5
Jinga got awoken to unusual sounds.
Yells.
Sounds of hurried footsteps in the mansion.
Jinga got out of his bed like sliding, put on <Shield of Wolkan> on his left hand, put on his cloak, grabbed his sword with his right hand and left his room.
"Jinga. What happened."
Norma, his master was awake too.
In the meantime, voices of people ordering people and replies to that resounded on.
However, those sounds gradually faded away.
"It seems there is something amiss on the first floor. The night watches on the second and third floors have gone down as well."
"Jinga. Head for grandfather's room!"
"Ma'am."
Fortunately, this place is close by Prado's room.
Norma was to inhabit the building Zepus lived at. But as her room hasn't been tidied up yet, she's staying in a room located in the same area as the present master.
As Jinga arrived at a dim junction in the hallway, his instinct warned him.
(Something.)
(Someone's there.)
It's not visible to bare eyes. There's a fewer light sources lit during midnight, but it's still bright enough to see anyone present.
However, despite the lack of anything reflected in his eyes, Jinga's tempered senses are telling him there's someone lurking in the corner of the hallway.
Jinga drew his sword, and dropped its sheath on the floor.
"<Deploy>."
The <Shield of Wolkan> manifested on his left hand. Then as he took a step toward that corner, something moved in the dark.
He blocked it with his shield at once.
A sound of something small and sharp got bounced off.
That was when something diminutive jumped out.
BWOON.
Jinga's sword quickly slashed at the dark, producing that sound.
This jumping someone skillfully dodged his slash, but Jinga could feel the tip of his sword hitting cloth and flesh.
The intruder ran away straight ahead. He can't catch up anymore.
Jinga looked to the left. That's the present master's room, a soldier who should be standing watch in front door is laying on the ground.
Jinga ran into that room, and vigilantly surveyed the room with his shield and sword at the ready.
Prado is asleep in a canopied big bed in the middle of the room. There's no one else present.
"<Reduction>."
Jinga grabbed his sword in his left room, and operated a portable candlestick on the desk to strengthen the light.
He could sense Norma arriving in front of the room behind his back. She seems to be crouching. She must be checking up on the soldier laying there. Then she drew near. She passed by Jinga and got to the bedside.
"Jinga, light."
Jinga vigilantly walked up to the bed and held up the candlestick.
He could sense Norma tensing up.
It's a needle.
A big needle stabbed into Prado's throat was reflecting the candlestick's light.
<TLN: Catch the latest updates and edits at Sousetsuka .com >
6
As Norma ran toward her grandfather, Prado Goncourt, she could somehow notice the purplening of his lips within the dim room for some reason.
Once Jinga held up light for her, she could look and check at Prado's body and condition clearly.
A rapid drop in temperature.
Stiffening skin.
White eyes, trembling lips.
Not only that, his whole body is convulsing worse as time goes on.
(It's a venom!)
(Probably Flat White Snake's.)
Flat White Snake's venom is not fast acting, but its efficacy is guaranteed overtime. He's already started convulsing. Prado will die if he doesn't get treated right away.
However, Norma doesn't have a Green Potion with her.
This house surely has some, but there's no time to look for one now.
Norma took a wand she hid in her bosom. A small <Box> is attached to its tip. One of Lecan's gifts from Ninae. She kneaded her mana and recited a spell while pulling out the needle on Prado's throat.
"<Recovery>."
Just one <Recovery> has completely consumed Norma's mana pool.
<Recovery> closed the wound on Prado's throat. And give the red color back to his lap, stopping his convulsion.
As she breathed a sigh of relief, Prado's lips turned back to purple color, and he started convulsing again.
(Eh?)
(Why.)
(Why won't <Recovery> work?)
<Recovery> should work on Flat White Snake's venom.
(Is it not Flat White Snake's venom?)
Something was presented to her. It's a Blue Potion. Jinga has brought it from Norma's room. Norma took it like she snatched it from Jinga's hand, and gulped it down without chewing. Her mana was replenished right away.
Making the antivenom would not make it in time. There's not even time to fetch the raw materials from her clinic.
She was going to get Jinga ask someone bring a green potion here, but stopped short.
They don't have the leisure to.
The venom is killing Prado even now.
The sole chance would be.
A chance to save her grandfather's life.
"O God of Maara!"
Norma held out her wand while calling out to the god of Wisdom. Then she poured all her mana into her wand, and recited a spell filled with a desperate plea.
"<Purification>!"
Nothing happens.
A moment after she thought that.
Softly, a blue light dwelt at the tip of her wand.
That blue orb of light fell down straight to the closed wound, and permeated in Prado's entire body.
She didn't actually believe it would get cast. However, being the daughter of her mother, the likelihood of her casting <Purification> one day always lurked in her mind. And there was no other way but to cast <Purification> if she wanted to save her grandfather now. Thus she made an attempt despite believing it wouldn't work.
Norma passed out.
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