Crown Prince Sells Medicine

She made an error.

She misinterpreted. No, she should have had a better understanding. She should have realized it from the beginning. She failed to acknowledge the evident.

“You… surely not…”

Princess Adeline couldn’t finish her sentence. With trembling eyes, she gazed at Raciel. Raciel was pale. Beneath his sweat-soaked face, even his lips were turning blue.

Why?

How?

The moment she laid eyes on him, she comprehended.

‘Because of me.’

Instead of her, he bore the brunt of the shockwave. The impact produced by the mana that surged towards the vital point. The jolt of striking and fracturing the gallstone multiple times. Raciel, the crown prince, had taken and endured all the repercussions.

‘The shockwave didn’t simply dissipate.’

In reality, that was anticipated.

Even simply slamming a desk with your palm spreads the shock around. But how could the aftermath of a powerful mana, unleashed from within, just disappear without reason?

It’s impossible, such a thing.

Any generated shock must be transmitted somewhere. Therefore, the prince endured all of it, exerting all his strength to withstand it, hence his current condition.

“Crown Prince, are you okay?”

Adeline’s voice quivered involuntarily. Raciel couldn’t easily respond. He barely managed a faint smile.

‘This… is more intense than I thought…’

Breathing was difficult.

His head was buzzing. His skin was cold, and his heart raced. He felt so dizzy that he thought he might vomit. This was completely different from training with Demian.

‘The princess’s mana… I didn’t realize it was this powerful.’

Using Asrahan Core technique, he drew in the princess’s mana. He precisely guided it to strike the gallstone. It was successful.

However, the shockwave inevitably created by the collision of mana and gallstone was the problem. It couldn’t be ignored. If the shockwave spread, the gallbladder and surrounding organs would be directly impacted.

The liver, pancreas, duodenum, peritoneum. It would be problematic if other innocent organs were hit. It was essential to block it.

That’s why.

Using Asrahan Core technique, he drew in the shockwave. Absorbed it. Guided it into his mana circle. Endured and neutralized it. He tried.

But it wasn’t easy.

“…Cough, choke!”

Each time he absorbed.

Each time he endured.

It felt like being hit in the chest with a mallet. The intense aftermath of the mana spread through his veins from his chest. Striking him. Hurting all over. Almost making him faint.

“Crown Prince? Are you okay?”

The panicked voice of the princess reached him. He raised his head and looked at her. Thankfully, she looked fine. That was a relief.

“Lucky…”

He weakly smiled.

The princess looked even more anxious.

“Why? What happened?”

Had she finally realized what he did for her? Holding onto him as he weakened, she asked. There was only one answer he could think of.

“Because you’re my patient.”

“…What?”

“Once you decided to receive treatment… you’re my patient.”

It’s as simple as that.

Between the patient and him.

If one of them has to be hurt, it should be him. Patients come to him to alleviate their pain. It’s only right.

That’s why, right from the start, Raciel made the decision to do this. To endure with all his strength. To withstand and reassure himself. To persevere. Whenever he felt like collapsing, he would prod and push himself. That’s how he clung on. And he succeeded. He successfully completed the initial gallstone treatment.

He felt a sense of pride.

“So now, I need to…”

Rest, he can’t endure any longer. The dizziness was overwhelming, and he just wanted to close his eyes. All his strength was draining away.

He felt sleepiness creeping over him now more than ever.

“…Crown Prince?”

His legs gave way.

The sensation of gravity pulling his entire body downward. The feeling of being crushed under heavy eyelids. His consciousness blurred. The princess’s voice and the astonished cries of others. All those sensations rapidly faded.

Darkness engulfed his vision. Would he find peace here? He couldn’t be sure. But one thing was certain: He could take a brief respite.

“……”

That’s sufficient.

He felt content.

♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣

Raciel retracted his previous thought.

This isn’t satisfying. He had barely lost consciousness, and to confront such a vivid dream was far from satisfying. No, it was rather unsettling.

“……”

He squinted and surveyed his surroundings.

A familiar scene from his memories. The entrance to an old 24-pyeong (approximately 79.34 square meters) apartment. Beyond that, a recognizable living room and kitchen. At first glance, he knew where he was. The house he had lived in from high school to his twenties.

Initially with his parents. Later, on his own. This was the home he had left behind. And this moment was one of the most emotionally disheartening days he had spent there.

The day he was discharged from the military, he returned home to find no one there to welcome him. His mother had already passed away. Why was he experiencing this moment in a dream?

“……sigh.”

He let out an involuntary sigh.

Even in a dream, everything felt too real. His reflection in the entrance mirror, adorned in a military uniform from his twenties, appeared remarkably lifelike.

‘Why am I dreaming about this?’

He stepped inside.

The living room he hadn’t seen in a while. A couch covered in a layer of white dust due to neglect. Lost in the scene, he recollected the determination he had forged on that particular day.

‘Yes, I…’

He found it unfair.

