The Reality
The Reality
"Would you mind following this light with your eyes?"
The infirmary located within the Academy.
The school doctor moved a penlight equipped with a mana stone back and forth in front of Renoa.
Sitting on the bed, Renoa's two pupils slowly followed the trajectory of the light.
"Can you see how many fingers I'm holding up this time?"
"......No."
"How about now?"
"......I can't see."
"Can you not see anything at all?"
"I can faintly sense the light, but everything else is blurred and distorted, so I can't make out any shapes."
"Heum. I see."
The school doctor let out an ominous groan and scribbled something down on a piece of paper.
Irion, who had been watching from the side, could not hide his anxiety and asked.
"Has something happened to Agassi?"
"For starters, there is no external trauma or defect in the eyeball itself or the cornea. Seeing as she reacts to light, the function of the pupils is still intact."
"But she says she can't see."
"It seems there is an issue with the fine mana circuits surrounding the eyes."
"Mana circuits?"
At Irion's question, the school doctor nodded.
"Yes. It appears that the mana circuits connected to the optic nerve have become abnormally rigid, putting strong pressure on the nerve. This is a symptom that rarely appears after experiencing extreme stress or mana backflow, but......"
The school doctor trailed off, observing Renoa's pale complexion.
"This is the first time I've seen a case where the circuits harden in such a short period. Is this the first time this has happened?"
"Recently, once.... Just like today, my vision suddenly went dark."
At those words, Irion was startled.
"Agassi, if there's something wrong with your body, you should have said something. Why did you stay quiet?"
"Because it recovered right away, so I thought it was fine......"
"Is that even a valid excuse right now? There are things you can let slide and things you can't. You lost your sight, and you just let it go?"
"......."
Irion wanted to say more, but because Renoa looked so dejected, he couldn't bring himself to scold her further.
After all, the person most confused in this situation was likely Renoa herself.
"Can it be cured?"
"It's difficult to give a definitive answer right now. It seems she needs precise treatment from a high-ranking priest or a magi-medical scholar."
"I see...."
"For the time being, absolute stability is required. In particular, the use of mana is forbidden. If you overexert yourself, you could lose your sight forever."
That was the extent of the school doctor's diagnosis.
The total suspension of magic training.
And the possibility of permanent blindness.
For Renoa, who was aiming to be the successor of Edelheid, those words were no different from a death sentence.
"Umm...."
"Princess......"
Elody looked at Renoa with worried eyes, while Aether wore a complex and subtle expression.
Renoa clenched her two fists so tightly that they turned white.
A heavy silence fell, one where no one could easily speak.
[How about it? Shall this grandfather take a look?]
Iskalon broke the silence.
"You mean you, Yeonggam-nim?"
[Who do you think I am? Am I not the Great Sage Iskalon, who knows everything in this world? I shall see for myself what the problem is.]
"......What do I have to do?"
[Place your hand upon the grimoire.]
Renoa placed her hand on the grimoire as instructed. An energy flowing out from the book entered Renoa's body.
[Heum.......]
Iskalon let out a long groan.
"Do you know what the cause is?"
[Mm. The school doctor's words were half right and half wrong. It is true that the mana circuits have hardened, but the cause is not mana backflow or stress.]
"Then what is it?"
When Renoa asked with a serious face, Iskalon's voice sank even colder.
[It is the Stone Scale Flower.]
"Stone Scale Flower?"
[It is a poisonous herb that hardens the mana core like stone. The circuits hardened because the poison spread. As an aftereffect, the circuits near the most sensitive optic nerve hardened first.]
"P-Poisonous herb?!"
"It's a name I've never heard before."
Elody shouted in shock. Aether's face also hardened formidably.
"Is there no antidote?"
[You just need to decoct and drink Silver Thistle. It is a grass that grows by consuming poison.]
It would slowly gnaw away at the toxicity of the Stone Scale Flower and return the stone-hardened core and circuits to their original state.
That was Iskalon's following explanation.
"It's a relief that there's an antidote! Then we must find that Silver Thistle thing right away!"
[It is not a common item. It will take time to obtain.]
Still, it was good news. The mere fact that an antidote existed could give Renoa some degree of relief.
[Brat.]
It was then.
Iskalon's residual consciousness echoed inside Irion's head.
[Only you can hear this right now. There is something else I must tell you.]
At the mention of a one-on-one consultation, Irion did not react outwardly and spoke internally.
'What is it that you have to tell only me?'
[I told them that Silver Thistle is the antidote, but in her case, it will not be of any help.]
'What?'
[Do you remember me saying before that the energy of a witch flows within her? I just checked, and as expected, it was not a mistake.]
'What....'
It was something Irion had already guessed. At the time, he had just glossed over it because of the eyes around them.
[If she drinks Silver Thistle, it will consume not only the poison of the Stone Scale Flower but also the witch's energy.]
'That means....'
[It would be worse than not taking it at all. Rather, her life would be in danger.]
Irion's eyebrows furrowed.
It was absurd enough that Renoa had ingested poison, but because she was a witch, she couldn't even use the antidote.
What kind of shitty situations were breaking out one after another?
At that moment, something flashed through Irion's mind like lightning.
