“Can you honestly tell us in what condition you are in?”
Julion’s golden eyes, looking at me, were subtly trembling. Others, too, held their breath, waiting for my words.
It seemed impossible to hide it any longer. Finally, with a sigh, I answered.
“Well, I’ve been taking the…… medication, but I think I’ve developed a tolerance to it.”
“Tolerance?”
“So, I’ve been thinking that maybe the recent lack of effectiveness in the medicine is because of that…”
As Julion’s expression darkened, my words involuntarily trailed off. The room’s atmosphere turned somber.
‘What kind of misunderstandings are they having…!’
I tried to offer a quick clarification, but Julion stood up without listening further.
“Understood. Rest more; it seems you still need more rest.”
There was no chance to reassure him. Julion swiftly left the room, and after providing a few simple medications, Dr. Barmid left as well.
I wasn’t sure where things went wrong, but one thing was clear.
‘Something has seriously gone awry!’
*ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚
On that night, in the quiet dawn when everyone was asleep, I stealthily headed to the pharmacy to confirm my suspicions.
‘It should be around here… Ah, there it is.’
I found my pre-disinfected syringe and drew blood, then swallowed an Apherium potion.
However, since I had intentionally reduced the effectiveness of the potion, if resistance had indeed developed, there might be no change in my condition.
To truly see an effect, I would probably need to make and consume a potent potion like the one I first made.
“I guess I need to go back to Golden Garden.”
As soon as it gets bright tomorrow, I need to go and get a fresh batch of Apherium.
Finishing up quickly, I was about to leave the pharmacy when I was startled by a presence. In the shadows, golden eyes glowed mysteriously, staring at me.
“Julion!”
He took a step forward under the moonlight, frowning.
“What are you doing here? You scared me.”
“I could ask you the same. Patients need proper rest; why are you here in the pharmacy again?”
“I have something to check…”
“Is there something so important that you would bring your ailing body out here at dawn?”
Wondering if this was being said sarcastically, I stopped speaking, meeting Julion’s eyes quietly.
His face appeared as calm as usual, but there was a fiery intensity in his gaze.
I paused for a moment, then asked,
“Why are you here?”
His golden eyes lost their glow, and he averted his gaze. When they reopened, they were no longer looking at me.
“I was worried.”
“…Excuse me?”
“I came to check on you. To see if you’re resting well.”
At this late hour?
I was a bit puzzled and was about to inquire further, but Julion swiftly turned his head and walked past me.
“Let’s go to the bedroom. I’ll take you.”
“It’s right around the corner; there’s no need.”
I murmured quietly, but Julion continued forward, seemingly oblivious. As I hurried to keep pace with him, I noticed Julion’s steps slowing down, aligning with mine.
“……Thank you.”
There was no reply.
Meeting again in this quiet atmosphere, I wanted to clarify the misunderstanding from earlier. But for some reason, I sensed a wall between us, so I decided to wait for another opportunity.
*ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚
The next day, another visitor arrived.
“Greetings, Your Highness.”
It was Countess Rivolain, her crimson hair pinned up high.
“I’m relieved to see you awake.”
The Countess’s eyes stared at me silently. Her pale pink eyes revealed complex emotions directed towards me.
‘She still dislikes me.’
I wonder if it’s because I’m Cassian. Or is there another reason?
I had a vague sense of it, but now that we were talking in a calm environment, it became clear. Still, her reaction now seemed quite different from when we first met. She seemed confused and unsure of how to treat me.
‘Can we join hands?’
One of Liliana’s main sources of funds is in the Rivolain Territory. Severing that tie would make it easier to capture Liliana.
“Here’s an herbal tea.”
Hemion broke the silence, pulling a tea tray with her. I took a sip from the tea cup and continued the conversation.
“It’s fortunate that the Countess is recovering well. Are there any other painful areas?”
“……I’m fine.”
Awkward silence filled the air again. Seeing the forced expression, I couldn’t help but let out a small laugh.
