Not even two days had passed before Julius managed to acquire the herbs Helos needed.
When the boy pushed open the wooden door of the workshop, Helos was dozing over the table, her silver hair scattered across the surface like a small cluster of stars.
Hearing the noise, she suddenly lifted her head, her pale purple eyes still carrying traces of sleep.
“Ugh… you’re back?”
She rubbed her eyes, her voice thick with the grogginess of just waking up.
Julius placed the package on the table, the black uniform still carrying the scent of the outside air.
“Here’s what you asked for.”
Helos’s eyes instantly brightened.
She eagerly untied the package, her slender fingers gently parting the herbs inside—the Moonlight Mushroom emitting a faint glow, the leaves of Snake Tongue Herb still holding morning dew, the petals of Morning Dew Grass as thin as cicada wings, almost transparent under the sunlight.
“Perfect!”
She exclaimed happily, gripping her arm and shaking it vigorously. “Now I have something to work on~”
Julius watched her like that, a slight smile involuntarily tugging at the corners of his mouth.
“So happy?”
“Of course~!”
Julius shrugged lightly, the silver buttons on his black uniform glinting faintly in the sun. He stepped back half a pace, hands in his pockets, but his gaze never left Helos’s busy figure.
“Alright then, I won’t disturb you.”
His voice carried a hint of helplessness. “Miss Eleanor still has tasks to handle.”
Helos’s movements paused slightly, her silver lashes lifting gently.
“Something related to the Abyss Cult?”
Curiosity was barely concealed in her voice, a flicker of worry flashing through her pale purple eyes.
Julius nodded.
“Mr. Kyle and Miss Selina have been active in the Lower District recently, and they seem to have uncovered some clues.”
His fingers unconsciously rubbed the hilt of the sword at his waist. “Although both the Church and the Duke’s mansion have increased patrols, without concrete evidence—”
“We can’t alert them,” Helos took over, a wry smile playing at her lips. “I understand.”
A flicker of approval passed through the boy’s dark eyes.
“Tomorrow, I plan to go to the Lower District with Mr. Kyle.”
His voice lowered slightly. “Those guys are more cunning than we thought. The only thing we’re sure of right now is… they’ve already infiltrated the city.”
The air in the workshop seemed to freeze for a moment.
Helos put down the tool in her hand, silver strands falling along her cheeks.
Her gaze settled on Julius’s tense profile as she quietly asked, “And their goal?”
“That’s the most troublesome part.”
Julius shook his head, his voice so low it was almost inaudible. “We haven’t figured out what exactly they want.”
Outside, the wind suddenly grew harsher, causing the wooden window to creak softly.
The silence between them was broken by the sound. Julius seemed to wake suddenly and raised his head.
“In any case,” he forced a smile, “you have to be careful too. The Duke’s mansion is safe, but…”
“I know.”
Helos interrupted, a trace of determination flashing in her pale purple eyes. “You too.”
The boy nodded, then turned and pushed open the wooden door of the workshop.
Just as he stepped outside, he heard Helos’s soft sigh behind him.
“Julius…”
He turned back to see the girl standing by the workbench, her silver hair glowing warmly in the sunset.
“Please come back safely.”
Her voice was as light as a feather. “You’re my assistant—I’m still waiting to show you the new research results.”
Julius’s mouth twitched into a smile. He raised his hand and gave a proper knight’s salute.
“At your command, Miss Helos.”
The wooden door closed gently, cutting off the boy’s upright figure from sight.
Helos stared at the closed door, her fingertips unconsciously tracing the wood grain of the table’s edge until a faint sting brought her back.
She took a deep breath, releasing the inexplicable restlessness inside her with the exhale.
No matter what… she had to finish what she was working on first.
With resolve in her movements, the girl turned and arranged the herbs Julius had brought on the workbench, categorizing each one according to the recipe stored in her memory.
The Moonlight Mushroom gave off a soft blue glow, the Snake Tongue Herb leaves still wet with dew from harvest, Morning Dew Grass radiated a fresh scent, and the Calming Herb leaves curled like sleeping sprites.
Helos closed her eyes and let her consciousness slip into the spirit world.
The pages of Ultimate Alchemy slowly unfolded in the void, the emerald emblem shimmering with gentle light.
Her gaze scanned the newly unlocked formulas, each potion’s crafting process clearly imprinted in her mind.
The Universal Antidote required Moonlight Mushroom and Snake Tongue Herb.
The Vitality Elixir needed Morning Dew Grass and honey.
The Focus Potion demanded Calming Herb and Moonlight Flower.
The Thorn’s Kiss called only for Stingblossom.
Her fingertips lightly brushed over the neatly arranged herbs. After confirming each ingredient was ready, Helos pressed the golden glowing [Quick Craft] button in the spirit world.
In an instant, the herbs on the workbench seemed to be drawn by an invisible force. Fragments of Moonlight Mushroom intertwined with the juice of Snake Tongue Herb in midair.
The fragrance of Morning Dew Grass and honey filled the air. The halos of Calming Herb and Moonlight Flower merged, while the juice of Stingblossom bubbled fiercely alone in a corner.
Helos held her breath, watching this magical spectacle.
Under the influence of the invisible alchemical formula, the herbs decomposed and recombined, finally transforming into four streams of light that poured into glass bottles appearing from nowhere.
With a few crisp “ding-dong” sounds, the finished potions were neatly lined up on the workbench.
The first three bottles were similar in size to the Life Potion she had made before.
The emerald green antidote seemed to contain a sealed forest; the golden vitality elixir felt like sunlight flowing within; and the deep blue focus potion reminded one of a tranquil lake.
But the last bottle, Thorn’s Kiss, was different—larger and thicker, the dark purple liquid inside flowed slowly, occasionally bubbling dangerously on the surface.
Helos picked up the potion thoughtfully, finding its shape and weight just right, as if… it were designed specifically for throwing.
Her fingertips gently stroked the smooth surface of the bottle, a flicker of understanding shining in her pale purple eyes.
She carefully stored the dangerous potion separately, carving a conspicuous skull mark on the wooden box.
When all the potions were packed away, Helos stood before the workbench, her gaze sweeping over these colorful results.
“Ugh… how should I test these potions?”
She scratched her head, looking somewhat troubled.
In the end, she decided to test the potions herself.
Setting aside the antidote for now, the vitality elixir and focus potion were almost like drinks.
Thinking that, she fearlessly grabbed the two yellow and blue bottles and downed them in one go.
Although the amount wasn’t large, she immediately felt a jolt of energy, as if her whole body was filled with strength.
Whoa, didn’t expect such a good effect.
Pretty powerful, huh?
But soon, the girl regretted it.
Late at night, she lay on a hammock, eyes vacant as she stared at the night sky.
Damn it—did this potion work a bit too well?!
It’s this late already!!!
And I still don’t feel sleepy at all!!!
Its magic Caffeine! That will sell like hot cakes