Zing.
As soon as Saori finished speaking, another machine arm moved and placed a sealed flask containing a green potion right in front of me.
“What’s this?”
“Umhuhehehe! It’s a special potion tailored just for you by Saori, with the voluntary cooperation of Rena-chan! A potion crafted to enhance the potential of the Black Stone that Deok-Sung swallowed and boost his magical energy? It’s a special gift from Saori, Deok-Sung’s biggest fan!”
Is that what the special gift she mentioned in the message was about?
Saori spoke with a triumphant voice, fluttering the sleeves of her white coat.
Well, since it’s something Saori made, it should work fine.
‘What luck to suddenly stumble upon a potion while walking down the street.’
I feel good for the first time in a while.
“Deok-Sung-chan! I made it especially melon-flavored! But it might make you feel a bit dizzy, so drink slowly… Uh-oh!”
As I listened to Saori, I uncorked the flask and drank the potion.
Just as the refreshing melon flavor exploded in my mouth, suddenly…
“Gah.”
I couldn’t breathe.
Thump, thump.
My heart raced, and the Black Stone began to vibrate.
Magical energy burst forth and wrapped around my entire body.
The magic circuit felt like it was about to explode.
Thump.
I collapsed to the floor.
My consciousness started to fade.
“Deok-Sung-chan! Deok-Sung-chan!! Are you okay? Ugh! I was going to tell you to drink slowly, but if you drink that fast… This is a calculation error. I’m sorry. Deok-Sung-chan!! Stay conscious!!”
[Hey partner. Partner!! Stay awake!!]
I could hear the voices of the Black Prince and Saori.
I need to get my act together.
“Aghh…”
[PARTNER!!!]
At that moment, their voices echoed in my ears like taffy stretching.
It felt as if the tape of my consciousness had snapped.
My master is so kind (illustration included).
“Ugh.”
My head hurts.
I feel nauseous.
My memories are jumbled.
Why am I here again?
“Deok-Sung-chan! Deok-Sung-chan!”
“Mr. Kim Deok-Sung!”
I hear someone urgently calling my name.
Struggling, I lift my heavy eyelids.
“Deok-Sung-chan, are you awake?”
“Mr. Kim Deok-Sung… Are you okay?”
My blurry vision gradually becomes clear.
A red-haired girl wearing glasses, Saori, and a sickly green-haired girl, Satou Rena, are looking down at me.
Rena has a faint green magical light swirling around both her hands.
A light green magical aura is swirling around.
Looks like they’ve used a healing gift on me.
“Ugh…”
I let out a groan.
My head feels fuzzy.
My memories are all jumbled up.
Did I drink a potion yesterday?
Anyway, I remember taking the elixir Saori gave me and then passing out, but not much else.
“Where am I?”
An unfamiliar ceiling above me.
“This is the hospital room of the World Research Institute. You passed out after drinking the potion, so we hurriedly brought you here.”
Saori’s response brings some clarity to my foggy memory.
Right, that’s how it was.
By the way, I don’t hear the Black Prince’s voice.
“What happened to Durandal?”
Where did it go?
“You entrusted it to me for calibration.”
A hazy memory surfaces.
Right. I left it with Saori for about a day to calibrate the mute sheath and Durandal.
“This is a big deal. Mr. Kim Deok-Sung’s memories…!”
Rena panics.
Her healing gift only works on external wounds.
It doesn’t apply to side effects, detoxification, or disease treatment.
“It’s just a temporary memory confusion. It should clear up in an hour or so, so it’s fine. Sorry, Deok-Sung. I might have miscalculated a bit.”
“Well, that’s a relief. Mr. Kim Deok-Sung, I was so worried! I wanted to help you since you saved me, so I asked Ms. Ishihara to make a potion using my blood. But then you passed out…”
Sniff.
Rena starts crying.
Her blood, infused with the genes of a plant-based otherworldly species, is practically a top-tier elixir.
It’s no wonder the New World League used Rena’s essence to make berserk potions.
“Stop crying. I’m fine.”
I feel like I’m forgetting something.
My head feels all muddled.
It’s like waking up with a hangover after drinking too much and having gaps in my memory.
But since Saori said my memories will come back properly in an hour or so, I believe her.
“Sniff. Yes, Mr. Kim Deok-Sung. I’ll stop! Sniff.”
Wiping her tears with her hospital gown sleeve, Rena continues.
“Deok-Sung, just to be safe, let’s do a body scan before you go home.”
A body scan, huh?
I’m curious about how effective the potion was anyway.
“Sure, let’s do that.”
I accept Saori’s suggestion and get off the bed.
Even though I just fainted and got back up, I feel strangely energized.
Is it thanks to the potion?
“Mr. Kim Deok-Sung! See you next time!”
I wave goodbye to Rena as she sees me off, then I follow Saori.
“Deok-Sung, lie down here.”
I lie on a machine that resembles a CT scanner.
Ziiing.
The machine starts operating.
A blue light scans over my body.
[Scan Complete]
The scanning finishes with a brief mechanical sound.
I get up from my spot.
“The scan results are in. There’s nothing particularly wrong with your body, and the potion has increased your magical capacity by 1.5 times. Aside from that, your magical circuits have become a bit sturdier, and the potential of the Black Stone has been slightly unleashed. About 15%? From now on, your magical efficiency and control should be easier.”
Saori says, looking at the body scan results displayed on a holographic monitor.
“That sounds good. Can I take another one?”
“Isn’t it good? Can’t I eat one more?”
“No. The same type of potion only works once. You’ll build up a tolerance, and from the second one on, it just turns into a regular energy supplement.”
Right.
That was the deal.
I press against my temples.
