Chapter 218 : Chapter 218

Chapter 218 - Surgery

He ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍had been given an exciting mission.

It ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍might have sounded like madness, but that was truly the case. At least, it felt that way to Kang Yu.

‘It ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍has been a while, has it not? Since the two of us went on a mission together.’

‘Shut ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍up and stay still.’

‘We ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍are talking in sign language. What sound could you possibly hear? That is a little too harsh.’

Kang ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Yu and were on the ceiling directly above the great door of the Audience Chamber. They sat with their feet hooked on the thicket ornaments carved into the pillars, remaining as still as the dead.

Normally, even getting this far with Full Body Spirit Form would have been difficult.

That was because, in order to move while one’s vision was blocked by Full Body Spirit Form, it had to be a place whose route had already been memorized.

The Youngest Son had prepared a dimension for such agents.

It was a dimension exclusive to spirits, named Dimension: Kitchen of the Gluttonous Ghoul.

‘More importantly, is a spirit dimension not Messenger Ransis’s ability? Can the Fifth Son handle this too?’

The kitchen dimension had swallowed the two spirit bodies and set them down here.

Thus, their infiltration was complete, and no one but the emperor, the master of the barrier, would be able to notice it.

Only Mirea, who knew the dimension’s true identity, shook her head and denied his guess.

‘It is a little different. Its origin is far more disgusting than that. More importantly, what did I tell you earlier?’

‘To shut up a little.’

‘Would you please put that into practice?’

‘I do not want to.’

The two moved their hands busily atop the pillar. Until a little less than thirty minutes after the Youngest Son entered the Audience Chamber, their sign-language argument did not stop.

No matter how hard they strained their ears, they could not hear any sound from inside the Audience Chamber, so this was the only way to kill time.

Mirea did not seem particularly in favor of that method, but Kang Yu simply enjoyed it.

Then, just as they had begun to review each other’s past mistakes.

RUMMMBLE—

The door of the Audience Chamber opened again. Those who emerged were the Wisdom Delegation.

“The Elixir was the only path. The strange mana insensitivity His Highness the Crown Prince is suffering from cannot be cured by anything other than the Elixir.”

The Wisdom Delegation spat out words like a final curse, but they did not work on the emperor.

In the end, the blue birds had no choice but to withdraw with their faces flushed red instead.

‘Let us go.’

‘Yes.’

The chatter they had filled through sign language died out completely. From this point on, there was only action.

The two Grade 1 Agents pursued the Delegation. Rather than following from behind, they clung to the ceiling and moved between the pillars, and whatever the method was, it was stealthy.

At the same time, they had to keep their ears fully open. Only then could they catch every muttered exchange among the members of the Delegation.

“We are going to the ship. We must return to the family.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

“Also, I will report to the Family Head myself, so none of you bear responsibility for what happened here.”

The mages following on either side of the Third Son were startled. Luther, a collateral bloodline member who had come as his right-hand man, spoke urgently.

“I bear great responsibility for this failure. How can you possibly take all of it upon yourself, Young Master?”

“Both your failures and your successes are things I permitted. A direct-line bloodline member gains the loyalty of talented people like you because he takes responsibility.”

“Y-Young Master….”

Beneath the hood of his robe, Luther’s eyes reddened. Even the agents on the ceiling could sense it.

So Mirea, unusually, moved her hands first.

‘What utter nonsense.’

‘I agree.’

Kang Yu nodded, then looked at his former colleague with slightly surprised eyes.

‘More importantly, it seems your temperament from your agent days is coming back. Living as the Head Maid of a direct-line bloodline member was too refined for you, was it not?’

‘…It seems the Delegation is moving toward the ship. We need to go ahead and wait.’

‘The first one to arrive wins.’

As soon as Kang Yu finished signing, he disappeared with Full Body Spirit Form. Since he had spent a long time in the Imperial Capital, he had memorized every route that led to the boarding platform.

The same was true for Mirea, and the corners of her mouth rose at the challenge that had come after so long.

