Grape-Flavored Booger

Only two wall lamps were lit in the room, their dim yellow light casting heavy shadows that twisted and swayed across the walls.

Riyao crouched in front of an iron stand, gripping a dark solid-wood stick as he slowly stirred the iron pot on top.

The purple medicinal liquid bubbled and churned, its bursting bubbles scattering wisps of purple mist that carried a strange, fishy-sweet scent. Thick as melted amethyst, it wound around the stick as he stirred, then slowly slid back down in sticky strands.

His sleeves were rolled up, and a spot of medicine still clung damply to his temple. The liquid cast a cold purple sheen over his profile as he stared intently into the pot, his lips unconsciously pursed.

With the gloomy setting and bubbling purple liquid, the scene looked for all the world like an evil wizard brewing a curse potion. Even the air carried an eerie sense that he was "about to summon a monster any second."

Arcadios stood in the doorway, his hand drifting unconsciously to the hilt of his sword, his brows slightly furrowed.

He had seen countless mages cast spells and pharmacists prepare medicine, but never anything so bizarre. The color and thickness of the purple liquid, along with the lingering fishy-sweet scent in the room, all gave him an inexplicable sense that something was off.

Only Riyao's earlier success with healing kept him from stepping forward to ask questions, though his eyes remained full of caution and wariness.

Princess Hisui stood beside him, her emerald-green twin tails glowing softly in the dim light, her fingertips unconsciously rubbing the Celestial Spirit Key at her waist.

She wasn't as tense as Arcadios, but the deliberately gloomy setting left her somewhat exasperated. Finally, unable to hold back, she stepped forward and walked straight to the window.

Swish.

She pulled the heavy velvet curtains open in one sweep, and the early morning light flooded in, banishing most of the shadows.

Sunlight fell on the purple liquid, refracting into a clear violet rainbow. The eerie atmosphere faded considerably at once, and even the fishy-sweet scent in the air seemed a little fresher.

Hisui turned to Riyao, who was crouched in front of the iron stand, and spoke in a tone caught between laughter and exasperation.

"Mage Riyao, you're clearly making a healing potion, so why do you have to make it look like an evil wizard brewing an elixir? You drew the curtains and lit two lousy lamps. Anyone who didn't know better would think you were secretly making a forbidden magic item."

The sudden sunlight dazzled Riyao, and he instinctively squinted, though he didn't stop stirring.

"Huh? Doesn't it make it feel more ceremonial? Besides, a dark environment keeps the magic fluctuations in the liquid more stable, so they don't dissipate as easily."

"I think you just reckon it looks cooler this way."

Hisui raised an eyebrow and walked over to the table to examine the liquid. In the sunlight, she could sense its gentle healing fluctuations more clearly.

"Besides, can you even see how thick it is in this light? What if you cook it too long?"

Arcadios also breathed a sigh of relief, his brows relaxing a little.

The morning light had dispelled the room's eerie feeling. In the sunlight, the purple liquid looked less sinister and a little more fantastical.

His hand quietly slipped away from his sword hilt, though he still looked at Riyao with a touch of exasperation.

This Fairy Tail mage's way of doing things was every bit as unpredictable as the rumors said.

Riyao scratched his head and smiled, a little embarrassed.

"Seems like... it really is a bit hard to see."

As he spoke, he tossed a small piece of moonlight flower petal into the liquid. It dissolved instantly, softening the purple color somewhat.

"Besides, looking cool is one of my few hobbies."

"Maybe don't next time."

"If His Majesty the King happened to pass by, he might think you were hurting Brother Leo."

Riyao grinned and yanked the stick out, purple liquid sliding down its length.

"All right, all right! I'll make medicine with plenty of light next time!"

He picked up a ceramic bowl beside him and began carefully ladling out the liquid. With sunlight falling on his face, the "evil wizard" look finally faded, replaced by more of a youth's liveliness.

He had only filled half the bowl when soft footsteps came from the doorway, followed by a little head peeking in. It was Leo, who had woken up not long ago.

