Treating euphoriant addiction with a forbidden spell was ethically unacceptable.
"That's definitely true."
Hanna also voiced her reluctance to use forbidden spells, and
"Kufu, it's certainly best to avoid them,"
Saki agreed, though she added at the end:
"...Still, as a last resort, having one is better than having nothing at all, right?"
"That's true enough."
"Nn. Having a last resort makes a huge difference in peace of mind."
Jin and Elsa nodded in agreement with Saki's point.
"...So, what is the treatment method you discovered, Elsa?"
It was finally time to get down to business.
"Nn. I'll explain now."
Everyone present listened attentively as Elsa began her explanation at a deliberate pace.
"First of all, the euphoriant essentially induces a state of Mana Overload Syndrome. That was my initial clue."
"I see. That's an insight only you could have come up with, Elsa."
Elsa had once suffered from Mana Overload Syndrome herself. Later, thanks in part to advice from the Elder, she had achieved a complete healing.
Because of that personal experience, Jin had high hopes that she had struck upon a unique flash of inspiration.
"First is method number one: a medicine that nullifies the effects of the euphoriant."
"Oh?"
"The euphoriant's effect can be described as a localized Mana Overload Syndrome. In other words, if we apply the treatment method for Mana Overload Syndrome..."
"We can cancel out its effects—is that it?"
"Yes. Just as Saki-nee says. We already know that Mana Overload Syndrome can be treated using a mental catalyst."
Here, Jin chimed in.
"However, mental catalysts are rare, and we hardly have any left, do we?"
Elsa nodded.
"Just as Jin-nii says. But if we only want to counteract the effects of the euphoriant... in short, negate the euphoria itself, it's possible without using a mental catalyst."
Euphoria was said to be driven by brain hormones.
Therefore, the first method that came to mind was suppressing the secretion of those hormones.
"However, the simulations showed that doing so might leave the person depressed during ordinary times—a state of clinical depression."
"Ah, is that the simulation you were running with Laojun the other day?"
"Just as Hanna-chan says. Laojun helped me with it, and it seems very likely."
Elsa stated firmly that she did not want to pursue a treatment that risked leaving behind such aftereffects.
"Agreed."
"Kufu, yeah, that makes sense."
"I'm totally with you on that, Big Sister Elsa."
Elsa gave a small nod and continued her explanation.
"...And so, a treatment in line with the mental catalyst approach is ultimately preferable."
"It really comes down to that, huh?"
Elsa went on to explain further.
"So first, I considered whether there was any substance with properties similar to a mental catalyst."
It was a natural line of thought. However, such a substance was unlikely to be found so easily.
"...As Jin-nii has probably guessed, no such convenient material existed."
"I figured."
"Nn....So then I shifted my perspective. Or rather, Jin-nii once made me a magi-device—a bracelet—to suppress my Mana Overload Syndrome."
"Ah, right, I did.............I see. So that's what you mean."
Realizing what Elsa was getting at, Jin nodded repeatedly.
"You get it?...In other words, if we absorb the surplus mana..."
"They won't be able to experience the euphoria anymore."
"Exactly."
Elsa explained that if the euphoriant could no longer produce its effects, those who were obeying the Jagus Principality just to satisfy their cravings would snap out of it.
"Hmm, that makes sense."
"Kufu, that's truly an impressive idea."
"Only Big Sister Elsa could have thought of that."
"Elsa-sama, that is truly splendid."
Jin, Saki, Hanna, and Marikka all voiced their admiration for Elsa's ingenuity.
What remained was figuring out what to do about the addiction itself.
"This is going to be the hardest part."
Jin pondered the issue, his expression turning grim as he considered the difficulty.
"Nn. When it comes to this, it really has to be left up to the person's own willpower."
"...Will we truly have no choice but to tamper with their memories after all?"
Marikka looked troubled.
"That should strictly remain a last resort."
Jin was visibly reluctant as well.
"Hey, couldn't we wean them off gradually using a weakened version of the euphoriant?"
Hanna offered her own idea.
"That's an option too, but..."
In that case, Jin noted, they would need to look into the best way to weaken its potency.
"Yeah, but they say diluting it doesn't really change its effectiveness much."
"Then we might need to alter the original composition of the euphoriant itself."
"Nn... couldn't we adjust the ratio of the herbs?"
"That seems like the most promising approach, doesn't it?"
According to the explanation from Elder No. 700672, the active ingredients produced a feeling of euphoria by slightly stimulating somatic cells throughout the entire body.
However, the Elder had also admitted that he did not know the exact details regarding the medicinal compounds.
"We can't exactly test it on anyone, though..."
Since that would amount to human experimentation, it was out of the question. Hanna wore a conflicted look.
At this point, Marikka offered a proposal.
"In that case, I will ask Testa what would happen if we alter the ratio of the herbs."
"That would probably be the quickest way, wouldn't it?...Yeah, please do, Marikka."
"Yes, leave it to me."
And so, thanks to the members of the Jin Family, countermeasures against the euphoriant were steadily taking shape.
"Jin-nii, you seem busy, but how are you feeling?"
"I'm fine. How about you, Elsa?"
"Nn, no problems."
Jin and Elsa were spending some long-awaited private time together at the Mansion on Hourai Island.
"Have you finished what you needed to do on your end, Elsa?"
"Nn, mostly."
Elsa had primarily been compiling medical textbooks for Avalon.
"The Introductory Volume, the mid-level volume, and the advanced volume—three hundred pages each."
"That's incredible. It must have been exhausting."
"Nn, not really. I enjoy doing this sort of work."
After catching each other up on recent happenings, they settled into a leisurely routine.
Boarding a golem carriage, they went for a drive around the foot of Mount Hourai.
"It's been a while since we've done this, too."
"Nn."
The summer days were still long, and Jin and Elsa enjoyed their peaceful drive together.