Chapter 45

“Is Na-me taking medicine every day because her health is really bad?”

Ji Hye kindly helped me wash the flask.

With a crunching sound, the completely oxidized residue was washed away in the soapy water.

“It’s nothing serious. As long as I remember to take the potion every day, I don’t have any issues.”

“What happens if you forget?”

“Hmm… I guess I get a bit more angry?”

“Pfft, what’s that! Are you turning into the Hulk or something?”

“Thanks for your help. After school, I’ll buy you a crepe on the way home.”

“Crepe? Out of nowhere? But there’s probably nowhere nearby that sells crepes.”

“Then how about fish-shaped bread?”

“It’s March; do they still sell that?”

“Then how about Pokémon bread?”

“Sounds good!”

It’s surprising that Pokémon is still popular.

Even in multiplayer games that are a trend in virtual reality, it stays in the top ten rankings every time.

While praising the greatness of the IP once again, we moved toward our class.

“Ahh!”

A sharp scream echoed from the end of the hallway, instantly concentrating everyone’s attention.

Students chatting in the hallway turned their heads, voices overlapping.

“It sounds like it’s coming from our class, right? Let’s hurry!”

The classroom was a complete pandemonium.

The kids were surrounding something in a circle, so I couldn’t see what was happening exactly.

Just then, Han Seo Ri spotted us and ran over.

“What’s going on?”

“Na-me! Oh no! I think Seoyuna secretly took the medicine you take… She’s been coughing nonstop and looks like she’s about to die…! Her face is really red!”

“What?”

I quickly approached Yuna to assess the situation.

On the floor, there were shards of a broken flask scattered around.

Potion that had already oxidized and turned black was flooding the classroom floor.

‘She really caused a disaster!’

I quickly moved the glass fragments aside so Yuna wouldn’t get hurt.

“If you touch it with your bare hands, you’ll get hurt…!”

As Seo Ri said, Yuna was gasping and constantly coughing dryly. It would have been better if she had thrown up right then and there, but she seemed to be writhing in agony instead.

It seemed like Yuna had gulped down the potion right after opening the cap.

There was a reason why the potion I drank cost only ten to twenty thousand won despite being a treatment for rare diseases.

This was not a “treatment.”

It was merely a “suppressant.”

The potion.

Not Potion, but PORTION.

More precisely, it was a Powerplant Outcomes with Residue Transmutation into Overcharged Nebulosity.

It was made by compressing the “residue” that comes out as a byproduct from the power plant that refines the mana of this world into an overcharged “nebula state.”

It couldn’t be explained any simpler, but if I were to compare, think of it as radioactive waste.

In the first place, it made no economic sense to give a byproduct this much marketability, which is why the price was low for something as potent as a rare disease treatment.

Generally, mana doesn’t directly harm humans, like radiation does, but consuming the potion in a nebula state could lead to serious consequences, as can be seen.

Of course, if it oxidizes upon coming into contact with air, its effect diminishes, so the sooner it’s consumed, the better.

In short, it could be viewed as a trade-off between healing effects and pain.

There’s an old saying that bitter medicine is good for the body.

Since I always drink it, I could consume it immediately without issue, but for Yuna, it must be quite painful.

Anyway, what was important now wasn’t that, but calming this reckless child.

“Cough…! Cough…”

“Seoyuna. Can you hear me?”

“Ugh…”

“I’m going to put my finger in your mouth now. You can’t bite down if it hurts, okay?”

Since Yuna was awkwardly lying sideways, I had trouble getting into position.

I pushed her sweat-soaked hair aside to see her face clearly.

Yuna seemed to notice I was next to her.

So she probably understood my words too.

If she really bites, I’ll smack her cheek.

“Ugh… Ah… It hurts… Cough…”

“…”

“I’m sorry…”

I quickly shoved my finger into her mouth before she could say more.

I felt a warm sensation on my left index finger.

It wasn’t intentional, but I could also feel Yuna’s smooth gums at the tip of my finger.

In the meantime, did she lose her second front tooth? The shy permanent tooth barely poked out and lightly pricked my finger.

To have my finger bitten by a child just starting to lose teeth.

I’ve lived long enough.

“Just a little longer. It’ll be fine.”

Seeing her state, I felt the need to hurry.

I quickly drew an emergency magic circle on the floor with my free hand.

[3 Circle Construction: Local Anesthesia]

[4 Circle Retroactive: Irreversible Reduction Reaction]

The human airway is a very delicate area when it comes to anesthesia.

