“S-Solar Sandstone?!”

Advisor Karbone sputtered out in disbelief. After escorting Sans and Elsie to their private room, the advisor then wanted to discuss the finer details of curing the prince—only to receive a vicious laundry list of materials.

“You heard me, at least a pinch of Solar Sandstone. Oh, and it has to be the Ragnar variant. I will need its intense light properties for the final process of curing Prince Marlow’s eyesight.”

Naturally, the excuse Sans gave the advisor was a complete lie, but it was absolutely imperative that he obtained the elusive mineral.

I’ve long speculated that I’ll need Solar Sandstone to amplify the purification process a thousand-fold. Otherwise, I won’t be able to expel Heaven’s Tear within even a decade.

Sans disregarded the advisor’s reaction as he continued to read from the parchment in his hand.

“2000-year-old Ethereal Daucus and make sure its petals are pure white. Additionally, I’ll need as many stalks as possible of Time-warped Chamomile. However you intend to source that…”

Sans’ voice lingered as his eyes flicked over to the dumbstruck elder. The next moment Advisor Karbone shook himself awake.

“I already have many of the materials that you’ve listed, but the Solar Sandstone-”

“The Ragnar variant.”

“Y-Yes, the Ragnar variant…”

Advisor Karbone let out a sigh.

“If before I was still skeptical, now I am convinced. The majority of these ingredients are all pertaining to high level cures, specifically ones that specialize in purification of the body. The fact that you even know what Time-warped Chamomile is makes me think that your origins are not so simple.”

Sans revealed a beaming smile and clapped his hands together.

“That’s great! Now, what were you saying about the sandstone?”

Advisor Karbone’s brow contorted for the briefest of moments, causing his feather-like eyebrows to wiggle in the air.

“Yes about that, do you understand what you are asking? Solar Sandstone is not an ingredient that one can casually find—even on the tenth floor. Only a fistful is forged upon the birth of a new star and it is said to harness millions of years of pure energy. It is the pen-ultimate source of purification in the most natural form.”

Sans calmly stared at the advisor. He didn’t bat his eyes for even a second during the entire explanation, completely and utterly unperturbed. If anything, he almost looked annoyed that Advisor Karbone was explaining the mineral’s origins to him.

“What are you getting at? Also, that’s just for regular Solar Sandstone. I need the-”

“The Ragnar variant! Yes, I know! If acquiring Solar Sandstone was bad enough, the Ragnar variant is a hundred times rarer and is that much more pure. In fact, only stars that are of a certain size are even capable of producing it in the first place!”

Advisor Karbone seethed while his heart dripped blood just thinking about the potential cost—if it was even purchasable.

“Are you suggesting that you can’t acquire Solar Sandstone? I can assure you that this material is imperative in order to cure the prince’s eyesight. It’s obvious to me that you don’t understand the forces at work that stole away his eyes in the first place. So if you want me to work my miracles…”

Sans folded his arms across his chest. Seeing this, Advisor Karbone’s shoulders slumped down in defeat.

“I-I can acquire the regular one within a week... I’m not sure about the Ragnar variant, as that would rely purely on luck. Even if I did find the variant, I don’t know if our kingdom could afford it.”

With a small hesitation, the advisor asked his next question.

“Will that be all?”

Sans’ face froze, refusing to give in to the frown that threatened to take form.

“So it is coming down to luck… is it? Do what you can. I’ll send you a more detailed list later as some things will have to be swapped out.”

Advisor Karbone winced.

“There’s more?!”

“Of course! Did you think that curing the prince would happen overnight? I won’t need the Solar Sandstone until the very last step, but being an alchemist yourself, you should understand well the process of experimentation.”

Sans scoffed and folded his arms.

“I-I… but the expenses-“

“If you don’t want my services, then I’ll be happy to not perform. I am very busy as it is-“

“No, no. We will make it work. Thank you for your expertise in the matter.”

Advisor Karbone revealed a fake smile and ended his sentence with a light chuckle. Sans gave the elder a strange look.

