Chapter 380: The Demon Realm’s Miracle Doctor (2)
The old demon quickly prepared the poison and its ingredients he had used on the patients.
"Hmm." Kai quickly scanned the ingredients laid out on the platform.
[Purple Chireu]
[Red Akatunka]
[Faint Glowbell Root]
.
.
.
Next he checked the poison the old man had made. His eyes reacted as he looked at the liquid inside the large jar.
Ding!
[Poison Master skill has activated.]
[Analyzing...]
[Poison analysis complete.]
[Poison for the Sleepless]
Grade: Rare
This poison was created by using low-grade ingredients by someone skilled.
It acts as both a painkiller and a sedative, helping the user temporarily forget pain.
However, with continued use, its effects rapidly decline and the user's immune system weakens significantly.
Rarity: ★★★★
Toxicity: ★★★
Oh no.
Kai instinctively gripped his forehead. Then he let out a light sigh toward the old demon who stood beside him blankly.
"How long have you been giving this poison to the patients?"
"Hmm... I believe it’s been around three weeks. That’s also when the Liberation Army’s food shortage became serious, and a severe flu swept through Elision."
Three weeks, huh.
Using poison to treat poison. It was a valid method. The old demon had probably relieved a good portion of the patients’ pain with this poison, but just that much.
But it probably hasn’t worked recently.
Kai asked to confirm, "The patients haven’t been able to sleep even after taking this poison lately, have they?"
"H-how did you...?" The old demon’s eyes widened. "That’s right. Just three weeks ago, even half a sip would put them to sleep peacefully... but now, many still cry out in pain even after drinking several cups."
"This can’t be used anymore. Throw it all away."
When Kai gave the order, the old demon furrowed his brows.
"Wait! Those patients won’t be able to sleep at all without this poison!"
"It’s a placebo effect."
"Pla... what did you say?" The old demon stammered at the unfamiliar word he had never heard in his life.
"The idea that they can only sleep after taking this poison—that’s the placebo effect. It’s a kind of psychological reaction. They take a substance with no real effect and convince themselves they can sleep because of it."
"That can’t be..."
Kai tapped the side of the jar with his palm. "This poison rapidly loses effectiveness with continuous use and weakens the patient’s immune system. Were you aware of that?"
The old demon’s gaze shook. "W-what...?"
He looked around at the other demons and then shook his head vigorously. "I really didn’t know! I swear on my soul to the Demon God! I just made a poison I once heard about that supposedly had pain-relieving effects..."
"Yes, I believe you didn’t mean harm. But we can’t continue like this."
When Kai gave a slight nod of his chin, a demon glanced over to see Kazura’s reaction.
"Throw it away."
Only after that command did the jar finally get removed.
"So what now?" Kazura crossed his arms and urged Kai as if the situation was making him feel frustrated.
"With medicine, the stronger the dosage needs to be the more you use it. It’s the same with poison."
"But none of the demons in Elision have proper medical knowledge... Can you make it?"
"Hmm."
It was something Kai had never done before. He had healed others using holy power, but never created poison.
Well, I have made medicine before...
He suddenly remembered the time he made herbal medicine with Ayana in Whitehall.
I know the basics of herbalism. The problem is it's a bit too basic.
There was only one solution he could rely on for now.
"Please show me how you make the poison."
"Poison...?" The old demon blinked at Kai’s request. "But the only one I know how to make is the one you told me to throw away..."
"That’s fine. Please make that one."
Hearing the conversation, Kazura interjected, "Wait, what do you mean? You were the one who just said it was useless and told us to throw it all away."
"I need to confirm something. I have to know exactly what ingredients went into that poison and in what order they were mixed. That’s the only way to decide what kind of poison we should give the patients."
Kai’s words flowed smoothly. The other demons nodded as if they saw the logic in what he said.
“A proper healer certainly is different.”
"Is he even a healer though?"
"I don’t know. Kazura brought him. What kind of demon is he?"
Come to think of it, they hadn’t even introduced Kai and Yoo Ha-Rin as humans yet. However, Kai didn’t care, and focused only on the patients.
"We don’t have time. Please hurry."
The old demon moved quickly. "I’ll get started right away."
***
"Now, a handful of Purple Chireu here, and half a pinch of White Dayweed Spores..."
