The king slowly shifted, his eyes fluttering open to focus on the ceiling above.

“Father?”

He turned his head toward the familiar voice. There, standing at his bedside, were Elric and Cael looking back at him with a mix of relief and joy.

“Dad!” Elric exclaimed, throwing himself onto his father in an unrestrained hug. Aldric grimaced as pain shot through his body, a strained smile crossing his lips despite the discomfort. His entire body was stiff, every muscle aching. He looked to Cael with pleading eyes.

“Elric, father is still healing. You need to let him rest,” Cael gently admonished, pulling his younger brother away. Aldric sighed in relief as the pressure on his ribs eased.

He looked around the room, taking in the sight of his two sons and the quiet stillness that filled the room. After a moment, he finally asked, “Is he…?”

Cael nodded. “Yes… the Lord Regent is gone.”

A heavy silence settled over the room. Aldric’s face darkened. “I’m sorry… If… if only I hadn’t been so blind. Perhaps then your mother—”

“Father, you are not to blame,” Cael interrupted firmly. “When I was younger, I once asked Mom why she chose to marry someone outside the usual norms of royalty. Historically, the records of a royal marrying a commoner are rare, and when they do exist, they're often regarded as romanticized tales rather than truth. The traditional role of a princess has always been to forge alliances that serve the royal family’s interests. Yet, against custom and years of precedent, she chose to marry someone of a completely different class.”

Aldric’s expression softened as Cael continued, "She spoke of the first time you met and the moments you shared together. She listed many reasons why she fell in love with you. But the one thing she mentioned she liked most of all was that you always tried to see the best in people.”

Aldric looked a bit stunned. “I never knew she said that about me.”

“She also told me she wished for me to inherit your qualities because she believed the kingdom needed a new path forward and that meant being a king of the people,” Cael added. “A king who understands the people.”

Aldric looked at both of his sons warmly, a smile forming on his lips despite the pain. “She always was a sweet talker. But I’m glad you both take after your mother more than me. She was always so intelligent. If you took after me, this kingdom might already be gone.” He chuckled, though the movement sent a jolt of pain through his sides.

“You don’t have to worry, Father. Mother taught me as much as she could before her passing. I promise I won’t let the kingdom fall, no matter what,” Cael vowed.

“And I’ll help!” Elric chimed in, his youthful enthusiasm bringing a lightness to the room.

Aldric’s smile widened, pride swelling in his chest. “I’m counting on you both,” he said. Suddenly, as if remembering the other important matter they had been discussing before discovering of Magnus' betrayal, he asked: “Where is Mr. Rex? There are some things I’d wish to speak with him about.”

"I'll get someone to fetch him," Cael said as he turned to get someone.

Moments later, Haru entered into the room.

"Hey, you're awake," Haru greeted Aldric casually. By now, the two princes and the king were used to his lax demeanor.

"Yes," Aldric replied, bowing his head as best as he could manage. "I hope you can forgive me. I was foolish to not heed your words earlier. You were right about everything. I hope you won't hold it against us."

"Water under the bridge," Haru waved his hand nonchalantly.

"I also wish to thank you for your assistance," Aldric continued earnestly.

Haru stayed quiet.

"Not only had you let me fight without worry, you always helped me finish the fight. It was you, wasn't it?" Aldric pressed on. "The reason I was able to break through his barrier. I could feel it as I tried to force my way through. Magnus was burning through his life force to sustain his magic, and I wouldn't have been able to break through before his attack reached me. However, at the last moment, I felt his magical influence on the barrier weaken dramatically, just enough for me to break through. There are few tools that can achieve such a feat, and there are no skills known to me that can affect mana to that degree. The only thing I can think of would be the skill of a Summoned. A skill that can affect mana like that would make waves among the Seven Kingdoms. However, please rest assured, I have no plans to spread information about your skill."

Haru's smile widened. "You're welcome."

"You gave this old man a chance to redeem himself," Aldric said. "And for that I will forever be grateful."

"Well, it wasn't like I was going to let you go after all the effort I went through to come here," Haru said, shrugging. "Your survival is as much a benefit to me as it is to this kingdom. So, how about it? Are you ready to accept my offer?" He withdrew the two vials he had kept after the whole debacle and placed them on the bed.

