IAYA 05

Chapter 5

“Then what…?”

“It’s very simple. Let me experiment on you. This drug has already reached the stage of human trials, and just in time, you showed up.”

“So the price of that expensive potion… is turning me into your test subject?”

“That’s right. Since it’s such a costly potion, don’t you think perfecting the experiment matters most?”

Why was it…

I couldn’t bring myself to trust this man smiling faintly in front of me.

He was a professor of alchemy at Kamar Academy. Considering his young age, he was no doubt a genius recognized by everyone.

And after all, I had taken the medicine he developed and become younger—proof enough of his extraordinary skill.

Yet I couldn’t shake off this unsettling feeling.

“What exactly is this drug? If its purpose was to make someone younger, then it’s already succeeded. Isn’t there no need for further research?”

Perhaps sensing my suspicion, he answered with a softer expression.

“I’ll be honest. You must have heard, being a citizen of Vulcanus—that the Taran Forest holds incredible resources.”

Taran Forest?

That was a name no Vulcanus native could be unaware of.

It was the forest where the monsters that had attacked me lived. Due to its unique soil and energy, mystical plants grew only there.

But because of the dangerous beasts and the fact that it was within the Acruge family’s territory, ordinary people couldn’t enter. That was why resources from Taran Forest fetched astronomical prices.

The prime example was a flower called Heisha.

Said to drastically increase a mage’s mana, even a single bloom was worth a fortune. Knights who handled aura also benefitted greatly from it.

For that reason, the Vulcanus Empire had long harbored ambitions of seizing Taran Forest.

“Why bring up the resources of Taran Forest all of a sudden? What do they have to do with this experimental drug?”

“Because this experiment is being carried out with the full support of the imperial family. To secure those resources more easily.”

“How… exactly?”

“That much is top secret, even I can’t say. But the reason I’m telling you this is simple—there’s no need for you to worry. This experiment isn’t something I’m doing on my own; it’s commissioned by the Vulcanus royal family. If it succeeds, it will be of great significance to the empire and its people.”

“…”

I was at a loss for words.

If this was not a selfish pursuit but a state-sanctioned project, that made it an entirely different matter.

He studied my expression carefully before continuing.

“And as it stands, your current condition is abnormal. To put it bluntly, it’s a side effect of the drug I’ve been developing.”

I suddenly recalled the test mouse he had shown me earlier.

The mouse had died immediately after ingesting the drug. He had admitted then that most animals died from it.

“…You’re saying I could have died too, just like that test mouse.”

“Exactly. You’re a lucky case—miraculously alive, and even rejuvenated.”

The realization that I had nearly died from a drug I had mistaken for a drink sent a chill down my spine.

Though only a short amount of time had passed since I arrived at the academy and accidentally consumed the drug, it felt as though countless things had already happened.

While I was lost in thought, his voice called me back.

“Lady Farington.”

Startled, I looked up.

Through the silver-rimmed glasses, his gray eyes gleamed seriously.

“Make a contract with me.”

“A… contract?”

“Yes. I’ll study you and develop the medicine I seek, and in return, you’ll be freed from your debt for the potion you consumed. It’s not a bad offer for you either. Right now your body is like a ticking time bomb—you don’t know what will happen next. Think of it as me managing your health. On a larger scale, it’s for the prosperity of the empire. Isn’t that reason enough?”

He wasn’t entirely wrong. Still, I hesitated to accept so quickly.

How much of his words can I really believe?

He’d said the potion cost an astronomical sum. Could simply becoming a research subject truly erase that kind of debt? It felt too lopsided.

Even if the empire was backing it, everything seemed too perfectly laid out, as though prepared in advance.

And the terms seemed suspiciously favorable to me.

Perhaps sensing my doubt, his disheveled hair framing his face, he leaned close and whispered like a devil.

“Didn’t you come here for an interview to be an assistant apothecary anyway? If you accept the contract, you’re immediately hired.”

His tempting words pressed down on me. I closed my eyes tightly, then opened them again.

Truthfully, his offer was perfect—enough to nod my head on the spot. But at thirty-eight years of age, I knew better than to decide rashly.

I had to confirm the facts myself. Every hasty choice I’d ever made had only led to regret.

“I understand your offer, Professor. But this all happened so suddenly—I’d like some time to think it over.”

His expression stiffened, clearly not expecting a refusal.

“I also need to inform my family about… what’s happened to me.”

The word family brought my sisters’ faces to mind.

Though I had left home after bitter disappointment from Medina and Claire, I couldn’t possibly keep this from them.

Our mother’s funeral had only just passed. And since I had collapsed from the monster attack and been missing for days, they must be terribly worried.

