Crown Prince Sells Medicine

Squeak.

The bloodletting instrument gleamed with an eerie light as it sliced through a healthy vein of a soldier. A determined resolve filled Shandre’s gaze.

“Excellent.”

Evil had to be purged from the body as thoroughly as possible. If negative energy dwelled within, it had to be eradicated. And what was the easiest component to remove from the body?

‘Blood, of course.’

Blood was the wellspring of life, the essence that sustained all living beings.

Consequently, he believed that when the body was afflicted or severely injured, the blood too became tainted. This wasn’t merely his belief; he had learned it in college. His master and his master’s master had imparted the same teachings.

‘So, naturally, this method of treatment is the ultimate truth.’

Extracting tainted blood from the body was the solution. The more blood you removed, the more space you created within the body for fresh blood.

But what is life?

‘When there’s emptiness, it quickly fills. That’s the law of life.’

As the tainted blood was removed, a void was created. New, pure blood would occupy this space and cleanse the body of its ailments.

And then it was done. Any illness would be cured, and even severe injuries could be rapidly healed.

Shandre diligently carried out his work with unwavering faith, positioning a bucket beneath the soldier’s arm where he had just made the incision. It was a bucket meant to collect the blood.

However, at that very moment:

“…Uh, hmm?”

The slumbering soldier wrinkled his brow. Perhaps the cut on his arm stung. Slowly, he opened his eyes, which widened almost immediately.

“What? What?”

The soldier was taken aback.

He had been fast asleep. He had been informed that the stitches on his injured leg were holding up well. The muscles had mended properly, and amputation would not be necessary. He would heal if he simply applied ointment and rested. He had even received words of encouragement and consolation from an officer known as a ‘saint.’

So, he had felt at ease.

He had been sound asleep.

But now he woke up to find his arm bleeding!

“What? What is this…!”

The bewildered soldier attempted to sit up, but a firm hand gently pressed down on his shoulder.

“Hush.”

“…!”

“I am Officer Shandre. Do not disrupt the treatment.”

Officer? A face he did not recognize. The soldier shifted his gaze between his bleeding arm and Shandre’s countenance.

“Are you the officer…?”

“Yes, you are currently under my care.”

“But, um, Officer?”

“Hmm?”

“I have never seen you before…”

“I arrived earlier today. Is there a problem?”

“Well, I underwent surgery earlier today.”

“And?”

“Officer Rihan said I should just rest now…”

“Is that so?”

“Why are you here in the middle of the night drawing blood from my arm…?”

“Is that so?”

“…”

“How dare you, a mere soldier, question my methods of treatment?”

Shandre narrowed his eyes, and the soldier’s shoulders slumped.

“No, that’s not what I meant…”

“Then what?”

“I just wasn’t informed that I’d be receiving this treatment…”

“Are you the only one in this camp who’s injured?”

“…Pardon?”

“There are so many injured people. Do I have to tell each and every one what kind of treatment they’ll receive? Even to injured soldiers like you?”

“That’s…”

“Are you a noble?”

“No, I am not.”

“Indeed, you are not.”

“Yes, Officer.”

“Then graciously accept any treatment. Normally, someone like you, without a noble background, wouldn’t even dream of receiving treatment from someone like me. Consider yourself fortunate. Understand?”

“…”

“Do you understand?”

“Understood…”

The soldier lowered his head. To be honest, he felt quite uncomfortable and irritated. He did not appreciate the oppressive tone and arrogant demeanor of the officer who had introduced himself as Shandre. The attitude of Officer Rihan and Officer Gardin, who had treated him during the day, was entirely different.

‘They were considerate even to a mere soldier like me.’

Officers Rihan and Gardin were distinct. They were meticulous about inquiring which part was injured and how. They didn’t want to miss a single detail about where and how it hurt. They also provided comprehensive explanations about the next steps in treatment and what to watch out for.

But this Officer Shandre in front of him?

‘He’s acting as if he’s doing me a favor.’

He didn’t like it. However, he couldn’t openly express it. After all, he was just a lowly soldier with a much lower rank than an officer. Keeping his mouth shut and obeying seemed like the best course of action.

‘But is this treatment okay?’

The soldier glanced at his arm. Blood had been steadily dripping into a bucket below. It felt strange to see his own blood collecting there.

His fingertips began to tingle. His toes felt prickly. His lips grew cold. Suddenly, the oil lamp that illuminated the interior of the tent seemed to split into two.

‘…Huh?’

Why was he feeling like this?

Why was he suddenly experiencing dizziness?

He felt like he was going to vomit.

The soldier was hit by a sudden wave of vertigo. Sweating profusely, he said to Shandre, “Um… Officer?”

“Yes. Do you feel a bit lighter?”

“No, actually… I’m starting to feel dizzy.”

“Dizzy?”

“Yes…”

“Tsk. We’ve drained the contaminated blood; you shouldn’t be feeling this way. Are you sure you’re not mistaken?”

“No, I’m really not…”

“Tsk, tsk! Just endure a bit longer. This is all for your own good, isn’t it?”

“But still…”

“Hey.”

“Officer… I… really…”

Now the officer’s face seemed to contort wildly. Was he frowning? No, the entire world appeared to ripple. The officer’s mouth, as he spoke to him, looked like five overlapping mouths.