“I don’t mean to be coarse, but why is it that you’re willing to go through such lengths to cure the prince? If it’s just about succeeding the throne, would it not be easier for the king to have another son? And if that’s not possible, couldn’t the prince simply adapt to his loss of eyesight? He seemed to be getting along well as is.”

Hearing Sans’ questions, the advisor shook his head with a regretful expression.

“Unfortunately, we need the young prince in full working condition for an upcoming task. It’s not so simple to find a replacement.”

He clenched his teeth and a savage look revealed itself. His next words came out as a subtle mumble.

“If Princess Ling hadn’t contaminated her blood… forget it. It wasn’t a good match anyway.”

The advisor jolted to attention, seeming to have forgotten he was in the company of others.

“Forgive me, just some internal issues that the kingdom is working through.”

“I don’t mind. The royal family knows what’s best. Since it seems that you’re hellbent on curing the prince, please send him in later for a closer examination. Additionally, I have a few questions for him regarding the nature of his blindness.”

Sans sat down at a nearby table, where Elsie had already made herself comfortable. Her cheek rested on one hand while with her other hand she tapped on the tabletop out of boredom.

“Of course, young alchemist. I’ll send the prince in once the materials have been arranged. If that will be all, I’ll leave you to it.”

Advisor Karbone whirled around, but Sans was still able to catch sight of the elder’s ugly expression through the reflection of a blackened window. Sans curled his lips into a smug smile the moment the door closed.

----------------------------------------

“I have a lot of questions for you, but first… is it safe? This is the king’s domain after all.”

Sans turned to his partner with a worried expression. Elsie merely rolled her eyes.

“Do you really think the king could spy on me without my permission?”

“Right… probably not.”

Sans thought back to how the king was entirely oblivious to Elsie’s disguise. He let out a sigh of relief and continued speaking.

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

“So, what do you think?”

“About what?”

“The king, the advisor, the princess. Everything.”

Elsie continued to tap her fingers on the table and pursed her lips in silence. Sans waited patiently, and after what seemed like an eternity, her fingers fell flat, remaining still.

“It has to be the Ragnar variant…”

She finally muttered with a long and drawn-out sigh. Sans grimaced and cast his gaze to Elsie’s perfectly crafted digits.

“There’s nothing else that can replace it. The purification energy contained within the Ragnar variant is at least double that of normal Solar Sandstone.”

“Can’t I make up the difference with twice as much sandstone?”

Sans proposed, but Elsie shook her head dismissively.

“You know full well that it won’t be possible. If that were the case, you wouldn’t have tried so hard in fabricating the upper tier material back in Herbs and Cauldrons.”

“Well, the theory is sound. If only I had enough energy to infuse into the Ignis Stone then I could have fabricated it into the Scorched variant. Then I could repeat the process and work my way toward Solar Sandstone. After all, Ignis Stone is a primitive form of the legendary ingredient. Accordingly to my theories-”

“Spare me the details. If you’re truly determined, you can continue your experimentation on finding a cure for Heaven’s Tears—one that doesn’t involve the Ragnar variant. The chances of the advisor procuring it are abysmally low. It was a shot in the dark, after all.”

Sans lifted his head, meeting Elsie’s gaze. He couldn’t help but feel an increasingly mysterious draw toward her eyes, almost as if a strange force were attempting to ensnare him for eternity.

“You don’t seem enthusiastic about alchemy right now. Then… what do you suggest?”

He blinked and averted his attention, barely missing Elsie’s playful smile.

“You should give up on curing Heaven’s Tears and focus on improving your mastery over illusions. We can always take our time and find a cure, even if it should take a century to do so. On the other hand, we can’t do that if you’re dead.”

Sans recoiled at her last statement.

“Dead?!”

“Yes, dead. You’re not even a match against Commander Rammy, let alone Princess Ling who is much stronger. Do you really think King Anthor to be weaker than his own daughter?”

Elsie scoffed in contempt before resuming her rhythmic tapping. Sans let out a crestfallen sigh.

“Even if you put it like that, how would mastering illusions help me?”

“I think you’re underestimating the power of illusions. Tell me, what level of mastery would you say King Anthor has over them?”

