The effect of the antidote tormented Leon for ten minutes, during which his skin bled terribly until the ground underneath was covered in red.
When the last bit of the poison was repelled, Angor quickly cast Heal to treat Leon. However, the basic healing cantrip could only cure superficial wounds. It was Thewis who helped mend Leon’s broken bones and inner organs.
When the treatment ended, Leon’s head jerked to one side as he fell unconscious again.
“He needs at least a week to grow back all the blood he lost.” Thewis used his spirit to check Leon’s condition. “Oh wait, his spirit gained another level?”
“Really?” Angor also looked at his brother.
“Perhaps he pushed his ‘iron will’ to its limit while enduring the antidote. I must say he’s the most steadfast mortal I’ve ever seen.”
“My brother’s spiritual power level is 11 now?”
“Correct. The ‘iron will’ technique is designed to help mortals raise their spirit level. Three points are the upper limit. Not many trainees can achieve that limit, but Leon managed.”
“A coin always has two sides, I guess,” Eureka chipped in. “It’s beyond difficult for a mortal or anyone to improve their spirit. The incident isn’t all about bad things for Leon.”
Still, Angor hoped that such things did not happen if possible.
...
It was three in the morning when Angor carried Leon back to the manor. The house knights as well as Mana had returned, who was now looking at Leon’s weak form with a worried look.
“Nothing too serious. According to the doctor, he simply needs more rest. A few days and he’ll be as lively as before,” Angor comforted.
Mana was almost weeping. “I was so scared when I heard that Viscount Leon went missing near the waterfalls. It was as if—”
Mana stopped speaking as they both realized where this was going.
Sixteen years ago, when Padt Manor was striving through the coldest winter they had in a while, a beautiful lady named Hypatia lost her footing during her travel and fell into the pond below the waterfall. She was rescued by someone later, but being drenched in the freezing water had left a nasty condition in her body. After struggling on a sickbed for two weeks, Hypatia grievously bade farewell to this world.
She was the wife of Old Viscount Padt and the mother of Angor and Leon.
This was why Mana summoned all the knights in the manor to desperately look for Leon as soon as she heard about the incident. She feared that the tragedy would repeat itself.
“Everything will be fine now...” Angor muttered to himself.
He then asked Mana to take care of Leon and left the room. He had another important task right now, which was to ascertain Thewis’ intention.
The main manor hall was brightly lit with lamps and candles, and both Thewis and Eureka were taking it easy on a soft sofa. No one was speaking, yet the convenient silence almost seemed coordinated.
Eureka usually didn’t come here as she didn’t want to get bothered by the working servants. Most of the time, she would either rest in Jon’s stilt house or beside the Demeter.
Angor knew that Eureka was here waiting for him. So was Thewis.
As he expected, Thewis saw him coming and pointed to a seat nearby.
“Well well well, Angor, good at keeping your little secrets, which is not surprising, eh? Half a year has passed, yet I completely have no idea of your amazing alchemy accomplishment.” Eureka showed an annoyed look.
Angor was expecting this to happen. Although he was a bit surprised to notice that Eureka wasn’t actually angry at him. Rather, she said those words in a joking way.
“I did not keep it a secret. I never had time to do alchemy in front of you because I needed to tend to Jon,” said Angor.
“Sounds legit. Yeah, Jon is more important to you.” Eureka’s tone turned sharper. “Since I now know that you can do alchemy...”
Angor thought Eureka was going to ask him to brew potions for her, which did not happen.
“You broke Brulee’s glass. You should take responsibility and make it right then.”
Angor raised an eyebrow and tried to recall the fight between him and Brulee when he first returned to Padt Manor. The owl did wear a monocle back then.
He considered and nodded. Making a monocle didn’t sound too hard.
Thewis asked, “Seeley told me that you found a Dream Weaver for Jon?”
“So I can grant Mister Jon a pleasant dream, sir.” Angor nodded. Here it comes...
“Using Jon’s dream as a bridge to speak to him. That’s quite creative of you.”
“I always wanted to talk to him again, and since I happen to know how to use simple Dream Manipulator cantrips, I came up with this plan.” Angor tried to divert the focus of their discussion. “Jon’s body is still weakening by the day, while I have nothing to help. May I know if you have a way to cure him, Mister Thewis?”
“I looked. I’m afraid I can’t do better than keeping him alive for the moment with that Vitalizer, which you already did. Why don’t you ask Master Mithra for help? Since you have his handbook, you must know each other, no?”
“We’re not really friends yet. I prefer keeping Jon’s existence from others unless I must do otherwise. Please understand, Mister Thewis.”
“That, I agree with you. But I must say you have a better chance of finding a solution from others, compared to doing everything all by yourself.”
Angor frowned. According to Eureka, Thewis probably wanted to keep Jon to himself as well. But it didn’t seem to be the case right now.
“Feel free to ask me if you need my help later.” Thewis ended the subject here, much to Angor’s confusion. “I have another matter to discuss with you. But we shall talk somewhere else.”
Thewis stood up and put a hand on Angor’s shoulder.
Angor felt an overwhelming power blocking his senses all of a sudden. When he could see clearly again, he found himself floating in the middle of an eerily dark and narrow space, while the boundaries signified by a chaotic energy barrier were not far from him.
“This is the Banishment Realm. You’ll have to get used to it as he can only create such a tiny safe zone,” Eureka said from behind him and playfully rested a slim hand on his shoulder.
“Banishment?” Angor failed to recognize such a name. Although he wasn’t going to ask because Eureka probably wouldn’t explain.
He patiently waited for Thewis to speak first.
He noticed that Thewis’ expression was getting dangerously darker upon arriving here. He was getting worried that Thewis had decided to murder him in this private place where nobody could see.
Thewis moved to him, grabbed Eureka’s arm, and pulled her away into a hug, which somewhat explained why he had that pissed look.
“Hey!” Eureka protested and rubbed her arm. “It hurts. You looking for a fight?”
“Easy there.” Thewis’ grim look quickly turned into that of a smile. “You look prettier by my side.”
Seriously now? Angor almost rolled his eyes.
“Ahem.” Thewis looked at Angor. “Like I said, I have something to ask of you.”
“What is it, sir?”
Thewis reached into his storage space and found a luxurious-looking crown that gave out a red glimmer.
Angor scowled upon seeing the item.
“You know what this is?” asked Thewis.
Of course Angor recognized it. He crafted it himself.
“A fake Crimson Crown,” Thewis continued without waiting for Angor’s answer. “Irisa told me that you made this one.”
“That’s right...”
Not only that, he even went out of his way to recreate the entire magic array engraved on the crown, when he didn’t need to.