Helios lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. The night was still, and the soft glow of the moon streamed through the window, but his thoughts were loud and relentless. Davis had been badly hurt, but fortunately, his injuries weren't too severe. He hadn't lost much blood, and he just needed some time to recover. But even with this certainty, Helios knew the coming days would mean time off for Davis.
Whether Davis liked it or not.
Davis would definitely break down if he returned to duty too soon. In his current condition, he wouldn't be able to protect either himself or Helios, let alone stand for long periods. In the worst-case scenario, Helios would have to interrupt his work and take care of him. Which was really not an option given the workload he had ahead of him.
Frustrated, he rolled onto his side, pulled the blanket higher, and closed his eyes. Perhaps instead of the caffeine tonic, he should have developed something else—something that would give him a restful night. But the thoughts of Davis wouldn't let him go. The situation with him had almost gone wrong. Those assassins had almost caught him—only his combat skills had allowed him to survive the attack.
Davis wasn't just his guard; he had become so much more. Even though Helios still wasn't entirely sure how that had happened. What they shared was special, and Helios was nowhere near ready to let it go. What they had felt too good to abandon, not to mention what Davis regularly did to him.
His thoughts drifted to the other two guards. He had no idea what had happened to them. Most likely, they were dead, but he hadn't seen it with his own eyes. It bothered him that they had disappeared so easily without him being able to witness it. And Dante? That muscle-bound man had performed surprisingly well. Helios had to admit, he had even enjoyed watching him fight. With every strike, he had seen that Dante was a true close-combat fighter. He was slowly starting to understand why Davis thought so highly of him.
But even Dante had been injured during the attack. His wounds must have bled heavily. His clothes had been soaked in blood, but despite the signs of bleeding, the wounds turned out to be surprisingly superficial. Or was it because he was really as good as Davis always said?
Dante... Helios snorted in amusement. The guy had really gotten upset that Helios hadn't used his name. Maybe he was - after what happened - worth Helios remembering his name, or at least using it. But he could still tease him a little.
Helios turned back onto his back and resumed staring at the ceiling. He was too awake to fall asleep again. He sighed and got up. Stretching his tired limbs, he looked out the window. The full moon hung high in the sky, its silver light spreading across the landscape, giving it an almost magical, eerie glow. It was one of those nights where everything was still, as if the world was holding its breath for a moment. Helios couldn't help but enjoy the peace. The night had always felt special to him. Perhaps it was the moon, which brought a certain clarity, or the fact that in the darkness, he could freely lose himself in his thoughts.
It brought clarity, or the fact that he could be undisturbed in the darkness, letting his thoughts wander.
He hadn't planned to work through the night again, but as so often happened, life made its own rules.
He closed the heavy curtains and glanced at the clock. Two in the morning. Well, now that he was awake, he might as well test the effect of his new tonic. He walked to his suitcase and took out the vial with the caffeine mixture he had developed the day before. Without hesitation, he drank the entire vial. He had weakened the formula, so he probably wouldn't stay awake for three days again.
Probably.
He just wanted to do something, push away the fatigue, and focus on the work ahead of him.
He placed the empty vial next to his suitcase, knowing he would have to clean it before using it again. He then closed the suitcase, put on a coat, and walked to his bookshelf, where he pulled out a book on mycology slightly. The bookshelf slid silently to the side. Quickly, he slipped into the hidden passage and closed the bookshelf behind him.
On the wall, he had placed a small oil lamp and some matches. He struck a match and lit the lamp's wick. The flickering flame cast dancing shadows on the walls and illuminated a cold, stone passageway. Cautiously, he descended the narrow steps; the oil lamp provided just enough light to see about two meters ahead. He then found himself in a corridor that led outside—but it did more than just lead outdoors.
With a quick glance at the darkness around him, he tightened his coat around his body to protect himself from the cold. He opened the old wooden door leading to his secret laboratory. No one but him knew about this place. It was his retreat, his sanctuary, where he could research and experiment without anyone interfering with his work.
