GDTEA Chapter 105

Scoundrels

Thanks to the small commotion, Sharti felt proud of having made an impression on the herb-related merchants.

At first, she had been flustered when she encountered a scammer who rolled on the ground claiming she had slightly bumped his shoulder, but it wasn’t quite a crisis. Rather, she was able to turn the crisis into an opportunity and spread information about herself to those around her without much effort.

‘Though I was a bit nervous.’

It wasn’t because she was tense about meeting scammers.

The needle Sharti had shown the scammers was actually a medical needle used for stitching wounds, with no poison on it.

The lie worked because the scammers were clumsy in their methods, threatening tone, and attitude.

‘At first, I was thinking of saying they seemed fatigued and making them a simple fatigue recovery remedy.’

She never thought she’d end up using the antidotes she’d carefully packed like this.

It was truly lucky that she discovered symptoms of poisoning in the scammer who had been rolling around claiming his shoulder was injured.

“You’re well-versed in that poison?”

As soon as she mentioned it was the poison of the Tulania flower, the scam gang’s eyes changed.

“The Tulania flower is poisonous but is often used as a remedy. The toxicity is weak. But if you’re poisoned for a long time, your body breaks down. You can’t sleep, you develop anxiety. You have nightmares every day!”

Tein, who was riding piggyback on Ren’s shoulders, quickly chimed in and rattled off the information.

Ren quietly observed the scam gang whose reaction was unusual.

“Are you all poisoned by the same poison?”

At Ren’s question, the scam gang only exchanged glances with each other, silently affirming.

“Let’s move to a different location first.”

Perhaps because their scam had been exposed, the scam gang became conscious of the surrounding stares and kept low.

While they were taking care of their paralyzed companion, Ren approached Sharti closely.

“Sha, are you going to follow them?”

The low whisper contained displeasure.

If they followed the scam gang to move locations and they called other companions to surround them, it would be dangerous.

There would be no problem at all making the antidote even in an alleyway.

“From the start, they approached you with malicious intent and threatened you. Even if you hand over the antidote, there’s no guarantee they’ll withdraw cleanly.”

“Mm. I know.”

“……”

Despite her words, Sharti was still looking at the scam gang.

Ren swallowed a sigh. Even though Sharti’s consideration of those scoundrels as patients seemed foolish, he had no words to say since he himself had saved his life thanks to that trait.

“But they seem to have something to say, and since they know this street well, couldn’t we get other help?”

Sharti muttered while transferring the herbs she had torn by hand into a medicine bottle.

When Ren slightly shrugged his left shoulder, Tein, whose body swayed along with it, deeply bowed his head. Tein, whose eyes met his, blinked his round eyes.

“Patients must be treated. If it’s dangerous for Teacher, we can just run away.”

“……”

Like teacher, like student.

Since it was a decision involving a sick patient anyway, his opposition wouldn’t work.

In the end, Ren followed the scam gang with Sharti, carrying Tein piggyback.

There wasn’t much conversation during the walk.

“This way.”

However, the moment they were led to the basement of a building that looked fine on the outside, Ren stepped forward.

“Wouldn’t a basement be dark?”

“We have candles lit inside, so it’s not that dark.”

“The child is afraid of fire. He’s also sensitive to burning smells, so isn’t there a lighting lamp instead of candles?”

It was Ren’s consideration to hide Sharti’s weakness.

Tein also desperately began reciting the dangers of fire.

“Well, then it’ll be a bit dark. The bright ones are expensive.”

Fortunately, both Sharti and Ren had good night vision, so they boldly went down to the basement.

“A workshop?”

What they saw upon descending was a residential space that also served as a reasonably furnished workshop.

It was spacious enough that even if about fifteen adults came in, it wouldn’t be too cramped.

Sharti, who had been examining the small stones and wooden boards placed on the long table, tilted her head.

‘Looking at the symptoms, it seemed like they’d been exposed to the poison for a long time.’

There was no trace of the Tulania flower anywhere.

“Can you really make an antidote, miss?”

