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Chapter 35

Cain immediately subdued my struggling limbs. His large hands were surprisingly cold and gentle. My frail wrists were captured effortlessly, like young birds. He looked straight into my eyes, stained with fear and regret, and spoke.

"Calm down. I won't hurt you."

"....."

"Well, You might feel a bit of pain since I have to draw a bit of blood, right?"

It was a reassuring statement. Still, if it was just a bit of blood, it was better than what I had imagined. As I calmed down a bit, Cain released my wrist and brought a small syringe.

"Is mana in the blood?"

"Those outside the tower come from academies. You must have studied quite poorly."

Cain clicked his tongue as he injected the needle into my arm. It stung a little but wasn't too painful. It felt less painful than when I got a COVID vaccine in the military. Cain, wearing a white gown, looked somewhat like a doctor, providing a psychological sense of comfort.

"Don't you learn all this when you're young? Some people have mana in their veins, others carry it around their bodies. How could mana be in the blood of someone injured and bleeding?"

Cain mocked me playfully, like teasing a child. Well, people from another world might not know much... I pursed my lips and frowned. Cain removed the needle. The small syringe was now filled with dark red blood.

"If you're researching mana, why are you taking blood?"

"Mana is different, so I'm curious about the body composition."

"Do magicians also do this?"

"I'm not just a magician; I'm a genius Magic Tower Lord."

Cain chuckled as he transferred the blood from the syringe to a small bottle, sealed it with a cork stopper, and smiled.

"I gave you an antidote, but your body temperature dropped dramatically earlier. Plus, with the blood drawn, your body might not be in good shape. Get up."

Cain uncovered the thin blanket that covered me, then snapped his fingers. Suddenly, something appeared in the air with a popping sound. It was a potion bottle filled with a green, transparent liquid.

"Have this."

"What is this?"

"Your meal."

He snapped his fingers once more, and another potion bottle appeared in front of him. He effortlessly grabbed the bottle, uncorked it, and gulped down the contents.

"It's a meal potion containing nutrients you can get from regular food. When you finish it, you'll feel appropriately full."

"I'm supposed to eat this instead of rice? Every day, every meal?"

"It's efficient, isn't it? One of the best-selling items in the tower. It's quite expensive, so be thankful."

He seemed pleased with himself and continued explaining about the meal potion. It was mainly purchased by magicians and academy students, and knights or adventurers who needed to camp were also among the main customers. He mentioned that common people couldn't afford such items due to the high prices, but during severe famines, the royal family sometimes bought them in bulk to solve food shortages.

"Um... Can't I just eat regular meals? I'd like something warm, like hot soup."

My stomach felt empty and unsatisfied. Honestly, I just wanted a bowl of hot soup, but I couldn't ask for that here. I would have been content with even a spoonful of soup with steam rising from it.