filled a canteen, and let a few drops of liquid fall into it. She always carried a small backpack filled with reagents she would never allow to touch her skin.
"You mustn't drink this. If you do, toxins will accumulate in your internal organs. It's not fatal, but it's still water you shouldn't drink."
The enemy’s goal was clear.
"Did they target our baggage knowing that the water source here was contaminated?" Magrun muttered.
"Or they poisoned it beforehand," Grida added.
Encrid heard Grida’s follow-up, but there was no way to verify it. Whether they had poisoned it or if the water was naturally toxic, one thing was certain: the road ahead would not be smooth. Since those who wielded Will wouldn't collapse from drinking a bit of this water, the enemy’s target this time was also clear.
Anne.
He still didn't know the reason. He didn't know the enemy’s identity either. But his blood was beginning to boil.
What was boiling? His resolve to never let them have their way, no matter what they wanted.
And Encrid wasn't the only one whose blood was boiling.
"The things these bastards do, honestly..."
A sharp remark, laced with profanity and ridicule, burst from Anne’s tiny mouth. It sounded almost like an exclamation of admiration. Of course, it wasn't because Anne was impressed—she was simply done with their games.