Helios closed the door behind him and lit the candles that were placed around the room. Their gentle flames illuminated the shelves full of bottles, jars, and old books. The room was cold, but that was nothing new. Helios had no way of heating it without drawing attention. The cold was a necessary evil, and the coat would keep him warm until the candles gradually raised the room's temperature a bit.
He walked to his desk and set down the lamp. It was almost as though time didn't really pass down here. Helios smiled inwardly. If anyone were to stumble upon this place by accident, it would not be good. He was experimenting with substances he couldn't keep in his official lab at Aeternum Pharmaceuticals. The substances he had there could help people in small doses. The substances he kept here, however, could kill with the smallest dose.
But that wasn't the reason he kept them here. It was the allure of darkness, the mystique of these poisons—their unpredictable, deadly power that continually drew him in. Not that he had ever actively tested how they worked, at least not on a living being. But the thought of seeing these substances in action fascinated him. A darker part of him couldn't entirely dismiss the idea of how these poisons would unfold their effects in the right dose.
Some time ago, he had found old records that described in detail the effects of various poisons. So, theoretically, he knew how they worked, what reactions to expect. But practically... maybe he would find out soon enough. But today was not the day for such experiments. Today, he was here to extract more, to expand his collection and continue his research.
___
When Helios turned off the distillation apparatus, it was already 7 a.m. The air in the basement was still cool and slightly damp, but he felt strangely alive—his tonic had worked remarkably well. Five hours after taking it, the effect showed no signs of wearing off. His thoughts were clearer, his senses sharper than ever before. He stretched his stiff limbs and heard the crack in his joints as he stretched.
He had put on thick rubber gloves, not only to protect himself from the cold but also to avoid accidentally coming into contact with the dangerous substances.
Helios' mouth curled into a secret smile as he looked at the small vial of clear liquid. Ricin—he had learned about this poison almost by accident when he came across old records. Since then, he couldn't let go of it. The plant from which the poison was derived, was a true masterpiece of nature, and he had managed to acquire it after commissioning a guild to search for it. It had been incredibly expensive, and the risks involved were enormous. But once he had learned about it, he had become obsessed with the idea.
It hadn't been easy to hold back and not start open research on it. But the danger of exposing himself was too great. Maybe he would secretly plant it in the garden; he could bury the seeds and then the gardener would unknowingly tend to it. That was at least one option. After all, he had already planted other poisonous plants in the garden, and no one seemed to mind. Their beauty had always overshadowed the fact that they were potentially lethal.
Helios carefully set the vial aside. Who else should know about the effects of these plants? He was the only one in this household who knew plants so well that he understood which ones had which effects, which parts were edible, and which were not. He knew the lethal doses better than anyone else.
He hummed softly to himself as he corked the last vial and washed the used glass containers with alcohol. The scent of the chemical substances still lingered in the air as he carefully placed everything back on the storage shelves. Then he grabbed his oil lamp and made his way to leave the secret laboratory.
When he reached the back wall of the bookshelf, he paused to listen if anyone was in his room. Thomas wouldn't come until about 8 a.m. to wake him up. No one else should be nearby, so he extinguished the lamp, hung it back in its place, and opened the shelf to return to his room. As expected, no one was there.
He took off his coat and stepped into the adjoining bathroom. The warm water of the shower welcomed him, and a relieved sigh escaped him as the hot water warmed his cool skin. The muscles that had become tense and stiff from the overnight work began to loosen up a little. Maybe he would actually start training someday, he thought thoughtfully. A bit more muscle mass wouldn't hurt. He knew he was way too slim, and the reality was that he had often skipped meals in the last few weeks. Eating had become a secondary activity in his life—small portions, quick bites, if he even ate at all.
He thought for a moment. If he decided to invest more time in physical activity, he would have to wake up earlier, which was problematic because he was absolutely not a morning person. Already, his sleep time had been significantly reduced, and if he wanted to train before work, he would barely get enough rest. It was a dilemma he couldn't solve. On top of that he had to make time for eating proper meals.
