Barbara's potion took effect incredibly quickly.
About half an hour later,
Dantai Zhengchu was already able to sit up in bed on his own.
"Dad? You can sit up already?!"
"Whoa? Brother Zhengchu, you're finally back on your feet!!"
Dantai Xue and Tiger Cub, who had been watching over him by the bed, hurriedly stood up.
Not only that, his withered muscles were visibly filling out, and even his sparse, graying hair was visibly darkening back to black.
"Barbara's medicine! It's amazing!"
Azura hugged Barbara and rubbed against her before adding,
"But it takes a huge toll too! It might even shorten her lifespan, so you're not allowed to brew this kind of medicine again!"
"Huh?"
Dantai Xue did not understand and asked,
"W-wait, brewing medicine can shorten your lifespan?"
I chimed in with an "explanation."
"Normally, no. But the stronger the potion, the more expensive and rare the ingredients it requires. Brewing a potion that can drag someone back from death's door naturally comes at a price for Barbara... namely, her own roots."
Of course, that was all nonsense.
Even if Barbara really used her roots, she could quickly grow them back just by drinking medicine.
The reason I said it, much like the excuse for demanding those expensive ingredients, was to leave Dantai Xue and the others with the impression that "potions are difficult to make," so they would not constantly ask Barbara to save someone.
Barbara was far too kind-hearted. If people asked her, she would probably be unable to refuse. Then word would spread from one person to ten, from ten to a hundred, and eventually it would develop into the situation I least wanted to see.
Incidentally, Azura had come up with this plan. I was merely cooperating with her.
"Roots?! I-I'm sorry! I didn't