Island of Wisdom (11)
At that moment, a Red Eagle cloaked in black robes sneaked into the laboratory.
“G-Great news, Lord Fritz!”
“And why are you here again?!”
“All the comrades guarding the Central Tower have been subdued. The water ether contamination also failed. As for the ones who planned to deal with the Archsage, they only reported that the Golden Elixir isn’t with him, and since then, there’s been no contact.”
“What have you even done besides securing the magic amplifiers! I gave you everything from the island’s entrance to the Central Tower secret passage—you should’ve handled it!”
Fritz was furious, but deep down, he felt relieved that the water ether contamination mission had failed. It had been an operation he was forced to execute under a superior’s orders, and since it failed, he could continue his experiments without issue.
Suppressing a smile, Fritz stared at the large flask.
The golden liquid set atop the dark magic circle was thankfully bubbling away.
“I just need to make the Golden Elixir. Then everything will be under my control.”
Of course, he would have to give the Golden Elixir to the Red Eagles, but as long as he could sit in the Archsage’s seat, that didn’t matter.
‘Now that I’ve taken the Philosopher’s Stone from Kuran, I can complete it.’
He did have another Philosopher’s Stone given by Gale, but it was hidden away secretly. He preferred using Kuran’s stone rather than misusing Gale’s gift.
‘But where did Gale even get the Philosopher’s Stone?’
What a foolish woman. If she had given it earlier, completion would have been much faster.
At that moment, someone kicked the laboratory door open.
Bang! The torn door flew toward the wall, smashing the experimental equipment in the process.
“So only three Eagles remain, huh.”
Standing where the door had been was Martian Wiegraetz.
His smiling face looked unusually cheerful.
“Y-You!”
“There’s only one skilled person worth trying this on.”
Martian’s gaze fell on a woman wearing a thin dress. She raised her eyebrow.
“Oh my, handsome. Are you interested in me?”
“Not really.”
“Oh, not really? Do you like other women then?”
“I’ve never liked anyone, so I wouldn’t know.”
Martian drew his sword, as sharp as his piercing eyes.
“But I know very well what I dislike.”
“What do you dislike?”
“Lately, I’m annoyed when someone I dislike is alone with someone else I dislike.”
“Is that guy a man?”
“Yes. So I’ll finish this quickly.”
Without hesitation, Martian swung his sword toward the woman.
“Ah!” The woman widened her eyes, deftly dodged, and tilted her head.
“But you know, people usually call that… gay, don’t they?”
Meanwhile, Lukna was talking with Bolton.
Bolton had laid the unconscious Kuran on the bed and bombarded Lukna with questions, which she answered diligently.
“So you’re saying the herbal tea I drank had Karzan’s deadly poison in it?”
“Yes.”
“And you were the one who made the antidote?”
“Correct. Using a method someone taught me a long time ago.”
It wasn’t a lie. The vision she saw earlier must have been a memory from her early childhood.
Bolton began sobbing at the thought that he had given poison to his master.
“Waaah! I’m the idiot here! You, who made the antidote, are the greatest alchemist.”
“Stop crying, Bolton.”
Lukna wiped the tears from his eyes with her hand.
“Haah… but why did you hit my cheek earlier?”
“Did it hurt?”
“No… it felt good.”
“……Huh?”
“Well, it hurt at the time, but knowing you did it for something important made it feel good.”
Bolton, his face flushed, awkwardly mumbled his explanation.
“Oh, I see. Thank you for understanding. I needed the tears of someone who loves the poisoned person as an ingredient for the antidote.”
At those words, Bolton leaned his large frame over Kuran’s body.
“Master! This is how I feel about you!”
“…Be gentle, my head’s ringing,” Kuran said slowly, his voice hoarse as he regained consciousness.
“Master, I’m sorry! I gave you the poisoned tea, and you almost died. But the scandal mustn’t happen.”
Bolton clung to Kuran with his massive body.
