Chapter 1762 – Be At Peace

“Fascinating,” Enid murmured, holding the small vial of fluid up to the light.

It was beautiful to look at, a vibrant, iridescent red. Full of rich, concentrated mana, even a sniff of the stuff was enough to set her head to spinning. What a remarkable thing the ants had found this time, another of the wonders of Pangera and the Dungeon.

It warmed her old heart and reminded her of the feeling she’d had when she was young, exploring the unknown, her husband by her side, adventuring, seeking, discovering. When he went into the deeper levels, she would be waiting for him to return, eagerly investigating the materials he brought back and hunting for buyers.

“And there’s no side effects?” she asked, turning to Merchant, who was practically hopping with excitement next to her.

“Of course there are side effects,” the ant told her aloud, using her pheromone to audible sound converter. “We’re still doing the research, running the numbers and all that, but so far we’ve discovered that applying too much in too short a span of time has some… mutative effects. Uncontrolled growth, eyes where you don’t want eyes, the occasional ear, that sort of thing.”

“That’s not good.”

“But in small doses, it seems totally safe!” Merchant hurriedly said. “This fluid can completely erase the damage done by ageing. With careful application, we could fix your heart, your knees, take away your pain. The healers think you could live another ten years!”

Merchant was clearly pleased, her antennae waving through the air with energy. Even on an ant’s expressionless face, her excitement was plain to see. Seeing the joy and enthusiasm put a smile on her face. Her student had been a great source of comfort and purpose in recent times, and Enid was very grateful for the affection they shared. She knew what the ant wanted, what almost everyone wanted: time. She wanted more time with her mentor, with her friend.

Unfortunately, Enid was a stubborn old woman.

“I won’t use it,” she said gently, shaking her head.

Merchant froze, as if she weren’t able to process what she had heard.

“B-… wh-… ah-… I’m sorry?” she said, stop-starting every time she tried to speak.

Enid sighed and lowered her hand, placing the vial of priceless fluid on the table beside her bed.

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It would be nice, not to be in pain, to breathe easily again, not to need help washing herself. To have her dignity back, who wouldn’t pay everything they owned for such an opportunity?

Enid, as it turned out.