It seemed the one who had always lost had forgotten his place.

‘Very well. I will teach you again.’

She ran through the air with Full Body Spirit Form. Moving with the man she had once coordinated with naturally brought back her movements from the past.

It meant her strength was returning.

At the same time, it meant Kang Yu’s chances of victory had become infinitely low.

Mirea, in spirit form, ran and flew through the gray world seen by ghosts.

Until a few days ago, these steps had met with severe resistance, as though they were being taken underwater.

But now, it felt as though she was running on solid ground. She felt no resistance and no obstruction.

‘My strength is returning. It is almost back now. Truly, almost all of it is back.’

The gray space, where she had stayed more often than in reality during her days as a Grade 1 Agent, welcomed back the daughter who had left home.

That daughter possessed a talent that even the coldest man in the Intelligence Department could not help but love.

The talent that had faded like her memories had returned along with those memories.

It was a talent worthy of aiming for the Elixir, and one fully capable of obtaining it.

***

“How long did I sleep this time?”

The Princess answered the Crown Prince’s powerless voice.

“…About two weeks.”

“Oh dear.”

The man, whose blond hair fell to his shoulders, merely swept a thin hand over his face.

“I slept four days longer than last time. At this rate, I wonder whether I will end up sleeping for the rest of my life.”

“Do not say such things, not even as a joke.”

The Crown Prince smiled. Even that looked difficult for him, and the fact that he was standing at all was remarkable.

The Crown Prince’s golden eyes moved to the bloodshot eyes behind Exia.

“Who is the person behind you?”

“Dante Black Millesdusk. I have come to cure Your Highness’s illness.”

At his introduction, the Crown Prince’s expression became subtle.

“Hmm. I suppose dying and being resurrected in the body of the dead would indeed be healthier.”

Whether it was a joke or his true thought was unclear, but the Crown Prince kept his smile as he beckoned with his hand.

“Come in. You must have had a tiring journey to come all the way here.”

Even though the situation was clearly uncomfortable, he was a person who did not lose his smile.

That innate warmth could not be restrained, and it had even laid him upon a sickbed.

Though he himself knew that fact, the Crown Prince was still warm.

“You must take after your mother.”

The siblings’ shoulders trembled briefly.

They knew too well what those words meant, so they could not deny them. The warm Crown Prince smiled.

“That is right. I take after Mother, and my younger sister takes after Father a great deal.”

“…Older Brother. Those are words you do not need to say.”

“Is this not also part of the treatment? Would it not be better to place at least some trust in the person who came to treat me?”

“Older Brother, you trust anyone and everyone.”

“Haha.”

The Crown Prince did not particularly deny it and slowly moved his body onto the bed.

Even the brief laugh that escaped him in the meantime sounded like air leaking out.

Leaning back, he continued speaking.

“For the treatment to help, should I be awake, or should I be asleep?”

“It is much better if Your Highness remains awake.”

“That is bad news. I do not know when I might fall asleep again as though I had fainted.”

“This is needed in order to prevent that.”

The Youngest Son took out a potion from the Spatial Artifact. It was the ‘First Blue Flame.’

“If you drink it, you will be able to hold Blue Flame within your body, and while the medicine takes effect, you should gain at least a little strength.”

The Blue Flame potion passed from the Youngest Son’s pale hand to the Crown Prince. Though the Crown Prince was not a Blood Noble, he was as pale as one.

POP—

The lid opened lightly. It carried a clean scent that made it difficult to believe it had come from the East.

“Should I call it smoky? It smells pleasant.”

“It is a joint work of the East and the West. Of course, I did not receive the West’s consent.”

The Crown Prince still smiled as he brought the potion to his mouth without hesitation. His younger sister watched him anxiously.

Perhaps because his body was so cold, the potion flowed down his throat without resistance, even though it should have been somewhat hot.

“This is…”

A strange light settled in the golden eyes that were facing Exia.

“What? What is it? Does something feel wrong?”

If he said anything was wrong, the power of the Imperial bloodline would immediately be poured onto the Youngest Son. If something was wrong, that was.

