TLed by NolepGuy
Chapter 48
“…I’m dying.”
A day after Charlotte had left.
When Kraush opened his eyes, his entire body ached, and he let out a groan of pain.
His sparring session with Charlotte had lasted a mere three seconds.
However, it wasn’t her attacks that had done the most damage—it was Kraush himself who had pushed his body too far.
But there was no other choice.
Against Charlotte, concealing his techniques was less effective than exhausting all his strength while she was unaware.
Thanks to that, he managed to land a single hit on that monstrous Charlotte.
Although it was no more than a slight graze on her aura.
“Is that something to be smiling about?”
For some reason, Kraush had been grinning to himself, but upon hearing Crimson Garden’s sharp remark from the window, he adjusted his expression.
“What do you expect? Even though the preparation was long, the technique I practiced succeeded, and I managed to land a hit on my sister.”
Sky Annihilating Draw.
It was a new secret technique Kraush had devised by combining Annihilation Erosion and a ki-gathering technique.
Its destructive power was undoubtedly exceptional.
If he could refine it further, it might become his trump card—capable of felling an opponent in a single strike.
‘Honestly, it’s only because it was Charlotte that it was blocked.’
Kraush was confident there wasn’t anyone else around his age who could have stopped it.
So when Kraush glanced at Crimson Garden, as if to say she should be praising him, she clicked her tongue in exasperation.
“I didn’t think the disciple I raised would be someone who gets this excited. Honestly, don’t you enjoy getting hit and feeling pain? You hopeless pervert.”
“Don’t twist my personality like that.”
Kraush protested to Crimson Garden as he slowly got to his feet.
His body ached all over, but he had been circulating his aura since morning.
At least he could move now.
‘Lying down is a waste of time.’
He needed to bring Golden Dragon Grass and White Snow Heat Sun Mushroom to Darling to make an elixir.
And so, despite his battered condition, Kraush stood up.
Bang!
At that moment, Kraush’s door burst open.
Standing there was Bianca, holding a tray with porridge on it.
Kraush and the expressionless Bianca locked eyes.
Kraush froze mid-motion, reaching out to grab his clothes, and Bianca’s eyebrows furrowed slightly.
Kraush recognized that as a sign she was annoyed.
“Mr. Kraush.”
“If you want to eat porridge, you should get up.”
Saying this, Kraush staggered over to the chair and plopped down into it.
Bianca, who had been silently watching him, eventually placed the tray of porridge on the table.
Kraush, ever perceptive, picked up on her mood.
He took a bite of the porridge Bianca handed him.
And then he realized.
‘Bianca made this.’
The porridge was sweet.
It reminded him of the sweetness he tasted in the sandwich from before.
Maybe this kind of flavor suited younger tastes.
As he thought about it, Kraush took another bite and said,
“It’s delicious.”
“Thank you.”
Bianca replied immediately.
It seemed she hadn’t intended to hide the fact she made it.
“You’ve been cooking quite a bit lately. Do you enjoy it?”
In the past, Kraush had never seen Bianca cook.
Not that he had seen her do much else either, but curious, he asked. She rested her arms on the table, leaning on it.
“I enjoy watching Mr. Kraush eat.”
“Do I eat in some amusing way?”
“I’m not sure myself.”
Still, Bianca seemed pleased, so Kraush didn’t say much else and finished the porridge.
It was a bit too sweet, but not bad.
Plus, with something in his stomach, he felt a bit more energized.
Kraush downed the recovery tonic Bianca had prepared for him in one go and lightly stretched his body.
“I’m heading to Danphelion today.”
Kraush said this as he turned to look at Bianca.
“Want to come along?”
“Were you planning to leave me behind?”
Bianca acted as if following him was a given.
By now, it was something Kraush was used to, so as he began changing clothes, he glanced at Bianca.
“Aren’t you leaving?”
“Ah.”
Only then did Bianca, who had risen from her seat, pick up the tray and plates and look at Kraush.
“Do you need help getting dressed?”
“Do I look like a child?”
“You’re not exactly an adult either.”
She had been talking back more often lately.
When Kraush gave her a look, signaling for her to leave, Bianca stepped outside.
Watching her go, Kraush changed into his clothes and stepped out himself.
Bianca was already waiting outside.
As Kraush began walking, she trailed closely behind him, as she always did.
By now, it seemed to have become a habit of hers.
