Chapter 10: Medicine

[STATISTICS]

[AUTHORITY LEVEL: Commoners (400/1500 XP)]

[STRENGTH: D (0/1500 XP)]

[COUNTRY: Small Village (Money: 0/10,000, Villagers: 5/25)]

[SUPPORT: (Public: 95/100(%), Politics: 0/100(%))]

Evan never expected Rich's supplies to be so useful for the team. Arriving with no money and being far from the main cities made it hard for them to obtain goods. This was one of the reasons their boss chose to leave before finally committing to managing this empty land.

The tools Rich brought were beneficial. First, he got a hoe, which they could use to dig the foundation. Second, Rich got a saw, making it easier for Evan and Elric to cut down trees. The saw was valuable in easing the task of slicing the wood.

In addition to those tools, Rich gave them one of his swords. Although it was just one, Evan knew he could wield it well. Fortunately, Rich also provided several knives that became a great help to the team.

For Evan, it was difficult to repay Rich's kindness. He knew they had hope, but his boss had also struggled when they first arrived. Not just Darren—Evan had, too.

"We'll mark some trees first before cutting them down with the saw," Evan said, a sword in one hand while Elric held the saw.

"Wait, I found something." Evan stopped and let Elric gather what he needed. Evan hadn't realized that everyone trapped with him here truly believed in their passion.

Darren, as their leader, didn't mind much. He was a realist—logical and persistent. Unlike a problematic leader like Harry Richard Vadenburg.

"Why didn't you continue your studies in medicine?" Evan asked, noticing how meticulous Elric was while collecting herbal plants. "I mean, compared to joining the military, being a doctor seems more promising."

"Everyone said that," Elric replied, standing as they continued their search for suitable trees. "I think that tree fits our criteria. It's over three meters tall with the right diameter."

Evan turned his attention to the tree. Elric borrowed Cal's small knife and marked it with an "X," signaling it was ready to be cut down.

"My brother is the emperor's doctor," Evan said amidst the quiet of the forest. "My family was a little ambitious about me becoming a doctor, especially after my brother joined the imperial medical team. But unfortunately, my athletic scores were far better than my academic ones."

"What's wrong with trying medical school?" Elric teased, lightening the mood.

"I realized I enjoyed being an adjutant more. Even though I was the top student at the military academy, my parents still pushed me toward medicine." He chuckled softly. "Anyway, how did you end up here? Someone like you should be in the palace. You were in the military and even studied medicine. Isn't it strange that you're here?"

"There was a bit of an issue at work," Elric answered.

"Serious enough to get you thrown out here? I'm guessing it was a major mistake if it landed you in this place." Evan remarked.

Something felt off. Evan had every reason to be suspicious. Elric's family wasn't ordinary. They had influence, just like Evan's. At the very least, they were wealthy enough to send Elric to medical school.

Yet, seeing how Elric didn't want to go home raised questions. He could've lived a better life there—taken over his family's herbal shop. No need to live in hardship like this.

"I've come to realize every step I take ends in failure," Elric said, stopping Evan in his tracks. Evan turned to face him. "You could say our families are similar. For some reason, everyone wants their children to go into medicine. Same with me—the only difference is timing. I went to med school first, then joined the military."

"You didn't enjoy working in medicine?"

"I did—but I preferred the military," Elric confessed. "Going home won't make me look better. I've already let my parents down. And leaving this place would make me a coward. Back in the city, I can't even get a job because of my past mistake."

"I'm sure they'll forgive you. People will understand. We're all here because we made the same choice—we sided with Prince Darren," Evan said softly before Elric moved forward again. They stopped when Elric asked for the knife. His task was nearly done after marking twelve trees.

"I want to prove I can still survive. More importantly, I want my father to know we're building something that can help others," Elric added, leaving Evan speechless. "I believe one day my father will come. He often travels from Mierre-Park to Narima Beach. When he arrives, I want him to see I've found purpose, just like he did in Mierre-Park."

Even though Evan's suspicion hadn't vanished, he chose to stay quiet. He wanted to keep watching Elric. Not because he didn't trust him, but because he wanted to see whether Elric truly meant what he said.

Evan's priority was keeping Darren safe. Since graduating from the military, his first assignment had been to protect Darren. Even though he was no longer part of the palace, Evan would always ensure Darren's safety.

He couldn't believe Darren had simply been cast aside. Emperor Alric was still protecting Prince Darren. Palace drama was too complicated, so Darren was sent away to keep him out of it.

Rich was the same. Evan was sure he wasn't just some ordinary guy. Only palace insiders would recognize Darren's face so clearly. If Rich recognized Darren, that meant he was still connected to the palace.

"You could've sided with Prince Harry and become his most trusted aide. Why would someone like you choose to stay here?" Elric asked softly—his voice almost drowned out by the chirping birds and the flowing river.

"I've always worked for Prince Darren. Thanks for the compliment—but from the start, I've never had any interest in supporting the other side," Evan said firmly before walking away, now that they had marked all the trees they needed. All that was left was to call the others and start chopping them down.

"I'm not surprised," Elric muttered as he crouched, gathering more plants. "I'm starting to doubt the emperor exiled us because we did something wrong. If you think about it, everyone here is handpicked. Even Leon, who seems the weakest, his family that runs the royal food supply chain. They manage dozens of hectares of farmland. He's definitely not dumb."

"From the beginning, I wasn't convinced the emperor meant to cast Prince Darren away. Maybe their last argument was exaggerated. I have two theories: either the emperor wants to protect Prince Darren from Prince Harry, or he's testing Prince Darren in this place."

Evan smirked at Elric's words. "Seems I misjudged you. You're smarter than I thought."