“…It feels too good.”

“Huh…?”

“It has been a long time since my body felt this warm without the blankets prepared by the physicians. It truly feels as though I am sitting in front of a fireplace.”

The warmth given by the potion naturally came from the Blue Flame. Blue Flame was the purest fire in this world. It was a warmth that any constitution could feel.

The same was true even for the Crown Prince, whose condition appeared to be a peculiar form of mana insensitivity.

“You called it Blue Flame, did you? How long will this warmth last?”

“The effect lasts about an hour.”

At those words, the Princess came closer.

“Hand over as much as you can. No, if you will at least tell us how to make it, I will pay the price.”

“Relying on a stopgap is not treatment. Once the treatment is complete, there will be no need to depend on such potions.”

“Hahaha.”

For the first time in truly a long while, strength filled the Crown Prince’s laugh.

“Just where did a blessing like you come from?”

“It would be easiest to think of it as the East.”

“I will owe Millesdusk a great debt.”

“I do not know. It is not such a great debt. A repairman will simply do the work of a repairman and leave.”

“…A repairman?”

The word repairman made the Crown Prince tilt his head, but it was inconvenient if the thing that needed to be repaired moved.

The Youngest Son approached the bed. Looking at it closely, even the bed here was no ordinary thing.

[Even if dragon breath fell on top of this, he would survive at least once.]

―It truly seems so.

The protective barrier surrounding the bed completely protected the Crown Prince from threats of external force.

It was one of the reasons the success rate of the Crown Prince assassination route in the storyline was atrociously low.

There was no need to walk into hell difficulty of my own accord. The longer the Crown Prince lived, the better.

How far I could stretch out the life of this terminally ill man was the key to this event.

The method differed drastically depending on the Great Family faction and character being played, so even for a seasoned player, this method was a first.

I could only recall past actions that had been somewhat similar and use them to find a path forward.

“Your Highness. May I place my hands on your body for a moment?”

“Of course.”

“Excuse me.”

The treatment proceeded in the uncomfortable situation of his family watching. It began with placing a hand near the Crown Prince’s solar plexus.

Even considering the posture of the lying Crown Prince, his ribs were disturbingly prominent to the touch.

[Is he not simply a Skeleton Soldier wearing skin?]

His body was in such poor condition that Enad inadvertently said something worthy of the severest punishment.

“Once you regain your mana, Your Highness should begin with a meal.”

“That is what I most want to do even now. Believe it or not, I used to have quite a hearty appetite. Did I not, Exia?”

“I understand that you are feeling better. But for now, please focus on the treatment.”

Seeing her older brother’s liveliness for the first time in a long while only made Exia feel more urgent.

She was anxious that this opportunity, which seemed to have arrived by chance, might slip away. She was afraid that if it slipped away, it might never come again.

Though he did not show it, the Youngest Son felt the same way.

While the medicine is circulating, while the Crown Prince is at least somewhat lucid, I have to finish this now.

His hands were overlapped on the solar plexus. Through his pale hands, through the skin, and beyond the ribs beneath it, he felt the warmth breathed into him by the potion.

This warmth of the Blue Flame would take the place of mana. For that to happen, his strength alone would not be enough.

“Your Highness. Can you feel the warmth I have gathered at your solar plexus?”

“…Yes. I can feel it. My stomach has become a little hot.”

“Please think of this as mana and try to move it.”

“This, as mana?”

“That is correct.”

Though the Crown Prince asked again, he did not hesitate to try, just as he had done all this time. But the result came so quickly that the Crown Prince’s smile faded slightly.

“…It does not work.”

“Then shall we move on to the next step?”

“The method you mentioned failed, yet there is a next step?”

“Because I expected it to fail. What matters is realizing that it failed. Just as His Majesty did to Your Highness.”

The Crown Prince opened the golden eyes he had closed and shifted them to the Youngest Son.

TWITCH—

At the same time, the warmth moved faintly.

“…Say that again.”

The problem was that the driving force moving the warmth was anger.