Chapter 198: 198

After failing to brew the antidote for half a day, Michelle was completely covered in charcoal. But the positive thing was that the explosions from her failures were getting smaller each time. Even while brewing, her control over the fire was improving.

Also, her control over the ingredients was getting better, so she could better compensate for imperfections in the fire’s temperature.

Those two factors combined to make the explosions much smaller.

That made Michelle quite happy. She was no longer getting blown away from the cauldron. The explosions just puffed into her face, blackening it.

Still, she wasn’t satisfied yet. The explosions still filled up the whole cauldron. She wanted to make them so small she could barely see them.

For that, she needed to increase her control over the fire.

But she also wanted to keep increasing her control over the ingredients.

A thought struck her. Theoretically, she could do both.

Summoning the black fire, she threw half of it under the cauldron and let the other half burn above it. Both flames were about six or seven centimeters tall and three or four centimeters wide.

That was already quite small, but it could be smaller.

So for the rest of the day, Michelle kept brewing the antidote over and over again while keeping the small flame above the cauldron in place, trying not to let it get bigger.

But it was quite hard. Neither of the things was something she was perfect at, and when she had to split her concentration between them, it was difficult.

So when she failed to make the next pill, the explosion was bigger than the last time. Also, the black flame kept flickering, as she couldn’t keep it the same size constantly.

A sigh left Michelle’s lips. She felt like all the sound in the world had turned into explosions and the crackling of flames, making her feel a tad bit annoyed.

But she was easily able to bear with it. She had gone through worse than annoying sounds in the past.

After about a tenth failure, Michelle was able to keep the flame above the cauldron constantly at the same size. And the explosions were once again the same size.

Evening was nearing.

Since the next day was important, Michelle finally put the cauldron away. She was confident that the next day, she would be able to finish brewing the antidote.

The next day, Michelle, Ivona, Anastasia, and Kieran started preparing to strike at the Sloan family.

The head’s daughter had already been poisoned for three days. She must have had quite a few relapses.

So it was time for Michelle to step in as Michael Grayson.

Closing her eyes for a moment, Michelle used the contract to contact Cold Flame, whom she had sent to the city nearest the mountains to check the situation that the outside world knew.

“Are they already scouting for doctors from outside?” she asked lazily.

When a positive answer came, she told him to get back and told the rest they could go.

“So, as planned, I’ll go first!” Ivona stood up from the fireplace, walking toward the exit. She was dressed in a yellow dress that resembled the uniform of a sect.

“Do be careful,” Kieran said, but it was clear he wasn’t really worried. He was already friends with Michelle, Ivona, and Anastasia for some time, so he knew that when it came to scheming and acting, Ivona could rival Michelle. She just wasn’t as cold-blooded.

As Ivona walked out of the cave, Michelle had Tenether go along with her, in the shape of a black cheetah. Cheetahs didn’t belong in snowy mountains, so the Sloans would subconsciously assume she was from far away.

Ivona got on Tenether’s back, and with something that resembled a contented purr, he lunged forward.

Ivona could feel wind whipping her face as Tenether carried her to the gates of the Sloan family’s mansion. Lowering her head to Tenether’s neck, she relaxed her body.

Actually, she was quite nervous, but to fool the Sloans, she had to keep up the pretense of a calm disciple of a big clan, so she breathed in the monster’s soothing smell to calm down.

It helped.

When Tenether stopped in front of the gate, she was easily able to keep up the facade.

“What do you want?” A pair of guards stopped her when they saw her approaching with a huge beast behind her.

Ivona glanced at them briefly before turning to stare at the residence behind the gates.

“We, the disciples of the Scarlet Clan, have heard about your Young Lady’s poisoning. My Junior Brother specializes in poisons. I’ve come to check the condition first, since Junior Brother is busy now. He will come soon herself.” Her voice was steady and arrogant as she kept her arm over the black cheetah next to her.

Michelle had already told Tenether to be obedient, so he rubbed his nose against Ivona, hoping to be praised by Michelle later for doing a good job.

The guards exchanged a look before nodding a bit. “Please wait a bit until the butler comes,” one of them said while the other ran into the residence.

Seeing that, Ivona frowned, showing clear dissatisfaction. But she didn’t say anything more.

The remaining guard saw Ivona’s frown and got a bit worried since she looked to be from a powerful place, but he didn’t dare say or do anything. The family’s rules said no strangers could be let in without the butler’s knowledge. And since everyone was worried about the Young Lady, all punishments for breaking the rules were more severe.

A moment later, the guard returned with a man carrying an oppressive aura behind him. Ivona couldn’t tell, but he was a Spirit Overlord.

“You’ve come to treat the Young Lady?” the butler asked, his eyes assessing Ivona. From her stance, she didn’t seem to be fooling them, but there was nothing that could prove she wasn’t just an arrogant brat who was overestimating herself.

Ivona shook her head. “I don’t know much about poisons, but my Junior Brother does. I’ll check your Young Lady to see whether it’s something my Junior Brother would be interested in.”

The butler frowned. The girl in front of him was disregarding the dignity of the Sloan family, telling them their Young Lady would only be treated if the poison was interesting enough.

He felt greatly offended, but he swallowed it. If the girl could talk like that, her Junior Brother had to be special.

“Follow me!” the butler said and turned to walk into the residence.

But before he walked too far, he glanced at Tenether. “The beast can’t go inside!” His voice left no room for argument.

Ivona glanced at Tenether and he instantly transformed into a small black bird which landed on her shoulder. “This should be fine, right?” she asked as she glanced briefly at the butler. The way she spoke and carried herself held the arrogance and elegance only those brought up in power possessed.

The butler was shocked when he saw the black cheetah turn into a black bird, so he just nodded sheepishly and turned to lead the way to the Young Lady’s room. He had never seen a beast that could shapeshift, so his respect and fear of Ivona only grew. Since she was accompanied by such a creature, she really had to be from a powerful clan.

In the Young Lady’s room, Ivona arched a brow. On the bed lay something that resembled a person. But her skin was covered in big blue and purple spots, resembling bruises. The situation was the worst at the neck and wrist area.

The poison Michelle had concocted was ruthless.

“Junior Brother will definitely be interested in this,” Ivona said as she walked over to the bed.

To keep up the pretense of being a medical disciple, she took up the Young Lady’s hand and took her pulse.

Instantly, the Young Lady whimpered, and Ivona’s eyes widened. New bruises formed under her fingers. Through them, she could barely even sense the Young Lady’s pulse.

“How is she?” the butler asked, clearly worried.

Ivona shrugged. “I said I don’t know much about poisons,” she said lazily, turning to leave. “I’ll contact my Junior Brother. If he hurries, he could be here within an hour.”

Walking out of the room, Ivona made it clear she wanted to be alone while she contacted her so-called Junior Brother. Then, she just glanced at Tenether and told him to contact Michelle. To tell her what had happened.

A few chirps escaped Tenether’s beak.

At the same time, in the cave, Michelle received a detailed report about what Tenether saw in the Sloan family’s residence.

“We can go now!” she said to Kieran and Anastasia with a carefree smile. The plan could begin.

Kieran and Anastasia were both clothed in clothes similar to Ivona’s, but theirs were black, with dark red streaks on the sleeves.

Michelle was dressed in purple, but the design was basically the same as that of Ivona and Kieran.

The three got on Cold Flame’s back and he flew them above the mountains, away from the Sloan family. He flew low, to stay unnoticed.

And when Michelle gave the sign, he rose high and turned around, going toward the Sloan family. It was all to create the illusion they were coming from afar.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep