“Isn’t there anything? I think there must be some medicinal herb that only grows in the Magical Forest…please. Anything…do you have any information at all?!”
Seeing the shift in my demeanor, Nikīku gave me a puzzled look, then eventually asked us in a low voice.
“……Seems like there’s a story behind this, but I can’t say anything without knowing the details. If you’re asking for my help, no secrets allowed. If that’s a problem, then unfortunately you’ll have to leave.”
After saying that, he swiftly returned to his compound preparation work. Then Chris, who was nearby, supplemented by telling me about Nikīku.
“……Lady Tia, Nikīku may have a bad mouth and attitude, but he’s a trustworthy person. The reason his shop looks so run-down is because he doesn’t overcharge customers unnecessarily. He’s eccentric and stubborn, but his mouth is as tough as his head, so you can rest assured.”
Upon her saying that, Nikīku reacted by stopping his work.
“……Oi, Chris. You making fun of me?”
“No, no, I’m not thinking that at all. No secrets, remember?”
Watching their playful exchange, a question crossed my mind that I decided to ask.
“……You two seem quite friendly. Were you acquainted before…?”
“No, we just met yesterday.”
Chris answered with a puzzled look, then approached me and whispered about her interactions with Nikīku.
Apparently, on that difficult day for me during the preliminary matches, Chris had gone to Nikīku’s place after confirming the information she researched beforehand and gathering new information. Initially, she was turned away just like when we came, but that only fueled her fighting spirit. As a result, despite being kicked out, she boldly entered the shop.
Still, Nikīku shouted at her, “What does some foreign girl who knows nothing about medicine want?” However, Chris immediately noticed the excellent condition of the medicinal herbs he was handling.
“These……are products of very good quality. It’s quite rare to find this level of quality.”
“……Hmph. Don’t spout meaningless nonsense.”
“No, really. This one can only be obtained in large amounts from Renalute, right? And this one is……”
At first, Nikīku didn’t pay her any mind, but once he realized Chris’s knowledge was genuine, he became interested and asked, “Miss, just who are you?” From there, the conversation expanded, and in the end, he seemed to have taken a liking to her. Chris continued her whispered recollection with a small laugh.
“You’ll find stubborn old men everywhere, you know. This type tends to enjoy chatting, so they’re still quite manageable.”
I inadvertently let out a wry laugh at Chris’s final whispered words. To Nikīku, it must have seemed like he had acknowledged Chris. But in reality, he was simply in the palm of her hand.
“……Oi. What are you two whispering about over there? I’m not free either. If you can’t talk, then leave.”
“No, my apologies. Then I shall speak honestly as well.”
Noticing the change in my expression, Nikīku’s attitude turned serious, looking straight at me. After taking a slow, deep breath, I began to speak.
“……There should be a medicinal herb in the Magical Forest that could lead to developing an effective treatment for Mana Depletion Syndrome. It’s supposed to be called ‘Rute Grass,’ but perhaps it has a different name. Any similar herb would be fine, so do you have any information…?”
Upon finishing, Diana’s eyes widened in surprise – understandable, since I hadn’t informed her of this beforehand. Chris already knew, so she didn’t seem surprised. Nikīku crossed his arms pensively after hearing me out, then eventually looked up.
“I’m afraid I really haven’t heard of ‘Rute Grass.'”
“……I see.”
I nodded at Nikīku’s words, hanging my head while clenching my fists.
“……However, there is one thing that comes to mind.”
“Eh…something comes to mind?!”
Hearing those words, I looked up with a bright expression.
“……Calm down and let me explain properly.”
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Realizing I had eagerly moved closer with widened eyes, I stepped back slightly and bowed. “Ah, my apologies.” Giving me a sidelong glance, he began cleaning up the compound he had been preparing. Once finished, he slowly stood up, took a dried medicinal herb near the shop’s entrance, and presented it before us.
“This is the herb that comes to mind. I’ve only ever seen it in the Magical Forest. That’s why it’s called the ‘Renalute Grass’ in this country.”
“……Renalute Grass.”
Taking the dried herb Nikīku brought into my hands, I examined it with keen interest. Although its original form was unrecognizable due to being dried, in this state I could take it back to the Baldia territory for testing. However, I wondered why Nikīku thought this could be the one, so I looked at him and voiced my question.
