CHAPTER 4

Sometimes Poison Is Medicine (1)

Life is sad.

The feeling of having to trudge towards a predestined death. A feeling you can't resist, you can't put it off. Those who haven't experienced it don't know.

Common dramas and movies.

in numerous media.

It's a time-limited life, but at least someone who's been there to care for and watched them know a little bit about what it's like, Rakiel thought.

In Korea, I had sent my father away like that. It was because they had fought that desperate and unwinnable battle as a family.

'But this....'

[Your life expectancy has increased (+)1 day.]

[Expected life expectancy: 92 days]

Grunch.

Rakiel swallowed involuntarily. I couldn't believe it. The impossible had come true.

'Is this a true story?'

I couldn't believe what I saw.

As for me, this body was a terminally ill patient. That's exactly what I looked at with the True Vein skill. He said he would only have 91 days to live. The rest of my life was shorter than my cell phone contract.

I'm sure it was.

'Acupuncture has increased your life expectancy?'

Was his acupuncture that great?

Rakiel didn't think so.

"It's just, I just did the acupuncture that I usually do to patients in Chinese medicine clinics."

But I felt that the acupuncture was definitely working. For now, my breathing is easier than before. The wheezing like a broken flute has diminished.

'Then let's do it again!'

Like an Arabian oil field bursting from a spring deep in the mountains, the motivation that had been dormant in his heart surged up.

"Needles, have you sterilized everything?"

"Yes, Your Highness. Together... Are you going to stab me again?"

"Of course. Here. Hurry up."

Sir Gardin urged.

I was handed 11 new needles.

I settled back down and lay down.

This time, he held the needle with his left hand. I was pricked with a needle in the right half of my body.

Tot! Todot! Tot!

In the same order and depth as before.

Calmly and quickly.

Starting with the central blood.

Verse, Heaven, Narrowing.

Continued poking.

Stimulate appropriately.

Lastly, I stabbed all the small blood well.

Then a message came to mind.

Ding dong!

[You have completed the hour hand for your right half of pregnancy and menopause.]

[But your body is still overwhelmed by the excessive hour hand.]

[At your current fitness level, we recommend one hour every three days.]

[Excessive and excessive acupuncture is repulsive to the five intestines.]

[The alveoli shrug their shoulders at the overstimulation.]

[The mentality of the lungs is evaporating.]

[The Captain Ridge Dance Ascension Dance.]

'... Boom.'

I forgot.

Acupuncture is not one-size-fits-all. The act of stimulating the nerves and blood veins with acupuncture requires the patient's physical strength. It's not that I get sick for nothing.

But what about this body now?

I didn't have any stamina.

There would be far more happiness in the hastily poured sweet and sour sauce than in the stamina of this body.

"... Phew, whoo."

I felt a little dizzy. I felt like I was straining my body as I was told.

Rakiel caught his breath and pulled out the needle.

On the one hand, I tapped the calculator in my head.

'Let's clean it up. If the message in front of you is true, then acupuncture is working, because it has increased your life expectancy by one day. But there's a downside. You can only use it once every three days.'

Hour hand once every 3 days.

What if life expectancy increased by one day each time? It seemed that he could delay his death by about a month.

But that's not enough. You can't be satisfied with just postponing your death. We need a more definitive way.

'Or maybe you'll build up your stamina so you can get acupuncture every day.'

Then you will be able to increase your life expectancy every day. Death can be postponed for a long time.

To do that?

'Aphrodisiac is the best!'

Naturally, the conclusion came.

It is a nourishing tonic with partridge, and an aphrodisiac for rejuvenation.

"I'm going to eat more. I'm also taking some medicine. I eat everything that's good for my body and exercise step by step.'

Then you will be able to get out of your poor physical condition.

Rakiel began to devise.

What kind of herbal medicine to dispense.

How to get medicine.

Thinking about it, I try to summarize the development of the beginning of the novel. He spent the night searching, searching, and pondering.

♣

The dawn twilight dawned.

As soon as he opened his eyes, he raised his hand.

"...."

In the twilight of dawn leaking through the window, he wiped the back of his hand.

But there isn't.

I couldn't see the scar in the middle of the back of my hand.

'It was a scar from going out for a walk with Jindol.'

The big guy was so excited.

I wish I had been scratched by his claws. It was bigger than I thought, and it was a scar that didn't go away even after years, occupying the middle of the back of my hand.

But what about the back of your hand now?

It was sleek.

There were no scars.

It was a fine hand that had never even suffered before.

'... Just in case, it's true.'

When I wake up, I wonder if it's my room in Korea. I had hoped for a moment in my sleep.

But it wasn't.

'Tsk.'

Now that's for sure.

It's not an illusion, it's not a dream. Life here has become a reality. He lived the life of Prince Rakiel Adria Magentano.

He has only 91 days left in his life.

'Phew, it's my arm.'

Rakiel stretched out his hand in disgust. Next to the bed, within reach, was a small golden bell.

Tingling.

As soon as the bell rang, I heard a voice from across the bedroom. Rustling, grunting for a moment.

"... Your majesty? Did you call him?"

From the secondary room on one side of the bedroom, he heard the voice of Lord Gardin. I wonder if I was in the middle of a wit. His voice was still half-awake.

Rakiel said with a chuckle.

"Are you up now? He has no conscience, unlike what he seems."

"Yes? Conscientious... You don't have one?"

Sir Gardin, who was coming out of the auxiliary chamber with his eyes peeled away, gave him a puzzled look.

Rakiel's lips grumbled.

"He has a handsome face. He's tall, and he's so shabby. Just by looking at the way he looks, he's going to be perfect."

"Go, thank you."

"Thanks. I'm blaming you."

"... Yes?"

"He's my doctor. He said it was a tribute to me to protect my health. Do you sleep later than the patient?"

"Uh, it's ...."

Lord Gardin's complexion was disturbed.

It looked like he had been stabbed in the head.

Said to him.

"Of course I know. He must be tired. You'll be tired of taking care of me all day. But in an hour, the sun will come out. If you're a proper doctor, if the patient you're caring for is critically ill, it's usually normal for you to get up around this time and check on the patient."

"... He's right. I'm sorry."

Lord Gardin's handsome, middle-aged face was tinged with self-absurdity. Rakiel felt a little sorry inside.

'I'm sorry to have torn you from the morning wind, Lord Gardin.'

But it can't be helped.

In any case, Lord Gardin is the head physician here. But I couldn't leave it unattended at dawn and let it sleep peacefully.

"With the rest of my life expectancy, I could have a high fever, a seizure, or difficulty breathing in the early hours of the morning."

Originally, most illnesses occur between night and dawn. You only need to experience a nasty cold or body aches to know this.

But what about yourself now?

He is in critical condition with just over three months left to live. You never know what kind of emergencies will arise along the way. Even if you bother your doctor a little, you should be awake at dawn and be by your side.

Reminding ourselves of that purpose.

Rakiel gave him a piercing look.

"So stay up and confiscate. From now on, you must get up before me and check on my condition. Do you understand?"

"I'll keep that in mind, Your Highness."

Lord Gardin bowed his head in agreement.

That should have been enough.

After all, Lord Gardin is a loyal man.

"Even if you look at the beginning of the novel The Demon Sword Emperor."

There was never a detailed description of Lord Gardin. However, the development and events of the novel showed that Lord Gardin was a loyal man, even indirectly.

"Prince Rakiel's condition has deteriorated day by day. So, one by one, the doctors, who had been quite a few at first, left their positions. No, the horse left, but I should say it was actually an escape.'

Most family doctors will have noticed it at some point. The prince has no hope.

No matter how much you treat.

Even if you take care of yourself.

I knew I was going to die soon.

From the moment you realized that, your doctors? He gave up all sorts of plausible personal reasons and excuses. No, I made a big escape.

I didn't want to die.

"When a member of the royal family dies, the chief physician in charge of the imperial family is also responsible and executed."

Eventually, only one physician, Gardin, was left as the attending physician.

The most straightforward.

Most loyal.

The person who was the most responsible, in the end, took full responsibility and won the one-shot beheading.

'... It had a sad ending.'

Rakiel looked up.

Lord Gardin, restless at the untimely morning galgnum, felt fortunate to have such a loyal servant in his sickly body in a strange world.

'How do I carry out the plan I made last night... This kind of loyalty is essential.'

No matter what you do.

No matter what kind of you do.

I needed someone to trust me and go with me. Someone like Lord Gardin right in front of you.

"So, Lord Gardin?"

"Yes, Your Highness?"

"I have a job for you."

"What... Is it work?"

"Why? Are you already worried and scared?"

"...."

"Are you afraid I'm going to do something weird again like last night?"

"...."

"Phew. Don't look at me so strangely, I'd rather just nod my head."

Nod.

"...."

Gardin nods at this glance.

Rakiel chuckled.

"Just to reassure you, I'm not trying to do anything weird."

"Really... Are you sure?"

"Of course."

"Your Highness."

"Huh?"

"You hurt yourself with needles last night."

"... It's not self-harm."

"Still, the needles are stuck from the nape of the neck to the shoulders to the forearms and hands."

"No, I don't."

"I was scared."

"...."

"By the way, do you know what Your Highness's expression is now?"

"Why, what do you think of my face?"

"He has the same look on his face as he did last night when he asked me to bring him a needle."

"... Is that why you care about me?"

"Yes, Your Highness."

"Are you afraid I'm going to do something crazy?"

"... Yes, Your Highness."

"That's it. You don't have to worry about that, I'm not going to ask you to do anything really weird or crazy."

"Is that so?"

"Of course."

Rakiel snorted.

"That's why I'm asking, in this palace food warehouse. In addition to the regular food ingredients, there are some things that are a little bit harsh, right?"

"Yes? If it's something special...."

"Ingredients for making poison."

"Of course there is. This is a palace."

"Yes. I suppose so. And the horseshoe roots?"

"Yes. It's a good ingredient for making poison."

"That's great. That's good for you. Bring it to me."

"Yes?"

"Bring it to me."

"... Not really."

"Yes, I'm going to eat."

Rakiel smiled brightly, as if instilling a sense of trust.

Lord Gardin began to cry as if he was about to spread the story of 'our crazy Crown Prince' all over the country.