My hand clasped at my wrist to get my whip when I noticed that King Luke’s focus wasn’t even directed at me. Instead, he pushed me to the side and hissed in pain. When I looked back, I saw that the liquid that was boiling over an alcohol lamp fell down and spilled over his arms.
Then it dawned on me that I must have knocked the breaker down when I hit the table. And King Luke pushed me so that I wouldn’t get burned.
With a pained look, my uncle winced while forcing a smile as he looked at me. “You’re not hurt, are you?”
“King Luke!” I gasped as I looked at the nasty burn on his arm and how the skin seemed to peel either from the chemical or from the temperature. “I’m sorry. What should I do?!” My first instinct was to call for Custard or Viex to heal him, but again, they’re not here.
“Get the pitcher of water over there.” He pointed towards the table to our left as he grabbed one of the vials on the table.
I grabbed the pitcher literally just dumped the contents on his arm. King Luke gritted his teeth in pain. “I was going to ask you to pour it gently. But I guess that’s one way to clean the wound.” He chuckled even though he was in pain.
“I’m sorry.” I repeated. King Luke removed the cork from the vial and poured a blue liquid over his arm.
Instantly, both the burn and red skin healed. I gaped.
“Yes, it is magic.” King Luke answered before I could even voice out my question. He grabbed a nearby towel and whipped away the residues on his arm before he cleaned up the current mess on the table.
I watched him work and arrange all the chemicals on the table. “What is all of these?” I asked.
“Medicine.” He says and lets out a sigh. “At least that’s what I was hoping to accomplish.”
I inclined closer and tapped on a flask with a strange liquid inside. King Luke immediately moved it out of my grasp. “I wouldn’t touch anything carelessly if I were you. Some of these are poisons.”
I moved back defensively. “Poison? I thought you said they were medicine!”
“Dear, in order to create an antidote to poison, we need the poison as an ingredient itself. Both to study and as a healing catalyst. Haven’t you read medicinal books in your realm?” King Luke scrutinized me with his gaze like I have been missing a lot.
“I do read.” I answered. “But putting the word math, science, and reading?” I made a disgusted look to show him how I really feel about such topics. “That I do not.”
“Figures. Those books are hard to understand after all.” He shrugged. “What are you doing here anyway? Did Elizabeth sent you?”
Oh, shoot. “I uh...visited my aunt earlier and noticed that you weren’t there. I came to find you in case you might have a secret mistress somewhere.” I narrowed my gaze and began looking around. “You wouldn’t happen to have one, don’t you?” I whispered.
“A mistress? Now that is ridiculous. I happen to have the best wife in the whole kingdom!”
I grimaced. “My aunt? Really?”
King Luke frowned. “Dear, you and your aunt have a lot in common than you think.” He says and started lighting up an alcohol lamp.
“Uncle?”
“Yes?”
“Why are you making medicine when there’s magic?”
Luke grabbed the flask that I was tapping on earlier and set it up on top of the lamp. “Because not everyone can buy expensive potions or do healing magic. We already discussed this issue with King Fred. He says that he will try to do something about it. But I know the process will take a while. It might also burden him in the process because not everyone would be in favor of lowering their prices.” He grabbed some leaves on a plate and dropped them into the now burning flask.
“Stupid taxes.” I muttered. “Where did you learn all of this stuff anyway?”
“I got curious of your world. On how you were able to survive without magic. So I did my research and found out about how you make use of science to create your medicines. I figured that maybe I can create a medicine that would make use of both magic and modern science in your world.” He smiled proudly. “Maybe this can solve one of the problems that we are currently facing.”
Looking at him working on something for his people, made me feel guilty for even suspecting him or my aunt. What in the world was I thinking of ever doubting two people who are working hard just to give to their people? I guess you can never really erase poverty no matter which realm you live in.
Still, we can never be too sure.
“Can I watch? Or maybe help if you need me to.”
“You can.” He says. “But first, I want you to wear gloves. I’m sorry but I just don’t want to risk you touching anything that might be hazardous.” He went to the other table and grabbed a pair of gloves and handed them to me.
“Why aren’t you wearing one yourself?” I asked as I took the gloves and wore them.
“I know which ones to avoid.” He grabbed a rod and began stirring the contents inside of the flask. “I have a doctor and a warlock that will be arriving here soon. Both of them are helping me create these new medicines. If you’re still interested, but you can and watch.”
“Does the queen know about this?”
“Of course not. It’s a surprise. And I also don’t want her to get her hopes up and get disappointed when it doesn’t work.” The King smiled sadly. “She’s already dealing with too much.”
“You should tell her.” I said and moved the vials closer to him when I saw him reaching out to it. “I mean, she simply thinks that you are ditching your work.”
“Dear, I have finished all my calculations on taxes and budgeting. I swear, the techniques in your world on calculating and budgeting are actually quite useful. My wife bought those but never even bothered to read them.”
I watched king Luke. He looked like a child genius who was just curious about everything. I mean, he is a genius. Who the hell reads complicated textbooks and actually gets to understand them!? That’s crazy!
AND UNFAIR!
“That’s nice. But I hope that you won’t consider looking at the cookbook sections, because I would be really ashamed if you do.” My heart pounded inside my chest as I began to initiate my plan.
King Luke looked up from his work. “Why? You did not vandalize them, did you?” His eyes widened in fright. “Tell me which ones so I can get rid of them for you. Your aunt will be so mad.”
I haven’t thought of vandalizing, but that is certainly a brilliant idea.
