Chapter 10
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Episode 2 - Inverted Heaven [4]
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After searching the entire room, I found a total of ten million gold, some magical scrolls, and medium-quality potions.
I also found some low-quality mana potions, weapons, martial arts books, and so on.
Most of it was useless to me, especially the weapons, books on martial arts and fencing, as well as some magic grimoires.
Additionally, the low-quality potions would only increase my mana by 5%, and their effects would diminish if I took more than three of the same type.
"The good news is that if I sell all of this, in addition to the ten million gold, I'll make a total profit of fifty million."
This is the true meaning of getting rich overnight.
In any case, I'll probably spend all that gold in about three months.
"A clandestine auction will be held in three months, so I made a good profit today."
After I had searched the entire place, Alice's voice echoed in my head.
〖I sense the presence of a Supreme Quality elixir.〗
"Supreme Quality..."
〖Yes, it comes from the other side of that wall.〗
I hadn't noticed it, since I was focused on the items I had obtained.
But when I used my senses, I perceived a hidden space on the other side of the wall.
Additionally, when I focused on the location of the Supreme Quality Elixir...
"..."
My body trembled slightly. It was a tremor of anger and fear.
"What's happening...? No, wait... I think I know..."
I raised my sword and cut through the wall. Then I waited a few seconds until the dust settled.
I looked at a display case. On a white cushion, there was a bottle containing red liquid, carefully placed.
"That's..."
I was definitely right, as I felt the anger and fear growing.
I heard Alice's spirit's voice.
〖I sense that you suddenly got angry, and you're also... afraid. Is there a reason?〗
I didn't answer right away.
Crunch! Crunch!
I smashed the display case and took the Supreme Quality Elixir.
This was a regeneration elixir, not one that increases stats or mana.
Additionally, a Supreme Quality Elixir is the highest possible rank, and it is extremely difficult to find, especially one focused on regeneration.
At auctions, both legal and illegal, any elixir of this quality sells for an unimaginable price.
This one was unique: it could regenerate and cure curses, diseases, and any abnormal state as if nothing.
"Besides, this elixir..."
A screen appeared in my mind.
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- Name: Regeneration Elixir
- Quality: Supreme
- Description: An elixir made with Adel's blood. It can regenerate the body, even if the head is cut off, and cure diseases, curses, and abnormal states.
- Probability effect: It can even revive a dead person with a 0.99% chance.
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In fact, the elixir I held in my hands was nothing more than...
"...the blood of Adel."
Lost in thought, the voice of Alice's spirit pulled me out of my reverie.
〖Hello, is anyone there? I'm talking to you, disciple.〗
I shook my head and barely managed to control the anger and fear surging through my body.
'It seems to be an instinctive reaction of this body.'
"What's happening?"
〖Why are you reacting like this?〗
I thought about it for a moment. There was no reason to hide the origin of the elixir or my condition.
"It's simple. The elixir I have in my hands is the reason for my reaction."
〖What do you mean? It's a Supreme Quality elixir. Shouldn't you be happy instead of angry and scared?〗
"..."
"That's because the elixir is made with my blood."
"..."
Alice's spirit took a moment to respond.
〖Wait… what?〗
"As I said, this elixir, or more precisely, the red liquid, is 100% blood… and that blood is mine."
"..."
〖W-wait a minute… could you explain that in more detail?〗
With a sigh, I told Alice's spirit a fragment of Adel's past.
After my explanation, I didn't hear her voice again all night.
***
After class, it was time for lunch, so I went to the cafeteria.
Today, I ordered some sandwiches, and for some reason, the person serving the food seemed reluctant to serve me.
To avoid problems, I simply ordered some sandwiches.
While carrying the full tray, I stopped in front of a vending machine.
I didn't remember seeing something like that in the game, but, nonetheless, a coffee aroma came from inside.
'Maybe it only has coffee. I could smell different types of coffee and no other beverages.'
I stopped in front of the machine and stared at it.
I tried to "see" the numbers next to it and even guess which one corresponded to the coffee I wanted.
But it was impossible.
'Damn it, I really need an assistant for this kind of thing!'
In particular, there was a pleasant aroma coming from the upper left; perhaps it was a tasty cup of coffee.
The problem was that he couldn't tell which number it was, let alone select it.
'I suppose I won't be able to drink coffee.'
Just so you know, my assistant used to call me a coffee addict. He even banned me from drinking it for a whole month.
I still wonder why she did that.
Anyway, I turned away, since there was nothing I could do.
