I Shall Survive Using Potions! Volume 1 Page 8

  And lo, the Goddess wept!

  I’m bawling my eyes out here!

  I presented them with three potion vials.

  “That was so sad, I already made three of these...”

  “O-Oh...” The lady knight seemed a little taken aback, as if she didn’t seem to think the story she told was that sad.

  “Give this blue one to your grandmother,” I said as I handed the boy a potion.

  “For you, I want you to drink this red one. Just be warned that you may be in trouble if you don’t drink this in front of someone everyone really trusts. And your superiors. And maybe whoever you work for as well.”

  “R-Right...” the lady knight said.

  “You can give this last yellow one to whomever you want, so just have whatever sick or injured person you want to heal drink this.”

  I handed the last potion to the lady knight as well.

  I had only picked those colors because I wanted to make the potions easy to tell apart from each other this time around. They didn’t have the same effects as the healing potions I made the last time I’d chosen this particular color palette.

  “Then you should all be off. I’ll be taking my leave from this world soon, and the surge of divine energy from when my bed disappears can have harmful effects on humans. Hurry along now.”

  I said as much to urge them to get going, and the four of them thanked me profusely before they took their leave. I made sure to threaten them with that whole “divine energy” mumbo jumbo, so I doubted they’d come back to try and take a peek at what I was doing... But, just to be safe, I used the gaps between the trees to watch the carriage and the escort of mounted knights be on their merry way before I did anything else. When they were gone, that was when I got to changing my clothes and packing my bed away before getting the heck out of there. That ate up some of my time, but it was actually kinda fun, so I’d say everything worked out fine.

  I only had a little farther to go until I reached Brancott’s capital.

  I may have been a little rash conjuring up those potions, but I doubted anyone would come searching me out if they all thought I was a goddess who just happened to have descended to this world. It wouldn’t be strange for those potions to have miraculous effects on them either; everything that happened was “the work of a goddess” after all.

  That said, I may have gone a little overboard with the red potion. I didn’t know if it’d have the exact effects I was thinking of, but I bet that lady knight would be pretty happy as long as it did even a portion of what I tried to make it do. I mean, that story was just too sad. She really made me a blubbering mess back there... I had to make sure I didn’t end up like that myself. Let’s call the gift I gave her a sort of “tuition fee” for that valuable life lesson she ended up giving me.

  A few months after Kaoru had escaped from Baron Renie—

  The nameless girl from the baron’s mansion—well, it wasn’t like she really didn’t have a name of course—but the girl Kaoru had taken the maid outfit from was a girl of little fortune. Kaoru had thought her to be around fifteen or sixteen years old, but that was only because of how Kaoru had the bad habit of thinking foreigners looked older than they really were. In reality, this girl was only twelve years old. And right now, that girl was in a panic—more panicked than she’d ever been before. After all, the girl had just taken on an enormous debt, since the baron was charging her for the maid outfit that girl who knocked her out ran off with.

  While the baron was no saint, it wasn’t like he was the very embodiment of all the world’s evil or anything. He was just your normal, money-grubbing, sleazeball who loved looking down on commoners. Just your average, everyday aristocrat.

  Her maid outfit had been loaned to her by the baron’s household. Since it was her responsibility that it was stolen, she had to reimburse them for the missing clothes. It wasn’t an unreasonable request by any means; in fact, you could even say she was lucky she got off with only being yelled at for letting the girl escape, and not having them demand her compensate them for everything that was taken from that room. It seemed even the baron wasn’t that much of a horrible excuse for a human being.

  However, the outfits used for maids working in noble households were expensive. Like, “almost costs a small fortune” expensive. That’s why they were provided free of charge instead of being paid out of pocket by the maids. Now, she had to work to send money back home, so she could only repay small amounts at a time for the clothes. As of now, she’d barely even begun making a dent in paying off that debt. At this rate, who knew how long it would take to pay the whole thing off... Just thinking about it was enough to sap away what hope she had left.

  The girl was looking gloom and doom as usual today, and while her fellow maids felt sorry for her, their hands were tied. Just like the girl, everyone else was also sending what money they earned back home to their families, and they didn’t have the luxury of sparing any for her.

  It was then the head maid called out to the girl, “A package arrived addressed to you, so come pick it up later.”

  After her work was finished, the girl collected her package and had gone back to her room. It wasn’t actually her own room however. It was a room made up for four people, with two bunk beds. The other three maids just hadn’t come back yet.

  The name on the package said it was sent by a “Kaoru,” but she had no clue who that could be. It was definitely addressed to her though, and it wasn’t like she could return it now. There was no address for the sender, and it wasn’t like she had the money to send it back either. Reluctantly, she opened the package.

  “Ah...”

  Inside was the maid uniform that had been taken from her. Not only that, but there was another smaller, carefully packaged box tucked away inside the bigger one. When she opened that as well, she found a small bottle filled with some sort of strange liquid, and a letter that came with it.