Sans ruminated briefly.

Although I haven’t practiced, I still inherited Kaima’s memories. I can considered to be at an advanced level. Then would King Anthor be considered a master? Hmm, what would Elsie be considered?

“I was able to detect his illusion domain. I was also able to detect his use of illusions over his own body, but I couldn’t decipher either the domain or his true appearance. Perhaps I am a five out of ten, and I would suggest that King Anthor is maybe a seven out of ten.“

“Wrong. Your judgement is way off.”

Elsie smoothly denied his estimation and continued speaking.

“Within the realm of illusions, you’re barely a two out of ten. King Anthor, the so-called Illusion King, is merely a four out of ten. Do you understand now? Your current self is no match for the king, but if you whole-heartedly improve your mastery over illusions…”

Sans leaned back in his chair and stared at the ceiling.

“You are suggesting I can surpass the king and beat him at his own game.”

“That’s right. It wouldn’t take long to obtain a higher degree of mastery than the king, provided that you have the right teacher. Then you could take your time curing Heaven’s Tears. We could even travel to the second floor and perhaps find a wider variety of ingredients.”

Sans couldn’t help but notice an almost hopeful lilt in her voice.

“First of all, I’m not sure I even want to go through with… my trial. The king doesn’t seemed like a bad person.”

Elsie adopted a frown, but Sans continued speaking.

“Secondly, do you really think we will come across such an opportunity again? The king and his advisor have direct access to the tenth floor. On top of it all, the advisor himself is an alchemist. Maybe call it instinct, but I feel like if I don’t find the cure soon—I won’t ever have the opportunity again.”

Silence pervaded throughout the room. Elsie’s fingers had long stilled, and along with the quiet came a sense of melancholy.

“If that is what you desire then I have one condition.”

“What’s the condition?”

“You have two weeks to resolve the toxin. If you fail to do so within that time frame, then I will be taking us out of here and you will master illusions instead.”

Before Sans could reply, a knock came at the door. He glanced at Elsie before standing up from his seat.

“It’s probably Prince Marlow. I’ll get it-”

The door burst open and an unrestrained laughter filled the air.

“Bahaha! You called, and so I have arrived!”

Blocking the entrance, Prince Marlow adopted a power pose with his hands on his hips and his head held high.

“My prince, you’re blocking the way.”

A dull voice crept out from behind the blind man. The clink of armor plating sounded off as Bobo steered the prince further into the room like a toddler.

“It would seem we don’t quite have full privacy.”

Sans muttered before gesturing toward a nearby couch.

“Sir Bobo, please set the prince over there. I have a few questions to ask him.”

Bobo steered the prince, and after turning him around, plopped him onto the couch. Prince Marlow turned his head in all directions while his feet kicked back and forth. A hint of restlessness was visible from his constant fidgeting.

Sans pulled up a chair, sitting directly across from Prince Marlow.

The more I look at this guy, the less princely he seems. He’s nothing like how I first met him. Is he nervous right now? Ridiculous.

“So, uh. Sir alchemist… you had questions?”

“Yes, ahem.”

Sans cleared his throat before casting an amused glance toward Bobo.

His guard was there on that day. It’s curious that he hasn’t said anything to the prince yet.

“Prince Marlow, can you tell me about when you lost your eyesight? How did it come to be like this?”

Just as Sans asked this, Bobo let out an exasperated sigh and slumped his shoulders.

“Oh! Let me tell you about my sweet angel. The love of my life. My darling savior!”

Prince Marlow’s eyes widened to their fullest potential. A chaotic and silly smile was soon plastered over his face.

What in the world…

“It’s a tale as distant as my memory cares to go. I once traveled to Kenchi City on my quest of improvement. Mayhap you know of it, mayhap not. Back in those days, I was at the height of my youth. A true wild buck. A roving lion with-“

Bobo interrupted with a light cough.

“My prince, that was merely a couple weeks ago…”

Prince Marlow chuckled and with a wave of his hand, he continued speaking.

