The Two Empresses
Potions

"Oh, what are you crazy about? You guys who are the candidates for the crown princess even want to leave?" julian lamented.

"We're running out of time, okay? Can't you do your duty as a noble?" reply Saciel ketus.

"You, you" Julian murmured. "Saciel, I'm still busy preparing the potion and even though I really need the forest elf's tears, that doesn't mean I can just let you and Cerlina go."

"Julian, I'm serious here" Saciel said firmly.

"Not always no."

"...did you dare challenge me?" saciel asked with sharp and cold eyes. Julian flinched and saluted.

"I'm sorry for my discourtesy, Archduchess" Julian said. Saciel sighed and shook his hand.

"I didn't mean that. You just do what you think is best. I will also do what I think is best" Saciel said. He walked out of the Zografos residence, followed by Cerlina waving to Julian.

"Ah, shit," lamented Julian. "Oh yeah, I can do it. Now..."

"Where is the Princess?" nero asked as he stood in front of Julian all of a sudden. Julian was shocked and fell, making Nero astonished to see him. "Why you?"

"Can't you appear civilized?" ask Julian. Nero just shrugged and helped him up. "What do you want?"

"You said you needed mermaid, right?" ask Nero. He took out a small bottle filled with a deep red liquid. "It."

"Oh yeah, you're right too. Here give it to me," Julian said as he tried to grab it, but Nero pulled it.

"Where's Cerlina?" ask Nero.

"He...busy? Right now he's out of reach" Julian said.

"What do you mean out of range?"

"Right now she's going with Saciel to fetch the forest elf's tears, satisfied?" julian asked as he grabbed the small glass bottle and walked to his study room filled with various types of plants and animal carcasses.

"Alright, thank you for the info" said Nero kalem. "Is there anything you need?"

"...you can pull Mandrake out of the pot?" ask Julian.

"No, you could've killed me with a shrill, '" Nero refused.

"When do you seem to be trying to help, it's just a pleasantries?"

"Can be. Demi-human ears are sensitive, sometimes the sound is too loud to make us dizzy or at worst our ears bleed" said Nero explained. Julian just nodded like a chicken pecking rice on the ground. "I'm serious."

"I'm serious too. All right, let's stop it before this conversation gets worse. You want to see how you pull Mandrake out of the pot? That would be very interesting."

"What about me?" ask Nero. Julian gave us a headset designed for human sake.

"Wear it and keep your distance. Although it has been covered, I believe the voice can still be heard," Julian said. Nero nodded and picked it up, slowly putting it on and making sure it was plugged in his position. They go to the greenhouse and enter the mandrake area that thrives on its leaves. Julian coded Nero to take a few steps back, covered his ears with a headset and clasped the mandrake bar firmly. With all his strength he pulled the Mandrake until its ugly roots like a wrinkled baby appeared. Realizing himself to be outside the pot, the mandrake began to let out a shrill that made his glass wall shake. Although it has been covered with a headset, Nero is still able to hear his voice even though it is not too loud.

"The money is right" Julian murmured as he put the mandrake back into a new pot and filled it with soil and fertilizer. Mandrake was struggling and trying to escape, but Julian was able to hold it until he did not wiggle. Finished moving the plant, Julian carefully plucked some of its leaves and removed the headset.

"It's over?" ask Nero while removing the headset and walking closer to Julian. Julian nodded and showed off the leaves he had just harvested. "Oh, good."

"Are you going to help me or are you going to go find Cerlina?" ask Julian. Nero thought for a moment and looked at Julian.

"I'll help you. Max's condition is starting to be unstable," said Nero bitterly. "The magic is still active."

"Black magic will usually remain active even if the user is dead. Help me stir the potion," Julian said as he walked out of the greenhouse.

"Hey, do you know who the black magic user is? He once attacked Max despite being inside the palace."

"I knew. The possibility that attacked Max was the former prince of this country "

"What happened to her?" ask Nero. Julian just shrugged and walked into his study. "You don't know?"

"No, only Lao and Vristhi know. Even though I look old, I'm still as old as you" Julian said.

"If it's Lao and Vristhi going to 40" Julian replied as he sliced the leaves. Nero blinked his eyes many times hearing him.

"They look ...younger than you."

"Thank you for the compliment, asshole. Help me quickly," he said, inserting a leaf cut into the boiling cauldron. "Live one more ingredient and it's done."

Nero grabbed the stirring spoon and began stirring, occasionally toying as small explosions came close to him. "Can all witches make potions?"

"Hmm that's the basis of magic, so yeah it can. But most only simple," said Julian while looking at the recipe of the herb. "I should have asked Claudia to make it, but she's old enough to do it."

"Who?"

"Oh, that's the twins' nanny. He's a medicine expert here."

"Why don't you just make it in Cerlina's house?" ask Nero.

"Nearly all the materials are in my house and it would be troublesome if you had to move to Cerlina's house. I've consulted with Claudia and she says the ingredients are good" Julian replied.

"Good," said Nero. For ten minutes they did not make a sound, only the sound of fire licking the butt of the cauldron and the bubbling brown liquid filled it.

"Oh yeah, where's Saciel's eternal partner? That lightning boy," asked Nero.

"I heard that I was resting against Vatra and Vristhi. Nero almost dropped his spoon.

"Huh? He lost?"

"Clearly, the opponent was heavy, coupled with his own friend," Julian replied resentfully. "I don't understand Vristhi's mind."

"Who is Vristhi?"

"You've never met, have you? Maybe at some other time you'll meet him" Julian said. Suddenly the door opened wide, along with the entrance of Cerlina who was boasting a sweet smile.

"I'm back. Ah, hello Nero," said Cerlina. Nero hurriedly welcomed her and hugged her tightly.

"Welcome. Howwasyourjourney?" asked Nero with a big smile.

"Faster than we expected. The forest fairies want to work together and help us, here's the proof" Cerlina replied as she showed off a bottle of sparkling water.

"Good, with this the potion is done" Julian said as he took over the bottle and poured three drops into the cauldron. Slowly the color of the liquid changed to clear like water. "It's done. Uh, where's Saciel?"

"He went straight to the palace to take care of some things. I think I'm also looking for a way to get Lao out of jail. He said it was sealed with complicated magic."

"And I think only Vatra can open it" Julian said. Cerlina just kept quiet, either agreeing or not being able to refute. "The magic is vast, some simple to complicated."

"Aren't you a witch, time can't?" lamented Nero.

"Not all witches are able to dismantle all the magic in the world. There could be magic more powerful than us. There is nothing greater than a god" Julian replied.

"God huh? I don't really believe in them, even though I admit to meeting a half-god who can beat me all out" complained Nero. Julian was silent as he put the potion into several small bottles and two large bottles. He gave Nero a small bottle.

"This is for Max. One tablespoon is more than enough" Julian said.

"Thank you" Nero said, taking the small bottle. "What about Lao?"

"That let us take care of it, you take care of Max" Julian said.

"Then I go first" Nero said as he jumped out the window.

"He didn't kiss you?" julian asked as he turned to Cerlina. Red fibers began to fill his face.

"No" answered Cerlina kalem. "Let her focus on her family first."

"You're so good" Julian praised. He kept another small bottle in his pocket and hid two large bottles behind a thick stack of books. "Let's go to jail to visit Lao."