CH 64

With the finished potion in hand, I visit the facility where the severely ill patients are being treated.

Not much time has passed since my last visit.

But…

“Ugh, ah…”

His condition had worsened.

His body was covered in thorny patterns, the same one that he had told me about.

He cried out in pain, and a large amount of sweat dripped down, indicating high fever.

“That’s… It wasn’t up to his neck just now.”

When we first visited, his thorns had progressed up to his chest.

It had only been about four hours since then.

But in just that amount of time, the thorns had started to invade his face.

They had already crossed his wrists and ankles.

“This is bad. I heard that once the thorn patterns reach the entire body, it’s——”

——Death.

The progression of the thorns means the end of a life.

His life was about to end.

“What should we do, Nee-san?”

“…Let’s quickly try to give him the potion. Technically, we need his consent, but there’s no other way right now.”

“I agree. He won’t last long like this anyway. We should do it if there’s a chance he can be saved.”

Yuren-kun is right.

I can’t just sit back and watch someone’s life end.

I pull out a potion bottle.

“Fusaki-kun.”

“Understood. I’ll support him, so please give him the potion to drink.”

“I’ll help too.”

“Thank you.”

The two of them lift the man up, supporting him with their hands around his shoulders and back.

It’s not a good thing to give liquid to someone with an uncertain consciousness because there is a risk of it mistakenly entering the lungs.

Even considering that risk, I determined that we should give it to him now.

I pour the potion into his mouth.

The almost all-purpose potion flows down his throat and into his body.

The effect of the potion is immediate.

As soon as you drink it, the effect is shown.

On the other hand, if it doesn’t show immediately, it won’t work at all.

We hold our breath as we listen to the sound of him gulping the potion.

“Uu…ah…who are you guys?”

He moves his mouth and looks at me.

His consciousness is much clearer than the first time we met.

It seems like his rough breathing is starting to calm down.

I met the two of them and was pleased to see the effect of the potion.

I then returned my gaze to him and spoke slowly.

“Hello. Can you hear me?”

“Yes…I can hear you.”

That’s good.

He can hear me and is responding properly.

“Nice to meet you. I am Aria, a Transmutation Master from the royal palace.”

“Transmutation Master…?”

It doesn’t seem to ring a bell.

It looks like he doesn’t remember the first introduction.

He was unconscious at that time, so it’s not surprising that he doesn’t remember.

“How’s your body feeling? Any pain or discomfort?”

“…It’s strange, but I don’t feel any pain. No discomfort either. Did you do something?”

“Yes, I had you drink a potion I made. I’m sorry for taking the liberty.”

“I see. That’s why I feel…oh, but…”

For a moment, he showed a happy expression.

However, sad tears soon flowed from his eyes.

“Are you okay? Perhaps the potion’s effect has already worn off.”

“No, thanks to you, it’s very easy.”

Despite saying so, he had a very sad expression on his face.

I don’t understand the meaning of his expression.

The potion’s effect should be working properly.

Otherwise, we wouldn’t even be able to have a conversation.

“… My wife… is at a clothing store to the west of town. Could you give her a message?”

“A message?”

“Yes. I want her to know… my last words.”

“Last words?”

But I heard sad words from him.

In other words, it’s a dying wish.

“Thank you for the potion. It made it easier… but I know. I don’t have much time left. You realize it too…don’t you?”

“…”

That’s right.

I realize it.

I can see it, so I can’t help but know.

The potion has alleviated his symptoms.

Except for the one thing that hasn’t changed at all.

“The pattern…”

“Ah, it hasn’t disappeared. Rather――.”

As Yuren-kun was about to say it, it began to spread.

Fusaki-kun has also noticed.

The potion may have calmed the symptoms, but it has not cured the disease.

It will probably follow the same course as the potions tried before.

A result of temporary improvement, followed by further pain and suffering.

“…”

“Don’t make that face. Your potion is amazing. Thanks to it, I was able to have… this time to talk with you.”

He speaks kind words to me.

Towards me, who laments her own powerlessness while realizing one’s own mortality.

I feel like crying.

I want to avert my eyes and ears.

Still, I listen to his words.

To witness his last moments.

“Message, please.”

“Thank you. To my wife… just one thing… I was happy to be with you. Please… find your own happiness too. Please tell her that.”

“Yes. I will definitely tell her.”

He is truly a kind person.

Until the very end, he wishes for someone’s happiness.

Afterwards, he closes his eyes.

He falls into an eternal sleep, never to wake up again.

“Ugh…”

Tears fell from my eyes uncontrollably.

I couldn’t bear it any longer and it overflowed.

Yuren-kun gently placed his hand on my shoulder without saying anything, just watching over me.

On that day, I experienced a person’s death for the first time.