Witch medicine.
Initially, Ellie Miller only thought "witch medicine" was a means by which The Holy Court and Potion Brewers' Association eliminated dissidents.
But in this world where angels and devils truly exist, "witch medicine" is brought to the human world by devils. Humans have various desires and demands, and there's nothing that a bottle of "witch medicine" can't solve.
After drinking "witch medicine", people's desires are fulfilled, their demands satisfied.
And the devil gets people's souls.
No one knows what the devil does with those souls, but they really disappear forever. In this magical continent of Aethelgard where the True God exists, this is an incredibly frightening thing.
Therefore, wherever it is, the seller of "witch medicine" must die.
Ellie Miller only has one bottle of Healing Potion, and she can't say 'I can drink it to show you it's not witch medicine.'
She took a deep breath, "Wanna gamble?"
Ellie Miller looked directly into the Duke's azure eyes.
"Your Order of Knights has a knight named Edward Martin. Yesterday I met his wife, she's willing to try my potion."
"If the Healing Potion saves Knight Edward Martin, and his wife loses her soul, then I'm willing to pay with my life."
"But if my Healing Potion does not take anyone's soul, then, Your Grace, let's make a deal."
"So," Ellie Miller stepped closer to Artor Coldcrest, "Wanna gamble, Duke?"
The Duke looked at Ellie Miller quietly for a few seconds, then called out in a deep voice, "Conrad."
The butler, dressed in a black tailcoat with gray hair, entered respectfully, "Sir."
"Prepare the carriage, to Martin's The Count's Manor."
...
Ellie Miller got on the Duke's carriage, and half of the weight in her heart was lifted.
But she hadn't seen Edward Martin's condition, and couldn't be sure if the Mid-Effect Healing Potion could heal his wounds.
Besides, sitting in the same carriage with such a powerful man.
Even if the carriage of Your Grace was extremely luxurious, saying it was inlaid with gold and jade wouldn't be an exaggeration.
Ellie Miller lowered her head and counted the 61st time the magic gemstones embedded on the carriage when it finally stopped at the Uptown Centralis entrance of the Count's Manor.
She thought once she saw Edward Martin, poured the potion in, the matter would be settled.
Who knew, led by the manor's butler inside, she found the bedside of Edward Martin was simply "overcrowded."
There were seven or eight tall knights fully armed, armored.
Hearing the sound of the door opening, the knights turned to look.
Upon seeing the Duchess enter, each one suppressed the burning anger in their eyes.
Shortly after, Artor Coldcrest entered, and the knights all pounded on the 'seal' over their chest armor, "Your Highness."
Ellie Miller furiously gestured to the Duke.
Balk, guarding Edward Martin's bedside, hopefully asked, "Your Highness, are 'those people' in the Dark Cell willing to talk?"
Artor Coldcrest glanced at the lying Edward Martin.
His condition was dire, breathing barely noticeable unless inspected closely.
The once heroic knight was now wrapped in bandages, with burns nearly entirely ulcerating. The bandages soaked in pus, it was hard to believe someone so gravely injured was still alive.
"No. But there's a way, perhaps it can save him," Artor Coldcrest said.
Balk seemed to realize something; his eyes focused intently on Ellie Miller.
Rarely, Balk's stony face suddenly darkened, "Pardon me, Your Highness."
"Marquis Miss Ellie Miller confused Edward's wife, if we hadn't arrived in time today, who knows what might have happened."
Ellie Miller was puzzled as to why Edward Martin's condition suddenly worsened, yet his wife was indifferent, not seeking her out. Upon hearing this, the mystery was solved.
Turns out the person was detained by this group of knights.
Artor Coldcrest said nothing.
A knight with brown hair behind Balk couldn't contain his rage, "Your Highness! That's witch medicine! If Edward wakes and finds Joanna sacrificed her soul to save him, he'd definitely rather it be him who died!"
Ellie Miller couldn't hold back anymore, she retorted, "It's not witch medicine!"
The knights looked at her with icy cold eyes.
Ellie Miller could only say, "I have a bet with His Highness, if this is witch medicine, my life is forfeit!"
The knights were even more stubborn than she thought; several insisted on blocking Edward's bed, unmoved but some were shaken.
