Dekan's Half-Sister

Having just finished learning it, Dekan had a deep impression of every step required to craft the antidote.

Mie, meanwhile, stood by his side, helping Dekan prepare the necessary materials.

To Dekan's surprise, Mie's preparation was perfectly in sync with his intentions, allowing him to achieve twice the result with half the effort.

However, she seemed to observe Dekan from a close distance whenever she had a spare moment.

Although Dekan kept his focus sharp, Mie's movements inevitably distracted him.

The sense of danger triggered by his sense of smell pricked at Dekan's nerves from time to time.

The fragrance from earlier didn't seem to be just her natural scent; there was also the aroma of a specially crafted drug.

It felt just like... the Hypnosis Gas he had made himself?

Though he didn't know what its effects were.

It was certainly ominous.

Dekan secretly cast Purification magic on himself several times.

"Finished so easily; it seems we have great chemistry."

Mie said with a smile.

With their cooperation, they successfully crafted the antidote in less than ten minutes.

"Job done, nice and quick!"

Dekan tidied up the laboratory table, looking as if he wanted to leave as soon as possible.

"By the way, Dekan, I heard you're a card-crafting genius?"

Mie asked while helping him clean up.

"It's all just empty flattery."

Dekan said indifferently.

It seemed the news of him creating an Epic card during the Third-Tier exam had spread rapidly throughout the Royal Capital.

"Ho ho, I don't know who's flattering you, but you certainly flattered Her Highness Alice until she cried."

"How did even that news get out?"

Dekan couldn't help but take a serious look at Mie.

He believed those stewards wouldn't dare to speak loosely.

Theresia wouldn't go around talking about Alice's embarrassing moments either.

Mie seemed to notice Dekan's confusion; she remained silent for a meaningful moment before saying, "Alice lives right next door to me. She came to me yesterday to pour her heart out for a long time; her eyes were swollen from crying."

"..."

Hearing this from Mie made him feel a bit guilty.

To be honest, that foolish princess was a good person—at the very least, she was straightforward.

Not only did she not try to squeeze money out of him, but she also didn't try to make him owe her any favors.

In truth, the main reason she couldn't make money was that her card-crafting technique had some issues.

Using that many materials meant that even if she successfully crafted a card, there was basically no profit to be made.

It was a pity that, seeing Alice's expression at the time, he just couldn't resist teasing her.

"Is Alice alright?"

"She's fine, though it was hard work for me to comfort her for so long. I even told her not to tell her royal brother or the King about this, otherwise, you'd be in trouble, Dekan."

"...Then I really have to thank you."

"So, how do you intend to thank me?"

"Just tell me what you want. Opportunities to make me owe a favor don't come around often."

"Then please, drop your guard against me."

"That is the only thing that is impossible."

"You're so harsh. I've been so sincere with you."

"Sincere? I don't think Alice would tell you the details of her embarrassing moments even if she did go to you to cry, would she?"

Dekan raised an eyebrow; he had long suspected Mie was bluffing.

"Oh my, I've been found out."

Mie didn't panic in the slightest; she pressed a fingertip to her crimson lips and smiled faintly.

"Hmph."

Dekan decided to leave decisively, picking up his books and walking away without looking back.

Mie didn't try to stop him, only calling out to his back, "Are you interested in the crafting of toxins?"

"How could that be? What decent person spends their whole day refining poison?"

Although Dekan's footsteps faltered for a moment, he continued to walk away.

"You were the one who borrowed Poison Refining I and II, weren't you?"

Mie's airy voice rang out in the silent classroom.

Dekan finally halted his departure and turned back to look at Mie.

He saw Mie holding up a book and waving it at him; it was none other than Poison Refining III.

Dekan's brows furrowed slightly, but they smoothed out just as quickly.

What followed was a smile that came from the bottom of his heart.

Mie smiled back with equal candor.

A glance was all it took to confirm: they were both people with "passion."

The two of them felt a sense of camaraderie, meeting through their shared love of books.

You should have said so earlier.

As long as you like Poison Refining, you are family to me.

What's wrong with a little joking around?

Dekan: "Shall we study it together?"

Mie: "No problem."

The sense of distance between the two seemed to vanish in an instant.

Like two like-minded researchers sitting before a laboratory bench, they prepared their equipment while exchanging ideas.

Mie: "Don't you think it's a pity that the toxin we just made was only used to create an antidote?"

Dekan: "Do you have other ideas?"

Mie: "We could create an anti-antidote to improve the poison. The weakness of this new type of poison is that it's too easily neutralized. If we can successfully improve it, it would be perfect."

Dekan: "Great minds think alike. I can also analyze the toxins and combine their principles with poison magic for card crafting."

Mie: "Heh heh, I have some self-created poison magic and potion formulas, but unfortunately, I'm not skilled at card crafting. If it's with you, perhaps we could create some interesting cards together."

Dekan: "Then what are we waiting for? We have to produce some results today, no matter what. No one leaves until the sun goes down."

The sky was tinged with a faint red, and the pharmacy classroom had grown somewhat dim.

Only the two of them remained in the empty classroom.

There was an atmosphere that might have sparked the imagination of others.

However, they were both so focused that they didn't notice this peculiar ambiance.

Once she entered a research state, even Mie became exceptionally serious.

"Knock, knock!"

"You two need to leave this classroom."

It wasn't until a teacher from the Alchemy Academy walked in to remind them that they looked up, noticing the classroom was already empty.

Furthermore, their stomachs seemed a bit hungry.

It really is easy to lose track of time when doing something you're interested in, especially when you have a like-minded partner by your side.

"It looks like we have to stop here for today."

Dekan sighed, helplessly putting down the refining flask in his hand.

The classrooms and laboratories would all be locked up soon.

After all, this wasn't a library; it housed numerous potions and was subject to strict regulations.

On Saturdays and Sundays, it wouldn't be open to students without a teacher on duty.

"But our research is at a critical juncture, isn't it?"

Mie said, her brows knitted together.

Dekan: "Do you have any good ideas?"

Mie: "Come to my room. I've converted my storage room into a potion laboratory. If you don't have anything else to do today, we can stay there until nightfall."

Dekan asked with some hesitation: "Until nightfall?"

Because Mie always wore a smile on her face, Dekan truly couldn't fathom what she was thinking.

Mie countered: "I don't mind, so why would you?"

Dekan: "..."

Mie: "How could we let our spirit of scientific research be abandoned halfway?"

Dekan: "That's true. Let's go!"