RODH Chapter 16

16.

“The ingredients needed to create the Potion of Truth are surprisingly simple. All you need are roadside bitter herbs and water. But without a proper mage, it’s a potion that’s difficult to produce,” Lucian explained.

He was right.

The Potion of Truth, often used in court trials, was exceptionally rare. It was so scarce that it could only be employed in the most critical cases.

This scarcity was because mages capable of synthesizing the potion were exceedingly rare.

So, where had all the mages gone?

The “proper mages” Lucian referred to were mostly affiliated with the imperial family or the Mage Tower.

These mages strictly adhered to the rules of their respective institutions.

The Potion of Truth, classified as a first-grade potion, took effect immediately upon consumption. Because of this, it couldn’t be produced without the emperor’s or the Tower Lord’s explicit permission.

So, what could you do in such a situation?

You’d have no choice but to personally plead with them to make it for you.

Just in case, I prepared a generous amount of jewels, along with a pouch containing bitter herbs, water, and dried flowers, and held it close to my chest.

As always, Bain followed me, yawning, likely from another busy day.

“My lord, where are you rushing off to at this hour of the morning…?” he grumbled.

It was indeed a time when even the coachman couldn’t help but nod off.

Around 4 a.m., at the break of dawn.

Before dawn broke, I was set to meet Lucian by the shores of Lacus Lake.

“The Tower Lord has a finicky personality and never stays in one place for long. So don’t miss this chance, Ian.”

Every time he called me “Ian,” a chill ran down my spine, but I couldn’t do anything about it.

For the kind of valuable information he handed over, it was a cheap price to pay.

“Bain, raise the lantern higher. I can’t see a thing ahead.”

“Yes, young duke.”

Bain, now seeming a bit more awake, lifted the glass lantern higher.

The thick fog around the lake made it nearly impossible to see anything.

But Lucian had specifically said to meet by the lake, so he should be waiting here…

Wait.

“Ian Pearl Ruben.”

Seor’s irritable voice called my name.

Next to him were Peter, Lucian, Nevan, and even Nevan’s retainers, lined up as if they had been strung together.

“What are you all doing here?”

I asked out of genuine curiosity, but Seor responded with a sneer.

“What are you doing here? Are you scheming something with the Dragon Crown Prince, just as he claimed?”

I looked at Lucian with an incredulous expression.

Shrugging, Lucian said, “I didn’t expect these little pests to follow me here. It seems the Tower Lord is quite popular.”

“Mind your disrespect toward His Highness the Crown Prince.”

Peter’s stern warning dampened the mood, but I ignored it and turned to Nevan.

“What brings your grace here?”

Nevan’s face looked incredibly pale, likely due to the early hour. If not for the snow leopard fur cloak he was wearing, one might mistake him for a corpse.

But his sharp crimson eyes said it all—this man wasn’t someone who would falter just because of a chilly morning.

“I’m here to conduct a trade for something I need. But what of you, young duke? Why are you out here alone…?”

“I didn’t come alone. I have my dependable servant with me,” I replied with a casual shrug.

“Yes,” Bain added, standing straight and ready.

“…”

“…”

Even though Nevan and I weren’t saying much, Seor and Lucian suddenly interjected.

“Looks like everyone’s here for their own reasons,” Seor remarked dryly.

“And what brings His Highness the Crown Prince here?” I asked, tilting my head.

“I…” Seor hesitated, fumbling for an answer.

“The imperial family and the Mage Tower are allies. The better question is—what are you doing here in a place like this?” he retorted, deflecting.

“I have my own business to attend to,” I replied calmly.

“Hah. So the rumors about you playing around with the Dragon Crown Prince were true, Ian Pearl Ruben!” Seor exclaimed, his tone sharp.

“Eh?” Lucian gave me a quizzical look, as if he had no idea what Seor was talking about.

Right. I couldn’t afford to get burned alive here. Time for a strategy change.

“You’re misunderstanding. That day, I… I was trying to chase away a bug, and I ended up rolling on the ground. Lucian just happened to help me. That’s all.”

“By coincidence?” Seor narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

“Yes,” I answered without hesitation.

“And I suppose today is just another coincidence?” he pressed.

“No, not today. I came because I need something from His Highness the Dragon Crown Prince…” I began explaining, but Seor cut me off with a sudden outburst.

“If you needed something, shouldn’t you have told me first?!”

“What? Why would I do that?”

“Because you’re my fiancé! And don’t think for a second that I lack the capability to handle your requests!” Seor snapped, his voice filled with indignation.

Whistle.

Lucian let out a low whistle, clearly amused as he chuckled under his breath.

Seor gritted his teeth and gripped the hilt of his sword, glaring at the Dragon Crown Prince.

Please, don’t fight, you bastards. My head’s already pounding.

I wanted nothing more than to kick the backsides of the three annoying alphas—excluding Grand Duke Kirias and his entourage, of course.

At that moment, the Mage Tower appeared out of nowhere.

The door, which looked flimsy enough to open with a single kick, creaked loudly as it swung open.

Emerging from the doorway was none other than Alvis Duin, the man I’d encountered during my second death.