"If it were up to me, I would accept without hesitation. However, my role as king is only temporary. The final decision will rest with my son." Aldric turned to Cael.

Cael met Haru’s gaze, then extended his hand. "Whatever you need, we will fulfill our end of the bargain completely. The kingdom will be grateful to have you as a partner."

Haru grinned widely and shook Cael's hand. "Likewise. Now, drink up. I don't want my partners dropping dead so soon after sealing the deal."

Cael immediately took the vial and drank its contents. Almost instantly, the purple rashes on his skin began to fade. He stared at the vial in awe. "This..." He looked at his hands, clenching them as if to ensure he wasn't dreaming. "Does it remove fatigue as well?" he asked. Experiencing the cure firsthand was vastly different from witnessing its effects on Elric. The disease often left one drained, gradually progressing until one was confined to their bed. Yet, drinking this cure had caused a resurgence of energy within him.

"That's right," Haru said, his posture growing a bit prouder. "This cure is one of a kind. Not only does it rid you of the disease, but it also relieves fatigue and boosts energy! That's why I suggested you could sell it outside your territory to recoup your investment."

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"But to this degree..." Cael murmured, deep in thought, while Aldric struggled to lift his arm.

"I'll do it for you, Dad!" Elric said eagerly. He grabbed the second vial, unsealed it, and hastily poured it into Aldric's mouth, causing the king to mildly choke.

As Aldric swallowed the contents, the shock on his face was evident. Like Becker and others of his caliber, his control over his body was practically a skill unto itself. He could feel everything happening inside him with precision. If he were to narrate what he felt he would say it was an overwhelming warmth spread through his blood, into his muscles, seeping into the deepest crevices of his body.

The pain that had once wracked Aldric's body had subsided to a dull ache, and even that was fading rapidly. His ultimate trump card, Sundering Rend, was a skill infamous across the Seven Kingdoms not only for its overwhelming destructive power but also for its devastating toll on the user. Wielding such a technique placed an inhuman strain on the body, pushing it far beyond the limits of ordinary endurance. Each use inflicted deep, irreversible damage—muscles torn, bones splintered—wounds that never fully healed. Every time Aldric invoked this skill, his recovery took longer, the toll growing steeper with each use.

Against Magnus, he had put everything on the line—his strength, his life, all for vengeance and to protect his sons. He knew, rationally, it was a reckless decision. At his age and with the disease already sapping his vitality, it was likely to take months for any kind of recovery, if he recovered at all. Using it again could easily be the end of him.

But now, this elixir...

Aldric could feel the change within him. It wasn’t that he was instantly healed, but the relentless damage inside him had halted. He could feel his cells, spurred on by some unseen force, beginning to mend his broken body. The fact that he could move without excruciating pain made him wonder if he had somehow drunk from the enchanted waters of the Tree of Life, deep within the elven homeland.

Curing the disease was one thing but this… this was something else entirely.

“D-Did you really create this yourself?” Aldric asked hesitantly.

“That’s right,” Haru affirmed.

“Father, what’s happening?” Cael asked in concern, seeing the worry in his father's eyes.

"I'm unsure if we are able to hold on to this."

"Father, what's going on?" Cael asked again.

Aldric shifted his body, reaching for his sword in the royal scabbard at his side. He drew the blade, its edge gleaming in the light, and held it up for all to see. "This sword once belonged to the first king of Cranch, one of the Braves who vanquished the Great Evil over three hundred years ago. The first king understood that this blade would always be a source of great envy, a beacon that could bring danger to his family as long as it remained in his possession. So, he hid it away, pretending it had been lost forever."

He paused, his eyes landing back on the vial. "Now, another object of great envy has appeared. This elixir you’ve brought to us, it shares similar properties to the waters of the Tree of Life, which the Seven Kingdoms have long coveted. Not only has it restored my vitality, but it has also accelerated the body’s natural healing processes, energizing me in a way I haven't felt in years. Such a potent elixir doesn't exist anywhere in Kladin. If word were to spread, the other kingdoms would stop at nothing to get their hands on it. They could use it to train their soldiers more efficiently, drastically reduce recovery times, and increase their military strength exponentially. And it wouldn’t just be the kingdoms—the Adventurer's Guild, the Alchemist Association, the Merchant Union... all of them would come after it. Cranch wouldn’t be able to keep the recipe to itself; we’d face ruin, or worse, total destruction, from those who desire this elixir."

