CH 285.2

“I need an antidote! Cry-san accidentally drank an undiluted solution of it――” (Sytry)

I see………… I see that you are still sloppy when it comes to your love affair.

Nikolalf sighs without showing what he was thinking.

Even if it was her old Academy, it was strange that Sytry brought in such a legendary Potion without keeping it to herself, but everything makes sense with what she just said.

It was the only and fatal weakness of the nearly perfect Sytry Smart. If it were not for this shortcoming, she would have been the best Alchemist in the world, but she cannot be a full-fledged Alchemist if she keeps forcing important experiments on others and leaves just because she was called by her boyfriend (Even if it was not very often).

Normally Sytry would try to duplicate the Potion first and foremost, not make an antidote. No――Even other Alchemists would do so. Even if it is a legendary Potion that has not been reproduced for hundreds of years, an analysis of the real thing should at least give you a hint as to how to make it.

And the reason why Sytry brought the potion without a second thought is probably because creating an antidote is much more difficult than replicating the actual product.

It takes time, equipment, and manpower.  That is why she had to ask for my cooperation. If she could recreate the Potion, she would engrave her name in the legend――Even if you would need to fall from grace as an Alchemist.

I yelled at Sytry, who tried to keep her composure but couldn’t hide her agitation.

“As an Alchemist, you should always remain calm! Stop being so shaken, Sytry!” (Nikolalf)

“But……” (Sytry)

In the first place, Sytry is greatly mistaken. If it was the usual calm and collected Sytry, she would have definitely noticed it――That was why I couldn’t help but chide this former apprentice of mine for being in such a pathetic state.

Strawberry Blaze is a Magic Potion. Magic Potions often have different principles to them than ordinary Potions.

According to legend, with the Subordination Potion, you could completely control the person who drank it. But then, how did the drinker recognize the person who gave them the drink?

It would be the person who is right in front of you right after drinking it――Not. Under such uncertain conditions, tragedy wouldn’t have occurred.

Various researchers racked their brains on it. All information about the Potion had been erased, but they unraveled the history books and discussed the matter based on the only remaining record of the devastation.

As a result, one conclusion came to light.

It accurately makes the drinker obey the user. It is a Magic Potion because it can do that. And that absurd power is the main reason why Strawberry Blaze has never been recreated.

Perhaps, this medicine was something that could not be reproduced with Alchemy alone――Its overly absurd properties are more akin to 『Cursed Art』 than 『Magic』 which you can theorize.

It is said that the reason why the existence of the Potion that can control the subject came to light and became a target for eradication was because the controller died and those who were able to escape its control came to their senses.

And this case confirms that this speculation is correct.

This Potion puts the subject under the control of the user. Hence――It has no effect if you give it to yourself to drink.

《Infinite Variety (Senpen Banka)》 probably tried it with that in mind. The risk was too high――As I have been thinking for a long time, he is really suitable to be an Alchemist.

Nikolalf was silent for a while and then said in a stifled voice.

“………… An antidote, huh…… If my former apprentice asks me to do this, I have no choice. Let’s get the members together right away and get to work. In secret.” (Nikolalf)

Primus Academy of Magic Sciences is not a monolith. Even the chairman of the Academy has a lot of enemies. In the first place, there is no way that he can lead Alchemists and scholars who have so many various ethics and objectives.

The competition is so fierce that it cannot be compared to Zebrudia Academy of Magic, and sometimes people die fighting over rare materials brought in for experiments.

This was a unique opportunity.

We will manufacture the antidote, but I will also replicate it. If we succeed in doing so and elucidate the principle behind it, it will open the door to new knowledge. If the principle behind it is elucidated, it is quite possible that the common knowledge of potions will change in the future.

Perhaps it will spark a war, but it is not Nikolalf’s concern in what direction the technology created will go.

I give instructions to my trusted assistant to get ready. As my assistant leaves the room with a strained expression, Sytry takes a breath and bows her head.

“You have my best regards.” (Sytry)

She is an excellent disciple. Excellent, but also has her weaknesses. As her “Teacher (Shisho)”, she is easy to handle, which is very good.

To begin with, as a Level 8 Hunter, his ability to absorb Mana Material should be reasonably high. The Imperial Capital of Zebrudia is located in a place filled with Mana Material that is just barely under the threshold of Phantoms appearing and he must be challenging countless high-level Treasure Shrines.

Against such a man, it doesn’t matter if it is the Strawberry Blaze that has destroyed countries――There is a good chance that it will not work on him. The power of Treasure Hunters is completely different now than it was hundreds of years ago. Human beings’ ability to absorb Mana Material has continued to increase with each passing generation.

Regardless of the reason, when you see that you are able to have a conversation with him despite him drinking it, you should understand that it didn’t work. So this is the case of what you call love makes you blind.

It is a sentiment long lost inside Nikolalf, but failure is the source of success. I hope this incident will cause you to look at yourself a little more closely.

Just as he was thinking about this――A strong dizziness suddenly hit Nicolalf. The large bell on the corner of his desk began to ring loudly.

I put my hand on the desk, check the surroundings and look at the vents near the ceiling.

The bell is a device used to detect gas outbreaks. It is an essential tool in an Alchemist’s laboratory.

In an instant, I grasped the situation. This is――An attack.

I don’t know if it is sleep, paralysis, or poison, but it is a gaseous attack to subdue me. It is quite a feat to make Nikolalf dizzy, who, by virtue of his profession, has Mana Material allocated to ailment resistance.

And there are only a limited number of people who can attack this room, which exists in the deepest part of the Academy of Magical Science.

Thanks to Sytry being a Hunter, it seems like this level of gas does not do her any damage.

Their objective is clear. I close the lid of the metallic canteen tightly and simultaneously activate all the security golems of the laboratory that were lined up along the wall of the room. Specially made golems with slim bodies are lined up at Nikolalf’s order.

“Damn, did they already sniff it out――I am the chairman of the Academy, you know! Golems, kill every last one of those thieves trying to steal the potion! I won’t let you have it, I will never let you have it! Sytry is my former apprentice! This potion is also my experimental material!” (Nikolalf

Did that assistant betray me or did the other labs notice the pale Sytry and followed her?

Either way, we will kill them all. I will never hand over such valuable material. I inject a homemade all-purpose antidote (Untested) to cure the dizziness.

Sytry timidly approached Nikolalf, who had an impatient look on his face.

“Uuuum………… I want to start researching on an antidote as soon as possible――” (Sytry)

“Sytry, you should take action too! If they steal it, we won’t be able to create the antidote! They will use every means at their disposal to rob us. This gas is a lethal one!” (Nikolalf)

The golems kicked down the door and went outside, and almost at the same time, a violent explosion shook the building. A few pieces of the golem scatter.

They are coming with the intent to kill us. They are going to take this Strawberry Blaze even if it means getting rid of Nikolalf.

We must prevent the story from spreading. We have to get rid of them all――.

“Let’s go Sytry. It’s war!” (Nikolalf)

Nikolalf’s eyes lit up as he stood up, but the 《Worst of the Worst (Saitei Saiyaku)》 was astonished.