Spotting Aliod waiting for him, Kraush spoke.
“Aliod, we’re heading to Danphelion.”
“Yes, Young Master.”
It was time to create the elixir.
* * *
The Danphelion family, known for their expertise in alchemy.
True to their reputation, as Kraush’s carriage entered the estate, the unique scent of medicine lingered in the air.
“It smells.”
As before, Bianca, perhaps due to her sensitive nose, pinched her nostrils shut.
She’d adjust over time, but there was no helping it for now.
After all, this scent was practically a symbol of Danphelion.
“We’ve arrived.”
Kraush said as he stepped out of the stopped carriage.
He was greeted by a mansion divided into three sections.
One of those sections was entirely dedicated to Danphelion’s most prized alchemical endeavors.
That was where Kraush was headed.
“This place isn’t bad.”
“The Magic Tower cast a scent-removal spell on the exterior of the mansion.”
While the interiors couldn’t avoid the smell—since scent was a key factor in alchemy—this was the best they could do.
As Kraush stepped inside the mansion, the high ceilings and a library filled with countless books greeted him.
Bianca, who loved books, lit up the moment she saw it.
Judging by her reaction, Kraush thought he might buy her a few books on their way back.
Just then, the sound of footsteps echoed from deeper inside the library.
As Kraush looked up, there, as expected, was a girl with fluttering golden hair.
“Honey, you’re here?”
Darling Danphelion.
The future Alchemy Castle Lord.
“Who’s your honey? Don’t say such nauseating things.”
“What’s wrong? We’ve been working together in secret, haven’t we?”
Darling laughed as if she found Kraush’s reaction amusing.
Then, she turned to Bianca beside her, smiling and waving.
“Hello, little miss! It’s been a while.”
“Hello.”
“Oh, so cute.”
Darling seemed delighted, as if she had seen a cute creature, watching Bianca bow politely.
Kraush handed over the bag he had brought for Darling.
“It’s Golden Dragon Grass and White Snow Heat Sun Mushroom.”
“You really got them. Impressive.”
She looked at Kraush with admiration.
“How was the medicine’s performance?”
As Kraush frowned, Darling couldn’t hold back her laughter and burst into peals of laughter.
“Puhahaha!”
“Can I hit you once?”
“Wait, wait, my stomach hurts, puheheheh.”
Seeing Darling, her face flushed red with joy, Kraush could only click his tongue.
Only Bianca seemed puzzled, not knowing what had come over Kraush.
With Darling’s laughter ringing out loudly once more, the three moved inside the Alchemy Hall.
As befitting its name, the Alchemy Hall was bustling with alchemists working hard.
They discussed their ongoing experiments, and here and there, people weary from fatigue could be seen shuffling along.
“By the way, little one, it’s getting hard to call you that now, isn’t it? You’ve grown quite a bit. You’ll catch up soon.”
“I’ll catch up within this year.”
“Hmph, by then, it won’t seem strange to call you my boyfriend.”
Is she still saying things like that?
For some reason feeling self-conscious, Kraush glanced at Bianca, but she was too busy looking around to notice.
“This is my room!”
Did they walk while listening to Darling’s silly chatter?
Kraush finally arrived at Darling’s room.
As he looked at the doorplate that read “Darling Danphelion Heart” with a sour expression, Darling flung the door open.
“Come on in!”
With an excited expression, she opened the door and let Kraush and Bianca in.
Inside, contrary to what he expected, was a well-organized alchemy lab.
Kraush, who had been expecting something like Ebelasque, looked at Darling with surprise.
“You keep things tidy, huh?”
“What do you take me for? I like things neat. Plus, there are a lot of dangerous things in alchemy, so if you don’t organize properly, something bad is bound to happen.”
Unfortunately, when Darling becomes the Alchemy Castle Lord, she won’t have time for such things.
With people constantly fighting against World Erosion and returning in disarray, she’ll be too busy to keep things tidy.
‘These are the good old days.’
Kraush felt a bit sorry for Darling.
“Then, shall we start making the Elixir right away? Is that okay?”
“I welcome it.”
It seemed all the other ingredients were ready, as she immediately began preparing the Elixir.
Meanwhile, Kraush sat with Bianca, watching her.
Bianca, seemingly bored, had already opened a book and was reading, while Kraush gazed at Darling’s back.
Watching her much younger self compared to his memories made him nostalgic.
[Hmm, she certainly has talent.]
Crimson Garden, observing Darling’s alchemy, highly praised her talent.
Since Kraush didn’t know much about alchemy, he just watched, but it seemed Crimson Garden saw something different.
About an hour passed.
“Phew, it’s done.”
After dropping a drop of diluted red liquid into the round Elixir, Darling looked satisfied.
She turned to Kraush, holding the Elixir with her gloved hand.
“Is it done?”
“Yes, it’s complete. An Elixir of unknown name!”
Perhaps because it wasn’t her recipe, Darling spoke with a hint of suspicion.
[Ask if there’s a training ground. It’s best to take this Elixir in an empty space.]
As it was an Elixir made at Crimson Garden’s request, Kraush relayed her words to Darling.
Darling then wrapped the Elixir in cloth and told them to follow her.
It seemed Darling had also sensed the Elixir’s effect.
“Bianca, we’re going to the training ground.”
“Yes.”
Without taking her eyes off her book, Bianca got down from the chair.
She followed, clutching the back of Kraush’s collar with one hand while reading.
It seemed she was at an interesting part.
The place they were led to was an empty training room within the Alchemy Hall.
“It’s where we test Elixirs. We have knights here too, so no one comes in when it’s in use. Feel free to use it.”
Saying so, Darling handed the Elixir to Kraush.
“Can I watch you use it?”
Kraush glanced at Crimson Garden, and she nodded.
“Sure.”
Kraush took the Elixir from Darling and approached the center of the training ground.
Then, Crimson Garden flapped her wings and descended in front of him.
[Swallow the Elixir and sit cross-legged.]
Finally, it was time to take the Elixir.
Kraush swallowed the Elixir whole.
A bitter taste spread, but he endured it, feeling his body heat up as he swallowed.
Sitting down and crossing his legs, he somehow felt like Crimson Garden was smiling.
Kraush sensed a hint of malice in that smile.
Then, the heat from the Elixir began to intensify within him.
“What did I just take?”
“You took it without knowing what it was?”
Darling responded with a dumbfounded look, as if he had asked her.
[The Elixir you took is called the Nine Dragon Transformation Pill. It’s a miraculous pill said to turn one into a dragon after nine cries.]
As Crimson Garden explained, the heat inside Kraush suddenly spread throughout his body.
Simultaneously, that heat began to pierce him all over like needles.
There was definitely pain.
But within that pain, Kraush was blinking his eyes.
[Endure it nine times. Only then will you grow stronger. Didn’t you say you were good at enduring pain?]
That’s my specialty, all right.
The pain spreading throughout his body was definitely there, but it wasn’t unbearable.
‘Has it not started yet?’
Kraush had been quite tense because of Crimson Garden’s warning, but the nine cries were nowhere to be heard.
Seeing Kraush like this, Crimson Garden began to feel something was off.
[…Are you unaffected?]
“…Doesn’t it hurt?”
Crimson Garden and Darling asked simultaneously, puzzled.
Judging by their reactions, the effect should have already been noticeable.
“…The pain is unavoidable, but it doesn’t seem to be that bad.”
Gradually, Kraush began to understand what this feeling was.
Long ago, there was a curse called the Needle Curse that felt like needles piercing the entire body.
This feeling was similar to that time.
Because it was a familiar pain, the shock was less.
Then, shortly after, a sensation like being scorched by lightning spread through his body.
This, too, was similar to a sensation from a curse he had experienced before.
It’s bearable.
After all, this was yet another pain he had already experienced.
[ …What on earth have you been through? ]
Crimson Garden looked at Kraush with an incredulous expression.
Not only were there no nine cries, but Kraush didn’t even groan, which seemed abnormal even to Crimson Garden.
Kraush himself felt somewhat uneasy.
Seeing this, he now understood what Arthur meant when he said that Kraush was already broken by curses.
[ …Tsk, you’ve had nothing but strange experiences. ]
Crimson Garden clicked her tongue as she looked at the seemingly unaffected Kraush.
She had roughly figured out why he showed no significant reaction even after taking the Nine Dragon Transformation Pill.
[ Now that it’s come to this, absorb it properly. The more you focus, the higher the absorption rate will be. ]
In that case, he would actively make use of the situation.
Kraush heeded her words and focused on the effects of the elixir.
[ Let’s see, shall we become a dragon’s tail now? ]
It was time to rise from the serpent’s head.