Translator: Adam Seacord

Editor: Weasalopes

(Sensei. Sensei.)

After chopping up the Wyvern and stowing the pieces into the bags, Mio contacted Hiros.h.i.+ through the Group Chat mode on her Adventurer Card, which allowed everyone in the party to join the conversation.

(What's up?)

(We took down a Wyvern. Can you take it apart?)

(Sure. You got a big one, didn't ya?)

(Mm-hm. I think it was afflicted a little more than normal.)

A few seconds of silence from Hiros.h.i.+, indicating his contemplation. After a few seconds of listening to Hiros.h.i.+ do some kind of work, they could hear Hiros.h.i.+ answer with some nervousness:

(Somethin' don't smell right. Watch yourselves out there. I got a bad feelin' 'bout this.)

(I know. We won't go too crazy.)

(Thanks. Y'all can just let me handle all the materials if ya like.)

(Do you have nothing else to do, Sensei?)

(Just finished up the accessories. I'm just preppin' curry buns for Harunsan right now.)

The group inferred that the food stand business was well. Of course, no one was surprised since they knew Haruna would be at it with her 100%.

(After I'm done with the buns, I'll get to takin' this apart. Guess I gotta talk to Harunsan 'bout how to cook Wyvern meat.)

(That's your first thought, Hiro…?)

(Why not. No food, no life.)

Hiros.h.i.+ responded with pride to Tatsuya. Although, even if it was contained to its stinger on the tail, the Wyvern was still venomous. Even without the thought that it was basically a giant lizard, most members of the party could not work up their appet.i.te for Wyvern meat at the moment.

(In any case, we don't know when Ray's gonna come back with the patient. Don't go too far.)

(We know. I think we'll stick around for another two hours or so.)

(Alrighty.)

Hiros.h.i.+ hung up after acknowledging Tatsuya estimate. Mio had already begun collecting other materials. Tatsuya joined her, leaving Makoto to keep watch. While he wasn't as skilled as Hiros.h.i.+ or Mio in this department, he had still gotten his Harvesting and Felling skills halfway through Intermediate.

After two hours, Tatsuya, Mio, and Makoto were on their way home after taking down a good number of monsters, hauling more than enough materials for the entire party.

A knock on the door. Before Elena could sit up, her servant responded:

「Who is it?」

「It's Layotte. May I speak with my sister?」

Hearing the Crown Prince, the servant gave Elena a look, and Elena nodded.

「Please, come in.」

「Thank you.」

With a bow to Elena, Layotte entered her territory with an elegant flow. Julius followed him, as always. Elena discerned from her brother's demeanor that there was something important he had to tell her, regarding her own wellbeing.

「I'll prepare some tea.」

「No need. Actually, sister, I would like to speak with you alone.」

Giving her servant, who had stood up to prepare tea, a look of dismissal, Elena sat up on her bed despite the pain and sluggishness through her entire body. Her fever hadn't gone down since she woke up in the morning, and she couldn't even keep down medicine or porridge. Elena was feeling worse than under the weather, to say the least, but she knew that Layotte was well aware of her condition, and she knew how busy he was. Whatever he had to say, it was important.

「What is so pressing, brother?」

「Allow me a moment, as we need to make some precautions. Julius.」

「Yes, sir.」

They took out something from their pockets, and started tinkering with it. In a moment, magic filled the room, completely separating them from the outside world.

「An isolation barrier? This is quite the precaution.」

「We never know who could be listening… Or watching, for that matter.」

「I've never seen one that uses so much magic. Why are you going to do, go challenge a dragon?」

「According to the creator, he didn't even put his all into it.」

Layotte interjected, and Elena failed to find her words.

「…Really?」

「After hearing what we had to say, he immediately started working on it. Seeing as he finished within half an hour, it seems likely that he barely used a fraction of his abilities.」

「Who in the world is this man, anyway?」

「He's something called a "j.a.panese." Apparently he came from the same place as Makoto. Do you remember Ernest's apprentice? So, he is a visitor from the unknown continent, no doubt.」

That made sense to Elena. She knew enough where she wasn't too surprised by the quality of Hiros.h.i.+'s items anymore.

「What we've come to talk about, sister…」

「What is it?」

「This man may be able to cure you. However, bringing the man here will prove difficult at the moment.」

「Why is that?」

「A simple reason. He claims that the treatment may be interrupted if performed here. Unfortunately, we can't deny that possibility.」

And neither could Elena. She had more than enough reasons to suspect that. Especially the man lurking by Katrina's side.

