「Uncle who gave Mint medicine! Hello, fore that time, thank you very much!」
「Hello to you as well. And thank you for such a cheerful greeting. This uncle’s name is Tinam… I see you’re doing well. That’s the most important thing.」
The day after we shared curry with the royal family, the 『Witch of No Return』—Tinam Sevnturi—paid a visit to the inn where we were staying.
He was the one who crafted the elixir that served as the key ingredient in the medicine used to treat Mint when she fell into elemental attribute conflict. A renowned alchemist, even in the royal capital, and more importantly, someone to whom we owed a great debt.
When Mint bowed after a bit of nudging from us, Tinam-san smiled warmly and gently patted her head. His expression was filled with kindness and affection, and the eyes behind his glasses held a calm, steady light. Yet, beneath that composed face, I could see a glimmer of expectation.
That was why, after a brief greeting, I handed him a stack of papers I had brought from my room.
「Here. These are the recipes for the dishes I made while treating Mint, along with the reasoning behind each ingredient used.」
Yes.
There were three main reasons for Yuni-san and the others’ visit to Sidera.
One was 『to enjoy delicious food』.
Another was 『to resolve political matters regarding my title and Sidera’s governance』.
And the last—today’s topic—was 『to hear from me, someone with knowledge from another world, about nutrition from a scientific perspective』.
※※※
「Mint, Chocola. Sui and the others are about to have a difficult conversation. You’ll probably get sleepy if you listen, so why don’t you play in the garden?」
「Yuni and uncle talking Sui?」
「Hmm. But when we’re done, we’ll all come join you.」
「Uuu! Sui, do best with difficult talk!」
「Bark!」
「Chocola, let’s go! Pochi’s waiting!」
「Bark!」
And with that, Karen led Mint and Chocola outside to the garden.
That left just me, Mother, Tinam-san, and Yuni-san, who had accompanied him. …Or rather, in terms of status, it was more accurate to say that Yuni-san was the one who brought Tinam-san (as her escort) here.
「You may already be aware, but as an extension of my love for food, I also have a keen interest in nutrition. So please, do feel free to discuss things with Tinam and me as much as you like.」
Despite her graceful demeanor, Yuni-san had an air of scholarly curiosity about her. She gazed at me with a composed yet unmistakably eager expression.
-0-
Mother poured tea for everyone, and we sat across from each other in the guest room, sipping our drinks.
Before long, Tinam-san finished reading my report. He looked up and let out a deep breath.
「I see. So you used dark-attribute magic to infuse your spell into the ingredients, amplifying their medicinal properties… First, let me offer my praise. And then, my respect. Sui-kun, your magical techniques are remarkable. I can tell how much this meant to you, for you to accomplish such a difficult feat.」
「Thank you for your kind words. Honestly, I was desperate and completely absorbed in the process. Looking back now, I realize there were flaws in my spellwork. If not for your elixir, I don’t know how things would have turned out.」
「That elixir was the result of thirty years of research, after all… But I’m glad it was of use. And this must be the medicine you created at the time…」
On the table sat a dish resembling sesame tofu, a smooth pudding-like confection served as a tea accompaniment.
It was an adaptation of the dish I had prepared for Mint that day.
「Yes. This version doesn’t contain my magic power or your elixir, but I used the same ingredients. I imagine wyvern bones are a rather unfamiliar ingredient to most.」
「Indeed, I have never heard of wyvern being used as food before.」
Wyvern meat was unsuitable for human consumption. Quite simply, it didn’t taste good. However, when its bones—specifically the marrow—were used to make broth, they produced a light, delicate soup.
「By simmering it carefully with medicinal herbs and aromatic vegetables, I turned it into a consommé. But to be honest, the flavor hardly justifies the effort. The aroma is weak, and the umami is lacking… Even so, I chose it because of the wyvern’s wind attribute.」
「Hmm… Wind governs vitality. By using it as the base of the soup, you enhanced the medicine’s effects.」
Tinam-san furrowed his brow, murmuring thoughtfully.
「Using the attributes within ingredients to promote health is a fundamental concept in our world. However, prioritizing that too much can make it difficult to balance flavors.」
「Exactly. For us, the assumption that 『wyvern meat is unappetizing』 comes first. So no one would think to try boiling the bones for broth. But this… It has such a comforting taste. And at the same time, I can feel warmth spreading deep within my body.」
「Just as Tinam-san said, this was a dish made with Mint’s recovery as the top priority. It’s closer to medicinal cuisine. I appreciate Yuni-san’s compliment, but honestly… I was barely holding it together, just trying to make it palatable.」
Even if it was medicine, even if it was meant to save someone, first and foremost, it was still a meal.
I wanted to see my family—Mint—smile. That was the heart of my struggle.
-0-
—What followed was an extended session of questions and answers.
Tinam-san and Yunia-san shared their thoughts on the dish, then began asking about each individual ingredient. Why did I choose this one? What was the intention behind this cooking method? Did the attributes of the ingredients counteract each other?
I answered as best as I could. However, there were parts where I had relied on instinct rather than logic, so at times, I found myself fumbling for words.
Before long, nearly an hour had passed.
As the discussion settled, Tinam-san turned to face me once more. His expression grew even more serious.
「By the way, Sui-kun… In terms that align with your origins and understanding, let’s call it ‘this world’. Have you ever heard of the three great afflictions related to magic, known as the 『Three Major Maledictions』?」
「The Three Major Maledictions…? No, this is my first time hearing about them.」
「That’s not surprising. The term is primarily used in medical and alchemical circles. However, Sui-kun… each of these is something you are already familiar with.」
Then, he began to explain.
「The first is 『Mutation』—a phenomenon where living beings exposed to high concentrations of magic power undergo attribute transformation, lose their reason, and develop crucible crystals from their bodies. Of the three maledictions, this one is the least relevant to humans.」
A phenomenon that occurred regularly in the 『Void Forest』 where we lived.
「The second is the very topic we were just discussing—『Attribute Conflict』. When two or more attributes within a body conflict, the individual loses the ability to use magic. Based on your observations, you described it as 『Magical Interference』.」
Something that had affected Mother, Karen, and Mint.
And then—
The last one.
The moment I heard its name, my heart leapt.
「The third… is 『Magical Organ Failure』. Its more common name is 『God’s Favor』—a condition where the body’s magic power grows faster than the development of its magical organ, causing an uncontrollable surge of magic power, resulting in high fever, delirium, and ultimately… death. Sui-kun, this is the illness you suffered from as a child.」
「That’s…」
My eyes widened.
Tinam-san—『The Witch of No Return』—looked straight at me and spoke.
「Sui-kun, I have dedicated my life to studying these three maledictions. Mutation, Attribute Conflict, God’s Favor… My duty, my purpose as a 『witch』, is to establish cures for all three.」
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