NOVEL NEXT Chapter 129
“The Seisen Elixir is made in the Imperial Kingdom, isn’t it?”
As KAEDE suddenly mentioned the term “Seisen Elixir” while looking at the finished potion, I felt a brief moment of doubt before I quickly recalled what I knew about it.
The Seisen Elixir is a longevity potion widely used among the upper class of the Imperial Kingdom, to the extent that the kingdom doesn’t even need the anti-aging technology from Nias.
“Yes, the Seisen Elixir found in the Imperial Kingdom is extracted from a unique plant native to the planet Seiren called the *Long Lotus*. It is said that drinking a single vial of it can halt aging for about twenty years.”
As KAEDE explained, she projected an image on the wall of a vivid red lotus-like plant floating gently on a beautiful pond—this *Long Lotus*, the primary ingredient in the Seisen Elixir, apparently grows only on the planet Seisen, making it a rare plant.
“Wasn’t Seisen the planet owned by the Fuji family?”
“Yes, it’s said that this rare native species, the Long Lotus, was discovered several decades after the settlement of Seisen.”
“So it wasn’t something I transported…”
I had already handed the red potion over to the Saioji Group, who were also aware of my research into the magical rose. When KAEDE first mentioned that the potion she had made was similar to the Seisen Elixir, I thought maybe the Saioji Group had managed to replicate it after years of effort.
But according to KAEDE, the Long Lotus, the primary ingredient in the Seisen Elixir, was an indigenous plant of Seisen, meaning it was more a case of coincidence.
“It feels a bit unnatural to call this a coincidence, though.”
“Yes. I can’t say for sure without further analysis in the homeland, but it’s certainly worth investigating.”
KAEDE explained that while the potion I made wasn’t an exact match for the Seisen Elixir, it was similar enough to warrant attention, hinting at some undeniable similarities.
Thinking this was too strange to simply be a coincidence, I asked KAEDE more about the planet Seisen, where the Long Lotus was found.
“Seisen is a planet located at coordinates α12:55:26 in the galaxy, currently owned by the Fuji family. A priestess resides on the planet, and it’s strictly off-limits to the general public.”
“Wait, so a whole planet is reserved for one person?”
As KAEDE began explaining about Seisen, Eurua, who was also listening, raised her hand slightly and voiced her question.
“Master, may I proceed?”
“Go ahead. I’m curious, too.”
Seeing Eurua’s question, KAEDE looked to me for permission to answer, and since I was wondering about the same thing, I signaled her to continue.
“Seisen is, to put it simply, a planet of women. The Fuji family forbids men from entering Seisen unless they’re direct descendants. Around twenty million people live on Seisen, including the priestess and her attendants, female guards, and others involved in various duties.”
“Does that mean there are people like Miss Eri living there?”
“Yes. On Seisen, there is the Purple Mirror Palace where the priestess resides, as well as several residential areas and agricultural facilities to ensure self-sufficiency. However, due to the planet’s unique environment, human development is kept to a minimum.”
Hearing that Seisen had a “unique environment” made me wonder if there were other rare plants like the Long Lotus.
“What do you mean by a ‘unique environment’?”
“In addition to rare native plants like the Long Lotus, there are powerful creatures known as *Spirited Beasts*. This topic will be covered in detail in the History 3 class by Yuzu in two days.”
The term “Spirited Beasts” alone didn’t give me a clear picture, but it suggested creatures with powers beyond ordinary life forms.
“It’s said that the Imperial Kingdom once tried to develop Spirited Beasts into terrestrial biological weapons, but the project was abandoned early on due to the creatures’ unique nature.”
“Unique nature?”
“Yes. Spirited Beasts generally do not become attached to humans. Even with the Imperial Kingdom’s scientific advancements, highly aggressive Spirited Beasts are challenging to control, often causing significant casualties. However…”
KAEDE paused briefly, glancing at me as if to check that I was following her long explanation.
“No problem. Go on.”
“Yes. Spirited Beasts have the unique quality of only bonding with the priestess, who is the sovereign of Seisen. Even members of the Fuji family can’t tame them; it’s said that Spirited Beasts open their hearts only to those who serve as priestesses.”
“Creatures that bond only with certain people…”
With her scholarly disposition, Eurua seemed more absorbed in KAEDE’s story than I was, while Aria listened with some interest, though less intensely than Eurua.
“Has it always been this way, with the Spirited Beasts bonding with the priestess?”
“It’s not certain, but it’s thought to have been so. Even when studying the ecology of the Spirited Beasts, the previous priestess of the Fuji family reportedly took the lead.”
Apparently, Fuji family priestesses were recognized as the sovereigns of the Spirited Beasts on Seiren from birth. The reason remains a mystery, and due to the location’s restrictions, studying them requires highly complex procedures, so research on the creatures has been largely abandoned.
“…Could these creatures called Spirited Beasts possibly be fairies?”
Neither I, as a layperson, nor Eurua, who came from a different world, were likely to know what the Imperial scholars couldn’t grasp.
“You know something about them?”
“Well, it’s more of a hunch.”
“Fairies bonding with only certain people is quite plausible.”
Aria, who seemed to know more about fairies than Eurua, joined in to explain.
“Fairies sense the magic of specific people and identify them by it. It’s said that magic binds more strongly than blood.”
“…What does that mean, exactly?”
“Certain magic only manifests in direct descendants. While a family shares blood, hereditary magic is often passed down to a single successor.”
“Fairies are similar, recognizing only the eldest direct descendant as their master… Doesn’t that sound like the unique quality of Spirited Beasts?”
Listening to Eurua and Aria’s explanations, I began to see the similarities between fairies and Spirited Beasts. Like fairies, Spirited Beasts served only the line of priestesses, not other members of the Fuji family.
But still…
“Why do Spirited Beasts acknowledge the priestess?”
“I’m not sure, but fairies, being fickle by nature, may seem difficult, but when they find someone they favor, they can easily form a bond.”
According to Eurua, bonding with fairies in this world is no simple task. Fairies are few, they rarely appear in human settlements, and they’re known for their difficult personalities.
However, under certain conditions, fairies might suddenly take a liking to someone and initiate a contract on their own.
Thus, Eurua suspected that Spirited Beasts might be a type of creature similar to fairies.