“I’ll consult with my family first and then give you an answer. I also need to confirm whether this potion truly is worth the astronomical sum you say.”

He seemed slightly surprised at my firm stance. Narrowing his eyes, he spoke in a threatening tone.

“Have you already forgotten the test mouse? You’re in danger. If you leave my side, you could die.”

The word death made me flinch. But I still couldn’t agree without verifying anything.

His anger only made my suspicion grow stronger.

“No matter what, I can’t decide to become a test subject based only on your words. The more you pressure me, the more it feels like you’re hiding something.”

“…”

Perhaps because he knew I wasn’t wrong, he didn’t reply—only glared at me with clear displeasure.

I had no intention of backing down.

“As I said, I’ll speak with my family first. If you need to contact me, send word to House Farington.”

“Fine. Do as you like.”

Though his face was twisted in frustration, he didn’t press further.

Since I had made up my mind, I rose to my feet.

“Then I’ll be going now.”

I gave him a polite nod and left the laboratory.

The academy guards who had escorted me here were still standing outside, but this time they didn’t block my path.

Glancing at them briefly, I quickened my pace.

Only then did I notice how loose my dress felt with every step—a reminder that my appearance had reverted to my early twenties.

The image of my youthful reflection in the mirror lingered in my mind.

Touching my cheek, I felt the firm, wrinkle-free skin.

It was as though I was dreaming.

I couldn’t even recall how I made it home.

Too much had happened in just a few days. I could barely think straight. Rather than joy at becoming young again, I only felt a splitting headache. None of it seemed real.

As I pushed open the familiar gate, longing only to rest, something unexpected happened.

Clunk!

The gate, which should have opened with its usual rusty creak, wouldn’t budge.

“…What?”

Puzzled, I turned my head—and froze.

The nameplate that should have read Farington now bore the name Kenebano.

In the Vulcanus Empire, it was custom for noble families to display their surname on a plaque at their estate’s entrance.

For another family’s name to be there meant something was very wrong.

A terrible premonition washed over me, but I shook my head in denial.

No… impossible.

Even if I had argued heatedly with my sisters before leaving, they couldn’t have sold our estate so quickly.

It had only been three days since I impulsively packed my things and left for the academy interview. It made no sense for them to have disposed of the house in that short time.

Still, my trembling hand knocked on the gate. No matter how many times I blinked, the surname on the plaque didn’t change.

Knock knock.

A neatly dressed maid appeared from within the grounds.

The blood drained from my face. There had never been maids in my home.

This was the house I had lived in since birth. Seeing a stranger step out made me speechless.

The unfamiliar woman looked me up and down and asked, “Who are you?”

“I…”

It should have been me asking that question.

But my throat was tight, and speaking felt impossible. My eyes burned; I feared that lowering my head would unleash a flood of tears.

This wasn’t real. It couldn’t be.

Mother had only just passed away. My sisters had spoken of selling the barony and the estate, but I had believed that if I protested enough, they would relent.

Never had I imagined they would dispose of everything in just three days after I left.

The sorrow was unbearable. I wanted to cry out at the top of my lungs.

It felt as though the very ground beneath me was collapsing. Like I was falling endlessly into the abyss.

The maid frowned impatiently at my frozen state.

“I asked who you are.”

“This house belongs to me. And you—who are you supposed to be?”

“What? This house was purchased two days ago by my lady from the Viscountess. The deal is already completed. What nonsense are you talking about?”

By Viscountess she could only mean my eldest sister, Medina. My second sister, Claire, had married into a barony.

“Was the Viscountess’s name Medina de Hesling?”

“Y-yes.”

“She’s my sister. That contract is invalid. This house was where my mother and I lived all along—I have a share in it. It couldn’t have been sold without my consent—”

“Listen, I heard the Viscountess sold it because your house had no son to inherit the title. Legally, the eldest daughter holds authority in that case. My lady followed the proper procedure, and the payment was completed. If you have family disputes, take them elsewhere. Don’t cause trouble here.”

Her cold words made my grip on the gate tighten unconsciously.

Bitterly, I knew she was right. By law, my sisters had the authority.

But it had been twenty years.

Twenty years of nursing my mother through dementia.

I had given up youth, love, and dreams—all for my family.

Sometimes I mourned the lost years, but what sustained me was the belief that I was needed, that my devotion mattered.

Yet now, with Mother barely gone, they had cast me aside like trash.

Everything I had endured, all my sacrifice—it was all for nothing.

“…No.”

At my whisper, the maid frowned. “What did you say?”

I lifted my head, tears streaming down my cheeks.

“This house is mine!”

The maid’s eyes widened in surprise at my outburst, then narrowed in irritation.

“I tried to be polite, but you must be insane.”