Gift From The Empress

"Lyla, check what's inside this ring," Raymond tossed the ring he had gotten from the Empress as a gift to Lyla. Both of them were left to their own devices now that Jasmine was sitting cross legged on the floor, deep in meditation.

"Mmm." Lyla nodded as she caught the ring and channelled her mana into it. There was an assortment of vials of pills piled inside the space, enough to last for half a year if a pill was consumed daily.

"Ray, there is a batch of Mana Replenishment Pill, Stamina Recovery Pill, Detoxification Pill, oh, and there are even Food Replacement Pills and some BreakThrough Pills," Lyla observed.

Among them, only the BreakThrough Pills were somewhat uncommon. It was only used when going into closed door cultivation in order to break through into the next realm.

Those pills weren't readily available in the market since the number of people going to closed door cultivation was low. Only higher stages of cultivation required that much time and preparation to break through.

And these pills couldn't be consumed on whims. One needs to have proper mental and cultivation stability before taking these pills lest they experience the pain of cultivation deviation while breaking through.

Since the empire wanted to keep the number of experts in good health as well as in control, these pills were made exclusive to concoction and consumption.

"And there are also a few Blood Replenishing Pills, some Healing Pills for external and internal injuries, and some Calming Pills," Lyla listed out, feeling impressed by the plethora of pills.

"Then there is also Burn Salve and Herbal Lotion used for keeping the skin moisturised." Lyla dumped everything on the bed and grouped them accordingly.

"I see… the Empress sure knows how to cook!" Raymond japed and took one of the vials and checked it curiously. Opening the lid, he poured the Mana Replenishment Pills into his palm.

As for the other pills, did he need Stamina Recovery Pills?

No.

Did he need Blood Replenishing and BreakThrough Pills?

No.

What about the Food Replacement and Healing Pills?

He needed none of that!

He would need to test whether the Mana Replenishment Pills were of any use in a remote place devoid of any people. He couldn't just bring out his mana in a public place. Especially not when Jasmine and Lyla were near.

Along with fixing his core, he added practising mana control to the list of things he wanted to do. Fortunately, the forest was wide and many parts were abandoned by people. So, it wouldn't be hard to find a place away from human intervention.

With that thought in mind, he kept one of the pills inside his pendant and gave the rest back to Lyla.

Next, he took the Detoxification Pills.

Would they be of any use to him? Could he even get affected by any toxins or poisons?

"Lyla, can you use the Heartsbane on me? I want to check if I can get poisoned!" Raymond had never felt any threat from the presence of Heartsbane, so he was sure that nothing life threatening could be done to him by the Innate Spirit.

[There is no need! He has an absurd amount of resistance to everything!]

"There is no need. You have an absurd amount of resistance for everything harmful," Lyla told him her spirit's answer.

"Oh! And how do you know that?" He asked in suspicion.

"Uhm, that's what Heartsbane told me," Lyla quickly realised something was amiss.

'Heartsbane, how do you know that? Have you tried poisoning him before?' Lyla's mental voice was icy as she questioned Heartsbane.

The first time when Raymond touched her, Heartsbane was quiet as if afraid of something. She hadn't even come out and tried to attack him.

[Ahh, well, you see…I might have done that when you guys were sleeping together.] Heartsbane mumbled tentatively. [I…I just wanted to see if it would work on him.]

'You! Don't try something like that again! Jasmine was sleeping beside him. What if you had done something to her?' Lyla rarely lost her cool and this was one of those rare moments. 'If anything happens to either of them because of you, I will kill you even if it means killing myself in the process!'

[Urgh, don't be so dramatic! He is a bull. He didn't even feel anything when I tried to poison him.] Heartsbane said indignantly. Her spirit was thoroughly crushed that day when she had tested him. Resisting her poison was one thing but to be completely unaware of it as if it was nothing was another thing.

Heartsbane was humbled and sobered up that day. She was still miffed about Lyla completely falling for him so much so that she had started ignoring her advice in favour of pleasing Raymond.

[And as for that booby monster, I was careful not to get close to her, alright?] Heartsbane scoffed. [Don't talk about killing yourself like that! You just got freedom from that bastard Denver!]

If Lyla died then Heartsbane would have to wait for a certain period of time before she could be hosted by someone else.

It was random.

Both the time it took to find the new host and the host itself. She didn't want to get trapped inside someone like a mindless beast.

Lyla was special in that way. If it wasn't for her split personality, Heartsbane wouldn't have been able to merge with it and acquire the ability to become a separate entity and have a conversation with Lyla.

And there was also Raymond. She would be a fool to miss a chance to be with him. He was one of the most interesting men she had met in her long life. Her life was going to be far more interesting if she stayed closer to him.

[If you kill yourself, what about your lover? Are you ready to forgo the chance to be with him?]

'I know. I don't want to leave Ray's side. If he pushes me away because you did something, I will not forgive you. I will go through with what I said before,'

[Tch, fine! I won't try anything like that again.] Heartsbane relented.

"Hello? Are you there?" Raymond waved his hand in front of Lyla's face.

"Huh? Y-yes. I was talking with Heartsbane." Lyla explained her momentary loss of focus. "Apparently, she tried to poison you when you first touched me. That's how she knows,"

Lyla felt bad about lying to him but she couldn't take it if he stopped sleeping with her if she revealed what Heartsbane had done.

"Is that so? Then she might be right! I didn't feel anything at that time." Raymond thought for a while and gave up on testing the pills.

Raymond kept some of the Calming Pills for himself. If he ever spent money excessively, these pills would come in handy.

"Divide the pills between you and Jasmine. And give that Spatial ring to her," Raymond instructed Lyla and started to draw once again. "Also, what is the grade of that ring?"

"It's a mid-grade artefact. Jasmine can easily store her belongings in it," Lyla answered in a more chipper tone.

"Hmmm, the gift from the Empress was more generous than I thought!" Raymond mused and shook himself out of the strange thoughts he was having about the mature lady.