Chapter 261: Good News
Chapter 261: Good News
Ding!
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【You have consumed a Dragon Heart Fragment (S).】
【The effect is amplified by the Trait: Medicinal Constitution (C).】
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“Agh!”
So it was because of you!
Perhaps it was because of my sudden outburst, but Carla, who was right in front of me, turned pale and scrambled to prostrate herself at my feet.
“I-I’m sorry, Master!”
“…I wasn’t angry at you.”
She had dropped to her knees just because I looked a bit frustrated. As I gently stroked her platinum-blonde hair, she cautiously lifted her head.
“Really…?”
“Of course. I have no reason to be angry with you… or anyone else, for that matter. This was just an unexpected accident.”
“But…”
Carla continued to mumble. What was this? For some reason, she looked exceptionally beautiful to me right now.
…A little bit should be fine, right?
I took Carla by the chin, tilting her face up, and pressed my thumb firmly against her lips. After slowly tracing them from side to side, I suddenly slipped my finger into her mouth.
“Mmph?!”
Startled, Carla instinctively tried to clamp her mouth shut, but she quickly realized the situation and relaxed.
Accepting my finger without resistance, she let me reach deeper.
Squelch.
A soft, moist sensation met my fingertip. As I toyed with her tongue with my thumb, her mouth drifted open further.
Her scarlet inner flesh and the tongue being toyed with in the center were laid bare.
Saliva glistened under the light. There was a faint wet sound as her tongue was pressed and moved by my hand. And then there were Carla’s eyes, swirling with anxiety and anticipation.
After taking it all in, I withdrew my finger and leaned my face close to hers.
Carla was looking up, and I was looking straight down at her.
In that position, I opened my mouth provocatively. Saliva that had pooled inside began to drip down, pulled by gravity.
“Haaah…”
Carla caught the falling saliva with her own mouth and swallowed.
When I stuck my tongue out, she rose up like a fish lured by bait and began to suck on it.
How long did we stay like that, with her cradling my tongue in her mouth and occasionally swallowing the saliva that flowed in?
Deciding that was enough for now, I gave her one last deep kiss before pulling my lips away.
Carla’s face was dazed, as if she had a fever. I let out a chuckle and gave her smooth forehead a light flick.
“Pervert.”
“Huh? Wh-What…?!”
Carla looked genuinely shocked, as if she had heard the most unexpected thing in the world. Her expression seemed to ask who on earth was calling whom a pervert.
“Your master just came back from the brink of death, and instead of worrying, you’re going into heat. If that’s not a pervert, I don’t know what is.”
“M-Master, you’re the one who made me like this!”
I chuckled at her indignant protest and pulled her by the arm to sit beside me.
I wrapped an arm around her shoulder and drew her close. Despite her pouting lips, she obediently leaned her head against me.
I lowered my hand slightly to knead one of her breasts and looked up.
Only then did I take in my surroundings. Seeing the other women staring at us with looks of utter disbelief, I couldn't help but laugh.
“Can you really laugh right now? You suddenly suffered a mana overload, and the moment you wake up, you’re doing lewd things with Carla…”
“Hup.”
I silenced Elisha by pressing my lips against hers, and she became quiet instantly.
“Phew… I know what just happened was a bit strange, but how should I put it? I suddenly felt a strong impulse. No, maybe it’s more like my instincts have sharpened. I’m suddenly starving, too. Anyway, that’s why it happened.”
“And what exactly does ‘that’s why it happened’ mean…?”
Despite her grumbling, Elisha scooted her hips over to occupy the remaining space beside me. As I put my arm around her and began to fondle her breast as well, she subtly adjusted her posture to make it easier for me.
We took a moment to catch our breath. Then, Iris, who was standing nearby, let out a long sigh and asked.
“Master. What exactly happened? The Dragon Heart Fragment provided by the Chairman was a perfectly refined elixir. While the amount absorbed might vary, it shouldn't have been enough to cause a mana overload.”
“Yeah, yeah! And the current Student Yandel… your vibe is different from just a moment ago! Should I say you feel more… aged? Like you’d taste delicious!”
“…What kind of impression is that?”
“I don’t know! It’s not like I’ve actually tasted your blood! But that ‘feeling’ of you being the same person yet someone different is definitely real!”
What was she even talking about?
I tilted my head at Iona’s cryptic words and began to speak.
“First, let me briefly explain what happened. I think the problem was a trait I obtained as a reward for clearing the practice dungeon last time…”
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【Medicinal Constitution (C)】
Your body becomes more responsive to medicine.
