The moment Grey stepped over the threshold of his room, he collapsed onto the bed in exhaustion. Before his face could even touch the pillow and his body fully sank into the soft mattress, he blacked out. His consciousness faded instantly, as if someone had simply flipped a switch.
He was tired. Too tired...
He should apologize to Monica... The thought flickered somewhere at the edge of his mind, sluggish and belated, but his weakened body could no longer endure the strain. Neither physical nor emotional.
It wasn't surprising. This was already the third day without proper rest. His schedule had become so packed that Grey simply couldn't spare any time for sleep.
Funny.
He had only recently been explaining to Junior how important routine was, how dangerous it was to push yourself beyond your limits...
And now he himself was breaking every rule he had preached, doing so with ruthless disregard.
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"Gr-r-r-r-r-rey! Wake up. How can you lie around doing nothing? We've got a mountain of things to do!" Lily's shout woke him as she barged into his room without the slightest bit of restraint, growling like a tigress.
How long had he been asleep? It felt like no more than five minutes.
His entire body ached, as if someone had mercilessly beaten him in his sleep.
Grey cracked one eye open.
Sunlight immediately struck him, forcing him to squeeze it shut in pain.
Judging by the sun's position, at least three hours had passed.
Damn... he overslept!
The drowsiness vanished instantly, as if washed away by a bucket of cold water. He sprang out of bed as though he'd been stung.
"Damn, damn, damn."
"Junior, where are you? In the name of the Seven Hells, why are you still asleep? We agreed that you'd take over in the morning. Junior? Are you there?"
But no matter how many times he called out, there wasn't the slightest response from the depths of his consciousness. Junior remained silent, or perhaps he simply couldn't be reached.
'That's strange. He would never miss his turn. Did something happen to him? He's been acting sluggish ever since the fight with the panther... Don't tell me he's fallen into depression? Was I too harsh on him? But he's not that much of a coward. With that attitude, he'll never find his mother and sister.'
'Fuck it, it doesn't matter. I'm late. This is bad!'
'Alright. I know what to do.'
"Grey, are you still sleeping?" Lily refused to let up. She jumped onto the bed and started slapping his cheeks. "If you don't wake up within a minute, I'll dump a bucket of ice-cold water on you!"
"Maybe that's not necessary?" Sheryl's timid voice sounded out. "Grey looks pale. Maybe he's sick?"
"He's fine. He's just being lazy," Lily argued.
"Lily, be quiet!" Grey could no longer ignore her. "Give me a minute to gather my thoughts."
"Hmph, hmph... Suit yourself... I just happened to find out how to use the panther essence. But if you don't want to know..." Lily turned around dramatically and headed for the door. "Just imagine, taking my help for granted... Hmph. Acting like you're so important... If you don't want it, then fine!"
"Wait!" Grey called out to her.
He could no longer ignore her.
He understood all too well just how valuable beast essence was. It had to be used as quickly as possible, otherwise its effects would begin to weaken rapidly. They had already lost two days, and that would inevitably affect the final result.
No matter how busy he was, he had to deal with this problem. He simply couldn't afford to let such an opportunity slip away.
Grey hated the panther so much that he would never forgive himself if that beast were allowed to rest in peace.
According to the information he knew, beast essence was sustained not only by the physical shell but also by the remnants of a creature's soul essence, which gradually dispersed after death. It was a highly sought-after resource that fetched a considerable price on the market.
The problem was that without Junior, Grey had absolutely no idea how to use this resource. And time had no intention of adjusting itself to his schedule. The longer he delayed, the faster the beast essence lost the mana sealed within it, along with the beneficial properties he had been counting on.
If he truly intended to squeeze every last drop out of that creature, then he had to act quickly.
"Don't be mad, Lily. I'm just tired," he immediately switched to a polite tone. "Be a good girl and tell me everything you know. Haven't I always treated you well?"
"That's better." She proudly lifted her chin and finally got to the point. "Beast essences can benefit magical beasts, beastkin, witchers, and even ordinary mortals."
"Our essence is of the lowest quality. You could probably sell it for around one and a half silver coins on the market. But we're not planning to sell it, so listen carefully. I'll explain how it can be used."
"I'm all ears," Grey replied obediently, putting on an expression of humility.
"The order in which I listed the potential recipients wasn't random." Lily raised a finger as if delivering a lecture. "They're arranged from the simplest and most effective methods of use to the most difficult."
"Magical beasts have the easiest time absorbing essence. For them, it's almost a natural process that only brings benefits. They are closest to nature, and both their bodies and souls are inherently suited to such things. All they have to do is consume it, and their strength will begin to grow on its own."
"For magical beasts, devouring essences obtained through hunting is the most natural path of growth. In the wild, they constantly hunt one another to increase their power as quickly as possible. That's why magical beasts gain the greatest benefit from it."
Lily shrugged.
"But of course, that option doesn't work for us. We don't have any pets, so there's no point even thinking about it."
For a brief moment, Grey remembered the little three-tailed fox and the clumsy Cerberus puppy he had seen in Junior's memories, but he immediately pushed the thought aside.
Who knew where the unstable portal had sent them?
Finding them anywhere across all of Eridania was nearly impossible. It would be easier to find a needle in a haystack than to locate two pets scattered somewhere across eight continents.
He continued listening to Lily.
