129- The Destroyed Damocles

Damocles wasn't lying; potion-making is indeed a highly technical craft. He was very confident that even if Mr. Jamison stood beside him, he wouldn't be able to figure out the effects of the potion he was making.

After all, Jamison wasn't a master in the field of potions, and as for the two first-year kids, Damocles didn't even consider them. They probably couldn't even spell the names of the ingredients he was using!

Mr. Greengrass initially intended to leave the room to show his respect, but when he noticed Rhys didn't plan to leave, he simply stayed as well.

For the next hour, Damocles took out dozens of potion ingredients and processed them in various ways, turning them into powders of different colors. Then he set up a cauldron and added the ingredients like performing a magic trick.

Occasionally, he even took a pre-made potion from his robe and poured it into the boiling cauldron.

Rhys, who had been watching the potion-making process from the side, couldn't hold back any longer: the potion Damocles was making was not much different from honey water. At most, it included some ingredients for inducing sleep, enhancing appetite, and boosting metabolism.

If Rhys wasn't mistaken, Damocles also added some dragon fruit juice, whose only effect would be to turn Astoria's excrement pink in a few hours.

Rhys could definitively say that Damocles was just here to scam for funding.

Drinking the potion would certainly do no harm, but its effectiveness against the blood curse was purely psychological comfort.

"Ah~ It's done. Please, take a look!"

After tinkering for over an hour, Damocles handed a bottle of blue potion to Mr. Jamison Greengrass.

"After Miss Astoria takes the potion, if her excrement is blue, it means the potion hasn't worked. If it turns red, it indicates that the potion has reacted with the curse in her soul and has been effective," Damocles explained. "If it doesn't work, I'll adjust the formula."

Mr. Jamison Greengrass, overjoyed after receiving the potion, intended to have his daughter drink it immediately. However, his good manners kept him from rushing; instead, he first asked Damocles what kind of compensation he wanted.

"Oh, no compensation is necessary. It's just about treating an illness and saving a life," Damocles replied with a faint smile on his face.

Mr. Jamison Greengrass felt a deep respect for him, but Rhys, standing nearby, frowned.

A person who is obviously a fraud and doesn't want money is likely aiming for something bigger, with more far-reaching plans.

Should he expose him? After a moment's hesitation, Rhys decided to go ahead.

After all, there would be a confrontation eventually, so there was no need to worry about startling the enemy.

"This potion would make even a dog excrete red," Rhys bluntly exposed Damocles's deception.

Damocles was taken aback!

A flash of anger appeared on his face, but before he could say anything, Rhys used a spell to grab a peacock from outside the window.

Before Damocles could react, Rhys fed the potion to the peacock.

The bird, being straightforward in its bodily functions, soon left a red stain on the lab table.

Rhys made a "see what I mean" gesture.

"I have never been so insulted! Mr. Greengrass, since this young fellow does not trust me, I shall take my leave. Your daughter's illness is no longer my concern!" Damocles abruptly stood up and quickly left the Greengrass manor.

Mr. Jamison Greengrass was speechless.

...

After a moment, he let out a long sigh.

"I was too eager, and that made me fall into the traps of such people," he said, his face full of bitterness.

"What was he after?" Daphne asked curiously. "He didn't ask for money, did he?"

"Maybe he wanted Mr. Greengrass to endorse his new potion," Rhys said quietly.

Daphne suddenly understood, and immediately felt a deep hatred for Damocles.

If they had believed his words and had her sister drink a placebo every day, it would definitely have delayed her treatment!

"If you really want some kind of medicine, I can make some calming potions or even some tonics," Rhys offered. However, he didn't recommend Astoria use tonics because the curse within her soul would absorb the nutrients along with her, which might actually cause the curse to flare up prematurely.

"Oh? That's really kind of you," Mr. Greengrass perked up immediately upon hearing that Rhys was willing to make some potions for his daughter.

Even though he had just been deceived, he chose to trust Rhys.

Rhys worked quickly on the potions, and to Mr. Greengrass's astonishment, he placed two crystal bottles filled with potions in front of him in less than half an hour.

"The first bottle is a sleeping potion, nothing special. The second one is more interesting. You can apply it to Astoria's forehead after she falls asleep. This way, you can see the state of her soul—it'll help in analyzing her condition."

"This... I truly..." Mr. Greengrass carefully put the potions away in his coat.

"No need to be so formal. Consider it a token of thanks for your warm hospitality these past few days," Rhys replied modestly. After chatting with Mr. Greengrass for a bit, Rhys borrowed the hourglass portkey from Daphne and got Damocles's address from her.

"What are you going to do?" Daphne asked, already having a vague idea.

"Save the wizarding world~"

...

Damocles sat at his desk, his mind in turmoil and unable to calm down for a long time. He couldn't understand how he had been seen through by a child.

Not fooling Jamison Greengrass—would that affect the promotion of his Wolfsbane Potion?

A terrifying thought arose in his mind, but he quickly pushed it away.

"No no no no no! Impossible. My potion is truly effective. I will become a hero in the wizarding world, the greatest potioneer of this era, and the Order of Merlin badge will be mine..." he muttered, trying to comfort himself.

"It won't," a voice suddenly came from behind him. Startled, he nearly jumped out of his chair, but several ropes shot out from behind, pulling him back.

"Ahh! Who!?"

Then, he was firmly tied to the chair.

A crystal vial was shoved to his lips, and a few drops of a cold potion were poured into his mouth.

"W-what did you make me drink?!" Damocles asked in a panic.

"Veritaserum. As a potioneer, you can't even recognize this?" Rhys glanced at him from above, then began his interrogation.

"Have you told anyone else the formula for the Wolfsbane Potion?"

"No."

Rhys thought for a moment and rephrased his question: "Besides you, does anyone else know the formula for the Wolfsbane Potion?"

"Yes, others know. They helped me improve the formula."

Rhys: "!!"

Damocles' response was a bit different from what Rhys had expected.

"Who is it?" Rhys pressed on.

Under the influence of the Veritaserum, Damocles instinctively wanted to answer Rhys's question, but the word wouldn't come out of his mouth.

"Hmm?" Rhys grabbed Damocles's head, forcing him to face him directly, and said slowly, "Tell me."

Damocles's face twisted with strain, veins bulging on his temples. Rhys could clearly hear the sound of his teeth grinding together.

Finally, Rhys broke through the defenses set in Damocles's mind—a complex and ancient Fidelius Charm, but Rhys happened to know how to break it.

He spat out a word as if using all his strength. Rhys heard it clearly; the word was: "Secret Order."

Damocles's soul dissipated along with that word in the air. After revealing to Rhys the organization that helped him improve the Wolfsbane Potion, the potioneer showed no signs of life.

"Interesting." Looking at Damocles, who had fallen to the ground, Rhys thought that things were getting interesting. 

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