The old demon moved very slowly, but also while recalling how he normally made poison, and completed the process without a single mistake. The ingredients passed through his hands and entered the jar, and the poison was complete a short while later.
"This is it."
It was at that moment a message popped up in front of Kai.
Ding!
[You have witnessed the process of poison creation.]
[Poison Master skill has activated.]
[Beginner Poison Crafting skill has been acquired.]
[Due to the Poison Master skill, Poison Crafting skill has advanced to Advanced Level 5]
"Huh?"
Just as Kai had expected, he gained the Poison Crafting skill. However, he hadn’t expected it to immediately rise to Advanced Level 5.
This skill really is something else.
Poison Master turned Kai into an expert in all things related to poison.
Yoo Ha-Rin, who had been observing the poison-making process beside Kai, mumbled, "Do you understand any of this, Kai? I’m just watching, and I still can’t tell what’s what."
It’s definitely because of the Poison Master skill.
They had witnessed the same scene, but only he acquired the crafting skill. That was the difference made by the presence of the Poison Master skill.
"Did that help you?"
Kai nodded and stepped closer to the platform again. "More than enough."
The ingredients... Hm, now I can see it.
Things he couldn’t see when he looked at the ingredients earlier began to appear for him.
[Purple Chireu]
Contains a strong pain-relieving effect.
Effect is amplified when mixed with Yellow Thornleaf.
[Red Akatunka]
Upon ingestion, it slowly paralyzes the entire body and leads to death by poisoning.
However, when combined with Faint Glowbell Root in a 7:3 ratio, the toxicity is removed and only the pain relief remains.
[Faint Glowbell Root]
.
.
.
I see.
Useful information filled Kai’s vision.
"This is necessary, and this too... hm? Why is this here?"
Kai furrowed his brows as he quickly sorted through the ingredients.
Hmm, but this still isn’t enough.
Poison Master was the ultimate tutor, and that tutor was telling him that one ingredient was missing.
Restoration. I need a nutrient-rich ingredient that can quickly replenish weakened immunity.
But there was no way such a thing existed in this barren Demon Realm.
Still, Kai asked Kazura just in case,
"There’s no way something like that exists." Kazura gave a bitter smile and shook his head. "If we had something like that, we would have given it to the patients long ago."
"Thought so."
Kai scratched his head and stroked his chin as he thought, Nutrition... Nutrition...
While Kai was lost in thought and paced in place, Yoo Ha-Rin was carrying jars full of water and boiling them as Kai had instructed her to give the patients clean water first.
There were no mana-powered cooking tools in the Demon Realm like in the human world, so Yoo Ha-Rin was lighting the fire with fuel and blowing on it continuously.
She’s working so hard too... I need to come up with something quickly—huh?
As he looked at her, he suddenly rushed over with wide eyes. "Ha-Rin, what’s that?"
"Huh? This is water."
"No, not that..." Kai bent down and grabbed a handful of the fuel beneath the jar. "This. The stuff you’re using as fuel."
"Oh that..."
The old demon who had come over tilted his head as he replied, "Hmm? It’s just fuel. It’s an inedible plant."
An inedible plant?
That couldn’t be right. Kai stared at the plain-looking grass in his hand.
[Dried Jagwi Tree]
This plant is known to humans as mandragora, mandrake, or alraune.
It adapted to the harsh environment of the Demon Realm by shedding its ego and transforming into a dried form.
Because of this, it burns extremely well and becomes a nourishing tonic when boiled using a specific formula.
However, it causes vomiting and breaks down dark magic if consumed in its dried state.
This is it.
Mandragora was a popular ingredient not only in the Demon Realm but also in the Middle Realm. It was something even players desperately searched for to complete quests from alchemists or magic towers, and its price was quite high.
And yet here, it’s treated like useless weeds.
Kai subtly smiled and shook the Dried Jagwi Tree. "Please collect this. As much as possible."
"You’re not seriously planning to use that in a mixture, are you...?"
"I am."
"Absolutely not!" The old demon instantly objected. "Do you even know what that is? The moment you eat it, it scatters the dark magic inside the body!"
"That’s only if you use it without knowing how."
"No, in all my life, I’ve never seen a single demon use that weed as medicine. Are you really a healer?"
At the old demon’s doubt, Kai said nothing and looked at Kazura.
