Chapter 5 Helixia

Picking up the Elixir, I immediately pressed it to my lips. I could feel the bitter liquid flowing down my throat, making me frown and almost vomit.

"I don't remember anyone mentioning anything about the potions being disgusting..."

The taste of the liquid was revolting, but I forced myself to swallow it. The Elixir was probably my only hope of repairing my body and I wouldn't dare spit it out.

I attempted to dull the Elixir's taste with water from the lake, but the flavor still lingered in my mouth.

Giving up on trying to clean my mouth, I started observing my body for any signs of change. Despite my hopes, there was no observable difference. I even waited for a full five minutes, but still, there was no change.

"I guess my body was just simply weak..."

As I began to rise to my feet, the world around me began to spin, and I stumbled, falling back onto the ground. Suddenly, a strange heat rose from my stomach, coursing through my body and traveling to every limb. The temperature climbed higher and higher until it became utterly unbearable.

"Aghhh!"

I exclaimed, as the unbearable heat surged through my body making me wail in pain. It felt like molten metal was flowing through my veins.

Frantically, I tried to lower my temperature by submerging myself in the water, but it had no effect.

Tears streamed down my face, as I struggled to remain awake and yet, despite the agony, it was only half as excruciating as when I reincarnated into Aiden's body.

I gritted my teeth, bit my lips, tears continued to pour down my face, but I managed to remain conscious until the heat finally subsided. I wasn't certain if it was a curse or a blessing, but I knew that my pain threshold had reached an entirely new level.

Huff...

Drawing in a deep breath, I submerged myself in the water, scrubbing away the strange black residue that clung to my skin. I wasn't certain what the substance was, but I suspected it was the leftover remnants of the curse that had been eating away at my body.

"Status!"

I spoke, my voice quivering from anticipation as an azure window appeared before my eyes.



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My mouth curved into a smile as I silently observed the changes within my status window.

"I've raised my rank by a minor realm!"

I exclaimed, surprised and thrilled to discover that the Elixir had not only cured my body, but had also helped me advance in rank.

The feeling of growing stronger was indeed incredibly addictive...

"It's time to go..."

Diving underneath the water, I quickly swam to the shore to retrieve my clothes and once I was dressed, I began walking towards Helixia.

With all of my necessary preparations completed, it was time for me to purchase some much-needed items. Even my sword was already dull from chipping away at the skeleton's bones, so I was also in need to find a new weapon.

"I still have around 14,000 Arcons left..."

Lost in thought while calculating how much money I had left, I unwittingly passed through the guard post and found myself wandering the bustling streets of the city. My mind was so preoccupied with planning what to purchase that I barely registered the people and sights around me. It wasn't until I accidentally collided with a passerby that I was jolted back to reality.

"Sorry!"

I heard someone whisper, causing me to lift my eyes from the ground. There before me stood a cloaked figure, her face shrouded in the shadow of her hood. My gaze trailed down to the sword that hung confidently at her hip, while her straight posture betrayed her proficiency in combat.

"Rose..."

I blurted out without thinking, causing the hooded figure to flinch. Realizing my mistake, I immediately brought my hand up to cover my mouth in regret. Cursing myself for my thoughtless words, I quickly averted my gaze and walked past her, quickly melting into the crowd to escape any further embarrassment.

'Shit!'

Walking away, I let out a ton of swears, realizing that my careless words would have serious consequences. The passerby I had inadvertently addressed as Rose was none other than one of the renowned protagonists of Leclentia, and also a member of the current royal elf family. What's more, she was my classmate as well.

I could already envision being interrogated on how I knew her identity, because the cloak she wore was able to perfectly conceal one's face.

Ahhhh...

Massaging my templates I let out a sigh, feeling the weight of trouble bearing down on me.

"Maybe she'll forget my face?"

I murmured under my breath, but quickly shook my head, feeling a bitter smile form on my lips. I knew that there was no way that Rose could ever forget a face of a person, who had recognized her even while she wore an item crafted by the dwarves, who were renowned as some of the finest craftsmen in the world.

Feeling a throbbing headache building, I ran my fingers through my hair in frustration and tried to let go of the subject. I knew that it was already beyond my control and there was no point dwelling on it any longer.

Clink...

I walked into a weapon store, known in Helixia for its cheap, but good products. As I stepped through the door, I was greeted by an old man with striking grey hair and a long, flowing beard that gave him a wise and venerable appearance.

"Welcome to my humble shop!"

As the old man took in my appearance, his eyebrows slightly rose upon seeing my wet hair, which was yet to dry from when I had swam in the lake. However, he didn't comment on it, instead gesturing for me to explore the long rows of weapons that were on display, each with a small description beneath them.

My eyes were instantly drawn towards the section of the store that housed many swords, and I made my way towards it, bypassing the other weapons on display.