It was amusing that a man who had once swung a war hammer at the military academy like a giant became a whining child in front of his master.
“You’re killing me even more, you idiot!”
“Waaah, Master!”
“A giant like you crying like a baby… now I really understand your heart!”
“I’m sorry! Don’t push me away!”
“Who said I’d push you away? You needed to pour love into the antidote, didn’t you?”
“…Huh?”
Bolton widened his single eye. Kuran clicked his tongue.
“Look at this. What else would you call a man like this if not an idiot?”
“Ah, haha.”
“Besides, he’s been a hothead since he was young. He never tolerated my fiery temper and only listens to what he wants to hear.”
That’s why he was called an idiot. No matter how smart someone is, if they can’t control their temper, they’re practically worthless.
“Master…!”
“Learn to control your temper properly by the time you graduate. Only then will I accept you as my disciple again.”
Ah, this is exhausting. Kuran lay back on the bed and closed his eyes.
The quiet room echoed with soft snoring.
Bolton wiped the tears from his arm, tapped Lukna on the shoulder, and called her outside.
“…Let’s talk a bit, idiot.”
Why “idiot” again? Earlier he called her the greatest alchemist.
“First, I’m sorry for yelling earlier!”
Bolton bowed slightly to apologize.
Although he had fallen from prominence, he was also from a baronial family. Nobles only bow when their heads are about to be severed, so this apology was unexpected.
“G-Get your head up.”
The excessive politeness made Lukna adjust his shoulders.
Bolton slumped, muttering:
“I don’t deserve to lift my head. I failed to recognize the person who saved my master and yelled in a panic. I have no face to look at you, idiot.”
His rough exterior hid a surprisingly soft interior.
Lukna sighed and thought of Ched, who had bullied her with a shiny, smooth face. Compared to that annoying brat, Bolton was almost innocent.
“It’s fine. Anyone could’ve misunderstood the situation.”
“Thanks for understanding, idiot.”
Bolton slowly lifted his head and scratched it.
“Can you stop calling me an idiot? Here, you’re the idiot.”
“W-Whatever I want, that’s all.”
Bolton’s face flushed as he stubbornly persisted.
“Ah, and this.”
Lukna handed Bolton the box she had received earlier from Sage Kuran.
“Kuran said to give this to you. I guess he was too shy to hand it over himself.”
“What’s this? Huh!”
Bolton opened the box, eyes wide, and carefully held a large glass orb in his hands.
It was an alchemically perfected prosthetic eye.
“Kuran really wanted to make sure you got your eye.”
“M-Master?! Heh, I guess he hated my eyepatch, huh?”
“Do you really think so?”
“…No.”
Bolton pressed his lips together, tears welling up.
He whispered softly, knowing the truth: that he was cherished. Little droplets fell from the lively eye.
“Haha, are you always this emotional? A pirate-looking guy, really?”
“No, I’m not crying! It’s sweat! And I don’t look like a pirate!”
Bolton yelled, turning around.
Then he lifted the eyepatch to his forehead and fiddled with his eyes, preparing to fit the prosthetic Kuran had given him.
After struggling for a while, he let out a small gasp. Then he slowly moved his head, looking around.
“This is insane. I can see?! Wow… I can really see!”
Bolton turned his massive body to face Lukna.
His previously fierce expression softened into bold, cheerful features once the eyepatch was removed.
Although the face looked slightly older, the prosthetic’s subtle color made it impossible for anyone to realize it wasn’t natural.
“That suits you, Bolton.”
“R-Really?”
Bolton scratched the side of his head, cheeks burning.
“Yes. Can you see better than before?”
“Of course. I can see your pretty face more clearly too.”
Bolton unintentionally spoke sincerely, then quickly closed his lips.
“Ah, I mean…”
His complexion immediately turned bright red.
He waved his massive hands around helplessly.
“A man with a face like a woman… my words keep coming out wrong! So before my feelings go wild, introduce me to Giselle Golden!”
