Two days had passed since Richard performed the memory-erasing ritual. The whispers about Rudra had vanished, as if they had never existed. For the members of Alex's division, Rudra was now no one — stripped of the only thing he truly owned: his identity.
That morning, Richard, Alex, and Victoria were having breakfast, discussing the state of affairs around the capital. Between bites, Alex leaned forward and asked,
"Big brother… do you think the boy will survive?"
Richard's face was calm, but his eyes betrayed weariness.
"I wish I had an answer for that, Alex. We can only wait and see. The boy's fate is already sealed. All that remains is for us to witness what the future has forged for him."
Breakfast ended soon after. Alex returned to his headquarters, while Victoria accompanied Richard to Rudra's chamber.
Richard entered quietly and greeted, "Good morning, Chief Healer. Any improvement in the boy's condition?"
The old healer sighed, his tone heavy.
"I'm sorry, Sir Richard. I told you before—this is beyond my hands. All I can do is buy the boy a little more time. Without a true cure, survival is uncertain."
Before Richard could respond, the chamber door burst open. A maid hurried in, breathing hard, clutching a sealed letter to her chest.
"My lord… forgive me… but this letter—it's urgent."
"Wait, Veronica. Catch your breath first," Richard said firmly.
The maid nodded, took a moment to steady herself, then spoke again.
"Someone left this letter with the guards. They said it was crucial and must be delivered to you at once."
Richard frowned. "Urgent? Strange." He broke the seal and unfolded the letter. As his eyes traced the words, his hands trembled, and for the first time in years, his eyes welled with tears.
The healer noticed. "Sir Richard… is everything all right?"
Wordlessly, Richard handed him the letter. The healer read it, his brows rising in surprise before a faint smile crept across his face.
"I knew someone out there could help… though this person's approach is rather unusual."
Richard asked, "So, what do we do?"
The healer clasped his hands behind his back.
"We don't have much of a choice. If we refuse, the boy will surely die within days. If we accept… perhaps, just perhaps, he may live."
Victoria, restless with worry, finally spoke.
"Richard, please. What is in that letter?"
Richard took a slow breath.
"There's someone named Pravisha Oshadhi — a healer from the Indica region. She and her disciples are here in the capital. They're willing to help Rudra, but… their conditions are unusual."
Victoria leaned forward. "What do they want? Gold, land, fortune? Whatever it is, we can arrange it if they can save him!"
Richard shook his head.
"No. They want no riches. Their request is… that while they treat Rudra, none of us are allowed near him. We cannot question their methods, nor interfere. They will come, perform the treatment, and leave."
Victoria's voice rose, sharp with disbelief.
"That's absurd! How can we entrust the boy's life to strangers we know nothing about?"
"I understand," Richard said grimly. "But time is against us. If we hesitate, Rudra may not survive. I won't watch him suffer any longer."
The healer nodded. "There's truth in it, Lady Victoria. The people of Indica are unmatched in their knowledge of herbs and medicine. Rumors say their healing is almost… otherworldly."
Richard closed his eyes, steadying himself.
"Then it's decided. We take the chance." He turned to the maid. "Summon the head butler."
Moments later, the head butler arrived and bowed.
"My lord, how may I assist?"
"There's an address on this letter. Go there. Find this Pravisha Oshadhi and escort her here."
"As you command, my lord." The butler departed swiftly.
The trail led him through the slums of the capital. Asking around, he finally found the woman—an old lady in a tattered hat, tending to wounded children with herbs and quiet chants. Despite her ragged appearance, the air around her carried quiet authority.
The butler approached respectfully.
"Are you Lady Pravisha Oshadhi?"
The woman turned, her eyes sharp yet kind.
"Of course I am. So, my message reached its mark. Good."
"But… forgive me for asking, my lady. Are you certain you can heal the young master? His condition is dire."
Pravisha only smiled.
"Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. That is the way of healing."
The butler bowed, then escorted her back to the mansion.
Richard was buried in a mountain of papers when the butler led her into his study. He rose at once, though his eyes narrowed.
"This… is the famous healer? Are you certain, butler? She doesn't look the part."
The butler nodded firmly.
"I thought the same, sir. But I've seen her skill with my own eyes. Whatever her appearance, she is extraordinary."
Richard exhaled slowly, then addressed the woman.
"It's an honor, Lady Pravisha Oshadhi. Forgive my rudeness—my only concern is my son's well-being. I may have judged too quickly."
Pravisha chuckled, brushing the dust from her hat.
"No offense taken. People judge the cover, never the pages. I'm used to it."
Richard inclined his head. "Then forgive me once more. Please, come with me. Let me take you to the boy."
They walked together down the long corridor. Richard, curious, asked quietly,
"Forgive me, Lady Pravisha, but… have we met before? There's something familiar about you."
The old healer smiled mysteriously.
"I don't believe so. A great merchant like you doesn't forget faces. But perhaps… some things are meant to feel familiar."
Richard gave a small laugh, though unease lingered beneath it.
When they reached Rudra's chamber, Pravisha wasted no time. She studied the boy's wounds in silence, her hands tracing the air above his body, as though sensing something unseen.
Finally, she straightened.
"There is no time left. I must begin the treatment immediately."
Richard asked, "Tell me what we must do."
Pravisha's tone hardened.
"Nothing. Leave the mansion at once. No one must remain here—not even you. I have the herbs and ingredients I need. But if you stay within these walls… you will not survive what comes."
Richard hesitated. "You ask us to trust blindly, yet you tell us nothing of his condition."
"I told you from the start," she replied. Her eyes glinted with something both ancient and unsettling. "There are things you are not meant to know. If you remain, you will only invite death. Do you wish to risk the boy's life?"
The chamber fell silent. At last, Richard nodded.
"Very well. Everyone out. Not a single person remains. Lady Pravisha… I place everything in your hands. Please, save him."
He led Victoria, the healer, and the servants out of the mansion. Soon, the grounds fell eerily silent, leaving only the old woman and the unconscious boy inside.
Pravisha placed her palms above Rudra's chest. Strange herbs crackled in bowls beside her, filling the chamber with thick, pungent smoke. The air shimmered with unseen forces as the treatment began.
And for the first time since the ritual, Rudra stirred.