“Oh, sorry. If it’s okay, can I check your condition once?”
Today was the day to remove the bandages that were put on her. However, Dr. Barmid was away for an urgent matter, so I was waiting.
I put down the tea cup and said,
“I’ll remove the bandages and apply medicine.”
“…You’ll do it yourself, Your Highness?”
“Yes, I want to see if you’re recovering well… and if anyone needs to do it, it might as well be me.”
The Countess narrowed her eyes ambiguously.
Then, hesitatingly, she responded.
“Then…… please.”
With the Countess’s permission, I led her straight to the clinic. The Countess seemed slightly surprised, perhaps not knowing I had a private clinic.
“I’ve heard that you practice medicine, Your Highness, but I didn’t know you were a professional.”
“I still have a long way to go. Now, would you mind taking a seat?”
I had the Countess sit down then I carefully removed the bandages. Although some oozing remained from the severe area, most of it seemed to have subsided.
“You’re almost healed.”
“Dr. Barmid mentioned that your prompt treatment was good.”
“We narrowly avoided a big problem. Let me apply some medicine.”
As I spread the medicine on her healed skin, the Countess’s body trembled.
“Stings, doesn’t it? Just endure it for a bit.”
This is an evaporating ointment, so it seemed like there was no need to apply more bandages.
As I continued to apply medicine, the Countess asked in a soft voice,
“Your Highness, why did you save me?”
Wondering if I misheard, I stopped my hands and looked at the Countess’s face. Her pink eyes were staring at me intently. Very seriously, too.
“It’s… It would be awkward if you asked such an obvious question so seriously.”
“It’s not obvious. After all, Your Highness suffered from a serious illness as a result.”
“That’s because my body is… ahm…”
I was about to say it was because my body was a mess, but I turned my words around, not wanting to cause any misunderstandings.
“It’s… because I was tired. It’s definitely not because of the Countess.”
“If there’s anything you desire, please tell me. I’ll do anything as a gesture of gratitude.”
“A gesture of gratitude?”
The conversation had been strangely awkward and disconnected since a while ago.
The Countess furrowed her brow as if troubled.
“Since I owe you a debt, I should repay it. What do you want?”
The conversation was taking a strange turn. I set down the cotton I was using to apply the ointment.
“I saved you without expecting it to be repaid as a debt. Isn’t it natural to save someone who is dying in front of you?”
“Not everyone considers it natural.”
“Those people are those people, and I am me.”
The Countess’s gaze, which had been scrutinizing me, dropped.
‘Indeed, something happened with Liliana.’
In the course of my investigation of Liliana, I had found evidence of friction between her and Rivolain.
I don’t know what exactly happened, but I’m sure it wasn’t good. Perhaps that’s why the Countess didn’t trust me.
‘In this state, any story I tell will make her think I deliberately approached and targeted her.’
If I ever joined forces with the Countess, I needed to be with her until Liliana was ruined.
Mutual trust was essential.
I expressed my discomfort and spoke again.
“I don’t need anything. I just want to save as many as I can with my abilities before I die.”
It was my dream to walk in the footsteps of my mother, and it was also my penance for bearing the name Cassian.
“But…….”
The Countess’s eyes were filled with distress as they met mine.
Without further words, I finished applying the remaining medicine and stood up.
“Countess, you must be aware that you were rude to me today. I don’t feel great about it.”
“……I apologize.”
“I have other things to attend to, so I’ll be going. I’ll leave you to rest as long as you like.”
With that, I left the clinic.
Countess Rivolain seemed perplexed; it seemed she needed some time to process everything. As I walked outside, about to head to the pharmacy, I heard a familiar voice.
“Rohiriel.”
It was Julion, dressed as if he had just finished a meeting.
“Are you going to work again?”
“No, I’m planning to make some medicine for personal use.”
“……Personal medicine?”
“Yes, medicine for myself.”
I brought it up to emphasize the existence of treatment medicine, but Julion’s expression suddenly turned grim.