“Nope. But I did hide the chalice there.” I chuckled as I ended the sentence.
King Luke gave me an incredulous look as if I was crazy. “What?! Why would you hide such a valuable item there!? Rose, of all the crazy places to hide, why a public place!?”
“Relax. It’s the library and it is in a section where barely anyone reads.”
King Luke set the rod down on the table and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “And here you are, just blatantly telling me this.” He suddenly grabbed my arm and started pushing me towards the exit. “As much as I really enjoy your company, I should do what I have to do. You go and find another hiding spot for it. And this time, please don’t tell anyone about the location. Not even me or the queen. And not even the princes.” As soon as I was already out of the greenhouse, I looked back at my uncle to see him giving me an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry. You can come again and help if you like, but after you find a better hiding spot for it.” He says before closing the door.
I just blinked as I looked at the doors. It’s not my first time getting kicked out of a science lab, but this is certainly the first time that I have been kicked out of a greenhouse.
****[KINGDOM OF TEREAU]****
Viex was growling in disagreement as PRINCE Ace opened his leather bag for the fox spirit to hop inside.
‘Viex, just get inside.’ Custard nudges him with his thoughts.
‘NO! I am a royal guardian and not a piece of luggage.’ He protested.
‘Just go in for now. Before he-’ Custard was cut off when Viex saw PRINCE Ace now towering over him. Viex gulped.
“Did I hear you right?” Ace kneeled down just to glower at the small fox. “Did you just growled at me?” Viex flattened his ears immediately in fright. “I’ll say this one last time. You get in here willingly or I’ll stuff you in like a dead animal.”
‘This is insane.’ Viex grumbled but still hopped inside the leather bag. ‘I’m a royal guardian. I shouldn’t be treated this way.’ Viex had to remind himself that he was doing this for the princess and her younger sister, who’s also technically a princess by blood right.
Viex could already feel that Ace was in a bad mood, especially since he was being forced to wear such cheap armor. But still, how spoiled could this guy be to get upset over such a trivial matter? Viex suddenly admired how the princess manages to deal with a guy like him.
Ace grabbed his bow and folded it until it was small enough to place in the bag along with Viex. He did wrap it with some cloths just so the fox won’t accidentally cut itself.
Viex hid inside the bag as he felt Ace starting to walk. But he would peak out of the small gaps of the leather bag from time to time. They were already walking towards one of the gates that Kellar told them about.
“I’m covering for Delcove’s shift.” Viex heard Ace say as soon as they encountered one of the guards that blocked their way.
“Your face is awfully new. Hey, Finn, look. I found a new guy to clean up your boots.” Viex could hear the amusement in his tone. “And he is an elf.”
“Really? That’s rare. We don’t get that many elves here since they are such goody-goody people.” Viex heard another man. This man’s voice was hoarse and he could just imagine that he’s a big guy. “What did you do, little elf? Did you steal an apple or something?”
The last thing that Viex saw was PRINCE Ace’s hands grabbing the man’s face. Viex groaned inwardly as he averted his eyes for what was about to happen next. The man screamed in pain but his voice was muffled.
Seriously. These guys couldn’t be any more foolish.
“You want to know what my crime is? I fed a man his eyeballs for bumping into me so he can watch how I cut him open from the inside with my blade. Do you want that as well?” Viex couldn’t tell if the PRINCE was lying or not. He sincerely hopes that he was lying because he was getting terrified himself.
“No no! I’m sorry. I won’t bother you again! Don’t touch my eyes!” The big guy named Finn sounded like he was really in pain. What is the prince doing?
But even though he was curious, he didn’t dare to go and look.
“Good. Now out of my way and open the door!” Ace demanded.
“Yes sir!” The two men replied and Viex heard the door creaking open. He felt Ace move forward before the door closed behind them.
After a while of walking, he heard the elf prince clicking his tongue in annoyance. “He wasn’t kidding when he said that the guards here were lax.” Then Viex felt him tapping the bag. “Alright, Viex, or whatever your name is, you can come out now.”
Viex cautiously popped his head out and started to look around.
“What are you looking for? I said that it’s safe to come out. Hurry up!”
Viex fought that urge to hiss as it would clearly piss the PRINCE off. Instead, he jumped down and started sniffing around. Kaya suddenly appeared in front of him, making him jump and arch his back in a hiss.
‘Stop doing that!’ Viex yelled at the glowing spirit that seemed to laugh at his reaction.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” Viex turned to Ace and nudged his head to the side and pointed at Kaya, which Ace couldn’t see. “I assume that our guide is here? Well, what is it waiting for? Ask it to lead the way. The sooner I am off of this armor, the better. F*cking disgusting.”
Viex turned to Kaya with a defeated look. ‘You heard him. Lead the way.’
Kaya’s light flickered in and out in excitement as it started to lead them towards a wall, just beside one of the displayed armor. Viex noticed that Kaya was hovering at one of the lower blocks at the knee level of the armor. Viex stood up on his back legs and pressed the stone block that Kaya was pointing at. The wall fell back and revealed a hidden passage.
Viex looked at Ace to see if he saw the opening. But instead, Ace looked like was regretting every decision that he ever made when he saw how small and narrow the passage was. “You want me to CRAWL in there?”
Viex and Kaya exchanged glances before they nod.
Ace looked like he was about to complain but simply suppressed his emotion by running a hand over his face. “Fine.” He said through gritted teeth. “But I am taking off this bloody armor first!”