「So, what do I need to do?」

「They had very few requests for you. To not complain about the barren room, think of a broom closet. To clear your plate as long as you are feeling well. To not complain if the treatment isn't going as smoothly as expected. And to not persecute any of them if their etiquette is unsatisfactory.」

「Well, I don't know how bad the room would look, but everything else seems reasonable.」

「We were also warned to not lash out if there is nothing he can do.」

And so, Elena was faced with the possibility she was trying to avoid.

「And, what do you think?」

「If you would allow it, sister, we would like to put you in his hands. Both father and his advisor have agreed to it.」

「I can see that he is skilled at crafting magical items. Does that really mean he can heal me?」

「What would you say if he made this from scratch as you watched?」

Layotte said, as he handed his sister something. Elena looked at it, quizzically.

「A vial? There's a lot of magic in for its size. It looks like a potion…」

「A cla.s.s 4 healing potion.」

Layotte said with almost an air of nonchalance. Hearing this, Elena nearly dropped the vial.

「It's… Authentic…?」

「It is. I had the Court Magician and Potion Maker inspect it. It is a cla.s.s 4 potion. That being said, he could only make five of them. Short on ingredients.」

Hearing this, Elena closely investigated the potion in her hand. There was enough magic emanating from the vial itself that seemed too powerful to contain a mere potion. Hovering her hand over the cork, she glanced at Layotte and waited for him to nod before twisting it open a crack. She realized why the existence of cla.s.s 4 potions were almost legendary. The smell that wafted out of the vial in that instance alone seemed to ease Elena of the pain from the venom in her body.

In fact, when they investigate this vial to see if it was truly a cla.s.s 4 potion, someone's minor injury had been healed, solely from smelling the potion. Then, a knight who had been critically injured during a secretive large-scale hunt two weeks prior, was healed enough to go on another quest, albeit with some aftereffects, from a single vial of this potion. There was no other potion maker that could craft such a potion while engaging in some chit-chat in a matter of minutes. Not in Farlane, nor its neighboring nations on either side, at least.

It's worth mentioning that the ingredients for this batch of potions included the Piaranork's processed guts. The other ingredients were comprised of various plants they had gathered when they returned to the site to gather more silk. In actuality, Hiros.h.i.+ could only craft five vials not because of the lack of ingredients for the potion, but for the lack of ingredients for the vials. Of course, even Lord Layotte was oblivious to that detail.

「If a man who can craft this can't do anything to cure you, I doubt anyone in the world could.」

「You think so…?」

Elena had to agree to that a.s.sessment. If the potion was produced from somewhere, it was still possible that this man was fooling them. But crafting the potion as they watched? There was no room for trickery there. And since the potion was effective, it wasn't crafted just to trick them. Of course, the fact that this man could really craft a potion like this made Elena timid.

「If you have a hard time trusting them, some more information might help.」

「There's more?」

「Aearis is quite taken with this man, and Ernest seemed to trust him more than he does most men. That being said, he seems to wander off in a world of his own to create these odd concoctions the minute you give him the chance.」

「Concoctions?」

「What I saw there were these strange cookware, but he apparently goes really nuts with food, like mysterious sweets and strange spices.」

Elena wondered if she had dismissed the promise to clear her plate too prematurely. However, she also knew that Layotte speaking to her in this manner meant that she didn't really have a choice.

「…I see. I can't say I'm not nervous about a few things, but I don't really have another choice at this point, do I? I would like to request for his help.」

「Good. We're about to file paperwork to do exactly that. We'll be back in an hour to pick you up. Make sure you're packed. By the way, we can't bring your servant, just in case. You'll have to get used to taking care of yourself for the most part. I apologize.」

「Small price to pay for my life.」

Nodding in response, Layotte disabled the item and left the room. Julius bowed, and called Elena's servant back before following Layotte out.

「I will be leaving the castle for recovery. Please pack my things.」

「Yes, Princess. Who shall accompany you?」

「They'll have people for me there, so there's no need.」

Elena explained, already exhausted. The servant's expression changed.

「I'm afraid that can't be permitted!」

「Father and the Crown Prince have already made their decision. You understand why, don't you?」

「…But…」

「This is an order. Deal with it. I'll be leaving in an hour. Please hurry.」

「Allow me to accompany you, at least!」

Shaking her head at her servant, Elena urged her to pack. The servant protested further to Layotte when he came to pick up Elena, even putting her life on the line in the process. Alas, both Layotte and Elena didn't budge. Elena departed, feeling a small ping in her heart.