EPISODE 13

<Veterinarian Druid Episode 13>

"Ensuring the safety of that researcher is a must."

"I understand. I promise to guarantee their safety."

Having received the Count's promise, I boarded Roykan's back, who had been waiting in the backyard.

[Where should I fly to?]

-There's a village in front of Olif's Medicine Mountain with the largest building there.

[I know where that is.]

Tinger, who followed Roykan, spoke up.

-Oh, really? Don't you have anything to do?

[I don't. I'm incredibly busy. Did you think I had nothing to do like you?]

Tinger bounced off. On the other hand...

[I'm free, hehe. I'll guide you.]

[Well, I guess I have no choice. As a busy person, I can't refuse.]

-It's okay. You take care of your business. Bella will guide us.

[How bright my night vision is! I can guide you much better.]

After bouncing off, Tinger went to Roykan's head and took a seat. Left Tinger, right Bella.

And I, on Roykan's back.

As soon as we settled, Roykan swiftly took off into the sky.

[Wow, wow, this is so exciting! Fly, Roykan!]

[Hehehe, Roykan doesn't flap his wings, so it's really smooth and comfortable.]

Tinger, perched on Roykan's head, fluttered his wings in excitement, while Bella seemed satisfied with the comfortable flight.

That's because after a few flaps, Roykan spread his large, elongated wings and soared through the air, riding the wind.

After flying for about an hour, Bella shouted, [Marcus, look! There are riders galloping over there.]

[Are they heading towards the Olif Research Lab?]

-Yeah, that's right. Great! Roykan, can we arrive earlier than those riders?

[Hmph, of course.]

Roykan snorted.

[By the way, are you good at fighting?]

Suddenly, Tinger started a dispute.

-Fighting?

Tinger turned around, glanced at me for a moment, and continued speaking.

[Yeah. Looking at those knights, they seem really skilled in combat. If we happen to encounter them... What will you do, Marcus? Just take a hit and die? Those knights look incredibly fierce.]

Seems like Tinger is really picking a fight.

-Well, you'll only know if you fight.

[Damn it! This flimsy guy sure talks big.]

[No way. You saw it too. Marcus has been training so hard.]

Bella defended me.

And she was right. I had spent every opportunity in the training grounds honing my skills.

When the hoof disease broke out, I saw the opportunity to identify potential threats to the Count's family.

This world is a place where fists matter more than laws.

So I thought to myself, I need to make sure I can protect myself.

I even made a plan.

First, I need to train my body. Then, I should learn some swordsmanship.

Watching the knight trainees swinging their longswords in the training grounds, I thought I could easily learn that level of skill.

Moreover, my body wasn't as weak as before.

However, from the very first day, my thoughts were shattered.

On the day I sparred with those trainees whom I had underestimated, I almost died.

After experiencing excruciating pain as if my lungs were about to burst and my heart was being crushed.

I realized that these people were not the kind of people I was familiar with.

When in Rome, do as the Romans do. I gritted my teeth and chased after them.

My muscles screamed in agony, but I didn't stop training with them to build my stamina.

And one day, like any other day, I was training in the early morning.

As I was sparring, suddenly, the back of my neck stiffened. Blood rushed to my head as if I was about to have a stroke.

But then, suddenly.

Thud!

It felt like my body was being pierced, and I was being electrocuted all over like in an electric shock.

Later, I found out that this was mana.

Anyway, that day, after almost being electrocuted to death, a miracle happened. Mana finally started to seep into my body.

I could feel mana after awakening it.

-Hey, Tinger. With my skills, I can handle any beginner knight.

[Hmph, that's just a buff from mana.]

-That's still a skill.

And the next day, I defeated the training instructor with just one blow. Thanks to Melik's heightened perception and Roykan's explosive strength.

The instructor looked at me in shock, as if I was a monster.

No wonder, just the day before, I was whining and couldn't even attack, let alone defend.

I vaguely heard that the instructor started intense training for the first time in 10 years.

