The man tipped the bottle back, gulping down the contents of the bottle. Almost immediately, the purple sores on his skin began to fade. He gasped, feeling a surge of energy coursing through his body.
"It works... IT WORKS!" he roared with elation. Ignoring Haru completely, he sprinted through the village, his joyous shouts echoing through the streets. "He has the cure! The cure for the plague! Only three copper Kladi, and you even get a stick of dried wolf meat!"
Haru blinked, caught off guard by the man's inaccurate advertisement. "Wait, no, it's three Kladi..."
"Wait, is that the cobbler?"
The villagers, initially hesitant, began to take notice. "Hey, look! The spots on his skin are almost gone!" This wasn't like those times when charlatans used some 'random passerby' to hawk their wares. This was someone from their own village that they knew!
Word spread like wildfire through the small village. People who had accepted their fate and been confined to their homes now poured into the streets, their eyes filled with hope in the first time in forever. They practically threw their coins at Haru, eager to get their hands on the miracle cure.
Haru's face twitched as he surveyed the growing crowd. The temptation to pack up and leave was strong, but now that they were all here, he found himself stuck in place. He was selfish, sure. But was he heartless? Surely not. In fact, none of them looked like they even had the money to pay the 3 Kladi he wanted. They looked at him as their savior and he didn't have the heart to tear away from it now.
He knew the fate that awaited the Kingdom of Cranch. Among the seven kingdoms of Kladin, Cranch wasn't the poorest, but that was before they were hit with this plague. Its resources were stretched thin as the monarch tried its best to keep everyone alive.
The fear, the despair, the countless lives lost—it had left a deep scar on his soul.
A bitter memory surfaced. In the past, when he was still fresh and naive, he had yearned to help alleviate the suffering of Cranch. Using his [World Knowledge], he identified the plague and tirelessly researched potential remedies. After countless attempts and sleepless nights, he discovered the cure that could save the people.
Naively, he entrusted the formula to the Princess of Crown Almighty, believing they would use it to aid their ally kingdom. Instead, they hoarded the remedy, exploiting its additional effect of enhancing stamina and endurance for their own gain.
The royals had turned his life-saving cure into a luxury commodity, monopolizing the ingredients and selling it at exorbitant prices to nobles and knights of other kingdoms. They had used it as a training potion, serving only to bolster their own forces. The very people who desperately needed the cure were left to choose between financial ruin or succumbing to the plague.
It was likely around then that his disillusionment with the royals, and those in authority, reached its peak. He saw the inherent flaws in the system, the way it perpetuated inequality and suffering. It was worse than where he came from! Those summoned alongside him had also turned to see things from the perspective of those in power.
The world was corrupt and a complete clusterfuck and he wanted no part of it!
"Screw it," Haru muttered to himself, "I'll help these people now and deal with the consequences later. I said I would live my life the way I want to, and I will. It'll all work out in the end!"
Before he could talk himself out of it, he emptied his pack, laying out his remaining potions and dried meat. As the day wore on, the crowd swelled. News of the miraculous cure had reached those confined to their homes, and even in excruciating pain, many villagers ventured out to purchase the miracle cure.
The smiles and heartfelt gratitude directed at him was… intoxicating. His hands moved without even knowing what was happening. By the time the last customer departed, the sun was already setting, and a biting chill settled over the village. Haru surveyed his earnings: a bulging bag of copper Kladi, roughly equivalent to eight silver. His meat stock was gone, but most importantly, his elixers that he had painstakingly created were down to his last three bottles.
The stupor he was in halted and he was left with the stark realization of what had happened.
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
"What have I done?" he thought, panic rising in his chest. "My plan was to sell the cure throughout the Cranch Kingdom, attracting the attention of the royals. I only have three bottles left… Does news even travel from this remote village?" Anxiety gnawed at Haru as the reality of his situation sank in.
His initial strategy was to spread the cure far and wide, earning an invitation from the monarch to the capital. There, he would sell the recipe, leveraging his position to make demands and secure his future.
He was stranded in a backwater village, pockets full of near-worthless copper Kladi and only three potions left. It wouldn't even get him to the capital. The truth was inescapable… he was a terrible businessman.