"The second and best option is to use it to help beastkin. Consuming beast essence can trigger mutations in them or cause a sudden surge in strength. It also helps strengthen the body. The process is a bit more troublesome. First, a ritual dedicated to the Beast God must be performed, and only then can the essence be consumed. The ritual itself isn't difficult or dangerous, but it does require several ingredients."
"At the moment, I think this is the optimal solution. I vote for Sheryl to take the essence, perform the ritual, and increase her strength."
"What about the other options?" Grey asked.
"What, you don't want to share? I didn't know you were this greedy..." Lily's violet eyes narrowed dangerously. She clearly didn't like that question.
Sheryl looked upset as well, though she chose to remain silent. Her long ears drooped, and her lower lip trembled as if she were on the verge of tears.
Grey immediately realized he had phrased it poorly and stumbled into trouble for no reason at all. Had he lived without empathy for so long that he could no longer read the mood properly? Even an idiot would have understood the context.
He quickly started waving his hands, trying to prove his innocence.
"I'm not against giving this resource to Sheryl at all. I vote in favor with all five of my limbs. I'm just curious about the other possible uses. I can swear on Lily's life that it's purely for educational purposes."
"You..." Lily bared her teeth at him. "Sheryl, just look at him. He clearly wants me dead!"
'Oh, little girl, you have no idea how much it cost me to save your life. If I didn't value it, I would have personally destroyed all the investments I've made. Do I look like a charitable foundation?' Grey complained inwardly, recalling how Junior had fed Lily a drop of the Source of Life, something so precious that even Lady Veronika had taken an interest in it.
"Grey is just joking, Lily," Sheryl said, stepping in. "Sheryl is curious about the other options too."
Lily looked at Grey with a hint of suspicion, as if she still didn't fully trust him, but she explained anyway.
"Well, I think this part is obvious. Witchers need the help of a witch to absorb beast essence and gain the chance to develop an ability similar to that of its original owner. If Hope learned how to use her power, then this option could be considered. It's complicated, but very effective. Even then, though, we wouldn't have anyone to give it to, since there aren't any witchers among us..."
She hesitated for a moment before continuing in a less certain tone.
"As for ordinary humans, the method is the most difficult and the least effective. You'd need an alchemist capable of turning the essence into a potion. The effect would be weak at best. Maybe a slight increase in lifespan and a boost in vitality."
Sheryl spoke up timidly. "If the essence can help Grey, then Sheryl doesn't want it. Sheryl has her own path to grow stronger, but Grey..." She didn't finish the sentence, but everyone understood what she meant.
Grey was a cripple. The resources that could actually benefit him were extremely limited. Because of that, Sheryl would willingly give up this precious opportunity for his sake.
"Don't say such nonsense!" / "Be quiet, Sheryl!" Grey and Lily spoke at the same time.
They nodded to each other, reaching a silent agreement, and Grey explained.
"I'm not that weak. And this essence is useless to me. It would be better if you absorbed it and became as strong as possible. Then you'll be able to protect me, and that would be far more useful." He gently stroked the girl's head, carefully brushing against her long, soft ears to show that he trusted her.
Grey knew that Sheryl was too timid and too inclined to place other people's interests above her own. But he considered her a friend.
Even if he could no longer feel positive emotions, he still understood how important friends were and acted accordingly. He didn't want to become a loner with no social ties, so he paid close attention to his own behavior, especially when Junior wasn't around.
"O-Okay. Sheryl will be obedient and become stronger," the girl replied timidly, yet with unwavering determination.
"Then that's what we'll do." He nodded once again with complete confidence.
"Lily, I'm very busy and I'm already late. Can you take care of the ritual ingredients? You'll help your friend, won't you?"
"You don't have to worry," she said, patting the chest that was only beginning to show the first signs of development. "I actually came here for money. Did you think I'd waste my saliva talking to you if it wasn't absolutely necessary?"
"Heartless monster."
She muttered the last part quietly enough that no one was supposed to hear it.
"Of course. How much do you need?" Grey asked, already lifting the mattress to retrieve his coin pouch.
"Thirty copper coins should be enough... If I bargain well, twenty might do... But I'm not sure..."
Grey cut her off before she could finish.
"Take forty." He generously handed her the small pouch of coins, keeping the rest for himself. "Don't waste any time. I've heard that the effectiveness of beast essence fades over time. Don't wait for me. If you need help, ask your mothers. I'm sure Aunt Lydia and Aunt Shakira know far more about this than we do."
By the time he reached the end of the sentence, he had already thrown on his shirt and was running for the door.
"The accounting reports are on the table. Give them to Sophie. I'll pick up Aileen and Irene. Sunny is busy with the mission I assigned him. I don't think it's right to leave his sisters unattended. And finally, if I don't come back, check on Aunt Monica. She needs emotional support right now. Don't talk to her about me. It would be better if Aunt Lydia took care of her. Be careful. Especially you, Lily. I'll try to return as soon as possible."
With each word, his voice grew more distant. By the time he finished speaking, he was almost impossible to hear.
Sheryl and Lily looked at each other and burst into laughter.
"M-m-m, Grey is so busy."
"Same as always. He's driving himself crazy because he can't sit still..." She waved her hand dismissively. "Don't worry about him. You'll only waste your nerves. He's just not worth it... Come on, we've got more important things to do."
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