Chapter 490 - 489: The Master’s Admonition

The clatter of hooves on the ground sounded right behind Colin, and the Tiefling soon came up behind him.

She examined it closely and said, "This Potion recipe is very strange. You could never concoct a proper Potion from these ingredients. Many of the herbs' properties are completely contradictory."

"That is strange. I suppose it might have been part of that Mage's personal research," Colin said. "Do you think it could be related to a Resurrection Potion?"

"If you could make a Resurrection Potion this way, then the world would have long since had a Potion for immortality, Mr. Colin," Orelia said, then leaned close to Colin's ear and whispered, "I have a feeling there's more to this than we think, Mr. Colin."

Judging from what Mog had said, things were indeed a bit strange.

If he were dealing with an adult, Colin would certainly respect their thoughts and privacy, but an Ogre's Intelligence really didn't seem to be on an adult level.

Even if Mog didn't end up joining their party, Colin felt he should give him some advice in this situation. At the very least, the Ogre shouldn't be risking his life for a nonexistent goal.

Colin thought for a moment and decided to use the Ogre's deceased master as a starting point.

He asked, "Mog, where were you and your master when she could last speak?"

The Ogre lowered his head, lost in his memories.

After a moment, he said, "Mog and master were in the Endless Wilderness. We got lost looking for herbs. Mog carried master but couldn't find any food. Mog was very, very hungry."

The Ogre took a bite of his lamb leg, seeming to dread the memory. "Then on the road, we met big noses riding wolves. Mog and master couldn't beat them, so Mog could only carry master and run. The big noses shot many sharp sticks, but Mog still got away. That's when master told Mog she was very sleepy and needed to drink a Potion to wake up..."

'They must have run into Hobgoblins in the Endless Wilderness,' Colin thought to himself.

At this, Mog lowered his head, looking dejected.

He spoke up again. "Oh, and master wrote some instructions on the back of the paper. Mog thinks he can't make the Potion because he didn't follow them right."

Colin immediately looked at the back of the note.

The slightly torn note was covered in densely packed words in the Common Language.

[Notes:

Don't go to dangerous places to gather herbs. Safety is the most important thing.

Go to sleep before ten o'clock every day. If there's no clock nearby, get ready for bed once the sky is completely dark.

Eat three proper meals a day. Don't eat too much or too little, just the right amount.

Exercise every day, but don't get too tired. Remember to...]

These looked less like instructions for making a secret Resurrection Potion and more like the loving admonitions of a doting parent sending their child off on a journey.

"Orelia, this..." Colin looked up, his voice trailing off.

He could clearly see the expression on Orelia's face had changed.

Seeing this, the others also gathered around to read the note. Everyone's expressions grew complicated.

"How did you and your master meet, Mog?" Colin asked, his curiosity piqued.

Perhaps sensing it was related to concocting the Magic Potion, Mog didn't suspect a thing and revealed his past without hesitation.

"When Mog was little Mog, had old master. Old master put Mog in a cage for many little people to watch. After a long, long time, little Mog met master. She was a little red person, just like her."

Mog pointed at Orelia and continued, "Master bought Mog. Made Mog learn to hit people, learn to be brave. Little Mog got hit too, but slowly master stopped hitting Mog. Master started to tell Mog many things, but Mog only does what master tells him to do. Master would get very angry about that, but master is a good master."

Listening to the Ogre's mumbled words, Colin slowly pieced things together in his mind.

'Mog was an Ogre raised in a circus from a young age, unable to think for himself. His master, a Tiefling Mage, had indeed bought him to serve as a guard.'

'No one knew better than Colin and his party what a Tiefling Mage's standing in society was like.'

'For most of their time together, Mog and his master must have had only each other to rely on. Over time, their master-servant relationship grew into something much more.'

Colin glanced at the Armor Mog was wearing.

'Judging by this gear, the Tiefling was definitely a Mage, and a powerful one at that.'

'In the end, the Tiefling died on Mog's back. Afraid the Ogre would be lost without her, she deliberately left him an impossible Potion recipe, along with instructions to make sure he would take care of himself...'

A wave of complex emotions washed over Colin.

'Mog's master was also a Tiefling. Perhaps that's why the Ogre sought them out in the first place.'

Just then, Orelia, who was standing nearby, sniffled.

Colin turned to look and saw the sentimental girl's eyes glistening with tears.

For a girl like Orelia, who had grown up starved for affection, a story like this was devastating—especially since just moments before, she had suspected Mog's master of being a bad person.

"I'm so sorry, Mr. Mog," Ale apologized earnestly to the Ogre. "I thought your master was a bad person."

Orelia sniffled again and also offered him a sincere apology.

"Huh? Oh..." Seeing their reactions, Mog scratched his chin in confusion.

Then he looked at Colin and asked, "Is it because Mog didn't follow the instructions? But it's gotten cold lately. The Night Velvet Mushrooms don't grow around the Supreme Forest anymore, so Mog had to go into the dangerous forest. Mog... Mog doesn't know what to do."

The Flame in the fireplace crackled.

The room fell silent. After all, the other nobles had deliberately stayed out of their conversation.

Colin suddenly felt that recruiting Mog into their party might not be such a good idea anymore.

All Mog's master wanted before she died was for him to live a healthy life. But the opponents their party had faced so far were anything but easy.

Colin would feel terrible if he tricked or cajoled Mog into joining the party.

'In that case,' he thought, 'it's better to let this well-intentioned lie continue.'

Finally, he looked at Mog seriously and said, "Yes. The reason you haven't been able to concoct the Potion is because you haven't been following the instructions."

"Which ones?"

"You should go to safer places to gather your herbs. Then, live your life according to those notes. Gathering herbs is actually the least important part," Colin said.