episode_0182

Episode 182.

Is there an antidote? The moment I heard those words, I felt as if all the physical and mental fatigue that had accumulated throughout the day was blown away.

I immediately grabbed his shoulder and asked him urgingly.

There is “? I’ll buy it! how much is this? As much money as you ask for…”

“Now, calm down, Princess Sarah Lustier. I only said that I had the antidote to the Basilisk, but didn’t say that I would sell it yet.”

“What? What kind of… are you making fun of people?”

“That is a reserved item. This means that another owner has been decided. Therefore, it cannot be sold to Princess Sarah Lustier. I don’t know the reason, but it seems like you’re in a hurry and I’m sorry.”

It’s a reserved item? This time, it felt like his voice had become a pit of abyss and was pulling me down into the ground.

But you can’t give up easily. This may be the only way to obtain the basilisk antidote. If you miss this opportunity, Reelia…

I spoke in a voice that had regained my composure a little.

“Who booked it? Please take me to him. I will convince you. Then there is no problem, right?”

“No. That would be impossible. Because the customer is in a far away country. Hyohyohyo, and Princess Sera Lustier, I am proud of you, but I am not someone worthy of your authority.”

I am not from this country… But I had no intention of giving up.

“I see. Since you are a merchant too, it is natural that you value trust. But in the end, the goal is profit, right? I will give you a reward that is more than enough to compensate for that trust. If you’re ordering it from a faraway country, a slight delay won’t break your trust too much. Escarade, I really need the antidote.”

I held his shoulder tightly and gave him a look that told me I would never back down. I could feel the embarrassment on Escalade’s barely visible face.

It is never a good idea to reveal one side’s desperation in a transaction. But I was already in a state where I couldn’t relax. In that case, it would be better to show the will to never let them go.

In the end, he is just a wandering merchant. If you didn’t agree to the deal, there were plenty of ways to obtain the item through non-trade methods. If you’re smart, there’s no way you wouldn’t know.

Escarade answered reluctantly.

“Fuyu, I understand. If Princess Sarah Lustier says so, we will sell it. However, you will have to pay a very high price.”

“Of course! I’ll give you any amount of money. For an amount that could buy even a dragon…”

“No, no. What I want is not money, Princess Sarah Lustier. The price for the basilisk antidote I want is… your three days.”

“What?”

I calmed down and took my hand off Escarade’s shoulder. No matter how much my mind was filled with things about Leelia, I wasn’t stupid enough to offer myself as a condition of business to such a suspicious merchant.

“What does that mean? You want my three days… If you don’t explain it properly, you’ll be in big trouble.”

“Please do not misunderstand, Princess Sarah Lustier. It doesn’t mean what you think it means. All I want is to seal your abilities for three days.”

“…sealing the ability?”

“Yes, I will suspend all your authority and abilities for 3 days from the moment I wish. That’s what I meant when I said I wanted three days for the princess. The authority as a princess, the insight to foresee the future, the witch’s eyes, and the witch’s grimoire.”

What is this guy?

I know things that a simple merchant cannot know. The request just now was also difficult to understand from common sense. I could only accept that sealing my abilities meant that they would confront me someday.

Even though it is a suspicious merchant, it feels even more suspicious. I had a strong feeling that he was hiding some dangerous secret.

“Escarade, what are you?”

“As you can see, it’s just a rumor going around. They are just people who sell and buy things they need where they are needed. Isn’t it the duty of a merchant to exchange something of value according to the needs of both parties?

It’s a deal…

Seal for 3 days. The fact that he put that in place as a condition made me feel like I had the means to enforce the condition.

“I want to check one thing.”

“Yes, as much as you want.”

“If you get my three days, do you plan on selling them to someone else?”

Escarade seemed to be grinning at my words. Although I’m not sure because of the mask.

“It wasn’t confirmed, but… Well, if the princess cares, you can make it so that only I can activate that seal for 3 days. Because it’s worth it.”

“It sounds like they will one day use it as a weapon to block my path. Or I’ll get in your way.”

“Providing what someone needs may be disadvantageous to someone on the other side. Isn’t that the necessity of business?”

The manager of Roberts Company is snooping around here, wondering if there is some problem. I gestured for him to step aside and looked back at Escalade.

