Chapter 156: VOL 2 - 101: As annoying as ever.
The position of magical empowerment had a very simple effect: it allowed the one who took it to greatly increase their mana capacity for a limited time, granting access to power several ranks above their own. However, what made it so valuable and special wasn't just that, as there were quite a few items in the galaxy that could achieve something comparable.
What made this position so valuable was that the side effects of consuming it were minimal, and if it was crafted by a great alchemist, the side effects were almost nonexistent. This made it one of the few things in the galaxy capable of providing a momentary power boost safely and without consequences—a true treasure.
But at the same time, creating such a 'magical' potion was not something within the reach of just any alchemist. These kinds of potions were almost the holy grail of alchemy, known as 'intelligent potions', a type so complicated to make that they were used as exams to certify the highest levels of alchemy.
An exam in which, by the way, Master Eldurdóttir achieved a perfect score, creating a potion that not only had no side effects but even nourished the body and strengthened the mana circulatory system in the long term by a small margin. Therefore, a potion from her hands was nothing less than an invaluable treasure, though unfortunately, that miraculous effect only applied to the first few doses. After the fourth, it disappeared completely.
For this reason, for Liliana, receiving such a treasure from her master for a "simple" selection tournament was so significant that it nearly moved her to tears. After all, it demonstrated the love her master had for her. Although the tournament was important, as one of the youngest in her generation, losing and not securing a position was expected and wouldn't mean much to her record.
Moreover, even though Master Eldurdóttir was her master's sworn sister, it wasn't as if she could take advantage of her. As a disciple, Liliana understood her master's character well—she would never take advantage of anyone, especially someone close to her. Therefore, her master must have paid the full cost of that potion, a veritable fortune.
Such a display of love inevitably led Liliana to the realization that she could no longer continue as she had. She couldn't keep rejecting Erik, someone her master clearly saw as her future "partner", as that would inevitably lead to unnecessary friction that would sour her relationship with her beloved master.
But no matter how much she thought about how to do it, nothing came to mind. After all, she was a proud person, and the fact that that fool was better than her at practically everything was a bitter pill to swallow. So, she simply decided to go with the flow for the moment and try to accept that 'little brother' of hers little by little.
That annoying and very strange little brother, but one with talent capable of demoralizing even the greatest geniuses. Yet, just as her master had said, he was still her little brother and, given how things were going and though she didn't much like the idea, her future "father". After all, master for a day, mother for life.
...
After separating from her team, Liliana quickly reached the first enemy group, flying several times faster than her maximum speed before taking the potion. There, she saw the figures of several men holding all kinds of weapons, but among them, one figure stood out like a sore thumb—a beautiful woman with a seductive appearance, light blue hair, and eyes of the same color, exuding an aura of lust and eroticism.