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Chapter 94: Legendary Potion
Even after Henry left, Shirley and Jessica’s mock battle continued.
I intently watched the battle between the two of them.
Shirley is a serious and earnest person. When she concentrates, she will use her blade to achieve her goal, regardless of whether it’s a Prince or not, just as she did during the knight selection process.
Jessica is a similar woman. From the moment I ordered her to ‘fight seriously,’ the atmosphere around her changed completely, and she released a fighting spirit that was sharper and more refined than the warriors of the past.
It was beautiful to watch these two clash and fight with sparks flying both physically and mentally.
It was so beautiful that I wanted to watch it forever.
And, that was my mistake.
Serious fights, even if they are mock battles, can easily cross the line.
Shirley flicked Jessica’s sword, and with a stagnant movement, a lightning-fast thrust went straight for Jessica’s chest–
“Not good!”
I instinctively snagged my middle finger on my thumb and flicked it back with a recoil.
A chunk of air flew straight up and hit Shirley’s longsword.
Shirley stared in dismay as the longsword was flicked from her hand, whirled around, and stuck into the ground far away.
And Jessica, who was closed in, had fallen on her backside.
“That’s enough.”
As I said that, they both came to their senses at once.
I should apologize to them for putting them in danger because of my indulgence in fun.
“Sorr–.”
“That’s amazing!　As expected of Your Majesty!”
“Just now that was a…… chunk of air. Did you just flicker a chunk of pure …… air?”
Shirley was overjoyed and praised me innocently.
Jessica was surprised, and then gazed at me with fascinated eyes and a blush on her cheeks.
“Mu”
It was very difficult when those two gave me such looks.
“……That’s enough for now. Jessica, go get changed. Let’s go to father’s place.”
“Understood.”
Jessica’s atmosphere instantly switched.
She was a warrior before, but in an instant, she changed her air into that of a noble lady.
I watched Jessica’s back as she read my intention and returned to the mansion to change into her dress, and I reflected on what I had just done.
And …….
☆
I took Jessica, who had changed into her dress, and requested an audience with my father.
It was the meeting between the Emperor and the retired Emperor which, in some cases, is accompanied by a rather solemn ceremony, but Father let us through into the garden and himself appeared in plain clothes.
“Father.”
“Umu, welcome, Noah. So that’s the new concubine, huh.”
Even after he gave up his position as emperor to me, his information network is still strong.
It seems that he is fully informed of Jessica becoming my concubine.
That’s good, saves me the trouble of explaining.
“Jessica, your greetings.”
“Yes.”
Jessica stepped forward and bowed to her father.
It was an impeccable bow, perfectly executed in the manner of a noblewoman, a common concubine.
It’s natural, but the etiquette of Empress, direct concubines, side concubines, and common concubines differs greatly depending on their ranks.
And today, Jessica showed off her perfect manners as a common concubine.
“Well, she’s quite a woman, isn’t she?”
“I also think so.”
“Also, I heard she’s an expert swordswoman, let’s see what she can do.”
“I do beg your pardon, father.”
After what had happened with Shirley, I thought it would be best to leave that for another time.
Father glanced at me for a moment but said ‘I see’ and withdrew without complaint.
“So you intend to have the girl accompany the subjugation army.”
I nodded quietly, knowing that my father was quick with words.
“Yes, I intend to.”
“Shouldn’t the flowers remain in the vase?”
“People are treasures, Father.”
“Fumu?”
“And there’s still half a treasure left untouched. Jessica is only the beginning.”
“I see. Fufu, that’s just like Noah.”
Father laughed happily.
This shows that at least he likes my idea.
“So I would like to ask father for assistance.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“Anyone who opposes this should attempt to appeal directly to father.”
“…… Umu, I have ten times as many concubines as Noah. And one would think that I would be the most affected because of Noah.”
“Yes.”
Actually, nothing will be affected – I didn’t dare to say the words because I communicated that through eye contact with my father.
Even if I break the tradition by publicly announcing that I will make the consort my subordinate, it will have no real effect on my father.
However, the format may change.
There’s no doubt that those who oppose it will run to my father to get to the bottom of it.
“All right, I’ll take care of it.”
“Thank you very much, Father.”
I bowed lightly, and Jessica did the same, silently, at my side.
A concubine is someone who treats her husband with respect.
Jessica, who is a common concubine, played the role perfectly.
“But,…… it’s been so long since your accession to the throne and yet there are only two …., Noah, why don’t you add more at once?”
“All at …… once?”
Father’s air changed drastically.
He seemed to be serious, but in fact, he was teasing.
It’s almost the same as when an old relative asks, ‘Aren’t you married yet?'[TN: I know that feeling]
“A man should always have a woman’s scent on him.”
“Haah.”
“The blood of the battlefield and a woman in his bed chamber are two essential smells for a man, Noah. And having 100 or so concubines will push Noah to the next level.”
“That would be more than you, father.”