Don't worry, it only selects and amplifies the good stuff!
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I kept the status window open in a corner of my vision as I continued to explain the Medicinal Constitution trait.
“…Because of that, I think it slightly exceeded my tolerance limit.”
I phrased it vaguely, but more accurately, I think it went beyond what the System Correction could handle.
The Dragon Heart Fragment was an S-rank elixir. Since the total amount of mana it grants is astronomical, even a 10% increase would be a massive amount.
It was likely equivalent to dozens of mediocre elixirs one could buy with money.
No matter how incredible System Correction is, it doesn't make the impossible possible. It simply ensures that what is possible is executed without error.
For example, just because I have a weapon skill trait doesn't mean I can suddenly stretch my arm two meters and thrust a dagger at the speed of sound.
As a mere Intermediate Magician, I might have handled a single Dragon Heart Fragment, but once it was amplified by Medicinal Constitution, my body simply couldn't withstand it.
“If it exceeded your capacity, you should have expelled it… How did you absorb it all, Master?”
“Well.”
I shrugged, and Iris began to fidget, dying of curiosity.
The hunger I had been feeling since earlier was getting worse, so I pulled some food out of my inventory and tossed it into my mouth.
Continuing to eat, I went on.
“The Lintblum Breathing Technique I learned was originally designed to control mana levels that one shouldn't be able to handle.”
“Eh?”
Carla blinked blankly, clearly not expecting the Lintblum Breathing Technique to be mentioned here. I popped a meatball into her mouth and nodded.
“You know how your mind starts racing in dangerous situations? I gained something like… an enlightenment. The true essence of the Lintblum Breathing Technique.”
“…And what is that?”
“It’s nothing major. Originally, the Lintblum Breathing Technique is a method that synchronizes the body’s rhythm with mana to perceive it, creating a core and mana circuits that are as similar to the body’s internal structure as possible, right?”
“That’s correct. By the same principle, synchronizing the internal core with a cast spell is what creates an Arcana.”
“Right. But what I focused on wasn't the part about perceiving unperceivable mana or increasing power, but how that massive amount of mana was managed.”
The progenitor of the Lindelheit family was born with a dragon’s heart. In other words, they possessed an amount of mana that couldn't even be compared to the Dragon Heart Fragment I had consumed.
In a situation where this invisible, imperceptible mana was eating away at the body every second, what would be the first thought to cross one's mind?
A longing for the mysterious energy called mana? The practicality of increasing magical power?
None of the above. The only thought would have been the need to process it into a form the body could withstand.
“If the amount is too much for a virtual core and mana circuits to handle, then you have to reinforce them with physical reality.”
“Physical reality… You don't mean?”
“Yeah. I integrated the core with my heart and the mana circuits with my blood vessels. This was likely the original form of the Lintblum Breathing Technique used by your ancestor, Carla. Since there’s no need to take such risks if you can already feel mana or if you’re only dealing with manageable amounts, it was probably revised for the subsequent generations.”
“…….”
Carla fell into deep thought at my words.
It seemed like she was pondering something important, so I left her be and whispered to the others.
“Anyway, I’ll have to check the details from now on, but my constitution itself probably changed during the integration. That’s likely why Professor Iona felt that sense of dissonance.”
Of course, this was all just speculation. I hadn't been able to properly check the notification windows because things were so chaotic.
Iris and Iona nodded at my explanation.
“It’s possible, quite possible. A constitution doesn't change easily, but if it does, it’s bound to be noticeable. Especially for races sensitive to others' natures, like vampires!”
“True. And that explains why you enjoyed yourself with the Lindelheit lady as soon as you woke up, and why you’re devouring food like this now. It’s a common reaction for a body that has undergone extreme changes to be in a state of heightened excitement or to crave energy. Well, if you eat well and sleep well, you’ll return to normal soon enough.”
Ah, I see. So my body, sensing a life-threatening crisis, maximized its instincts and is now seeking to replenish the energy consumed while settling the core and mana circuits?
At least it’s a temporary phenomenon.
As I nodded, Elisha, still looking worried, wiped some sauce from the corner of my mouth.
“Still, just in case, please check your physical condition. You can rest for the day while Master and Professor Iona design the magic circle, but after that, we have to go rescue Miss Helena immediately.”
“Yeah. I should.”
I leaned my back comfortably against the sofa and closed my eyes.
To the others, it would look like I was introspecting. I did intend to do that, but there was something I had to check first.
‘Status Window…!’
I needed to check the backlog of notifications first.