153 - 24 Hearts

Chapter 153: The Land of Entertainment and Culture, Uroon "Oh dear, I don't have anything like an antidote on me." With an expression of genuine distress, Judah looked at the elves before him. The subtle, seductive gestures and sultry voice that lingered in the air were an immense biological temptation for any man. While the sweet, lingering scent in the air seemed to have no effect on Judah, he found himself caught up in the atmosphere nonetheless. Truly, who among men could resist the beckoning eyes of a woman who seemed more beautiful than a celebrity? While those who have no experience might remain indifferent, Judah, knowing the pleasures and joys that come from intimacy, found it a hard trial to endure. However, with both a 'male' elf present and the necessity to gain the trust of the Sword Star in the elven forest later, he could not afford to engage in any untoward relations with them. Making excuses about being forced into a situation would not hold up with the Sword Star. It was crucial to demonstrate that rescuing them was borne out of pure goodwill, with no ulterior motives. Most elves held a hostile stance towards humans, so restraint was necessary. "Heuaah!" Thus, he needed to detoxify them right here. Without knowing the drug's ingredients, recklessly concocting an antidote from herbs was not an option. As Judah pondered momentarily, he recalled the defeated mage and the locked rooms and exited the room. Rummaging through the cold corpse of the mage, he gathered several unknown potions. Upon checking their properties, they turned out to be highly effective healing potions. As he opened the doors of other locked rooms, one by one, he came upon a laboratory filled with various concoctions, barred like the room where the elves had been held. The laboratory was astonishingly well-organized. He found a table filled with sealed vials. Normally, someone unrelated would not know what they were for, but Judah possessed a special ability to identify the properties of items. "What a ridiculous amount of aphrodisiacs." The substances were varied types of immediate or sustained-effect aphrodisiacs, each with unsettling side effects. Though they were essentially useless, he thought they might come in handy someday and stashed them all in his Bag. Digging further through the laboratory, Judah discovered a detailed manual on how to make aphrodisiacs. It seemed that this lab was not used for creating standard magical or medicinal concoctions but rather for formulating or experimenting with substances intended for nighttime activities. Judah collected empty vials and useful laboratory tools, which could prove handy later. Finally, he found an antidote and several herbs. "As expected." Thinking they'd likely have prepared an antidote in case some important captives like elves reacted unpredictably to the aphrodisiac, Judah pocketed it for emergencies. ────────────────────── [Name: Antidote - Sage Time] [Grade: Rare] [Description] An antidote that calms raging libido; generally consumed when one experiences seizures from overdosing on aphrodisiacs. However, after drinking the antidote, one temporarily loses interest in everything, as if transcending all worldly matters, which led its creator to dub it 'Sage Time.' - Sage Time (Passive): A fast-acting substance that calms bodily urges within 30 seconds of ingestion. Though excessive sweating occurs, it's merely expulsion of the aphrodisiac components from the body, posing no issue. ────────────────────── "Whoever came up with this name, they sure have a remarkable naming sense." There were generously ten antidotes. He put two in his pocket and stored the remaining eight in his Bag. Additionally, the neatly dried and bundled herbs were rare and valuable. Thinking it was all free, he swept them entirely into his Bag and hurriedly remembered the primary reason he came here, dashing back to the previous room. The two female elves were still trembling, and the male elf continued to helplessly watch over them. Using the key he obtained from the deceased mage, Judah inserted it into the lock to open the iron bars. "Ah. No! Don't come closer!" At the sharp, piercing voice, Judah halted. The female elf, intoxicated by the aphrodisiac, regarded Judah with intense caution. Yet, she posed no real threat. Leather collars around their necks prevented them from using magic. Gazing at them quietly, Judah pushed the two vials with antidotes from his pocket through the bars, rolling them towards the elves. The well-sealed corked vials tumbled over and bumped into their feet. "Huh?" "It's an antidote. It will... let's see, what should I call it? It will subdue your, um, heat." "Given he hasn't lied so far, it's best you drink it quickly." The male elf, who had been silently observing, vouched for Judah for reasons unknown. The two elves had no choice but to trust that it was an antidote and drink it. If they didn't believe, well... They had to trust that the elf accompanying them would not cooperate with the humans. They hesitated for a moment, picking up the vials that lay at their feet. Their trembling hands could barely hold the stopper. Gritting their teeth, the elves popped the cork and, like addicts suffering severe withdrawal, struggled to drink the potion. In their haste, a good deal trickled down their chins and dripped down. As the liquid rushed down their throats, one of the elves began to cough violently, as if choking. Judah briefly considered whether he should give them another dose. 