Although my healing powers were able to alleviate the hangover, they did not help with my blackout. I focused intensely as I tried to recall the events of the previous night. I remember telling the Duke about my family and their plan, but what happened next? I really should quit drinking to avoid these memory lapses.
Confused, I gaze at the young man standing before me. I estimate he is around 20 years old. His dark blue hair falls messily over his face, and the distinctive wolf ears that slightly protrude from his hair give him a mysterious charm. His well-built physique and upright posture reveal that he must be a highly skilled knight. He stands at attention, observing me with his cool eyes that exude a certain determination. His face remains expressionless, as if he is a secret waiting to be unveiled.
"Excuse me... but who are you?" I ask somewhat embarrassed, attempting to take the first step in unraveling this mysterious encounter.
The young man's face remains unchanged as he responds curtly, "My name is Raven. Duke Drakonov assigned me as your personal guard yesterday."
"Personal guard?" I whisper, surprised as I process his words. My gaze once again sweeps over his muscular body and battle-hardened appearance. It's impressive how confident and strong he appears despite his young age. It seems as though he could effortlessly overcome any fight.
I got up and got ready. It felt somewhat unfamiliar to have someone watching me all the time. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door, and when I opened it, Isabella stood there. Her friendly smile greeted me. "I see you're already awake. Lunch will be served shortly. Will you have it in the dining hall or should I have it brought to you?" she asked politely.
"I will have it in the dining hall," I replied, trying to conceal my nervousness. I was aware that Raven had been standing there watching me for some time. Just the thought sent a cold shiver down my spine. I decided to face it head-on and made my way to the dining hall, escorted by Raven.
As I reached the dining hall, I saw Ryota and the Duke already seated at the table. Some of the servants I recognized from yesterday, but there were also new faces among them. I wondered if the culprit from yesterday had been caught. Ryota looked at me with concern, and I could tell he had been worried when I didn't show up for breakfast. I smiled at him and greeted him with a "Good day, Ryota." Then I turned to the Duke and greeted him politely as well. To my surprise, he no longer looked as threatening and serious as he did yesterday. In his eyes, I could now see a spark of kindness that gave me a sense of relief.
Another meal was served, rich in meat and accompanied by bread. As I reached for the bread, I noticed a moldy spot on it. This did not go unnoticed, and a maid fell to her knees in front of me. "Forgive me, Your Highness! I don't know how I could have missed it," she said with a trembling voice, as if pleading for her life. Before the Duke could respond, I helped the maid up. "It's alright," I said, smiling at her as I used my magic to freshen up the food. Then I took a bite of the bread. "Mmmh... tastes like it just came out of the oven," I said, savoring the flavor.
Suddenly, I heard a soft chuckle. As I turned to the Duke, I noticed him concealing his grin behind his hand. "Be more careful next time," he said sternly to the maid. She bowed in gratitude. I would have loved to see his smile that he was clearly hiding.
"After lunch, Count Aspheart will meet with you," the Duke said calmly. The name Aspheart triggered memories within me. Ah yes, the one with the snake-like eyes. But why did he want to meet with me? I looked at the Duke questioningly. He noticed my confusion and explained, "He will provide you with everything you need for your plan."
I nodded, although I wasn't sure at the moment which plan he was referring to. I decided not to show any signs of it for now. I was certain that my questions would be answered during the meeting with Count Aspheart. To divert the topic, I turned to Ryota and asked, "And what do you have planned for today?" It was a deliberate tactic to temporarily push aside my own thoughts.
"I have sword training coming up," Ryota said proudly, straightening his shoulders. His eyes sparkled with anticipation. The thought of witnessing his swordsmanship skills awakened in me a desire to learn this art as well. "Perhaps I can accompany you to your training sometime," I said curiously, feeling my heart beat faster. Ryota nodded, a smile of excitement on his lips. It was evident that he was pleased with my company.
After we finished the sumptuous meal, Isabella led me through the majestic corridors of the castle. Every step echoed in the silence as Raven trailed behind us like a shadow. Finally, we arrived at an office characterized by simple elegance. The room was dominated by a formidable desk overflowing with stacks of papers and documents. But my attention was captured by the imposing figure seated at the table – Count Aspheart.
As he noticed me, the Count politely stood up from his seat. Fatigue reflected in his deep dark circles, yet he appeared determined and focused. "Good day, Your Holiness," he respectfully greeted me. "Duke Drakonov has already informed me of your concerns. If it's acceptable to you, I would like to get straight to the point." His words conveyed a sense of urgency, and I nodded in agreement, ready to engage in the forthcoming discussion.
With Count Aspheart by my side, we left his office and ventured down a quiet corridor illuminated by dimmed lighting. Slowly, we approached a mysterious room, its door opening with a faint creak.
As I entered the room, a mixture of curiosity and awe washed over me. It seemed as if time had stood still here, as a thick layer of dust covered every object. The atmosphere reminded me of a forgotten alchemy laboratory, where great secrets were once guarded. Glass containers of various sizes and shapes lined the shelves, filled with peculiar substances. A comforting warmth emanated from the small fireplace crackling in the center of the room.
My gaze swept across the space, finally settling on the imposing windows that bathed the room in the pale light of day. Behind the panes, a majestic winter landscape unfolded, blanketed in a thick layer of snow. I could barely comprehend the sight and felt a hint of magic stirring in the air. It was a place that held both enigma and promise, and I sensed that here, in this mysterious room, my destiny awaited me.
