Chapter 75

Chapter 75

#75. Haran’s Curse (1)

The current state of the witches was different from when Ariana’s dantian was destroyed in the past.

Back then, Ariana’s dantian was destroyed, but mana still remained within her body. In fact, the problem was that the mana inside her body was reversing its flow.

However, the witches now didn’t have a single speck of mana left in their bodies.

‘The magic circle engraved on their hearts is intact.’

It was a typical case of mana exhaustion.

‘How could this happen?’

Even I, who has maxed out my levels in magical engineering, alchemy, and healing arts, couldn’t comprehend this phenomenon.

Of course, magic and sorcery are studies that often deviate from common sense and rationality.

I inspected the condition of the witches with an open mind.

‘Somehow, it seems to be related to…?’

A certain restriction that binds Isabel and the witches came to mind.

That restriction which prevents them from freely learning or teaching anything related to magic.

‘This pandemic, and the bell witch presumed to have spread it. The curse that northern witches have been carrying since long ago. And now, these witches collapsing from collective mana exhaustion right before my eyes.’

The deductions connected like a continuous puzzle.

‘The most urgent issue is the pandemic.’

Anyway, I need to solve the immediate problem at hand.

‘But to stop the pandemic, we need the witches!’

I decided to take measures so the witches can move again.

“Ugh, I just can’t stand seeing money pile up.”

Furrowing my brows, I said to the surrounding employees,

“Bring me a list of medicinal herbs, alchemical materials, potions, mid-level magic stones and above, gold coins, and silver coins currently in the company! Right away!”

“Understood!”

At my words, a second son of a noble family employed in the management office hurriedly ran off to the office.

“Te Manager!”

“Yes!”

As I hastily wrote a letter, I called out to Theo.

“Deliver this letter immediately to Bishop Entaire in the empire via Frosthaven. We should be able to use the winter hawks there.”

The content of the letter I wrote was a purchase request.

It requested to acquire as many of the listed materials as possible, regardless of cost.

“I’ll deliver it to Knight Karot who’s on duty today.”

“Thank you.”

Just as I was about to hand over the letter I had written to Theo…

“I’ll take responsibility for delivering this.”

A hand suddenly intervened and snatched the letter.

“Knight Valkyrie?”

“Lord Arad Jin, I need you to come to the imperial court immediately.”

The veteran knight looked at me with a more serious and grave expression than ever before.

“Is the Great Witch of Spring also affected?”

Guessing the situation, I asked, and Valkyrie nodded in response.

“Mary! How is Mary?”

“Mary…?”

“Yes! I sent her as a proxy during the earlier court meeting.”

“Ah… Mary will be fine. She’s working on something else right now.”

“Really?”

“That’s correct. Why do you ask?”

“No reason. Nothing at all.”

‘It seems Mary is closer to being a female magician rather than a witch.’

Indeed, Mary appears to be different from ordinary witches.

“Anyway, it’s really fortunate.”

Relieved, I stood up from my seat.

“I need to make a quick stop at the First Factory.”

“What are you going to do?”

“I need to make medicine.”

“What kind of medicine? Is it for the epidemic?”

“That epidemic involves black magic, so I alone can handle it. The medicine I’m making will help the witches recover.”

“You’ve already found a way!?”

The frantic atmosphere around Valkyrie instantly calmed down.

“Te Manager! Tell the employees to clear one of the medicine production lines at the First Factory!”

Before answering Valkyrie’s question, I called out to Te Manager.

“Yes! I’ll tell the employees to prepare accordingly!”

Being someone who has mastered all arcanepunk technologies 100 years into the future, I can produce low-level mana potions even with the current infrastructure.

Though they’re ridiculously expensive.

“If your mana is depleted, drinking a mana potion will do.”

After giving instructions to Theo, I answered Valkyrie’s question.

“Mana potion?”

“Yes, a potion that replenishes mana.”

“Such a thing exists!?”

“It has been a theoretical discussion among alchemists for a long time.”

“It’s like gold, isn’t it? Can you make it?”

“This is actually my first attempt at creating it.”

“I hope it succeeds.”

“It will succeed.”

“Yeah! If anyone can do it, it’s Arad Jin!”

The elixir and golden carriage from before were technologies difficult to reproduce with the current infrastructure.

It would require a lot of money and luck.

To barely replicate them, one would need to pour in funds equivalent to America’s moon exploration efforts in the 1960s.

“Then, I’ll head to the First Factory.”

The mana potion I’m trying to make now is similar.

“I’ll go with you! I’ll guard you.”

“Knight Valkyrie, please send the letter first…”

“Aah! Don’t worry about it!”

Whiiiiik!

Valkyrie whistled to summon the winter hawk.

Piiiiik

With a clear cry, the winter hawk appeared from the sky.

“Make sure it’s delivered properly, got it?”

The old knight tied the letter securely to the winter hawk’s leg and sent it flying.

“Alright. Let’s go!”

“Yes.”

With that, Valkyrie and I hurried to the First Factory.

Upon entering the factory, the employees had already set everything up according to my instructions.

I began the alchemical process like a chef in a kitchen where all the ingredients were prepared.

“Excuse me… Lord Arad?”

“It’s fine. Ask away.”

How much time had passed since I started the manufacturing?

Suddenly, Valkyrie asked with a peculiar look.

“If you can create something like a mana potion, can you also make gold?”

“I can make gold even now.”

“!!”

“The problem is that it costs ten gold coins to make one gold coin.”

“Ah…”

The rise and fall of the old knight’s eyebrows were amusing.

“I’ll focus now.”

“Aah! Of course!”

Meanwhile, my mana potion creation continued without pause.

Valkyrie watched attentively from the side, intrigued by what he saw.

“Um!?”

Even Valkyrie flinched at times.

