The Healing Dish and the Witch's Scream
What have I done?
"I think I'm dying."
Sushia, who had just vomited a thick clot of black blood, wore a dreamy, faraway expression.
"There are still so many things I haven't tried... I need to visit that new dessert shop in the shopping district, and I've always wanted to travel to the Kelly Kingdom. Oh, and I've been dying to have a group meeting with the judiciary..."
"Calm down, Sushia."
"In the future I wanted to marry a handsome man and live in a mansion with a garden and a pond. I was going to raise two dogs, at least."
"Sushia."
"But I suppose all of that will remain an unfulfilled dream now. Life is just a soap bubble, after all. Only the briefest of moments can make us eternal..."
Askal flicked her forehead with the back of his hand.
"Ow!"
"You're perfectly fine, aren't you?"
"...Oh. I am, aren't I?"
Sushia wiped the black blood from the corner of her mouth. When she first started coughing it up, Askal had been one second away from dragging her straight to a doctor. But as time passed, her complexion actually began to improve, taking on a healthy glow.
"Ah. My apologies. That was inconsiderate of me."
At that moment Hanson arrived to serve the main course himself, wiping the spilled black blood from the floor with a damp towel.
"The dish I have prepared for you today is my special medicinal course. I created it specifically to soothe the minds and bodies of those exhausted from serving the empire."
Hanson continued with evident pride.
"The lady there seems to have had some chronic bronchial issues. How do you feel now?"
Sushia, who had been listening in a daze, cleared her throat a few times.
"...Huh? My throat was sore because I was singing all night yesterday. But now it feels good enough to sing ten songs in a row."
"I'm glad to hear it. It seems the dish agreed with your body perfectly."
Hanson cleared away the empty appetizer plates and served the main course.
"This is roasted spring lamb. The exterior is seared crisp while the interior is kept moist and tender in the oven. I've drizzled it with my homemade apple sauce so it should go down easily."
They say great food delights the eyes first. The lamb was beautifully garnished with herbs and spices. The perfectly browned, crackling skin looked like it would release a burst of juicy flavor and rich aroma the moment you bit into it. Askal, who had skipped lunch, nearly reached for it with his fork on instinct, but he reminded himself why they had come here.
I need to confirm the mana stone addiction.
He glanced sideways at Ria. Sure enough, her eyes had taken on a strange glint as she looked at the food.
Ria is sensitive to magic power. She must have noticed the mana stone powder sprinkled on it.
In truth, a small amount of mana stone powder wasn't particularly harmful. The real danger came from accumulation. He had thought the appetizer would be fine, yet Sushia had shown symptoms the instant she took a bite.
What he hadn't expected was that her condition hadn't worsened. It had actually improved.
A temporary boost?
It was similar to a drug. It might make you forget your pain and restore vitality for a while, but in the long term it would destroy your body completely. The symptoms appearing all at once could mean Sushia's condition had been that poor, or that Hanson had used an excessive amount of powder while preparing food for them. Or both.
The moment Askal finished his reasoning and prepared to confront Hanson—
"You used mana stone powder in the dish."
"...You noticed?"
Ria had beaten him to it. Hanson's expression stiffened. Askal felt the atmosphere in the restaurant shift.
Try to run, Hanson.
He had stationed men outside in advance. This was necessary for his own self-preservation. Even if he got caught up in guilt by association, personally apprehending the culprit would lighten his sentence.
Askal waited tensely for Hanson's next move. The situation was on a knife's edge.
"An amount like this must have been quite expensive. Are you certain it's all right?"
"It was a bit of a burden, but how could anything be too much for my benefactor?"
"...Hm?"
The mood was strangely off. Ria, who knew all about mana stones, didn't press further. Hanson scratched the back of his neck, looking almost bashful. What was going on? Askal was bewildered, but he kept his voice calm.
"I don't understand. Doesn't mana stone powder accumulate in the human body and cause addiction? It should lead to serious problems later."
When he looked at Ria's face, she wore an expression that seemed to ask what on earth he was talking about. It was the face one might make while watching someone throw stones at a good Samaritan.
"That would be true if you used cheap, low-grade stones."
Hanson, who had been silent for a while, let out a sigh. Then he spoke with self-mockery.
"To be honest, back when I wasn't recognized, I had some dark thoughts. I considered using cheap, inferior mana stones to fool people's eyes with my cooking."
Hanson clenched his fist tightly.
"But! Thanks to the mana stone refinement that occurred in the empire, high-quality stones are now mass-produced. There's no longer any need for such tricks. Anyone can now use quality mana stones at an affordable price."
