Published: July 4, 2025
Marie’s body walked over, picked up the fallen head, and returned it to its original place.
Furthermore, she took a potion from her pocket and poured it around the neck.
A faint light emitted... and the head was reconnected.
"What is that...?"
Ryo murmured while being supported by Abel, watching the scene unfold.
"I'm a phantom being, so it would eventually reconnect even if left alone... but if you use this potion, it will connect immediately."
"Is there really such a ridiculous potion?!"
Ryo was outraged.
Yes, that indeed exceeded the limits of what a "potion" could do.
Certainly, among the potions made by Viscount Kenneth Hayward, the highest quality ones could reconnect severed arms, but... it wasn’t as simple as just slapping it together and pouring some potion on it.
"That's right, Ryo, you should use it too. With this potion, your arm will grow back as well."
"...Huh?"
Marie’s words were incomprehensible to Ryo.
Ryo was a water attribute mage, but he also dabbled in alchemy.
He believed he possessed considerable knowledge and skill, enough to create golems.
So he knew.
"You cannot regenerate limbs with a potion."
He stated it clearly.
"That's right, usually you can't."
Marie nodded in agreement.
In other words, the potion Marie was handing over was not ordinary.
"I don’t even know why this one can regenerate limbs. After all, I can hardly use alchemy myself."
"Then, where did you get that potion?"
"I received it long ago."
"You got something like that? From whom?"
"From a certain vampire."
Marie looked off into the distance.
She might have been remembering that moment.
"The only opponent I've ever lost to in a sword fight. Ah, now that I lost to Ryo, it's two."
Marie said with a grimace.
It seemed she was still frustrated about losing to Ryo.
"Ryo is stronger with the sword than you, huh..."
"Ryo, that perception is incorrect."
"Huh?"
"He is overwhelmingly stronger with the sword than I am."
Marie stated clearly, without a frown.
It seemed different from losing to Ryo.
Losing to Ryo was frustrating.
Losing to that vampire was, of course, expected.
The difference was that significant.
"Speaking of which, the alchemy was incredible too…"
The moment Marie said that, for some reason, the image of Lord Ancestor from Twilight Land flashed in Ryo's mind.
So he decided to ask.
"That vampire, did he perhaps go by the name of Lord Ancestor...?"
"Shinso? No, that wasn't the name."
"Did he lead other vampires?"
"No... now that I think about it, he mentioned being banished. He was all alone."
"I see."
It seemed he might be different.
"Where did you meet that vampire?"
"In the dark continent. Oh, you’re not thinking of going vampire hunting, are you?"
"No, I have no intention of doing that whatsoever."
"Good. Don't try to take action. Even Ryo would be finished in seconds."
"Ah, yes."
Now, Marie, who had just experienced Ryo's full-force combat, said that.
The strength of that vampire must be something to be reckoned with.
Ryo looked at the potion handed to him.
It was a faintly blue potion.
"Is this what I should drink?"
"Yes. You might want to remove that ice arm first."
"…Understood."
Ryo steeled himself.
He dispelled the ice right arm and took a deep breath.
Abel, who had been supporting Ryo, stepped back.
While it was understandable to keep distance since they didn't know what would happen…
"I’ve been abandoned by Abel."
"If anything happens, I'll help immediately."
Ryo glared at Abel resentfully, shaking his head slightly.
Abel’s intention to help if something happened was genuine.
Once again, Ryo took a deep breath.
And then... he drank the potion in one go.
Nothing special happened.
Nothing occurred.
"Huh?"
A small word escaped Ryo's mouth, and in the next moment...
"Ugh!"
A scream unlike any Abel had ever heard burst from Ryo's mouth.
With his left hand, he pressed against the severed right arm.
An intense pain shot through the right arm.
"Oh, right, limb regeneration comes with intense pain..."
Marie said while scratching her cheek.
It seemed she had completely forgotten that detail.