“Never mind the small details! At any rate, I was exiting the adventure guild where I had just been rejected by a most beautiful attendant.”

Sans’ eyes lit up in intrigue.

He must be referring to that elf girl. What was her name again? Lady Hina?

“Truly a feast for the eyes that one. Her short stature accentuated her voluminous curves. Her beautifully painted face seemed tell a tale of yearning, but alas—it wasn’t meant to be.”

At the prince’s description, Sans was forced to relive a repressed memory.

“A-Are you talking about… the dwarf?”

He asked the prince with a barely concealed shudder. Prince Marlow snapped to attention and his eyebrows leaped in surprise.

“So you know of her?! She was once my heart’s burning desire.”

A wave of nausea passed over Sans as he tried to bury the memory once more. Fortunately, the prince didn’t dwell on the encounter much further.

“After facing her direct rejection, I was simply fuming. Nothing could quell my anger and rage, but just as luck would have it—I came across an unlikely group of commoners. And behold… my purest angel!”

Prince Marlow’s face drooped as if he were lost in a daydream. Drooled escaped the corners of his mouth and his entire body seemed to become paralyzed. Sans let out a sigh and kneaded the side of his head.

“So then, what happened next?”

“Oh, yes. Where was I? My angel was surrounded by heathens of all sorts, but I didn’t let that stop me, no. Her ragged and grey cloak couldn’t hide her perfection from my superior gaze. All I could think about was seeing her smile. I had to see it. Every fiber of my being demanded that I carve the vision in my brain.”

Prince Marlow closed his eyes and smirked with a soft snort.

“And who could deny a prince? Smile she did. It was the last thing I ever saw.”

Sans stared at the prince in the most condescending way imaginable.

“Alright then Prince Marlow. Thank you for your recount. I have one final question. Should I fix your eyesight, would you have learned your lesson and will you show restraint toward women in the future?”

“Huh? Lesson? Kind alchemist, make no mistake. The reason why I want to be cured of blindness is to see her smile once more!”

The room went quiet as Sans adopted a deadpan expression. Bobo merely shook his head once more in defeat.

“You would seek her out even if you were to go blind again?”

“Absolutely! There is nothing that I would want more.”

“You realize that this treatment is costing your kingdom a fortune. Yet, you would still choose to go blind once more?”

Prince Marlow inquisitively cocked his head to the side.

“Yes? After all, you could just cure me again!”

Sans glanced at Elsie with squinted eyes. Elsie stared back innocently.

Kingdom toppling…

He turned back to the prince with a sigh.

“Alright, that will be all Prince Marlow.”

“That’s all? Don’t you need to perform any experiments? Maybe draw some blood, examine my eyes with a closer look, or anything of the sort?”

“No… I have everything I need. You’re all set.”

Prince Marlow stood up and pretended to wipe sweat from his brow.

“What a relief! Bobo, let us escape this place before he changes his mind!”

Bobo stepped forward, standing squarely in front of Sans.

“Just a second, Prince Marlow. The advisor requested I deliver supplies to our friendly alchemist.”

Sans stood up as well. It was only now that he was standing directly beside the prince’s guard did Sans realize just how tall the man was. At a modest estimate, he predicted Bobo to be at least a head taller than himself.

Bobo reached out his hand, revealing a silver ring with intricately etched engravings.

“This storage ring contains an ample amount of the supplies you requested. Later tonight, I will come by and deliver the rest of what we have.”

Sans received the ring while attempting to peer into the narrow slits of the guard’s full helm.

“Thank you. Then I will eagerly wait for the tonight’s delivery.”

Bobo nodded and placed his hands on either side of Prince Marlow’s shoulders.

“Alright prince. You have many other things to do before the day ends, so let’s get to it.”

He pushed Prince Marlow forward, who replied with an unenthused groan. Just as they exited through the door, Bobo turned back toward Sans.

“Bobo?”

Prince Marlow questioned the guard, whose attention remained transfixed on Sans.

“See you later then, little friend.”

Bobo followed after the prince, closing the door behind him. Sans cocked his head to the side and his eyes narrowed.

Little friend?