After docking her Airfish in a personalized hangar, Arika led Vahn to a location deep within the confines of the ‘Sun Palace’, the central hub of the Royal Palace Complex. She didn’t waste time trying to explain the significance of any of the structures, and, much to his surprise, Vahn noticed there were very few people living inside the massive structure. In fact, it was similar to a ghost town, complete with a rather dreary and depressive atmosphere. There weren’t even any guards, and, rather than rely on living servants or slaves, the Palaces’ maintenance was left to doll-like automatons and a comprehensive network of enchantments that kept everything in a pristine state.
Though it was just a guess, Vahn imagined the cold and distant countenance of Arika was the direct result of the Royal Family’s apparent isolation. Other than a few historical artifacts and the occasional painting, there were no gaudy ornamentations in the palace. There were also no Noble families outside of the Ostian Royal Family itself, so, unlike other nations, there was no infighting. Rather, there was a startling lack of corruptive elements within the place, almost as if the people within were far removed from the affairs and sensibilities of the outside world.
After mapping most of the Royal Palace, including several hidden areas that his domain failed to probe, Vahn found himself outside a chamber that was seemed to shine like the sun. It was drastically different than the rest of the palace, complete with a bed that was infused with tens of thousands of gems known as Sunstones. The frame of the bed, formed from a silvery-gold alloy of Mithril and Sacred Gold, would be enough to fund the military spending of an entire nation for ten years.
Though it might seem excessively gaudy, Vahn knew the true purpose of the bed was simply to preserve the life of its inhabitant, a frail-looking woman with features similar to Arika, albeit far more mature. Had her cheeks not sunken in, giving her a vaguely skeletal appearance, she would have easily been a world-class beauty. Instead, she looked like someone with two feet in the grave, her body emaciated to the point that her joints were thicker than the limbs they supported…
Despite appearing at though she was awaiting the arrival of the Reaper, the woman’s eyes still shone with a considerable amount of vitality. Her heterochromatic eyes showed absolutely no signs of fear or resignation, the emotions commonly seen in the nearly-deceased. Instead, her eyes reflected incredible wisdom, compassion, and a small amount of curiosity. If she still had the ability to speak, Vahn had no doubt she would have greeted him cordially despite having no idea who he was…
Approaching her mother’s side, Arika showed the closest thing to an emotion Vahn had seen, her brows furrowing slightly in consternation as she explained, “Mother, this man is called the Sage Dragon Emperor. Though I know little about him, his connection with the Elementals is unlike anything I have ever seen. He claims to be able to treat your condition. It might be due to my inexperience, but I have chosen to believe his words…”
Hearing her daughter’s explanation, the sickly woman, Anarchia Entheofushia, offered a weak smile as she tried and failed to squeeze her daughter’s hand. She wanted to say that her time had come, but, seeing the hope contained within her usually expressionless daughter’s gaze, she didn’t mind humoring her. She could also sense something peculiar about the man who was closely observing her with pale-golden eyes. It was almost as if he could see through all the truths of the world, but, rather than make her feel uncomfortable, a sense of relief spread through her tired body.
Interpreting her mother’s smile as consent, Arika hardened her heart before looking back at Vahn and saying, “I have placed my trust in you. If you try-“
As he had long since grown tired of hearing such arbitrary threats, Vahn raised his hand to silence Arika, stating, “Do not insult me. You will come to learn that the promise of the Sage Dragon Emperor carries more weight than you can possibly imagine. I have stated I can cure your mother, and I will do just that. By bringing me here, you have already proven your worth as a Queen. Do not insult both of us by questioning your own judgment. Now, step aside.”
Though she was not fond of being interrupted and chided, Arika gave an understanding nod before following obediently moving aside. She wasn’t entirely sure why, but his authoritative and firm tone made her feel at ease. She had never had anything like a father figure, so, for a very brief moment, Arika’s wondered whether or not this was how it felt to be chided by your father…
Unaware of Arika’s thoughts, Vahn approached the sickly Anarchia, a comforting smile on his face as he explained, “I will try to avoid anything too invasive, but you may have to suffer a bit of indignity. Don’t worry, once I’ve cured you, you’ll have plenty of time to find it in your heart to forgive me…”
Ignoring the icy gaze burrowing into the back of his skull, Vahn gingerly picked up Anarchia’s wrist, testing her pulse and scanning her body directly. It didn’t take him long to find out what the problem was, explaining, “You overtaxed the energy hidden within your blood, causing an imbalance that your magical energy could not supplement. Now, in order to sustain itself, the energy in your blood is consuming your vitality directly, drastically reducing your lifespan…”
Hearing Vahn’s prognosis, Arika took it upon herself to explain, “Two years ago, Mother used her power to preserve the life of her younger sister during childbirth. A few months after that, she fell very ill and no doctors had been able to explain the reason why. Is what you say really the truth?”
