Kapitel 455: Just One Drop
*Around Six Months Prior*
"Well, it sounds like it was the most lovely day in history." Dania had hung on every detail of Taran's description. The royal wedding had been the talk of the world and it was universally deemed a once in a lifetime event.
While Taran had not been invited to the actual ceremony, he had been part of the university's delegation that brought their well wishes--and a very expensive gift-- during the reception. Chancellor Fannur had invited the young nobleman along personally because Taran knew Renat well enough to be considered at least an acquaintance of the new prince, though not exactly a close friend.
Upon arriving at the festivities, the University leader had greeted the Empress and Emperor, a moment which Taran had been forced to smile and endure, and then they had left their gift. Fannur had then turned to his small entourage and motioned that it was time to go. Taran became perturbed by all the pomp for such a short moment of glory.
When everything was said and done, the young nobleman had barely caught a glimpse of Renat dancing with his blushing bride before Fannur had rushed them out of the event on a pretense of hating crowds.
However, Dania knew none of these details, and Taran was not about to tell her. The charming man flashed one of his dashing smiles at the woman.
"I wish I could have seen the princess myself." The lady with the mood ring eyes stirred her experiment as she daydreamed. The water bubbled quietly over the fire, becoming more concentrated with magic.
"Perhaps I can introduce you to Her Highness when she gets back from her honeymoon. At any rate, I will never forget yesterday as long as I live! I only hope my own wedding is a hundredth as glamorous." Taran winked at the female scientist, but her eyes darted away.
Had it been anyone else, Dania would have told them not to flirt in such a way, but Taran was like that with everyone, so she simply ignored him.
"It's arrived!" Dania's assistant ran into the room, oblivious to Taran's judgmental glare.
"What has arrived, Gela?" Dania was relieved to be interrupted by the plucky young man. He was broad shouldered, but somewhat timid, so this level of enthusiasm was unusual for him.
"The blood you requested!" Gela chirped as if it were obvious.
"Blood?" Dania squished her face together. "I did not request any blood."
"I asked for it on your behalf," Taran took the small container from Gela's hands. "We have been mixing every kind of herb and mineral with the healing water and not getting the desired results. What if we tried something…stronger?"
A chill went down Dania's spine. "Stronger how?"
Taran opened the small box and read the note inside. A smile twisted its way onto his face. "This is perfect!"
Dania took the note and stared at it in disbelief. "You sent someone to the polar south to get blood from a bear!"
Chuckling, the nobleman held up a vial toward the firelight. "I actually wanted some from the mythical snow leopards, but they are elusive and possibly magical. As it is, it seems like one man lost his life trying to get just a little blood from this living white behemoth."
The fact that Taran was unbothered by the loss of life gave Dania pause. Perhaps it was a joke. "It's not funny," the scientist scolded him. She looked at the red in the vial and swallowed nervously. "What are you going to do with it?"
The man gave her an incredulous look. "You are going to add it to a small part of your mixture."
"It is already very potent!" the woman's eyes changed to green as she tried to hide her indignation.
"I want it to be a miracle formula. We are so close, Dania! Together, we can change the world." Taran's pleading gaze caused Dania to freeze in her tracks. He cupped his hands and held out the small vial. "We already have the blood. Do you want that man to have died in vain?"
Rubbing her forehead, Dania accepted the small sample of blood and set it on her work table. After retrieving a nebulous splash of water from a beaker. She dripped it on the glass surface where she would complete the experiment.
Just one drop of blood fell from the vial before Dania hastily returned the cork. Her reaction time was nearly too slow. For as soon as the blood hit the mixture, it bubbled and seethed. The trio, who had leaned in to see the results, backed away quickly.
Small flashes of light sparked inside the tiny orb until the red liquid was fully incorporated into its iridescent counterpart.
'Water and blood--the beginning and end of life,' Dania thought to herself as the mixture roiled and took form. At last it settled.
"Is...is that it?" Gela asked. When the reaction had begun to occur, the assistant had expected a much grander display. He was disappointed.
On the other hand, Dania was horrified. She leaned in and examined the droplets on her glass surface. The color had shifted. The water was now a deep, ominous purple. The smell from it was unpleasant.
None of her experiments had fundamentally changed the color of the water so drastically. As the smell filled her nose, she instinctively backed away.
"Something is terribly wrong with that. We need to get rid of it immediately!" The scientist covered her face with a cloth from her apron. She moved toward the door, but Taran caught her around the waist.
"What has you so skittish? Something finally happened! Isn't it exciting?!" the nobleman placed a peck on her cheek. Dania pushed against his chest to free herself.
"I don't feel good about it..." the woman could not put her finger on it, but her inmost being was repulsed by what was in front of her.
"We don't base science on feelings." Taran ushered her back toward the table. "We base it on evidence. Unless we have evidence that this is dangerous, I will not allow you to dispose of it."
Pressing her lips together, the female scientist sighed through her nose into the cloth. Other than going against his express will, there wasn't much Dania could do. Taran was technically her superior.
"What do you want to do with it?" Dania asked slowly.
"Test it, of course!" Taran rubbed his hands greedily. "Just like we do with every other sample. The question is, which one of us is going to try it?"
Dania stiffened. "I do not think that is wise. No other mixture bubbled and changed like that!"
"We have tried every other sample and we are not about to stop just because of a little fizzing. Maybe the purple means it will taste like a grape!" Taran flashed a brilliant smile, but it did not have the desired effect.
Dania's eyes remained hard and unconvinced. The nobleman could not see her mouth, but he knew it was frowning. Frustrated, Taran took a syringe and gathered up the water using the plunger. Then he placed it into a waiting beaker.
The liquid barely covered the bottom of the container, yet still the purple tinge was evident. Waving the concoction around casually, Taran shrugged.
"I guess I will have to be the lucky one to gain whatever advantage this potion holds within it." He tilted the glass to his lips.
The other potions had made the trio feel healthier and stronger. If Dania had to guess, it was purely from the healing water's properties, not from what they had added thus far. Yet she had no doubt this elixir was different.
Dania could see through his calm, carefree attitude. He had the same suspicion, but did not want to be the one to try it. This was manipulation, pure and simple.
"Taran don't!" she begged. "This is madness."
Misunderstanding Dania's outburst, Gela stepped forward and bowed slightly before Sir Taran. "The scientist is right. Her assistant should handle this task. I believe it is my turn anyway."
"That is not what I meant, Gela. Do not drink it!" Dania took the man's arm and pulled him backwards.
"How else are we supposed to know what it does? It is in the name of science!" Gela's eyes sparkled.
The assistant had great potential as a researcher or experimenter. In truth, Dania could have handed over part of her work to him to conduct his own lab, but she had been slightly selfish in keeping him. Gela was an excellent assistant, if only he weren't too trusting.
"Is it your turn?" Taran feigned embarrassment. "I had forgotten. I do not want you to think I want to hog the glory. By all means!" The nobleman passed the beaker to the eager assistant.
Gela looked at Dania's anxious face. Her hand had dropped limply to her side as she looked helplessly on.
"It will be fine," Gela assured her.
He was wrong. So very wrong.
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein