The next day, after his morning classes, Raziel chose to head home instead of following the other students to the arena.
When Raziel arrived home, he took a bath, put on some refined clothes, and asked Clarice to arrange a carriage.
Curious about his plans, Clarice asked where he was going, but Raziel simply said he was going to visit someone.
She almost followed him, however Raziel told her it wasn't necessary, assuring her he would be quick in handling the matter. The girl nodded and accepted, deciding to do something else.
Once inside the carriage, Raziel took out the rainbow stone from his storage ring and studied it during the ride.
He only understood how it worked by recalling some of the explanations from the game.
Fortunately, he hadn't skipped the dialogues, or he would be in a bit of trouble right now, especially considering the stone had two different ways of being used.
The first way to use the rainbow stone is to boost mana reserves. When mana is injected into the stone, it changes from a rainbow hue to bright blue, signaling that it's time to break it.
Upon breaking it, a small blue orb emerges, and absorbing this orb enhances a mage's mana reserves.
This method is simple and safe, unlike other ways of boosting mana reserves, which often carry significant risks.
Another way to use the rainbow stone is to let it gradually absorb mana from your body by keeping it nearby, without directly injecting mana. When the stone changes from its bright color to a dark one, it means it has drawn out some impurities from your body and can then be discarded.
This process purifies the mana slightly, improving its flow throughout the heart and even helping to cure some mana-related ailments.
By episode seven, their price will have skyrocketed, with a single stone that once cost two hundred Liridio now fetching around one thousand. The scarcity will deepen as the Rainbow Hell yields fewer stones, partly because some guilds will attempt to monopolize their extraction.
Although Anya wasn't a mage, she made medicines for them. At first, the stones seemed like just a commodity for rich mages to slightly boost their power.
However, everything changed when Erick gave her one as a gift after defeating the boss of Rainbow Hell, a creature already weakened from the destruction of its habitat.
Initially, she didn't think much of the stone, as she was focused on her dying father, who was suffering from mana evaporation.
Sadly, the conventional treatments were useless, and she came to accept that he would die. In the end, Anya decided gave her father one final gift.
It was a necklace her late older brother used to wear, but it was missing a gem. Then, she remembered the rainbow stone and decided it would be the perfect addition.
With tearful sincerity in her eyes, she placed the necklace around her father's neck and quietly left the hospital room, unable to bear seeing him in such a weakened state.
Miraculously, the stone had an effect on her father's body, and after a week of wearing the necklace, his condition showed a small but hopeful improvement.
Anya was deeply confused about why this happened but later discovered that the rainbow stone could suppress mana evaporation by purifying the body and stabilizing the mana within it simultaneously.
This discovery motivated her to stockpile rainbow stones and create an effective treatment for her father. Her achievement earned her widespread recognition as a brilliant pharmacist, capable of curing a disease once thought almost incurable.
Raziel couldn't deny Anya's brilliance, but her unpredictable and complicated nature made her a handful.
After a somewhat longer ride, Raziel arrived at the Haisenvel Imperial Hospital, widely regarded as the largest and most luxurious medical facility in the Gravantia Empire.
The hospital was impressive, its vast halls made of white marble and detailed woodwork that added a touch of elegance.
In the lobby, Raziel asked for information about a patient named Mariet Campbell, presenting a golden pass similar to the one he had given Clarice the day before.
A kind elderly woman, wearing a typical white nurse's outfit and offering a gentle smile, called over another nurse to escort Raziel to the room where Clarice's mother was.
As he followed the nurse, Raziel felt a twinge of anxiety. This would be his first time seeing Clarice's mother, whose face had never been revealed in the game.
She was only ever mentioned as deceased.
A while later, Raziel found himself on the top floor of the hospital, an area called The Golden Paradise, where only the wealthy received the finest treatments and care the hospital could offer.
Inside the room where Mariet Campbell rested, Raziel stood in silent awe, his eyes tracing the delicate features of her pale, frail face.
Despite her weakened condition, the woman before him exuded a striking, almost regal presence that left him deeply moved.
She was a stunning blonde woman with radiant beauty and milk-like skin. Her hair cascaded like sunlight, framing a pale face that exuded warmth and charm. Her figure was curvaceous, though she appeared a bit too thin, her closed eyes and eyelids showed an air of grace and confidence.
It was like looking at an older version of Clarice. The resemblance was striking, from the delicate features to the same serene expression on her face.
The first thought that crossed his mind upon seeing such beauty was, 'Damn, old man, how could you let such a gorgeous woman die?'
Raziel sighed and requested to be left alone in the room. Using the rainbow stone had to be done in secret.
If people found out he could cure this disease, it'd bring way too much attention and probably make him a target, just like what happened to Anya in the game.
She had a tough time dealing with the terrorists from the Hearpim group.
To ensure no one would associate him with Mariet's improved health, Raziel had arranged for the treatment to begin as soon as she was transferred to this place.
The rainbow stone in his hand could take a week to cleanse some of the impurities from Mariet's body. Though one stone would help her feel better, at least three were needed for a full cure.
Unfortunately, the original Raziel had bought only one from a dubious seller, thinking Sylfi would be enchanted by its beautiful rainbow hues.
