“Still, I’ll go back to the herbal storage, Your Highness.”
He seemed to think that getting some fresh cheros would be the quickest solution.
“Understood. I’ll try various other methods as well.”
As Dr. Barmid left the pharmacy, I sighed and took a seat.
These past few days have been too strenuous. My head was throbbing.
‘When did I last take medicine?’
Feeling unwell, I couldn’t help but think of medicine.
I was relieved I didn’t have to take it daily, as the advancement of the more potent Aperium meant I only needed to take it once a week.
The problem was that if I was distracted for a bit, I would forget about it.
‘The last time I took it was… the morning I met Roxis.’
Well, it hasn’t been a week yet, so it’s not time to take it.
As I set aside those thoughts, a hypothesis suddenly crossed my mind.
“Wait a moment. The substitute for cheros doesn’t necessarily have to have the exact same effects, right?”
If it includes the effectiveness of cheros and also encompasses other aspects, that should be acceptable, right?
‘For example, Aperium.’
After reaching a conclusion, I immediately left the apothecary and headed to the pharmacy.
Aperium, which had blossomed without being plucked for a while, was abundant.
I plucked a few leaves and put them in my pocket.
I wanted to take a lot of them at once, but they would quickly wither and lose their potency, so I took only what I needed.
‘I wish I had thought more seriously about why I was unaffected by Rosis’ poison.’
I had vaguely assumed it was because I had developed a tolerance to the poison.
Of course, that was close to the right answer. I had experimented with other poisons while making the antidote.
But the purple poison, likely created by Cassian, was somewhat special. Even if I had developed a severe tolerance to it, this purple poison was powerful enough to cause intense pain, surpassing even paralysis poison.
The fact that it didn’t affect me at all left me with a lingering question.
“But then I did take the Aperium medicine that day.”
Aperium was a remedy that not only detoxified the poison in the body but also repaired any damage the poison had caused. In addition to other functions, it fulfills the necessary effect of “recovery.”
‘Moreover, Aperium is a much superior herb.’
Cheros can be grown in the right climate, and Aperium is a rare plant that is hard to find anywhere.
The effects of the latter were incomparably superior.
“Your Highness, I was surprised not to find you here.”
When I arrived at the pharmacy, Dr. Barmid was waiting for me. He asked me curiously.
“I went to the golden garden. I’m thinking of concocting another medicine with these.”
I held out the aperium petals I had brought with me.
Dr. Barmid’s eyes widened as he confirmed what it was. “Is this… Aperium?”
“Yes. You recognized it at once.”
“Isn’t this the flower that was in the Yalon Royal Garden? How could I not recognize such a beautiful flower, and yet here it is in the Imperial Golden Garden?”
For a moment, Dr. Barmid seemed to reminisce, but soon he questioned with curiosity, “Have you tried using this?”
“Have you not heard about the efficacy of Aperium?”
“Speaking of efficacy…”
Judging by Dr. Barmid’s reaction, it seemed he was also unfamiliar with it.
‘Well, if it weren’t for my mother, I wouldn’t have known either.’
Aperium is a flower that is not often listed in herbal medicine books. It was not surprising that Dr. Bamid didn’t know about it.
Instead of elaborating further, I started preparing the antidote and briefly explained,
“Aperium’s main function is recovery, and it also has a neutralizing effect. I plan to use it as a substitute for cheros.”
Dr. Barmid was surprised, but he didn’t ask any more questions and began to help me prepare the medicine.
Thanks to his help, the antidote was quickly completed.
The recipe was already in place, and all that was needed was to add aperium instead of cheros.
I swallowed dryly as I looked at the antidote, which had turned blue from the addition of Aperium.
“Now… the final test. Let’s proceed.”
I added the solution to the testing reagent to confirm if the detoxification worked correctly.
All that’s left is to wait.
‘It might take a few hours.’
In the meantime, I thought it would be a good idea to clean up the pharmacy and check on Julion and the knights.
I stretched and turned to Dr. Bamid.
“You did well, Dr. Barmid. How about taking a short break?”
However, Doctor Barmid kept his eyes fixed on the reagent, and his mouth fell open.
“Yo, Your Highness. Please take a look at this.”
Curious, I turned my attention back to the reagent.
What had once been a deep purple reagent had now turned into water so clear it was almost colorless.
Even at this moment, the visible remnants of the purple color were being erased.
“Incredible…”
It seemed that an even more remarkable remedy had been created than I had anticipated.
✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧
Julion had been staying at Garnet Palace for several days now.
As I entered his bedroom, I heard his ragged breathing.
“Julion, are you okay?”
Julion was lying with his eyes closed and his arm propped up on his forehead.
He half-opened his eyes and gave a weak smile before closing them again.
Until yesterday, he would have replied with a simple “I’m fine,” but today, it seemed he didn’t even have the strength to say that.
Instead of waiting for a response, I sat on the edge of the bed and offered him the completed antidote.
“Here it is, the antidote.”
Upon hearing my words, Julion’s eyelids lifted again. As our eyes met, a peculiar sensation enveloped my entire body in the flickering warmth of Julion’s distinctive golden eyes.
I cleared my mind and brought the spoon to Julion’s lips.
“Open your mouth. I’ll give it to you.”
After a moment’s hesitation, Julion slowly parted his lips. As I gently administered the bluish antidote, he frowned, indicating that it didn’t taste good.
“Swallow it down.”
“…….”
“The taste must be really strange.”
Seeing Julion’s contorted expression made me burst into laughter.
Soon, the sound of a satisfying gulp echoed, and he took a deep breath.
“Here, drink some water.”
I held out the glass of water I had prepared.
Seemingly regaining some clarity, Julion pushed himself up slightly, leaning against the bed’s headboard.
“……Did you put something in the water?”
Julion asked with a raised eyebrow after taking a sip of water.
His voice, with a distinctly deep tone characteristic of a mature adult male, contrasted with his facial expression, resembling a petulant child, making me burst into laughter again.
“No way, it’s just water.”
“Then why does it taste like…”
I didn’t understand what he meant by the taste.
I tilted my head, waiting for Julion to continue, but he didn’t finish his sentence and raised his palm to cover his face.
“Julion?”
Concerned that something might be wrong again, I tried to examine his condition.
However, Julion simply laid back down and closed his eyes.
“Are you not feeling well? Let me do a quick examination.”
“……I’m fine.”
He uttered a feeble response, sounding as if he couldn’t care less. I could see why Julion had told me not to say I was fine.
Because right now, in this moment, that voice that said ‘I’m fine’ was weak.
I sighed quietly and spoke.
“I’m sorry it’s late, but now that you’ve taken the medicine…… I’m sure you’ll be fine.”
“You have nothing to apologize for. In fact, I appreciate it. But more importantly, the others…”
He was worried about the well-being of the knights, who were also affected by the poison.
I replied, pulling the blanket up to Julion’s neck.
“Zenid will be delivering the antidote; don’t worry.”
Julion’s eyes opened slightly again. Perhaps due to the fever, his cheeks were now visibly flushed.
“I’m relieved…”
Julion’s eyes blinked slower and slower until they were completely close. And the sound of his breathing was much more relaxed than before.
A white hand peeked out from under the covers. It was the hand that always reached out to me first.
‘I wonder why even his hand looks tired.’
I gently placed my hand over his.
“Hang in there, Julion.” I whispered softly, ensuring not to wake the sleeping Julion. The hand beneath mine trembled slightly, as if he heard my words in his slumber, or maybe not.
✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧
Duke Cassian’s residence in the capital.
The sudden visit of Psirias turned the mansion upside down.
Psirias, engaged in a tense confrontation with the duke, felt a surge of anger when Rohiriel was mentioned.
Because the Crown Princess was a Cassian.
Despite knowing that the person before him had tried to kill her husband, the Emperor, and even attempted to poison his son Julion, he still showed such courtesy.
‘But daring to threaten Rohiriel?’
Psirias’s cold gaze targeted the duke, who was leisurely smiling.
She had the urge to punch the Duke in the face as he smiled leisurely. As Psirias struggled to suppress her anger, the knights scattered around the mansion returned.
“Your Majesty, everything is settled, except for one place!”
“Except for one? Why?”
“It was locked. What should we do?”
A locked room.
It was suspicious to anyone’s eyes.
Psirias twisted one corner of her mouth.
“Duke, what kind of room is that, and why is it locked?”
Asked about the locked room, the duke responded with a friendly smile.
“Probably the room where the apothecary stays. She prefers not to be disturbed when she’s focused on her work, so she often locks the door.”
“An apothecary?”
The Empress’s golden eyes lit up with interest.
She raised her chin and gave a command.
“Show me to that room at once, Duke. I must see for myself.”