Just then, as if he had noticed my desperation, he said,
"I can help you."
Rinna's voice reached my ears. I turned around quickly and nodded.
"Yes, I'd like this one."
I pointed to the coffee I wanted.
"Oh, great. You have good taste, don't you? I think it's a coincidence, but I like that flavor too."
"I see."
Rinna nodded and proceeded to press the buttons.
"Uh, what buttons are you pressing?"
She had intended to take advantage of that moment to find out the number of the coffee she wanted.
Rinna nodded and said:
"Sure, the buttons are..."
Then she stopped dead in her tracks.
"Oh, sorry, I made a mistake."
Shaking my head, I said:
"It doesn't matter."
"Then... how do I explain it?"
Without saying anything, I reached out and touched the panel of buttons. First, I felt the texture, and then I felt how many there were.
Then I turned to Rinna and said...
"Hey, could you help me? Press the numbers."
She nodded. I withdrew my hand, and then she pressed the first number. Then I reached out my hand again.
Instantly, a small, surprised yelp escaped Rinna.
"Ah... What are you doing?"
"Oh, my apologies. It's the only way I can identify and memorize the buttons."
"Ah, uh... I understand."
She continued pressing the buttons, guiding me with her hand as I touched them.
To be clear, I didn't intend to touch her hand for any other reason.
Finally, the sound of something falling could be heard.
Rinna bent down and picked up two cans of coffee.
"H-here, take yours."
"..."
I wasn't sure what it was, but Rinna's emotions were quite strange.
In any case, I took the can, opened it, and the aroma of coffee reached my nose.
'Oh, yeah... this is what we're talking about.'
I turned to Rinna and said:
"Thanks for the help."
"Ah, yeah... no problem."
I turned around and sat in the same seat as yesterday.
After a minute, Rinna sat down in front of me, just like the day before.
And her emotions were still somewhat strange and hard to understand.
In any case, while I took a bite of my sandwich, Rinna said:
"Hey, Adel, can I ask what you did yesterday?"
"What did I do yesterday? What do you mean?"
Of course I know what I did yesterday. I went to kill a villain and a group of cultists who serve the Abyss.
That was it, and I hadn't even slept much since I got back to the academy around three in the morning.
"Well, I feel like I can smell something familiar coming from you."
"..."
As I was taking a bite of my sandwich, I suddenly stopped.
'You can smell the blood on me... I don't remember you being that sensitive to it.'
After a few seconds of silence, I said:
"I didn't do anything... well, you could say I did something, but don't misinterpret."
"..."
Rinna was silent for several seconds before her voice sounded a little lower than usual.
"... I understand."
She probably knows that I killed people yesterday, but her ability should detect that I haven't killed innocent people.
So the counter should be at zero.
'I shouldn't worry about it, anyway...'
I raised my head briefly, as if I were looking at her.
'She smells of even more blood than I do.'
Ever since I first met her, the smell of blood on Rinna has been very strong.
As the next Saint, it's only natural that she'll face villains.
So, naturally, she'll have a strong blood odor.
***
After lunch, Rinna returned to Room B-1. She sat in the front row with the other main characters.
The professor hadn't arrived yet; in the meantime, she was thinking about what had happened in the cafeteria a few minutes ago.
'That's definitely the smell of a villain's blood.'
When a villain obtains the Power of Chaos, there are ways to tell them apart from a normal human.
'After killing a villain, their blood takes on a different smell than the usual metallic one; instead, a villain's blood has a repugnant smell similar to decomposition.'
Additionally, the color of a villain's blood is black.
Adel looked clean, but the smell of villain's blood lingers on the body for a while.
The more blood of villains he has on his hands, the longer it takes for that smell to fade.
'He definitely... went out to kill villains yesterday.'
Another reason, aside from the smell coming from Adel, was a number floating above her head.
There was a zero clearly visible to Rinna.
That meant Adel had never killed an innocent person until now.
'But just in case, it's better to keep a closer eye on him.'
Rinna wasn't sure, but she still couldn't tell if Adel was a good person.
At any moment, she might see several numbers on the counter that everyone has above their head and that only she can see.
'If he gets a high number, then... I should kill him.'
After all, Adel is still a Dark attribute user.
People who usually have a large number of deaths to their name.
'For now, he hasn't killed any innocents and has only killed villains, so I'll just keep an eye on him.'
One could say that Rinna trusts Adel 50% because, so far, he has been kind to her and hasn't made a fuss about the disrespect he's receiving at the Academy.