Chapter 27
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 27
Chapter Title: The Effect of the Mana Potion
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‘But what about Otil...’
I recalled the post about mana potions I’d found on 5ch yesterday.
Mana potion production complete: 100 bottles.
[1]
Since I’d asked for mana potions after seeing that post, Otil’s name had stuck with me.
But I hadn’t expected them to initiate a 1:1 chat like this, so I asked about that first.
How did you know to contact me?
...Doesn’t it give you an idea by now? I was watching from next to Melani.
Next to Melani?
Does that mean other people can see the gallery window too?
Yes. If you tap the center bottom of the gallery, it shares the screen with others.
The moment I heard Otil’s explanation, I checked the bottom of the gallery.
Sure enough, there was a small button right in the center bottom. That must’ve been the screen share button.
Clank—
“Castaway. You should wash up too.”
“Ah, yeah.”
Just then, Elisicia emerged from the shower.
As expected, she was completely unabashed about showing off her body, just like yesterday.
“...”
Still, after seeing it two days in a row, I was starting to get used to it...
‘Get used to it, my ass.’
Probably around D-cup breasts and sharply defined abs.
I hurriedly averted my eyes after taking that in and handed her the towel and pajamas I’d prepared.
“Thank you. Were you on the gallery?”
Elisicia spoke casually, unfazed by my reaction.
“Ah, yeah. Pretty much.”
Anyway, I’ll help you. But as a kid, my options are limited. So tell me what you can do.
In the meantime, Otil had apparently offered to help me, requesting this 1:1 chat to convey it.
What I can do?
Yes.
It’s not hard, but... can I ask why?
...
When I asked for the reason, Otil answered with silence.
For some reason, it felt like Otil was pissed off, even through the gallery window. Maybe I was imagining it.
I told you. I’m too young, so my ways of helping are limited. That’s why I plan to ask the higher-ups. But they won’t help for nothing, so I need to know what you can do.
Otil must’ve thought my comprehension was pathetic, because they explained it step by step, nice and slow.
In simple terms, to ask a witch who could help me, they needed to know what I could offer.
So, what kind of help were you planning to ask for?
For starters, keeping you from dying.
A potion of immortality?
Sorry, but immortality potions are impossible. The ingredients, including spirit incarnation flowers, are insanely expensive.
Huh?
Even with spirit incarnation flowers, you can’t make it?
If we scraped together every last ingredient, we could make one maybe. But no one would allow it.
‘Then why’d you say you’d make an immortality potion?’
Were you planning to just take the spirit incarnation flowers and run?
What? No. I said it to show Melani humanity’s ugly selfishness. Immortality potions were made on human request in the first place.
Ah. I see.
Melani, though?
Yes. Melani’s the last witch. She needs to know more about humans for sure.
The words “last witch” reminded me of the situation on 5ch.
A world where every race except witches had died out, so no new witches were being born.
‘That’s why Melani’s the last one.’
Plus, Melani was 101, so no new witches in 100 years.
‘Hmm.’
That meant 5ch’s top priority was producing new witches?
I thought about it, but there was nothing I could do.
Sperm storage and shipping crossed my mind, but still.
More importantly, are you going to tell me or not? If not, just say so.
No, I can talk to people on other channels like this right now. I can read their posts too, obviously.
And others can read your posts too?
Yes. And I can buy stuff from 3ch with points. The items I sent this time were all bought with points and shipped. That’s it.
I told them my translation ability and item purchase ability were all I had.
If I had to add one more, telekinesis, but it wouldn’t help here.
3ch items? Aren’t you from 2ch?
To be precise, I came to 2ch from a world similar to 3ch.
What?!
Otil reacted with genuine surprise.
Dimension travel. You mean you traveled dimensions?
If we’re splitting hairs, yeah, dimension travel. Why?
The higher-ups are researching dimension travel right now.
Dimension travel?
With only witches left on 5ch, they must be planning to jump to another dimension.
‘Is that even possible?’
But if you did dimension travel... could you tell us how?
I don’t really know. I passed out and woke up in the 2ch world.
Disappointing, but worth investigating. And we might even get help out of it.
For some reason, my translation and item purchase abilities felt like an afterthought.
Otil seemed way more focused on dimension travel, but since they were offering help anyway, I decided not to sweat it.
‘Oh.’
But why the sudden help?
I circled back to my original question: why was Otil helping me?
