The Extra Saved the Terminally Ill Princess and Ran Away - Chapter 38

Chapter 38: Tournament (2)

***

Afternoon, after Knight Department classes.

I was on the academy's shuttle, on my way to meet Anna.

I rarely used the shuttle, but the Knight and Alchemy Department buildings were on opposite sides of the campus, relative to the main building.

This was a unique characteristic of the academy. Each department had its own designated area, with all related buildings— classrooms, dormitories, training grounds—grouped together.

Supposedly for efficiency and specialization.

As a result, students rarely interacted with those from other departments. This was also why Lili always came to my training grounds in the Knight Department area.

Since I was usually there before her,

It was more convenient for her to come to me, rather than asking me to go to the Magic Department area.

"So, right after I promised to give up on her, our relationship improves… Should I be happy about this, or not…?"

I sighed, fiddling with the Trace Changer around my neck.

If I hadn't found this artifact, such concerns would have been a luxury.

Imagine the shock of discovering that the person you thought was dead was actually alive and well.

She might have become an irredeemable villain.

So, I wore the Trace Changer at all times, except when sleeping,

Taking extra care not to lose it.

"At least it's practically indestructible…"

Artifacts weren't common in this world.

Even the Reverse Gravity, a rechargeable artifact I had used during my fall, was quite expensive, despite its limited use.

And the Trace Changer, with its versatile applications, was supposedly priceless.

So, it made sense that such artifacts were durable.

The Trace Changer, like other artifacts of its kind, was resistant to most forms of damage.

And there was another reason why artifacts were rare and expensive.

They couldn't be replicated.

While artifacts with similar abilities could be created, exact replicas were impossible. So, even if you knew about a specific artifact, you wouldn't necessarily know what it looked like.

That's why I always answered the question,

-Berry, you always wear that necklace, don't you? You're a top scorer now… can't you afford a better one?-

…with,

'It's the only thing my parents left me. I cherish it.'

And eventually, the other students in the Knight Department started avoiding my necklace during sparring matches.

They were afraid of accidentally breaking my parents' "only memento," even if it was just an accident.

The only remaining problem was the tournament, but that wasn't a big deal.

While the use of potions and artifacts was prohibited, it didn't matter as long as I wasn't caught.

Unlike consumable potions or artifacts, the Trace Changer was undetectable as long as I kept it on.

The instructors would be watching for cheating, but,

I wasn't going to suddenly become stronger, and the necklace, which provided no combat benefits, was something I had been wearing since the entrance ceremony. It wouldn't arouse any suspicion.

"Arriving at the Alchemy Department district!"

Lost in thought, I looked up and out the window.

The Alchemy Department building, with its ornate facade and various flask emblems, came into view.

Finally, I could see the results of Anna's work on the Lycansthrope materials.

In the original story, the Lycansthrope's vital organs had been destroyed by Selina's magic, so I had no idea what Anna would create.

"Knowing Anna Freesia, she must have come up with something extraordinary."

The carriage stopped with a jolt, and I gave the driver a generous tip before heading towards Anna's alchemy workshop.

***

Even within the Alchemy Department, top scorers received special treatment. Unlike the other students' workshops I had seen in the hallway, Anna's door was ornately decorated.

And Anna's personal maid was waiting outside, bowing her head respectfully.

"Greetings, Master Berry."

I had seen her before, when I delivered the Lycansthrope materials, but it still felt strange to be treated with such deference, considering Anna's noble status.

"I told you, you don't have to be so formal with me."

I had specifically told her she didn't have to use honorifics.

She shook her head, her polite demeanor unchanged.

"How can I be informal with my lady's esteemed colleague?"

"Ah."

Of course. It made sense from her perspective. I spoke casually to Anna, so how could her maid treat me differently?

Any further insistence on informality would only make her uncomfortable, so I nodded.

"Do as you please, then… May I come in?"

I pointed at the door, and she stepped aside, bowing her head.

"Of course. But please be mindful that my lady might be startled, so…"

"Knock first?"

I had been warned about this before. I knocked twice and opened the door.

"Anna, I've come to collect the finished product… What's that smell?"

Sniff, sniff.

A slightly sour, vinegar-like smell filled the workshop. It wasn't unpleasant, but it wasn't exactly pleasant either.

"Ah! Berry…! Hello…!"

Anna greeted me with a bright smile, her small form practically bouncing with excitement.

Back in Triang Village, she had seemed disheartened by her inability to contribute to the mission.

But when I asked her to create something useful for combat using the Lycansthrope materials, she had been overjoyed.

'Or maybe she was just excited about working with rare ingredients.'

We hadn't seen each other since returning to the academy, as we rarely interacted outside of missions, despite being in the same party.

She seemed to haven't grown an inch, still as small as a child. Poor girl.

"Everything alright?"

"Yes, thanks to you. Oh! I… I can't offer you any tea or anything… This is a workshop, so… I apologize…"

"I didn't come here for tea. So, what's that smell? It smells like vinegar."

Anna fidgeted nervously, so I quickly changed the subject.

She scurried away and returned with a small flask.

"It's probably this. A potion made from the Lycansthrope's liver and heart."

"Really?"

I couldn't smell anything from the flask itself, so I brought it closer to my nose and sniffed.

"T-The smell was only present during the process… You won't smell anything now…!"

"Hmm… So, what does it do?"

In the original story, she had created potions with unique and unusual effects, not just the typical strength or agility boosts.

I was curious about what she had concocted using the Lycansthrope materials.

"It completely heals any wounds that come into contact with shadows, for about ten minutes after consumption. The wounds have to be less than 24 hours old, though."

"…Did you test it yourself?"

"Of course! With this needle…"

She pointed at a long syringe.

I looked back at her, my eyes widening slightly.

Even though I had read about her experiments in the story, it was still hard to believe that this small, innocent-looking girl would willingly stab herself with a needle.

She waved her hands frantically, as if to defend herself.

"I-I thought I could just ask Grace to heal me…! She's always volunteering at the infirmary after class…!"

"R-Right…"

I pretended to understand, but I made a mental note to be more careful around Anna, despite her innocent appearance.

In the original story, she had tried to create a potion for Ian using a dragon's corpse, and,

For some reason, the experiment had failed, turning her into a chimera, which Ian was forced to kill.

'The biggest problem was that her mind was still intact, while her body was out of control, right?'

No one recognized her as Anna in her monstrous chimera form, and,

She had died in agony, attacked by her former comrades.

While her body rampaged, her mind remained clear, so she felt every bit of the pain.

"Anna."

"Yes?"

"No matter how tempting it is, stay away from dragons."

"Huh? Dragons?"

Where did that come from?

Anna stared at me, her eyes wide with confusion.

Unlike Grace, I couldn't guarantee that keeping her alive would be beneficial in the long run, but,

I couldn't just stand by and watch a fellow party member rush towards certain death. So, I decided that even if we hunted a dragon in the future, I wouldn't give her any of the materials.

…I didn't want to fight a chimera.

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