With his striking blue eyes and hair, he was known as the Blue Mage, a mana master of unparalleled skill. But today, he was far from the refined image his illustrious title suggested—he was completely drunk.

“Alvis Duin,” Grand Duke Kirias called out as he began approaching him.

But before he could get close, Alvis’s gaze landed on me. His half-closed eyes suddenly widened, and he let out a sharp gasp.

What now? What did I do wrong this time?

I reached into the pouch I was holding, ready to offer the jewels and ask him to brew the potion. But before I could say anything, Alvis suddenly pulled me into a tight embrace, freezing everyone in their tracks.

“Tian. Tian. Why did it take you so long? Is it really you, Tian?” he murmured, his voice trembling with emotion.

“Tian? Who is Tian? I don’t know any—wait!” I stammered, trying to push him away.

The moment he uttered that name, a wave of his refreshing pheromones surged out, enveloping me completely.

Panicked, I began to struggle to escape the intoxicating scent. “Bain!”

“Young master!” Bain rushed forward, trying to separate us, but Alvis casually flung him aside with one hand—without so much as a chant or gesture for casting magic.

What kind of monster doesn’t even need to cast a spell…? Ugh, forget that—I was going to die drowning in this pheromone shower.

Desperate, I turned to the nearby alphas for help. “Please, someone save me!”

Hearing my plea, Grand Duke Kirias moved first, with Seor following a beat later.

“Damn it, Tower Lord, have you finally lost your mind?” Seor barked.

“Alvis, he’s not Tian. Get a hold of yourself!” Grand Duke Kirias said firmly, trying to snap Alvis out of his delusion.

“My Tian… Tian…”

Who on earth is this Tian that has him acting like this?

I forced myself to endure the pheromone storm by releasing my own pheromones to counter it, racking my brain for a solution.

Alvis Duin.

He was the same man who had cruelly poisoned me in my past life. But like Nevan, he had been a magical prodigy from a young age.

I’d heard that he used to have a gentle personality, but one day his mate died in an accident during a magical experiment, which completely changed him.

So, does that mean… this is happening because…

“Tian, I’ll never leave your side again,” Alvis murmured, his voice trembling with devotion.

Wait… is he mistaking me for his mate?

“Ugh,” I groaned, holding my breath as long as I could, but the overwhelming alpha pheromones coming at me from all sides were too much to bear. My head started to spin, and my strength began to drain away.

“Haa…”

“Ian!”

Someone called out my name, but I couldn’t respond. My vision blurred, and my legs gave out as I collapsed.

---

“Alvis Duin!”

As soon as Ian collapsed, Seor ordered Peter to protect him and drew his sword.

Alvis, seemingly unaware of the commotion, tried to approach Ian’s unconscious body.

Before Seor’s anger could erupt fully, someone suddenly emerged from the Mage Tower—a young boy wearing a robe.

“Master! You need to rest! Wandering around like this is dangerous,” the boy scolded.

“But Tian… Tian is here…”

“Master, Tian has already passed away!”

“No… Tian… Tian is…”

Perhaps due to the excessive release of alpha pheromones, Alvis, too, staggered and ended up leaning heavily against his disciple for support.

“What a mess this has turned into,” Klain muttered with a click of his tongue, standing beside Nevan.

“Someone, help me! Master has collapsed!”

At the boy’s call, others dressed similarly in robes rushed out and helped carry Alvis back inside.

The boy, glancing awkwardly at Ian’s unconscious form, addressed the group.

“My master seems to have caused a great offense. As compensation, I invite you all to be special guests of the Mage Tower.”

“Special guests? Do you even realize whose fiancé your master dared to touch?” Seor growled.

“I don’t. But I do know you’re the Crown Prince of the Empire,” the boy replied calmly.

Impressed by his quick wit, Seor reluctantly sheathed his sword.

“We’ll need a potion to purge the pheromones. I assume you have one?”

“Yes, we do. Please, follow me inside.”

Led by the boy, the group of five entered the Mage Tower. Just as dawn broke, the tower vanished as if by magic.

Inside the Mage Tower was vastly different from its appearance outside. It was spacious and pleasant, with a lush garden of herbs planted in the center, giving the illusion of standing in a serene sanctuary.

After walking through a long corridor, they arrived at a recovery room filled with several beds.

Seor gently laid the unconscious Ian on a makeshift cot.

“I’ll prepare the potion. As for the rest of you…”

“…”

“It seems you all have business with my master. But you’ll need to wait until he wakes up,” the boy informed them.

“How long will that take?” Nevan asked.

Raising a single finger, the boy replied, “An hour should be enough. The hangover cure I made this time is quite potent.”

True to his word, exactly one hour later, Alvis Duin appeared, looking completely sober.

Alvis glanced briefly at the still-unconscious Ian before raising his head to address the group.

“My actions caused trouble. I apologize.”

“Trouble? Your actions caused my fiancé to collapse,” Seor snapped. “How do you intend to compensate for that?”

Alvis’s gaze lingered briefly on Seor before shifting back to Ian, his expression unreadable.