Chapter Forty-Six
Facing the sudden list before their eyes, both Lisbeth and Staros were momentarily bewildered. After all, neither of them had anticipated the situation evolving into its current state, much less the test they were about to undergo. However, since matters had already progressed this far, Lisbeth took a deep breath before speaking:
“Well then, Staros, let’s see what’s on it first.”
“Indeed, you’re right.”
Although a transparent barrier now separated them, their voices could still carry through. Seeing both of them nod in agreement, they stepped forward to examine the list displayed on the wall before them.
“Hmm, let me see. Enhancement Potion, Growth Potion, Stability Potion… why are they all just potions?”
“Oh? It really does seem that way.”
Despite the numerous items listed on the wall, every single one was, without exception, the name of some kind of potion. Lisbeth had initially harbored a quiet hope of finding the Demon Eye Stone she needed, but since everything before her was a potion, her gaze immediately settled on the Stability Potion, which she needed most.
At the same moment, Staros, as if recalling something important, turned to Lisbeth and asked:
“Lisbeth, it doesn’t seem like there’s a quantity limit. Perhaps we can take several types of potions?”
“No, no, Staros. Heaven knows what these potions are for. To be safe, let’s only take what we truly need.”
“Ah, you’re right. Then I definitely need this Growth Potion, and Lisbeth, you’ll need the Stability Potion, won’t you?”
“Exactly.”
Fortunately, the names on the list were quite straightforward, allowing both Lisbeth and Staros to quickly identify their respective goals. Once their targets were confirmed, they each extended a finger and gently tapped the name of their chosen potion on the list.
Whoosh.
The moment their fingers made contact with the potion names, the wall erupted in a sudden, intense burst of light. In the blink of an eye, the light transformed back into a blue glow and retreated into the two doors at the top of the stairs.
No sooner had the blue light receded than a magic circle abruptly materialized before Lisbeth and Staros. Immediately afterward, a small table silently rose from within the magic circle, presenting itself before them.
“What is this?”
As the table appeared, two seemingly identical potions came into view. However, witnessing this sight, Lisbeth asked with a perplexed expression:
“What’s going on? I only requested one potion, yet I received two bottles? Are they giving one away for free?”
“I… I don’t know. Perhaps?”
Clearly, Staros was also somewhat baffled as to why two potions had appeared on the table before her. But before they could dwell further in their confusion, Olivia’s voice gently echoed once more.
“If you can hear my words, I trust you have already selected your potions, correct?”
“No, no, what do you mean ‘selected potions’? Weren’t these the *only* potions available for us to choose?”
Hearing Olivia’s words, Staros immediately shook her head in exasperation. At the same time, Lisbeth, with a puzzled expression, raised a finger to her lips and said:
“Don’t speak yet. Let her finish first.”
“Understood.”
Nodding, Lisbeth and Staros continued to listen intently to Olivia’s subsequent words. Olivia’s voice then resonated, calmly explaining:
“First, let me outline the rules of the test. If you have chosen a potion, then two seemingly identical potions should now be before you. However, only one bottle contains the genuine potion, while the other holds a potion with completely opposite effects.”
“In simple terms, if you chose the Growth Potion, your body will shrink instead. If you chose the Stability Potion, your body will, conversely, age. Therefore, the current test is quite straightforward: once you leave this place, the potions before you will only have a four-hour shelf life. Within this period, you must devise a way to identify which is the potion you truly desire.”
“However, the effects of these two potions can only be confirmed after they are consumed by a demon. In other words, you cannot give the potions to some magical beast or animal to test, because both types of potions are effective only on demons. So, as for how to discern which of these two potions is the true one, I trust you understand what must be done, correct?”
After listening to Olivia’s lengthy explanation, both Lisbeth and Staros fell silent. Olivia’s meaning was unequivocally clear: they simply needed to surreptitiously administer one of their potions to someone and observe the effects.
While it sounded simple in theory, such an action would undoubtedly constitute entrapment. Consequently, both Lisbeth and Staros found themselves hesitating.
