ALL NOVEL chapter 51
Who Are You? (Modified)
The Marquis and Ella leave.
Iden firmly locked the door and then headed to the study.
Despite Hibel’s promise that all necessary supplies were prepared, there were high-quality paper and pens on the study desk.
Iden placed the lamp he brought on the desk and sat down to write a letter.
The recipient was Adrian.
Until now, Iden had never left a separate letter or note for Adrian, no matter where he went or what he did. Wherever he may be in the empire, Adrian would find his way, and nothing in this world could harm Iden.
But this time, things were different.
Iden had to fight against a mysterious organization called Lemve. Their objective, their backers, their identity—nothing was properly revealed.
To be prepared, it seemed wise to provide Adrian with information in advance.
“Besides, I’m involved with the princess’s group this time…”
Although it was certain that Adrian would lecture him for three nights and days, Iden still wanted to avoid incurring Breath’s wrath.
They say it is easier to obtain forgiveness than permission, but to be forgiven, one must do their best in their own way.
“Working at the hospital will naturally accumulate good deeds….”
Adding that it was inevitable to stack up good deeds efficiently, Iden also included a statement asking how he could turn a blind eye to those pitiable people as someone with power.
In order to convince Adrian, Iden put more effort and sincerity into writing the letter than ever before. At the same time, he prayed that Adrian would wake up from sleep as late as possible.
***
The next morning.
Iden left the house later than usual. The delay in his wake-up time was due to wrestling with the letter all night.
“Well, shall I go to the pharmacy first?”
As Iden pressed down his hood and quickened his steps, someone approached and spoke to him.
“It’s been a while, Mr. Apothecary.”
The man who spoke was the knight, Sven. Sven was wearing lightweight shoulder armor and a half-brace for his arm.
“Sven? What brings you here?”
“Oh, you haven’t heard the news yet. I have been entrusted with your protection.”
“…You, Sven?”
“Yes, the commander ordered it.”
“So, you’ve been waiting here all this time?”
“Yes, it’s my job to protect you.”
I knew that researchers were assigned personal guards.
But I never expected Sven to be that guard. Sven, being the apprentice of Viscount Penniard and having a relatively high rank in the Auron Knights, was not someone to be called a mere alchemist.
“Is Sven assigned to me because of the Remberl issue…”
I’m not sure what the viscount’s intention was in assigning Sven to me, but he wouldn’t have made this decision without a reason.
Idun spoke to Sven.
“You seem to have waited outside for a long time. From now on, just come to my house directly. It would put my mind at ease.”
“Now that you say so, I will do that from now on.”
“Then, shall we go?”
As Idun started walking, Sven followed closely beside him.
“By the way, what brings you here today?”
Officially, the protection was supposed to start from the inauguration.
“Well, today happened to be a holiday. I heard that the alchemist has come to the capital for the first time? I thought you might need guidance, so I was waiting.”
If Sven’s words were true, he voluntarily came out to work on a golden-like holiday. He seemed to be as industrious as the viscount.
“So, where are you going?”
“…I’m planning to visit the pharmacy and medical facility today.”
He wanted to buy necessary medication and herbs from the pharmacy, and he wanted to check the medical facility in case he missed anything.
“If time allows, I’d like to visit the university as well…”
He didn’t want to visit without a reason and cause trouble for Ella.
“In that case, let me guide you to the pharmacy that I know.”
As if telling him to trust only himself, Sven tapped his chest with his fist and spoke.
***
The pharmacy that Sven took him to was the largest in the capital.
As Sven described it as the empire’s top pharmacy, the store had good facilities and the quality of the stocked herbs was excellent.
However, Idun could not find the herbs he was looking for even in this pharmacy.
“It’s definitely difficult to find Eastern herbs.”
To get from the Empire to the East, one had to pass through the Kingdom of Lake and cross the Belia Strait. As the distance was long, it was rare to find Eastern culture or goods within the Empire.
“Customer, what kind of herbs are you looking for?”
After browsing the store for about three times, a shop assistant approached.
“I’m just looking for some rare herbs.”
“If you tell me what kind of herbs you’re looking for, I’ll find them for you.”
The possibility of this shop assistant knowing the herbs he was looking for was very low. Despite searching the store diligently, he couldn’t find a single Eastern medicinal herb.
But there’s always a chance. Edeun opened his mouth with a hopeful heart.
“By any chance, do you have licorice or mung beans?”
Sure enough, the shop assistant seemed puzzled by Edeun’s words.
“It’s a herb I’ve never heard of. Do you happen to know where it’s from?”
“No, it’s fine.”
It would be pointless to explain to someone who knew nothing about Eastern herbs.
Based on his experience, even if Edeun talked about Eastern medicine, they would only listen with interest as if hearing a fairytale and not take it seriously.
After giving the shop assistant a bow, Edeun left. He felt like he should at least buy the herbs that were available.
*
“Um, excuse me!”
In front of the herbal medicine shop, someone called out to Edeun as he was organizing his purchase. When he turned around, he saw a woman wearing large glasses, huddled up.
“Who are you?”
Before Edeun could say anything, Sven stepped forward. He seemed to be in a protective stance towards Edeun.
“Ah, it’s, um, not that…”
Oh no, what should I do? Ugh.
The woman mumbled to herself with a shy tone, her face and even her ears and neck turning red. It almost seemed like she was drunk.
“Yeongae?”
“Huuh…”
Even when called by Edeun instead of Sven, the woman only made strange sounds.
Sensing something strange, Sven sent a signal to Edeun with his eyes. Edeun also nodded slowly while looking at Sven.
He had overslept and had a lot to do, so time was running out.
He hadn’t even had lunch yet and there were still tasks at the medical office. So he didn’t want to waste time on unnecessary matters.
When Edeun and Sven urged their steps, the woman hurriedly raised her voice.
“Ah, no! I, I have something to say!”
“….”
“Ah, the herb you mentioned earlier! I, I know about that herb!”
Was there someone in the Empire who knew about Eastern herbs? Ideun turned his body to look at the woman.
“You know about that herb?”
“Yes, yes! Ah, I know about it!”
“What exactly do you know about that herb?”
The herb Ideun mentioned was licorice and mung bean, two different herbs.
“Ah, that, that’s, the licorice! It was definitely that name!”
“Then do you also know what effects that herb has?”
In response to Ideun’s question, the woman could only roll her eyes and couldn’t easily open her mouth.
From her reaction, it seemed like she knew the name licorice, but didn’t know its effects.
Ideun briefly hoped that there might be a way to get licorice right now, or at the very least, they could discuss Eastern herbs together. He turned his body again.
“Just, just wait a moment! Huuuh!”
Even though the voice of the woman calling Ideun continued to echo beyond his back, he ignored it.
If he had the time, he could deal with someone whose intentions and attitude were unclear, but he couldn’t do that now.
***
“….”
With a white cloth basket on her hip, Ella looked at the door. Ludimina was on the other side of the dark crimson door.
She had cleared up the long-standing conflict with her father last night.
Wanting to mend her relationship with Ludimina as well, Ella had come to Ludimina’s office for the first time in a long while.
While Ideun was alive, it couldn’t be said that Ludimina had nothing to do with it.
But to what extent was it not a mistake?
Certainly, Ludimina had never intentionally harmed Ideun.
“Besides, I can’t keep pretending to be distant from Ludimina forever….”
Ella took a deep breath and knocked on the door.