He dried off, put on the clothes that Thomas had laid out for him, and went back to his bedroom while buttoning his shirt. Just as he glanced at himself in the mirror, he heard a soft knock at the door. It was Thomas.
"Good morning, Young Master," Thomas greeted him, surprised. "It's a rare pleasure to see you awake so early." Helios smiled at the old man and nodded as he sat down on the chair.
"I had trouble falling asleep after what happened last night," he explained briefly. Thomas nodded understandingly as he began to carefully comb and dry Helios' hair. He seemed to slip back into his meticulous butler role, with his relentless pursuit of perfection.
"Something happened?" Thomas asked cautiously, his voice already carrying a hint of what might have occurred.
"We were attacked yesterday. Two guards are probably dead, and Davis got hit pretty badly. I want to check on him once we're done here. It would be nice if we could move a little faster," Helios replied.
Through the mirror in front of them, Helios could see the shocked expression in Thomas' eyes. The slight twitch of his eyebrows revealed how deeply the news had affected him.
"Thomas, he's doing alright. I've taken care of him," Helios said in a soothing tone. Thomas sighed quietly, almost imperceptibly, and his shoulders sagged slightly.
"Thankfully, he's alive," he said softly, almost more to himself than to Helios. Helios knew that Thomas and Davis had built a strong friendship despite their age difference. He felt a pang of guilt when he saw the concerned look in Thomas' eyes.
Thomas then looked at Helios with a concerned expression. "Did you sustain any injuries?"
"No, none. Davis and the new guy kept an eye on me," Helios replied calmly, holding Thomas' gaze. "Davis will stay here for a few days to recover. Can you check on him in the evening? I won't be able to leave the lab early if I want to finish the project soon."
"Of course," replied Thomas, and in his voice was the quiet certainty that he would take care of everything. Helios could always rely on him, something he had repeatedly experienced over the years.
Thomas set aside the towel and began combing through Helios' hair. With practiced movements, he worked some oil into the tips of the hair, tousling it and bringing it into its usual, chaotically ordered state.
"The slightly wavy hair, you inherited it from your mother," Thomas said thoughtfully, as he gave the hairstyle its final touch.
"You say that often," Helios replied quietly, the attempt to push away the memory of his mother slipping into his words.
Thomas often mentioned the resemblance Helios had to his mother. It was a topic Helios preferred to avoid, a part of his life he had long since relegated to a dark corner of his memory. He missed her, even though it had been twelve years since she had passed away. The illness that had taken her so quickly and cruelly had changed his life and sparked his obsession with medicine.
He would never forget what she had looked like. Her vibrant, untamed energy, which refused to fade even in her final hours, shaped him to this day. She had been beautiful, more beautiful than any woman he had ever seen. The young ladies who now vied for his attention could never hold a candle to her.
There had been a time when Helios had sworn to himself that he would only marry a woman more beautiful than his mother. But at some point, he had begun to immerse himself in his own research, and his interest in the women around him had faded. Not that he had loved his mother in that way, but her loss had changed something inside him. Only Davis had somehow managed to break through to him, in a way he hadn't expected, but one he now greatly cherished.
Davis would only die when Helios allowed it.
Thomas, having noticed the silent pain in Helios' face, gave him a sad smile. He placed his hand gently on Helios' shoulder, a silent offer of comfort and understanding that spoke more than words ever could.
"I'll check on Davis later," promised Thomas.
"Thank you," said Helios with a slight smile. "Tell the new guy to pick me up at 9:30 a.m. at Davis room. What he does before that doesn't matter to me."
"As you wish," replied Thomas, bowing slightly, his posture always respectful, but it was the gleam in his eyes that spoke more to Helios than words ever could. It was a constant, quiet understanding between them, a knowledge that they were there for each other in everything, without needing to say it out loud.
Helios stood up and grabbed his suitcase. The empty vial from his caffeine shot rolled with a faint sound onto the carpet and finally clattered across the floor. Thomas looked surprised at the vial, and Helios cursed himself for not taking it directly to his small lab.