Everything was trembling. The candle, the interior of the tent, the bed, and the bucket on the floor. Even the blood pooling inside it. Everything.

“…Ugh.”

Thud.

Unable to bear it any longer, the soldier collapsed and lost consciousness.

“Huh? Hey, you there?”

Shandre’s panicked voice echoed within the tent.

♣

“…”

It was bewildering. The first thought that crossed Raciel’s mind upon waking up from a deep sleep was,

“What kind of dream was that?”

His father appeared in the dream.

Telling him to wake up immediately.

To open his eyes.

Had his father been sternly yelling?

“This isn’t the Stone Age.”

Raciel chuckled in disbelief. He got up from his cot. Although he wanted to go back to sleep, all drowsiness had vanished.

“Should I go look at the night sky?”

It seemed better than restlessly tossing and turning. The night sky in this world was genuinely beautiful, filled with the Milky Way and stars, a spectacle one couldn’t see in Korea.

He stepped out of the tent. He breathed in the cool night air. Meanwhile, he recalled the events of the day.

‘The officers here are much worse than I thought.’

Those who had arrived on dispatch earlier in the day. People who didn’t make sense according to his understanding. To differentiate the wounded between nobles and commoners. They openly stated that it would line their pockets and secure strong sponsorship, even if they were thinking that way.

‘Let’s not even think about those who aren’t helpful.’

So, moving forward, he decided to ignore them. He would fill the dispatch period roughly and send them off.

‘After all, I just need to earn a good amount of bonus lifespan.’

That’s what he should focus on.

The reason he came here.

A small smile crept onto Raciel’s face when he thought about the bonus lifespan. It couldn’t be helped. It had already been two months since he arrived in Anbouaz. The bonus lifespan he had acquired so far was quite substantial.

[Your Expected Lifespan: 283 days]

“Heh heh heh. Hee hee hee.”

When he first heard about the civil war in Anbouaz, his expected lifespan was around 170 days. However, since he had been here for about two months, it had increased significantly. The more he looked at it, the happier he felt. Even revisiting the number brought him delight.

If he could continue like this a bit longer?

‘My expected lifespan will probably accumulate over a year.’

Then he could live with less anxiety. The pressure of a time-limited life could be significantly reduced.

‘To be honest, it has been… kind of like that.’

This was the first time his expected lifespan had accumulated over 200 days. Until now, he had been living with it dropping to a hundred-something days, or sometimes even below 100 days.

The pressure of dying in just a few months. The stress and fear of living as if being chased. He didn’t want to experience that anymore. He had been struggling with similar pressures in Korea as well.

‘It was like that when I was running my clinic. It became incredibly difficult because of Corona. The income was cut off, yet the rent and loan interest kept draining out.’

Money in his bank account was constantly dwindling. How many months could he last? How much money was left now? How much was expected to come in? How much would the next month’s rent and interest be? He spent days making these draining calculations several times a day. The diminishing bank balance felt as if his lifeblood was being drained from his body. It was the harsh reality of being a small business owner.

It was the same even after coming here. An expected lifespan that reduced by one day even if he just stood still. Calculating it and pondering future plans was no different from his time as a small business owner in South Korea.

But now?

It was different.

“Heh heh… hee hee hee!”

The bonus lifespan that accumulated day by day brought immense joy to Raciel. He relished his nighttime walks, feeling incredibly light on his feet.

However, in the midst of his contentment,

“…What? Huh? Huh?”

A puzzled voice emanated from somewhere in the quiet camp. Raciel abruptly halted in his tracks, nearly in the midst of a joyful dance.

‘What’s happening?’

He strained to listen, and the sounds grew clearer.

“Snap out of it. Hey? Huh?”

Thwack, thwack!

A somewhat bewildered voice.

Even the sound of slapping cheeks.

These noises originated from the tent designated for the recovery of wounded soldiers. It was a place equipped with single-person tents specially prepared for soldiers who had recently undergone surgery and required absolute rest.

“……”

Odd.

Raciel moved in that direction. As he did, the sounds drew nearer.

“Hey! Open your eyes, will you? Do you dare not to listen to me?”

Thwack! Thwack!

“Just a mere soldier!”

Thwack! Thwack!

“……”

The voice wasn’t unfamiliar.

Who could it be?

Then, it clicked.

The individual who had been muttering incoherently earlier today. The one who had fainted after taking a punch. Wasn’t his name Shandre?

‘But why is that guy’s voice coming from here?’

Something seemed amiss. Raciel quickened his pace. He located the tent from which the voice was emanating, flung open the tent’s entrance, and was met with a surprising sight.

“……”

A soldier, weak from blood loss from his arm and as pale as a ghost, was being vigorously slapped on the cheek by Shandre.

The soldier turned his eyes toward Raciel.

Their gazes locked.

“Huh?”

The soldier’s eyes widened.

Raciel’s expression turned icy.

“……What are you doing to my bonus lifespan?”

(To be Continued)

To read ahead 👇

Patreon Subscription Tiers

$5/month8 chap ahead + 5 chap/week$30/month30 chap ahead + 6 chap/week