Moon Dew

Shana’s attention was fixed entirely on Lucian, who looked moments away from collapsing.

With the acceleration spell still active, they somehow managed to make it back to the heretics’ sacred grounds.

When they reached the front of the tent, Shana struggled to free herself from Lucian’s arms.

But Lucian refused to loosen his grip, as if his body, half unconscious as it was, still clung to the instinct to never let her go.

In the end, Lucian staggered into the tent while holding Shana.

The moment he carefully set her down on the bed, his legs finally gave out, and he collapsed onto the floor.

“…You’re insane. Seriously.”

Shana placed a hand on Lucian’s forehead.

The fever was still raging wildly.

Even through his clothes, she could feel his heartbeat—dangerously irregular.

She hurriedly peeked outside the tent.

Under faint lantern light in the distance, people were carrying wooden crates filled with festival drinks.

They were clearly preparing for the celebration that would soon begin.

In stark contrast to the excited atmosphere outside, Lucian’s condition was steadily worsening.

There was no time.

‘Moon Dew… I need to get that.’

“Lucian, stay here.

I’ll be right back.”

Shana took a step toward the tent entrance.

At that moment, Lucian—who looked completely unconscious—suddenly grabbed her wrist.

“Sha, Sha… don’t go……”

His eyes fluttered open with great effort, gazing at her as if pleading.

Without realizing it, Shana bit her lip.

Throughout his childhood, Lucian had been unable to stay close to people because of Mana Rejection Syndrome.

Since people themselves were sources of mana, even physical contact caused him pain.

Only Shana, who had no mana at all, could remain by his side without hurting him.

Perhaps because of that, whenever Lucian was ill or in danger, he would cling to Shana like a child, wanting her to stay.

Shana gently wiped the bloodstained face with a handkerchief.

Then she showed him the thread bracelet on her wrist, enchanted with a protection spell, and spoke in the gentlest voice she could manage.

“Lucian, this is the magic bracelet you gave me, remember?

I’m wearing it, so don’t worry.

I’ll be right back.”

Lucian stared at her with a dazed expression, unclear whether he understood her words.

Perhaps his strength had finally run out.

After a moment, his eyes closed again.

Shana draped a blanket over his body.

Then she hesitated.

‘Now that I think about it, I’ll stand out dressed like this.’

Everyone else was wearing those strange garments, while she alone was dressed like an ordinary imperial traveler.

Looking around the tent, she noticed spare clothing folded in the corner.

They were likely prepared in advance for the participants of the ritual.

Without hesitation, Shana removed her clothes and slipped into a white cloth garment.

It was an unfamiliar design, and she fumbled for a moment.

But once she found the openings for her arms and the ties at the waist, the structure became clear.

Soft fabric draped from both shoulders, crossing diagonally over her chest and falling to her hips.

‘…This is more revealing than I expected.’

Her sides, waistline, and nearly her entire legs were exposed.

Still, compared to the muscular men she had seen earlier, this was practically modest.

‘I don’t have a choice.

Blending in matters more right now.’

The drink the Calis cult consumed during their ritual—Moon Dew.

Though the cult had tens of thousands of followers, there were no stories of disasters caused by drinking it.

Only countless tales of miraculous healings.

‘There’s no such thing as a cure-all.’

Every illness required the right medicine, precise diagnosis, and proper prescription.

That was Shana’s belief as an apothecary.

And yet this drink seemed to overturn every medical principle she knew.

Shana cautiously circled the tent settlement, recalling the paths taken by the people carrying drink crates earlier.

She began searching for the man overseeing the ritual.

It wasn’t hard to spot a male priest wearing barely thigh-length garments.

She forced her gaze upward, away from his overly exposed lower body, and smiled gently, trying to look like a devout, innocent follower.

“Excuse me, Priest.

Would it be possible to receive a little Moon Dew in advance?

Before the great ritual begins, I’d like to experience the god’s blessing firsthand……”

“That will not be allowed, Sister.

Moon Dew must only be consumed under the blessing of the great Lord Calis, during the sacred ritual itself.

That is the rule.”

“…Not even a small taste?

Just one sip…….”

“Before the ritual, only one thing is permitted—

the sacred union with one’s beloved.

Please wait near your tent with your husband.”

‘So all they want people to do is have s*x?’

Shana nearly let out a dry laugh.

It seemed they hadn’t noticed her and Lucian fleeing earlier under acceleration magic.

No matter how she thought about it, ‘sharing love’ could only mean one thing.

She looked up at the man with an innocent expression and asked,

“…Where should one share that love?

Is there a designated place?”

“There are many empty tents over there.

You may choose whichever your heart leads you to.”

He answered without a shred of embarrassment.

Shana was inwardly stunned, but outwardly she calmly asked her next question.

“It’s quite hot today.

Are there any empty tents in the shade to the west?”

“Of course.

There are plenty prepared there as well.”

“Then I’ll head that way.

Thank you, Priest.”

“I will guide you, Sister.”

‘Perfect.

First, let’s move west—where they’re likely making the drink.’

Shana followed the priest, cheering silently.

This area was open grassland, exposed to strong sunlight.

‘They’re far more likely to produce the drink nearby than transport it from afar.’

Teleportation was something only Lucian could do.

Realistically, moving hundreds of drinks would require wagons.

Transporting a freshness-sensitive beverage in this heat would ruin everything.

She needed to find the production tent.

Shana carefully examined the endless rows of tents.

To make enough for this many people, they would need a flat area, at least the size of twenty tents combined.

People carrying drinks came from various directions, but if everything centered around a single tent, its location could be inferred.

