Chapter 112.1


    Someone is making a fuss near my ear.


    Noisy.


    And—am I being shaken?


    I don’t quite get it, but there’s noise, shaking, and hitting.


    It’s a rough treatment. What did I do to deserve this?


    Light bursts into my vision.


    In the blurry world, a man is peering at me.


    “...!”


    The man pries my eyelids open with his fingers and points at something with his other hand.


    That’s... alchemy equipment.


    In the middle of brewing?


    Oh, it’s Valerie.


    She collapsed from illness, so I brewed—no, the cure should be done.


    Valerie should be fine, right?


    I moved my eyes, but Valerie was nowhere to be seen.


    Who is this guy anyway?


    Where am I again?


    I can’t remember anything.


    Meanwhile, the man keeps shaking me.


    What’s he so desperate about?


    Let me sleep a bit. Then my consciousness will—


    Suddenly, my vision blurs, and gray spreads across my sight.


    Cobblestones...?


    Oh, it’s the floor.


    “...! Wake... wake up!”


    “Noise...”


    “What do I do next!? Is it done!?”


    The fog in my mind clears, and my thoughts become sharp.


    And as I look around, my memory returns.


    I... lost consciousness.


    Helped up by a subordinate, I look at the alchemy equipment.


    The solution is fine.


    The antidote potion needs to be boiled—boiled and then... what was it?


    My consciousness fades again.


    Though I’m shaken back, I can’t speak.


    It’s no use. My thoughts are scattered.


    Everything is blurry.


    I can’t even remember this man’s name.


    “Not at all. Could it be—a scroll?”


    “Yes. [Concentration Up]. You asked for it before losing consciousness. It was tough to use it on you.”


    He laughs, mimicking a slap.


    I don’t remember, but it seems I requested the [Concentration Up] spell.


    Since it can’t be cast on others, they used a scroll.


    The defense squad scoured shops, caravans, and the adventurers’ guild, securing it and somehow making me activate it.


    Then I passed out again after explaining the antidote potion recipe.


    I don’t remember any of it.


    I pick up the blank parchment, feeling nostalgic.


    [Concentration Up].


    It’s a favorite spell of Virgil, who taught magic to my brother and me.


    It’s been seven years since then.


    He was nearly thirty, so he must have retired.


    Virgil would probably open a private school somewhere.


    Placing the parchment on the table, I check my body’s condition.


    There’s no weakness in my left hand.


    I open my status, shaking my head slightly.


    The poison hasn’t cleared.


    Thanks to [High Toxicity], it’s incredibly persistent.


    “I’ll resume brewing. Um—sorry, I’m still not fully recovered. I can’t remember your name.”


    “Don’t worry, I haven’t introduced myself. I’m Morris.”


    “Then, Morris, help me.”


    Hearing this, Morris frantically waves his hands.


    “I’m just a soldier. The potion worked because you almost finished it. Don’t be unreasonable.”


    “No problem. I’ll direct you. And as I said, I’m not fully recovered.”


    Morris’s face clouds instantly.


    “Still poisoned?”


    “Yes. I’m almost better, but we need to be prepared.”


    “...Got it. I’ll help.”


    Then, I resumed brewing with Morris’s help.


    Unknown to me, more alchemy equipment had arrived, so I switched one for alchemy solution use.


    The reason my poison didn’t clear was the solution’s quality.


    Morris’s solutions were all low quality; I usually use ones two levels higher. With these, even standard antidotes are tough.


    Using the remaining solutions to buy time, I’ll brew my own high-quality solutions to fully recover.


    Without losing consciousness, I continued brewing with Morris.


    By evening, I and the adventurers were cured. By sunset, the defense squad, and by nightfall, Brent was fully recovered.


    About half a day after encountering Sophric, all victims were treated.


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