“Pardon me, but why did you think it was this herb, Nikīku? I’m not doubting you. I just thought there must have been some reasoning behind it being something that came to mind, so if you could share that for future reference, I would appreciate it.”
However, Nikīku glared at me sharply.
“……Missy, why are you so fixated on finding an effective treatment for Mana Depletion Syndrome? No secrets, remember. Tell me everything, including who you really are. Then I’ll tell you everything I know.”
He said that while narrowing his eyes and furrowing his brow. Steeling my resolve, I took a deep breath and met Nikīku’s gaze.
“Understood. The truth is…..”
After that, I disclosed everything I could without holding back, including my mother’s illness and my true identity. Once he finished listening, Nikīku let out a sigh and turned his gaze towards Chris.
“Chris, your backer is quite the gem. Never thought someone would go this far just to save their mother from Mana Depletion Syndrome.”
“I suppose so. But I myself did not know Lord Reed’s mother suffered from it.”
“I must admit, I was also unaware.”
It seemed Diana and Chris were surprised to learn of my mother’s condition from me directly. Since only a select few in the Baldia household know about my mother’s illness, their reaction was understandable. To everyone present, I emphasized, “Please keep this confidential.” Observing our exchange from the side, Nikīku muttered with a bemused look.
“But to think you were a young ‘lord’ and not a ‘lady.’ The world sure is an interesting place.”
“Ah…yes, I’d appreciate it if you kept that a secret as well.”
He gave a wry smile, then turned serious as he looked at me again.
“I understand your situation. Now allow me to tell you what I know about this herb – no, the Renalute Grass – and its relation to Mana Depletion Syndrome.”
What Nikīku shared with us was highly intriguing. Being an elderly Dark Elf himself, he spent many years as an herbalist dealing with Renalute. During that long period, he noticed that cases of the infamous “Mana Depletion Syndrome,” considered a fatal disease in other countries, were almost unheard of within his own country.
Out of curiosity, Nikīku gathered information from acquaintances and personally investigated the matter. He found that Mana Depletion Syndrome was indeed extremely rare within the Renalute nation. At that point, however, he couldn’t determine whether it was because Dark Elves did not contract the syndrome, or if there was something unique to Renalute that prevented it. But an unexpected discovery soon provided the answer.
Nikīku learned that a very small number of Dark Elves who had been kidnapped or traveled abroad ended up developing and dying from Mana Depletion Syndrome. This eliminated his initial assumption that Dark Elves were simply immune. So Nikīku decided to methodically investigate anything that only existed in Renalute and routinely affected its people on a daily basis.
The painstaking investigation took time, but his longevity as a Dark Elf allowed him to narrow down the candidates. The strongest candidate that remained after Nikīku’s research was the “Renalute Grass.”
“The Renalute Grass” is a perennial vegetable that grows in the Magical Forest, and Dark Elves consume it almost daily. Furthermore, an old adage in the native language states, “With greens from the Magical Forest, no need for a doctor.” Likely, the ancestors had realized to some extent that the Renalute Grass could prevent Mana Depletion Syndrome. After explaining all this, Nikīku looked at me.
“I can’t say for certain. But considering that this country doesn’t have cases of Mana Depletion Syndrome, combined with various other evidence like the food culture and sayings, I believe there’s likely no mistake.”.
“It’s amazing. You really did well researching this far on your own.”
As I nodded in awe at the materials Nikīku showed me and the knowledge he explained, Chris seemed just as surprised as I was that he was so knowledgeable. Nikīku, confirming our expressions, muttered bluntly.
“But you know, this is as far as I know. I don’t know if the Renalute grass actually works for mana depletion syndrome. After all, there are no cases in this country. You’ll have to try it yourselves to see if it can be used as a treatment.”
“Understood. Thank you for the valuable information.”
As I bowed my head in gratitude, Diana and Chris followed and bowed their heads too. Seeing our reactions, Nikīku responded in a low voice.
“You don’t need to bow. But I want you to promise me two things.”
“If it’s something I can do.”
After hearing my answer, he looked me straight in the eye and deliberately continued.
“One, if you manage to cure your mother, let me know. And two, if you find a treatment, make sure to disclose the information so anyone can get treated. If you can promise me those two things, I’ll help as much as I can.”
“I understand. I promise.”
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