Then…
He laughed. It was low, charming, and filled with genuine amusement. He hadn't laughed like that in a long time.
Alder sputtered, with his face reddened. "You… You're a physician. If you examine the prince, you should tell us."
"I'm not running a charity hall." Zora then pointed at the large plaque outside. "Does this place say Free Clinic?"
Her gaze slid toward Kael Moonstone.
And then she sighed dramatically, trying to hit back at him. "And your prince is so poor he can't even pay back a hundred gold coins. Why should I tell him anything?"
Alder nearly fainted. "Then why did you even diagnose him?"
"My mood," she replied instantly with a blank face. "I felt like it."
Alder stared at her, opening his mouth and closing like a fish. This was the first time in his life that he felt what it meant to be defeated by someone's personality.
Kael Moonstone's playful expression, however, faded as he looked at her seriously for the first time.
"You truly know the reason behind my paralysis?" he asked quietly.
Zora lifted her delicate chin with clear pride, her phoenix eyes shimmering with confidence. "Of course. Otherwise, how could I dare open the clinic at such an age, all alone?"
She said it lightly, almost lazily, but it carried a sharpness that made his eyes narrow with interest.
A sly smile curled on his lips.
Before she could step away, a warm hand suddenly wrapped around her wrist firmly, and then he leaned in, "Darling, since I already belong to you… Aren't you going to take care of me?"
Her brain blanked.
His handsome face was too close, his tone too serious for the nonsense he was spouting.
"I believe," he continued solemnly, "that seeing your man suffer must hurt your heart… even if you refuse to admit it."
Zora's temple throbbed.
This man… This beautiful, shameless, self-directed, self-indulgent man… was truly testing the limits of her patience.
"We've only met twice." She spoke slowly, suppressing a strong urge to strangle him. "Leave the medical hall. Now. Immediately."
She turned sharply, intending to walk away before her temper snapped.
But...
A pull came in response. The sudden force made her entire body lost balance.
Before she could even react, she fell backward, straight into the arms of Kael.
Alder's eyes nearly popped out of his head, watching the scene: Zora was sitting directly on Prince Kael's lap, and one of his arms was wrapped around her slender waist. The other still held her captured hand.
And Kael… His master...
He looked utterly pleased with himself.
Zora was stunned by the sudden pull, and then, as she twisted her head, she found her face barely an inch from his face. It was so close she could see her own reflection in his dark pupils. Her lips quivered.
A slow, gentle smile then spread across his lips. "You're even cuter when flustered."
His voice was low and warm, carrying a hint of pampering that made her scalp tingle in panic.
That was enough.
Her senses snapped back, and she immediately tried to get up.
But his arm tightened around her waist like an immovable grip, "Is the girl shy?" he murmured in her ear.
A faint scent drifted from him, making Zora flush red to her neck. She hated that such a dangerous man carried such an alluring scent.
Shaking off her thoughts, she sharpened her gaze. "If you don't let me go," she said quietly but almost in a threatening way, "you'll regret it for life, Prince."
Even if her current rank was not enough to defeat him, she had a hundred ways to make him suffer.
Kael, meanwhile, stared at her for a moment… then slowly released her with a sigh.
"I was just joking," he said innocently. "Why be so serious, Darling?"
She managed to stand up and straightened her clothes; her gaze turned extremely cold as she said, "You're an imperial prince. Countless girls would gladly flock to you. Why bother with me? Isn't it boring to make such jokes at my expense?"
"Because I'm not interested in anyone else." His reply came instantly. "I only like you."
Her eye twitched.
This man lied with such sincerity that it could win awards.
"But I don't like you."
The moment those words left her lips, Kael's expression dropped dramatically, and then in the next moment, it turned quite a bit exaggeratedly, with a heartbreak written all over his handsome features.
"Is the girl… already married?"
"No." She answered reflexively.
His whole demeanor brightened like spring. "Good, then I'm relieved. You can consider me. I'm quite good at being a husband."
"Get lost."
Her patience finally snapped.
If she stayed another second, she really would stab him.
She turned and stormed into the medical hall without looking back.
