Chapter 68: Coping Method (4)

Though Sion had managed to acquire the life essence stone from a pitiful succubus, it didn’t mean that everything was resolved.

Life essence stones, by nature, are intended for internal consumption by succubi.

For any other species, consuming this stone raw is akin to feeding chocolate to a dog.

Of course, while it’s unlikely that someone of Sion’s caliber would die from it, there’s still a significant chance of severe side effects—like excessive testosterone levels leading to something as drastic as a woman growing a beard.

Naturally, Sion only wished to suppress certain feelings, not turn into a grotesque chimera.

So, she threw herself into processing the essence stone using all her alchemical knowledge to make it consumable.

After pouring in all that effort, a week later…

“Hmm hmm hmm… Perfect. It’s finally complete…!!”

Sion chuckled darkly, holding a vial of a white liquid in one hand.

It had taken a bit of trial and error, as the material was so unfamiliar, but she had ultimately achieved the desired result—a concoction that would keep her heart from racing for at least a year.

The ultimate male hormone elixir, crafted to counter any allure from females.

-“Congratulations. So, are you free from the torments of hell now?”

“In a sense, yes.”

Memories of the past week’s struggles flashed through Sion’s mind like a panorama.

Perhaps as a backlash to her suppressed emotions, her overflowing femininity had overwhelmed her.

She’d found herself suddenly aware of her handsome classmates, captivated by their chatter.

A constant craving for sweets surfaced, and cute, fancy accessories would make her mouth water instinctively.

Each desire was something her former self wouldn’t have dared to imagine.

Especially on days when she harbored improper fantasies watching two male students playfully nudge each other—on those days, she’d felt an overwhelming impulse to die.

But finally, today, all those agonizing days would end.

Upon drinking this potion, she would be normal again, returning to her usual cool and composed self.

One final step remained in conquering her most formidable enemy.

She struggled to keep her excitement in check.

Beside her, Exia urged in a lively voice,

-“Come on, hurry up and drink it already! I’m curious to see what happens!”

“Be patient. Just downing it like this isn’t enough.”

-“Huh? What do you mean, not enough?”

Did something else remain?

Exia thought it was already complete.

Sion raised a finger and explained, “Life essence, or vital energy, is highly volatile.

It disperses in the air within a second of exposure.

Right now, it’s safe in a specialized container, but as soon as I open the cap, it will start evaporating rapidly.

Just drinking it straight would result in very low absorption efficiency.”

There’s a reason why few species use life essence despite its efficient energy.

Handling it is extremely difficult, and only succubi, skilled in life force extraction through innate magic, can manage it fully.

For most others, natural means of consumption are highly limited.

“That’s why I prepared an alternative method.”

-“An alternative method?”

“Here it is.”

Sion pulled something from her pocket and dangled it before Exia.

It was an unfamiliar object.

Shaped like a glass test tube, with a piston-like piece inside that appeared to press tightly against it.

At the tip, a sharp needle protruded, resembling the sting of a wasp—a pointed glass thorn.

Exia tilted her head in curiosity.

-“What’s that? I’ve never seen it before.”

“It’s something called a ‘syringe,’ a device invented in the last 500 years since I… well, died.”

-“A syringe? How do you use it?”

“Watch. You insert the needle into the vial like this, and then pull it up—”

Sion pushed the needle into the specially sealed opening covered with tape and lifted the piston.

The difference in pressure instantly drew the liquid up, filling the syringe completely.

“This way, I can transfer the liquid without any leakage.

And now, I’ll find a vein near my arm and inject it to administer the liquid directly into my body, allowing it to absorb the life essence without the risk of spillage.”

-“What?! You’re going to stab that sharp thing into your body?!”

“Yes.”

Hermes’ whimper slipped out of Exia’s mouth.

How could Sion talk so casually about stabbing a needle into her own body?

Exia shuddered just thinking about it.

But Sion, seemingly unaffected by the idea of such pain, instead grinned with satisfaction.

“Heh heh heh… at last, my years of suffering are over!

Now, I shall break free from the chains that have bound me, spread my wings of liberation, and soar high!

To the vast, beautiful sky of freedom!”

Sion triumphantly struck a pose, stretching her left arm forward.

Through her pale skin, faint blue veins became visible.

Sion aimed the syringe precisely and then…

Lancia de Granfil, Sion’s swordsmanship disciple, was recently troubled.

The cause of her concern was none other than her revered mentor.

Sion, who always seemed flawless and composed, had recently been acting strange.

She would suddenly stumble as she walked, or lose her focus in the middle of a lesson, or even look pale, as if suppressing nausea.

