A Genius Pharmacist Whom the Empress Is Obsessed With

Sacrifice. (3)

“!!!”

Peniard, who was lost in thought, suddenly opened his eyes. It was because his body was suddenly pulled to one side amidst the faint vibrations of the wheels.

“What’s going on?”

Peniard reached out his hand to support himself and asked.

“Oh, a child, like a loose colt, was running towards us and suddenly fell down. I’m sorry. It’s my fault.”

“A child?”

When Peniard looked outside again, he happened to catch a glimpse of the fallen child beyond the window.

How could he blame the coachman when a child fell? Peniard crossed his arms again and got lost in thought.

Until a moment ago, his mind was full of thoughts about the epidemic spreading in Melo.

“Should I call Ella and ask her to take a look? I can’t trust the others even if I call them.”

But before the carriage could start running properly, Peniard called the coachman again.

“Hey! Stop the carriage quickly!”

“Yes?!”

“Stop right there!”

The carriage came to a stop along with the tightly pulled reins, and Peniad quickly got off the carriage.

Looking at the path the carriage had passed, a child who had fallen on the ground was staggering and running.

“Just a moment!”

Peniad ran towards the child, raising his voice.

When the child had fallen, Peniad hadn’t thought much of it. It was a common occurrence for a child to trip while running.

However, the child was desperately running through an empty field, as if being chased by someone. And it was on the road leading to Mellow.

He couldn’t ignore it.

“Just a moment! Child!”

Whether the boy heard Peniad’s shout or not, he turned around.

“Can we talk for a moment?”

Afraid that the child might be startled, Peniad spoke in the gentlest voice possible.

“Judging by how urgently you were running, it seems like you need help. Let me help. Are you here to seek assistance from Mellow? Coincidentally, I am also going to Mellow.”

Despite Peniad’s efforts, the boy flinched for a moment and then started running again.

Upon seeing that, Peniad could be even more certain of his intuition.

“I can’t let that boy slip away.”

After a short run, Peniad easily caught up to the child. Although he was a retired knight, Peniad was still an active knight.

“Eek!”

The child, whose backside was caught by Peniad’s hand, trembled like a bamboo.

“It’s okay. I’m not here to harm you.”

Peniad held the child’s hands and quickly checked their condition.

“He looks a bit skinny, but his nutritional state seems okay.”

With the wounds on the calf and torn clothes in a mess, it was clear that something major had happened.

“Child, who did this terrible thing to you?”

In response to Peniad’s question, the child vigorously shook their head.

“I’ll help you, so please tell me.”

“I can’t say.”

“Why can’t you say?”

Instead of answering, the child tightly closed their mouth. Peniad tried to press them a few more times, but the child continued to remain silent.

Peniad was at a loss. Since Ella, he had never raised young children, so dealing with them felt unfamiliar and uncomfortable.

“I don’t know where you’re going, but you’ll only find fields if you continue like this. You won’t find what you’re looking for.”

After a brief moment of contemplation, Peniad decided to give the child facts rather than try to gain their favor haphazardly.

“And I’m not a suspicious person, but someone affiliated with the royal family. I heard rumors of something strange happening in Mellow and I’m investigating.”

“…Rumors?”

“Yes. I heard stories of a major incident occurring in Mellow.”

The child seemed to ponder for a moment before speaking.

“Could it be that, then, Sir, you were sent by Sir?”

Upon hearing the word “Sir” come out of the child’s mouth, Peniad’s hair stood on end.

“Well, yes. I was sent by that alchemist.”

“Really? You know our Sir?”

“Yes. The alchemist with black hair, right?”

As if his eyes were widening, the boy’s tears began to well up.

“Yes. Our Sir.”

The child leaped into Peniad’s arms. At the same time, Peniad’s heart started racing uncontrollably.

“Could this really be that Sir?”

Peniad held the boy in his arms and couldn’t move a muscle.

***

Eden arrived in Mellow on a moonlit night.

When he saw the woman tied to a tree, Eden’s heart sank.

The woman he had taken care of so carefully was sprawled out, her entire body dyed blue. Several people gathered around her, cursing and shouting like angry wildcats.

“Who are you?”

As Eden observed the situation from above, a guard approached, breathing heavily.