Alder watched her leave, then turned to Kael, who was still smiling faintly, looking pleased despite being cursed at.
"Master, we…"
"Go."
His purpose here was achieved.
"Darling," he murmured under his breath, "you truly are interesting."
*
Alder half-pushed, half-guided Kael's wheelchair through the streets, toward the Palace, but the entire way, his gaze kept drifting toward his master's face.
Kael noticed it, of course.
Without even turning his head, he said calmly, "If you have something to say, then say it. Staring holes into me isn't like you."
Caught, Alder scratched his head awkwardly. "Master… do you really like the daughter of House Phoenix?"
For years, Kael Moonstone had always kept a respectful distance from women. Countless noble ladies adored him, yet he never looked at any of them twice.
But once Zora appeared, the young prince's behavior shifted subtly at first, then undeniably.
Still… liking her?
The idea felt exaggerated.
Kael Moonstone's lips curved into a faint smile. "Don't you think she's… interesting?"
Alder blinked.
What did that even mean?
Did that count as liking her, or not?
But the prince didn't continue. His expression returned to calm stillness, and the rest of the journey passed in silence.
*
Back in the Origin Medical Hall, the furballs rolled over like two chubby dough balls, staring at Zora with huge, round eyes.
She looked at them suspiciously. "Why are you staring at me?"
Black whispered, "Master, you blushed just now."
White added thoughtfully, "That prince… aside from his legs, he's actually pretty good-looking. With your skills, healing him shouldn't be hard."
Before they could say another word, Zora flicked her hand.
Bang! Bang!
Two squeaking furballs flew across the floor.
She turned away with a face full of irritation.
That shameless prince
He had actually played with her emotions and her sanity at the same time.
She had lived two lifetimes, yet this was the first time she'd met such a maddening man.
*
Meanwhile, news from the palace spread like wildfire through the imperial city.
"The Prince is sick, burned up with strange blisters. Doctors can't cure it."
"I heard it's so painful he screams all night."
"The Emperor has offered a reward of one hundred thousand gold coins to anyone who can heal him."
At the mention of 100,000 gold coins, every passerby nearly choked on their own breath.
"That much…? Who wouldn't want to try? Even failing once is worth it."
"But even the imperial doctors are helpless. Who else could cure such an illness?"
In the Origin Medical Hall, Zora's lips curved into a sly smile.
The little furballs immediately rolled back to her feet, terrified of teasing her again after seeing that smile.
"Master," White whispered cautiously, "is the Prince sick because of the powder we sprayed last time?"
The Black Powder they sprayed on Luna and the White Powder for Philip.
Luna already scratched herself half-crazy, right there on the same hour.
But Philip had looked perfectly fine these past few days.
That only meant...
Something was waiting to explode.
Zora's grin widened. "You're right."
Both furballs shuddered.
The owner's smile was terrifying.
"This kind of trash," she said softly, "should learn what true pain feels like."
Black tilted his head. "Then why wait until now? Why did he only fall sick today?"
A cold glint flashed through Zora's eyes at that question. It's because 7 days have passed."
Exactly seven days after the opening of the Origin Medical Hall.
"Scorpion Venom Powder doesn't attack immediately. It only erupts after seven days, and the pain is unforgettable."
She tapped her fingers against her chin, expression sharp and cunning.
"Philip broke my head. Now he will repay that interest tenfold."
As she spoke, she added with pride:
"And more importantly, he will become my advertisement."
Black's little furball body stiffened. "What… advertisement?"
Zora folded her arms. "The Emperor dotes on Philip. If the imperial doctors fail, and they will for sure. Then, he'll send out a public notice to find a doctor."
"At that time, everyone in the city will hear it."
White's eyes sparkled. "And then the owner's Origin Medical Hall will become famous."
Zora let out a sharp but beautiful and ruthless smile.
"Exactly."
"Then shall we go heal him now?" Black asked eagerly, puffing up its tiny fur. "Or… should we let him suffer a bit longer? Honestly, I'd prefer he just dies."
Zora snorted. "Dying is too cheap."
"The original Zora suffered for years because of him. He deserves to taste every bit of that pain."
White nodded seriously. "So master is waiting for… two more days?"