Porlyusica

Outside Magnolia Town, in the eastern forest.

Makarov led Mira and pulled Hughes along as they passed through thickets and trees, heading deeper into the forest. As they walked, he explained things to Mira.

"An old friend of mine lives deep in this eastern forest. Don't underestimate her-she's an exceptionally skilled healer!

Back when we traveled the continent together, her medical skills saved me from death more than once.

Don't worry. Hughes's problem will be a small matter for her."

Mira looked around. Along the stretch they had traveled, beasts had roared and cried all around them, and she could even make out a few enormous shapes in the distance. She couldn't help asking, "Master, isn't it dangerous for her to live deep in the forest?"

"Haha, Porlyusica would never be afraid of those things. She may not be a mage, but medicine and poison go hand in hand. Not one of the wild beasts or magical beasts that come down from the mountains dares to approach her or provoke her."

Makarov spoke with immense pride, as though he were Porlyusica himself.

He had once wondered the same thing as Mira, although Porlyusica had shown him a few of her skills.

But he always felt that the reason the wild beasts and magical beasts in the eastern forest feared her wasn't quite that simple.

But for now, who cared? After decades, he had grown used to it.

"Still, you mustn't come here on your own. Some of the magical beasts here are beyond your ability to handle.

Especially those Forest Vulcans. They're particularly fond of children!" Makarov said seriously. He had driven the magical beasts and wild beasts out of the eastern forest many times, but within days, they always came back. There was simply nothing he could do about them.

All he could do was warn the people of the guild and the town to stay away.

When Mira heard that there were Forest Vulcans here too, she blinked, her ears perking up like a little rabbit's.

She also told Makarov what they had encountered on their way to the guild.

"Huh? Thank goodness you're all right. Hughes is quite impressive!" Makarov said, giving Hughes some praise. He decided that once he got back, he would have the guild clear out the eastern forest.

Especially the Forest Vulcans. He didn't want to see that kind of magical beast in the eastern forest again.

The two chatted as they walked, and before long, a wooden cabin came into view in an open clearing.

Makarov suddenly slapped his forehead. He had nearly forgotten something important.

"Oh, right. Porlyusica doesn't like humans. When you meet her, just call her Granny. She's softhearted despite her sharp tongue, and she likes that sort of thing. She doesn't really hate humans."

At the cabin, Makarov knocked lightly on the wooden door. He waited a while, but no one came to open it.

"That's strange. Porlyusica is always home at this time."

"Oh well, let's go inside and wait for her. She's probably gone into the forest to gather herbs."

As an old acquaintance who had known her for decades, Makarov was thoroughly familiar with Porlyusica's home. He usually just pushed the door open and went in. He was only being so polite this time because Mira was with him.

Creak!

The wooden door swung open, and Makarov entered first. Looking up, he saw Porlyusica working at her potion-making table.

He couldn't help complaining, "You were home all along, so why didn't you open the door for me?"

"Don't disturb me. This reagent is almost finished!"

The stern rebuke startled Mira into swallowing the greeting that had been on the tip of her tongue.

Makarov dumped Hughes on the sickbed, then returned to find Mira standing awkwardly in the doorway. He took her aside to sit and wait.

Makarov knew that Porlyusica hated being disturbed when she was making potions. Not even he was an exception.

He gave Mira a meaningful look, telling her to be patient and wait quietly.

Before long, Porlyusica, her pink hair covered by a deep crimson cloak, fixed her slightly narrowed eyes on the nearly perfect reagent before her, a light seeming to shine in them. She let out a long breath she had been holding, then silently put the potion away.

She had spent more than half a year working on it, and only today had she finally managed to make this potion to ease heart pain.

"Makarov, how many times have I told you? I hate the smell of humans. Stop bringing them here."

Mira, having already learned from Makarov what Porlyusica was like, hurriedly stood up and greeted her. "Hello, Granny Porlyusica!"

The softhearted but sharp-tongued Porlyusica's expression didn't change, but inwardly she felt rather helpless. She didn't have to think to know that Makarov had taught them to say that.

"Haha, Porlyusica, we're all friends here. Mira just joined the guild. She has an excellent aptitude for magic-a genius who awakened her magic on her own!"

Like a child with a new toy, Makarov showed Mira off to Porlyusica with an air of pride.

Porlyusica struck the floor hard with her wooden staff and shot Makarov a sharp sideways glance. She couldn't stand how smug he looked.

"What trouble have you gotten into this time that you need my help with?" she asked directly.

Makarov didn't visit her often, and every time he did, he brought a whole pile of troublesome matters for her to help with.

Makarov paid her impatience no mind and pointed inside. "I put the patient on the sickbed. Take a look at him for me."

In the sickroom, Porlyusica carefully examined the unconscious Hughes while Makarov assisted her. Mira stood against the wall, watching them with a trace of anxiety in her eyes, not daring to interrupt.

"This boy's spiritual energy is far too strong. It has already split, and he may even have developed a second personality."

"His body's self-protection mechanism has activated, putting him in this coma. It's the best treatment for him."

Makarov nodded beside her. Porlyusica's diagnosis was much the same as what he had thought. The moment he first saw Hughes, he had sensed how immense Hughes's spiritual power was-it was even leaking out of his body.

"Can he be treated, then? Hughes said that as long as he took his medicine, he wouldn't have an episode, and even if he did, it wouldn't hurt as much as it has the last few times."

Mira moved closer and asked with concern, telling them about Hughes's recent condition.

"And he uses a Lost Magic like the fire element. Fire is the most explosive thing there is!"

Porlyusica frowned. This was rather difficult. If Hughes were an ordinary person, he would be easier for her to treat, but a mage was much harder to deal with.

It was impossible to tell a mage not to use magic, but magic was tied to emotions and the mind. Using it would inevitably stir up his emotions and increase the strain on his mind.

And the boy happened to use fire. The ferocity and passion of fire magic would only add fuel to the flames of his condition.

After thinking for a moment, Porlyusica walked over to the potion-making table. She rummaged through it, then took out a packet of reagents and handed it to Mira.

"From now on, just have him take this before he uses magic. He won't have another episode before he develops a resistance to it."

Porlyusica's brief words made Mira's eyes light up.

"But you should know that such abundant spiritual power also means this boy's magical aptitude can't be weak.

He'll make rapid progress in a short time, and his magic power will soar.

If he can't control himself during that process, his magic power will influence his mind. He'll inevitably suffer a mental breakdown, fall into darkness, and become a monster that knows nothing but destruction.

In the end, he'll have to deal with the problem of his mind himself. My potion can't keep working for him forever."

Porlyusica's words wiped the joy from Mira's face, and she fell silent.

"Wait, Porlyusica, take a closer look. Hughes isn't a mage at all!" Makarov's sudden interruption made both Mira and Porlyusica's eyes go wide.