After Cosmi brought over the tools and herbs, Emlyn skillfully prepared a bottle of potion he had refined over and over again.
After confirming there was nothing wrong with the potion, he walked to the iron-black coffin in the center of the underground hall. "Lord Nibis, I'm ready."
Nibis's aged voice rang out from within the coffin again. "Cosmi..."
"I understand, Grandfather."
Cosmi, who had been waiting to one side, stepped forward, took out a stemmed glass, and handed it to Emlyn.
He then placed one hand above the rim of the glass. The index fingernail of his other hand abruptly lengthened, extending with an additional illusory segment, and lightly slit his wrist.
Drip!
Drops of crimson blood, as though steeped in scarlet moonlight and brimming with vitality, fell into the stemmed glass.
Emlyn stared at Cosmi in slight astonishment, unable to understand why he had suddenly started bleeding himself.
Cosmi made a nasal sound before explaining, "The complete supplementary ingredients required to advance to Baron are: 100 milliliters of Giant Sage blood, seven Dark Bat hairs, ten drops of essential oil made from June Snow, and a potion invented by oneself."
"The first two can also be replaced by the corresponding parts from a Baron."
As he spoke, he withdrew the hand that was still dripping blood, took a small brown bottle of perfume from his pocket, and sprayed it over the wound.
The cool, mist-like liquid scattered down, and the crimson wound on his wrist healed at a visible speed.
Next, he pulled several strands of hair from his head and tossed them into the stemmed glass Emlyn was holding.
Watching Cosmi toss in the hair, Emlyn subconsciously glanced at the top of his head. His lips pressed together as he looked at the meticulously groomed hair, clearly