Chapter 56 Rai El Yugan
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Rai El Yugan, Emperor of the Yugan Dynasty—twenty-third in line—stood as the symbol of the Yugan Alliance in Freehold City. For sixty years he had lived, ruling this land as its emblem for forty-five of them.
Yes… even if only as a symbol, he had reigned as emperor. Yet in the end… he could not change the fate of his son. His heir, the crown prince, had fallen victim to an incurable illness, beyond the reach of the nation’s medicine.
Behold—the son, ravaged by a monstrous disease.
Aare’s skin was pale, drained of all color. Most days, he could do little more than gaze out the window from his chair. His life was marked by minor bleeding episodes, each injury potentially life-threatening. For the majority of his existence, he was confined to his room.
The royal physicians had advised, “Your/His Majesty, it will be difficult for Crown Prince Aare to reach adulthood.” But Rai, unwilling to surrender hope, had asked desperately, “…Is there truly no cure?”
The answer returned: modern magical medicine could not save him.
”Ah, God… why… why must my young son suffer this way?” he whispered, voice cracking.
Upon hearing that her son had been born with an incurable disease, Empress Sarendra withdrew into the inner palace, saying, “My lineage… it is my fault, Your Majesty… I am so sorry…”
Their three daughters had been initially shaken, but now they tried to comfort Sarendra, hoping she would regain her former strength someday. Yet they, too, bore the weight of suffering.
As Rai’s thoughts wandered through despair, the massive double doors of the throne room burst open.
”Your Majesty! We’ve done it! We found them!”
A man, likely a retainer of a duke, stormed into the room, his face pale with urgency.
”What is the meaning of this? You are…?” Rai began.
”Forgive my intrusion, Your Majesty! I am Duke Ralka’s regent, Kapon Rüdel of Livonia! I beg your pardon for the sudden arrival, but there is urgent news I must deliver!”
Livonia—a city founded by Rai’s father when the Yugan Alliance was established—served as its de facto capital. The retainer’s intrusion suggested the report carried considerable importance. Rai chose silence, listening carefully.
”I see… your effort is appreciated. Now, the report?” he asked.
Gasping for breath but brimming with excitement, Kapon Rüdel began.
”Your Majesty! We have located an individual believed to be the final disciple of the former court Healing Artisan, Pharmacist Eva Rhines!”
”Impossible!” Rai exclaimed.
Eva Rhines—a legendary Healing Artisan who had served the twenty-first emperor, Sephoras—had steadfastly refused to return to the court despite pleas to treat the crown prince. Just last week, a pale-faced retainer had reported, “Mrs. Rhines… passed away last month.”
”With her gone… my son has no hope. And yet… perhaps…” Rai’s despair was almost unbearable. The thought of a glimmer of hope made him falter before the retainer.
”And how did you find this disciple? Tell me every detail, Rüdel!” Rai demanded.
”We confiscated all records and documents from the Old Alchemist Guild, where Mrs. Rhines resided, searching for any clues. Among them, we discovered this diary,” Rüdel said, presenting a dirt-stained volume. A nearby guard began to read aloud.
> “I may have trained the greatest disciple of my life. Even without my guidance, he absorbs my techniques as his own, applying them with rare talent. I earnestly hope he will one day use this knowledge for humanity’s happiness.
>
> Power is skill… and skill can bring joy or sorrow. He needs guidance, but I have no time left to provide it. God, I pray he does not fall into darkness. Guide him, I beg you.”
The guard closed the diary with a soft thud and returned it to Rüdel.
”Upon inspection, we found a name written in new ink on old parchment. By cross-referencing the final records submitted to the Old Alchemist Guild, we confirmed a match. We had been searching secretly for some time, fearing false hope, but recently a miracle occurred—a patent submission to the Royal Chancery contained the name and address of the individual!”
A moment of silence fell. Was it coincidence, or divine intervention by the goddess Aria?
”Excellent… well done, Kapon Rüdel,” Rai said, voice heavy with relief.
”I will reward Sonata later… Now, who is this person?”
”It is my honor, Your Majesty… to serve, however modestly. The individual is already in custody and being transferred to the palace. Please rest assured, Your Majesty,” Rüdel replied.
”Splendid! Excellent work!” Rai commanded.
The head steward bowed deeply, awaiting instructions.
”Yes, Your Majesty,” he replied.
”Prepare a room for their confinement immediately!”
”Understood, Your Majesty,” the steward confirmed.
* * *
The year was 293 of the Imperial Calendar—late in the fourth century.
Little did anyone know, this year would mark the end of a peaceful era and the beginning of a tumultuous age of upheaval.
Notes:
• Empress Sarendra – Aare’s mother who expresses quiet resentment towards Aare’s existence.
• Rhines – A weary apothecary who serves as the protagonist’s mentor at the Alchemist Guild.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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