“Among the palace physicians, there are spies planted by Roxis.”
My eyes widened in surprise. I expected there to be spies, but I never thought one would be among the palace physicians.
Raising a spy takes a considerable amount of time and effort.
It was surprising that such efforts were put into placing one within the palace physicians, especially in the central infirmary of the imperial palace.
Moreover, it wasn’t even my father’s spy but Roxis’s?
Moreover, Julion spoke with a remarkably certain tone, suggesting he was certain about it, whether there was circumstantial or material evidence.
‘It’s a good thing I’ve been using the sound-blocking pill, just in case.’
Otherwise, all of our secret conversations would have been exposed. Julion continued, leaning in even closer as I remained silent in thought.
“During the palace fire incident…”
He stopped there.
At that moment, a startled sound came from nearby.
I turned my head reflexively and locked eyes with Hemion, who was looking this way.
“Oh…”
Hemion let out a gasp, her face turning red, and quickly hid behind the book she was holding, lowering her head deeply.
Then a soft voice followed.
“Um, sorry for interrupting. Please continue with what you were doing…”
“What were you doing?”
For a moment, unsure of the situation, I looked back and forth between Hemion and Julion.
“……!”
Julion, meeting my gaze, suddenly flinched and swiftly retreated from me as if struck by lightning. He moved so quickly that he bumped into the bookshelf behind him.
As a result, the books stacked on top of the shelf tumbled down…
“Oh, Julion!”
Despite the books pouring down, Julion stood motionless.
Thump.
The last book hit Julion’s head and fell to the floor.
Silence descended.
Hemion, with her mouth agape, stared wide-eyed at Julion, standing among the fallen books.
“A-Are you okay…?”
It happened so fast, I didn’t even have time to react. I thought Julion, with his agility, would easily avoid the falling books.
“Let me see.”
Considering he was hit on the head with thick books, there might be injuries. As I approached to check, Julion, as if avoiding my touch, quickly moved away.
“I’m fine.”
Then, as if it were nothing, he brushed off the dust clinging to his clothes.
“Let’s continue this conversation at Garnet Palace. I’ll take my leave.”
Julion left without looking back, heading towards the exit.
‘A little bump on the bookshelves is nothing to be ashamed of.’
It seemed like he was even more embarrassed because of the completely collapsed books.
I don’t know why he backed away so quickly.
Observing Julion leaving the library with firm steps, Hemion remarked from the side.
“I’ve noticed it before: you two are very awkward together.”
“Me and Julion?”
“Yes, incredibly.”
I looked at Hemion with a puzzled expression, but her eyes were also filled with question marks.
❀ ❀ ❀ ❀ ❀ ❀ ❀ ❀
Concerned about Julion, I finished reading the book and returned to Garnet Palace.
But Julion was nowhere to be found. He seemed occupied with other matters.
I waited impatiently for mealtime, but to my surprise, he sent a message saying he had something to attend to.
“What’s going on?”
At this point, I began to worry.
We needed to discuss the hidden spy acting as a member of the palace infirmary, among other things.
“I’ll attach an official letter, Your Highness.”
“Yes, please.”
It was an official letter regarding the lecture about medicine. I knew the physicians would be waiting, so I immediately set a date.
Tomorrow at 10 a.m. in the Garnet Palace Dining Room.
The dining room was the only place that could accommodate several physicians.
“It would have been better if there were a slightly larger venue, don’t you think?”
“In the palace?”
“Yes. I’d be able to teach them more efficiently.”
This recent incident led me to formulate a plan. Before leaving the palace, I wanted to pass on as much knowledge as I could to the physicians here.
Most of them must have learned imperial medicine, so they might be unfamiliar with Yalon’s medical practices.
‘There’s so much practical knowledge in it.’
Things my mother had taught me, even as she dragged her sick body along.
“Why don’t we make it in the new medical building?”
While contemplating where to find a suitable space, Hemion offered her suggestion.
Come to think of it, I heard about the construction of a new medical building.
“When will it be finished?”
“I’m not sure, but I heard it will be finished in half a year.”