Shit. Maybe he had been a bit too distracted by Davis' condition.
Thomas ran to the vial and picked it up. A few drops of the tonic remained inside, revealing that it had been full just moments ago.
"Did you take something? Are you not feeling well?" the old man asked, concerned.
Helios sighed softly. "I'm fine, I adjusted the formula for my caffeine tonic."
Thomas gave him a reproachful look.
"You took that damn stuff again?!" he snapped. "Did you forget what happened last time...?"
"I know what happened last time, that's why I weakened the formula," Helios interrupted him sharply. Then he looked at Thomas apologetically. "It won't be like last time. Don't worry, we'll see each other later."
With those words, Helios finally walked to the door to leave his room. Just before entering the hallway, he turned back to Thomas. "Not a word to Father."
With those words, Helios left the room and made his way to his beloved.
___
Davis was in a deep slumber when Helios entered the room. He stood for a moment by the bed, watching the steady rhythm of his companion's breath. Finally, he took a deep breath and began checking the bandages.
He carefully unwound the bandage around Davis' thigh. The wound looked good, clean, and showed no signs of infection. Helios was relieved that the assassins' blades hadn't been laced with poison. A quick glance at the area was enough to give him the confirmation he needed. Everything was fine – at least for now.
As he applied the fresh bandage, he suddenly felt a hand on his knee. Surprised, he looked down at Davis.
"How did I deserve this kind of care?" Davis asked, yawning deeply.
"You didn't," Helios answered dryly as he continued to inspect the wound. "But I wanted to check your injuries before I head to work."
He could barely put into words how glad he was that Davis was still alive. And then there was the difficulty of making sense of his feelings for the man.
Davis chuckled softly, holding his side and wincing slightly. "You're really not sweet at all," he said with a teasing tone.
"I don't have to be," Helios replied, offering a slight smile. "Next time, be more careful. They really gave you a hard time."
Davis raised an eyebrow. "What? No praise for how well I handled it?"
Helios rolled his eyes. "You needed help, that's point deduction."
"Guess I'll have to try harder next time," Davis said with a grin, trying to sit up. But the pain hit him immediately, and his face contorted.
Helios quickly placed a hand on his chest, gently but firmly pushing him back into the pillows. "You stay down for now. If your wounds become infected, you'll be out for even longer. And we can't afford that."
Suddenly, Davis grabbed Helios' arm and pulled him down toward him. Helios let out a surprised sound and found himself, a moment later, lying on top of Davis, who had pulled him close, holding him tightly.
"Let go, Davis, your wounds..." Helios protested as he tried to break free.
"You have no idea how hard it is for me to let you go," Davis said softly, his voice almost a whisper. "I'd rather come with you." A faint, almost melancholic expression crossed his eyes as he continued, "I'm just not coming because I know Dante will take care of you."
Helios snorted softly, a mix of relief and involuntary humor. "You really think highly of that guy."
"Whatever happens, he'll protect you. At least until I'm back on my feet," Davis said with a firm look, exuding determination. His hand still held Helios tightly, as if he never intended to let go.
"Then you better hurry up and get better," Helios said in a slightly annoyed tone, though it didn't completely hide his concern.
Davis grinned despite the pain that was clearly still coursing through his body. "I will. I promise."
Helios exhaled slowly and closed his eyes for a moment. Why was he suddenly so annoyed? And, more importantly, at whom? Why did it feel so difficult to just tell Davis that he was glad nothing worse had happened to him? Was it because Davis had been hurt—hurt because of him? Was it because it was Helios' damn fault they had even been attacked in the first place? These thoughts tormented him, but he couldn't shake them.
"Do you need something for the pain?" he finally asked.
"You've mixed me so much stuff, I don't even know if I can take it all," Davis answered, his voice carrying a smile. "But thanks, you've taken good care of me."
