Chapter 108 Fear
――The next day.
Lukas and I, who were completely refreshed after a good night's sleep, went downstairs to the living room to check on the mouse as soon as we woke up. Diona was already there in front of the cage, and she smiled at me when she saw me.
"Good morning. How is the mouse doing?"
"Yes, it seems to be doing well."
I breathed a sigh of relief at Diona's words. It seemed that the mouse that had consumed the prototype was healthy for now, which meant that there was no immediate toxicity.
Lukas and I stood next to Diona and peered into the cage. The mouse didn't seem to be behaving any differently, busily grooming itself.
"For now, it seems that there is no toxic effect."
Lukas, Diona, and I nodded at each other. We had made a little progress, but there was still more to consider.
I glanced away from the cage and stared at the container holding the prototype we had made yesterday. Then I muttered softly.
"The next thing to consider is――"
"The effects on the human body and whether it affects beings with magic powers."
――Just as I was about to say that, I was momentarily frozen by a familiar voice that shouldn't have been there, and then I quickly turned around. There was Arnold, sitting on the sofa.
"Arnold-san! W-why are you here?"
I was surprised and asked, but Arnold's gaze remained fixed on the cage.
It was Diona who answered my puzzled question, not Arnold.
"I called him. I thought it would be better for him to be present."
Diona was right. It would be better to have Arnold, Elvira's brother and a skilled alchemist and magician, present. I hesitated to speak to him as he seemed busy, but I wondered how Diona had managed to invite him.
I briefly pondered this, but I didn't have time to think about it, so I shook off my doubts and immediately asked Arnold, "What do you think?"
"I want to confirm the effects on the human body, but..."
Arnold's words trailed off.
I could sense what he was trying to say, as well as his emotions. The huge problem of who would be willing to take this unstable prototype stood before us.
Who would we give this prototype to?
I couldn't find an answer and fell silent. The one who broke the silence was Lukas.
"I think it's better if I take it. My power is infused in it, after all."
I looked up at my childhood friend's words.
Before I could open my mouth, Arnold's calm voice cut in.
"Lukas-dono is the source of that power, so it's only natural that there would be no effects. It's meaningless."
"Then wouldn't it be better if I, who have a similar power, take it instead? We could gradually get used to it, and..."
It seemed like a good idea to have someone with a power close to Hero's try it. However,
"But if something happens to Diona-san, we'll lose the person who can use their power in this experiment."
Yes, something happening to Diona would be a problem. It was the same for Lukas, and I couldn't agree to giving him the prototype either.
This person won't do, that person should be avoided, and so on ―― no matter how long we discussed, we couldn't come to a conclusion. I thought about volunteering, but I had just gotten scolded by Lukas yesterday, and the memory of "Last Brave" might become important when facing the demon king.
Although I had made up my mind to volunteer if this stalemate continued, I felt like banging my head against the wall due to the heavy silence. This silence was not good, so I tried to change the subject by asking Diona.
"By the way, how do you plan to use your power in this experiment, Diona-san?"
Even if the prototype was completed, we had to think about the timing of its use. Would we use it at the same time as the experiment, before, or after?
Diona answered slowly, her eyes slightly rounded in surprise.
"We'll draw a magic circle of light that the demon king hates, and Elvira-san will enter it. Then, I'll stimulate him from the outside with my power, and the ideal result is for the demon king, unable to withstand the power of light, to escape outside."
"If that's the case, then it would be best if Elvira-chan also drinks this prototype at that time, so that she can be stimulated from both the inside and the outside... that's the best option, right?"
Diona nods vigorously.
"In that case, it's still essential not to have a negative impact on Elvira-chan's body..."
"But my sister's body has the demon king in it. Even if Elvira's body doesn't have a rejection reaction, there's still the possibility that the demon king will reject Lukas-dono's power and go out of control."
Arnold's words interjected from the side make me feel uneasy.
I turn to him and ask.
"But until now... The Drinking Water of the Spirits has made him quiet, right?"
"I'm scared because I don't understand why he's being quiet. He's just storing up power while he sleeps, so even if he wants to come out, he can't because he lost power... It's like being sealed away."
The demon king is sleeping inside Elvira-chan. That's all we know, and it's terrifying that we have no idea what else is going on.
Arnold continues to speak.
"In the latter case, even if we can get rid of the demon king inside Elvira, there's the issue of where that demon king will disappear to. It would be great if it just vanished, but if it somehow involves Elvira――"
Arnold fell silent, as if it was too terrifying to say anything more.
I take the prototype in my hand and gaze at it again. It's a liquid that can defeat a monster with just a few drops. It's already something we can expect as a force against the demon king that comes out of Elvira's body.
Originally, I created a prototype aiming for an item that can attack monsters, "Holy Water". My initial goal has already been achieved. However, I think I can reach an even higher target. I want to do what I can. I don't want to regret it.
But the more I think about it, this power ―― the Hero's power ―― might be too great for humans to wield. The image that comes to mind is the monster that disappeared in a flash of light right before my eyes, the life I took away. If that power were to be used against humans someday....
"Ah... it's no use, I can't move when I start thinking like this."
My judgment could change the fate of the world. That's a terrifying thought.
(I think I slightly understand how the people of Rustu felt.)
Their decision to know the truth about the Self-destruction disease yet forbidding active treatment and waiting for the demon king's revival wasn't a result of giving up on thinking, but a conclusion they reached after careful consideration. If I were in their shoes, I might have chosen the same path.
Everyone keeps quiet, deep in thought. I put the container with the prototype on the desk, let out a small sigh, and said "fuuh."
――That was the moment. Arnold quickly approached me, and before I could even stop him, he snatched the container, opened it, and drank its contents.
"――...eh?"
The voice filled with confusion and shock was whose, I wonder?
The air was tense, and I didn't seem to be able to process what Arnold had done for a while ―― he had drunk the prototype.
I looked inside the container. It was empty.
"Ah, Arnold-san! What are you doing?!"
I rushed over to him, peering into his face. His expression hadn't changed.
"It's nothing."
As Arnold said that in his usual tone, I felt a fiery anger rising from the pit of my stomach, and I opened my mouth to speak without thinking.
"I can't believe it! You're going to drink it all at once?! How are we going to explain this to Elvira-chan if something happens?!"
Arnold replied with a puzzled expression.
"I did it on my own. There's nothing for you to worry about."
"That's not the point!"
Arnold seemed to be wondering why I was angry, rather than regretting his own actions. I was about to scold him further, but I realized there was something more important to do.
Now, there was no change in his condition, but who knows, maybe some kind of abnormality would affect him later. For that reason, I had to synthesize a healing potion, just in case.
"Well, I'll just synthesize a healing potion..."
"Let's observe his condition for a while. Arnold-san, please take a seat."
Thanks to Diona's calm and accurate judgment, Arnold sat down on the living room sofa.
As I borrowed the synthesizer and began synthesizing, Arnold called out to me again.
"There's no time to waste. As someone with magic powers and Elvira's bloodline, I thought it would be best if I drank it. That's all."
Arnold's words made sense.
We could test the effects on both the human body and those with magic powers, and Elvira's bloodline made him the most suitable test subject at this stage. However, that didn't mean he could just do it without any preparation.
Arnold was being rational, but that only made me more frustrated.
My hands were shaking as I synthesized the potion. The image of Elvira crying floated in my mind, and my throat choked up.
"Just calm down, okay?"
After I warned him, Arnold quietly lay down on the sofa. Nearby, Lukas was carefully observing his condition.
"I'll go get some water."
Diona said and quickly left through the back door.
I gazed at Arnold, who was sitting on the sofa, looking fine for now. But in the next moment, his body might be destroyed from the inside out.
If I were to take my brother away from Elvira, it would be terrifying and unbearable.
It took more time than usual, but I finally completed the healing potion. After taking a few deep breaths to calm myself, I walked over to Arnold with the potion in hand.
"If something were to happen to Arnold-san, Elvira-chan would be devastated. Even if her illness is cured, she would never be happy if you were to become a sacrifice."
I remember the earnest figure of Elvira, desperately making the healing potion and choosing a present for my brother. I want her to be happy. That's why it's absolutely necessary to treat the Self-destruction disease and never lose my precious brother.
When I mentioned Elvira's name, Arnold's eyes clearly showed understanding.
Arnold probably has a sense of superiority over others. But instead of looking down on others out of pride, he probably thinks, "I'm better, so it's only natural that I work harder than others." That's why he doesn't take care of himself. It's always been that way. He always looks busy, never shows a tired face, and never complains.
That attitude might be preferable to others. But for Elvira, and for me, it's frustrating and unbearable.
"Please, take better care of yourself."
The words that came out of my mouth contained a surprising plea.
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