By the time he finished speaking, Aldric's brow was slick with cold sweat. He was not only a king but also a seasoned, retired adventurer. He knew the way of the world and of the greedy nature of man.

Haru remained silent. In truth, he already knew of this problem and only hoped they hadn't figured it out so quickly. Cranch, to him, was a means to an end. The truth was, placing the elixir anywhere else was never really an option. When they were first discussing it, he had only been telling them half truths'. Selling it to one of the top organizations or another kingdom could bring him immense wealth, but it would also paint a target on his back as the creator of the elixer. He lacked the necessary means to defend himself if they were ever act against him.

Cranch was unique. Haru had been genuine when he said he admired the kingdom's decision to abolish slavery, but as Magnus had pointed out, it was a move that had isolated Cranch from the other kingdoms, crippled its economy, and with the plague running rampant, nearly brought it to ruin. His plan had been to use the elixir to help the people of Cranch while simultaneously securing the funds he needed for the next phase of his plans, all while letting Cranch bear the brunt of any backlash. If, in the end, other forces decided to move against Cranch, well… that was the cost of doing business.

Sure, helping others felt good, but altruism didn’t count for much when his own life was on the line. When push came to shove, he was prepared to abandon them if it meant saving himself.

‘Should I just leave and switch to plan B?’ Haru thought. Plan B involved framing Cranch as the sole creator of the cure while quietly selling it on the side, ensuring the heat didn't fall on him. It was a risky and messy alternative, but it was starting to seem like he didn’t have a choice.

Suddenly, Cael spoke up, breaking the tense silence. "What if we dilute it?"

“Dilute it?” Haru repeated.

“Right,” Cael continued. “Have you tried adjusting the formula before?”

“No,” Haru replied slowly. “This recipe has always worked, so I never saw the point in altering it.”

"Then what if we find a way to lessen the effects of the elixir," Cael suggested, "so it only partially counteracts the disease in Cranch?" He paused, his eyes darting between his father and Haru. "You said it yourself—the other kingdoms are waiting for us to reach a point where we can't defend ourselves, ready to pounce as soon as we're vulnerable. But what if that time never comes? What if we hold the cure but don’t suddenly recover all at once? That would only draw their attention. Instead, we create a weaker version of the elixir, just strong enough to ease the symptoms of the plague so our people can start to recover and return to work. Those who are watching us would be thrown off—they'd get confused and probably send in spies to figure out what's happening."

He leaned forward, his excitement building. "In the meantime, we partner with the Merchant Union and market this diluted elixir as a low-grade stamina potion. The outside world might suspect that the elixir is doing more than just boosting stamina, that it’s somehow countering the plague, but they won’t have any concrete proof. We can then gradually increase the potency of the elixir within Cranch. The rest of the world will think the plague was never as deadly as it seemed, that our people just needed time to build their resistance. By the time we introduce a stronger version, the Merchant Union will already be invested—they’ll want to protect us because they’ll profit from the elixir’s success. Meanwhile, the other kingdoms will be forced to back off, unsure of what's really happening here."

Haru raised an eyebrow, considering the plan. It was simple plan that would have the other kingdoms look like fools as they tried to figure out what was happening. By the time they figured it out it would be too late. In fact, Haru realized Cael would likely never release the full undiluted elixer and simply play both sides. The full elixer was an extraordinary thing and holding it meant power, something that could put Cranch back on an even playing field. Haru couldn't help but give a devilish grin as he nodded at Cael. "That could work." "But there's still the problem of the contaminated waters in Cranch," Cael added cautiously. "We don’t know how long the plague will last. As long as the water remains tainted, they'll eventually catch on, and Cranch will still face ruin."

Haru's smile widened. "If that's the issue, it’s not a problem. I have a way to fix that."

Both Cael and Aldric looked at him in surprise. "Mr. Rex," Aldric said slowly, "You sound confident. How can you be so sure?"

Haru shrugged casually. "Just leave it to me. I can promise that in a month or two, I'll have that issue resolved."

Cael and Aldric exchanged glances. Then, almost in unison, they turned back to Haru.

"Then we'll leave it to you," Aldric said with a nod.

"Great," Haru replied with a smirk. "Now, who wants to lead me to the treasure room?"