Looking at the steaming cup of tea on the counter before her, Dorothy’s eyes grew increasingly unfocused. She glanced at the liquid in the cup and spoke hesitantly to Clifford.
"Owner... are you saying that this cup of tea contains the flavor described in that novel?"
"Yes, it absolutely does. After I unintentionally got my hands on that novel and finished reading it, I lost my appetite and couldn’t sleep. I was consumed by a relentless search in the real world for that taste. Ah... thinking back on those tormented days of yearning is unbearable. But thankfully, six years ago, I miraculously found it, and from that moment, I was freed from the anguish."
As he spoke, Clifford nudged the cup slightly forward, placing it closer to Dorothy.
"And this... this is the flavor I discovered. Go ahead, Miss Mayschoss, have a taste. I promise it will be unforgettable."
Clifford’s face bore a clear smile as he urged Dorothy. She stared at the teacup in front of her and muttered softly.
"Unforgettable, huh?"
Muttering to herself, Dorothy slowly lifted the teacup. Under Clifford’s expectant gaze, she drank the tea completely. Her expression became momentarily hazy.
"How does it feel, Miss Mayschoss?"
"Um... it feels strange, yet wonderful... deeply satisfying. I feel as if I’ve never tasted anything this delicious before. My goodness... by the Holy Mother, this is a flavor unlike anything I’ve ever experienced..."Dorothy’s voice carried a dreamy tone of delight. Seeing her reaction, Clifford burst into laughter.
"See, Miss Mayschoss? I wasn’t lying, was I?"
"Thank you, Owner. You weren’t lying at all. I believe this is indeed the flavor described in the novel. But, may I ask... do you have more?" Dorothy asked curiously.
Clifford, seemingly prepared, pulled out a small paper pouch and placed it in front of her.
"This here is the secret to that flavor. Take it with you. If you want to experience that taste again, just dissolve a little in water and drink it. Of course, sprinkling it on food will give it a different texture—it’s up to you to decide." Clifford elaborated.
Listening to him, Dorothy hesitated momentarily before speaking.
"Um... how much does this cost?"
"Ha-ha, it’s free! How could I charge a fellow enthusiast I’ve been so fortunate to meet?" Clifford laughed.
Hearing this, Dorothy hesitated briefly before putting the pouch into her bag.
"Thank you, Owner."
"No need to thank me. If it’s run out, feel free to come back for more. Oh, and remember, when adding the powder, make sure no one else sees you."
Clifford added a word of caution, to which Dorothy nodded in acknowledgment.
"Thank you, Owner. I’ll keep that in mind. Goodbye."
With that, Dorothy gathered the books she had rented and stepped out of the bookstore. As Clifford watched her retreating figure and glanced at the empty teacup on the counter, the smile on his face grew more sinister.
“ Heh heh... everything is progressing smoothly. Now I just need to wait until she’s fully under control and then use her to corrupt Gregorius. With the effect of the ’Chalice’ drug, it won’t take long... ”
Clifford felt confident. To him, the captain of the Serenity Bureau’s Hunter Squad was as good as his. For the Crimson Eucharist, which had suffered consecutive losses, this was a rare stroke of good fortune.
…
On the bustling streets of Igwynt, a carriage moved through the noisy thoroughfare. Inside the carriage, Dorothy massaged her temples. Her body felt restless, her heart stirring with a burgeoning desire—a growing thirst to taste that rich, fragrant tea again.
Clearly, this was a side effect of consuming the ’Chalice’ drug.
“ Heh... it seems my immunity to the cognitive poison from the knowledges doesn’t extend to substances affecting the body. I’ll have to be more cautious about eating or drinking in unfamiliar places in the future... ”
As these thoughts crossed her mind, Dorothy glanced at her watch, making a mental calculation.
"Three o’clock in the afternoon. It’s been half an hour since I drank the first dose of the drug, and the thirst has already started to set in. Although it’s still mild, it’s clear this feeling will intensify over time... I need to determine the limit."
Setting the watch down, Dorothy closed her eyes and rested, focusing on the escalating thirst within her. She remained composed, waiting for the carriage to reach its destination.
When the carriage finally stopped at the side of Southern Sunflower Street, Dorothy disembarked, paid the fare, and ascended to her apartment. Inside, she sat on the sofa, continuing to endure the surging thirst until it became nearly unmanageable. At that point, she opened her eyes and quickly retrieved an item from her bag.
It was a marked test tube containing a grayish-white powder.
Dorothy fetched a teacup, filled it with tea, and set it before her. Carefully, she opened the test tube and began sprinkling the powder into the cup...
Activating her visual appraisal ability, Dorothy’s eyes could discern a faint gray glow emanating from the tea as the ’Stone’ spirituality took effect.
This was the passive ability of the Cain Appraisal Skill. It allowed Dorothy to perceive the influence of the spirituality on objects and to determine the intensity of the effect.
Thanks to the exceptional memory afforded by her Cognizer abilities, Dorothy recalled the precise level of the ’Chalice’ effect in the tea she drank at the bookstore. Matching that intensity, she skillfully prepared an identical dose of ’Stone’ tea.
Too little, and the ’Chalice’ influence would linger. Too much, and the ’Stone’ would adversely affect her intellect. Fortunately, as a Cognizer, Dorothy’s precision was unparalleled. Achieving 100% accuracy posed no challenge for her.
Once prepared, Dorothy resealed the test tube, drank the tea in one go, and lay back on the sofa. Slowly, the restless thirst and cravings subsided, leaving her mind clear once more.
"Phew... done."
Letting out a deep breath, Dorothy muttered to herself. She glanced at the time again.
"Five-thirty in the afternoon. I drank the tea at two-thirty. Based on this experiment, the interval between doses of the ’Chalice’ drug and the onset of uncontrollable cravings is roughly three hours. It might vary slightly from person to person, perhaps by half an hour or so..."
Dorothy murmured, noting down this important data.
Next, she pulled out the small pouch Clifford had given her. Studying it briefly, a faint smile appeared on her lips.
"Now that all the conditions are in place, it’s time to help my brother’s company catch their mole."