Soon, however, Lisbeth seemed to recall something significant, her brow furrowing with a hint of alarm as she spoke to Staros beside her.
“Staros, do you really think that message was recorded? Just now, she said ‘you’ or ‘you all,’ implying she couldn’t confirm how many of us there were, but now it’s specifically ‘you all’ again. Furthermore, the examples she gave happened to be *our* chosen potions. What do you make of that?”
“Huh? Now that you mention it, you’re right. Could it be that Olivia, that cursed spectacles-wearing fiend, is deliberately messing with us?”
****
“Oh dear, it seems they’ve figured it out completely, haven’t they?”
Watching Olivia, who held a communication crystal with an awkward expression, both Chris and Hilda simultaneously broke into smiles. Seeing this, Olivia promptly tapped her head and remarked:
“This was truly a miscalculation. I didn’t expect Lisbeth to be so perceptive. However, as long as I deny everything, I doubt they’ll have any proof, will they?”
Olivia was correct; even if they suspected the message wasn’t her recording, they had no concrete evidence. Thus, she merely needed to continue playing her part. Yet, Chris, standing beside her, simply chuckled and added:
“So this is your testing method, is it? I must say, it’s an excellent opportunity to test one’s character. This way, there’s still plenty of drama to watch.”
Upon hearing Chris’s words, Olivia also smiled and replied:
“Demon Lord, you are absolutely right. Regardless of whether they find a way to secretly test the potions on others, if they actually resort to such measures, then their character is indeed of that caliber.”
“Hmph, indeed. Then let me observe their character for myself. If they truly dare to randomly give those potions to others to test, then I’ll have to seriously consider how to deal with them.”
Though Chris did not explicitly state her intentions, both Olivia and Hilda understood her meaning perfectly. After all, the most terrifying aspect of a person was a lack of integrity. Even though Lisbeth and Staros had become personal maids for various reasons, if their character were truly proven to be flawed, Chris would likely choose to imprison them until their dying day.
“Very well, then let’s see what they will do. I hope they don’t do anything to disappoint me.”
With that said, Chris turned her gaze back to the glass pane that displayed the ongoing scene.
****
“Now that you have understood the test, please exit this place.”
“Huh!?”
Before Lisbeth and Staros could even ascertain whether Olivia’s voice was genuine, the magic circle that had been beneath the potion table suddenly appeared beneath their feet. It then erupted in another blinding flash of light. By the time they regained their bearings, they found themselves back at the entrance of Olivia’s laboratory.
“What on earth just happened? How did we suddenly end up outside?”
“I don’t know either. While I’m unsure of the specifics, the test must have already begun.”
After speaking, Lisbeth gazed down at the potions that had, at some point, appeared at her feet. Noticing Lisbeth’s attention, Staros also looked down at the two bottles by her own feet. Thus, both Lisbeth and Staros picked up their respective potions, a faint smile gracing their lips, yet neither uttered a single word.
“Hmph, how boring.”
“Hmph, how dull.”
Soon enough, however, both of them let out a cold snort, then instinctively turned their gazes back to each other’s faces. It was Lisbeth who spoke first.
“To test the authenticity of a potion, one must first use an unsuspecting person as a guinea pig. No matter how desperate I might become, I would never do such a thing. Especially not with a potion that carries such severe side effects.”
“Me neither. I have no interest in stooping to such despicable acts as secretly poisoning and entrapping others. But Lisbeth, if it’s you, I imagine you’ve already grasped the current situation, haven’t you?”
“Exactly.”
Upon hearing Staros’s words, Lisbeth’s lips curled into a slight, knowing smile. However, her foot instinctively took a step back at the same moment. Witnessing this, Staros also smiled and retreated a step. Finally, after both had completed this subtle maneuver, Lisbeth and Staros simultaneously took a deep breath, then shouted a single phrase in unison.
“If we can’t target an unsuspecting person, then we’ll just have *you*, the one who knows everything, drink the potion and test it!”