Free Web NovelChapter 11: The Goddess Who Survived the Bitter Medicine
Maeve wasn’t usually someone who struggled to take medicine, but the medicine made by the healer tribe was unbelievably bitter!
No, bitter wasn’t even enough to describe it.
The moment the liquid touched her tongue, Maeve almost threw up on the spot. Still, she forced herself to hold it in because the last thing she wanted was to embarrass herself in front of the healer.
She swallowed hard and quickly pressed her lips together so she wouldn’t accidentally spit the medicine back out.
"It may not taste pleasant, but it is very good for maintaining the body’s stamina," the healers, Elder Vax, said calmly.
He gave her a gentle smile, looking exactly like the image of a wise old man with his long white beard and peaceful expression.
But instead of feeling enlightened, Maeve wanted nothing more than to yank that white beard because he handed her another bowl of medicine.
"The effects will be much better if you drink two bowls at once," he explained kindly.
Maeve immediately stared at the bowl with pure disgust, as if he had just handed her a bowl of dirty swamp water.
"I already feel much better now!" she said quickly, trying hard to sound cheerful. "So I think one bowl is enough for me!"
Elder Vax frowned slightly. "But Goddess, two bowls are the proper dose." He gently held the bowl closer to her again. "There is no harm in drinking two bowls."
No harm? It was absolutely harming her taste buds!
"Once the medicine is prepared, it must be consumed immediately, or it will no longer be effective," Elder Vax explained patiently. "And unfortunately, I already used all of the ingredients to make this one. If you do not drink it now, I will not be able to make another one later."
Maeve fell silent for a moment.
Earlier, she had heard from Axan that the tribe’s medicine supplies were already very limited. Yet instead of saving the medicine for their own people, they chose to give it to her, someone who might not even become the savior they were hoping for.
"Goddess?" Elder Vax called gently when she still didn’t answer.
Maeve clicked her tongue softly before finally taking the bowl from his hands. Then she took several deep breaths, preparing herself mentally like a soldier about to walk into battle.
A second later, she forced herself to gulp down the medicine as quickly as possible. The moment she swallowed it, her entire face twisted.
Deep wrinkles appeared on her forehead, and she genuinely felt like cutting off her tongue so she would never have to taste that horribly bitter medicine ever again!
"Finished!" she declared dramatically.
She dropped the empty bowl onto the floor before immediately covering her mouth tightly with both hands, looking like she was fighting for her life.
"That... that’s amazing," Cerus said from behind Elder Vax.
His golden eyes widened in pure disbelief before he suddenly started clapping loudly. A second later, his brothers awkwardly followed along as well.
"I couldn’t even drink half a bowl when I tried that medicine for the first time," Axan admitted honestly.
Ikarus stared at Maeve with a blank expression. "I threw up immediately after drinking it back then." freewёbnoνel.com
"My mother used to tie me up just to make me drink that disgusting medicine..." Cerus murmured. "Wife, you’re truly a Goddess!"
[Successfully made all of your mates impressed: 100 coins!]
What? Just by drinking that medicine, she managed to impress them and even earn coins?!
Honestly, Maeve still had no idea what she could even buy with those coins. But according to her life motto, more money was always better.
Maybe she should impress them even more and squeeze extra coins out of the system?
"This medicine is nothing," Maeve said confidently, pretending she wasn’t affected at all. "I’m already used to it."
[No! No! No! You can’t lie just to impress your mates!] Pinky cried out angrily. The little creature kept bumping against Maeve’s head over and over until Maeve almost lost her patience.
[Lying like that will only make things worse!]
At first, Maeve didn’t understand why Pinky was reacting so strongly.
But a moment later, she understood.
"You were often sick in heaven too?" Ikarus asked seriously.
"If you were already sick there, then... then maybe we made the wrong choice by bringing you here!" Cerus shouted in panic.
Axan covered his mouth, his face turning pale. "Should we perform another ritual to send her back?"
Maeve’s eyes widened slightly. She could go back to her old world?
[You will die, Host.] Pinky answered immediately.
Before Maeve could even ask, Pinky quickly continued, [If you return to your world, you’ll fall back into the ocean. Even if you survive the freezing water, the cartel will still hunt you down.]
Damn it!
For a moment, Maeve felt bitter inside.
It felt like every small piece of peace she had ever found in her life had already been stolen away from her.
[Your life was never peaceful, Host.]
Maeve was about to say something, but Elder Vax had already shouted, "That’s impossible! Leaders, once a Goddess has been summoned, we cannot send her back. You all know the rules."
"There must be a way," Axan said firmly. "Maybe there’s something you’re hiding from us, Elder Vax."
Suddenly, the atmosphere in the room became heavy, and Maeve realized that Elder Vax might not be as kind as he appeared.
"Leaders, we used too many resources to summon her. There is no way we can send her back," Elder Vax said coldly. His expression had completely changed now, and Maeve could see a faint anger hidden in his eyes.
"Besides," he continued, "we will never be able to perform another summoning ritual again. It would be impossible."
In other words, Elder Vax truly wanted Maeve to fulfill her role as the savior of their tribe.
"Actually, what’s the point of having children?" Maeve’s sudden question made everyone turn toward her.
She swallowed nervously and leaned back slightly, trying not to feel too pressured under all their stares.
"I mean..." she said in a low voice, "this world is already dying, isn’t it?"
Her gaze slowly moved across their faces. "So why would you want your children to grow up in a place like this?" Maeve asked softly. "The only thing waiting for them here is suffering."