As before, this suspicious merchant somehow feels like a non-human being. In other words, it feels like making a deal with the devil.

But no matter how much of a deal it is with the devil, this is the only way to save Reelia.

“Good. Then how do you plan to force that on me?”

“Let’s write a contract.”

Escarade took out a piece of paper from under his thick coat. It was ordinary parchment. However, the moment it was held in his hand, the golden mana flowing from the merchant’s hand enveloped it.

“You were a mage.”

“Hyohyohyo, if you are in business for a long time, you are bound to develop various skills.”

His magic seeped into the parchment and engraved letters. The text written in golden mana turned black shortly after being engraved. I read the sentences forming quickly with my eyes.

[This certificate has the effect of sealing all abilities that Sarah Lustier possesses.] [The effect of this certificate expires 72 hours after activation.]

[The authority to activate this certificate is limited to the contracting party, Escarade.]

[In return for signing this certificate, Iscarade provides Serra Lustier with a bottle of Basilisk antidote.]

Below that, there was a space for signatures. Escarade had already signed his signature in magical ink. He handed me a quill.

“Please sign, Princess Sarah Lustier. If you want to make a deal.”

I don’t know what he plans to do by sealing my abilities.

What his identity is, what kind of plot he is plotting, and what effect this deed will have on it.

So I know this is dangerous. But for me, Reelia’s death was much more dangerous.

I quickly moved my quill and finished my signature. Sarah Lustier. My name in this world.

What was on the quill was not ink, but Escalade’s mana. The moment the golden letters turned black, the entire contract began to glow golden light.

“This concludes the contract.”

The voice is calm enough to be business-like. I didn’t feel any joy that the evil plan against me had been dealt with as planned.

He opened the large suitcase next to him and rummaged around for a moment. He soon took out a small glass bottle filled with turquoise liquid. The entrance was tightly sealed with black material.

“This is the antidote to the basilisk. Be careful when opening the lid. When it comes in contact with air, the ingredients inside quickly volatilize. You should use it within 10 minutes.”

“I understand.”

I received the antidote from him. It somehow feels heavy. Considering that I handed this over in exchange for receiving it.

Iscarade rolled up the parchment of the contract and stuffed it into a corner of his suitcase. I said looking at him like that.

“Escalade. You knew from the beginning that I was looking for an antidote to the basilisk, right?”

“Effectiveness, let’s just say it’s a trade secret.”

“It must have been a lie that someone made a reservation from a far away country, right?”

“That too is a trade secret. Now, isn’t that a good thing?”

He closed his suitcase and turned as if to leave. Escarade bowed to me with an exaggerated gesture like a scene from a play, then pushed open the store’s door and disappeared outside.

* * *

When I returned to the palace with the antidote, it was already starting to get dark. When I entered the room where Reelia was sleeping and handed the antidote to the royal doctor, he seemed surprised.

“Wow, princess… How on earth can I do this…! No, that’s not the point. I will begin treatment for the saint immediately.”

“Please, Alexandro.”

I left the room so he could concentrate on his medical practice.

With this, Leelia can get better. When I thought like that, all my anxiety and fatigue seemed to disappear.

A growl, a sound unbecoming of a princess comes from the stomach. When I think about it, I woke up this morning and didn’t eat anything.

I called a maid and had her bring some simple food. While eating the sandwich the maid brought, I waited for the treatment to end.

When I had eaten about two bites of the sandwich, the door opened. Alexandre’s face showed the relief of a doctor. When I heard that I could come in, I put down what I was eating and headed straight to the room.

Reelia’s body had new bandages wrapped around it. It felt like the blue discoloration area was slightly reduced, perhaps because it was quite effective. Even the dry lips seemed to have regained their original color.

“Rielia…”

Looking at Leelia’s face sleeping like an angel, I feel like everything is compensated. I held Leelia’s hand and stayed there for a moment.

“How long will it take to recover?”

“Hmm, I think recovery will be quick thanks to the quick treatment. Maybe a week… maybe sooner.”

“Thank goodness, I’m so glad.”

I stood up, shaking my head. The moment I came out into the hallway, my mind had passed the stage of relief and was being filled with something else.

It was none other than anger. I was determined to trample on the damn things that had brought Leelia to this point, no matter what.

I began to walk steadily down the dark hallway.