Chapter 39: A Potion That Makes You Feel Good – 3

Chapter 39: A Potion That Makes You Feel Good – 3

The Defense Force Commander’s expression darkened abruptly.

They weren’t sure, but they thought they caught a glimpse of murderous intent.

Just a moment ago, her expression had been perfectly neutral, but it suddenly turned cold and grim.

“…Don’t arbitrarily drag civilians into this.”

“But realistically, there’s no alternative, is there? And, as proper citizens, they have a duty to actively cooperate with the Defense Force’s activities.”

Nevertheless, the administrator continued to state his opinion.

Several administrators nodded slightly in agreement with his words.

……All of them were administrators who had been out in the field, away from the office, on the day that girl visited.

In other words, they were people who had only heard about what happened that day.

On the other hand, the administrators who knew how the Defense Force Commander had reacted to that girl’s words quietly watched, praying for the souls of the administrators who were currently agreeing.

They knew because they had seen it directly.

That the Defense Force Commander, whose expression never changed, had been about to rush out immediately just because that girl was hurt.

And… although the Defense Force Commander herself thought the administrators didn’t know, that she had tried to adopt that girl into her family.

And when that didn’t work, she had hastily prepared and given her a small but safe house.

Just by seeing how she acted completely differently from her usual self, Christie, it was clear that the girl was not simply a ‘citizen’ to Christie.

She was a friend, perhaps closer to a younger sister.

Naturally, she was a precious person to her…… and they wanted to put such a person into an operation with high risks, one that even required her to directly create narcotic substances?

Christie knew that the administrators were speaking out of ignorance, and it was fortunate that she was usually composed; otherwise, her fist might have flown.

“……That girl is unsuitable. Even if she can make such dangerous drugs, she’s too fragile to play the ‘individual’.”

“Isn’t that a problem that can be solved if Defense Force members constantly provide escort and surveillance? Why are you acting so unlike yourself, Commander Christie? Normally, you would have agreed without hesitation…”

The administrator, who had been speaking, suddenly fell silent, as if realizing her mistake.

Even though her career was short, she knew that the Defense Force Commander hated the phrase “unlike yourself.”

And, for another reason… when she met the Defense Force Commander’s gaze, which seemed to pierce through her, her mouth wouldn’t move.

“Mari.”

“…Yes. It was a slip of the tongue. I apologize.”

“Good that you know.”

The Defense Force Commander said nothing more.

Faintly, but clearly, the emotion of conflict was visible on her face.

The administrators who hadn’t been there on the day the girl visited the Defense Force Commander saw that conflict as whether or not to use the girl in the operation……

But the administrators who had witnessed the Defense Force Commander’s actions that day saw it as a conflict over whether or not to punish Mari, the administrator who was saying such things.

“…First, regarding using Lucia in the operation, I will decide after directly asking Lucia for her opinion.”

At the conclusion reached after a short but long deliberation, the administrators wore various expressions.

And Mari, who had first proposed this idea, brightened.

“And, Administrator Mari? Follow me to the Defense Force Commander’s office for a moment.”

Of course, her expression darkened abruptly shortly after.

***

“Haa…. How am I going to explain this to Lucia….”

In summary, to catch drug dealers, I need you to disguise yourself as a drug dealer by creating and selling a completely new drug.

And furthermore, to use your potion-making skills to create drugs.

Neither option was suitable for the delicate and seemingly fragile Lucia.

“This is truly insane. But if I don’t do this….”

In truth, although the Imperial Family issued the order to the Defense Force, it was practically a scheme by the nobles targeting me, a Duke’s daughter.

More precisely… it was an order targeting my father, the Duke, and our family.

My father and our family staunchly supported the Imperial Family.

To the noble faction who wanted to end the Imperial era and usher in the era of nobles, we were a clear obstacle.

Therefore… they were giving us these unreasonable tasks to chip away at our reputation and create pretexts and flaws to attack the Ducal family.

Furthermore, no matter how much the nobles’ influence was involved, an Imperial order was an Imperial order.

If it wasn’t carried out properly… everyone currently in an administrative position would receive a heavy sentence.

This was also why the administrators proposed such a drastic and risky bait operation and agreed to it.

They might be called administrators, but all of them were once Defense Force members.

Meaning they had served in the Defense Force for quite a long time.

But suddenly, due to an unexpected incident, an Imperial order is issued, and if they can’t solve it properly, they’ll not only lose their jobs but also receive heavy sentences?

It was a terrible and regrettable thought.

“But to ask Lucia to participate in this operation…… what sin has Lucia committed?”

