~Chapter 4~
I immediately searched through the bag I was carrying. Who knew this habit of always bringing my bag would be so helpful!
“I can treat it! It’s a disease caused by drinking contaminated water, common in animals, and it spreads easily, so early treatment is essential! Luckily, my medicine—”
“How can we trust your medicine?”
“Uh…”
“I believe you’re not a divine beast kidnapper. But giving your medicine to the divine beast is a different matter.”
The captain’s words were cold but correct. He protects the divine beasts. He can’t trust a stranger’s homemade medicine.
“B-But if we don’t give medicine now, it could be dangerous! It can spread to humans too!”
“You said your name was Rinnegrim?”
The mention of my name came at a strange time.
“…Yes. That’s right. I am Rinnegrim Feahil. I swear on my family’s name. I can treat Kinyaxis. He is infected with parasites, and my medicine kills them.”
My heart pounded wildly. I could do it. I had to. Saving Kinya was the only way out.
While my hands trembled from nerves, the captain’s voice lowered heavily.
“Rinnegrim Feahil. You say you can treat Kinyaxis. Can you swear this by the name of the Rihwiella?”
He simply called my name, but I felt bound by an invisible force. It was hard to move my lips, but I barely managed one word.
“…Yes!”
“…Please take care of Kinyaxis.”
With his permission, I opened the medicine bottle. A bitter herbal scent hit my nose.
The medicine made with my father’s research tools—the medicine that paid for my sick mother’s treatment and my living expenses. It was an anthelmintic.
After studying the herbs of this world, I succeeded in making Albendazole, widely used in modern times to treat parasites like pinworms and roundworms.
‘Please, may the medicine that saved many animals save Kinya too…!’
Estimating Kinya’s weight, I poured enough medicine to cover the bottom of a small cup. I fed it carefully between his slightly parted lips.
“Ugh…”
“It’s bitter, but swallow it!”
“Ugh… bitter…”
“Sorry…! Here goes.”
“How disrespectful!”
Regardless of the knights’ shock, I held Kinya’s lips tightly and blew air into his nostrils. He swallowed with a small gulp.
“…The effect should show by tomorrow. When he regains consciousness, give him water boiled with Lumpite stems.”
Lumpite stems work like a laxative. Diluted in water, it helps kill giardia.
“I will inform the management department. Kinyaxis will have to stay in the palace during recovery.”
Meaning they would hold me responsible if anything happened.
Though not fully assured, just escaping the immediate crisis made me nod obediently.
The Holy Knights’ captain, Ethan Croyt, took Kinyaxis straight to the second floor of the main palace.
The second floor housed the management department in charge of divine beasts’ health.
The staff, worn out from sleepless nights due to Kinyaxis’s disappearance, cried tears of joy at seeing him in Ethan’s arms.
“Thank goodness you’re safe, Kinyaxis!”
“Shh. He just fell asleep.”
“Thank goodness… I’ll report this to the divine beast palace.”
Amidst the staff preparing to announce victory after five sleepless nights, the department head, Nilson Robet, wept with relief.
“Sir Croyt, you’ve worked hard!”
“It’s not me.”
“Huh?”
Ethan handed Nilson the bag I had.
“The owner of this bag brought Kinyaxis to the palace and treated him. He said he was infected by parasites.”
“Parasites…? No way…!”
Nilson began checking Kinyaxis as I had done. Seeing inside his throat, his face twisted in horror.
Sticky pus clung inside.
“Definitely infected by parasites! He must have drunk dirty water outside the palace. This is terrible…!”
“…Yes. The bag’s owner said the same.”
Ethan hid his surprise but couldn’t conceal it. A young lady, a fallen noble, with knowledge close to Nilson’s level despite little formal education.
“The bag’s owner gave Kinyaxis this medicine.”
“What?! You gave the divine beast medicine made by a civilian? Sir Croyt! What made you allow that?!”
“No need to worry. We used the power of Ivernys and a speech oath.”
