By the time Riddle returned to the kitchen panting for air, Cater's eyes brightened up a little as he smiled in relief, "Ah, you're finally back!"
"Where's Lotus?" Riddle questioned bluntly.
"There." Cater pointed to the counter where she was testing the strength of the pod before he noticed the item Riddle brought over, "Isn't that..."
Riddle walked over to Lotus who was watched over nervously by Trey as the dorm leader called out, "Lotus. Peony handed me this too. It's another lotus pod-"
"Hm?" Lotus froze and lifted her head curiously as the scent of the familiar smell wafted up her nose, "This smell..."
"Is he really a dog?!" Trey's eyes widen in bewilderment.
Lotus looked over to Riddle in surprise, "Hm? Dorm leader Riddle? Is that the lotus pod that you talked about before?"
Riddle nodded, "This lotus pod is something Peony's familiar handed to me once, but I was unable to open it. Since you said that its smell was that interesting, I'd take it there's value in this pod too?"
Lotus thought curiously as she stared at the pod in his hand and nodded with glistening interest in her eyes, "The rate of that is much higher than the purple one. Wah... So many of such great value..."
Hearing her words, Riddle smirked and kept the pod tight in his grasp, "Then, let's talk first before we decide whether or not you can crack this one open too."
"All right, all right!" She nodded obediently and sat on the stool next to the counter as if the kitchen was her home.
"He got his full attention!" Trey stared at Riddle in bewilderment.
Riddle kept the pod in his hand worried that she may try to take it from him, "Then, let's start. You'll help us open these pods for us, but what benefit does these seeds have for us who can't cultivate?"
"The Purple Fuschia Lotus seed can reduce the chance of overblot by absorbing the blot in the body of a magician at a certain rate of speed." Lotus responded immediately without hesitation.
"Wah... Dorm leader Riddle got him by the nose..." Cater whispered in awe before his eyes widen upon realization, "Wait a second! What did he say?!"
"W-what do you mean that it can reduce the chance of overblot and that it can absorb the blot?" Riddle questioned with a frown as he struggled to mask his look of surprise.
"Purple Fuschia Lotus's flower faces towards the murky water to absorb the dark element mana reflected by the waters during the night, hence the flower only blooms at night. The flower is capable of curing poison of any kinds as long as it is not above the capabilities of poisoning a cultivator to death in a matter of five minutes. The leaves of it is used to absorb the wind mana. By taking the seed into the body of a cultivator, it can allow them to quickly cultivate the dark mana faster and become resist to most poison just like that of the flower." Lotus answered.
"We aren't cultivators." Riddle said bluntly.
"For magicians, aside from becoming resistant to poison, it can boost stamina and make the body stronger to withhold the attack of an advanced level Nascent Soul." Lotus responded without hesitation, "If someone like the guy in red comes out against a normal person who took this seed in them, the seed will naturally counterattack the person upon reflex."
"The guy in red?" Trey looked up in surprise, "Where did you come across him?"
"In the Hall of Mirrors." Lotus responded bluntly, "I saw some guy with red hair came in and disposed of the body."
"And why didn't you say anything?" Riddle frowned.
"Because I only have one life and he is a cultivator, so the chances of him coming after me if I revealed his identity is very likely." Lotus responded unhesitantly, "I just don't wanna die."
Trey looked to Riddle who sighed, "And, what were you doing there so early in the morning, I'm assuming?"
Lotus hummed, "I saw a flash of light coming from this place so I came down to check."
"And why didn't you do anything when you saw the body?" Cater questioned curiously.
Lotus frowned, "Because I thought he might have something good on him now that he no longer needed it now that he's dead."
"No longer needed it because he's dead?" Cater shuddered, "Th-that's cold, man..."
Riddle shook his head in dismay but said nothing as Trey nodded in understanding to keep his silence. After all, any information of this leaking out is similar to leaking out very important information of whatever the Dark Mirror is doing for the students.
"Why is the seed that powerful?" Riddle questioned with a frown pointing to the purple pod as he returned to the question.