If I'm this strong at level 1, how much stronger will I become in the future?

* * *

While researching potions, Shaun discovered that his heart started beating stronger when he drank a concoction.

Although it was poisonous, if he could control it properly, it could help patients with heart disease.

This is it. If he can make potions with this, he can save his son, who is suffering from heart failure.

Filled with hope, Shaun dedicated himself to research, staying up all night.

But as he continued his research, a dark cloud began to loom over him.

The key was dosage control.

As toxic as it is, the dosage had to be adjusted carefully.

The heart must not stop, but it must not show any reaction.

He had to make a slow-beating heart, beat normally.

Shaun skimmed through the data in his hands. It was a dosage chart he had been using for the past month.

"Sigh, another failure. How on earth..."

Can he save his son?

Just thinking about his small and fragile son, who coughs weakly, made Shaun's heart ache.

"At first, I thought it would be easy."

Just a little while ago, Shaun was filled with hope as he clenched the paper in his hand and stepped outside.

He needed to cool his head and breathe in the fresh night air.

Shaun took a deep breath as he stepped outside.

"Ahh! Phew. The air feels so refreshing."

That's when it happened.

A massive object was falling from the sky towards him.

"What, what is that? Ahh!"

Startled, Shaun screamed and started to take a few steps back.

* * *

-Why is he acting like that?

[I don't know. Seems like he got scared when he saw me. I guess I can be a bit intimidating. Muahaha.]

[Tinger, it's not that you look scary, it's that you look funny. I laughed and fell over when I saw you.]

[What, what did you say?]

[Well, Bella is right. Tinger, you do look quite funny.]

[Argh, even you, Roykan!]

Ignoring the bickering between Tinger and Bella, I jumped off Roykan's back.

"I should ask that person where Shaun is."

I approached the person who had stumbled and fallen.

"Please, save me, Lord Ulysses. Please save me."

"Do you know me?"

"If you're wearing the Griffin emblem on your clothes, and riding Captain Griffin, who else could you be other than Lord Ulysses?"

"Ah, so the rumors have spread quickly. Then I guess you know why I'm here."

"I, I don't know."

The man's eyes flickered as he answered. He knows something.

"Let me ask you something."

"Eek, it's true. I really don't know anything. I don't know why the Eagle Knights did what they did."

The man mentioned the Eagle Knights. Perhaps he could be the person named Shaun. At least he might know where Shaun is.

"I came to find Shaun. Where is he?"

"I, I don't know."

The man trembled and bowed his head deeply. But...

"Hmm? What's this?"

A few pieces of paper had fallen to the ground, and a few words were visible. Among them, a familiar word caught my eye.

"Heart disease?"

"Oh, it's nothing."

"No, it's not nothing. You must have researched oleander as well."

"Heuk!"

The man's face turned pale.

So this must be Shaun.

I picked up the papers from the ground and skimmed through them.

"You messed up the dosage control, didn't you?"

"...What?"

"You used too much of this. Anyone who used this, including animals, would probably be dead."

"...How did you know?"

Instead of answering, I looked at the man.

"If they're dead, it would be a sign of overdose. Shaun!"

"Ah!"

Shaun's eyes widened, and his hands trembled.

"I-I didn't do anything like that. I was just researching congestive heart failure."

"I know. And I also know that Duke Olif sent someone to kill you."

"K-Kill me? Me?"

"Yes, you."

"No, I can't. If I die now, Ken..."

"No, I can't die. Please spare my life, Lord Ulysses."

"Hmm."

"No, you can kill me. But please, at least until I develop the potion for my son... What?"

"Your son has heart failure?"

"Hea...?"

"Is there a problem with his heart?"

"Yes."

"He gets short of breath even with a little movement, right? He coughs a lot at night?"

"How do you know that?"

"Those are symptoms of heart disease."

It seems easier than I thought to convince Shaun.

"I think I can adjust the dosage for this."

"Lord Ulysses, please save my son."

Shaun pleaded, his head bowed to the ground.

"There is a condition."

"Please tell me. I'll do anything if it means saving my son."

"Tell me the weakness of Duke Olif. Or maybe give me the recipe for the popular magic-enhancing potion you're currently working on."

"That, that's..."

Suddenly, there was a loud commotion. The sound of horses approaching.

"I think the knights are coming. They're here to capture you."

"P-Please, take me with you. I'll tell you everything."

"You should have done that earlier."

Roykan, who carried Shaun and me, returned to the Count's mansion.

* * *

Count Ulysses kept his promise to Shaun, whom Marcus brought with him.

Not only did he send knights to safely bring Shaun's wife and son, but he also provided support for his research on the heart disease potion.

"Master Marcus is a genius, a genius!"

The results were very positive when clinical experiments were conducted with new ingredients and dosages that Marcus had informed them of.

At this rate, the potion is likely to be released soon.

"People suffering from heart disease like our son will be able to live a new life."

Until now, there has been a belief that if someone had heart disease, they would not live for more than a few years. And it has been true.

Of course, it was rumored that drinking a potion made from the heart of a phoenix would make the heart stronger.

However, that comes with the premise that one can obtain the heart of a phoenix.

Moreover, even if such a potion exists, it is not something that anyone can easily get their hands on.

But once this potion is developed.

"Master Marcus said that we can easily live for ten years, no, even twenty years, right?"

If managed well, one could live for decades.

"A revolution will soon take place in the potion industry."

The Ulysses family plans to sell this potion with excellent efficacy to anyone at a very low price.

They have even applied for a patent, so no one can make it for the next ten years.

"Master Marcus is truly amazing. Even if he charges a high price, everyone will buy it.

How different it is from the greedy Duke Olif!

Shaun pledged his loyalty to Count Ulysses. More precisely, to Marcus.

* * *

"The person you brought is very capable."

"I'm glad."

"As you said, it is planned to be released under the name 'Ulysses Pill'."

The Count was pleased that the family name was included in the heart failure medication.

"Shaun said that you told him everything from the ingredients to the dosage."

"That's correct."

"Hmm, I heard that there was a late-blooming genius, but I didn't know you were such a genius. You have become an honored child who will bring glory to the family."

To the Count, I have become a glorious child who will bring honor to the family.

"And starting next month, the 'Suri Mountain Potion' will be on the market."

"Duke Olif must be boiling with anger."

"That's right. Once our potion is released, Olif's flagship potion, 'Magical Enhancement' potion, will become second-rate."

"That's right. No matter how much they claim to be the original, they'll know once they try it. And if they check the ingredients, they'll know that Suri Mountain's Mana Stone is used."

Shaun informed them of the recipe for the 'Magical Enhancement' potion, one of Olif's flagship potions.

Moreover, the most important ingredient, Mana Stone, cannot be used in Olif's products anymore because the Count has cut off the supply.

"In the next year, our Ulysses potion will become number one. I will make it happen."

"We must become an overwhelmingly unbeatable number one. By the way, you won't leave Duke Olif alone like this, right?"

"Of course not. Valuable knights almost died."

The Count's expression changed fiercely.

"I will never let it go just like that!"

The Count showed a strong determination.

"By the way, how are your preparations for the entrance exam for the Healing Tower going? Isn't the date approaching quickly?"

"Roykan will take me there. I think I can finish studying and depart."

"Oh, really?"

"Yes, I was planning to go by carriage, but thanks to Roykan, I have some spare time."

"To tame Captain Griffin, I'm proud of you."

The Count smiled proudly while looking at the ancestor, Bartolonga Ulysses that's hanging on the wall.

"I know you've become quite strong, but you still have a long way to go. You'll become even stronger. I know you don't have much time because of your studies, but don't neglect your training. You never know when Duke Olif might launch a surprise attack."

"I will keep that in mind."

I left the Count's office and stepped outside the building.

That's when it happened. A useless thing was flying towards me.

It was Tinger.

Tinger was nervously flapping its wings and coming towards me.