Just as despair began to overwhelm him, the sound of hooves broke through his thoughts. Several knights on horseback rode into the village, led by a captain clad in gleaming armor.
"Sir traveler," the captain addressed him with reverence, "might I inquire if you are the one who has provided the villagers with this miraculous cure that alleviated the symptoms of the plague?" He held out a bottle identical to those Haru had been distributing.
Haru corrected him. "It didn't alleviate them. They are cured."
A collective gasp arose from the knights. They dismounted and immediately knelt before Haru.
"Then it is true," the captain exclaimed. "Word has reached the capital of the exalted one's miraculous cure and the king himself was informed. We have come with haste at his majesty's behest. The king formally invites Mister..."
Haru answered with a grin. "Call me Rex."
"Mister Rex," the captain continued, "Would you do us the honor of accompanying us to the capital?"
"I'm quite busy but I suppose I can go if the king is inviting me," Haru replied, feigning reluctance. "But I am famished from my travels. I would like to eat something first... and no wolf, please."
"O-Of course, Mister Rex," the captain assured him. "The Kingdom of Cranch offers many delicacies, none of which include wolf meat. We shall utilize the kingdom's teleportation stations to swiftly transport you to the capital, where you may dine to your heart's content."
Haru suppressed a triumphant grin as he gathered his belongings. Everything was falling into place… j-just as he had planned.
…
Haru was stuffing his face like there was no tomorrow. Roasted duck, fancy salads, desserts that would make your grandma jealous—the Cranch castle's dining hall had it all. Sure, a big bowl of rice would've made it perfect, but hey, beggars can't be choosers, right?
Suddenly, a voice boomed through the hall, "Presenting His Royal Majesty, King Cranch, and the young princes!"
The massive oak doors swung open, revealing not one, but three figures. King Cranch strode in first, his broad shoulders and commanding presence filling the doorway. A thick, well-groomed mustache flowed into a beard, framing a face etched with the hardships of a life lived, rather than the pampering one might expect of a king. The telltale marks of the Cranch plague marred his skin. Yet, his eyes, when they landed on Haru, held a spark of hope. Behind him trailed two boys, princes born into royalty and bearing themselves as such. The elder, especially, exuded an air of noble grace, a differing aura to that of his father. Haru immediately activated [World Knowledge] as he scanned the family.
> World Knowledge Lv2
> Name: Aldric Norwell
>
> Race: Human
>
> Gender: Male
>
> Occupation: King of the kingdom of Cranch
>
> Current Status: Moderately Ill (afflicted with disease)
>
> Age: 49
'Examine'
> Aldric Norwell
>
> Description: Aldric Norwell, the reigning monarch of Cranch, carries himself less like a king and more like a seasoned warrior. Once a renowned adventurer whose name resonated throughout the kingdom, he had once been part of a legendary S-rank party, famed for their daring exploits and famous monster takedowns. Though he has long since traded his adventuring gear for the mantle of leadership, the aura of a seasoned swordsman still clings to him.
>
> Physical Characteristics: (Height: 6'2") / (Weight: 210 lbs) / (black hair, blue-grey eyes, robust frame)
>
> Potential: A+
>
> Equipment: Royal Sword of Cranch
>
> Rank: VIII
Haru almost caused a repeat of when he saw the stats for Tanna, the receptionist. It was another hidden powerhouse that caught him by surprise.
'Damn, are there just top tier ex-adventurers everywhere?'
He had never met the King of Cranch as the kingdom had already fell before the heroes even travelled here. After that, he wasn't sure what happened to the royals of Cranch. He decided to play it cool for now.
Continuing, he moved on to the princes.
> Name: Cael Cranch
>
> Race: Human
>
> Gender: Male
>
> Occupation: 1st prince of the kingdom of Cranch
>
> Current Status: Moderately Ill
>
> Age: 15
> Name: Elric Cranch
>
> Race: Human
>
> Gender: Male
>
> Occupation: 1st prince of the kingdom of Cranch
>
> Current Status: Moderately Ill
>
> Age: 9
The king turned to the guards in the room and proceeded to tell everyone to leave the room, leaving only himself, the princes, and Haru to discuss what happens next.