"Because the seed also has its own will to protect the person it has tied its mana to. As long as the person is alive, it will also be alive in mana form." Lotus responded readily with her eyes still on the pod, "If the person dies, so would its chance to live. As long as it is consumed, its fate would be to live on in the body of its consumer in a mana form. So, protecting them is like protecting itself. It'll also consume the blot and turn it into a sustenance for itself. However, the speed of consumption isn't fast."
"How do I know that what you're saying aren't lies?" Riddle narrowed his eyes with a frown.
"Because I want to crack open that pod in your hand if you let me... Please?"
Riddle was suddenly at a loss for words when he heard hers as Trey laughed out loud, "Hahaha!!! So truthful... Haha!"
"But what is the pod in Riddle's hand that'd be even better than this one that can reduce the chances of overblot?" Cater questioned curiously, "And why did Peony gave us something like this?"
"Drunken Jade Lotus seed hasn't been seen for over a ten million years according to the books I gave you." Lotus responded bluntly, "Because of this, the seed is regarded as a legend amongst alchemists."
"How do you know that it's this seed, then?" Riddle responded with a frown.
"Because the smell of the seeds is described to be soothing to the senses and relaxes the body with a calm scent similar to that of jasmine." Lotus replied attentively, "I had my doubts earlier, but from the white lines that I can see on the pod, I knew it had to be that."
"Huh?" Riddle looked down on the plant in confusion and saw that it was true.
"Another thing is that when I open it if I get the chance, the seed might look inedible to you because it shines like a green jade." Lotus added, "It can clear the body of impurities, including the blot, through the digestive system and merge the mana in it with the body while doubling the amount by absorbing, manipulating and merging into the mana of the consumer."
"Now that just sounds like a parasite." Cater said nervously.
"They do have a will of their own" Lotus nodded in agreement, "But the only way for it to live is for you to live and producing mana. Right now, Dorm Leader Riddle's mana is a lot. Doubling it is risky to the body. Like if you put too much water into a balloon it would pop. So I wouldn't recommend it to him either."
"Not like I'm planning to consume it anyway..." Riddle grumbled under his breath in exasperation.
Lotus thought for a while before responding, "The Lotus also has a will of its own. If you're in danger, it'll come out to strike down the attacker without hesitation. So, a sense of leadership is required to reel it back in while the purple one is more laid-back and willing to take orders instead."
"So, like a mandrake?" Riddle muttered curiously.
Lotus nodded, "Yes."
"Is that everything?" Riddle asked again.
Lotus nodded the second time, "I think so."
"Then, why are you trying so hard to open them?" Riddle demanded with a frown.
"I want to see the seeds..." Lotus responded.
Riddle thought for a bit before responding, "Would taking out the seeds attract those people the red man was with?"
Lotus shook her head, "Not if someone leaks out information about it, then they would definitely come searching for it regardless of what people are around them because to them, as long as they get stronger, they could care less of who they'd offend. If you keep it in a box like you did now, they won't come after you."
"In a box?" Riddle raised a brow in confusion.
"That's the reason why you don't have the smell overpowering around you, isn't it? You must've kept it contained somewhere or they would've come after you out of curiosity already."
Riddle gave the pod a sniff and noticed there was indeed a strange scent over it. However, Lotus quickly pulled his hand back, "Don't sniff it anymore. There's a reason why it's called Drunken Jade Lotus. To grow the plant, you need really good alcohol because the plant depends on alcohol to nourish itself. The stronger it is, the better. The seeds are kept in a pod in the scent of Jasmine brewed alcohol. That's why it's once said that this would help drunkard, however, if you grow this seed in alcohol instead, there's no need to consume endless amounts of alcohol unless the person is an alcoholic, but that would be a big mess if you can't afford it. Not to mention, we're minors, so this is a no go anyway. But..."
As she let's go of his hand, Lotus thought aloud with a wide smile of excitement, "If I can turn this into a pill without the need of magic, that would be awesome..."