There was no reply from Otil for a while after that, but I kept waiting, and they finally answered.
You’re the dumbest human I’ve ever seen... but...
Dumb?
...also the kindest.
Oh... really?
Helping me because I was a “kind human” left me feeling a bit weird and bittersweet.
But they weren’t asking or demanding anything specific, so it didn’t seem like a lie.
In short, you’re a witch’s type.
Huh?
1:1 chat has ended.
“...”
Type? What’s that supposed to mean?
As I pondered that, another message window popped up.
Nickname ‘Melani’ has requested to add you as a friend.
Nickname ‘Otil’ has requested to add you as a friend.
‘Hmm.’
I accepted friend requests from both and checked the list.
With Melani and Otil added, there were now 8 nicknames in my friends list.
‘Eight people...’
The more names in my friends list, the more connections I felt building.
After that, I finished showering and cleaning up, then headed to the tent.
Inside, the Hero Party and I had dinner: all sorts of pig’s feet and pork belly, along with cold buckwheat noodles and rice balls.
“Wow, this is super spicy but delicious.”
“This meat’s the tenderest I’ve ever had.”
“I bet people from the labyrinth would love it.”
Fortunately, Elisicia, Rubyel, and Aila were all pleased.
The elves and Rines weren’t averse to meat either, so they enjoyed it too.
‘Elves are sensitive to gaminess and such in meat.’
They’d said solving that would make meat no problem at all.
Anyway, as dinner wound down, I pulled out the mana potion I’d received today.
“Rubyel. This is the mana potion from 5ch today.”
“Ah, the one that boosts mana recovery speed?”
“Yeah. Want to try it?”
“Potions related to mana shouldn’t be taken lightly.”
Rubyel took the mana potion from me and examined it carefully.
“They say it amplifies the user’s energy to aid recovery.”
“Really? Hmm. With Aila here, maybe just a few drops.”
Hearing Rubyel say they’d actually drink it made me a bit anxious.
“Don’t if it’s dangerous.”
“That’s why just a few drops. A small amount, I can handle somehow.”
Rubyel spoke reassuringly.
“You went out of your way to get it for me. Worst case, Aila steps in. Don’t worry.”
“Can Aila fix it?”
“Yep. Clean and simple.”
A saintess lived up to her reputation.
While I was inwardly impressed, Rubyel took just 2 or 3 drops of the mana potion.
Fwaah—
At the same time, an inexplicable energy emanated from Rubyel’s body.
I had no idea what was happening, but the Hero Party looked mildly surprised.
“Rubyel’s mana just spiked.”
Elisicia kindly explained.
“Her mana?”
“Yes. About 1.8 times? Nearly double.”
The mana potion amplified the target’s energy for recovery.
Here, Rubyel’s amplified energy was interpreted as about 1.8 times.
“Is that a lot?”
“Unbelievably so. And no side effects, right?”
The moment we exchanged those words...
‘Huh?’
Rubyel, for some reason, gulped down the rest of the mana potion.
I’d gotten it for her anyway, so I didn’t mind, but wasn’t it risky?
“Uh, Rubyel?”
“It’s fine.”
Leaving just those words, Rubyel closed her eyes in meditation.
Vwoooo—
Suddenly, fierce winds swirled around her, whipping through the tent.
Having no clue what was going on, I turned to Elisicia.
“Hero, is something wrong?”
“No. She’s probably trying to raise her magic realm.”
Magic realm?
Anyway, we waited, and exactly one hour later, Rubyel came to.
The potion lasted an hour, so maybe that’s when it wore off.
“Rubyel, how is it?”
Elisicia, who’d waited quietly with me, asked.
Rubyel answered.
“I expanded my mana circuits. Then adjusted my body to better suit the mana.”
“Really? Congrats.”
Elisicia congratulated her, but I had no idea what that meant.
Rubyel read my confused expression and explained simply.
“My magic got stronger. About 1.1 times baseline? And more efficient too.”
“Is that raising your magic realm?”
Rubyel shook her head.
“Not raising the realm. Changing my constitution.”
“Constitution?”
“Prep for raising the realm later.”
After that, Rubyel paused thoughtfully, then started acting hesitant.
Seeing our tough guy like this was unbelievable, so I asked what was up.
“What’s wrong?”
“Well, about this...”
Rubyel trailed off, face a mix of shyness and embarrassment.
“Could I get a few more mana potions?”