Chapter 305: Medical Kingdom
"But what?" Vivi asked quickly.
Although Axel was the one seeking treatment, the sooner his condition improved, the sooner he could potentially help resolve Alabasta's crisis.
The situation back home had not yet become hopeless, but it was getting worse by the day.
Time mattered.
Dalton's expression became complicated.
"At present, every doctor in the kingdom has been gathered under the King's orders."
Vivi frowned.
"All of them?"
"Yes."
"They serve only the King."
Vivi stared at him in disbelief.
"Then what happens when ordinary people get sick?"
Dalton gave a weary sigh.
"If someone outside the palace needs treatment, they have to submit a request to King Wapol."
He paused and looked more carefully at Vivi.
"By the way... have we met before?"
Vivi's expression changed slightly.
Dalton continued studying her face.
"You look familiar."
Vivi immediately redirected the conversation.
"That isn't important right now."
She leaned forward.
"How do we submit this request?"
She had recognized Dalton the moment they met.
Vivi had attended the World Conference with her father before, and during one of those gatherings, Wapol had caused trouble for her.
Dalton had been standing beside him as captain of the royal guard.
Naturally, Vivi remembered him.
Dalton thought for a moment.
"As captain of the guard, I can deliver the request for you."
"But whether King Wapol approves it is another matter."
Axel barely reacted.
He had never expected an ordinary doctor to solve his condition in the first place.
Instead, he asked,
"There's another person I'm looking for."
Dalton turned toward him.
"Who?"
"I've heard stories about a witch living on this island."
"A witch?"
Dalton considered the description.
"You mean Dr. Kureha?"
Vivi looked between them.
"Wait. What witch?"
She had thought they were here to find a doctor.
How had the conversation suddenly shifted to witches?
And from Dalton's reaction, such a person apparently really existed.
"Dr. Kureha is a doctor," Dalton explained.
"She just has a rather unusual reputation."
"Her methods are strange, her fees depend entirely on her mood, and she behaves however she pleases."
He hesitated.
"And she's nearly one hundred and forty years old."
Vivi's eyes widened.
"One hundred and forty?!"
The number sounded absurd.
Most ordinary people never came close to living that long.
On many harsh islands across the Grand Line, even reaching sixty could be considered a long life.
One hundred and forty was far beyond what Vivi considered normal.
Dalton nodded.
"People started calling her a witch because of it."
"But however strange her personality may be, no one doubts her skill as a doctor."
That was the part Axel cared about.
"Can she still be found?"
Dalton shook his head.
"I don't know."
Axel was mildly surprised.
Though, after thinking about it, the answer made sense.
Blackbeard had not yet attacked Drum Island.
Wapol had not fled the country.
That meant the castle atop the mountain was still occupied, so Kureha would not yet be living there.
Still, Axel had expected Dalton to know where she currently stayed.
"There are rumors that she lives somewhere in the snowy mountains," Dalton continued.
"But no one knows exactly where."
"King Wapol once sent people to search for her."
Axel listened quietly.
"The weather up there is brutal."
"Blizzards can appear every few days, and even trained soldiers have difficulty surviving for long."
"There are also dangerous animals throughout the mountains."
Dalton shook his head.
"So far, no one has found her."
The problem was more troublesome than it sounded.
Even with Observation Haki, searching an enormous mountain range for one specific person would not be easy.
The snowy wilderness was filled with living creatures.
Every animal carried a presence of its own.
And sensing someone who was not actively directing hostility or attention toward him was much harder than locating an opponent in battle.
Seeing Axel's expression, Dalton assumed he was disappointed because he had placed too much hope in Kureha.
"You shouldn't give up yet."
Axel glanced at him.
"The Drum Kingdom became famous for medicine long before Dr. Kureha gained her reputation."
"There are other excellent doctors here."
Dalton paused.
"Getting permission from King Wapol may be troublesome, but if you make a proper request, there's still a chance he'll allow you to receive treatment."
Vivi slowly turned toward Axel.
Her expression became strange.
A proper request.
For some reason, she had difficulty imagining Axel politely asking anyone for anything.
Since meeting him, she had seen him solve most problems through strength, threats, manipulation, or simply taking what he wanted.
Would he really lower his head and ask Wapol for help?
A much more unpleasant possibility entered Vivi's mind.
Could a simple search for a doctor somehow turn into a conflict with an entire kingdom?
She sincerely hoped she was overthinking things.
Dalton eventually dismissed the other guards and led Axel, Vivi, and Karoo to a house where they could stay.
"It's already late," he said.
"Rest here tonight."
"I'll report your situation tomorrow, then take you to meet the King."
Axel nodded.
"Fine."
He had no reason to refuse.
He also wanted time to learn more about Drum Island.
A country did not earn the reputation of a medical powerhouse without reason.
Perhaps there were other doctors here whose skills rivaled Kureha's.
Dalton left soon afterward.
Once the door closed behind him, Vivi turned toward Axel.
"What are you planning to do?"
Axel looked at her.
"About what?"
"When you meet their King tomorrow."
Vivi crossed her arms.
"How are you planning to get what you want?"
Axel answered without hesitation.
"Peacefully, of course."
Vivi stared at him.
Axel looked almost offended by her suspicion.
"I'm a very reasonable person."
Vivi kept her thoughts to herself.
If you're reasonable, then there probably isn't an unreasonable person anywhere in the world.
Out loud, she merely said,
"That would be best."
Axel tilted his head.
"Why are you so concerned?"
Vivi hesitated.
"Because I've offended King Wapol before."
Axel raised an eyebrow.
"If I go with you, I might cause trouble."
"Trouble?"
Axel looked at her for a moment.
"What could possibly be more troublesome than you?"
Vivi opened her mouth.
Then closed it.
Annoyingly, she could not refute him.
Her request involved taking on Crocodile, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea.
That was far more dangerous than offending the ruler of a single kingdom.
And the problem was not limited to Crocodile himself.
Attacking a Warlord could draw attention from the Marines and the World Government.
One conflict could easily trigger several more.
By comparison, Wapol was hardly the greatest trouble she had brought Axel.
Axel suddenly looked around.
"Where's the emergency food?"
Vivi sighed.
"You mean Karoo?"
"Yes."
"He got cold, so he's warming himself near the fireplace."
Axel paused.
"A duck sitting beside a fire."
He nodded thoughtfully.
"That does sound delicious."
Vivi immediately gave up on the conversation.
"I'm going to get him a blanket."
She turned and walked away.
Only after Vivi left did Axel lean back and speak quietly to himself.
"There's nothing to worry about."
His red eyes drifted toward the window.
"At worst, I'll just destroy this place the way Blackbeard eventually would."
....
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