His face was still a little pale, but he couldn't hide his childish curiosity. While the attendants weren't looking, he had slipped over to see who was treating him.

But as soon as he looked up, he caught sight of the bowl of purple liquid gleaming coldly in Riyao's hands. His gaze followed the rim of the bowl to the thick liquid bubbling in the iron pot.

That eerie purple color, those sticky strands, and the faint lingering fishy-sweet scent made his eyes go wide. His little face turned pale in an instant.

"Wah!"

A short, tearful cry escaped his throat. Leo abruptly took half a step back, his little hands clutching the hem of his clothes as tears welled in his eyes.

"Wh-what is that thing?! It's so scary!"

Trembling all over with fright, he turned to run, but Hisui stepped forward just in time and caught hold of him.

"Brother Leo, don't be afraid, don't be afraid!"

Hisui quickly crouched down and gently patted his back. Her emerald-green twin tails hung down, blocking most of his frightened view.

"This is a healing potion Mage Riyao made. It's here to help drive the bad things out of your body. It's not a monster."

Leo hid behind Hisui, daring to show only half his face as he stared timidly at the bowl of purple liquid, his voice thick with tears.

"B-but it looks so scary... like, like curse water from a dark guild..."

Seeing him like that, Riyao's eyes lit up. He deliberately held the bowl a little higher, making the purple liquid shimmer with an uncanny gleam in the sunlight. He lowered his voice and put on a sinister tone.

"Oh, you caught me~ This isn't any ordinary potion. It was brewed from the tears of a hundred kinds of monsters. If a scaredy-cat drinks it, he'll turn into a little purple goblin and stay in the pot forever, keeping me company while I make potions!"

"Waaah!"

Leo burst into tears, clutching Hisui's arm tightly.

"I don't want to turn into a goblin! I don't want to drink it!"

"Mage Riyao!"

Hisui glared at him, both angry and exasperated, then turned back and continued soothing Leo gently.

"Don't listen to his nonsense. He's just trying to scare you. Look, that big sister who took care of you yesterday got better after drinking the medicine he made. She didn't turn into a goblin at all."

Arcadios held his forehead and sighed. He was completely at a loss with this Fairy Tail mage's habit of stirring up trouble, but he still stepped forward to back her up.

"Young Master Leo, Mr. Riyao means no harm. This potion really can cure you."

Riyao's shoulders shook as he held back his laughter, but when he saw how pitifully Leo was crying, he finally put aside his joking expression and held the bowl out to him, his tone softening.

"All right, all right, I won't tease you anymore. The potion just looks a little ugly. It actually tastes like grapes. Once you drink it, the bluish-black markings on your body will start to fade, and you'll soon be able to play at summoning Celestial Spirits with Princess Hisui."

As he spoke, he dipped a fingertip into the liquid and held it to Leo's mouth.

"Have a taste. It really does taste like grapes."

Leo hesitantly opened his mouth and licked the purple liquid off his fingertip. Finding that it really did have a faint grape sweetness, he gradually stopped crying so hard, though he still looked timidly at the bowl.

"C-can it really cure me?"

"Of course!"

Riyao patted his chest.

"When have I, Riyao, ever failed once I stepped in? Finish this bowl, and with my Healing Magic on top of it, you'll be running and jumping in less than three days."

Hisui nodded beside them.

"That's right, Brother Leo. I'll drink it with you, okay?"

Leo looked at Hisui's encouraging eyes, then at the purple liquid in the bowl, which didn't seem quite so frightening anymore. At last, he nodded.

He took the ceramic bowl in his little hands and drank it down in gulps, frowning as he did. Though it looked strange, the sweet taste did make him less reluctant.

"Tastes good, right? I was worried the booger that accidentally fell in earlier would ruin the taste."

"Mmph, wah!"

"Riyao!!!"

(#`Д´)ﾉ ( ^ω^) (((ﾟДﾟ;)))