Lord of Caldera - Chapter 89

Chapter 89: Chapter 89
“Transparent Elixir… what on earth is that?” the count demanded, rising to his feet in shock. Max, with a grim expression, held up the wine glass, his tone serious.

“It’s something I heard from a former associate—a Black Moon assassin,” he replied solemnly.

The crowd gasped. The Black Moon, an infamous organization known to eliminate even nobles, was synonymous with death and terror.

“Indeed,” Max continued. “The Transparent Elixir is one of their poisons, a name given for its clear, colorless nature once complete.”

“What sort of effect could reduce him to this state?” the count asked, clutching his son.

“It’s simple. Once ingested, a person must take an antidote periodically. If they miss even one dose, the poison activates, leading to bloody vomiting and, ultimately, death.”

The gathered crowd fell silent, shocked by the sheer cruelty of such a poison—designed to enslave its victims. After a dramatic pause, Max, placing his hand on his heart, continued with a pained expression.

“This poison, meant to control its victim, is not supposed to take effect immediately.”

“Then why is it happening now?” the count asked, his face ashen.

Max bowed his head in shame. “It’s my fault! I offered the young master a mild tonic yesterday, and it must have conflicted with this poison.”

“A tonic? How would that relate to poison?”

“Certain ingredients should never be combined. When mixed, they react, triggering effects prematurely. I never imagined this could happen! This is all my fault!” Max lamented, his face buried in his hands.

Ulrich’s face turned pale as he took in Max’s explanation. Had things gone so terribly wrong by sheer coincidence?

The count, clutching his son’s limp body, asked desperately, “Is there an antidote? If so, share the recipe at once!”

“I don’t know the exact formula,” Max replied, his tone bleak. “And at this point, it’s too late.”

“No…” the count murmured in despair.

“If anything could save him, it would be the legendary elixir—El.ix.er.” Max emphasized each syllable, glancing subtly at Ulrich.

At the mention of the Elixir, Ulrich’s shoulders tensed. Toby, catching this, raised his voice dramatically.

“Are you insane, Max? El.ix.er is a legend! No one actually has it!”

“But the only thing that could save the young master is the Elixir!” Max cried. “Without it, he will die!”

“It’s impossible! No one has that kind of medicine!” Toby bellowed, continuing the act as he noted Ulrich’s reaction. Each mention of the Elixir sent a visible tremor through him. Eventually, he clenched his jaw, clearly weighing his options.

‘No matter what, I can’t give that up!’ Ulrich thought, conflicted. The Elixir’s worth was beyond measure, capable of bestowing nobility and title even to a commoner who presented it to the emperor. Yet, if he didn’t give it up now, his reputation—and perhaps his life—would be destroyed.

“Oscar,” Ulrich whispered.

“…Yes, sir.”

Without needing further explanation, Oscar left swiftly, knowing exactly where to retrieve the precious Elixir.

Oscar returned shortly, a small vial clutched in his hand. With a reluctant expression, Ulrich approached the count and handed it over.

“Father.”

The count, shaken, looked at his son.

“This… is the antidote.”

The count’s eyes widened. The statement implied that there was, in fact, a cure and that Ulrich had been withholding it. Taking the vial, the count passed it to Max, who stepped forward.

“Allow me, Your Grace. It requires skill to administer properly.”

With Max holding the vial, Toby moved closer to help, their expressions as solemn as ever. Meanwhile, Oscar, standing beside Ray, whispered, “Sir Ray, I…”

“I’m not leaving the lord,” Ray responded coldly, not even turning to look at him.

“…Thank you,” Oscar murmured, realizing any attempt to justify the situation was pointless. He could only feel thankful for the collar he had on Ray, one that prevented her from simply walking away.

Then Toby exclaimed loudly, “Wait! This vial… is it possible…?”

“What?” Max responded, feigning confusion.

“The shine… the color…” Toby continued, his eyes wide as he examined the vial. “This is… the El.ix.er!”

“Are you serious? This is the legendary Elixir?” Max echoed loudly, heightening the crowd’s excitement.

Around them, people whispered and gasped. The Elixir was thought to be a mythical cure-all. Even mentioning it was akin to fantasy, yet here it was.

“Yes, I’m sure of it!” Toby replied with a flourish. “This much Elixir could cure not just one, but potentially even two cases of the incurable sleep disease!”

At that, Oscar’s jaw dropped, horrified. But Toby pressed on.

“Incredible! The sleep disease—rumored to be incurable—could be healed with this single vial! The Elixir is truly as potent as the legends say!” he declared, drawing even more murmurs from the crowd.

‘These idiots, just give it to him already!’ Oscar thought in frustration as the crowd continued to marvel at the supposed value of the Elixir while Ray’s hands clenched in suppressed rage beside him.

At last, Ray, her voice trembling, muttered, “Did you… know about this?”

“Sir Ray,” a voice called nervously.

“If you lie, I’ll kill you right here,” Ray replied coldly.

Oscar, who had been silently opening and closing his mouth, finally dropped his head in a silent nod. Ray watched him intently for a moment before turning away, knowing that if he continued staring, he might actually follow through on his threat. Sylas, meanwhile, opened his eyes just a sliver to check the mood, then whispered to his companion.

“You heard that, right?” Sylas murmured.

“I did,” came the reply.

“Good. Let’s move on to the final stage,” Sylas said quietly.

Satisfied with their agreement, Max uncorked a vial and brought it to Sylas’s lips. Instead of swallowing the elixir, Sylas held it in his mouth, ensuring it stayed in without causing him to cough. Since the elixir hadn’t been consumed yet, the pale color induced by the poison hadn’t faded. Max embraced Sylas with a serious expression and shouted dramatically.

“Ah, oh no! The potion isn’t working!”