Skill Forge: Broken Extra Character

The brewery was a whirlwind of activity. The air was thick with the fragrant scent of herbs and the bubbling sounds of potions brewing.

Marcella stood at the center, her focus locked on the glowing furnace as she carefully monitored the bubbling liquid in her cauldron.

Around her, Rosa, Freya, and Morrigan dashed about, grabbing bottles, chopping ingredients, and stirring smaller concoctions under Marcella's sharp instructions.

"More crushed valerian root, and don't let the heat drop below 300!" Marcella barked, not even glancing up as she expertly poured a glowing green liquid into a small flask.

Freya darted past Rosa, holding a handful of mint leaves. "Got it! Rosa, toss me the powdered quartz!"

Rosa turned, smirking. "I'm not your lackey, Freya."

"Less chatting, more moving!" Marcella interrupted.

Asher pushed open the wooden door, stepping into the bustling room with a faint smile. "Hey, guys, working hard, huh?"

The girls paused, momentarily surprised by his presence.

"You're up already?" Rosa asked, arching a brow.

Marcella glanced at him briefly before returning to her work. "Of course he's up faster than usual. I made his pills."

"And," she added pointedly, stirring the cauldron with vigor, "he doesn't know how to rest properly."

Freya, meticulously aligning bottles on a nearby shelf, sighed. "She's got a point."

Asher ignored the jab, scanning the room. "Is she...?"

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Morrigan cut him off with a smirk. "On patrol duty with Seraphina, so you're good. She better not find out you're already moving around."

"She won't," Asher replied, though his guilty smile betrayed him.

The girls, except for Marcella, burst into soft giggles at his expression.

"What's so funny?" Asher asked, frowning slightly.

"Oh, nothing," Morrigan replied, her lips twitching with amusement. "You could say you two are just too cute sometimes."

Marcella rolled her eyes as she adjusted the flames under her cauldron. "Enough of that. Hurry up and tell us why you're here. I'd hate to get an earful from Evelina. That's a phenomenon I try to avoid."

Asher straightened, his playful vibe vanishing. "Right," he said, his tone suddenly serious. "Do you have anything that works as good as sodium thiopental?"

The room went still for a moment. Even Marcella paused her stirring to glance at him, curiosity and suspicion flickering across her face.

The group's collective expressions shifted almost in unison, save for Morrigan, who remained impassive. Rosa was the first to voice the confusion, her eyebrows shooting up as she tilted her head.

"Sodium what now?" she blurted out, her tone incredulous.

Marcella, poised over the simmering cauldron, froze mid-motion. Her sharp eyes flicked toward Asher, suspicion glinting in their depths as greenish steam spiraled lazily into the air. For a moment, the bubbling of the cauldron was the only sound in the room.

"Sodium thiopental?" Marcella repeated, her voice calm but carrying an undeniable edge. "Are you seriously asking for a truth serum?"

Asher nodded without hesitation, his expression unreadable.

Freya exchanged a glance with Rosa, her earlier amusement vanishing in an instant. Her lips pressed into a thin line, and she crossed her arms. "Why do you need that?"

Asher shifted slightly, crossing his own arms, his gaze unwavering. "There's something I need to find out, and it'll be a lot easier if I had it. That's all."

Marcella sighed audibly, a clear sign of her doubt. Her hand lowered to her side, but her gaze stayed fixed on Asher. "Are you sure you're thinking straight? How did you even arrive at this conclusion?"

"I wouldn't ask if it wasn't necessary," Asher replied, his tone firm and final.

"Necessary for what?" Freya pressed, taking a step closer, her voice tinged with frustration. "A better question would be:

who

are you trying to investigate this time?"

"That's not it at all," Asher interrupted, his voice carrying a sharp edge now. "I just need something reliable, okay?"

Marcella sighed once more, her shoulders dropping slightly as if resigning herself to his stubbornness. She stepped away from the cauldron, reaching into her storage ring. The group watched her silently, their confusion and concern simmering beneath the surface.

After a moment, she produced a small glass bottle filled with a shimmering purple liquid that seemed to shift colors as it caught the light.

"I have something," she said finally, holding up the bottle. Her voice was measured, though it carried a hint of reluctance. "It's not as strong as sodium thiopental, but it should do the job—as long as the target's willpower isn't too strong."

She extended the bottle toward Asher, her lips curving into a wry smile. "I call it

Witch's Truth

. I made it a while ago since I had time on my hands. It's not that potent, so pray it works."

Asher took the bottle carefully, his eyes scanning the liquid as if weighing its reliability.

Freya frowned, her arms still crossed. "And if it doesn't?" she asked, her tone filled with unspoken doubt.

Marcella tilted her head, an almost amused smirk playing on her lips. "Then I suppose you'll have an awkward conversation on your hands, or a very angry target if they realize what you're trying to do." She placed the potion in Asher's outstretched hand, her expression sharp. "You know, I don't normally make things for half-baked plans."

Rosa gave Asher a sidelong glance, her earlier confusion giving way to mild exasperation. "This really doesn't scream good idea. What exactly are you getting us into this time?"

Asher ignored her, his focus entirely on the potion in his hand. The faint glow reflected in his eyes as he weighed his next words. "I know but we don't really have the time to play it safe. And if you must know, I'm trying to make sure we end this trial as soon as possible."

Morrigan remained quiet, her gaze darting between Asher and the potion, though her usual playful smirk never wavered. The silence that followed her lack of comment only seemed to magnify the tension in the room.

"Typical Asher," Rosa muttered, throwing her hands up. "Always the lone wolf."

Freya took a step closer to him, her voice softer but no less insistent. "Are you sure about this? Whoever you're targeting, this could backfire in ways you might not be able to control."

Asher's jaw tightened, but he met her gaze steadily. "I'm not asking for anyone's approval. Just trust me on this." He inspected the bottle, thinking about how to use it, "I just need to take away his willpower, will a near death experience suffice?"

"I guess so," Marcella sighed again, retreating back to the cauldron. "You better have a damn good reason for this, Asher. And for the record," she added, stirring the bubbling liquid with a metal rod, "I'm not making a habit of indulging your more… morally gray requests."

Freya opened her mouth to protest further, but Asher turned sharply, clutching the bottle tightly. Without another word, he walked toward the exit,

"Hey Freya," Asher called, just before leaving the group in tense silence, "Jett said hi by the way."

Rosa shook her head. "Unbelievable. First sodium whatever, and now

this

." She glanced at Freya, who sighed deeply, her concern etched clearly across her face.

"Let him be," Marcella said, her voice unusually tired. "He's going to do it whether we approve or not. Let's just be grateful that's he's the best in what he does."

Freya didn't respond, her gaze lingering on the door Asher had disappeared through, her unease only growing.

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What the hell does he need that for? (─.─||）