484 Shocking news of a banned potion
The sky was dark when Vincent and Sakura left the workshop.
Sakura wore a set of comfortable loose clothes, and she seld carefully a neatly folded midnight blue dress, necklace, and earrings as if holding priceless treasure.
Sakura looked at Vincent and showed a gaze burning with conviction. “I will try to act like a petite woman when the new residents arrive. I don’t now want to scar them.”
*Sigh* “A petite woman doesn’t mean a good person. Act comfortably, and if they don’t like it, they can leave. ” Vincent reassured.
“Will you sacrifice a captain joining us for me?”
Vincent glanced at Sakura and noticed how nervous she was. He placed his hand on her back and said warmly, “You are my family. You are a person who walks the same dangerous path alongside me. Family comes first. That is my way.”
Sakura became happy to hear she was appreciated. She smiled as if all her worries had disappeared.
After Vincent reassured Sakura that if Russo and his mother had a problem, he was going to take her side, Vincent looked at his status window, and a frown appeared on his face.
.
.....
[Name] Vincent Lionheart
[Race] Human
[Age] 32
[Condition] Exhausted
[Soul Power] 460sp
[Traits] Blood Tempered Body Stage One, Mana Body
[Class] Soul Hero
[Class] Soul Mutation
[Stats] Strength 54 || Agility 43 || Perception 38 || Mana 121
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt.
The result was as expected. After starting in the afternoon and feeling tired, Vincent couldn’t take too much advantage of the Bloody Heart Pump original potion made by Eros.
Furthermore, this was the third time Vincent used the potion. It meant it was seventy percent effective on him now. Not to mention how he had less time and stamina today.
[I guess someone needs to risk his life from death by snu snu, hehe.]
“...” Vincent froze for a moment, and a chill ran down his spine.
“I need to become stronger.” Said Vincent with burning determination to become stronger.
Sakura misinterpreted Vincent’s frown and thought she didn’t help enough. “I will do my best to help you.” She offered without fathoming the idea Vincent was afraid. One where she and the others might kill him one day.
Vincent and Sakura walked together to have dinner as per usual.
After Vincent ate and went to the living room, Bessy approached in a hurry and gave him a magic contract scroll. She mentioned how busy she was with work and left for her room.
Vincent and Kazumi were happy with the seven magic contracts at their disposal. Even if they were of a low grade, they could be essential if Vincent would ever need the reassurance of trust from someone.
*Lusterfall Noble Academy – Team Ten Island*
Vincent, Ester, Lupa, Iris, Lilith, and Plow returned to their team’s island.
*Bam* the door opened in a hurry. Nick, Clair, and Vivid rushed to Vincent. They looked worried as if something terrible had happened.
“Vincent! You look...” Nick glanced at Vincent from head to toe and continued, “... Normal.”
Clair went beside Lilith and asked, “Did you notice something different on Vincent’s body?”
[How did they find out about the fight so soon?] Questioned Kazumi.
-I am of the same thought.-
Vincent guessed the same as Kazumi. It was plausible the spar against Russo and how Vincent looked like a shameless noble cheater was already spread because the academy is in the north part of the city, and the barracks weren’t too far.
“Is there a new rumor about me? I know I won against a captain-ranked soldier, but I didn’t think rumors traveled so fast.” Vincent asked.
Nick, Clair, and Vivid became shocked. They looked at Vincent as if they had misheard his words. But Vincent remained with a straight face, indicating it wasn’t a joke.
“Win?” The three almost asked at the same time.
[Vincent. I don’t think what is on our minds and theirs are the same. I don’t think anyone in the academy knows what we did yet.]
Vincent quickly realized their conversation sounded conflicted. He cleared his throat and said, “I will speak first. Today I beat Captain Russo of the north gate barracks. Now he accepted being sponsored by me and living with his mother in my residence.”
Vincent extended his hand. “Now it is your turn to tell me why there is worry painted on your faces. Care to explain what is on my body?”
Nick, “So it isn’t a joke? You are stronger than a fifth-year student if it’s true.”
Clair, “Was it dangerous? But I do not see you wounded.”
Vivid, “No wonder Lupa wants to become strong enough to protect her chosen mate. She can’t protect someone who is stronger than her.”
