The road toward the base was quiet. Liora walked alongside the boy and the girl while kicking a small stone with her foot. The injured boy, Wie'r, was carried on the boy's back. His breathing was becoming weaker as time passed.
Suddenly, Liora opened her inventory to look for something. When she saw it was right there, she wanted to curse herself. How could she forget that she also had a health potion?
If she gave this to the boy, it would greatly heal his injuries, and he would no longer be in danger.
Liora slowed down and fell behind them so they would not see how the potion suddenly appeared in her hand. She looked at the health potion in her hand with some heartache, knowing she had to give it away. But who had made her so benevolent? She certainly could not watch someone die in front of her.
Hmm, no, that wasn't true. She could definitely watch someone die without blinking. But she didn't want this boy to die. She could see that they were good people who cared for each other. It would be worth helping them.
"Hey! You can give him this. It will heal his injuries," Liora said while extending the healing potion toward them.
Both the boy and the girl turned back and realized they had left Liora behind in their worry. Before they could apologize, she extended her hand toward them, holding a sparkling white potion.
Their breath hitched. They looked at each other and then at Liora. Both of them asked at the same time, "Is this really a healing potion?"
Their eyes widened. "No, no, we can't take this. It's so precious. How could we dare take this?" the boy said, retreating a few steps.
The girl showed conflict at the boy's words. She clenched her hands, shook her head, and repeated his words. "We can't take it. It's so precious."
Liora felt better after their denial and thought that at least they had good morals and were polite. Otherwise, she would have really regretted wasting her potion on some ungrateful wolves.
"It's alright. Saving him is what matters most. Don't worry, you can pay me back in the future," she said and asked them to lay the injured boy on the ground as she opened the bottle.
The boy and the girl wore hesitant expressions, but they showed determination when Liora asked them to pay her back in the future. They no longer hesitated and vowed to themselves that they would repay Liora someday.
Liora gently opened the injured boy's mouth and made him drink the potion, then waited for some time.
The boy and the girl waited anxiously around Liora. Their nerves were clenching with tension.
Thirty seconds passed.
Nothing happened. Liora felt black lines appear on her forehead.
"System," she muttered through gritted teeth and continued, "are you fucking playing with me? Why hasn't the boy awakened or shown any recovery?"
The boy and the girl looked at Liora with somewhat stiff expressions, which only intensified her anger at the system that was clearly playing tricks on her.
Now the situation had become about her pride. If she couldn't heal the injured boy, it would be a huge blow to her ego.
[The rewards gained by completing missions are only for the host. They will not work on other people.]
The arrogant voice of the system rang out, clearly mocking her, which only fueled Liora's anger.
But her mind was blown when she heard its words. "Are you fucking serious? Then why didn't you tell me when I was going to use this on him?"
[You didn't ask me, hehe.]
The girl's worried voice rang, which cut Liora's stormy thoughts. "Why isn't it working? Is his injury so bad that even a potion can't help him?"
The boy looked pale as he glanced nervously at Wie'r, who still lay motionless. "Is he... going to make it?"
Liora felt a muscle twitch in her jaw as she gritted her teeth. Her pride as a princess was pricking under their expectant stares.
Her fingers clenched at her side as she forced a smile onto her face. "Don't worry. It's a very strong potion. He just needs a little time for it to take effect."
Inside, she was seething. That cursed system. How dare he play tricks on her. She was hundred percent sure, he did not warn on her purposefully.
"System," she hissed under her breath. The fake smile was still plastered on her face. "You better fix this, or I swear I'll—"
The system's smug voice interrupted her.
[What? You're going to throw a tantrum like a spoiled princess? Oh wait, you already are one.]
Liora's face twitched. Her polite smile almost cracked. "You useless piece of junk. You didn't even warn me that my potion wouldn't work on others. Do something. I can't see their hopes turning into nothing, because of me."
The system chuckled dryly. [Well, Host, it's not my fault you didn't ask. But since you seem so desperate...]
Liora's temper flared, but before she could retort, the system continued with a mocking tone.
[There is a solution. You can buy a healing potion from the system store. It will work on anyone.]
Liora narrowed her eyes. "Store? I don't recall seeing a store."
[That's because you didn't ask.]
The system's smirk was almost audible.
[Shall I open it for you? Oh, and it'll cost you survival points.]
Liora's fake smile faltered for a moment as she processed this. "Survival points? And how much will this oh-so-wonderful potion cost me?"
[A mere 50 survival points. You have 80 right now, so don't act like you're broke.]
Liora felt her eyebrow twitch. She wanted to strangle the system, but the boy and girl's worried glances forced her to maintain her composure.
"Fine," she muttered under her breath with an angry expression. "Do it quickly."