Because it’s an important organ related to breathing, it must be treated carefully using surface anesthesia.

I created a local anesthesia magic circle based on the ingredients of the Eutectic Mixture of Local Anesthetics cream, which is the most common surface anesthetic.

And to remove the residue remaining in her airway, I cast a reduction reaction magic circle to reassemble the residues back into nebula state.

I chose local anesthesia because it might hurt a little during that process.

“Ugh!”

As the magic circle activated, Yuna shut her eyes tightly.

It was evident she was desperately trying not to bite my finger, but her tongue kept flicking over it, tickling me.

If I pull out my finger later, won’t it be covered in drool?

For Yuna’s honor, I should try to get it out as discreetly as possible.

It wasn’t long before the retroactive magic circle lost its light and disappeared.

Yuna’s complexion changed completely.

Her bright red face turned pale as she was hit by the local anesthesia magic, and I was a bit worried; I was relieved that it resolved well.

“Teacher, over here!”

“Yuna, are you okay?!”

Just then, Shin Si Hoo appeared with the homeroom teacher.

Hearing that Seoyuna collapsed after taking some weird medicine, Teacher Jackie seemed to rush into the classroom in a panic.

“Hey, Na-me! Get your hands off Yuna right now!”

Si Hoo shouted,

“What are you doing…?”

Teacher Jackie and I exchanged incredulous glances.

The anesthesia spell still hadn’t worn off… Oh, it’s over now.

I laid Yuna, who had fallen unconscious, down and quickly pulled my finger out of her mouth.

The condensed residue, by nature, had a high viscosity, and unfortunately, that mixed with my saliva.

Why did I say unfortunate?

Because a long, thin curve of saliva connected Yuna and my index finger. The color was a light gray, neither black nor white.

“Na-me, what is that…?”

When the teacher pointed at my hand, I hurriedly wiped away the residues, feeling embarrassed.

I have no choice but to do it with my mouth.

“…?!!”

In my heart, I told myself that this was delicious, sweet honey.

It’s definitely not something mixed with power plant waste and a child’s saliva.

So could you please stop looking at me with that gaze, Shin Si Hoo?

* * *

“Damn it… I should have been more careful. I should have questioned what that strange medicine bottle was from the start.”

Si Hoo couldn’t shake the thought that he might be misunderstanding Na-me.

When he saw Na-me chatting with classmates, she looked just like any other girl of her age.

Surprisingly, she seemed to have become quite close with Seoyuna, who he thought they would clash with.

The problem was, it happened when Seoyuna drank the contents of the flask.

“It was poison, not medicine…!”

Had she gone through poison resistance training like spies?

Seeing Yuna’s condition not improving easily, Si Hoo realized the seriousness of the situation and dashed to the teacher’s office to call for the homeroom teacher.

Compared to other students who were at a loss, this was a truly rational response.

“Maybe that poison was intentionally suggested for Seoyuna to take by Na-me.”

It was difficult to gauge the true intentions behind Na-me’s expressionless face.

If something really were to happen to Seoyuna, Si Hoo felt he would regret being too complacent in his response.

“What, Yuna collapsed?”

“Yes, it’s urgent! Hurry!”

Teacher Jackie, enjoying tea with other teachers in the office, rushed over.

In an instant, those who had rushed from the first floor to the third quickly checked Yuna’s condition and needed to take her to the nurse’s office or the hospital.

But the atmosphere in the classroom was somber.

A strange magic circle was being cast in the air where Yuna had collapsed.

It was again Na-me.

So her true colors are finally being revealed.

“Hey, Na-me! Get your hands off Yuna right now!”

I shouted loudly, but in reality, Si Hoo was scared.

What if that child did something to him as well?

Could the teacher standing next to me protect me?

Numerous doubts began to form.

However, Na-me’s behavior was somewhat embarrassing to say that she was taking Yuna as a hostage.

Because she had a finger in her mouth.

Then, shockingly, she pulled her finger out and began sucking on it.

“…?!!”

The homeroom teacher looked equally surprised.

Na-me said in an embarrassed voice.

“I’ve treated Yuna a bit. She’ll be fine if she gets some rest.”

“‘Treated’—what do you mean by that…?”

Just then, the central announcement came over the speakers.

[Huff huff. Ahh. 2nd Grade A Class Na-me, 2nd Grade A Class Na-me, please report to the administrative office on the first floor immediately. Once again, I repeat, 2nd Grade A Class Na-me, please report to the administrative office on the first floor immediately.]