*Thud* Lupa grumpily stomped her foot and complained, “I am very strong. I simply want to remain the best girl Lupa. That’s all.”
Lupa peed at Vincent. “It’s not. I want to be stronger than my mate.”
“...” Vincent felt in danger all of a sudden. Having Lupa constantly asking for a rematch might be the end of him.
*Cough* “Can we know what nade you rush to us?” Vincent changed the subject.
“The Bloody Heart Pump potion has become banned for now. I know you take that potion to become stronger like the rest of our classmates and a few other students.”
Nick gave a paper to Vincent after mentioning how the potion wasn’t going to be sold or made anymore for the time being.
Vincent looked at the paper, and a frown appeared as he read aloud for Ester, Lupa, Iris, Lilith, and Plow to know what was happening.
“This is a notice from the headmaster. The original potion named Bloody Heart Pump will become a banned potion until further notice. Anyone who has the potion/s will be able to sell it/them back at twice the price as compensation.”
“A side effect was discovered when a person consumes this potion more than once. The person will suffer from increased aging the more they take after the first.”
“This side effect was never reported because the potion was unpopular with its low duration and cost of purchase. Only a few students had taken the potion for a second time and no one for a third.”
“We assume the students suffered from a small amount of the discovered side effect. As the students didn’t see any difference in the mirror, no one noticed and reported the side effect.”
“Based on our new findings, we have found the reason why the potion causes the body to build resistance against the potion so quickly. The more resistance the body builds, the more a person will age.”
“The second potion will be ten percent less effective. However, our team still hasn’t discovered the exact calculation and values of the ten percent age increase. We can only estimate, and we assume the second potion aged them by approximately four to six months.”
“This side effect was always present. However, it all changed when the potion became popular recently.”
“Many students consumed the potion more than twice, and their age increase grew expeditionary. The worst-case reported was an age increase of three years thus far.”
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmVincent recalled how he checked his stats today after finishing reading. His age remained the same, and a quick guess flashed in his mind.
-Did I stop aging after becoming seven years older?-
[Could it be that you are immune to aging?]
Vincent and Kazumi told each other at the same time. They were of a similar thought.
Vincent had experienced an aging spree back in Aero Forest. As mysteriously as it began, it mysteriously stopped sometime later after the royal guard ant fight.
Vincent’s age didn’t increase further than the thirty-two years old mark. Even if he took three of these potions, his age remained the same.
“I checked in the evening, and I am still thirty-two years old. Maybe it is because I had already aged seven years mysteriously.”
*Phew* Ester, Lupa, Iris, Lilith, and Plow’s concern quickly vanished upon Vincent’s reassuring response. The five of them became relieved Vincent wasn’t in danger.
“Are you sure you are fine?” Asked Nick to reconfirm his friend wasn’t going to become an old man by the time the first academic year ended.
“Yes. I am highly resistant to aging, hehe.” Vincent boasted with unconfirmed proof.
“Now, about the captain...”
“Lord Vincent must be tired if he sparred with a captain. Let’s let him and his family rest. It is not like Lord Vincent is going to run away.” Vivid interrupted Nick from learning about Vincent’s true strength.
Nick took a good look at Vincent and noticed how he was exhausted, as Vivid said.
“We will let you guys rest. Being exhausted will make tomorrow’s training...”
“We do not have a lesson tomorrow. Did you forget the note we received on Paradise Island?” Clair interrupted Nick now.
“Teacher Maria has something important to tell us, and the morning lesson is canceled.” Clair waved at Lilith and continued, “See you tomorrow.”
‘Why am I being interrupted all the time?’ Brooded Nick while heading to his room.
Vincent looked at his wives and asked, “Shall we go to sleep?”
“Don’t forget to feed Zero.” Iris remained.
*Sigh* “Fine.” Vincent grumpily replied. After any exhausting day, he was going to feel anemic, feeling Zero a couple of drops of blood.
*Lusterfall City – Lower Class District*
.....
“Mom, I am home.”
“Welcome back, dearie. How was playing soldiers with your friends go, my little Russo? I bought you fruit today.”
“I have found us a new home. ” Russo told his mother. He approached Luisa, lowered to one knee, and continued, “There will be many good people to take care of you. There are also going to be many children and animals.”