“Will you really make an antidote and just give it to us?”

The scam gang was suspicious of Sharti.

To be precise, they were wary of the unpaid kindness Sharti was showing.

‘They brought me all the way here and now they’re saying that?’

Sharti was puzzled but first took out the contents of her bag one by one again.

The scam gang flinched at the thought of the poison needle, but Sharti didn’t care and calmly prepared the antidote.

“Sha, sit down and do it.”

“I’ll help Teacher.”

Ren, whose hair was a mess, brought two chairs and seated Sharti and Tein.

Tein, who had put on gloves following Sharti, rolled up his sleeves and began preparing the necessary auxiliary ingredients.

“Um, excuse me……”

“Shhh! We need to concentrate!”

“Don’t interfere.”

When one scammer tried to speak to Sharti, Tein and Ren glared and blocked him.

In the dark basement, Sharti made the antidote without difficulty.

The scam gang watched Sharti’s movements as if entranced.

“There are ingredients I need—can you buy them?”

“Well, depending on how expensive……”

The scam gang’s expression brightened immediately upon receiving the note listing the needed ingredients from Sharti.

They were inexpensive herbs that could be easily obtained on Bibanten Street, even if bought generously. However, they also checked the list repeatedly with suspicion.

“Please also prepare hot water.”

At Sharti’s request, the hesitant scammers also reluctantly moved.

And not long after, antidotes for about ten members of the scam gang were completed.

“It’ll have a strong bitter taste, but drink it all at once.”

“……”

She made it as a potion with the intention that they should gulp it down at once.

On the other hand, the scam gang stared intently at the antidote in their hands, as if worried they might be scammed.

‘Do they not trust it because it was made too easily?’

She had tried to make the antidote quickly and leave, which might have instead aroused suspicion.

Should she have a tiresome argument to persuade them?

It was when Sharti was watching tensely.

“……Anyway, it can’t get any worse than it already is here.”

“Right. Just drink it.”

“At least they’re not forcing us.”

The scam gang, muttering incomprehensible words among themselves, downed the antidote in one gulp.

The paralyzed scammer also trembled his facial muscles, saying he would drink the antidote too.

“……”

Thus, with the entire scam gang holding empty bottles, silence flowed for a moment.

Whether they were waiting for or expecting a dramatic change, they remained motionless with their mouths shut.

“The effects will show slowly.”

As Sharti opened her mouth, gazes gathered.

“Obviously, if toxicity accumulates again before then, the detoxification effect will be minimal.”

At Sharti’s explanation, they exchanged complicated glances with each other and then let out hollow laughs.

“Now I understand.”

“Pardon?”

“I was wondering why you’d make an antidote for scoundrels like us, but this is also a business tactic.”

“Right. You’re worse than those noble bastards, miss.”

At the sudden misunderstanding, Sharti tried to shake her head quickly, but Ren stepped forward first.

Ren walked toward the scam gang with fierce eyes.

“I won’t tolerate any more excessive insults toward Sha beyond that.”

“Insults?”

The scammers all sneered in unison and looked at Sharti with an attitude that had become crude again.

“You deliberately snuck into this street in such attire after hearing rumors, and you’re shameless!”

“Or did you make a bet with those noble bastards?”

“What, couldn’t find new test subjects, so you’ll fix us up and break us down again?!”

“……What are you talking about?”

The scam gang only poured out incomprehensible words and vented their resentment.

“We all know. How many clinical trials are needed every time those so-called doctors go wild claiming to produce groundbreaking medicine.”

“Clinical trials?”

When Ren frowned at the unfamiliar term, the scammers stamped their feet strongly in anger.

Sharti, startled by the flashing hostility, urgently stood up and hid Tein behind her.

“I thought only noble bastards thought of lower-class people like us as worse than animals, but you’re the same kind, miss!”

“How vicious you must have been to make this level of antidote—it’s horrifying!”

“Wait, wait a moment. Nobles? I don’t understand what you’re talking about!”

Greatly flustered, Sharti raised her voice.

However, the scam gang gritted their teeth without budging.