Wait a second. Mana stone refinement?
That's something I did.
Askal was rendered speechless by the completely unexpected word.
"Moreover, how could I commit such a sinister act when my benefactor has recognized my true worth? I can now devote this entire body of mine to upholding my culinary philosophy. All of this is thanks to you, Lord Askal."
This wasn't how it was supposed to go. Was the snowball really rolling this far?
No. Seriously.
"Uh... it was just a coincidence."
"How modest of you, Lord Askal. Please visit our restaurant anytime. I will never charge you a single coin for the rest of your life. No, how could I possibly dare to take your money!"
Watching Hanson shed genuine tears, Askal wondered if the man had always been this passionate.
"Please enjoy the rest of your meal."
It felt like a storm had passed. Askal, his soul half-departed, finally picked up his fork and took a bite of the lamb.
It's delicious...
The mana-infused dish seemed to ease the stiffness in his back that came from sitting at a desk all day. He glanced at Ria. She appeared completely unaffected, as expected from someone with such a healthy constitution.
Today's gains: Came, ate well, left.
They say even an iron horn can be removed while it's hot. After confirming that Hanson's restaurant had no issues, Askal decided to deal with the witch's illegal street stall in one go.
Sushia had tried to flee by claiming it was overtime, but he managed to keep her there by promising to buy her an expensive Mont Blanc cake.
When Askal opened the flap of the shabby tent, an old woman with deeply wrinkled skin greeted him with an ominous smile.
"Hehehe... I've been waiting for you, noble one."
Askal had never liked fortune-tellers. In his previous life, one had told him he would die young, which was utter nonsense. Besides, this witch looked seriously unhygienic. The way she stroked the cards with fingers stained by age spots was revolting.
"Here is an official notice. It bears the seal of the Executive Department, so examine it if you like. We'll be tearing down this illegal stall as of today."
"Please don't be in such a rush, noble one. The reason I came here was to meet you. How about having your fortune told just once?"
What fortune? Askal's face hardened.
"I don't believe in superstitions."
"I'm curious, though. Can I have mine done instead?"
Sushia stepped forward. Askal remembered how a few days ago she had shown up with prayer beads dangling all over her arms. She was the type who loved that sort of thing. Still, wasn't it a bit too lax for a government official to indulge in superstition while on duty?
"Don't butt in, woman. But very well. For the sake of the noble one, I shall read your fortune."
"...Huh?"
Unlike when she had looked at Askal, the witch's face suddenly became solemn. While Sushia was still flustered by the dramatic change in attitude, the witch began the reading. She shuffled the cards, laid them out, and spoke.
"The traitor's fortune. Noble one, do not trust this woman too much."
"...That's it? She's really crazy. Director, let's demolish this place right now."
"It might actually be surprisingly accurate."
"D-Director?"
Askal nodded.
"Read mine as well."
"Of course. Come closer."
This time, after reading the fortune, the witch raised her voice like a miner who had discovered diamonds in a shaft.
"Ooooooh! The energy of the Heavenly God is this pure! Noble one, please let me examine you further."
Without waiting for permission, the witch grabbed Askal's palm with her wrinkled hand and began kneading it. Askal frowned.
"Please read mine as well."
Ria stepped forward. At her firm tone, the witch looked up.
"Oh my, there was another with an extraordinary aura here. Let me see. But this time, we'll use a slightly different method."
The witch spoke in a grave voice.
"Place your hand on the crystal ball."
Ria laid her hand on the orb.
"Oh... oh... this is dragon's blood, noble... and this as well..."
The witch muttered to herself, staring intently into the crystal ball, when suddenly—
"Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"
The witch suddenly screamed. A dark stain spread across her lower body as she wet herself. She collapsed on the spot, then scrambled out of the tent on all fours.
"...What just happened?"
Ria removed her hand from the crystal ball and wiped it with a handkerchief, as if she had touched something filthy.
"Witches often behave strangely. They're a race most ordinary people can't understand."
"Is that so?"
"Since the witch has fled, demolishing this place should be much easier."
Ria skillfully directed the laborers as they tore down the tent.
"What should we do with the items the witch left behind?"
"We can burn them or confiscate them. It's up to the director's discretion."
Askal wasn't interested in most of it, but the crystal ball looked rather tempting. A witch only ever carries one. A mana-infused crystal ball like this could fetch a high price on the black market.
"Let's remove this from the report."
Askal has embezzled the witch's crystal ball!