She followed the man.

‘He probably thinks I’m married, yet he’s guiding a woman alone to an empty tent…….’

Truly a unique set of sexual values.

As they walked, one particularly massive tent caught Shana’s eye.

‘That’s it.’

Her instincts screamed it.

But the moment she turned toward it, the priest stepped in front of her.

“…Sister, not this way.

You are not permitted to enter here.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.

I got confused.”

A quick glance inside confirmed it.

Distillation equipment.

Tools for grinding herbs.

Countless jars.

‘This is definitely the production facility.’

‘Good choice.

Now I just need to find out what’s inside that drink.’

“Still, just taking a quick look should be fine, right?”

Ignoring him, Shana stepped inside.

The priest panicked and grabbed her arm.

“Sister! You truly may not— guh!”

He collapsed unconscious, as if struck by an invisible force.

The thread bracelet on Shana’s wrist glowed faintly.

‘…Sorry for turning you into a patient.’

But this was the only way.

She couldn’t overpower him physically.

If he’d been a monster, he would have died.

The key difference of Lucian’s protection magic was that its strength scaled with the target’s malicious intent.

‘There’s nothing I can’t do, Shasha.’

Lucian’s old boast from their academy days suddenly surfaced in her mind.

Shana’s lips curved slightly.

“Alright, then……”

‘No time.

I need to get the medicine back quickly.’

While the priest lay unconscious, Shana swiftly examined the facility.

She focused on the raw materials area.

The distillation setup looked like it was used for ordinary fruit wine.

What stood out was the massive stone mortar nearby.

There were no traces of crushed herbs inside.

Instead, she saw black, bead-like fragments.

And inside a sack beside it—

“Wait. This is… an insect monster?”

Shana stared in shock at the pile of carcasses.

Did that mean Moon Dew was made from crushed monster insects?

‘But this species only lives in the southern wetlands of the Phthalin Kingdom.

It’s barely studied in the Empire.

This is insane.

Is it really safe?’

If it was monster-derived, proper refinement and processing were essential.

The rest of the ingredients seemed ordinary—fruit, honey, and what smelled like a lightly distilled alcohol.

After a moment’s hesitation, Shana scooped a full bowl from one of the massive jars and drank it straight down.

She needed to confirm whether it was poisonous.

‘Normally I’d take one sip and wait eight hours…

but I don’t have that kind of time.’

To get results fast, she had to drink a lot.

Only then would any effects—beneficial or toxic—manifest quickly.

The moment she swallowed, Shana stiffened.

A prickling sensation ran over her skin as warmth spread from her throat through her body.

But it wasn’t unpleasant.

Rather—

‘My body feels… warm. And slightly exhilarated?’

It felt like drinking strong liquor, her body heating up, yet her mind grew clearer instead of hazy.

‘Interesting.

It actually feels invigorating.’

So far, there were no side effects like throat pain or nausea.

It didn’t even feel particularly intoxicating.

‘For now… this is my only option.’

As Shana filled a bottle with Moon Dew and stepped outside, she noticed the priest still collapsed near the entrance.

Lucian’s protection spell was so effective that it usually kept people unconscious for forty-eight hours.

But leaving a priest passed out in the middle of the road would draw suspicion.

‘Hmm…….’

Shana dragged him into a nearby empty tent.

She tossed him onto the bed and turned to leave—only for him to suddenly grab her leg.

“…Hk.”

Thankfully, he hadn’t woken up.

It was just an unconscious reflex.

‘Anyone who sees this will probably think we shared love and fell asleep.’

With that thought, Shana hurried back to Lucian’s tent.

Inside, Lucian was still drenched in cold sweat, breathing harshly.

He hadn’t regained consciousness.

Shana carefully lifted his upper body.

“…Ugh.”

He was much larger than her, making it difficult.

Even after seating him upright, there was no sign of awareness.

She studied his face.

When she saw the bloodstains still lingering on his lips, she froze.

‘It’s fine.

The drink will work.

He’ll recover.’

Calmly, she held his chin and slid her fingers between his lips to open his mouth.

Then she carefully poured the Moon Dew into him.

Some of it spilled down his lips.

‘…Slowly.

Little by little.’

With patience, she continued, until his throat finally moved reflexively and he swallowed.

“…Ngh.”

Lucian frowned slightly, letting out a faint sound.

Shana kept pouring.

Unswallowed Moon Dew ran down his jaw to his neck.

‘Is his mana… stabilizing?’

If Shana had mana, she could have sensed the change.

But she didn’t.

Normally, this helplessness would have depressed her.

Now, she felt oddly relieved.

‘Because I have no mana, I can stay by his side.’

“…He’s still burning up.”

She unfastened a few buttons of his shirt and pressed her ear to his chest.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

His once-frantic heartbeat seemed calmer.

His breathing was less ragged too.

‘I’ll know for sure once he wakes up.’

This time, she dampened his lips with clean water, then placed a cool cloth on his forehead.

How much time passed like that?

Outside, the festival noise grew louder, but inside the tent there was only Lucian’s breathing.

The sky darkened completely.

The moon rose.

Then Lucian let out a weak groan.

His voice sounded dry and cracked.

Shana reflexively lifted the water bottle to moisten his lips again.

But his consciousness seemed even fainter now, and he struggled to swallow.

‘…No, this is bad.

Dehydration would be dangerous.’

Shana took water into her own mouth.

Then she leaned down and pressed her lips to Lucian’s, letting the water flow—

—and at that exact moment, Lucian’s eyelids opened.

His arm wrapped around the back of her neck with far more strength than she expected.

‘…Huh?’