Kazura gave a troubled expression and asked Kai, "Is it really medicine?"
"You should know, I'm not the type to do annoying things without reason."
He was right. If Kai’s goal had been to massacre the demons of Elision, they would have been dead long ago. Knowing that Kai had killed one of the archdukes, Kazura slowly nodded.
"You’re right." He stopped the old demon. "Just watch."
"But that plant is..."
"Just watch."
At Kazura’s charismatic command, the old demon finally shut his mouth.
"Don’t worry, and just watch."
Kai rolled up his sleeves and began to show his skill.
***
"It’s done."
Kai proudly looked at the fragrant liquid, which despite being poison, gave off a pleasant scent.
"This is the new medicine... no, poison?"
"Yes. Please give it to the patients right away."
"Hmm, but this contains that cursed plant..."
"It’s not a cursed plant. It’s Dried Jagwi Tree. The effect weakens if it cools down, so be quick."
At Kai’s instruction, the demons quickly began moving.
"We’ll administer it."
One demon gently lifted the head of a groaning patient and poured the poison into his mouth. The demon instinctively drank the liquid, and his ragged breath rapidly stabilized. Soon after, the patient wore a peaceful expression and fell into deep sleep.
"It worked!"
Some demons were surprised by the sight, while others clenched their fists in joy.
"What are you all standing around for? The effect has been proven, so start distributing the poison immediately!"
Under Kazura’s command, the poison was quickly distributed.
"That’s amazing." Yoo Ha-Rin approached with shining eyes and looked up at him. "You looked just like a doctor."
"Doctor? That’s only possible because this is a game."
"Even so, your heart toward the patients is no different from a real doctor’s. You were wearing such a serious expression when you were mixing that poison."
"I was...?"
"Yes."
Kai showed an embarrassed smile and looked away for no reason. "I must have focused without realizing it."
"That was cool. But do you not have any regrets?"
"Regrets?"
"About those demons. Honestly, you had no obligation to treat them. There wasn’t even a quest."
"I guess that’s true."
"You probably would’ve leveled up at least four times if you had defeated them all."
Kai let out a quiet laugh at her words. "If you say so, why didn’t you do it either, Ha-Rin?"
Yoo Ha-Rin hesitated and couldn’t reply.
"How could I attack sick patients? Patients are people who need to be healed, and I had the ability to heal them. What more reason do I need?"
"Really, moments like this make you seem more like a Cleric than a Paladin."
"Oh."
Come to think of it, he still hadn’t told her.
I’ll tell her now.
Thinking this was the right moment to tell the truth, Kai turned his head, "Ha-Rin."
"Yes?”
Yoo Ha-Rin turned her head without much thought, but her gaze slightly trembled. Kai was looking at her with an unusually serious expression. His slightly stiff face and the movement of his throat showed that he was nervous.
"I have something to confess."
"A c-confession... Here?"
Startled, Yoo Ha-Rin looked around. There were many demons coming and going, and it was a very public place.
"There are so many people around."
"I don’t mind."
"No, I do... Wouldn’t it be better to think it over a bit more?"
"No, I’ve already decided to say it. Honestly, I kept looking for the right time to tell you, and I think now is the moment."
The moment to reveal his true class.
"You’re very firm in times like this..."
"Yes. Traveling through the Demon Realm with you and doing volunteer work together made me realize it clearly. You’re someone I really want to say this to. I don’t want to hide it anymore."
That he was a Cleric.
"I see..." Yoo Ha-Rin slowly nodded. She looked up at Kai and met his gaze, as if saying she felt the same way. "This is a first for me."
"Huh...?"
"As you know, I grew up in an orphanage. I’ve worked part-time jobs since I was young and took care of my younger siblings, so I never had the chance to experience a relationship like everyone else."
"Oh... I see."
Kai listened attentively as she suddenly veered off topic. It seemed she also had something she wanted to say, just as he was about to reveal his class.
"So honestly, I don’t really know. I’m not sure if I’ll only ever disappoint you, or if all I’ll show you are the clumsy sides of me since I’ve never done this before..." Yoo Ha-Rin bit her cherry-like lips. "B-but... if you’re okay with someone like me, then I look forward to it."
As she bowed her head, her face as red as a ripe persimmon, Kai tilted his head and replied, "Sure... I look forward to everything as well I guess."