He lost his father to a stroke. His mother had to be sent away due to cancer. The sudden reality of being alone was unbearable. He felt anger. Why did this have to happen to him? Why was he left all by himself? He wanted to place blame on someone.

Did he sit here and cry for an extended period? Ultimately, did he secretly resolve to aid people in similar situations? To save lives?

That was when he first vaguely entertained such a notion. Although he wandered for a while due to financial constraints, he eventually mustered the courage to uphold that determination.

So he pursued medical school. Became a doctor. But did that determination fade rapidly?

“……”

He pondered whether he had become overly ambitious. Was it a pure desire to save lives? To assist those like him? He quickly forgot.

Navigating the world on his own, surviving, somewhere along the way, he forgot. He compromised with reality. He became entangled in the pursuit of money, like everyone else. That’s just how life was. He took it for granted and progressed this far. He didn’t even know if he had been living as a materialist all this time.

‘I don’t want to die.’

He established a hospital to prolong his lifespan. Gathering people. Thinking of aiding others? It was more like he primarily wished to survive. Grasping onto just that, he lived in the present.

‘But… that’s not necessarily a bad thing, right?’

He attempted to rationalize it and smiled.

He glanced around the old living room. At this moment, he desired one thing. To conclude this dream and experience something different.

Because it hurt. Right now, he yearned to feel better.

♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣

“Thankfully, he’s okay now.”

In the serene bedroom, Gardin’s voice resonated. Princess Adeline released the deep breath she had been holding.

“Is that true? Is the crown prince really alright?”

“Yes, Princess Anbouaz.”

Gardin carefully stored his stethoscope and observed the still unconscious Crown Prince Raciel.

“His breathing and heartbeat are both normal. There’s no fever either.”

“Then why hasn’t he awakened?”

“He likely pushed himself too hard in a short amount of time. His body seems to have naturally required rest, leading him into a deep sleep.”

“If that’s the case…”

“It’s best to allow him to rest deeply. There shouldn’t be any issues.”

Gardin offered a faint smile.

He was more surprised than anyone else. Was he tending to patients at the Star Palace? He recalled the heaviness he felt upon hearing the news of the Crown Prince’s collapse.

“He wasn’t naturally robust. In fact, he was born with a rather… delicate constitution.”

“Is that so? I must have caused significant harm.”

“No, Princess of Anbouaz. The Crown Prince had warned me beforehand.”

“A warning? From him to you?”

“Yes, Princess.”

Gardin recollected the events of the previous day and spoke calmly.

“Tending to you might be quite taxing for the Crown Prince. He might even faint due to the strain. Therefore, he asked me not to be overly surprised.”

“Yet, it seems you were surprised.”

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

Gardin sat down and faintly smiled at Adeline.

“The Crown Prince does this often.”

“Often? Does what?”

“Yes, Princess. He consistently places the patient before himself.”

“…”

Just like today.

As earlier.

Is that so?

Suddenly, Adeline remembered the powerful surge of mana directed at her vital point and the peculiar lack of sensation upon impact. It was all thanks to the Crown Prince’s sacrifice.

‘Once you decide to undergo treatment… you become my patient.’

The Crown Prince’s words echoed in her mind. Gardin continued.

“That’s why I’m always concerned. I am the sole physician to the Crown Prince. It’s my duty to care for him. Every time I witness him exerting himself so much to care for others, I… sigh.”

“…”

Adeline saw it.

Tears glistened in Gardin’s eyes. His heart must ache, yet he couldn’t easily dissuade his lord. Perhaps it was because the Crown Prince’s sincerity was so palpable.

“…”

Perhaps, that’s his nature. The Crown Prince appeared to be someone who selflessly tended to others. A person who willingly made sacrifices for his patients. That seemed to be his character.

That’s why he selflessly cared for numerous patients. That’s why he summoned her, revealed her unknown illness, and offered a cure.

‘All his actions… were genuine.’

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have made such a sacrifice today. She finally grasped it and felt a sense of shame. Ashamed that she hadn’t placed her trust in such an honorable person. Ashamed of her narrow-minded self that had doubted and resented him.

“…”

Adeline tenderly reached out and touched the hand of the slumbering Raciel. Her perspective on Raciel had transformed completely. Perhaps that was the reason.

Ding-dong!

[Your devoted actions toward the patient have touched someone’s heart.]

[In truth, your dedication was a self-serving act. However, the sincere emotions that reached the patient, emotions you weren’t even aware of, were genuine. This dedication and sincerity will lead to numerous positive changes in the future.]

[Patient Adeline: The highest level of medical trust has been established between you two. Now, Patient Adeline will have complete faith in and follow your treatment. She will not question any of your medical decisions.]

[You have successfully won over the heart of a skeptical patient.]

[The Five Viscera and Six Bowels offer their wholehearted support.]

[The Five Viscera and Six Bowels have provided a sponsorship of 1,500 HP.]

[Your current HP: 2,500]

In the consciousness of the slumbering Raciel, before his self-blaming eyelids, a warm message was silently etched amidst the stillness.

(To be Continued)

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