Ellie Miller watched as the life of the man on the bed continued to slip away, anxious and irate, "Duke! If we delay any longer, even the Mid-Effect Healing Potion may not be able to save him!"
The atmosphere in the room was tense, The Duke of Coldcrest, who had been silent all along, looked up at the anxious Ellie Miller and ordered, "Balk, step aside."
Balk looked at The Duke of Coldcrest in disbelief.
Artor Coldcrest spoke slowly and distinctly, "If she gives Edward Martin witch medicine, I'll personally chop off her head."
Balk's eyes reddened, but the two Great Knight Commanders exchanged a glance and pulled him aside, opening up space for Ellie Miller.
It wasn't until Ellie Miller took out a that she realized her hand was slightly trembling.
Seeing the alchemy potion as red as fresh blood, Balk instantly regretted it.
"This is witch medicine!"
Even the two Silver Tier Great Knight Commanders couldn't hold Balk down.
With a "snick," he drew the Knight's Sword from his waist.
Ellie Miller could only feel a chill sweep over her as Balk, eyes reddened, placed the Knight's Sword against her neck.
Ellie Miller instinctively turned to look at Artor Coldcrest.
Unsure if she was imagining things out of fear,
In that instant, she seemed to see Artor Coldcrest's ice-blue eyes transform into vertical pupils like those of a snake or lizard.
Then, the Knight's Sword lightly slipped down, leaving only a faint red mark on her neck.
Meanwhile, Balk inexplicably found himself kneeling on the ground, clutching his head in pain.
Artor Coldcrest stepped forward, lightly nudged the ground, and the fallen Knight Sword was picked up into his hand.
With both hands resting on the sword's hilt, he said in a deep voice to the dazed Ellie Miller, "What are you waiting for."
Ellie Miller dared not ponder why he stood behind her with his sword.
She reached out and forcibly pried open Edward's jaw, pouring the potion in all at once.
"Gulp, gulp," the red potion was poured into Edward Martin's stomach.
The knights instinctively held their breath, watching Edward's condition.
With the potion bottle empty, Ellie Miller also held her breath, closely observing Edward's situation.
Artor Coldcrest raised the Knight's Sword glistening coldly.
Ellie Miller instinctively closed her eyes.
As if a cold breeze brushed her cheek, when she opened her eyes, Edward Martin's bandages had been cut.
The hand that was supposed to be severely burnt was miraculously healed.
The skin, like a baby's tender skin, made the Great Knights in the room stare in disbelief.
"This, this is simply a divine miracle..." a Great Knight Commander muttered.
"Go see if his wife's soul has been taken by The Devil," Artor Coldcrest said calmly.
A Great Knight Commander hurried out.
Ellie Miller's heart was pounding like a drum that wouldn't cease, 'thump thump thump.'
[Under the watchful eyes of all, you healed Great Knight Commander Edward Martin of the Coldcrest Knights, earning 26 points of good reputation.]
Settled!
Only then did Ellie Miller breathe a sigh of relief, her heartbeat slowly calming down.
Joanna was naturally safe and sound. As she ran into the bedroom, Edward Martin sat up in bed, bewildered.
Joanna darted into her husband's embrace like a swallow returning to its nest, bursting into tears.
Ellie Miller wisely stepped out of the room and boarded a carriage back to The Ducal Estate.
No choice, she was too eager to check out the 's Rear Garden, her mind like a field of growing grass, longing to teleport back to Kostanyn at once.
In the carriage, Artor Coldcrest, sitting opposite her, kept looking at her.
Finally reaching her destination, Ellie Miller, anxious to get off the carriage, nearly stepped on air and fell.
Thankfully, a pair of large hands firmly grasped her arm and pulled her back.
Ellie Miller leaned back, bumping directly into the Duke's strong, broad chest.
She was greeted by the scent of calendula and the man's gentle, low voice came to her ears, "Be careful, dear."
Ellie Miller: "..."
Seeing Ellie Miller stabilize, the man leisurely released his hand, "Would I have the honor to invite the lovely lady for dinner?"
The Duke's tone shifted, "Let's talk about the deal you mentioned earlier."