Helios wrapped his arms around Davis, resting his head on his chest and listening to the steady beat of his heart. It was the familiar sound of life, giving him the feeling that everything was okay—and yet he couldn't fully shake the unease within him.
Why did he feel so unsettled all of a sudden? He knew that Davis' injuries weren't life-threatening. They were bad, yes, but not deadly. Still, a strange, inexplicable fear clung to him, one that he couldn't explain. Maybe it was simply the worry that came with being close to someone like Davis—a person who, in the past few months, had become so much more to him than he had ever planned.
Davis had become important to him. Much more than he could ever admit. Over the past months, he had slowly wormed his way into Helios' heart, even though Helios still didn't quite understand how it had happened. Day by day, he was by his side—from morning till night. Today, for the first time in a long while, Davis wouldn't be with him.
A quiet, almost imperceptible voice inside him wished he could simply spend the day here, with Davis. But he knew that wasn't possible. He couldn't let his work rest, especially now that he was exploring the illness and trying to find a solution for Violet.
"You better not get hurt like that again," Helios finally said softly. "I haven't given you permission to die."
Davis chuckled softly. "That's not going to happen. I can't just leave you behind." Shortly after, Helios felt Davis gently kiss him on the top of his head. "You smell good."
"I just showered," Helios replied with a snort. Then he added in a amused tone: "You should try it later. You stink."
Helios slowly sat up to leave. It was time to get started if he wanted to make progress in the lab. But before he fully detached from Davis, he reached out to him. With his free hand, Davis took Helios' chin and turned his head until their eyes met.
Davis looked at him again with that gaze that made Helios weak. If the shower hadn't warmed him up earlier, he would have been feeling it now. He could feel his cheeks growing warm. His gaze was far too intense. But if Davis could look at him like that, it was a good sign that the idiot was doing fine.
"Will you help me with that later?" he asked, running his hand over Helios' lower back. Helios shuddered at the touch.
"Someone has to change your bandages," he whispered.
"Then see you later," Davis said before kissing Helios on the lips. It was a tender kiss that spoke more than a thousand words. A silent promise that everything would be okay, even though Helios couldn't always express it.
A warm feeling spread through Helios' chest. It was a feeling that enveloped him, one he really wanted to enjoy. But he had to leave soon, and Dante was probably already waiting outside for him.
"See you later," Helios said quietly as he stood up from the bed. He gave Davis a smirk. "Be a good boy and rest until I get back."
Davis raised an eyebrow. "You're aware that I'm older than you, right?"
"Physically, that's true," Helios replied with a mischievous grin, sticking out his tongue before turning and leaving the room. As he closed the door behind him, he could still hear Davis' soft laughter.
___
The rest of the day went by just like the day before. Helios spent his time in the lab, immersed in the extraction of new substances. He was making test tonics, which, although they wouldn't yet achieve what would ultimately help Violet, were slowly bringing him closer to the solution. It was a long and tedious process, but he could see progress, even if it still appeared minimal. Under the microscope, at least, he seemed to be moving in the right direction. Although he currently only had the option to examine Violet's blood, at least he could see if certain parameters were changing or if blood cells were being damaged directly.
He knew he would soon need other samples from her to continue advancing his research.
The hours flew by. Eventually, when the clock struck midnight, he realized his concentration was slipping. Fatigue had set in, and he felt completely drained. He forced himself to end what he was doing and when he glanced at the clock it was already 2 a.m. Helios sighed. Although he had promised Davis to help with his shower and bandage change, at some point, the work had completely absorbed him, and time had simply flown by.
He had been awake for 42 hours. The weakened tonic he had taken had not provided the expected 6 to 10 hours of alertness but had kept him on his feet for almost 24 hours. It was a strange mix of relief and concern that he felt. He really needed to weaken the formular more. But despite being awake for so long, he had made good progress on the project and had been able to test a lot. On the other hand, the lack of sleep was beginning to take its toll.
If there was a way to get by without sleep, Helios would seize any opportunity that came his way. But he knew the body had its own merciless logic, and he couldn't cheat it indefinitely. So, he put on his coat after making sure everything in the lab was turned off and cleaned, he grabbed his case and left the room. He locked the door behind him and put the key in his pocket.
"Are you done?" Dante asked.
Helios looked at him tiredly. And damn, the guy looked just as exhausted as he did. It was hard to believe how long he had been going. He simply nodded in response.
"Let's make sure we get home," Helios said, his voice rough and resonating with the effort. He began walking, Dante following him, and the other guard, whose name Helios had never quite remembered, silently joined them, ensuring Helios was protected from all sides. It was one of those little habits that hadn't really been necessary in the company, but the guards seemed to take their job seriously, no matter how secure the surroundings were.
"Sorry, I was so caught up in the work that I didn't pay attention to the time," Helios apologized as they walked down the hallway with the two guards. "It's gotten later than planned."
"Have you made any progress?" Dante asked, his voice genuinely curious, as if he truly wanted to know how far Helios had come.
Helios nodded and looked ahead as he spoke. "I think I'm slowly getting closer to the solution. It will still take a while before I find the right composition."
"Davis has spoken a lot about your work," Dante suddenly said. "He said there's nothing you can't create."
Helios snorted in amusement. "He tends to exaggerate," he replied, though a part of him genuinely felt flattered. It was nice that Davis spoke of him so positively to Dante. "But yes, so far, there hasn't been a problem I haven't been able to solve."
"What about things that seem impossible?" Dante suddenly asked.
Helios looked at him, surprised. The new guard had barely said a word in the last few days, let alone asked a question. And now, he was suddenly so curious.
"For example?" Helios asked, curious where this conversation would lead.
"To bring someone back from the dead?"
Helios stared at him for a moment. What a strange question. He had never worked with dead tissue. It just hadn't made any sense until now. A corpse should stay dead.
"I haven't tried it yet," he finally answered. "But dead tissue can't be revived. No cell activity, no way to allow a substance to attach. It's just not possible."
"What about, let's say... the supernatural?" Dante then continued.
"You'll have to be more specific," Helios smirked, raising an eyebrow. "What exactly do you have in mind?"
"Well, abilities... like rapid wound healing, for example," Dante mused.
"That would be possible, but I'm not sure if I could create something that would make the body automatically heal quickly," Helios responded thoughtfully. "I could develop a tonic that promotes healing, but it would still take some time for the body to actually carry out the healing process."
He sighed and continued, "Wouldn't what you have in mind that technically be magic?"
"Magic? Yeah, maybe," Dante said seriously.
Helios pursed his lips as he thought about it. It was certainly possible to develop a remedy that accelerated the body's healing. Like the blood-stiller he had finished a few days ago. But getting the body to heal on its own, without external help, was a completely different matter. And honestly, that would really almost border on magic.
"Medicine would become useless if cells could regenerate automatically," Helios murmured thoughtfully. "No matter the illness. Especially if it were to happen in seconds."
He couldn't imagine a substance that could achieve such a thing. And he had never come across a report about any ingredient that could have such an effect. Sure, alchemy had once had something to do with magic, at least it used to. Today, it was just a term, a remnant from the old days. But real magic? He had never seen any—nor had he ever met anyone who claimed to wield it.
Still, the thought of the endless possibilities was fascinating. Maybe he could have...
Suddenly, he was abruptly pulled back, and a hand grabbed him firmly by the arm. Helios let out a surprised sound as he almost lost his balance. But someone held him so tightly that he couldn't fall.
"Careful!" Dante growled. "You almost fell down the stairs!"
Dante had grabbed him by the collar, and indeed, Helios hadn't even noticed the stairs. Annoyed, he grimaced. Even though he hadn't seen the stairs, this damn fool didn't need to hold him like a rabbit!
"Let go of me," Helios said in a cold voice. "Next time, hold me differently. This is really degrading. I'm neither a damn rabbit nor a little child!"
Dante, unfazed, pulled him two more steps back, away from the step. "Sorry, but that almost went wrong," he explained, sounding absolutely unapologetic.
"Yeah, I know, you're just doing your job," Helios said, straightening his coat again. The anger inside him slowly dissipated, but he was still not thrilled about the way Dante had grabbed him.
Why did he even want to take the damn stairs? He had been too lost in thought and finally took the path to the elevators, as his mind once again returned to his conversation with Dante.
There was a time when Helios had been genuinely interested in magic. But he had never found the slightest hint that it actually existed. The idea that supernatural powers could exist had never made sense to him. Sure, he had wished for them. He wanted to possess them. But eventually, it was the one thing he had given up trying to pursue.
"There's no such thing as magic," Helios finally resumed, picking up the topic again. "So there are no supernatural abilities. No extreme rapid wound healing, no telekinesis. There's no one who can summon or control elements, and no one can control death. It's absolutely childish to believe that someone could create something that makes the body go through automatic processes that are logically inexplicable. Magic is extinct."
"But what if something like that did exist?" Dante asked thoughtfully.
"If someone could regenerate in seconds, that would be a medical breakthrough that would overshadow everything else," Helios responded, just as thoughtfully. "People wouldn't need medications anymore, and I'd definitely be out of a job," he laughed.
"And have you ever come across a case where someone has come back from the dead?"
Helios didn't need to think for long. "No," he finally replied. "There are cases where someone was thought to be dead—called a 'near-death experience'—but there were no unusual findings."
Helios looked at Dante, who now seemed lost in thought. Dante genuinely seemed interested in the answer. "What you seem to be asking is whether someone who suffered a fatal wound could come back to life or heal from such a wound," Helios observed.
Dante looked at him in surprise, and Helios couldn't suppress a small smile. "I've never encountered such a case," Helios continued. "And I've never heard of anyone having success with such research. But it's probably an idea that crosses every researcher's mind at some point. I can't deny it."
"To be honest, I'm surprised you figured out my real question so quickly," Dante said.
"That wasn't too hard," Helios said with a grin. "Your questions are practically written all over your face."
Dante exhaled slowly. "Would you be capable of creating something like that?"
"With time, I suppose anyone could accomplish anything," Helios answered thoughtfully. "For now, though, I'd say it's not possible. You would have to alter a person at the cellular level for that to work. We're talking about DNA here. What I'm currently doing is targeting the body's cells with my medicine. That's a huge difference. But the topic is certainly interesting."
Helios sighed, and the thoughts of the possibilities that lay ahead caused him to pause for a moment. The combination of real alchemy and modern medical research was an exciting yet daunting idea. It was an area that raised more questions than it could answer.
They continued the conversation, now about Violet's case and how Helios intended to proceed. Dante wasn't a conversation partner with whom you could go into specific details, but he was a good listener. Even though he didn't understand everything, he at least tried to follow along with what Helios was explaining to him. It was a pleasant conversation, and it allowed Helios to reflect once more on the thoughts he had invested in the project throughout the day.
Dante seemed genuinely interested in Helios' work, which made it easier for Helios to talk to him. Normally, Helios only discussed his workdays with Davis—talking about the progress he had made and the insights he had gained.
He really needed to check on Davis before he went to sleep. It was already late, and he had taken much longer than expected to finish up here. Davis was probably already asleep—at least, he hoped so. In the best case, he was sleeping, as a good patient should.
Then it occurred to him that he still needed to check Dante's wounds. Even though they had been relatively superficial, they could still become infected.
"I still need to check your bandages, Dante. When we get home, I'll take a quick look," Helios said.
Dante looked at him strangely for a moment.
"You don't need to, thanks. I changed the bandages this morning, and with the level of injury, I'm managing just fine on my own," Dante replied with a smile, brushing it off.
Right, he was a soldier. Helios paused for a moment.
"You still don't need any painkillers?"
"The wounds really don't hurt."
"If you need anything, just let me know, alright?"
"I will," Dante said, closing the topic.
That left only Davis. He would just quickly check on him, then go to sleep himself.