Without turning to meet Arika’s gaze, Vahn plainly stated, “Though I understand the reason, I have grown weary of people questioning my skills. You have my gratitude for the information, but, if you are going to continue asking me questions, please leave the room…”
Though he could understand why people would be concerned when the matter concerned a person they loved, he would never understand how they justified pestering him when he was already in the middle of treatment. Nothing he said ever allayed their concerns, and, if not for his supreme level of focus when it came to performing medical treatments, there was always a chance their meddling could lead to tragedy.
Sensing the severity in Vahn’s tone, Arika loosely balled her hands into fists before choosing to remain silent. He seemed to know what he was talking about, so, at least for the time being, she decided to simply observe. If he ended up failing, however, she decided she would break most of the bones in his body before turning him over to the Academy Medical Center, giving apprentice physicians a chance to work with a critical patient…
—
With Arika no longer providing any distractions, Vahn began to infuse his Source Energy into Anarchia’s body. It would be infinitely better if he removed her clothes and treated each part of her body directly, but, knowing this wouldn’t end well, he decided to focus on stabilizing her condition. Additional treatments could come later, and, while it was possible to heal her in a single sitting, Vahn felt it would be less jarring if he took his time. Anarchia would require a long period of rehabilitation just to restore the condition of her body, so there was no need to rush things.
Feeling strength gradually return to her body, despite the fact Vahn was just holding onto her wrist, various thoughts began to race through Anarchia’s mind. She actually felt like he wasn’t using his full capabilities, seemingly out of consideration for her state. Despite this, she could feel warmth and feeling returning to her limbs. She could even feel a burning sensation in her legs and toes, appendages that had started to turn gangrenous over the past few days. She had even been able to wiggle her toes slightly, something that should have been impossible due to their previous state of decay.
Feeling Anarchia guide her intent through her own body, Vahn, with his eyes closed, gently squeezed her wrist, whispering, “I understand your surprise, but you shouldn’t interfere with my treatment. Relax your mind and leave your body to me. By the time I’m finished with this preliminary treatment, you will even be able to walk around. Remain patient and let me do my job…”
Hearing Vahn’s words, Anarchia had a lot she wanted to say, and, based on the sore feeling in her throat, she knew it was possible for her to speak. Instead, she followed the example of her daughter, remaining silent and simply letting the mysterious man treat her aching body. Prior to his treatment, the only thing she felt was a tremendous amount of fatigue and an agonizing cold. Now, warmth had returned to her body, and, though it brought a considerable amount of pain, a relaxed smile could be seen blossoming across her face…
—
Nearly twelve hours after his treatment had begun, a small amount of sweat had accumulated on Vahn’s brow. He had kept his Magia Erebea constitution sealed whenever he wasn’t night-lighting as Eva, so, contrary to his usual self, he could experience fatigue. More than physical, however, he was experiencing mental and spiritual exhaustion.
Though it might look like he was just holding onto Anarchia’s wrist, it took an extreme amount of focus to guide his energy through the complex pathways of a human’s body while only holding their wrist. It was similar to trying to ‘imagine’ the structure of the human body in its entirety, accounting for more than seven-trillion nerves and an even more ridiculous number of cells…
Fortunately, Vahn had the experience of literally creating bodies from scratch, including his own, so he was one of the best suited to such a difficult task. If he wanted to, he could create an entirely new body for Anarchia to inhabit, one that was indistinguishable from her current form. This, however, was something he would only do under very specific circumstances, not something he would do just to treat an imbalance of energy…
To his surprise, Vahn could sense Arika pull out a handkerchief in order to wipe his brow, but, as it had already been twelve hours, he took the initiative to remove his hand, using his sleeve to be rid of the perspiration. This caused her to quickly conceal the handkerchief, and, as if he hadn’t noticed it, Vahn focused on Anarchia, explaining, “You are undoubtedly aware of it, but I cannot treat your body by just holding your wrist. Even without further treatment, however, it is possible for you to make a full recovery. So long as you focus on your rehabilitation and eat healthy foods, you should be able to move around freely in around four months.”
