Rest for Two
Elixir.
One of humanity’s greatest masterpieces, also called a divine potion.
It’s a potion capable of curing any illness, no matter the curse.
They actually exist? Well… I knew they did, but I’d never heard of them being actually created.
“An Elixir?”
“It’s said to be the legendary potion that fixes all abnormalities, but it’s not nearly as grand as the rumors make it sound.”
“You’re planning to use this on me?”
“Yes, of course. I’d have to mix it from scratch to match Lir’s body, and it would take a long time to make. Plus, the side effects are impossible to predict.”
Remediela smiled. Yet worry for the student was clearly evident on her face.
And with a pen, she began scribbling various things on the paper.
“…So you really can make something like that? I thought elixirs only existed in theory.”
“I may not be the greatest mage, but I’m the greatest alchemist.”
From behind me, Helahem spoke up.
Professor Remediela had entered through magic, hadn’t she? To me, her relaxed smile in front of me felt somehow unfamiliar.
She handed me the paper she’d been writing on.
“So you asked Remediela for help. You should have gone to Professor Shardgore, right? You must have had a good reason to choose her.”
“Now that you mention it… I did feel something odd.”
It’s not a simple abnormality or curse. The distortion of one’s very body can’t be fixed by magic alone.
The proper way is to combine magic and alchemy potions and observe slowly. I’d been too impatient to think about that before.
“If you can make an Elixir, you’re an incredibly skilled alchemist. Professor, you’re still young.”
“Wahahaha!! Looks young? I’m only ten years older than you. If I’m only two years older than Halbert, you’d believe me?”
“Helahem, Professor, close your mouth before you put the brain-melting medicine in your stomach.”
What had I just heard?
Remediela, in her early thirties, could easily pass for late twenties. Yet she and Halbert were the same age?
“Lir student, pretend you didn’t hear that. Understood?”
“Yes, yes….”
The flat, repeated way Remediela spoke to me while looking me straight in the eyes left me utterly speechless.
It felt as if an unknown poison was about to be injected straight into my throat. Or maybe… alopecia.
“For now, I’ve learned both magic and alchemy to a sufficient degree, so it will help Lir the most.”
And then she stroked my hair. Like I was some poor little lamb.
“Of course, obtaining the materials won’t be easy, but if you bring them to me, I’ll make it. This is a rare chance to create an Elixir.”
“Thank you…”
Fluff, fluff.
She gazed at me with a pitiful, sympathetic expression, then gently took my two hands and brought her face close.
“Lir student, I was an adventurer. I know how painful it is to be afflicted with a curse like this. If there was one, I would have come to you long ago and told you.”
“I… I only realized there was something wrong with my body. I didn’t know it was this serious.”
Pat, pat. Remediela hugged me once, stroked my hair again, and finally let me go.
…Even though my body wasn’t even mine, receiving such sympathetic eyes felt as if I was deceiving someone. It was a strange feeling.
“Even if this doesn’t happen, if anything happens, you can come to me for an examination. Or just for a chat.”
“Ah, I understand.”
What if I successfully made the Elixir and, in front of Remediela, the state was restored to my original male self—Rigel’s body?
What would Remediela’s reaction be when she learned my true identity was Rigel Belheim?
I almost wanted to bring it up right now, but instead, because she was being so caring, I found it hard to say anything.
“Then I’ll take my leave. Lir student, since you’ve learned there’s something strange inside your body, you should calm your mind a little.”
“Ah, I’ve kept you for too long. Lir student, you’re always welcome to visit.”
“Thank you. Professor Remediela.”
With that, I bowed my head to her and left her laboratory.
“I wasn’t just slacking off either. I was lucky that Remediela accepted my request right away because of our old knightly ties.”
“Thank you. I’m astonished by the number of surprising things I’ve heard today.”
“If I tell you, you might start thinking I drank poison somewhere and collapsed. Those bastards who liked to tease me… all of them…”
Knock, knock!!