“That’s fine, that should be minimum for a man of Noah’s caliber.”
It was a tremendous recognition.
But even without such recognition- people are treasures.
“If I can find one, I will, father. I want quality, not quantity.”
“Fumu, that’s all right.”
Our conversation ended there, and I took Jessica and dismissed ourselves from the palace.
After we left the palace, Jessica spoke softly to me.
“Your Majesty.”
“Hmm, what is it?”
“I am heading for subjugation, but should I look over the women among the enemies, prisoners of war, and locals?”
“It’s because of Father’s words, huh.”
“Yes.”
Jessica looked at me with a straight face.
She’s not joking and doesn’t look like she’s trying something.
She is only asking if she should do it, as she intended.
And as soon as I give the order, she’ll do it seriously.
“That’s not–aah no.”
I swallowed the words I was about to say and replaced them with something else.
“You heard what I said to my father, didn’t you?　Quality is better than quantity. Bring me only those women you think are worthy from your viewpoint.”
“—-Yes!”
Jessica nodded greatly, taking my words as a sign of confidence.
☆
I was alone in the study of the detached palace, and I brought out Apophis.
I took a deep breath and commanded Apophis,
“Do it.”
I could feel a slight hesitation from Apophis, but it still obeyed fearfully because it was my order.
“—–Gghh!”
The next moment, poison rushed through my body.
It was Apophis’s poison.
It was so poisonous that it spread over my body in an instant—.
“Erase it”
–With that command, it was gone.
“…… haaaa!”
I spat out what was rising from the bottom of my stomach.
It was purplish blood.
Poisonous blood, the proof of having been poisoned.
After spitting out most of it, I said,
“Apophis, one more time.”
This time, its hesitation was shortened, and it obeyed my order again, letting the poison circulate through my body.
“Erase it.”
And then erased it again.
“…… I–see.”
I experienced the poison and its disappearance twice in my own body.
The sensation is almost precisely what I expected.
When Apophis erases its poison, it does not make it disappear into anything at all but neutralizes it with the exact opposite force.
That opposite power was what I wanted now.
I knew it was there – three times.
To better feel what I know is there.
“Apophis, do it–erase it.”
I took the poison into my body again.
I spit out the poisoned blood again.
Purple blood spread all over the floor.
Thanks to that, I found what I wanted.
I reached out and concentrated all my attention on my outstretched index finger.
Before long, a glistening, transparent drop oozes from the tip of my finger.
☆
The Ministry of War, the Minister Prince’s office.
I entered the room without knocking, and Henry said, ‘Who is it!’ but when he saw my face, he hurriedly got up from his chair.
“I apologize for not knowing that Your Majesty was here.”
He said as he knelt down on the spot.
“Good, more than that, what about the reports? And Jessica you can make yourself comfortable.”
Jessica, who had been talking with Henry, knelt the same way, so I helped them both to their feet.
“So …… what brings His Majesty here?”
“Ahh, I had something to talk to Jessica about. And I thought if Henry could have a look at it, it would make it easier for me to assign it for the subjugation.”
I said so and took a small bottle out of my pocket.
A pale blue liquid was shimmering in the bottle.
“I thought I’d give this to Jessica to take with her. It’s just a prototype, but I’ll have a few of them for you by the due date.”
“What is it?”
“Look.”
First I slit my wrist with my knife-hand.
It was a pretty deep cut, and the blood was pouring out.
Henry and Jessica, who had prepared themselves for what I was about to do, were surprised.
“Your Majesty!”
“W-What?”
“It’s all right, just watch.”
I stopped them, and I sprayed the liquid from the vial onto the wound on my wrist.
The wound, which should have been a deep cut, instantly closed.
“What!”
“I made this. Jessica, take this with you.”
“Y-You don’t mean to tell me that’s the Legendary potion?”
Henry asked, astonished.
“Potion?　What is it?”
“You know that ancient civilizations that once flourished in the past had  ‘recovery magic,’.”
“Yeah.”
It’s ancient magic that has been completely lost.
“Even if there is recovery magic, magic cannot be used by everyone. That’s why magic potions were made, which have the same effect as recovery magic.”
“I see, that makes sense.”
“Can it really heal injuries?”
“If it is only a cut. If the injury is so severe that the body parts are missing, it can only close the wound in an instant.”
“It is the legendary potion itself…… Did His Majesty make this?”
“Yeah, I made it.”
“As expected …… sasuga, Your Majesty.”
But, the one who was most surprised was Henry.
Leaving Henry as he was, I turned to Jessica.
I handed her the potion.
I made this potion when I saw that she and Shirley were almost injured in the mock battle, and I tried to do something about it.
“Jessica.”
“Y-Yes”
“You are also my concubine. Keep your body safe and use it as soon as you are injured.”
“——Yes!”
Jessica was moved and knelt down on the spot.
On the other hand, Henry, when he saw the potion.
“Amazing,…… if there were more of this,…… it would change the flow of the war,…….”
He had a serious look.