A truly unrelated, cute girl.

It felt genuinely regrettable to drag such a girl into this kind of mess.

Especially if something went wrong and Lucia was actually kidnapped, went missing, or, in the worst case, was murdered……

“……For now, since I said I’d ask her… I guess there’s no other choice.”

I forced myself to calm my disorganized thoughts and headed towards Lucia.

Deep down, wishing Lucia would refuse this operation.

***

“…It’s pretty.”

“Right? I think it’s quite well-decorated too.”

Upon arriving at Lucia’s house, Lucia greeted me warmly.

…If she had been flustered or asked if she had done something wrong for me to visit, I might have felt less guilty,

“Is it strange for a friend to visit? Come in quickly!”

…But since she said that, it felt too regrettable to ask her to participate in such an operation, to take risks and help out.

“Is something wrong? Your expression is dark.”

“……Something is, indeed, wrong. The Imperial Family gave a rather shitty order.”

“Ah…. Hang in there, Christie. Should I make you something?”

Lucia said that and opened a shelf… but there was nothing inside.

Absolutely nothing.

“Lucia….”

“Oh…. I forgot to buy groceries…! D-don’t look at me like that! I’m living well!”

“Still, you need to eat well. You’re so thin.”

Even with my impulsive action of hugging her at those words, Lucia didn’t react much.

She just gave me a look that said, ‘Here we go again.’

Unlike last time, she wasn’t flustered and just continued speaking while being held in the air.

“So, did you just come to get some encouragement from a friend?”

“Not exactly… Can you, by any chance, make a potion similar to a hallucinogen?”

At those words, Lucia paused.

Her expression was definitely darkening.

But, somehow, there seemed to be a hint of resentment in her expression……?

“Christie… if the Defense Force Commander asks if I can make narcotic drugs, I’d hardly say yes.

 Think about your position. Against those drug dealers, Christie, you’re a living disaster. More importantly, have I done anything suspicious?”

“N-no, that’s not it! I just came to ask you to make a potion similar to a drug…”

The next moment, I realized how strange my words were, with all situational explanations omitted…

And Lucia’s expression began to change from resentment to worry.

Somehow, there seemed to be a bit of pity mixed in, and it was clear she had misunderstood something strange.

“……It’s, okay, Christie. It happens. You came to the right place. At least I can make it harmless to the body……”

“NO!!! It’s not like that!!!”

At that moment, even I didn’t know my voice could go that high.

That’s how loudly I screamed.

Afterward, it took quite a long time to calm the startled Lucia, explain the situation, and clarify things.

……But why did I have a feeling that Lucia had already understood the situation from the beginning?

***

“So, to summarize, this is it, right? To crack down on drug dealers, you need a bait that looks like a competitor, by creating and selling a completely new drug.”

“That’s right.”

“And that’s me, right?”

“……Right.”

After that, Lucia pondered for a moment.

However, her expression was clearly dark, indicating that this operation was definitely a burden.

In fact, it would be stranger if an operation that could potentially cost one’s life wasn’t a burden and didn’t cause hesitation.

“Of course, you can refuse. I… personally, I hope you refuse.”

“…Why?”

“Because I don’t want you to get hurt at all. Honestly, it’s too dangerous. And besides, it’s unknown if you can even make a potion with effects similar to drugs in the first place.”

…I thought I spoke seriously, no, I actually spoke seriously,

However, Lucia just smiled after hearing those words.

As if I had completely misunderstood.

“Did you think I was agonizing over that?”

“……You weren’t?”

“Of course not. I was just thinking about how to also screw over the nobles who gave such a shitty order.

 It’s a well-known fact that there are many drug-addicted nobles in the capital… so I was thinking about how to catch them too.”

“Aren’t you scared?”

“Whose request is it? And it’s a request from my ‘unnie’, the Defense Force Commander, so it’s hardly going to be dangerous.”

In Lucia’s voice, as she said that, there was trust.

Trust in me, and trust that if a dangerous situation arose, I and the Defense Force would step in.

“By the way, if that’s the case, should I use the undiluted solution as is…?”

“Undiluted solution? What do you mean?”

“Oh, recently I made a potion that makes you feel good when you drink it, but it has addiction as a side effect.”

“Isn’t that just a drug? Lucia…. Have you been very lonely…?”

“N-no, it’s not like that!! I made it to be used as a painkiller!”

……Somehow, with a situation that was the opposite of before, Lucia agreed to participate in the operation.

…With a very Lucia-like request to be paid well, since her house recently blew up and her money went with it.