Surprising her daughter, Anarchia rose to a seated position, a subtle smile on her face as she asked in a very dry voice, “Tell me…how long…if you help…?”
Before answering the Queen’s question, Vahn pulled out a cup of mellow tea, helping her to drink it as he explained, “If I am able to make use of all my techniques, you would be able to make a full recovery in as little as two weeks. Treating your body would only take a day, but, in order to recuperate completely, you will need to slowly increase your food intake until you are able to fully process the nutrients within. Your body is still unstable, and, if you are not careful, there is a chance you will relapse.”
Having wetted her parched throat, Anarchia gave an understanding nod before eloquently stating, “My daughter was wise to have placed her trust in the Sage Dragon Emperor. Though I know not if there is anything you desire, the Ostian Royal Family owes you a great debt. Lest it endangers our people, know we will do everything in our power to repay your kindness.”
Surprising both women, Vahn waved his hand in a dismissive manner, remarking, “My skills as a physician would be wasted if I didn’t use them to help good people. Things like money and favor have no value to existences such as myself. If your family wishes to repay me, you need only to continue being kind and caring to all peoples. Now, more than ever before, the world needs the caring and compassionate to guide the people through these trying times.”
Awed by Vahn’s benevolence, Anarchia securely stowed his words in her heart before saying, “The words of the Sage Dragon Emperor are a great honor. I will carry them with me until the end of my days, passing their significance onto the generations that follow.”
Hearing her mother’s words, Arika also nodded her head, affirming that she had also taken them to heart. She even felt ashamed of the fact she had ever questioned Vahn’s credibilities, as, seemingly without any effort at all, he had been able to heal her mother. This elevated his status to a level she couldn’t even fully comprehend, igniting her curiosity like an inferno…
Seemingly just as curious, Anarchia went on to say, “I am curious, however…where does the Sage Dragon Emperor come from? I mean no offense, but I have never had the pleasure of hearing about your eminence prior to today…”
Waving his hand once again, Vahn shamelessly stated, “Let me backtrack a bit. If possible, I’d like to dismiss with formalities. I am very proud of my title as Sage Dragon Emperor, but I have never been fond of excessive politeness. My actual name is Vahn Aldrnari Mason. As people I have come to recognize, you can simply call me Vahn. As for my origin, that is a complicated matter I can’t really talk about. Just know that I am not from this world, my Empire does exist, and, yes, I am an Ancient Dragon. In fact, I am something a little bit higher than that, though, based on a variety of circumstances, I can’t clarify how.”
Though she was a little surprised by the sudden change in tone, Anarchia still managed an, “I see…” before adding, “Very well, Vahn. Please, feel free to call me Ana from now on. Though it goes against my principles to address someone outside the Royal Family without formalities, I believe this is a suitable situation to allow an exception. You are the benefactor that had saved my life, and, were it mine to give, I would have willingly dedicated my remaining days to your service. It is a shame, but, so long as I draw breath, I must attend my people.”
Hearing Ana’s words, Vahn issued a light chuckle before winking playfully as he said, “That is a real shame. Fortunately, like your people are lucky to have you, I am fortunate to have quite a number of people at my side. It might be a little shameless of me to admit, but my Imperial Harem has nearly reached a hundred people. I might not have any trouble ensuring their happiness, but I do feel a little guilty whenever I get involved with another woman.”
Though harems weren’t particularly rare, both Anarchia and Arika were a little shocked by the ‘boldness’ of Vahn’s statement. They both got the impression he was messing with them, but, at the same time, his words carried a sincere undertone. As a result, Arika felt as if her hands had become slightly clammy while Anarchia, more experienced with such things, internally remarked, (“A Dragon, indeed…”)
(A/N: Alternate Titles: ‘Vahn about to give this woman eternal youth out of spite xD’,’Listen to this guy complaining. It’s only seven-trillion nerves and thirty-trillion cells. Ezpz’,’It seems like Vahn had grown more honest and direct…’)
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