  I’m sorry for before. I’m returning the clothes I ended up borrowing from you. Make sure to drink everything inside the bottle as soon as you read this so it isn’t stolen from you, and I recommend you don’t speak of it to anyone.

  —Kaoru.

  The girl was utterly bewildered. She was angry toward the girl who stole her outfit, then she was overjoyed having it back so she wouldn’t be in debt anymore. And then, she was tremendously doubtful about this suspicious liquid.

  With all these thoughts whirling around inside the girl’s head, she just stopped thinking and downed the contents of the bottle—all at once.

  “M-Mmph... That...was pretty good...”

  “I heard you got your outfit back. Thank goodness, right?”

  “Yeah, the person who took it sent it back here! I’m saved!”

  The other maids were celebrating the fact that a smile had finally returned to the girl’s face.

  “So I can tell you’re feeling a lot better now, but aren’t you kind of, I dunno...too happy?”

  “Huh? You think so?”

  The girl tried feigning ignorance, but there was obviously something up with her. Her hair was glossy and smooth, her cheeks soft as silk, and her hands showed no signs of the wear and tear from work whatsoever. She was actually constipated until yesterday due to all the stress, so there was no way she would be acting like this now.

  “Did something happen?”

  “Nope, nothing at all. I’ve never felt better now that I’m debt-free, and I even got back the money I already paid too! I bet all that happiness I’m feeling is just showing up on the outside now!”

  “Seems a bit fishy if you ask me...”

  “Ehehe...”

  Not long after, rumors of an “angel” spread among not only the maids in the mansion, but to the neighboring countries as well. But there wasn’t a single person who connected those rumors with the commoner girl who’d been held at the mansion for all of one day... Well, except for maybe one person. And right before she went to bed that day, the young girl offered another prayer of gratit
ude, just like she always did.

  “Thank you again for everything, Kaoru, the angel sent by the goddess Celestine herself...”

  Chapter 4: The Royal Capital

  Grua, the royal capital of the Kingdom of Balmore—

  A family of nobles were kneeling in the throne room of the royal palace.

  “Raise your heads.”

  The nobles lifted themselves up at the young king’s words, a man who appeared to be in his mid-twenties.

  Gerald von Adan was the current head of the Adan household, which was the family of aristocrats who had an audience with the king today. Behind him were his eldest son and daughter of the family, both of whom were still children: Hector, and his little sister, Yunith. Also with them were the captain of the knights who guarded them, Robert, and the female knight, Francette. Also present in the throne room were the king’s ministers, other members of the upper echelons of nobility, and a great number of those with a higher social status.

  “So, Earl Adan, would these be the people who claimed to have met the goddess?”

  The king looked especially amused as he asked his question. Earl Adan, in turn, respectively gave his answer.

  “That is correct, Your Highness. It happened when my wife’s mother was suffering from illness, and my children were on their way to visit her... Robert was the captain in charge of the knights accompanying them, and he insisted he share the details.”

  “If I remember correctly, your wife was raised in Brancott, was she not? Very well, I shall allow him to answer directly. Robert, speak your piece.”

  After receiving permission from the king, Robert explained what he’d experienced during his time as captain of the escort.

  “Hmm... Seems like quite the tall tale, if you ask me.”

  The king let out a wry chuckle, and snickers could be heard coming from the other nobility in attendance, causing Robert’s face to turn red.

  “And? What happened after that?”

  “My king, we delivered the medicine we’d received from the Goddess to the grandmother, and the moment she drank it... Why, she made a complete recovery.”

  “As if anyone would believe such trite...” “What are they plotting?” “They dare deceive the king?”

  An almost indescribable atmosphere fell over the throne room, filled with scorn from all the others in attendance. At this rate, the Adan household would be marked as liars and made into a laughingstock.

  Just as that thought was passing through everyone’s minds, the female knight Francette suddenly spoke up.

  “Your Highness, please look at this!”

  Taking a yellow vial of medicine from her breast pocket, she offered it to the king. He hesitated for a moment, but then gave his order.

  “Bring it here.”

  One of the king’s retainers fetched the medicine and handed it over to the king, who squinted his eyes as he scrutinized it.

  “This is the medicine of the goddess, then?”

  “Yes. Please, give that to Sir Roland.”

  “What?! Oh, I see now... This is the reason you requested my brother be here today.”

  Roland, the brother of King Serge. A genius of military prowess with an aptitude for politics, he’d earned the trust of all those who served under him. Ever since he was a child, everyone believed he’d make for a wonderful king in the future. However, misfortune befell him when he took on grevious wounds trying to protect his brother Serge, the current king. Because of that, he’d lost the ability to move his right arm. Roland had given up his place as next in line to inherit the throne and relinquished it to his younger brother. After their father passed away, he worked as a pillar to support his brother after Serge took the crown. There was no one Serge trusted and was more grateful toward than Roland, and the guilt Serge felt from what had transpired haunted Serge to this day.

  “Cease this at once!” a voice shouted out from among the nobles. “You cannot have Sir Roland drink such a dubious concoction!”

