Estimated Read Time: 10 min
This story is entirely fictional and has no connection to real events.
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The Kingdom of Mefas was an enormous territory, with half of it occupied by the infamous Demon Forest. Within the kingdom, there were eleven large cities and seventeen smaller towns. Compared to other kingdoms, the number of cities wasn't extraordinarily high, but in terms of size, Mefas was massive. At the heart of the capital city stood the Royal Palace, where the King of Mefas ruled the entire kingdom. The palace was surrounded by roughly half a kilometer of fortified paths, with a massive barrier encircling it, protecting it from any potential attacks.
In one of the palace rooms lay an elderly man on a grand bed. He was King Charles the Ninth of Mefas. With age, his body had begun to fail him, and no medicine or healer could restore him. Even the kingdom's finest healer had failed to cure him. By his side sat a young girl—the King's youngest daughter, thirteen years old. The King had three children in total: two princes and one princess.
> "Then the first and second princes are about to declare war on each other," the narrative hinted.
The princess grasped her father's hand tightly, tears welling in her eyes. The King spoke once more:
> "Enri, I don't have much time left. I know I cannot fully trust my two sons. That's why, after I am gone, you must take charge of this kingdom."
Hearing her father's words, the princess wept even more. Healers had predicted the King would live another two to three years, but his condition had deteriorated sharply over the last two days. He was giving his final instructions to his daughter.
> "The royal knights will follow the first prince's command, and military authority will go to the second prince. But my personal guards will follow your orders. After I pass, you must leave the palace quickly. I have spoken with Duke Uexcul; you will go to his residence, and he will guide you further," the King said, squeezing her hand tightly.
The girl remained silent, overwhelmed by the heavy responsibility before her. She was to end a great war, yet she could not understand why her two brothers would think of fighting each other while their father was on the brink of death. Her heart ached that neither of her brothers had come to see their father even once.
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Meanwhile, Elmond took them by carriage to a tall structure known as the Healer Tower. Alex couldn't help but compare it to a hospital in his world. Elmond and Maria had brought him there primarily to heal Alex's legs. One of Maria's acquaintances worked here, so they didn't have to wait in line. A guard escorted Maria, Elmond, and Alex inside. Maria had already informed the tower in a prior letter that they would be coming, so arrangements had been made to bring them straight in.
After entering the capital, an elderly man and a young girl went down separately. Maria and Alex had offered to accompany them, but the girl refused. The three of them entered the tower.
Inside, Maria met an old friend, Cesli. She was surprised to hear from Maria after ten years. Cesli was a renowned healer at the tower, which was why Maria had come. Maria trusted her implicitly. Elmond and Alex stood to the side as Maria and Cesli began catching up.
> "Do your families know you're here?" Cesli asked.
"No, we haven't given them any news yet," Maria replied.
"But surely you would have told me you had a child before? Am I right?"
"Not at all. He's always been fragile, and that's why we never dared to leave the Demon Forest. For his safety, we told no one."
"But what you did in the Demon Forest… it's such a dangerous place!"
"Let that be. First, look at Alex. We'll discuss the rest later."
After a long conversation, they returned to the main topic. By then, Alex and Elmond had fallen asleep, sitting in Cesli's private room. Exhausted from stories and talking, they rested peacefully. Maria picked up Alex in her arms and brought him in front of Cesli. Alex was deeply asleep. Cesli examined his legs, channeling Pran energy into them. Alex was shocked. Seeing his reaction, Maria panicked:
> "Is it serious? None of my spells have worked on this before."
Cesli replied:
> "There's a minor fracture in his heels."
"But my spell should have fixed that," Maria exclaimed.
Maria thought for a moment.
> "Was Alex ever in contact with a Demon Beast as a child?"
Maria was startled but controlled herself. She had decided not to hide anything.
> "Yes. When he was very young, Elmond took him hunting for Demon Beasts. A Demon Rat bit his leg then."
Maria spoke calmly, but she was lying—Cesli immediately sensed it. Their longstanding friendship made this possible.
> "I don't know what exactly happened to your son, but since you refuse to tell me, I'll treat it as a confidential matter. The main issue is that both Poison and Demonic energy have combined in his legs. This chemical reaction prevents Pran energy spells from working."
Maria was stunned. She hadn't realized Alex had been poisoned. Her spells usually neutralized all poisons, yet this one had resisted. She couldn't fathom how such a young boy could be affected by both Demonic energy and poison. She awaited Cesli's further instructions.
> "I also sense magical energy from an item in his body."
"How is that possible? He's never been in the tower, and we would never let him enter a cursed tower."
"You still underestimate the tower. See how much it has advanced our society."
"I don't want to discuss the tower here. Just tell me if you can cure Alex."
Maria's tone was firm. Cesli remained silent on the matter. She collected some blood and bone fragments from Alex's legs.
> "Give me about a week. I will find a cure for Alex within that time, no matter what."
"Alright, I trust you."
"But where will you stay in the capital? Have you arranged anything? If not, come with me to my house."
Cesli was eager to spend time with Maria, having not seen her in ten years. Maria, however, replied:
> "Thank you, Cesli, but we are trying to remain inconspicuous. I cannot accept your offer."
> "It's fine. I understand your situation. Still, at least let me arrange a decent place for you. Can't I do that as a friend?"
Maria could not refuse. She agreed, and they parted ways. Elmond then took Alex and Maria to their new home, with a guard sent by Cesli to guide them.
After Maria left, Cesli remained standing. Sweat ran down her body; she hadn't wanted to reveal her weakness to a friend. She looked at Alex's blood and began sweating more. She opened a drawer in her room and pulled out several red fruits. She ate one, regaining her composure. She then took off her glasses—a magical A-class item named Medic, which could detect and cure any illness in living or dead bodies. It was the Medic that had allowed her to detect Alex's condition. Using Pran energy to heal him would have exhausted all her energy, potentially costing her life. She felt relieved but also excited; the glasses would no longer absorb energy, but they had provided valuable research material. A faint smile appeared on her face.
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Meanwhile, in Duke Everest von Uexcul's mansion, the Duke and Mefas's second prince sat drinking tea. The prince had come to convince the Duke to marry his daughter to gain his support. Once married, the Duke could not refuse the prince's requests.
> "Uncle Uexcul, your father and mine, King Charles the Ninth, share a deep bond. That is why I propose marriage for your daughter."
Refusing a prince directly was considered disrespectful. Duke Everest knew this well and responded cautiously:
> "It is an honor that your proposal considers my daughter. But she is still very young, and I will not force her will."
> "Uncle, please reconsider," the prince insisted.
The Duke did not reply. Even in anger, the prince knew the Duke was no ordinary man. A regular man had entered the tower and risen to the rank of Duke in Mefas. Though not as powerful as Duke Everest, he commanded great respect from the kingdom. The prince left the mansion, angered, but reflecting on his elder brother's marriage to Duke Mandella's eldest daughter. There were two dukes in Mefas—Everest and Mandella. The second prince had one last trump card, which he planned to use at the final moment.
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(Alex's perspective)
Listening to my mother and her friend's stories, I had fallen asleep without realizing it. When I woke, I was lying in a new bed. As my father instructed, Maria's friend had arranged this place for us. While not as grand as other houses I had seen in the capital, it was beautiful enough—a small two-story home with a pond and a garden for flowers and fruits. For me, it was more than enough. Previously, we had lived in a tiny wooden shack. I felt thankful to Maria's friend.
Night was approaching. I watched the sun disappear, fully absorbed in the sight. Then, I heard a familiar voice—from my ring. I became excited, for I had many questions to ask.
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To Be Continued…