Ivernys Rihwiella, Kinyaxis’s older brother, had the ability to command obedience through spoken oaths. Ethan, his subordinate, could also use part of this ability.
“Rinnegrim Feahil, you said you could treat Kinyaxis. Can you swear this by the name of Rihwiella?”
I remembered Ethan’s confident gaze and voice. Even without the oath, his face said he didn’t believe I was lying.
“That’s a relief.”
Nilson, knowing the oath’s power, nodded in agreement. Then, smelling the medicine Ethan handed him, Nilson was shocked.
“This is medicine made from Lupa berries and Otun roots! You treated Kinyaxis with this? Was it effective?!”
“Yes. Shortly after taking the medicine, Kinyaxis vomited out the parasites and looked better.”
“Oh! Ohhhh…!”
“And when he wakes, give him water boiled with Lumpite stems.”
Nilson’s eyes glowed with the desire to recruit me to the management department.
“We detained Kinyaxis, not sure how he’ll recover.”
“Detained?! How can you lock up such a talent?!”
They just questioned trusting my medicine, and now this?
Ethan looked at Nilson with disbelief. Nilson ignored him and began searching for something.
“Now, Sir Croyt! Please sign here!”
When Ethan saw the documents, his frown deepened.
I lay on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. I had just written a letter asking someone to take care of my mother since I’d be late returning. I hoped I’d be freed before the letter reached Mrs. Luba.
“Nice room…”
I turned over, looking around the place I was confined. Not a dungeon, but a clean, spacious room without windows—probably for noble criminals.
“I hope Kinya is okay…”
He must be. Kinya living meant I live. Without me, no one would care for my mother. The family and society would fall apart.
Knock knock knock!!
“Who’s there?!”
Snapping out of my thoughts, I hurried to the door, but it opened before I could touch the knob.
“Are you Rinnegrim?”
The visitor was the captain I’d seen earlier and a serious man. I snapped out of daze and greeted.
“Yes. I’m Rinnegrim Feahil.”
“I’m Nilson Robet, head of the divine beast management department. I came to check the medicine you gave Kinyaxis. Please, sit.”
Why would such an elite want to see me?
I sat down in a daze; Nilson sat opposite me.
“Rinnegrim, how did you know to use Lupa berries and Otun roots to kill those terrible parasites?”
“…What?”
“I’m ashamed to be head of the department, but even I hadn’t thought of that. Using medicine on divine beasts instead of prayer is unusual!”
I rolled my eyes. How could I say it was because I came from another world?
“…I’ve been interested since childhood. Luckily, I could make medicine from my father’s research tools. I consider myself lucky.”
“I’ve been head for ten years… When I thought my prayers lost power, I wondered if divine beasts needed something else besides prayers.”
“Yes…”
Why was he suddenly counseling me? Not a usual first meeting topic.
Noticing my look, Nilson scratched his head awkwardly.
“Enough introduction. I hope you join the management department and share your knowledge.”
“Ah, yes. Join the management department… What?!”
The divine beast management department is an elite group so tough that even royal academy elites struggle to get in. And the head wants me in?!
“Of course, you must pass a proper interview.”
Nilson added, and my jaw dropped.
“But don’t you need a recommendation letter for the interview?”
Exactly. Nobles find it hard to join because of connections. Without a recommendation from a powerful noble, you can’t even try.
“No worries! Sir Ethan Croyt, captain of the Holy Knights, personally wrote you a recommendation!”
“The captain?!”
“Yes! He’s impressed watching you! Ha ha!”
The captain nearby narrowed his eyes, but I had no time for that.
A once-in-a-lifetime chance suddenly appeared. Maybe the gods gave me great trials and rewards.
I jumped up, knocking over my chair but not caring.
“I can do it! Give me any task, I’ll work hard!”
“Good. With Sir Croyt’s recommendation and my discretion, your written test is replaced by your treatment of Kinyaxis.”
“Then…?”
“We’ll start with the interview.”
So, the prison interview was decided.
