(EP-270.2) #2

270 – Reconciliation #2

The test was conducted quickly.

It consisted of nothing more than inserting a very long cotton swab deep into my nose, so deep that I thought, ‘Can it go any deeper?’

“Hieeek…!”

“Ahh-! I made a mistake…! We need to try the other side…!”

‘Fųck off!’

Anyway, apart from the discomfort of having a swab pushed deep into my nose, the examination was simpler than I had expected.

There was no cutting open my stomach, no drawing blood, and no attaching strange machines to my body.

Thanks to that, it only took an hour to get the results. It was good that things moved quickly. Perhaps it was because the people of Angmar didn’t like to wait.

When the test results came back, Medinoi said.

“Theonoi, it’s great a pity…”

“W… Why?”

“Theonoi, it’s very unfortunate that you missed the opportunity to be the first to experience our latest medical devices and treatments…! Better luck next time…!”

“… What do you mean?”

“It means you don’t have the Nymph Flu Coronoi…!”

“…….”

What a nasty little nymph. That was not pitiful at all!

In the end, this entire incident turned out to be a kind of farce. Apparently, I wasn’t infected with the nymph flu or whatever it was called.

“Theo, I’m glad you didn’t catch the flu.”

Only then was I able to have a meeting with Aira, who had been watching me from a distance in the isolation room. For some reason, I felt somewhat relieved seeing Aira’s reaction.

Not only Aira was there, but also Mirna and Elga. Both had some minor injuries on their faces, but they didn’t seem to be seriously hurt.

However, the Drug Nymph Medinoi had a dark expression, showing quite a pessimistic outlook.

“But Theonoi’s body is not normal…! For some reason, it seems like Theonoi’s body is under extreme strain, even for a nymph…!”

Elga was the first to respond to that.

“… So, he doesn’t have much time left? His body is overstrained, and his lifespan has been drastically shortened, hasn’t it?”

“You can see it that way…! I am the Drug Nymph Medinoi. I can instinctively sense the lifespan of other nymphs….”

Lifespan.

While I was puzzled by that strange term, Medinoi continued to chatter on.

“Your body clearly can’t keep up with your magic…! The only way to fix this is to cauterize the magic circuit with a special drug and then surgically remove and seal it…!”

Mirna sounded highly distressed by this statement.

“What do you mean by that? If you cauterize the magic circuit, doesn’t that mean he won’t be able to use magic anymore? Are you saying he’ll have to live as an ordinary person?”

Medinoi replied with a very sorrowful expression.

“That’s correct…! But there’s no other choice… it’s very unfortunate, but Theonoi’s remaining lifespan is only…”

Medinoi stopped speaking. Her expression was very serious and she looked like she was about to cry, which made me incredibly nervous.

My lifespan was short?

And to fix it, they need to cauterize my magic circuit?

Just when I thought things were going to get easier with magic, I was back on hard mode. I guessed magic didn’t come without a price…

It was almost like I knew things were going too well.

While I was feeling down, Aira, with a rather sorrowful expression, asked.

“… So, how much time does Theo have left? Assuming the magic circuit isn’t removed. Tell me the truth.”

“Theonoi’s lifespan is so short that… if left as is, he only has about 200 years left…!”

━━━─!!!!

Everyone fell silent, shocked by the nymph doctor’s words.

Then, the elf and nymph nurses and researchers began to make a fuss, as if they had heard something horrific.

━He can only live for 200 years… This is truly terrible! I’ve never seen such a pitiful nymph before!

━Even if he has inferior nymph blood, living only 200 years… If he had superior elf blood, he could live at least 300 years.

━Hey, Kkanp, did you just say that…? Do you need to taste the bitter taste of fear from this drug nymph, Dopingnoi, to come to your senses…!?

The room started to become chaotic with the elves and nymphs arguing.

I-.

“I’m getting dizzy in this lab, can you just let me out of here already?”

* * *

Having been released, I slipped past the young ladies who tried to engage me in conversation and headed toward the familiar office in the palace.

There was much to discuss with the ladies…

“The-Theo… I really…”

“Elga-nim, let’s talk about this later. I promise. There’s something I need to take care of first.”

Especially Elga, but there was something far more important that had to be dealt with first.

When I reached the thick door, he spoke as if he had been waiting for me.

━The door is not locked, come in.

What a beastly sense…

I opened the heavy door and stepped into Angmar’s Chancellor office.

A chill ran down my spine, as if I were stepping into the jaws of a lion, but compared to what I had just gone through, this was nothing.

“Lord Reinhardt.”

“…….”

Even as I entered the room, the man continued to meticulously tend to the sword in front of him. He didn’t even spare me a glance, and exuded a sense of seasoned composure.

He spoke leisurely.

“So, how is your illness? I heard the only way to resolve it is by burning your magic circuit.”

As expected. One thing became clear.

“You know better than anyone that I’m not sick, Lord Reinhardt. I know you orchestrated this entire scenario, so let’s stop playing games.”

“Interesting. But that’s a lie. You are indeed suffering from a fever. An incurable fever—a disease called the ghost of the past. Schemes and plots—those are the symptoms.”

“…….”

“Instead of a cough, there are lies. Instead of a fever in your head, it’s mad delusions that will consume you, Theo Gospel.”

Sreung. Tak.

Reinhardt sheathed his sword, yet his presence grew even sharper than when he held it unsheathed.

“So, what do you have to say to me, great court mage?”

Gooooooooo-.

A heavy aura emanated from him, powerful enough to feel lethal. However, I could sense my inherent talent《Charisma》neutralizing it.

I began to speak.

“Lord Reinhardt, I did not come here as the court mage, entertainment officer, nor the gardener.”

At that, Reinhardt burst into laughter as if he had heard something amusing.

“What remains of you if not for the titles of the Queen?”

“The truth.”

Edited by: faker