Chapter 22: Forbidden Potion (V)

“Spare me, sister!”

Aurora’s knees went weak. With a thud, she dropped to the ground, both hands raised high above her head, striking the perfect pose of a criminal ready to confess everything.

Her short golden hair stuck up in a few places from the flurry of movement just now. Paired with her scrunched-up little face, she looked like a fluffy hamster caught red-handed.

“Please calm down!”

Ofina stood before her. Veins bulged on her forehead, and the blood vessels at her temples pulsed faintly.

She took a deep breath, then slowly exhaled.

Then she grabbed Aurora’s collar and yanked her up!

“Wrong, wrong, wrong! You’re always fastest at begging for mercy!”

Ofina gritted her teeth, but the grip in her hands never loosened.

“Last time you said the same thing when you smuggled Ice Dragon scales from the Northern Border! And the time before that when you sneaked off to the black market auction! And the time before that—”

“Wait, wait! This time it’s real! Really! Sister, let go first!”

Aurora’s plea rose another octave. Suspended in midair, her short little legs kicked wildly.

Ofina took a deep breath and finally released her.

thud.

Aurora crashed straight back to the floor, her bottom meeting the ground with a crisp, dull sound.

Rubbing her sore rear, she looked up at her sister with tearful eyes.

Ofina stared down at her, chest heaving.

The air fell silent for a few seconds.

Just as Yiruo thought she would continue raging—

A trembling voice, barely holding back tears, slipped from Ofina’s once-furious lips:

“I told you… not to buy those illegal things in the Deep District… but you never listen…”

Her voice grew softer, and her eyes reddened.

“What if something dangerous happens… what if those people hurt you… how could I… how could I ever face our dead parents…”

As she spoke, she suddenly crouched down and wrapped her arms around Aurora, who was still sitting on the floor.

Ofina hugged the sister in her arms tightly.

As if afraid of losing the most precious thing.

Aurora’s little mouth, which had been wide open, slowly closed.

Those still-kicking legs went still.

Slowly, she raised her hands and gently hugged her sister’s back.

They were each other’s only family.

“…Sis.”

Her voice was muffled, but it carried a rare hint of obedience.

She knew why her sister was so angry.

Because her sister loved her so, so much.

Aurora buried her face against her sister’s shoulder and was silent for a few seconds.

Then, gathering her courage, she whispered:

“…I know I was wrong.”

A pause. She sniffled and added:

“Really.”

Ofina said nothing. She just hugged the little one in her arms even tighter.

The air grew still.

Only the soft sound of the sisters’ breathing remained.

“Ahhh~”

Just then, a discordant voice sounded:

“What a touching scene of beautiful sisters’ love~ Makes me want to join in~!”

Yilena walked up with a smile, reached out both hands, and helped the crouching girls up, one on each side.

Once Ofina was on her feet, the tears in her eyes hadn’t fully receded yet. She had to turn her head slightly and glare at Yilena with a mix of embarrassment and anger.

“…Yilena.”

She pressed her lips together, her voice strained:

“You’re still… as annoying as ever.”

“Pfft~”

“…But thank you.”

With that, she turned her face away, revealing only her bright red ears.

Yilena blinked, her smile deepening.

Aurora poked her head out from Yilena’s arm, looked at her sister, then at Yilena, and announced loudly:

“Sister actually really likes Nana!”

“She’s just tsundere, so she won’t say it out loud~”

“Aurora—!!!”

Ofina’s face instantly turned crimson. She bristled like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.

“You want another lesson, don’t you?!”

She reached out to grab the blabbermouth little one.

But Aurora was ready.

She slipped out of Ofina’s arms in a flash and darted behind Yilena, peeking out only half her head.

Nyah nyah nyah~ Can’t catch me~

Then she turned her head and looked at Yiruo, who had been standing quietly to the side.

Those azure blue eyes held a hint of confusion as she stared at her.

Aurora thought for a moment.

Then—

She made a face.

Yiruo: ‘…Is she a child or what!’

“Alright, little Aurora~”

Yilena reached out and yanked the still-face-making kid back.

She crouched down and gently touched Aurora’s forehead.

There was a hint of seriousness in those big eyes.

“Answer me one question seriously.”

Aurora blinked, then nodded solemnly.

“Okay! Whatever Nana asks, I’ll answer seriously!”