“Half a year……. That’s too late.”
By then, I might not be here.
Considering the effectiveness of Apherium medicine, I expected to recover sooner than the planned one year.
‘At the current pace, it should take at least three months.’
Roughly, by late fall, everything will be sorted out.
Both my illness and Cassian.
“Late……? Why?”
As I pondered potential locations, Hemion, looking shocked for some reason, asked why I considered it late.
Looking at the small, round face with slightly widened eyes, laughter escapes me.
“Why are you so surprised? Well, you know, you can never predict how things will turn out.”
“But it’s only six months!”
“Six months is still a long time.”
Hemion, biting her lip, gave me a resentful look before swiftly turning away.
“I’ll bring some refreshments.”
Is she upset because I didn’t agree that six months was a short time?
‘Or maybe Hemion also wanted to study at the medical building?’
Rather than a place like the dining room, she might want to study medicine properly at a reliable medical building.
I turned my attention back to what I was doing, thinking that I would have to ask her about that sooner or later.
❀ ❀ ❀ ❀ ❀ ❀ ❀ ❀
The next day, after a simple breakfast, I proceeded with the medicinal lecture in the dining room as planned.
Though I called it a lecture, it was more about sharing simple information. So I didn’t expect many people to show up.
However, unexpectedly…
“Greetings, Your Highness.”
“Thank you, Your Highness!”
More than ten infirmary members were present.
No, there were nearly twenty people.
There were representatives from both the palace physicians and lower-ranking physicians, a diverse group.
‘Maybe they were just curious.’
It seemed there were those who came to watch out of curiosity about how I make medicine.
Nevertheless, I was excited at the thought of sharing information with as many people as possible.
“Well then, shall we start with the simplest thing? First, this is…”
Just as I began explaining about the tools, hurried footsteps were heard outside, and the door burst open.
“Your Highness! The Empress urgently requests your presence!”
It was a maid I see often in the Tishrit Palace.
She gasped for breath as she delivered her message.
“His, His Majesty the Emperor…”
At the mention of the Emperor, there was a murmur among the gathered physicians.
“He opened his eyes!”
With the following words from the maid, a moment of silence fell.
I put down the tools I was holding.
“It seems we’ll have to continue this another time. Everyone, please disperse.”
I immediately stepped out of the dining room.
Outside, Zenid was waiting.
“Let’s go.”
As we headed towards the Tishrit Palace with Zenid and Hemion, various thoughts swirled in my mind.
‘This is weird. There’s no way he could have awakened.’
He was still not properly healed. Yet, he had already opened his eyes.
This was not such a trivial illness.
Moreover, based on recent findings while treating Harkiel, it was evident that a different approach was necessary.
“Princess!”
As I entered the bedroom, the Empress, who was waiting for me, abruptly stood up. Her face displayed a mixture of joy and confusion.
“Your Majesty the Empress, what happened?”
I continued walking inside without stopping, entering the space behind the curtains.
The Emperor lying on the bed remained unchanged from when I checked yesterday.
An emaciated body, sunken cheeks, and rough skin.
Only one thing was different.
His eyelids, tightly closed yesterday, were now open.
“……Greetings, Your Majesty the Emperor.”
The eyes, which were facing the ceiling, rolled down towards me. His brown eyes, meeting mine directly, felt strangely eerie.
Whether the Emperor heard my greeting or not, his eyelids flickered, lowering and raising again.
“I just came to give him some medicine, and then I saw his eyes open like this.”
The Empress said this, stepping closer.
She gazed at the Emperor with eyes full of concern.
“I tried to talk to him, but he didn’t respond. He seems to look around when there’s a stimulus. But beyond that…”
It seemed that he hadn’t fully regained consciousness. I unfolded the medical bag I brought and took out a syringe.
First, I intended to draw blood to properly assess the situation. However, just as I was about to insert the needle,
“Keugh..!”
The Emperor, who had suddenly opened his eyes, began to convulse.
Simultaneously, veins all over his body surged onto the skin, displaying a color that obviously didn’t look normal—a deep shade of green.
‘This is……!’
