In the dead of night, Violet knocked on the door of the Arcane Sanctum. Sebastian lived on the second floor of the sanctum.Sebastian had already gone to bed, and was accustomed to early bedtimes for his health. By the time Violet arrived, he had been asleep for over an hour.Even the renowned physician had his moments of irritation. When his apprentice reported that Violet had arrived, he donned a robe and glared at Violet as he came downstairs. "You'd better have a good reason for this visit. I'm not on duty tonight."Violet bowed in apology. "Forgive the disturbance, but Prince Rafael sent us a message via carrier pigeon. He requests that you accompany Cari to Westglade to save Lawrence Zielger.""Lawrence Ziegler?" Sebastian hesitated momentarily before recalling the Marquis of Elderglen's second son, who was already reported dead. Without further ado, Sebastian ordered, "Vanda, Mira, prepare the necessary supplies and come along. Bring the best medicine for wounds, the gol
The carriage jolted over the uneven road, and the hurried pace only made the ride more grueling for Kayla. After just half an hour, Carissa noticed Kayla's face had gone pale, her hand clutching her chest as if she were about to be sick.Carissa asked, "Are you feeling nauseous from the carriage ride? Should I have the driver slow down?""No, don't slow down," Kayla waved her hand dismissively. "We need to go as fast as possible. I wish this horse had wings to fly us to Westglade. Don't mind how frail I look, Your Grace—I can endure hardship.""Alright, then." Carissa reached into her bag and pulled out the dried fruits Lulu had packed. Finding some ginger candies, she said, "Suck on this candy. It'll help you feel better.""Thank you!" Kayla popped a piece into her mouth. The sweet and spicy taste spread in her mouth, somewhat alleviating her nausea.-Meanwhile, Rafael had arranged for the carriage to be modified in Simonton City. It was now spacious enough for Lawrence to lie
Throughout the journey, everyone was genuinely on edge.Lawrence's high fever refused to subside. The military physician, who carried a portable stove and medicine packs, prepared and administered fever-reducing and decontaminating potions to little effect.Sebastian's pills had minimal impact, though they were somewhat more effective than the decoctions.Lawrence would occasionally regain consciousness. Each time, he would ask, "Is this our territory?"Upon receiving confirmation, he would force a weak smile before slipping back into unconsciousness.The military physician explained that persistent high fever could impair brain function, and memory loss was a normal consequence.Eventually, Rafael decided to have Dylan lead his horse alongside the carriage, and he joined Lawrence inside.Even when Lawrence was semi-conscious, Rafael would gently hold his hand and talk to him. He would describe the beauty of the Southern Frontier, update him on his family's situation, and reassu
Jacob and Dylan lay in the carriage, with a soft cushion spread over them. Everyone then placed Lawrence on top, and Dylan and Jacob each extended a hand to hold him steady.The gamble had begun—they were on their way.With three people now in the carriage, the military physician had to dismount and ride on his own horse to increase speed. If any issues arose, Jacob would immediately call for the military physician to come back up.The carriage was stifling. Dylan and Jacob were covered with a soft cushion and laid next to Lawrence, and sweat quickly soaked their clothes. Before long, their hair was drenched in sweat, making it cling and itch unbearably.Occasionally, the driver would lift the curtain slightly to let in a bit of fresh air. However, he couldn't keep it open for too long, as someone with a fever shouldn't be exposed to the wind.The whip cracked, and the horses sped up. On the uneven, bumpy road, the carriage swayed and jolted. However, thanks to their efforts in st
Sebastian was lifted from his horse and carried through the air, and he felt the world spin and darken momentarily. When he regained his bearings, he found himself set down and standing by Lawrence's bedside.He turned to see who had carried him, but was interrupted by Rafael's urgent voice. "Sebastian, take a look at him quickly."All eyes around Sebastian were filled with hope and tears as the men turned to the renowned physician.He was here—Sebastian had arrived!Ten people knelt, their voices choked with emotion. "Please, Sebastian, save his life!"Mira carried a medicine kit and entered. Sebastian took one glance at Lawrence's condition, and knew that stabilizing him was the immediate priority.He took out the piece of a thousand-year-old Evergreen Root, and handed it to Rafael. "Crush this."Rafael squeezed the hard root slice until it softened, and Sebastian swiftly placed it into Lawrence's mouth.The thousand-year-old Evergreen Root was known for its remarkable abil
That night, everyone except Everett stayed awake.They were exhausted, but Sebastian had emphasized the importance of the night. If Lawrence could make it through until morning, there would be at least a ten percent chance of survival.A ten percent chance—it was so minuscule and so heart-wrenching.Sebastian slept on the floor, his exhaustion evident from the grueling journey.Mira and Vanda took turns keeping watch, each taking a two-hour shift.Throughout the night, they administered medicine five times. Initially, Lawrence could only endure a couple of spoonfuls. But by the fifth dose, they could feed Lawrence nearly half a cup.The night was a painful ordeal, each moment dragging on unbearably. Everyone awake repeatedly looked outside, hoping for the sun to rise.In the early hours before dawn, Sebastian woke up. He checked Lawrence's pulse and blew some powder into the man's nose, claiming it was to reduce his fever.Sebastian's dark circles were pronounced, his exhaustio
Upon arriving at the inn, Kayla collapsed to her knees as soon as she stepped out of the carriage, her legs numb and weak from exhaustion. She had endured so much, both physically and emotionally.Carissa helped her up as Kayla said, "Hurry, take me to him."The greatest torment of Kayla's journey had not been the motion sickness or the jostling of the carriage, but the constant worry about Lawrence's condition.Carissa supported her inside, and Rafael approached them. The couple exchanged a glance, and Rafael nodded, a silent assurance that Lawrence was still alive.Carissa breathed a sigh of relief. Then, she looked at him deeply concerned, noting how much weight he had lost.She assisted Kayla up the stone steps and to the door of the room. Everyone stepped aside, allowing Kayla to see her husband lying on the bed.She paused at the door, covering her mouth with her hands. Tears quickly blurred her vision, and they began falling in large, heavy drops.Just when everyone expec
Rafael shook his head, his voice still charged with excitement. "No, Septimus isn't just one person, and it wasn't Thomas either. There are eleven of them… Wait, who's that?"He noticed a horse circling nearby, with someone slumped over its back. The person's hair was cascading wildly, making it hard to tell who it was.Carissa gasped, and hurried over. "It's Vivi! She's been ill all the way, and I forgot about her!"Carissa carefully helped Violet down from the horse. When Violet dismounted, she nearly fell to her knees like Kayla had, cursing as she went."You heartless wretch! I accompanied you the whole way, and you forgot about me! Once I'm better, I'll make you regret it."Exhausted, Violet leaned on Carissa's shoulder. Carissa apologized, "I'm sorry. Let's get you inside to rest. I was just rushing to get Kayla inside to see her husband."Violet didn't have the energy to scold Carissa further, and asked urgently, "How is he? Is he alright? I wanted to see their reunion