My head still hurts as if I’m not fully recovered from last night’s hangover.
Should I buy a hangover remedy at the nearby convenience store?
“Anyway, I’m glad. Deok-Sung-chan. Glad nothing happened. You’ll get your memory back in about an hour, so don’t worry. It’s getting late, so hurry home. It’s almost curfew.”
Curfew, huh?
Has it really gotten that late?
As I leave the lab, I’m escorted by Saori, heading to the train.
At this time, the Black Prince should be chiming in my head.
But without his voice, it feels a bit empty.
Empty?
‘I must be losing it.’
What’s so great about that trivial ego sword that it feels empty?
I feel like I’m just getting strange thoughts due to the lingering effects of the potion.
[Shuo Hero Academy Station.]
The train announcement comes on as the doors open.
It looks like I’m not the only one going out, as a group of students in Shuo Academy uniforms head towards the entrance.
Tap, tap.
Raindrops brush against my cheeks.
I look up at the sky.
The night sky is filled with dark clouds.
“Rain, and I didn’t even bring an umbrella…”
I need to get to the dorm quickly.
I hurry my steps.
The moment I arrive at the dorm entrance.
Whoosh!
The drizzle suddenly transforms into a torrential downpour.
Bang! Rumble!
I step inside the dorm building, leaving the thunder, lightning, and windstorm behind.
“Made it just in time.”
I almost got soaked by that downpour.
Creak.
I open the door to my accommodation.
In the neatly arranged spacious suite, a beautiful woman with gray hair in a black suit stands.
“Welcome, Mr. Kim Deok-Sung.”
Han Seo-Jin greets me.
“Yeah.”
As I acknowledge her greeting and sit on the edge of the bed, she asks,
“Have you met Nishizawa Eri?”
Nishizawa?
What the heck does she want…?
[Master (*≧∀≦*)]
[Did you forget the promise with Eri-chan? ヽ(✿ﾟ▽ﾟ)ノ]
[Eri-chan wants to go out with you (๑ơ ₃ ơ)ﻌﻌﻌ♥]
[Just the two of us! (✧∀✧)/]
[You’re going to fulfill Eri-chan’s wish, right? ♡＾▽＾♡]
In that instant.
Nishizawa’s message pops up vividly in my head.
Along with it, all the memories that were foggy like mist quickly fit together like a puzzle.
Right.
We had a promise today.
I forgot because of that damn potion side effect.
Rumble!
I hear thunder.
“I thought she would have gone home by curfew…”
I feel bad for Nishizawa.
It wasn’t intentional; it was an unforeseen accident due to the potion’s side effects, but a mistake is still a mistake.
Even if it’s embarrassing, I should apologize later.
After all, maintaining my relationship with the heroine is important.
Especially to take down the final boss.
But there’s no way she’s still around at this hour.
“…Is that so?”
Han Seo-Jin asks in a low voice.
It’s been over half a day since our promised time.
More than half a day had passed.
If it were me, I would have gone home by now.
“I think she’s still…”
Just as Han Seo-Jin was about to say something.
Bzz.
My phone buzzes.
Checking the messenger.
[Dear Master]
It’s a message from Makoto.
[Nishizawa hasn’t returned to the room yet, and curfew is approaching.]
[She’s not picking up my calls, and her phone is off.]
[I’m worried something might have happened. She was so excited to go out with you on a date.]
[Have you seen Nishizawa?]
The moment I read the message.
My face stiffens.
Makoto and Nishizawa are roommates.
Nishizawa, who ranked third in entrance exam scores, is usually supposed to be assigned a special room, but she voluntarily became Makoto’s roommate for her sake.
So, if Makoto said she’s not in the room, that means Nishizawa is still out there somewhere.
No way?
Is she really waiting at Inokashira Park still?
I make a call.
[The phone is off, and you are being connected to the voicemail. After the connection, the call charges will…]
Just as Makoto said, the phone is switched off.
My expression hardens.
Where the hell is she?
[I’ll go check.]
[Okay, Master. Please take care of Nishizawa.]
After receiving Makoto’s message, I get up from my seat.
“Han Seo-Jin.”
“Yes, Mr. Kim Deok-Sung.”
“I’m going out now, so find out where Nishizawa Eri is and report back.”
“Understood. I will report back quickly and accurately.”
Despite my sudden orders, Han Seo-Jin bows her head without showing any signs of flinching.
“Here, take this umbrella.”
She hands me a large golf umbrella that could easily fit two people.
“Thanks.”
I take the umbrella and exit the dormitory.
Nishizawa Eri.
It’s time to go find her.
‘What the hell. Is she really still waiting? Nishizawa?’
It can’t be, right?
*
Inokashira Park at midnight.
Splash!
In a corner of the park where heavy rain pours down.
Crouched under the eaves of a cafe that has closed for the day, a girl with orange twin tails huddles up, shivering.
“Brr, it’s cold…”
Nishizawa Eri wraps her arms around her knees.
Her teeth clatter together.
Wearing a flowy dress to tempt Kim Deok-Sung turned out to be a mistake.
The dress soaked quickly from the pouring rain, clinging to her slender figure.
“Master… Eri is so cold…”
Nishizawa Eri lowers her head.
She hugs the lunchbox she made tightly to her chest.
A lunchbox made with love for her dear Master.
Though it has gone cold with time, she can’t let it get soggy from the rain seeping in.
“Eri wanted to eat lunch with Master… Gimbap… Inari sushi… I made them with so much effort for Master…”
Nishizawa Eri lowers her gaze.
Tears well up in her eyes.
Memories of everything that has happened so far flash through Nishizawa Eri’s mind like a panorama.
Last night.
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