“You don’t seem like a person from Mellow, so get lost.”

The guard threatened, extending his sword towards Eden.

Nevertheless, Eden descended from the horse and approached the woman.

“He told you to leave!”

“….”

“It’s none of an outsider’s business.”

Despite the continuous warnings, Idun ignored them and continued walking. Behind him, he heard angry shouting.

“How dare you ignore my words, you beggar!”

Followed by the sound of footsteps. Idun lightly turned his body and easily dodged the sword that was flying towards him. At the same time, he quickly moved his hand and tightly grabbed the man’s collar and side of his neck.

There was no need to draw his sword to deal with a thug. If one simply reduced the blood flow from the brain to the neck, a person would easily faint and lose consciousness.

As the man, who had been grabbed by the collar by Idun, collapsed, those who had been observing the situation started to be in shock.

Idun let go of the unconscious guard and moved towards the woman.

“Who, who are you?”

Someone from the crowd asked Idun.

“I am the one who treated this woman.”

As soon as Idun finished speaking, the surroundings became noisy.

“Are you the one who treated Rofne?”

The woman’s name was Rofne.

Idun approached Rofne and cautiously untied the rope that had been restraining her.

Rofne was so weak that she could not even stand properly and she collapsed forward. Idun carried her in his arms. A strong smell of blood and various odors emanated from her body.

“….Medicinal practitioner, sir.”

“It’s fine. Please don’t say anything.”

Idun carefully held the woman and continued walking. Whenever he moved, the onlookers crowded around him, stepping back to make way.

“Stop.”

After walking for a while, another person’s voice came from behind.

“We cannot release that woman until Lady Leta gives the order.”

Idun turned around. Unlike the fallen thugs, this guard was properly dressed and stared at him menacingly.

“I am taking this woman with me.”

Idun said firmly while looking into the man’s sharp eyes.

In his thoughts, Idun wanted to make not only the fallen thugs, but everyone involved in this matter, especially the woman in the holy temple, suffer the consequences. However, at the moment, Rofne’s treatment was the priority.

“We cannot treat the illness without that woman.”

“We cannot treat the illness?”

“Yes. That woman knows a cure for a terrible disease.”

Finally, Idun understood why Leta had kept Rofne alive all this time.

“I’ll say it again, it was me who treated this woman’s illness. So, there is no need to tie this poor woman to a tree.”

Idun hugged Rofne tightly, who was trembling, and concluded his words.

“If you’re curious about this disease, come to my apothecary.”

“Apothecary? What apothecary?”

“Ask that woman for details. Don’t annoy me.”

There was no reason for him to respond any more kindly. Although he could hear loud muttering from behind, Iden silently made his way to the apothecary.

***

The apothecary that Iden had abandoned and left behind luckily remained as it was before.

After laying Rophne on the examination bed, Iden lit a fire and boiled water.

While the water boiled, Iden carefully examined her wounds. The woman, who until a few days ago had been recovering cleanly, was covered in large and small wounds.

“I wish you had told me earlier.”

“What?”

“That I cured the illness of your wife. If I had, she wouldn’t have gone through such a rough time…”

“How could I have said it?”

Rophne said with a sad smile.

“You saved our lives, Apothecary. How could I betray someone as grateful as you.”

“…Betrayal?”

“You escaped from Mellow, didn’t you? But how could I have let out the secret about you, the Apothecary.”

Iden’s face hardened in an instant. He had never mentioned to Sion or Rophne that he had ever fled from Mellow.

“If I have made you uncomfortable, I apologize.”

“No, it’s not that. I’m just surprised. When did you know? No, how did you even know that I was a fugitive?”

“Not from the beginning, but since you continued to stay at our house, I thought something was a little strange. And besides, Leta…dislikes doctors and apothecaries so much.”

“….”

“Since you have great skills as an apothecary, Leta might have liked you even more.”

Rophne lightly scratched her cheek with her index finger.

“By the way, Apothecary, I’m sorry, but I’m a little tired. Can I close my eyes for a while?”

It seemed that the incense he had burned for her relaxation was starting to take effect.

“Sure. I’ll bring you some tea, you can have a cup and rest. This time, I will definitely protect your wife.”

In response to Iden’s reply, Rophne showed a relaxed smile.

***