Chapter 21: A Helping Hand
The warning from the system was, stark and urgent:
[ WARNING: KNIGHT’S TRIAL ELIXIR - DETECTING CORRUPTED MANA SIGNATURE ].
It was a direct confirmation of danger.
We arrived back at the Sapphire manor just as dusk was settling. Luminous, still happily munching on his expensive nuts, bounced off to his room, eager to show off his haul. I, however, walked with a heavy heart, the ominous warning about the elixir weighing on my mind.
I found Evelina in her private study, surrounded by books,
"Kai! You’re back! And you found everything?" she said, her voice filled with eager anticipation.
I presented the Enchanted Grimoire and the Mana Focus Band first. She gasped with delight, her fingers tracing the glowing pages of the grimoire, her eyes sparkling as she slipped on the focus band. "Oh, Kai, these are perfect! Absolutely perfect! Thank you so much!"
Then, I pulled out the Knight’s Trial Elixir. The small, dark vial, with its unsettling green glow. Evelina reached for it, her eyes wide with excitement.
"And the elixir!" she breathed, her fingers against the glass.
"Evelina," I said, my voice low, my hand tightening around the vial. "I have a bad feeling about this potion."