Disconnected

Chapter 9: Chance Encounter (pt.4)

'If it had been a human who did it, then it would validate the two's reaction,' their hostility is highly justified. But to think that there'd be a poison that's strong enough to harm a dragon. She couldn't help but wonder just what kind of person manages to pull off such a feat.

'Even if this guy ends up being a half-blood, he still has dragon blood in his veins regardless.'

Serein hummed for a bit as she carefully let go of the cloth, letting the bandaged abdomen be exposed to the air.

"...mmm…"

Cherry got closer with a wince at the sight of the man's nasty wound, as well as Serein's blood which was starting to drench her shoulder and arm.

"Serein-shi—"

The pink-haired mage was about to call for the monochromatic-haired woman when Serein herself called back for her nearly at the same time.

"Princess."

Her gaze is sharp, but it was not aimed at the mage. Rather, Serein seemed to be glaring at something else.

She's staring intensely at the wound with her mind spiraled to think about what kind of poison would have caused someone with dragonic blood to degrade into this state.

"Remember the one wish that I asked you beforehand?"

"Uh, yeah?"

Curiosity and wariness swirled inside that pair of magenta.

Cherry doesn't have much on her. So what could this mercenary ask of her?

"Elixir."

Serein paused for a bit while her mind calculated how much she would need for this dragon to at least survive the critical point.

"Please let me use a bit of it."

Surprised, but couldn't really talk about that, Cherry immediately averted her gaze as she feigned ignorance.

"What do you mean? We don't have anything else on us other than 3 gold coins in my pocket."

From this close distance, she could see that the ashy-haired person looked terrible with his pale face and labored breathing. 

Even so, as a princess, she couldn't just hand the family heirloom to a stranger. Which is why, regretfully, she said the mandatory.

Upon her words, Serein turned to her in a deadpan.

'Such a terrible lie…!'

Cherry's tone clearly says that she'd been lying to her. It was too obvious that Serein couldn't help but turn her head even though her wound caused by the Wyrm Sam tore even further.

"Your highness. I'm talking about the potion that your Royal brother secretly handed you for this trip."

Not expecting anyone to find out about that, magenta orbs rounded in shock.

"...H-how did you?"

"That's not important. Please hand over that elixir before this person loses his life."

Serein urgently said with her hand extended.

"I wouldn't use much of it, promise. Just a few drops."

But Cherry still looked troubled, hence why she gave her one last push.

"Weren't you about to use that on Gil, anyway? Is it really that different to use it on this guy? Why? Because he's a stranger?"

Her words turned sharp and demanding.

"Urk…"

That young adventurer looked like a predator about to finish its prey.

Serein's cold gaze looked like it was about to freeze her soul in place. It gave this unknown chilliness down her spine before she then was given no other choice but to obey.

'Ah…! I don't know anymore!'

At last, Cherry has no choice but to give what Serein had asked for.

After all, not only Serein is practically their golden ticket to get out of this horrendous place, Cherry wouldn't be able to live it down to have another person dying before her.

Especially not when she knows that she could have prevented that.

"Here you go, Serein-shi."

In the end, she handed the elixir to the young adventurer.

"Thanks."

Taking the small container before opening the lid with her mouth then spitting it out before then giving an order to the still-standing pinknette.

"Hold him."

Cherry, who could easily tell why Serein asked that of her, speaking from her own personal experience, stepped forward and got to the opposite side of her to hold the man down for what's coming.

By then, Gil had crawled closer and immediately understood that he must help as well. So, he used his body weight to hold down the man's legs.

At that moment, the ashy-haired person was already half-conscious, therefore he could not complain verbally as he was being held down like this.

Well, except the low grunts and soft pained groans that slipped out his lips, that is.

"No! What are you trying to do to him! Let Cevahir go!"

The Wyrm on her neck let go of its bite and was about to injure Serein some more when she told it off in a scolding tone.

"Hey."

Her voice is as cold as her gaze.

"Stop moving around. The poison would spread faster if I caused accidents here, do you want him to die quickly?"

Serein blackmailed the two hatchlings, seeing that there's no other way to keep them still and not ruin this process.

Fortunately for her, that seemed to have threatened them enough that they shut up and backed away instead.

"Good boys. Now stay there for a bit, this might get explosive…"

She warned before then focusing on unwrapping the bandages and removing the herbs pressed on the wound.

“Sir, This elixir would make your mana extremely chaotic for a whole minute or so, please bear with it.”

Serein couldn’t tell if the man could hear her or not, but at least she tried to warn him.

‘Three drops on the wounds, then the other two to be consumed.’

She wouldn’t have known if there would be an important event in the future where every drop of this miracle would be someone’s lifeline. Which is why, 5 drops that were about to be used on Gil, she’ll use on this man instead.

It’s not the time to be selfish and use it on herself.

— Drop, Drop, Drop, Cshhhhh…!

“Urgh!”

The reaction is almost immediate.

That ashy-haired guy started to shiver, and by the third drop, he was convulsing.

“Not yet, sir. Hang in there.”

Serein grabbed his jaw and pressed on the cheeks to make him open his mouth so that she could drop the remaining 2 drops.

— Drop, Drop. 

She made sure that he swallowed the medicine down even though it burns.

— Cough! Cough!

The poor male coughed harshly for nearly a full minute, making the two young Wyrms that anxiously waited by his side whimper, seeing their caretaker be this weak.

That being said, Serein is placid. As a matter of fact, she looked more relaxed while watching the nasty purple slowly turn back into dark blue. The poison is being neutralized at such a fast pace.

‘Good, at this point, he’ll be able to survive.’

Just as she thought so, the ashy-haired person seems to be done with his fits. Whereas, the convulsing also stopped almost in that instant.

Serein could hear Cherry sighing in contentment at that moment, and Gil was smiling as well. Both of them seemed to be elated that they had managed to save this person. Well, that monochromatic-haired adventurer pretty much felt the same way.

A sense of relief washing over them all,

No one realized about this just yet but their action just changed the gears of fate of this world...