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[Translator - Pot ]
[Proofreader - Kawaii ]
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Chapter 227: The Power to Become Both a Poisonous Demon and a Divine Physician
Lusatia watched the door of the solitary confinement cell where Allenvert and Balthazar had entered before turning her head.
"Come here, my dear niece and nephew."
Knut Eisenach and Tara Eisenach.
From the tragedy of that day, only her nephew and niece had survived in the younger generation.
In the span of seven years, the boy has become a young man, and the child has become a young woman.
Just as Allenvert had.
"You have suffered much while surviving. I, who hid in my own room like a cave and did nothing, am now ashamed of the years I wasted."
"How can you say such a thing?"
Knut shook his head.
"Anyone in that situation would have found it difficult to muster the will."
Having effectively served as the head of the clan for some time, Knut had developed the empathy to understand the weakness of others.
"Thank you for saying that."
Lusatia gently stroked her nephew's hand.
"But from now on, I intend to spend my time fiercely, making up for the years I let slip by. I will no longer leave Allen to bear such a heavy burden alone."
Having solidified her will, Lusatia was a completely different person than before.
"Tomorrow, there will be an examination to select Allen's personal guards. I plan to attend myself and thoroughly examine the applicants' skills, character, family background, and reputation."
"For the Fourth Young Master and the Fourth Lady to be present together... the applicants must be quite nervous in many ways."
Knut smiled wryly.
"Moreover, it is the first time in seven years that our aunt, famous for her beauty, will be making an appearance. It will be a topic of much discussion in various ways."
"My nephew is being mischievous."
In any case, the venue where the returned Lusatia would make her first official appearance was a very important matter—
And choosing the selection of Allenvert's personal guards as that place was timely in many respects.
"From now on, I intend to move around diligently and make my presence known."
That would be the most basic yet crucial activity to help her son. Because...
"Appeasing the hearts of the employees and retainers is quite important. Fortunately, during the ten years I raised Allen, I never incurred any unnecessary resentment from others, so those who remember that time will surely offer me various kinds of help."
Lusatia knew well that rumors were not necessarily obtained only through well-organized intelligence networks.
"Tara was too young, so she probably doesn't remember her aunt's face well, does she?"
"Yes."
Tara replied with an innocent face.
"But I've heard many stories from Grandpa. He always nagged me to be at least half as good as you, Aunt..."
"Did he?"
Lusatia smiled gently.
"You were bright from a young age. Being recognized as the successor by him is not an easy feat."
If it hadn't been for the political marriage with Georg Grunewald, Lusatia would have been actively working alongside Balthazar, personally teaching Tara.
However, she became the Duchess of Georg, representing her clan, and as a result, the clan suffered near annihilation in the vortex of schemes.
'...Fate is a strange and cruel thing. A choice that seemed best at the time can become the worst in retrospect.'
And of course, the opposite is also true.
'But Allen, the fruit of that marriage, is trying to right everything like this.'
Even the regret she had felt for the past seven years about her marriage to Georg might one day be seen as a blessing in disguise.
"...Rudgarda."
Lusatia looked at the daughter of her enemy and her son's helper.
"We have been in the same space for seven years, yet we have never seen each other's faces."
"Your Highness."
"That's Grunewald's language, isn't it?"
Lusatia shook her head.
"Even if only for now, I wish to return to being a person of Eisenach and Angantyr."
"...Yes, Madam Lusatia."
"Let's sit down and chat and reminisce about the past."
Lusatia pointed to the door.
"After all, those two will need some time."
"Are you sure you don't need to rest?"
Rudgarda worried.
"You have an important event tomorrow."
"I'm used to sleepless nights, so it's alright."
It was a reply that spoke volumes about how the past seven years had not been comfortable.
"..."
Rudgarda lowered her head. She too must have been fighting inner turmoil, lonely and silently.
"And Sir Jizek."
"Yes! Your Highness."
Jizek straightened his back like a soldier and replied.
"I am also very curious about what Allen has done in the underworld under the name Karzan. Will you tell everyone about his heroic deeds?"
"Of, of course. It would be an honor."
Lusatia's gentle way of leading the atmosphere.
It reminded Knut of his aunt in her most radiant days, which he had once remembered.
* * *
"The Dark Mana is inherently a double-edged sword. Long, hard horns can protect a deer from enemies, but when they grow too long, they can become entangled in branches, leading their owner to an inescapable death."
I sat up straight and listened to Balthazar's teachings.
"Therefore, when winter comes, the deer willingly shed their long horns. However, the new horns that grow the following year are larger and stronger than before."
That excess is worse than deficiency, and that sometimes discarding is better than possessing, is exactly what this saying refers to.
"Allen, you have mastered the Grunewald mana cultivation technique and must have found your own way to control the Dark Mana. Am I correct?"
"Yes."
"But if you do not know the correct method, the Dark Mana will not obey its master."
"That's right. Occasionally, it seems to act on its own to save me from danger, absorbing the enemy's attacks."
"Absorption. The most basic yet exceptionally outstanding ability of the Dark Mana."
Balthazar raised both hands.
"Absorption, Adsorption, stealth, erosion... they are all types of powers that draw things in. However, even medicine can become poison if taken in excess."
This time, Balthazar lowered his left hand and clenched his right fist as he explained.
"Therefore, it is also extremely important to release it at the appropriate time. Absorb, fill, and then release. Just like a deer sheds its overly long horns from its head."
"Yes. I understand the analogy you're making."
"What I remember is only about the first or second stage when divided into ten levels—"
Balthazar's gaze deepened.