'Should I give them another?' Watching them for a moment, he realized it wasn't necessary. The antidote was fast-acting, and shortly after consumption, the elves felt the heat that had been consuming them rapidly dissipate, akin to reaching a state of enlightenment. The world around them seemed meaningless, their distrust of the human a trivial concern. Humans, too, were just fleeting beings passing through the world. "Ah…?" "S-Sister." The two elves, apparently sisters, exchanged bewildered glances. Observing their reactions, Judah couldn't help but chuckle softly. It seemed the antidote's name, "Sage Time," was appropriately given. Unlocking the barred door, Judah gestured for them to come out. "If you've come to your senses, let's go. We need to get out of here. There's no time to dawdle." "Ah, yes. Yes!" Seemingly unaware of their current attire's state, they hurried to obey Judah's command. However, perhaps due to the prior effects of the aphrodisiac, their legs gave out, and they collapsed in place, sounding as if a "thud" should have accompanied their fall. Letting out a small sigh, Judah squatted in front of one elf and offered his back. "Get on. And you, what are you standing there for? Come in and carry one of them." "O-okay!" The elf, who had been standing idly, quickly complied and followed Judah inside. Fortunately, perhaps due to the presence of their kin or the effects of the "Sage Time," the elves climbed onto Judah and the other elf's backs without further hesitation. 'Ugh!' Judah was acutely aware of the sensation of the elf's supple thighs against his hands and her impressive curves against his back. No wonder people coveted elves. Feeling his senses overwhelmed, he muttered a curse under his breath, stopped briefly, making as if he'd resolved something, and took out an antidote from his Bag, opening it with his teeth before downing it. The taste of the antidote was akin to plain water, matching its "Sage Time" effect. The reality that he had to consume it too was bittersweet. Unsure of its efficacy, yet hoping for some mental solace, Judah quickly led the way out of the basement. The mage's blood had pooled on the floor, and as Judah's foot splashed through it, the sound echoed around them. Ignoring the blood stains on his pants, he ascended the stairs. "Hm?" At the top of the stairs, a man with a magical lamp in hand appeared, likely a mage by his hooded appearance. "I-Intruder!" The man reacted swiftly, casting a protective spell while shouting. Judah's hand moved a beat too late, as his crimson-bladed dagger pierced through the man's shield and neck, but not before his warning echoed through the mansion. The mage slumped against the wall, gurgling before tumbling down the stairs with a resounding thud. "What's going on!" "There was noise from the basement!" Voices cried out, likely rousing the guards asleep on the first floor. Judah sighed, racing up the stairs with urgency. The elf clinging to his back tightened her grip in fear. As they reached the top, they encountered a guard entering the room. With stealth no longer an option, Judah summoned and hurled Artemia with deadly precision. "Ugh!" Despite not knowing the guard's skill level, Judah's dagger impaled the man effortlessly, sending him flying back against the wall. Hearing the commotion, the man who had been following behind inhaled sharply. "We're under attack!" The next voice was louder, echoing through the mansion. Instead of approaching to assess the situation, he wisely turned to alert others. Reaching into his Bag, Judah donned a wooden mask he had acquired from the Black Tree Tribe. "Let's hurry." Judah urged the male elf behind him, racing past the fallen soldier into the corridor. The front door was close, but taking that route would mean confronting incoming guards. Not that they were daunting, but unnecessary conflict and killing were best avoided. Standing before a window in the hallway, Judah, with the elf on his back, swung the "Thirteenth Fragment, Yakal," shattering the glass to shards that cascaded down. Leaping forward, the sound of glass crunching underfoot was audible. "There he is! Over there!" "Catch him! How dare he infiltrate the Neyuebe estate and flee!" "He's carrying an elf! No crossbows!" Fortunately, the mages seemed to remain asleep, as they were nowhere to be seen. All previous caution forgotten, Judah sprinted across the garden. The mana stones emitted beams of light from all directions, accompanied by a humming sound. No time to admire their function. "Over the wall!" At Judah's command, the elf hesitated briefly before leaping over the over-two-meter-high wall with ease, despite not being able to use magic for some time. 'I'll have to get something like a smoke bomb next time.' Something to distract and mislead pursuers was needed. But for now, he had no such tool. Judah glanced back briefly, smirking at the slow-to-react guards before scaling the wall. As he considered where to flee to next to reach allies of the Shadow Kingdom, a familiar face waved from afar, visible even in the dim light. 'Roxin!' With the elf on his back, Judah sprinted towards Roxin. As they dashed out onto the street, a few passersby looked on in surprise, but none attempted to pursue them. ---------= Author's Note ---------= Phew, another test today. I'll review it once more before bed. I'm sure everyone had a busy day. Let's just hang in there through Wednesday, Thursday, Friday! Haha... ha...