“Are those high-grade magic stones going to waste?”

Unable to contain himself any longer, he finally asked, almost muttering to himself.

“Yes.”

Since an important process had just finished, I lightly nodded in reply.

“Expensive.”

“…Yeah, it is.”

During the mana potion production process, three high-grade magic stones lost their light.

When a magic stone loses its light, it means it has turned into an ordinary pebble.

‘I need to use magic stones recklessly since I don’t have a mana engine, rubber, ether, or mithril container for the mana potion.’

The blue liquid made by consuming magic stones filled only about half a beer glass.

“Despite devouring three high-grade magic stones, the amount of potion is surprisingly small.”

Seeing this, Valkyrie wore an expression of disappointment.

“Not only high-grade magic stones, but the other reagents seem quite rare too?”

“That’s correct. This level of waste is comparable to using alchemy to make gold.”

“Is that what you mentioned earlier, about spending ten gold coins to make one?”

“…Yes.”

“Ouch… Even if we somehow manage to control the epidemic, this is problematic.”

I shared the same sentiment as Valkyrie. I didn’t expect the quantity to be this minimal.

‘Using three high-grade magic stones and only getting 500ml of mid-low grade mana potion… And this is with the luck stat applied successfully on the first try?’

Even with the influence of the luck stat, it was alarming. The more I thought about it, the more unsettling it became.

‘It doesn’t seem wise to spend money on mana potions like this.’

It seems unlikely that I can mass-produce these mana potions. Though I was somewhat prepared, the financial drain was immense.

It feels like burning my house and gold just to sip a bit of cola.

‘And there’s no guarantee Entaire will successfully bring back what I requested.’

Moreover, whether I can keep pouring money into producing more mana potions remains uncertain.

While high-grade magic stones can be obtained by raiding the north, various rare medicinal herbs and alchemical materials unavailable in the north must be acquired through Entaire.

But will the empire simply let that happen?

‘I need to prepare something else besides potions.’

I separately set up leaves, paper, mid-low grade magic stone powder, and medicinal herbs in the alchemy production line.

‘To think I’d end up using this… I intended to save it for crucial moments.’

Originally, I planned to use this secret technique for trading when pushing the witches hard later on.

But it seems I have to pull it out now, despite my reluctance.

* * *

In the Imperial Court of the High City.

Isabel was enjoying one of the few luxuries she had experienced in her 240-year life.

“Relax. Relax, grandma.”

Namely, receiving a massage directly from Lady Arina of the Northern Duchy.

“…”

Isabel, drained of mana, could hardly speak but gazed at her lord with a faint grandmotherly smile.

‘Whose lineage could be this virtuous…’

A pride that only she knew in the world welled up in her heart.

‘Who else? The lineage of me and Rune Renslett. Ho ho ho…’

The north was dangerous, and the situation for the witches was dire.

Yet strangely, Isabel didn’t feel sad or lonely.

Because right before her was Arina.

“Your Majesty! Apologies for being late! I’ve brought Lord Arad!”

The reliable young Valkyrie,

“Old man! Lord Arad!”

“Apologies for being late! Your Majesty!”

And the northern wizard who seemed capable of solving any situation that arose—Arad Jin—was here now.

“Excuse me, Lady Isabel.”

As soon as he arrived at the court, Arad carefully took out a transparent bottle containing blue liquid from his bag.

‘Mana…?’

Isabel immediately recognized what the blue liquid in that bottle was upon seeing it.

“Good thing I made syringes right after hearing rumors of the pandemic.”

Muttering something, Arad dipped something unusually shaped into the container holding the blue liquid.

It was a silver cylindrical object about the size of two fingers, with a thick needle attached to the front.

“It hurts.”

Tock Tock Tock

Arad abruptly rolled up Isabel’s left sleeve and plunged the needle into her vein.

Isabel, weakened by mana exhaustion, could only blankly watch as Arad worked.

“There’s a tiny hole in the needle.”

“Yes. To think someone could craft such a precise needle… Truly impressive.”

“Are you injecting something called a mana potion through the needle?”

“To directly inject a mana potion into the bloodstream… I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“He certainly has expertise in healing arts…”

Arina and Valkyrie watched Arad’s treatment with sparkling eyes.

The effects showed up in less than five minutes.

Isabel moved her body, feeling her mana restored to about 30%.

“How is this…?!”

Isabel stared at Arad in astonishment.

“Well then, could you explain the situation?”

Addressing such an astonished Isabel, Arad somewhat rudely requested.

“Do you mean the explanation, Mr. Jin?”

“Yes, the entire sequence of events leading to this chaos.”

“Explanation… I want to tell you, Lord Arad. But it’s impossible due to the curse.”

“Does this restriction steal mana?”

“Yes.”

“But why is it not affecting you right now?”

“…”

Isabel couldn’t continue speaking.

“Let me rephrase the question. What happens if you violate this restriction while in your current state? In other words, if Lady Isabel continues talking about matters related to this curse?”

“My forcibly replenished mana will be consumed again.”

“Will it be all at once like before?”

“That was an exceptional case… It will cause me to lose mana gradually, yet quickly.”

Just saying that caused beads of cold sweat to form on Isabel’s forehead.

“If repeated mana exhaustion occurs, my body will become incapable of using magic forever.”

“I understand. It’s a punishment that those who practice magic fear more than death.”

“Yes, Lord Arad.”

Listening to Isabel’s words, Arad’s eyes gleamed.

“That means if we can continuously replenish mana, we might hear the truth.”

“In theory, yes. But regarding this mana potion… After experiencing it firsthand, I understand how incredibly expensive it is to make and how limited the production quantity is.”

“In the case of mana potions, that’s true.”

Listening to Isabel, Arad pulled out something else from his bag as if he had expected this.

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