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Chapter 36.5 – Nikolaus (Part 1)

「…The quality isn’t good enough.」

Nikolaus muttered as he held up a magic recovery potion that had been evaluated as high-quality.

It was made from a Mandragora he had raised himself.

He’d been keeping that Mandragora for several years, but it never showed any particularly unusual traits, so he decided to use it up. After seeing the familiar claimed by the woman calling herself the Flower Witch, it was understandable that he lost interest in his own.

(As an ingredient, it was pretty decent, I think… but even then, it’s not enough. That woman seems to be brewing using magic, and you can’t compete with that using ordinary methods…)

The royal castle had facilities for growing medicinal herbs, and Mandragora was raised there as well. But unlike Nikolaus, who experimented with nutrient blends and stress-inducing methods to promote growth, the castle simply followed standard procedures. The resulting quality was average at best.

He tested potions made from the castle’s Mandragora as well, and just as expected, they came out as mediocre quality.

(If the quality is different, the potency and even the taste are different too. No way to win using conventional herbology… Well… she’s got more experience than I do and is a specialist, so I guess it’s only natural.)

Witches who specialize in plant-based magic are naturally experts in herbal medicine too. Nikolaus couldn’t help feeling not just frustration, but a strange sense of admiration toward someone who seemed so completely out of reach.

…She had treated him like a child and handed him a recovery potion. Next time he saw her, he’d be sure to show her his potion in return.

「Nikolaus-dono, I wanted to ask your thoughts on the witch… My father, the king, is also concerned. For you to want to go check on her again in such a short period… could it be there’s something suspicious?」

When Nikolaus submitted his application to visit Bit Village, Crown Prince Cedric looked at him suspiciously and asked. Nikolaus frowned slightly.

(Whether she’s really a witch or not… well, I can’t say for sure. She is suspicious, I guess. She’s way too nice.)

But the royal family wasn’t concerned about that kind of suspicion. What they were asking was whether she posed any threat to the nation.

In other words, they wanted to know if she had any hostile intentions.

「Not really. She hasn’t done anything strange, has she?」

「…Then why are you going to check on her?」

「Because the Demon Wastes concern me. I don’t trust the knights’ reports. I want to see for myself. And while I’m at it, I’ll check on the suspicious witch, too. …What’s wrong with that? If it makes you feel better, I’ll also confirm whether she’s willing to cooperate in case of an emergency.」

「I see. Then your request is approved. …But please don’t disappear on us like you did last time.」

「…Yeah, yeah.」

Cedric was earnest and annoyingly fussy. Nikolaus left before the crown prince could launch into another lecture and returned to his lab.

Now that he had permission to visit Bit Village again, he would be seeing that witch in a few days. He began considering what to bring with him.

(Besides the magic recovery potion… maybe that sketch board would be useful.)

Paper and pens are bulky, and casual conversation creates waste. He remembered an item he could use instead, something you can write on and erase over and over: the sketch board.

It was originally designed for children, letting them use a magic-activated pen to draw pictures or letters and develop their magic power through play.

While common in the capital, such items were likely rare in remote villages like Bit.

(…Well, I’ll bring one. After all, we can communicate in ancient script.)

Even simple written communication would be more efficient. If the witch wanted, he could even teach her modern script.

Nikolaus headed into town and searched for a sketch board that wouldn’t look out of place in the hands of an adult woman. Since it was originally a noble children’s teaching tool, most of the designs were overly cute. But recently, there had been an increase in simple, elegant designs suitable for adults as memo pads.

(…This one could work…)

He picked out a transparent, glass-like board and pen, simple and unassuming. Nothing childish about it. It wouldn’t look strange even if the witch used it regularly.

The sketch board cost two large silver coins. Considering that an average adult commoner could live for about a month on ten large silvers, it wasn’t exactly cheap, but to Nikolaus, the price meant little.

With preparations complete, he headed for Bit Village.

From a distance, the Demon Wastes didn’t appear to be changing visibly. Along the river, though, the 「purity blossoms」 were in full bloom.

They were proof that the Flower Witch was protecting the villagers from the toxins of the Demon Wastes. Without them, the area would be completely uninhabitable for both humans and animals by now.

(I should check whether the mirror arrived safely. Now then, what disguise would catch her off guard…)

Nikolaus planned to use illusion magic to change his appearance and visit her home.

As he considered his options, one face came to mind, that of the eyepatch-wearing knight who seemed close to the witch.

(…I’ll go with that one.)

That knight projected a friendly persona, the exact opposite of Nikolaus’s usual image. The witch seemed fond of him too. …If he showed up in the knight’s form, would she react differently?

(…This is purely for investigation purposes. It’s possible the knight is conspiring with her, helping her fool everyone. If I show up as him, she might lower her guard…)

The knight’s investigation report had clearly taken the witch’s side, which made Nikolaus suspect they might share a special connection. He convinced himself it was necessary to verify this and cast the transformation spell, taking on the knight’s appearance.

When he arrived at the witch’s home, he noticed some changes. As he stood before the door, he heard the clear chime of a bell.

Apparently, she had repurposed a musical plant into a doorbell of sorts.

Soon, the beastman child serving the witch, Noel, opened the door. Through the entryway, Nikolaus could see the witch seated at a table. She glanced over at him briefly but didn’t show any change in expression as she brought her cup to her lips.

Then, she slowly turned her gaze toward the mirror positioned to reflect the front door.

When she saw Nikolaus’s reflection in the mirror, her face lit up with a clear smile.

(…What an idiot, getting happy over this.)

So the mirror he gave her was being put to good use. She must’ve liked it. …Really, smiling over something like that, what a fool.