Chapter 169: The Lesian Empire (4)
The decision to leave two Shadows in the empire was made quite easily.
Hongyeong looked around at the other Shadows and signaled.
In the empire, Soyeong and Heukyeong will stay.
Understood.
Okay, will do.
The rest will return to the Holy Kingdom with me today.
Curious, Soyeong asked her a question.
But was it necessary for us to follow Ray to the Lesian Empire? We could have just stayed quietly at the academy.
The safety of the Saint is our reason for existence. We were told to watch that sinister sorcerer, but if there is a threat, its our role to eliminate it.
The implication was clear to everyone.
Soyeong nodded in understanding.
So thats why you were talking with Zik like that?
Since the three families wish to cooperate, the Shadows must also align with that.
Hmm. But why me and Heukyeong? Among the Shadows, my combat ability is the weakest.
She implied that it might be challenging to respond to incidents in the empire.
Hongyeong shook her head.
Its not combat ability we need. Its about how much danger we can detect in advance. Youre the fastest in information processing among us.
Is Heukyeong for dealing with unforeseen circumstances?
Yes.
Hmm understood.
In exceptional situations, you have the permission to act based on your independent judgment.
Heukyeong nodded at her signal.
Dont worry about us, return to the Holy Kingdom.
Understood. While the Shadows, including Hongyeong, return to the Holy Kingdom, the safety of the Saint is entirely entrusted to the two of you.
With that signal and leaving only a faint scent, the figures of the five Shadows disappeared.
They were now focusing on returning to the Holy Kingdom at full speed.
It took nine days by carriage, but with the speed of the Shadows, they would take a full day to return.
Left alone, Soyeong and Heukyeong exchanged thoughts.
I plan to delve into the power struggle of the imperial family right away. It seems to reek over there.
- Agreed. I will take on the surveillance of the princess. We will conduct our respective reports every night from below.
- Alright. Lets disperse.
With the last signal, the two Shadows vanished from Luciellas room as if by magic.
The princesss room, guarded like a fortress, was as accessible to them as their own, a testament to the skills honed over nearly a thousand years of serving the Saints.
Ray was called to the imperial palace early in the morning.
It seemed about time, and as it turned out, today was the day.
Following the maid leading him, he soon arrived at the large lobby doors.
The doors, adorned with jewels and even magic circles, were evidently fortified against magical attacks.
Even the door was laden with magic, making it appear more like a magicians tower than actual mage towers.
As the maid opened the lobby door, Ray raised his hand in thanks and stepped inside.
There, four princes and three princesses were seated.
The age difference among them was quite significant.
Wow, the Emperor must be strong.
As time passed with them remaining motionless, Ray frowned slightly.
Among nobility, it is basic etiquette for those of lower status to greet those of higher status first.
In reality, princes and princesses rank a step below Saints.
Despite this, their disregard for proper etiquette suggested they were either testing Ray or deliberately disrespecting him.
Clearly, they were deeply misguided.
Only the first prince, the second prince Luke, the third prince, and the second princess rose upon seeing Ray.
The others did not even bother to stand, looking down as if they had conspired together.
Ray was not one to be easily intimidated or insulted.
Since they didnt greet him, he resolved not to initiate a greeting himself.
He muttered to himself, Even dogs greet each other when they meet.
His casual demeanor stood in stark contrast to his harsh words, prompting a reaction.
Luciella, the third princess, raised her voice.
How dare you utter such blasphemy in our presence!
The fifth prince also stood up at her outcry.
We expected much from the Saint of the Holy Kingdom. But in reality, you are nothing but impolite!
They were indignant.
But Ray didnt care whether they were angry or not.
He was just slightly irritated that they had summoned him and then failed to show the proper respect.
Finally, the first prince, who had been silent until then, spoke up.
Enough, everyone. We invited the Saint, and we called him here.
Everyone fell silent at his words.
It seemed that in this place, the first princes words carried the most weight.
The first prince quickly apologized.
We were momentarily taken aback by the Saints appearance. Please dont take it too much to heart. My apologies. I am Jared, the first prince.
Despite his apology, the first princess showed a different reaction.
First Prince, I think this needs to be clarified. Uttering such foul language in front of royalty is a grave offense.
Hmm.
The first prince seemed troubled by her comment.
Disregarding the first princess, who belonged not to his faction but to the second princes, could be problematic.
Interfering in such a matter involving the Saint could even change the successor to the throne.
Witnessing all this, Rays expression grew even more stern.