Lancia’s unease reached its peak when she accidentally saw Sion alone, banging her head against a wall in apparent self-harm.

This wasn’t normal.

Something was wrong.

Something was tormenting the warrior, who was supposed to be both physically and mentally invincible.

“Could it be because of what happened in that underground dungeon?”

It was possible. After all, Lancia hadn’t witnessed her mentor’s battle up close that day.

The injuries from her fight with Tarkus could very well have left her in pain.

Or maybe she was cursed by another demon army officer.

“But even if I knew, what could I do…?”

Yes, this was the core of Lancia’s dilemma.

Knowing her mentor’s character, even if she asked directly, Sion probably wouldn’t give her a proper answer.

She would likely bear the suffering alone, as always.

And without concrete evidence, Lancia couldn’t force her to confess.

She had even considered consulting a teacher or the headmaster, but worried it would only embarrass her mentor.

So, Lancia was left in a deadlock, only able to watch from the sidelines.

“Haa… I wish I could be of help…”

At times like this, she hated her own lack of skills beyond swordsmanship.

If only she had a glib tongue like a princess, she could have approached Sion more naturally.

She wanted to repay her mentor’s kindness, but was there no way?

Lost in thought, Lancia was walking down the corridor when—

“……Dear…..it’s complete….”

“?!”

Thump

Lancia raised her head at the familiar voice echoing from somewhere.

She hadn’t imagined it. She had definitely heard her mentor’s voice.

But with no one else in the hallway, where could she be…?

Lancia stopped and looked around. Faint sounds drifted from behind a door labeled “Alchemy Lab.”

She tiptoed around to the back and, standing on her toes, peered through the glass window.

And then.

“…..?!!!?”

Lancia’s face filled with shock in an instant.

Inside the room was Sion, her mentor, who had no reason to be in the alchemy lab since she wasn’t even taking the class.

That alone could be overlooked.

Maybe she just wanted some time alone in a special place.

The real issue was the item she held.

A syringe filled with a murky liquid.

‘T-That… isn’t that… drugs?!’

She had heard of it.

In the slums of Ashtaria’s Undercut, drugs that are injected directly into the body with a syringe like that were all the rage.

These were known to be several times more potent than conventional cigarettes or powders, leading many to addiction.

And as far as she knew, Sion was originally an orphan from the Undercut.

It would’ve been easy for her to access such substances.

No… she didn’t want to believe it, but…

‘Is… my mentor… addicted to drugs?’

No, no way! She couldn’t possibly believe that someone as noble and strong as her mentor…

Lancia desperately tried to deny it.

Yet, despite her heart’s resistance, her mind began piecing together the events of the past week.

Why did her mentor stumble while walking?

Why did she sometimes lose focus?

Why did she appear nauseous and pale?

All of it could be explained as withdrawal symptoms from drug dependency.

‘…the suffering years are over…’

‘Breaking free from chains… soaring into the sky of freedom with wings of liberation…’

“…!!”

Lancia’s face turned even paler.

In front of her, Sion was showing an expression she had never thought possible—a twisted smile, full of deep, dark excitement.

It was completely unlike the usual intelligent and composed demeanor of her mentor.

This was no illusion. It couldn’t be.

That expression had to be part of the symptoms of drug addiction.

If it wasn’t, there was no way her honorable mentor would ever wear such a crazed look.

Slowly, the needle of the syringe approached Sion’s elbow, and then—

Bang!!

“No!!!”

“!?!?”

In the next moment, Lancia kicked open the back door and yelled loudly.

Startled by the sudden outcry, Sion instinctively flinched, her hand trembling. And then—

Crash!

The glass syringe slipped from her grip and shattered on the floor.

“L-Lancia?! How did you—”

“It’s not about how!”

With swift strides, Lancia walked briskly toward Sion.

She seized Sion’s hand and lifted it, speaking with earnestness.

“Please, mentor… please don’t use such dangerous drugs…

If you need support to escape addiction, I’ll give you my entire fortune if I have to, so please… please, don’t ruin your own body like this…!”

Lancia’s voice quivered as she pleaded, tears welling up in her eyes.

Her gaze was filled with genuine concern and affection.

And in response, Sion…

“………”

She lowered her head silently, her gaze falling to the shattered syringe on the floor.

Psssshh

With a sound like air escaping, the contents of the syringe began to dissipate.

The opaque white liquid turned into a misty fog and then faded away into the air as colorless, odorless particles.

The solution she had worked so hard to find, her only hope, disappeared into nothing in an instant.

“A-Ah… Ah…”

Sion, with a devastated look, slumped down where she stood, as if her entire world had been lost.