Yilena looked at her and asked word by word:

“What exactly was that thing you gave that person just now?”

Her gaze fell on Aurora’s face, not missing the slightest change in expression.

“I can sense that it contains Abyss-extracted saliva.”

Aurora’s expression stiffened slightly.

Ofina’s face also changed.

“Abyss extract?!”

She almost shrieked.

“Isn’t that stuff banned by the Church long ago?!”

Aurora scratched her head, golden short hair slipping through her fingers.

Her expression was complicated now—a little awkward, and a little… guilty.

“Well…”

She said quietly:

“It’s cargo shipped from the royal capital, Ilyenea.”

Yilena’s eyes narrowed slightly.

The royal capital.

“Uh-huh!” Aurora nodded. “I heard a customer wanted this thing a few months ago, so I went through a lot of trouble to get it.”

Ofina’s face turned completely pale.

“Do you have any idea this could draw the Church’s attention?!”

“You—!”

She stared at her reckless little sister.

“You dared to smuggle something like this from the royal capital?!”

Aurora shrank her neck but still mumbled in defense:

“But I hid it really well…”

Ofina trembled with rage.

But Yilena reached out and stopped her.

“Let her finish.”

Her voice was very calm now.

“What’s the effect of that potion?”

Aurora glanced at her sister, then at Yilena, and finally lowered her head and spoke softly:

“The main effect of this potion is to trigger the primal demonic nature within races, especially beast-people.”

She paused, then continued:

“Of course, it works on other races too, but the effect is most pronounced on beast-people.”

“After using it, the user unleashes all their potential while stimulating the demonic nature in their will, resulting in explosive combat power.”

Yilena nodded lightly, as if pondering something.

Aurora bit her lip, her voice dropping:

“But the cost is huge too.”

“After the will is affected, it undergoes unimaginable changes. Most people turn into mindless monsters bent on destruction after using it.”

She lifted her head, a trace of lingering fear flashing in her amber eyes.

“And the will itself… gradually turns into a mad beast.”

The room fell silent.

Only the faint hum of the magic lamps remained.

Yiruo stood behind Yilena, listening to all this, but the image of that masked woman from earlier floated through her mind.

Those fiery eyes.

And the dark magic that gathered in them in an instant.

What exactly did she intend to do?

Ofina’s face was already as white as paper.

She opened her mouth to say something, but found herself unable to speak.

Yilena was silent for a few seconds, then reached out and gently ruffled Aurora’s hair.

She leaned down and whispered something in Aurora’s ear.

Aurora’s eyes flew wide.

“Got it…”

Her voice was very soft.

“I won’t do it again.”

“Little Aurora, if Nana ever catches you doing such dangerous deals again—”

“I-I know…!”

She nodded vigorously, her little face pale.

Yilena smiled in satisfaction.

Then she turned around and looked at Yiruo.

“Let’s go, little Yiruo.”

She held out her hand.

“We’ve gathered enough information for tonight.”

Yiruo looked at her, then at the golden-haired little elf snuggling in her sister’s arms, and finally at the pale-faced female elf.

In the end, she reached out and took Yilena’s hand.

The two walked toward the door.

Behind them, came the soft voice of Ofina:

“…Yilena.”

Yilena didn’t turn back. She just raised her hand and waved lightly.

Leaving the noisy streets of the Deep District behind.

Those dark gazes still lurked in the shadows, and those chaotic voices still came from every direction.

Yiruo looked up at Yilena, whose expression was serious.

“Yilena.”

She whispered.

“…Are we going to keep investigating this?”

Yiruo bit her lip, holding Yilena’s hand tightly.

Yilena didn’t answer immediately.

She looked down at the girl before her.

Yiruo’s eyes were unwavering.

As if no matter how much danger lay ahead, she would forge ahead.

“You little dummy~”

The witch smiled softly.

“Of course we’re going to keep going.”

“Right now, we have to go catch some bad guys~”

Yilena reached out.

With a flick of her wrist, the delicate compass appeared in her palm again.

Now, the compass was slowly rotating.

Finally, it pointed in a certain direction.

The two exchanged glances and nodded simultaneously.

Then they dashed off in that direction.

And farther away—

A certain forbidden box was slowly opening.

Ahead lay endless blood-red.

And secrets waiting to be uncovered.