CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: SKIN-WHITENING PILLS
Upon his return from hunting, Armad encountered something unexpected on his way back. Sneaking back to the palace, he spotted a young woman. Given his distance above ground and his concealed position, he shouldn't have seen her. However, the System alerted him to her presence as soon as he passed by. "Here is a woman from the same timeframe as you," it echoed, the same message he had received earlier.
Armad scrutinized her and deemed her pretty, but what intrigued him most was her early presence; the sun had yet to rise, yet she was already at work. Impressed, he silently decided she deserved a pay raise. Aware of the unfair treatment of hardworking servants, Armad acknowledged that while aristocrats received lavish stipends, individuals like her were underpaid. The contrast was stark: the hardest labor aristocrats did involve eating and sleeping, while the palace sustained their extravagant lifestyle.
However, the prince had been accustomed to this lifestyle since childhood, and there seemed to be no way for Armad to change it unless he ascended to the throne. This aspect of his past was not a priority for Armad at the moment, so he continued walking and scaled the palace wall to enter.
Once back in his room, he headed straight for a bath. The maids had prepared the bathwater in advance, diligently replacing it with hot water and fragrant herbs regardless of whether he used it or not. Despite his recent bath, the water was still warm upon his return, a testament to their meticulous care. Stripping off his clothes as he walked, Armad eagerly sank into the generously sized bathtub, feeling a surge of exhilaration, perhaps due to the satisfaction of a full stomach.
Although his appetite seemed insatiable, he found temporary contentment. Additionally, the anticipation of receiving new pills likely contributed to his buoyant mood.
Despite the complaints he received for depleting the palace's food reserves, tonight he consumed more food than he had in the past two days. However, all he ate was meat, surpassing the amount of food he had consumed since his arrival.
Filled with anticipation, he awaited the pills he was about to receive from the System. After his bath, he returned to the bedroom and settled into bed. Before long, he drifted into a deep sleep, only to be awakened shortly after by the System.
"You have created three types of pills," the System announced. "The skin-colored pills will enhance your skin toughness, along with a 307-colored pill and 488 cultivation boosters. Additionally, there are 72 horse pills and 567 skin-whitening pills."
Armad frowned, finding the cultivation boosters and skin-enhancing pills satisfactory, but feeling irritated by the mention of skin-whitening pills. The ones he had received days ago remained unused, tucked away in his bag.
"What's the point of skin whiteners for someone who isn't a woman?" he muttered in annoyance, pushing them aside.
Instead of taking them, he retrieved his cultivation boosters and skin enhancers from the bag and set them aside.
Selecting a skin-colored pill, he tossed it into his mouth, feeling his skin heat up each time he ingested a portion. The sensation was akin to boiling water on his body, forcing him to wait until it cooled down before repeating the process.
This routine consumed three days of enduring the pills' intense heat, at times causing him to scream in agony. Yet, as soon as the heat subsided, he resumed the process.
After three days, he instructed Nusi not to serve him any food and to inform Musa accordingly. Additionally, he instructed Nusi to keep her siblings in the palace until he summoned them, intending for them to acclimate to their surroundings in the meantime.
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This approach would alleviate any fears or apprehensions they had about staying, allowing them to witness firsthand the positive changes of the place as they experienced the excellent treatment they received.
Additionally, Armad couldn't meet with them at the moment, as his cultivation took precedence, especially with rumors of wild tribes circulating.
Of the ten days he had been present, five had already passed: two upon his initial appearance and three spent consuming the skin-enhancing pills.
Upon completing the pills, totaling more than three hundred, Armad received a message from the System that both delighted and unsettled him.
The message stated:
"You have enhanced your skin toughness by 31.6, resulting in your skin becoming darker, thicker, and tougher. However, the thickness now resembles that of monsters found in the Equatorial region, making you akin to a demon-crocodile."
Armad was dumbstruck as he read on, realizing that his skin was covered in thick keloids, resembling those of a monstrous creature. From a distance, he could easily be mistaken for a demon-crocodile.
His heart raced with fear as he confronted his reflection. Though his sole focus was on advancing his cultivation, the terrifying transformation left him with a daunting realization: he couldn't possibly venture into public looking like a monster. Who would accept him as the prince in such a frightful state? No one would believe he was a Wilberforce, as no member of the lineage had ever exhibited such a monstrous appearance.
Examining his reflection in the mirror, he found his facial features unchanged, but his skin now resembled the coarse, thick hide of a crocodile—a demon-crocodile, to be precise. Even his eyelids, usually the softest part of a human, had thickened to the density of an adult elephant's skin.
Consumed by worry, Armad pondered how to rectify this alarming transformation. He needed a remedy that wouldn't compromise the newfound toughness of his skin. Despite the exhilaration of acquiring impenetrable defense, the prospect of being confined indoors due to his appearance troubled him deeply.
As soon as the thought crossed his mind, another message arrived from the System:
"You need not fear. If you desire to restore your skin to its former smoothness or even enhance its texture, simply take the whitening pills."
Armad's eyes widened in astonishment. So, the whitening pills were useful after all! Without waiting to hear more from the System, he retrieved the previously discarded pills from his bag and began ingesting them, quickly consuming around seven hundred in total.
Unbeknownst to him, his skin began to clear as he approached the three-hundred mark, but in his panicked state, Armad failed to notice the change. His sole focus was on banishing the frightening keloids before being compelled to ingest all the pills.
Fearing that Musa or one of the palace servants might eventually see him, Armad was determined to keep his transformation a secret. By the time he reached the four hundredth pill, his skin had softened and smoothed, its tone fairer than that of the average man's.
As he consumed the pills, his complexion transformed, growing fairer with each swallow until his once-tanned skin was entirely replaced by a luminous glow that radiated from him, visible even from a distance.
Meanwhile, Nusi, who was diligently sweeping nearby, noticed an unusual glow emanating from a palace window. Curiosity piqued, she paused her work to investigate. Despite her urge to enter the palace, she hesitated, mindful of the mysterious energy she sensed within.
Concerned by the prince's absence for three days, Nusi speculated on his well-being, rationalizing his seclusion as meditation. However, the allure of the strange light persisted, compelling her to uncover its source.
She felt compelled to enter and offer any assistance the prince might need.
His kindness towards her instilled a sense of duty, prompting her willingness to aid him, even against the approaching army, of Ururu a secret she alone knew.
According to the legends she had studied, King Arion harbored Ururu for a century, deceiving others about their true intentions while maintaining a facade of friendship and alliance.
Feeling indebted to the prince for his kindness, Nusi resolved to assist him without hesitation.
Meanwhile, Armad depleted the heap of pills before him, reaching for more only to find the container empty. Unsure if it was panic or the pills' taste driving him, he continued chewing until none remained.
Despite his initial alarm, Armad reassured himself that the pills were tasteless, focusing instead on the promise of reclaiming his normal skin.
Examining his luminous complexion, Armad's heart raced as he received a message from the System, unsure whether to react with laughter or tears.