After an hour of sitting in the infirmary, the doctor emerged from the room, his face tired. Yutab was standing, while Charles remained seated, his expression anxious, and Yutab's face reflecting doubt and suspicion about everything that had happened so far.
As soon as Charles saw the doctor, he rose from his chair, worry etched on his face:
"How is his condition, Doctor?"
The doctor sighed and spoke in a calm tone:
"His condition is unstable. These symptoms have appeared before, so I'm not surprised…"
He then shook his head in frustration and continued:
"But the Flower of Death is more like a curse than a disease… so I need to speak with you privately, Mr. Charles."He glanced at Yutab and added, "Only if possible."
Yutab understood and said softly,"Oh, yes, I understand… I'll step aside now. I'll come back later with a few questions." He moved a little farther away, close enough to hear the doctor and Charles' conversation without being seen.
Once Yutab left, the doctor, his face filled with concern, said:
"I know how much you care about your students… but his condition is worsening day by day. If he's still alive now, he's truly lucky…"
Charles replied coldly:
"He will survive. I'm certain of it."
The doctor lowered his head.
"But if you are that determined… you should know the cost of treatment will be high. Special potions will need to be made monthly… and each vial costs 300 gold coins."
Charles did not flinch. Calmly, he said:
"That's not a problem… as long as he recovers."
The doctor's face showed shock.
"Are you insane? 300 gold coins, monthly, or even weekly… that's the price of a large house in the capital! Are you sure?"
Charles took a small step forward, then said quietly:
"I would even pay more for a better potion."
Both the doctor and Yutab were stunned.
Charles then entered the room and sat on a chair next to Arthur's bed to keep watch. For an entire hour, he sat there, gently holding Arthur's hands—even though Arthur was unconscious and could not feel him.
After a few moments, Arthur slowly opened his eyes, sweat beading on his forehead, his body burning like fire. His vision was blurred at first, but after a few seconds it cleared, and the first thing he saw was Charles—calm, holding a small leather book, smiling warmly at him.
Arthur returned a simple, warm smile. Charles, with a playful tone as he glanced at the book, said:
"Let's see… did you know dwarves bathe only once every ten years?"
Arthur and Charles shared a small chuckle. Charles then closed the book, leaned slightly closer, and asked:
"How are you feeling?"
Arthur shifted slightly on the bed, sighed, and said:
"I had a dream… or maybe a memory…"
Charles gave a sly smile, his tone teasing:
"And what kind of dream was it?"
Arthur smiled faintly, as if reliving the memory in his mind, and said:
"The Day of the Assessments…"
Charles' expression softened with mild surprise, then he turned to look out the window.
"I was born under a curse… something people call a unique skill, but it's more of a curse…" Arthur said slowly, quietly, with a hint of bitterness.
Before Arthur could continue, Charles interrupted:
"God has given you a gift…
What you see is the true reality of this world, Arthur…
If all creatures were blind, you alone would see.
If no one else could feel pain, you alone would understand it… for understanding the truth is like holding a sharp blade in your hands." Charles spoke softly, compellingly.
Arthur looked at his hands, eyes weary and hopeless, and said:
"I just want the voices to stop… I want a simple life… I want to see the world like everyone else… Is that selfish?"
Charles took a deep breath, paused, and said:
"Humans are inherently selfish… Arthur, you cannot change nature…"
Arthur remained silent for several minutes, thinking carefully, then said:
"I want—"
"Arthur!"
Suddenly, a voice from outside caught their attention. In an instant, Sophia and Anos entered the room, moving quickly and with concern.
"Arthur, are you okay?" Anos asked worriedly.
"What happened to you? Where were you?" Sophia added.
Arthur began answering his friends' questions, while Charles stepped out of the room to give him some space to speak.
After leaving the infirmary, Yutab, seated in a chair, watched thoughtfully. Upon seeing Charles, he rose.
At that moment, the academy director, Marcus, entered the infirmary, his expression calm.
Yutab asked Charles:
"How is he?"
Charles smiled and said:
"He'll get better… he just needs some rest."
Marcus nodded, then said:
"Good… I was worried something bad had happened to Arthur."
He then chuckled and added:
"But pain drives human growth. Pain can become the most valuable part of a person if they accept it."
Charles smiled—this was exactly the response he wanted. If he had stayed too obviously reserved in Yutab's eyes, it could have jeopardized his plan. But with precise timing, he could even manipulate a special investigator like Yutab.
Yutab raised his eyebrows slightly, suspicion in his tone:
"According to records I found… you used to be a professor, correct?"
Marcus nodded hesitantly and frowned briefly:
"I didn't expect you to go that far, Ms. Yutab."
Yutab's tone turned serious, her eyes sharp as blades:
"I never said I wouldn't investigate. My colleague and I are tasked with examining the records of everyone in the academy, under His Majesty's orders. And in an interesting part of your past… I discovered something notable."
Marcus' face tightened, while Charles stood silently, using the moment to his advantage.
Yutab continued, staring Marcus down:
"You punished your students severely to push them toward growth. What do you think that implies? For example… Elizabeth?"
Marcus clenched his fists calmly, his expression serene, though a hidden anger burned inside.
"I see no need to answer, Ms. Yutab," he said. Then, stepping closer, he added in a low, threatening tone:
"You'd better not play with my past, because you don't know what I'm capable of."
Yutab's eyes widened, she took a step back, and Marcus frowned before leaving the infirmary.
Charles did not smile, nor did his expression change to concern. In his mind, he thought:
"You're really an idiot, Marcus…"