The power of a Script came at a price, for nothing was ever given freely. An explanation was warranted, and Daishi made it clear that there was a consequence everyone accepted upon consuming an elixir.
"The human body cannot survive the consumption of an elixir directly, without preparation," the store owner began.
Silvie braced herself for the next revelation.
"If one were to drink an elixir while ignoring every precaution," he continued, "there's a ninety-nine percent fatality rate, and it doesn't always end in death. Those who fail to endure it often turn into Inklings themselves."
Should a Scripter, or anyone who consumed an elixir, die with a fully intact body, an Inkling may assimilate the corpse, reviving it as a mindless entity of the Black Sea, capable of wielding the Script left within.
The thought sent shivers down Silvie's spine. She had never encountered an Inkling before, and after hearing this, she fervently hoped she never would.
"I strongly advise against such a death," The Mistress warned. "The Inkling retains the corrupted properties of the elixir. In reality, you'd be unleashing a monster upon this world."
"And some unfortunate soul will be left to clean up the mess..." Lady Evelyn added in a grave tone, ensuring Silvie understood the message beyond any doubt.
Silvie took another shaky sip of her coffee. The grim thought of Lady Evelyn and Sir Daishi becoming monsters upon death clouded her mind.
"Lady Evelyn... Sir Daishi... what's the preparation I need to do?" she asked quietly.
The store owner cleared his throat and set down his coffee before continuing. "That's why we take an important preliminary step. Before anyone could ever hope to drink an elixir, there was a way to lessen the risk."
"It's straightforward, it involves preparing the body by drinking small doses of diluted Black Sea Ink, without any mythical ingredient, for gradually building resistance."
Daishi explained that the human body, if never exposed to the Black Sea Ink, was highly vulnerable. This preliminary step was vital; only after the body had adapted to the ink could one safely attempt the full elixir.
However, those who had become full Scripters had already developed a strong immunity to it.
Then, the mistress leaned in and ordered, "Silvie, try to drink that iced coffee in one go."
The servant blinked, confused by the sudden and peculiar request. She assumed it was because she had been sipping at a turtle's pace.
Silvie obeyed, and Daishi watched with quiet eagerness to see whether she could manage it.
To their surprise, Silvie downed the iced coffee in a single go, though she immediately winced from a sharp twinge of brain freeze.
"The sensation you're feeling, Silvie, is akin to what one experiences when drinking diluted Black Sea Ink in small doses, only far worse," Lady Evelyn explained, seizing the moment to prepare her servant for what was to come.
Silvie tried to imagine it, a pain far greater than this. "Too many headaches..." she complained mentally.
"I understand..." she nodded...
"But is it safe for me to assume that even beyond that preparedness, there's still some sort of risk I should know about?" the servant asked, eager to know every piece of information that might ensure her own safety.
Lady Evelyn smiled. "How observant of you, and you're correct." The mistress's teasing words were mirrored by Daishi's expression, who seemed to appreciate the servant's cautiousness, a trait he silently admired.
"Indeed," Daishi began, "one must always consider the type of mythical ingredient they intend to use."
"As these ingredients are graded from E to S, it's simple to understand that the higher the grade, the greater the risk it brings, regarding the mental toll that it will inflict upon consuming."
He went on to explain that, though rare, there were times when a mythical ingredient remained ungraded or entirely unknown. In such cases, one had to weigh that uncertainty carefully, for the risk could be beyond expectations.
"Sir Daishi, there's one thing I'm not sure of. These mythical ingredients, do they work similarly to what I'm about to say? If I used dragon's blood in an elixir, would I manifest a Script related to a dragon's traits?" Silvie asked. She understood the dangers so far, but not the nature of the ingredients themselves.
"Very close, but not quite..."
"When someone successfully survives the consumption of an elixir with its formula, the ink travels through their veins, assaulting both heart and mind. The individual who consumed it must then carefully mold it mentally, writing the power with their thoughts, while the thematics of the mythical ingredient used sets the boundaries for what was possible..."
"If you use dragon's blood, it depends on what kind of dragon it came from. But let's assume a red one, in theory, you may be able to manifest fire, its strength. If your mind is creative enough, you might even stretch the boundaries of what's possible within the thematics of red dragon's blood..."
"I see, Sir Daishi..." Silvie listened attentively, then began to theorize. If two people shared the same creative mind and the same intent when drinking the same elixir...
It should, in theory, be possible for them to manifest the same... Script...
"This process is known as Interpretation. A painful mental process that you will have to find out yourself," at Daishi's words, Silvie gave a quick nod.
Though Interpretation seemed straightforward, she doubted it would be that simple.
"Pick carefully when the day comes, for the elixir cannot grant powers beyond the theme bound within its mythical ingredient..."
The gentleman paused before revealing, "The consequences of failing the interpretation process is nothing less of severe, such as failure of the heart and the seizing of... cognitive function..." Daishi said, finishing his disturbing explanation...
Yet Lady Evelyn made it clear that this was the least of Silvie's worries, causing the servant to gulp upon hearing it.
There Silvie was, shaken, her hands still on the empty beverage. The words echoed within her delicate temple. "Scripts really are one's creative mind," Silvie said aloud. Yet inwardly, she pondered...
"Then a script also reveal a great deal about a person's imagination with its consequences if one fails..."
Her gaze drifted toward her mistress before she asked, almost without thinking, "Lady Evelyn, what kind of mythical ingredient did you use to manifest butterflies and trap people in paintings?"
As the words left her mouth, the air in the room changed. It wasn't just a pause, it was shock, causing a sudden suspense...
Silvie may have accidentally insulted her mistress...
Chapter End...