Sylfi, naturally, completely ignored his gift, which saddened Raziel. He then gave it to his uncle, who enjoyed collecting exotic stones.
Realizing he needed to act quickly, Raziel searched for a discreet place to hide the rainbow stone. Luckily, the stone was small, about the size of a tiny diamond, making it easier to conceal.
As Raziel observed the woman, his gaze fell on a silver necklace around her neck.
The necklace seemed to have colored gems embedded in it, which sparked an idea in Raziel's mind.
Carefully, he retrieved the pocket knife he usually used to cut fruit and used it to remove one of the gems. With steady hands, he replaced it with his own rainbow-colored stone.
At first, the stone didn't fit perfectly, but with a bit of careful pressure, Raziel managed to slot it into place without trouble.
After completing the task, he ensured the rainbow stone began absorbing the impurities, keeping a close watch for several minutes. Eventually, he noticed a tiny dark pigment starting to form on its surface.
With the rainbow stone now doing its job, Raziel decided to head home, begin his training, and find a way to track down the shady seller who, for some unknown reason, had come into possession of one of these stones.
'Maybe Rainbow Hell has already appeared. Should I try to find it?' he thought, but dismissed the idea shortly after, knowing that place was too dangerous.
Rainbow Hell would be classified as a high-level monster zone, requiring a team of powerful adventurers to venture inside.
Going there without the support of a strong guild was like courting death.
Having abandoned his earlier idea, Raziel called for a nurse who escorted him to the hospital entrance. After expressing his thanks, he hailed a vacant carriage to take him home.
* * *
"Huff... huff... forgive me, Father. I... huff... I'm sorry for not participating in the quali—"
*Boom
A thunderous noise echoed through Raziel's backyard as a giant stone ball hurled toward him.
It flew toward the poor boy with incredible speed, slamming into his back and sending him crashing to the ground, where he lay groaning in pain.
The man responsible was tall with a muscular build, an unusual sight for a mage. His blonde hair and sharp brown eyes gave him a striking appearance, while a sinister smile curled on his lips, hinting at his dangerous nature.
This was Mikael Harvestead, the patriarch of the Harvestead family and Raziel's father. He sat comfortably on a solar chair, casually sipping a glass of orange juice.
Mikael was delivering a lesson to his irresponsible son, who had failed to sign up for the qualifiers. He had only learned about it after receiving news from an informant at the academy.
Earlier, upon arriving home, Raziel encountered a terrified Clarice at the entrance. Her face was pale, as if she had seen a ghost.
As soon as Raziel entered the living room, he was confronted by his "father," staring at him with a maniacal intensity that almost made him freeze in terror.
Without warning, Mikael seized Raziel by the collar and dragged him to the backyard to "teach some discipline."
"Raziel, I told you to at least make it to the second phase of the tournament so I wouldn't cut your allowance, yet you didn't even bother signing up. Are you trying to shame the family name?" Mikael demanded, his voice cold and furious.
He then requested another glass of juice from Clarice, who complied with a frightened expression.
"Argh... No, Father, I'm not," Raziel grunted, crawling on the ground. "It's just... I realized I was too weak for this tournament."
"Oh, really? I understand," he said sarcastically, then recited, "
In an instant, a large round rock materialized in mid-air, ready to be thrown.
"Wait! Please, just wait! I-I promise I'll do better this time. P-please, Father, forgive me just this once!" Raziel begged, fully aware that his father wasn't the kind to show mercy.
To his surprise, the massive rock didn't come hurtling toward him. Instead, it simply vanished, prompting Raziel to breathe a sigh of relief.
"Sigh... I'm not just angry about this," Mikael said, his tone weighed down with frustration. "You went behind my back and had your uncle give you a lot of money."
Although Mikael was angry, the fact that Raziel had taken such a large sum of money sparked his curiosity, prompting him to ask, "So, what exactly did you need all that money for? To spend on that Valternorth girl?"
"N-No, that's not it! I really need the money for an investment!" Raziel stammered, struggling to push himself up from the ground.
"Muhahaha! Investment? You?"
Of all things, hearing such a statement from his foolish son caused Mikael to let out a sinister laugh. It seemed like nonsense, especially since he knew Raziel was too lazy to care about anything other than chasing after the girl from the Valternorth family.
Unfortunately, Raziel was the only legal heir eligible to take control of the Harvestead family.
Mikael had attempted to have more sons, but a certain incident left him infertile. Only one of his two wives had given birth to a child, who was now regarded as incompetent.
"You know, Raziel, I truly hope you'll be someone capable of carrying our family legacy forward," Mikael said, his voice turning serious. "I'll overlook these two incidents for now. But if you don't start proving yourself soon, I'll have no choice but to disown you."
Raziel, upon hearing these words, felt the deep disappointment in the man's tone. It frustrated him slightly, as it wasn't his fault.
Just as Mikael stood to leave, Raziel's voice voice stopped him with a question.
"Before you go, can I ask you something?"
"If you're about to ask for money, forget it," Mikael replied, irritated.
"It's not about money. What I want to ask is for you to break off my engagement with Sylfi," Raziel said, casually brushing some dirt off his suit.
Upon hearing his son's request, Mikael's eyes widened, and his face showed a shocked expression. For the first time in many years, he wore a genuine look of surprise.