107 - The Butler Dismissed by the Saintess Couldn’t Possibly Be the Demon Dragon Princess

Chapter 107: The Black Potion Bottle Guided by the herbal fragrance, Ian unwittingly found herself standing in front of a small shop. At the entrance hung a sign that read "Magic Potion Shop," adorned with a depiction of a cauldron bubbling with purple foam, as if declaring to all who passed by that this was indeed a very distinguished potion shop. With ease, Ian pushed open the slightly rusty wooden door, which emitted a creaking sound. She could sense the long-standing history of the potion shop through this door. Once inside, a strong aroma of potions immediately enveloped her, prompting Ian to take a deep breath, instantly feeling more invigorated. The shelves inside the shop were lined with various bottles and jars, filled with liquids that shimmered with a peculiar light. What puzzled Ian was that although she scanned her surroundings, she did not see another soul in sight. "Am I too early?" Ian began to doubt herself. "But the shop is already open, isn't it?" "Or perhaps the owner has stepped out." Deciding to browse the shelves for a while, Ian figured that given her current sense that this trial task might end in bloodshed, it would be wise to stock up on some potions—just in case she needed them later. "What are you wandering around for?" A somewhat childish female voice suddenly spoke beside Ian. "Who's there! Who's talking?" "I'm warning you, it's broad daylight. Don't try to spook me." While Ian looked around for the source of the voice and still failed to locate anyone, she adopted a defensive stance. "I'm right here!" A little girl wearing a wizard hat larger than her own head skipped out from behind the cash register. A hint of anger was on her face, likely irritated by Ian's inability to spot her. Realizing that the girl had been concealed simply due to her short stature, Ian let down her guard, feeling somewhat embarrassed. Glancing at the girl wearing an exaggerated wizard hat, Ian couldn't help but chuckle. "Sorry, I didn't see you there," Ian apologized. "Are you the owner of this shop?" With her hands on her hips, the girl replied indignantly, "Of course I am, the greatest alchemist Lottie!" Standing on her tiptoes to appear taller, she challenged Ian, "Did you say I was haunting you?" Ian quickly waved her hands in defense, "You were just too short and hidden by the counter. I couldn't see you clearly." "Ah, I'm not that short!" The topic of height seemed to hit a nerve with Lottie, sparking her displeasure. "I'm just... not fully grown yet." "Besides, you're not much taller than me, are you? How dare you call me short!" "What do you mean, not much taller? Are you joking with me?" Ian was quite upset with Lottie's comment and considered it seriously. "Why, you want to compare?" "Let’s compare then, who’s afraid?" Standing back to back, both girls stretched to their maximum heights, each eager to surpass the other in stature. "Hey, take off that hat. It's cheating," Ian complained, as Lottie only appeared slightly taller with the wizard hat on. "I don't care, you're shorter anyway." Lottie grinned widely, almost as if her mouth would split in two. It was the first time in years she had defeated anyone in a height contest, even with the assistance of the hat. A win was a win, after all, with no further discussion required. After a brief moment of annoyance over the height issue, Ian reconsidered. Why compete with a little kid? She was, after all, just a newly-emerged young dragon with plenty of room to grow. "Did you make all these potions? They seem of excellent quality." Lottie, hearing the compliment, proudly lifted her chin. "Of course, I have the best magic potions in the entire kingdom!" She bounced to a shelf, picking up a yellow potion. "See? This one's a transformation potion that grows cat ears." Then she grabbed a pink potion. "This is a growth serum that makes flowers bloom instantly, and..." Following Lottie around the store, Ian suddenly noticed an inconspicuous black bottle in the corner. Unlike the vibrant potions, it emitted a faint glow. "What’s that?" Ian pointed to the black bottle. "Oh, that," Lottie hesitated, clearly uneasy, as she picked up a green potion. "Look, this one turns people into plants. Isn't it amazing!" Ian keenly sensed Lottie's avoidance, so she intentionally moved closer to the black bottle, "This seems different from the rest. Why is it hidden away?" Lottie fidgeted, responding, "That, um, it’s just... ink! Yes, that's an ink bottle." "Ink?" Ian skeptically reached for it, "Why would a magic shop store ink? And it's glowing..." "Don't touch!" Lottie suddenly leapt forward, grabbing Ian's wrist with surprising strength. Realizing she had overreacted, she released Ian's wrist and lowered her voice. “Really... there’s nothing special about it.” Watching Lottie’s odd behavior only fueled Ian’s curiosity. “Look into my eyes. You’re lying, aren’t you?” With her teeth biting her lip and her face hidden under her drooping wizard hat, Lottie finally confessed, “It’s my failure.” “Except for this potion, I’ve never failed before. Since I started making potions at the age of three, every potion has been perfect, except for this one.” Lottie sighed deeply, regretting not disposing of the potion sooner, thus avoiding Ian’s discovery. "Failure is normal, you shouldn’t be discouraged. Just try again next time," Ian softly consoled, realizing the sensitivity of the issue. "It's not the same. That potion was very important. If I had succeeded back then, my parents wouldn’t have..." Ian sensed she had stumbled upon a painful memory, causing her throat to dry. "I'm sorry, I didn’t know that potion held special meaning for you." "My parents were infected by a very unique creature back then, and became violent. If I could have successfully made that potion, perhaps I could have saved them."