Even if the Emperor himself had been present, such rudeness would not have been acceptable.
So this is how they play it?
If they were going to be inhospitable, he had his own plans.
He turned his back on them.
If this is how its going to be, forget it.
His immediate concern was not the Holy Kingdom but the Lesian Empire.
Moreover, the Holy Kingdom did not engage in trade with the Lesian Empire.
With nothing to lose and no diplomatic issues at stake, the empire wouldnt dare wage war against the Holy Kingdom.
After all, the Holy Kingdom, capable of independently eliminating necromancers and the Bone Dragon, implicitly became the strongest nation on the continent.
The only question was how to maintain this status.
At present, the Holy Kingdom had also cut off trade with neighboring countries. Financially struggling, it might not remain the strongest nation for long.
Yet, it was still sufficient to stand up to the current empire, especially with its iron-blooded ruler bedridden.
Without hesitation, Ray opened the lobby doors and left.
It was a disastrous first meeting.
The issue was not whether or not greetings were exchanged.
The problem was their ill intentions towards him, a stranger, which they expressed through their actions.
They were clearly under a severe misconception.
If Ray spread a rumor about the worsening condition of the iron-blooded ruler, the empire could crumble from within.
He could do so because the Emperor had unified the internal rebel forces and the nobles who sought sovereignty.
Without the Emperor as a central figure, the Lesian Empire, known as the strongest nation on the continent, would quickly descend into chaos.
They should have understood the situation well. Simply put, they needed to distinguish between those who could be provoked and those who could not.
He wanted to thoroughly crush them, but he had no intention of leveraging the Emperors life against their rudeness to apply pressure.
Although it was suggested in the lobby to give up, Ray, who had returned to the private room, deeply contemplated the Emperors illness.
On the parchment, Stiff-person syndrome was written, and he was listing the items needed for treatment.
There was no need for surgery to treat this condition.
However, the necessary medication was a major issue.
Among the immunosuppressants, the drugs needed for Stiff-person syndrome were mainly Benzodiazepines or Chlordiazepoxide.
Of course, these two are essential, and there is the Cloben Tab, which alleviates symptoms of acute, painful musculoskeletal disorders.
In the modern world, a request to the medical department would suffice for supplies, but here, one must either make it or find an alternative.
Ray thought about the Emperors physical condition.
To reduce the tension in the severely stiffened muscles, he needed to find substances that acted similarly to relaxants and develop them into medications.
He knew the basic composition of the drugs.
However, even he did not know the intricate methods of drug manufacturing.
Since it was not possible to produce immunosuppressants or muscle relaxants as in the modern world, complete healing was impossible.
However, it should be possible to continue daily life with some discomfort.
That alone would be fortunate.
It was uncertain whether the rest could be healed with divine magic, but it seemed likely that the muscle tension would decrease, preventing serious issues.
Ray wanted to treat the Emperor as soon as possible and return to the Holy Kingdom.
He had no desire to stay in the Empire, as there was much to do at the Academy.
To do so, he had to search for the drugs personally.
First, he would look for a plant called chamomile.
Chamomile is famous as an anti-inflammatory.
Drinking an infusion of this plant reduces muscle tension and contains a large amount of anti-inflammatory substances that relieve skeletal muscle spasms.
Thus, although it may be less effective than medication, consistent consumption could yield significant results.
Next, he would look for blueberries.
Blueberries are high in anthocyanin, an antioxidant.
This anthocyanin, like chamomile, is a powerful anti-inflammatory.
Plus, with abundant minerals and vitamin C, its ideal for lowering cortisol levels.
If these were concentrated and taken by the Emperor for a long period, muscle tension would significantly reduce, allowing physical movement.
A long-term side effect could have been increased sleepiness and sleep disorders, but he was confident he could fix those as well.
If the ingredients of chamomile and blueberries were concentrated into pill form and combined with repetitive physical therapy, the treatment would finally be on track.
Stiff-person syndrome isnt a severe illness.
Its only a life-threatening disease in this world, but in the modern world, its just an immune disorder that isnt impossible to treat.
If he were to be stumped by such a disease, the title Hand of God would weep.
Although he had the cheat of divine magic, he didnt want to rely on it.
Ray continued to write on the parchment, thinking of other ways to treat the illness.
If this didnt work, he planned to try other methods.
Theoretically, it was possible to move the body, but the outcome was uncertain.
From now on, it would depend on how much the Emperor would follow instructions.
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