“Are you sure this will really restore my memory?” Ares asked as they entered the palace and went straight to the lab. Kirine handed him a test tube, already prepared, and he took it reluctantly, frowning skeptically.
“It’s experimental at best,” Kirine admitted. She had meticulously gathered the ingredients, seeking help from her peers to create the potion. However, she couldn’t guarantee its effectiveness. Someone would have to drink it to find out.
As Kirine watched Ares silently, he seemed to understand, and his expression hardened. “I’m not drinking it,” he declared.
“Then who will?” Kirine asked.
“You drink it,” Ares replied.
“You’re really making me repeat myself,” Kirine said, exasperated.
Kirine couldn’t hide her irritation as Ares continued to refuse. “If I drink it and something goes wrong, who’s going to make the next potion?” she asked.
“And it’s fine if something goes wrong with me?” Ares countered.
“Well, that’s just a fate you’ll have to accept,” Kirine replied.
“So, you want me to bear that fate alone?” Ares asked.
“If something goes wrong, I’ll make sure your condolence money is generous,” Kirine offered. It was her hard-earned money, but given their shared bond and loyalty, Kirine felt she could at least offer him enough for a decent meal if things went awry.
Ares must have read her thoughts, as his eyes flashed dangerously. “If something goes wrong, you’ll be sharing that fate with me,” he declared.
“Hurry up and drink it. Do you really think I made this potion to kill you?” Kirine urged.
“Did you already forget you just talked about condolence money?” Ares retorted.
Kirine tilted her chin, silently pointing to the potion, conveying her message clearly: Drink it already.
“Hah…” Ares let out a low sigh as he stared at the potion. The liquid wasn’t exactly black, nor could it be called green—it looked like a thick, murky sludge, with dull bubbles rising to the surface.
“This doesn’t feel right,” he muttered, his anxiety evident. Despite his reluctance, Ares cautiously dipped the tip of his tongue into the potion. Before he could pull it away, Kirine swiftly shoved the entire potion into his mouth.
Her hands moved without hesitation, as if she’d been waiting for this moment. Startled by the sudden rush of liquid down his throat, Ares coughed violently, pushing Kirine away.
“What the hell are you doing?!” he demanded.
“If you’re going to drink it anyway, might as well do it quickly. It’s not going to kill you,” Kirine replied, her frustration momentarily evident.
Then, turning serious, she watched Ares closely, her own tension growing as she anticipated the potion’s potential effects.
But nothing happened.
“Just wait a bit longer. Sometimes the symptoms take time to show,” Kirine reassured him, gesturing for him to sit down.
“Are there any symptoms if the potion’s bad?” Ares asked, his voice filled with concern.
“Usually nothing happens. Sometimes you might get a headache or stomachache. Though, exceptions exist,” Kirine explained.
“And by exceptions, you mean death?” Ares retorted, his eyes accusing her of trying to kill him.
Kirine immediately jumped up in protest. “I might dislike you, but I don’t want to become a murderer!” she exclaimed. There was no need to mention the occasional moments when she did fantasize about it.
“So, how do you feel? Anything different from usual?” Kirine asked.
“Not yet,” Ares replied, opening and closing his hand repeatedly to demonstrate that he was fine.
“Well, we’ll have to monitor you for a day, just in case,” Kirine said. There were cases where symptoms took a while to appear, so they didn’t have much choice but to wait.
Suddenly, sweat began to trickle down Ares’s forehead.
“Are you okay?” Sensing something wasn’t right, Kirine asked with concern, watching as Ares wiped the sweat off his brow, looking disoriented.
“My body feels strange…” Ares replied.
“How strange?” Kirine pressed.
“I don’t know. It feels like my insides are burning… and…” Ares trailed off, his posture faltering. His breathing grew shallow, and he let out a pained groan.
“Stay with me, Ares! You have to tell me exactly what’s wrong so I can help you!” Kirine exclaimed, realizing something had gone horribly wrong. She carefully grabbed his shoulders, trying to assess his condition. But before she could do anything, Ares collapsed into her arms, unconscious, with his eyes tightly shut.
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