Hearing this, the old man put down the unknown bottle of black liquid under his hand, and his expression became extremely serious.

"About this...... I did study the blood of those mages and found some strange ingredient, probably some kind of potion that I drank. It's just that I don't think it's possible for this ingredient to achieve that kind of life-linking effect. ”

Benjamin shrugged his shoulders and said, "Potions alone are really impossible. The combination of the potion and some kind of ancient curse is what makes this control work. So, shall I find you some more theory books on curses?"

"Nope. The old man still shook his head, "I mean, the so-called link to life is just a lie. ”

Benjamin frowned.

The Potions was told to him by the head of the Mage's Guild. The President must be on their side, there is no need to lie, and besides, after interrogating the captive mages, they also confess that it was the potion that tied their lives to the Queen.

"Why do you think that?" he asked.

"Because I've been working on this thing all these days. The old man's tone was more certain than expected, "I have already analyzed all the ingredients of the potion, and it should be similar to the formula you gave me." However, no matter how I put them together, even if I use the most bizarre refining methods, I can't achieve the effect you said. ”

"But...... And curses. You may not know it, but curses are a means of easily controlling the lives of others. As long as the spell caster is willing, he can make the cursed life worse than death at any time. ”

"I know, but it's the spellcaster's powerful psychic power that detonates the magic buried in someone else's body. But the old man said, "The queen is not a mage at all. If she dies unexpectedly, there won't be any mental fluctuations emanating from her. Without mental power fluctuations, the things hidden in the bodies of those mages would not have flare-ups, and it was impossible for them to die with the queen. ”

When Benjamin heard this, he couldn't help but touch his chin and began to think.

After all, the old man specializes in this, and his words must have their own basis. And about the curse, the old man is right, the basis of the curse is spiritual power. Maybe the queen is now half a mage, but in the past, her ordinary level spiritual power would definitely not be able to send out even the slightest fluctuation.

If it is a life link established by spiritual power, it is tantamount to tying an adult and an ant together...... Do you really feel it?

"Perhaps, on the other hand, this potion can strengthen the Queen's mental powers?" asked Benjamin tentatively.

The old man replied, "There is a potion with similar effects, but the pending recipe I have researched does not have any relevant materials on it." ”

"Okay......"

The old man said so, and Benjamin couldn't refute it.

Is Lifelink really just a lie?

So, what exactly does the Queen rely on to control the Mage Guild?

After thinking about it, Benjamin decided to interrogate the mages they had captured again.

Turning to leave the alchemy room, he headed for the basement. In order to facilitate the old man's research, one of the captive mages was locked up in the basement here.

“...... Are you used to living here?"

Using the key to open the big iron door, Benjamin walked in, looked at the middle-aged man sitting on the straw mat in a daze, and said this.

"Hmph...... I'm running out of blood again, hurry up if you want to get it, don't procrastinate. The other party didn't seem to recognize Benjamin, and his tone was full of resistance.

"I'm not here to take your blood. Benjamin walked up to the other and said, "I'm here to ask you why you are so loyal to the Queen?"

When the middle-aged man heard this, he snorted coldly again, don't look over, and didn't say anything.

Benjamin couldn't help but shake his head.

To be fair, the conditions here are much better than in a normal prison, there is no smell of smoke, people come to clean it, and food is served regularly. Except for the forbidden demon chains hanging on each other's bodies, it doesn't matter how hard it is.

However...... Some people just toast and don't eat and drink.

Benjamin couldn't use magic normally, but as long as he was willing to turn on the state of "Water Arrival", he could do the same to the mage in front of him as before.

"It seems that you have forgotten how I entertained you for months. Do you need me to remind you again?" he didn't want to waste, so he was still threatening with words.

When the mage heard this, he turned his head to look at Benjamin again, and seemed to finally recognize him. At that moment, he was so frightened that he took a few steps backwards in a row, and his body trembled slightly.

"You...... Why are you here again? Didn't I tell you everything? You...... You get out!"

It seems that the shadow in his heart is very large.

Benjamin was also a little strange as to why the other party didn't recognize him in the first place. Has he changed so much in a few months? Or has this guy been locked up for a long time and his mental state is not normal?

Forget it, no matter what.

"Answer my questions well, and I won't deal with you as much as I used to. He said with a cold face.

"Good, good ......"

"You said before that potions can tie your lives to the queen, and if the queen dies, you will die with it, is it true?"

"Yes, it's true. ”

"That'...... If the potion had lost its effectiveness, would you still be loyal to the Queen?"

The mage was stunned for a moment, and immediately replied with great certainty, "Of course." Although I am a mage, I am also a citizen of Ikor. If it weren't for Her Majesty the Queen, I wouldn't even have had access to magic. Of course I owe allegiance to Her Majesty!"

Benjamin scratched his head.

The worldly concept is so important...... Such a mage is really rare.

No, it should be said that after ordinary people become mages, their worldly ideas will gradually fade. The important thing is to follow the path of magic, and the desire to serve the country will not really be so strong.

"Where did you get this idea?" asked Benjamin.

"Where did it come from...... Isn't this how it should be?"

"Of course, it should be affectionate and righteous. It's just that the queen even uses potions to coerce you, and you don't have the slightest reluctance when you drink it?"

"That was to demonstrate our loyalty to Her Majesty. His Majesty had also said that when she was nearing the end of her life, she would remove the potion from the potion for everyone. She didn't want all the mages to bury her, just so that Ikor's prosperity would last forever. ”

“......”

Benjamin didn't know what to say.

Isn't this man really brainwashed?

Or is it ...... Was he really brainwashed by something?

The Apothecary's words flashed through his mind just now. Life Link may just be a lie, but could the potion potion be some kind of mental brainwashing?

Thinking of this, Benjamin narrowed his eyes again and observed the other party's mental state. I don't know if it's because he's been locked up for a long time or what, this person feels really weird to him.

When Benjamin first came in, the man didn't even recognize him.

“...... Alright, stay here, I don't have any questions for you. ”

So, Benjamin threw out this sentence very abruptly, turned away without hesitation, and locked the iron door of the basement. The captive mage was a little confused, looking at Benjamin's back as he left, wondering what was happening.