“The opposition between spiritualities, huh? Since ‘Stone’ opposes ‘Chalice,’ spiritual drugs made with ‘Stone’ can neutralize those made with ‘Chalice.’ So ‘Stone’ has detoxifying properties too...”
After listening to Aldrich’s explanation, Dorothy contemplated this concept. Then, turning her gaze back to Aldrich, she asked directly.
"Since it’s a spiritual drug made with ’Stone,’ I assume you must have some here?"
Looking at Aldrich, Dorothy posed her question again. Predictably, Aldrich nodded.
"Of course I have some. Since you’ve asked so pointedly, I suppose you’re set on getting it. Let’s not beat around the bush. Stone Powder, 20 pounds for 10 grams," he said, gesturing to illustrate the price. Without hesitation, Dorothy pulled out 60 pounds and placed it on the table.
"I’ll take 30 grams."
"No problem. Wait here."
Aldrich walked leisurely to a corner of his workshop, retrieved a glass bottle filled with gray powder from a wooden shelf, and opened its lid. He scooped a few spoonfuls and carefully weighed it on a balance scale—precisely 30 grams, no more, no less.
He wrapped the powder in paper, walked back to Dorothy, and handed her the package.
"Take this. Dissolve it in water before use. Remember, for every dose of ’Chalice’ drugs you consume, take an equal amount of this. The standard ratio is one-to-one. And if you don’t want to end up with permanent brain damage, don’t overdo it."Dorothy accepted the package and mentally retorted, “ ’Chalice’ drugs are addictive, ’Stone’ drugs cause dementia... I wonder what ’Lantern’ and ’Shadow’ drugs would do. If I ever learn to make drugs myself, maybe I can use ’Revelation’ to develop something that boosts intelligence. ”
With the drugs secured, Dorothy, now 80 pounds lighter, was ready to leave. However, Aldrich suddenly called out to her.
"By the way, Miss Mayschoss, I know you’re busy dealing with the Crimson Eucharist and don’t have time for school, but I should remind you: if you don’t want your end-of-term grades to raise suspicion with your guardian, you’d better not fall too far behind in your coursework."
"Don’t worry, sir. I’ve been diligently self-studying in my spare time. There’s nothing to worry about," Dorothy replied matter-of-factly.
Aldrich still didn’t know what kind of Beyonder she was.
"Heh, Miss Mayschoss, you seem confident in your self-study skills. However, I should let you know that our school calculates end-of-term grades based not only on academic courses but also on a crucial social practice score . If that score is zero, it will significantly impact your overall grade," Aldrich said with a grin.
Dorothy froze for a moment.
"Huh? Social practice?"
…
In the garden of Saint Amanda’s School, Dorothy, just out of the underground workshop, was strolling with a trace of annoyance.
"Huh? They actually have social practice classes here? I thought I made that up to fool Gregor! They seriously have social practice in this era?"
Dorothy never imagined Saint Amanda’s would genuinely include social practice activities, let alone factor them into the main grading system. According to a certain shrewd principal, it was a rule he personally established to avoid raising students who were nothing but bookworms.
" Phew... Fortunately, this practice score is only needed at the end of the term. There’s still enough time. For now, I’ll focus on solving the Crimson Eucharist problem first. "
With a deep breath, Dorothy decided to set the matter aside and concentrate on dealing with the Crimson Eucharist. While thinking this, she glanced at the small package in her hand.
"With this, those guys should believe I’ve been corrupted, right?"
…
A few days later, in the morning, at the White Pearl Street, Barnard’s Old Book Collection.
Old Clifford was studying the ledger behind the counter when he suddenly heard the sound of the door opening. Turning around, he saw the white-haired girl from before, holding a book as she stepped inside.
"Hello, Owner. I’m here to return a book," Dorothy said directly as she entered the store. Upon seeing her, Clifford’s eyes lit up, and he quickly replied.
"Oh... It’s the young lady from last time! Tell me, which books have you finished reading?"
"This one," Dorothy replied without wasting words, slapping the book down on the counter in front of Clifford. It was none other than a copy of "The Gospel of Radiance."
“Oh, so it’s this book… Miss, may I ask how you felt after reading it?” Seeing the book on the counter, Clifford paused slightly and cast a playful glance at Dorothy. She, on the other hand, appeared slightly uneasy as she spoke.
“Um… I was wondering if, by any chance, you accidentally included some pages from another book in it?” As she spoke, Dorothy pulled out a few loose pages and placed them on the counter. When Clifford saw them, he exclaimed with delight.
“Ah! So that’s where they were! I thought I had lost them. Turns out they got mixed in by mistake. Ah, look at how careless I am. Thank you, Miss, for bringing them back. These are pages from a very rare book.”
As he carefully collected the pages, Clifford spoke in a tone of relief, as though he had recovered a priceless treasure. Dorothy, watching this scene, hesitated with a conflicted expression.
“Um… well… that…”
Seeing Dorothy’s demeanor, Clifford narrowed his eyes slightly, a look of curiosity crossing his face as he asked, “Miss, is there something you’d like to say?”
“Um… actually, I wanted to ask… does that, um, novel… have more pages?” Dorothy asked with a nervous expression. Hearing her question, a self-satisfied smile appeared on Clifford’s lips.
“ Got her! She’s already under the influence of the ‘poison.’ ”
“Oh, yes, of course! This ‘TheTaste of Crimson’ is one of my prized collections. I’ve painstakingly gathered it page by page. I didn’t expect you, Miss, to appreciate it too!”
Clifford chuckled and continued, “Kindred spirits are rare in this world. Since our tastes align so well, Miss, how about I lend you the next few pages to read?”
“Really? That would be wonderful! Thank you, Owner!”
“Hehe, don’t mention it. It’s rare these days to find someone who truly appreciates such works…”
As he spoke, Clifford took out a few pages from under the counter, already prepared, and handed them to Dorothy, who eagerly accepted them.
After borrowing two additional, ordinary books and thanking Clifford again, Dorothy left the bookshop. Watching her departing figure, the smile on Clifford’s face grew even more sinister.
Meanwhile, outside the shop, Dorothy held the pages tightly in her hand, her lips curving into a similar sly smile.
…
Over the next week or so, Dorothy visited Clifford’s bookstore every few days to borrow books. Each time, Clifford would slip her more pages from The Taste of Crimson, with the quantity steadily increasing. After several trips, Dorothy had read nearly the entire mystic book.
Because the ‘Chalice’ aspect held significant spiritual value for Dorothy, she chose to directly extract the spirituality contained within the book for her accumulation. In total, she gained 3 points of ‘Chalice’ and 1 point of ‘Revelation.’
At this point, Dorothy’s spiritual reserves stood at 6 points of ‘Revelation,’ 8 points of ‘Chalice,’ 4 points of ‘Shadow,’ 1 point of ‘Silence,’ and 1 point of ‘Stone.’ Of her ‘Revelation’ points, 5 were self-replenishing.
During her interactions with Clifford, Dorothy deliberately appeared increasingly enraptured by the book’s content, seemingly obsessed with the knowledge of ‘Chalice.’ This behavior convinced Clifford that the time was ripe.
…
One afternoon, in Clifford’s bookstore, Dorothy sat before the counter, her expression dazed. Clifford, observing the final pages she had just returned, smiled as he asked, “So, Miss Mayschoss, how do you feel after finishing ‘The Taste of Crimson’? Care to share your thoughts? Let’s call it a little book club discussion among friends.”
“Hmm… my thoughts? It feels… strange. A kind of indescribable strangeness. I so badly wish I could keep reading, but it just ended there… It’s over. I want to know what the next wine tastes like, but why didn’t the story continue…”
Looking at the pages before her, Dorothy spoke slowly, her expression still somewhat dazed. Seeing her reaction, Clifford’s grin widened. He knew it was time to take the next step.
“The taste of the next wine… ah, yes. That’s exactly the mystery left hanging at the end of the book. It’s the kind of story that leaves one yearning for more. I completely understand how you feel. I’ve been through it myself—after finishing the book, I couldn’t stop wondering what the wine in the story would truly taste like.”
“And then, I took it a step further. I wanted to experience it for myself. Luckily, I managed to find the answer…”
As he spoke, Clifford picked up a teapot from the counter and poured a steaming cup of red tea. He placed it in front of Dorothy and said with a sly smile, “Miss Mayschoss, instead of just reading about it, wouldn’t you like to taste it for yourself?”