  At that time, Francette had already risen to her feet. Standing up completely straight, she took out another bottle of medicine from her breast pocket and lifted it high above her head. Red filled the inside of the bottle.

  “This medicine has been gifted to me be the goddess herself! Behold, my king!”

  Please let this work, Goddess!

  Francette pulled the cap from the bottle and downed its contents all at once. The female knight’s body was suddenly enveloped in a bright light, and the next moment...

  “““Ohhhhhh!”””

  “Wh-Whaaat?!”

  Standing before them was the female knight—but now with smoother, glossier skin, and a slightly smaller bodyframe than she had just moments ago. The armor she wore was now loose and baggy, and, no matter how you looked at her, she had the appearance of a girl who was fifteen or sixteen years old.

  Ignoring the commotion among the other nobles, the king grabbed the yellow potion and ran over to his brother.

  “Roland, drink this!”

  “No, you should save it should something ever happen to you...”

  Roland tried pushing away his little brother with his left hand, but Serge wouldn’t back down.

  “You heard what these people have said! The goddess told this knight to give this to whoever she saw fit!” Serge was on the verge of tears as he continued. “She chose you... This medicine is for you, Roland!”

  Looking at his little brother’s face, Roland knew Serge wouldn’t give up. He gave in to Serge’s pleas and took the bottle. Taking off the cap in silence, he slowly drank what was inside. For a moment, nothing seemed to be happening. His body didn’t start glowing, and he didn’t suddenly become younger.

  However—

  “I... I can move it...”

  “Roland!”

  “My right arm... It’s moving...”

  Serge was overcome with emotion at seeing Roland being able to move his arm freely again, embracing him as tears streamed down. Roland returned his little brother’s embrace, the tears flowing just as freely from his eyes. The nobles who’d been raising such a fuss fell silent, the sight of the two brothers holding each other bringing tears to their own eyes.

  “Roland, let’s hurry and conduct your coronation. That way you can finally become king...”

  “No, no...”

  “...Wh-What?” King Serge was speechless after his brother so casually turned down the throne.

  “Being king is such a pain, and I’m not going to let you push all of that on me. I’ll leave such annoyances up to you so I can enjoy a more carefree life!”

  “R-Roland, you...”

  Francette was trembling from pure joy. A younger body! It was lean and fit, but not to the point where she was a solid chunk of muscle, and boasted skin that was smooth as silk. She was twenty-seven years old on record, but if the Goddess made her sixteen, then she could say she was sixteen now, loud and proud! She was a little sad over losing the strength and endurance she worked so hard to build up, but it wasn’t like she’d forgotten everything she’d learned or anything. Since she didn’t have to commit as much time to training, she would have plenty of time to spend with the gentlemen callers who came to see her now.

  Heh... Heheh...

  “Hey, can you not laugh to yourself with that creepy look on your face?”

  “Quiet, you!”

  Just when she was enjoying her newfound happiness, her captain had to butt in and ruin the moment. She gave him a hefty shove, making sure to put extra oomph into it since her body was a bit weaker now.

  OOF!

  Her right hand sent the captain flying away much faster—and way farther—than she’d been expecting. He crashed and skid along the ground after being blasted off his feet.

  “...Huh?”

  Um... It doesn’t actually seem like my speed or strength has dropped at all... Actually, did I get stronger?

  “You said you were Francette, the knight, correct?”

  “Y-Yes!” She jumped i
n surprise after Roland suddenly began speaking to her.

  “I know for a fact we haven’t met face-to-face before...so why me?”

  “What?”

  “Like I said, I’m asking why you chose to use that medicine on me. It’s not like you’re in service to the royal family or anything.”

  “W-Well, erm... That’s because, um...”

  She couldn’t say it... She couldn’t say how she’d admired him for all these years. She’d fallen for him after seeing how brave he was protecting his little brother, and it was because of him she’d worked so hard to go from an attendant to a noble family to officially become a knight. That was why it was her dream to one day be in service to the royal family themselves, but she couldn’t say that... She wasn’t some starry-eyed fifteen- to sixteen-year-old girl or anything.

  “Well, that’s fine for now. I’ll be asking you the details personally later though.”

  “H-Huh...?”

  I’d finally made it. Here I was in Aras, the capital of Brancott. Luckily for me, a merchant who just happened to pass me by this morning let me ride in his wagon. He was on the way back from selling his wares, and there was plenty of space in the cart since he didn’t pick up too much stuff wherever he’d been doing business. The wagon also wasn’t in a huge rush to get wherever they were going, so it wasn’t like it was supersonic fast compared to walking. Either way, I’d say it was about twice as fast as it was going on foot. But that was only compared to an adult male in this world. Compared to my walking speed, this was at least five times as fast (my frequent breaks aside). Now I wouldn’t have to wear myself out traveling...though it did make my butt sore. Thanks to this though, I’d made it to the capital by the afternoon, which was way faster than what I’d been planning on before.