"But even with that, you should be able to make the Dark Mana follow your will to some extent."
"That's enough for me."
Because I already possess the insights of the Azure Sea Moon Shadow Swordsmanship, the Seven Stars of the Black Sea Technique, and the Ink Soul Sacred Shadow Technique.
"Now, here is water."
Balthazar pointed to the water in a large bronze basin.
"Water is pure. Even a single drop of blood will instantly turn it red. However, a single drop of blood in that vast ocean cannot turn the ocean red."
I quietly listened to Balthazar's somewhat Zen-like words.
"It's the same principle as how the appropriate dosage determines whether something is medicine or poison. Where are you currently storing the Dark Mana?"
"In my lower dantian."
"I've heard that if it stagnates there for too long, it can become toxic and corrupt. Has that ever happened to you?"
"It has happened several times."
I replied.
"Therefore, by using the power of the Seven Stars of the Black Sea Technique, I dilute the Dark Mana and then circulate it evenly throughout my body."
"Remarkable. To have found a way on your own."
Balthazar smiled faintly.
"However, today, we will practice gathering that power back into your lower dantian and then releasing it into this water."
I looked at my reflection in the water.
"So that's what it was for."
"First, I will recite the key formulas that I remember. Close your eyes and concentrate..."
Relying on his voice, I sank into the deep sea of unconsciousness.
.
.
.
"Whoa!"
I pulled my palm away as I looked at the water that had turned black like sewage.
"Ah, it's a success."
Balthazar exclaimed in admiration.
"The rumors of your genius were not exaggerated after all. I didn't expect you to grasp the knack of it so quickly."
"Wouldn't you say it's because my teacher is excellent?"
Balthazar laughed at my flattery.
"You have a good sense of humor."
I infused power into my palm, which wasn't even touching the surface of the water. Bubbles began to rise, and then—
"Oh."
A pillar of water rose high, following my raised hand.
"You have mastered the principles of Adsorption and discharge in an instant."
"It's still at a rudimentary level. It's a long way from being usable in actual combat."
"However, it is positive that you have surpassed the stage of absorption."
If it were the ability of absorption, the Dark Mana infused into the black water would have returned to my lower dantian as it was.
But now, I was controlling it so that while keeping the water pillar close to my palm, it wouldn't be absorbed.
'It sounds complicated when explained.'
It's simple to see it as a much more delicate operation.
'Wait, now that I think about it.'
A thought suddenly flashed through my mind.
'Isn't discharging the Dark Mana almost the same as the Penetration that I've personally trained?'
"Granduncle."
"Speak."
"Actually, something like this happened before."
I explained my fight with Nepherus.
"Ah, if that's the case, then that must be the Penetration Realm technique."
"Penetration Realm?"
"Yes. It's an advanced technique passed down in only a very few martial arts. However, it's not easy to master because it's difficult to generate high power."
So that's what it was?
I looked down at my palm.
'No wonder it was difficult.'
But my talent is truly frightening. The qualities of a grandmaster must be referring to me. To master such a difficult technique through self-study...
"If you can already use the Penetration Realm, then it shouldn't be difficult to use that principle to 'forcefully' strike the enemy's body with the Dark Mana."
I nodded at Balthazar's words.
"I think so too."
If I continue like this, I might one day be able to add the mysteries of the spiral to the Penetration Realm.
'In other words, I will be able to recreate the technique that even pierced the barrier created by an 8th tier archmage.'
And that too, by combining it with a much more powerful mana cultivation method, strong and vast internal mana, and the Dark Mana.
'If that's the case, then it could very well become my signature move.'
In a word, a finishing move.
"Allen. Let me tell you one more thing."
"Yes, I'm listening."
"You know that the difference between medicine and poison is just a hair's breadth, don't you?"
"Of course."
"We also know how to concoct potent poisons. Grimnar, that vile usurper, used a potent poison to assassinate your grandfather."
"..."
Why is he saying this?
I felt like I knew his intention.
"According to the secret records left by our ancestors, the Dark Mana also has the ability to control poison."
"!"
"It can be used by mixing poison into your mana to poison enemies, or by injecting poison using the Penetration Force martial art."
I said in astonishment.
"That could become an excellent poison art."
"That's right. Poison arts are very difficult and dangerous martial arts. They almost certainly destroy the practitioner's body."
"You can prevent those side effects, can't you? Absorbing, accumulating, and releasing—that's the very principle of the Dark Mana."
"Of course, as you reach higher levels, it will have far more abilities than that, but for now, yes."
Balthazar looked at me and asked.
"But if you don't handle it carefully, that poison could kill you."
"The sword and poison are the same. There's no need to be afraid or hesitate out of cowardice."
That was also Karzan's pride.
"I see."
Balthazar nodded with a complex expression.
"However, fortunately, our Eisenach clan has studied poison and medicine more deeply than anyone else."
"...It's almost a coincidence."
"Perhaps this is also an arrangement left by our ancestors."
Therefore.
"Lusatia has inherited everything from me. If mother and son can work together on the study of poison arts, that would also be a good thing."
In many ways, my mother's return was a great opportunity for me. As much as the wait had been long.
"Even."
I said.
"If the components of medicinal herbs can also be stored just like poison, then it would become possible to both kill and save people simultaneously."
"You have a good intuition, Allenvert."
Balthazar laughed.
"You understand two things for every one I teach you."
I nodded.
"In that case, I could become both a Poison Demon and a Divine Physician at the same time."
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[Translator - Pot ]
[Proofreader - Kawaii ]
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