"If you need anything else, just let me know. I'll see what I can do," Count Aspheart said to me as he handed over the keys to my own study. With a polite nod, he bid farewell. It was a moment of excitement and anticipation as I closed the door behind him and entered the room that would now serve as my sanctuary.
I asked Isabella to bring my books and papers from my desk. As she hurriedly fulfilled my request, I began to thoroughly clean the room. Each movement was accompanied by an inner sense of anticipation, for I could hardly wait to finally concoct a healing potion. As the dust particles slowly vanished from the air and the room sparkled anew, I paused for a moment and admired my new haven.
But suddenly, I felt a gaze that seemed to bore into my back like an icy drill. I turned around and faced Sir Raven, whose cool eyes locked onto mine. "Sir Raven, you're welcome to leave. I'll be spending some time here in the room and don't believe I'm in any danger," I said calmly, while continuing to organize my documents.
An uncomfortable silence followed my words before Raven finally responded in a cold voice, "Duke Drakonov has ordered me to protect you around the clock." Around the clock. The words echoed in my mind, causing me to pause for a moment. I was grateful for the protection he was supposed to provide, yet at the same time, I felt a slight frustration at the constant surveillance.
Isabella entered the room at that moment, carrying my belongings, and politely asked if I needed anything else. I briefly pondered and then shook my head. A plan was already taking shape in my mind, and I couldn't wait to put it into action. I took a seat at my desk and opened the books and notes Isabella had brought me.
To expand my knowledge of herbs, plants, and the local wildlife, I turned to the nature spirits and sought their assistance. At the same time, I asked Isabella to bring me more books on the subject. It was a moment of anticipation and expectation, for I knew that the key to my healing potion lay hidden in the secrets of nature.
For a healing potion, I only needed four ingredients: marshmallow root, blue marigold, water, and magic. The preparation seemed quite simple to me. I wrote down the required ingredients on a piece of paper and turned to Isabella to find out where I could find them.
"Marshmallow root is available everywhere here. It even grows in our garden. Blue marigold is also widespread, but you mainly find it in the surrounding forests. Leave it to me," Isabella conscientiously replied, adding, "I will have the ingredients ready after dinner." While Isabella took care of that, I began preparing everything for the potion.
A short while later, Sophie came by to inform me that dinner was being served. Together, we made our way to the dining room, where Ryota was already waiting for us. He looked exhausted, his hands were blistered from his sword training. I immediately used my healing powers to tend to his injuries. Ryota looked at me gratefully and smiled. This time, we were alone; the duke seemed too preoccupied to join us for dinner. In pleasant silence, we enjoyed the meal and wished each other a good night afterwards.
Ryota could barely conceal his exhaustion, as his eyes started to droop even during the meal. I bid him farewell and made my way back to my study. On the way there, I noticed that Raven had been by my side all day without eating anything. "Are you not hungry?" I asked him, concerned. "I'm fine," he replied curtly, without showing any expression. His stoic demeanor fascinated me and made me ponder his hidden emotions.
Upon entering the room, I found Isabella had already laid out the ingredients on the table. "Is there anything else you need, Mr. Hikaru?" she asked expectantly. My gaze briefly shifted to Raven. "Could you prepare some sandwiches or other snacks?" I politely requested. "Of course. I'll get right on it," she responded, immediately starting the preparations.
I, too, immediately focused on my work, as I finally had all the necessary ingredients gathered. First, I carefully cleaned the herbs, ensuring they were free from dirt and impurities. Then, I crushed the herbs in a mortar to release their full aroma. Meanwhile, I brought the water to a boil, and once it reached the right temperature, I added the powdered herbs. The mixture began to simmer gently, emitting a pleasant fragrance.
Just as I was preparing for the next step, Isabella brought an assortment of sandwiches and other snacks into the room, placing them next to me on the table. With a friendly smile, I slid the plate over to Raven. "You can help yourself," I invited him, as I returned to my work.
After straining the mixture through a fine sieve into a clean container, the only crucial ingredient missing was magic. This part was undoubtedly the most challenging. Taking the glass of liquid in my hands, I closed my eyes and focused on my inner energy. I could feel the mana circulating within my body, and I allowed it to flow through my fingers into the container. With all my strength, I infused the mixture with healing magic. The once turquoise shimmering elixir now began to radiate a brilliant blue. Had I succeeded? To be sure, there was only one way—I had to test the potion myself.
As I looked around, I noticed that the plate of sandwiches was already empty. Next to Raven's sword, I noticed two daggers he carried with him. "Sir Raven, may I borrow one of your daggers for a moment?" I politely asked him. He hesitated for a moment, but then withdrew a dagger and handed it to me. I took the dagger and deliberately cut my palm. Raven's face twitched for a brief moment, and Isabella also flinched slightly. This time, I consciously chose not to use my healing magic and instead poured the potion directly onto the wound.
Within seconds, the cut began to heal and vanished completely. I could see a look of fascination on the faces of Raven and Isabella. The sense of accomplishment gave me a surge of energy and my fatigue and exhaustion seemed to dissipate. I determinedly set out to make more potions, driven by the joy of being able to help others with my magic.
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