“Goodness, your acting is so good you could be an actor. Stop acting, miss. We all feel it.”

“We know the antidote you made is real. We felt the reaction as soon as we drank the antidote. What does that mean! It means you’re one of those damn Academy professors who take bribes from nobles and cover up for them!”

“……What?”

“……”

At the absurd misunderstanding, Sharti and Ren momentarily wore dumbfounded expressions.

Tein, who was clutching Sharti’s hem and hiding behind her, quietly muttered.

“They’re idiots. They’re only saying strange things.”

As if the antidote were some kind of emotional catalyst, the scam gang had already reddened their eyes.

“Aren’t you ashamed, an Academy professor with such skills? Capturing lower-class people like us and offering them as test subjects for noble bastards. You’ll be cursed by heaven!”

“……”

Ren, frowning, looked back at Sharti.

For Sharti too, it was an utterly bewildering situation.

Clinical trials.

Sharti covered her mouth.

‘Unconsented, unauthorized clinical trials? By nobles?’

And at the Academy, with professors’ tacit approval?

She couldn’t help but be shocked by the fact that such unethical things were happening at the Academy that only nobles could attend.

Of course, it could be an absurd assumption. But those who were showing through their expressions and attitudes that they were powerless and could only be helplessly victimized didn’t seem to be lying.

‘First, I should calm them down and talk……’

Bang!

“—Be quiet.”

Ren struck the wall.

Not knowing moderation and pouring out all kinds of misunderstandings toward Sharti, he couldn’t stand it any longer.

His blue-green eyes gleamed fiercely.

“You can’t even open your mouths once to those noble bastards, but you act like this only to Sha because you think she’s easy?”

“……”

“Or are you trying to use another pathetic scam to extort the antidote from Sha?”

“N-no, we’re……!”

“If your judgment has become so clouded that you can’t distinguish between a doctor trying to save people and scoundrels trying to experiment on people, then shut your mouths first. Unlike Sha, I haven’t learned anything, so I’m not rational enough to just watch mouths spouting nonsense.”

Hic.

“……”

Sharti, whose eyes met Ren’s, hurriedly covered her mouth in embarrassment. Hic. Hic.

Ren’s face, which had been fiercely intense, hardened stiffly.

Ren quickly lowered his trembling fist and hid it behind his back.

Patter patter……

Stone debris fell from the wall and ceiling.

The scam gang froze, gasping.

In the atmosphere where everyone had shut their mouths, Tein muttered quietly while reading the room.

“Violence is not good.”

At the child’s pointing out, Ren deeply dropped his head.

“We’re, we’re sorry! We, we were wrong!”

Thanks to that, the scam gang, having come to their senses, urgently prostrated themselves at Sharti’s feet.

“Please forgive us!!”

“We didn’t know you were someone of high standing……!”

“Teacher is an excellent doctor. You shouldn’t say bad things. She’ll get angry.”

It seemed like Ren would be the one getting angry, so the scam gang urgently nodded.

Thus, Sharti, treated as someone of high standing—that is, a saint who only had good intentions and bestowed help—came to hear in detail about the atrocities of the nobles attending the Academy.

“Academy is bad.”

Even Tein, who had held fantasies about the Academy, puffed out his cheeks and even frowned.

Sharti too pressed her forehead in considerable shock.

[Everywhere, old power rots and festers and continues to fester. That’s why power is scary. Because even that rotten part is considered part of the power.]

Virena’s words were right.

She hadn’t known that the revered Academy was using that power to do the despicable act of conducting clinical trials on people, generation after generation.

“But Miss Sha, by any chance, did you come to Bibanten Street to find ingredients to go to Chelonar County?”

“Huh? No. I only came to raise travel funds.”

“Then Miss Sha should also go to Chelonar County. Right now, all the skilled people from the Medical Arts Academy are gathering there.”

“There are rampant rumors that the young lady of the House of Chelonar has fallen ill with a mental illness.”

“……Mental illness?”

The gazes of Sha, Ren, and Tein collided.