'What happens if dark magic is used?'
[What?]
'Can it be treated with dark magic?'
Iskalon's voice became harsh.
[Brat, do you realize what you are saying right now?]
'I know. I'm just asking because I'm curious. Just tell me if it's possible or not.'
[If we're just talking about the principle, it's not impossible. The essence of dark magic is equivalent exchange. As long as there is a corresponding sacrifice, it would be possible to eliminate the poison.]
"Tsk."
At the answer he had suspected, Irion couldn't hold it in and clicked his tongue out loud.
He thought to himself so that Iskalon wouldn't hear.
'So this is why Renoa laid her hands on dark magic.'
Right now, he was active as Renoa's knight and gathering fame.
But the guardian knight in the original work was Gerard. Far from building honor, he made a daily routine of tearing it down.
To such a Renoa, magic must have been the only means and pride to prove herself.
But what if, due to someone's scheme, she lost even that magic and was on the verge of becoming a disabled person who could never see again?
In a state of isolation with no one to trust or rely on, the only lifeline she could grab to survive would have been dark magic.
However, there was a strange point.
'The timing is much faster compared to the original work.'
It was still the beginning of the Academy enrollment. In the original work, this was the time when Renoa would boast unrivaled magic skills.
And the point when Elody falls under Renoa's curse is the summer vacation.
If one considers that Renoa first touched dark magic then, there should have been several months left.
'What caused it to be moved forward?'
Of course, there was only one reason.
The only thing different from the original was that Renoa's guardian knight was Irion, not Gerard.
It was the butterfly effect.
However, he had no idea exactly what element had accelerated Renoa's class change to a dark mage.
"Agassi, let us return to the mansion for now."
"That's right, Princess. Don't worry since there's an antidote, and just get some good rest."
"Yes. I think it would be best to go and take it easy. I will also use the Imperial family's connections to search as much as possible."
"......I understand."
Renoa, who was about to reflexively step down from the bed, flinched.
Irion immediately approached and linked arms with her.
Renoa's body, which had been on edge because she couldn't see, stiffened for a moment, but she soon quietly accepted the support at the familiar touch and body heat.
The path toward the dormitory was heavy and silent.
Renoa, who always walked ahead confidently, moved her steps cautiously while gripping Irion's arm tightly.
Whenever her toes occasionally caught on a stone, her shoulders would visibly shrink.
Watching Renoa from the side, Irion was extremely troubled.
Complex emotions swirled within him.
Before long, they arrived at the mansion. Bibi, who had been slacking off, came out to the entrance to greet them.
"You both came back earlier than usual. Normally, it's the time you'd arrive late in the afternoon. I, of course, was not playing and was organizing the study......"
Bibi's eyes went wide like a rabbit's at the sight of Renoa almost leaning into Irion's arms.
"Agassi, why is your complexion like that? Did you get hurt somewhere?"
"I'll explain later. First, I must take Agassi to her bedroom."
"Understood."
Going to the bedroom, Irion carefully laid Renoa down on the bed.
Renoa, who couldn't hide her anxiety within her distorted vision, only closed her eyes while letting out a tired breath after Irion covered her with the blanket.
Perhaps due to extreme tension and stress, she soon fell into a deep sleep.
After confirming that Renoa was asleep, Irion moved to the study with Bibi.
"What happened?"
"Someone fed Agassi poison. Because the mana circuits hardened and pressured the optic nerve, a problem occurred with her vision."
"Are you saying she's gone blind?"
"It's not to that extent yet. But it seems it will be difficult for her to use magic anymore."
"Is that... so."
Bibi's complexion darkened.
"Is there no treatment?"
"I'm looking into it. However, it seems it will take some time."
"......I see. She will be hungry when she wakes up, so I should prepare some food that is good for the eyes."
Bibi left the study with weak steps. It seemed she, too, had received quite a shock.
After all, Bibi was the person who had served Renoa the longest, right by her side.
Her heartbreak would be great.
"Huu...."
Irion let out a deep sigh.
His head wasn't working well due to the sudden turn of events. His chest felt tight and his throat was parched.
Looking around, Irion discovered a teapot. It was the tea Renoa had been enjoying lately.
It must be incredibly delicious for that short-tongued Renoa to drink it without stopping from morning until before bed.
'Just what kind of taste is it?'
Irion, who happened to be thirsty, poured and drank the tea. His eyes widened just like Renoa's did when she first drank it.
"...What is this?"
It's incredibly delicious.
It was completely different from the tea Irion knew.
A unique flavor.
An addictiveness no less than a carbonated drink.
He instantly realized why Renoa lived with this tea in her mouth.
"If it's this delicious, you should have told me to try some too."
She really is a person who only knows herself.
Irion gulped down the tea with the thought of drinking it all, even her portion.
In an instant, the teapot showed its bottom.
His throat was no longer dry, but ironically, the thirst to drink more tea did not disappear.
'From now on, I should ask them to prepare my portion too.'
Irion put down the cup with that thought.
-Tteu-ring.
A notification popped up before his eyes.
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[Proficiency level has increased.]
[Status Effect Resistance Lv.4 > Lv.5]
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