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Chapter 027…………………………………
It was as if energy that had failed to find its proper path had spilled out in every direction, overflowing and entangling itself.
It was fortunate that he was unconscious. If he had been awake, he would have had to endure unbearable pain every single day.
Right now, it was merely a tangled mess—but the moment the man regained consciousness, he would instinctively begin to move his ether. And once that happened, the pain would begin.
“The flow of his ether is completely ruined.”
“Yes, thank you for telling me so early.”
She replied absently while continuing her examination.
As expected, something was off. What exactly should this condition even be called? The ether was twisted, yes, but…
“Did the people who cared for this patient suffer any harm?”
“Many of them quit due to minor illnesses.”
How could that be?
The power of healing still clearly remained inside his body. And yet, those very forces were instead destroying him.
Was it because of the medicinal materials Tinte had used? But even so, it felt like a power far too familiar to be that.
She glared at the status window, then at the man’s face once more.
“Something is strange.”
She tapped the potion bottle lightly. The steady motion helped her organize her thoughts and focus.
As if being drawn in somewhere, she sank into contemplation.
Strange. It really was strange.
“Why is he vomiting blood?”
What had she just said?
For a moment, Tinte thought he had misheard. But as if confirming that what he heard was real, Rita—her pink curly hair swaying—spoke again clearly.
“Why does he vomit blood?”
“…How would you even know that?”
“You shouldn’t hide a patient’s condition.”
“It only happened once, two years ago. It wasn’t a recurring symptom.”
It had only happened once.
The patient had vomited blood only that single time.
And that had been two years ago, so he believed it held no meaningful clue for the current condition.
Of course, he couldn’t say that out loud.
Rita’s gaze as she looked at him was cold. It was nothing like her usual self—someone who would giggle foolishly and constantly look for excuses to run away.
For some reason, she felt difficult to face.
Tinte closed his eyes briefly, then opened them again and apologized.
“I’m sorry.”
“That’s fine.”
Rita tapped the potion bottle again.
He had thought she carried the empty bottle around like some kind of charm, but perhaps it was just an attachment object of her own.
Rita pulled something out of her pocket and put it on.
“…What is that?”
“Glasses.”
“Glasses? You don’t usually wear them, do you?”
The question came from Cedric.
Rita glanced at him and replied lazily, “I wear them when I need to focus.”
Her attitude was obviously irritated and uninterested. Yet Cedric seemed amused, smiling faintly.
It felt odd. Tinte knew Cedric wasn’t someone who smiled often.
He only smiled when necessary. It wasn’t truly smiling—it was just forming a smile.
But recently, Cedric had been smiling quite often.
At first, Tinte thought it was because two boxes of gold had arrived at the grand duchy as promised.
Cedric had used that money to buy relief grain for the starving people of the duchy, and with the remaining funds, he even sent cotton-padded clothing to the poor near Lueta Village, hoping fewer people would freeze to death.
But… was that not it? Was there another reason?
“You look good with them.”
“I didn’t put them on for looks… Anyway, could I get a pot?”
As if enchanted, Tinte followed Rita’s request. Only after handing over one of his regularly used pots did he realize what he had done.
He opened his mouth in shock, then closed it again.
Rita’s pink, thick curls bounced like cotton candy whenever she moved.
Frowning deeply, she scribbled something on paper, then looked at the patient on the bed again before sighing and tying her hair loosely with a ribbon.
“I’m going insane, seriously.”
“Is something wrong?”
“No, wait… this won’t work with just the Shinta fruit alone. Right.”
She muttered to herself, then struck her own head lightly and buried her face in the paper again.
Tinte tried speaking a few more times, but it was as if his voice didn’t reach her at all.
Rita was terrifyingly focused. Even though others were in the room, it felt as if only she and the patient existed.
She opened his eyes, examined his mouth, and when that wasn’t enough, she even called Harun to help turn the patient over briefly.
Each time, Tinte’s heart sank, but he let her continue.
After all, he had already given up on this patient. If she could save him… then so be it.
“Tinte-nim, what will you do if Lady Rita actually cures Lucas?”
Harun asked him at that moment.
“Then Rita would become the chief physician of the grand duchy.”
“That’s not what I meant. If her treatment requires potions, then what?”
“……”
He didn’t know.
Of course, he had promised to allow potion treatment if there was improvement. But resentment still lingered in his heart—anger toward potions.
That anger had begun the day his only son collapsed, hovering between life and death.
Even though he had clearly heard Cedric and Rita make their agreement, Harun’s question likely stemmed from that very issue.
He was telling him to decide.
There was certainly much he wanted to say about it.
He remembered the day he last spoke with Lucas.
It was the day he saw a pink potion being poured into the mouth of his frail son—the mysterious potion with a murky golden swirl at its center.
If he could go back to that day, he would snatch that potion immediately and pour it out, and never allow another potion into the grand duchy again.
Just as he was doing now.
But—
“We need more medicinal herbs. Do you have them?”
“…Which herbs do you need?”
“Just a moment. These I’ve written here—at least five of each herb.”
Rita handed him a sheet of paper.
Tinte slowly scanned the list. Most were rare herbs, extremely difficult to obtain and handle.
Harun peeked over his shoulder and clicked his tongue, whispering to Cedric. But Rita’s attention remained fixed solely on him.
“Do you have them or not?”
she asked sharply, her gaze urging him not to waste time.
Tinte hesitated, then nodded.
“I have all except one.”
“Only one? Which one is missing?”
“Runtea. That herb has completely gone extinct. It can’t be obtained anymore.”
Rita scratched her head in frustration, muttering under her breath. Her already loosely tied hair became even messier.
Then she suddenly lifted her head.
“Fine. Then leave that one out. You can get the rest?”
“Of course.”
“Prepare them quickly.”
“I’ll bring them soon.”
Fortunately, the rest were stored in his warehouse.
At Cedric’s gesture, Harun followed behind Tinte as he headed toward the storage room. Tinte looked back and said,
“I must pick them myself. These herbs are sensitive.”
“Yes, do so. Pack them properly and then hand them over to me. You won’t be able to carry them all alone, Tinte-nim.”
Tinte’s hands trembled slightly as he gathered the herbs.
Harun, sensing his complicated feelings, said nothing.
“I’ve brought them.”
“Yes.”
Seeing the two return with bundles of herbs, Rita pointed to the table.
While Tinte and Harun laid them out, Rita took the patient’s hand and closed her eyes.
It felt as if wind was blowing beside her.
No—it definitely was wind. A faint golden light, almost sacred in appearance, swirled gently around her.
Her tied-up hair fluttered wildly in the light, and the worn ribbon finally slipped off, falling to the ground. Freed, her hair flowed with the wind.
Everyone in the room stared at the scene, completely transfixed.