At that moment, violent knocking echoed through the laboratory door.
“Everyone’s listening!!”
“Hah, then I have to go first! I have other appointments! I’m leaving first!!”
Helahem left in a hurry, clearly fleeing.
I slowly walked while reading through each of the materials Remediela had written down one by one.
‘There are materials I’ve never even heard of? And the ones with stars marked…’
She had written, “Chushin – If you miss the timing for the starred materials, you won’t be able to obtain them until next year.”
And for each material, she had noted where and when it could be obtained in detail.
I thought she must feel quite sorry for me. Well… I was grateful, of course.
Half of them were materials I knew, most of the rest were ones I’d heard of, and a couple I’d never heard of.
‘This is going to break my wallet.’
Countless materials, and even a few that would strain even my budget.
The good news was that most could be obtained in the capital, but the starred ones were probably difficult to find.
Sigh. I fell into deep thought, trying to figure out a way to get them.
Conveniently, it was a rest day, so I could invest time to obtain them…
Among them, there was one material. As soon as I saw the location listed beside the starred item, I started running somewhere.
***
The capital of the kingdom.
During the semester at Farnike Academy, numerous noble offspring and servants come to the capital to live.
Nobles who do not reside in the capital but have estates in various regions often keep at least two residences.
Their main home in the estate. Usually stay at the manor house, then move to a “town house” they’ve prepared in advance if something happens.
Dalek Ron Lagrand had done the same.
With Simon, his long-time retainer and the butler of the town house, along with other servants, Dalek lived in the town house.
But today was the fifth day since he’d been here. So it had been a while since he’d gone down to his main home to meet his mother and father.
“M-Master! That’s our job!”
“It’s my duty to take care of my own things. Besides, I’m not even moving anything permanently—just enough for a short trip.”
Maids and butlers were all busy preparing to go home, yet Dalek quietly went to his room and packed his luggage.
And then, while secretly exiting and placing his luggage in the living room, he ran into the maids.
They already had their own reasons to dislike him adding to the servants’ burden… but in reality, he simply didn’t want anyone in his room rummaging through his things.
So Dalek ordered Simon and the maids not to enter his room without permission.
Of course, they had raised him since he was a child, so it was almost a request.
“Just this one, okay? I’ll handle it.”
“Master, then please promise me this one thing. When we pack again at the main home, don’t move. We’ll be noticed by the lord.”
Simon, the butler who had been watching this scene for some time, came over and said it.
In a noble and servant relationship, this was crossing a line. But Dalek didn’t care.
“Fine. So, do as I wish right now.”
“Yes, Master.”
It was so hard to organize my own things.
After placing his small bag beside the few already arranged ones in the living room, Dalek could finally relax.
By the time the sun was setting, he had finished packing his luggage and cleaning the house.
Until that moment, Dalek had been able to rest comfortably. Yet his mind wasn’t at ease because he kept watching the bustling servants.
Knock, knock.
He heard a knock at his door. It was Simon, the butler.
“Come in.”
“Master, the carriage has arrived. Have you finished preparing?”
He had already dressed, and everything was ready. He only needed to go out.
He stood up from the chair and headed back to the living room.
If he rode fast, he could reach the family by noon tomorrow. If he went a little slower, he could have dinner with them.
Walking through the maids bowing their heads to greet him in the hallway, he followed Simon and stood in front of the door.
With a click, Simon opened the door. In front of it stood a carriage from the family.
…No, it should have been empty. Someone was breathing heavily in front of the carriage.
“Hah… ha… damn… it!!”
The one breathing heavily was silver-haired. With a long, flowing hair that had a purple sky-blue tint, as if a drop of blue paint had been added.
A student of the same knight faculty as him, but one he thought was superior in skill.
Lir Ostrin, on her knees, panting, looked up at his face.
“Hey, Dalek. About Langrand estate… how about we go together?”