Episode 3
“Hm…”
The wrinkles on Alec’s forehead deepened as he concentrated. He was in his forties now, and his sharp eyes were fixed on Roxana’s wrist, reading her pulse carefully.
Lady Avelio was thinner than most women her age, but overall, she seemed healthy.
Still… something about the flow of energy inside her body felt off.
Every living being, no matter how small, is born with mana — a natural life force that flows through the body. When that flow is disrupted, it affects one’s health.
“Is something wrong with me?”
Roxana asked politely. She didn’t feel sick, but Alec’s long silence made her curious.
Alec finally let go of her wrist, thinking the disturbance was probably minor — maybe stress or fatigue.
“The wedding’s coming up. Have you been under any stress lately?”
“Not really. The duchy’s taking care of everything, so I don’t have much to worry about.”
“Sometimes, emotional pressure or anxiety can also cause stress,” he said calmly.
Roxana gave a small, awkward smile at his remark.
Even though Alec wasn’t the type to gossip, he still knew the atmosphere in the mansion.
Outwardly, everyone acted cheerful about the upcoming wedding, but underneath… jealousy and resentment toward Roxana filled the halls.
Alec advised her to rest and relax, and the check-up ended — only for him to return the next day, looking more serious.
By the end of the second examination, Alec urgently requested an audience with the duke.
“What did you just say? Say it again.”
Asterion’s voice cut through the air — cold and sharp as ice. Alec flinched, trembling slightly, though Asterion’s piercing blue eyes didn’t even seem to see him.
Maybe I misdiagnosed her… maybe I’m wrong, Alec thought desperately.
He was one of the most skilled physicians in the empire, but even he wanted to believe his ears had deceived him.
Asterion’s eyes glinted dangerously, and Alec squeezed his eyes shut before forcing himself to speak.
“Lady Avelio… is suffering from an illness that’s… almost incurable.”
It felt like a hammer struck Asterion’s skull.
The shock hit harder than the first time he heard it — his mind went blank, and it was as if all the blood drained from his body.
His blue eyes froze over like the northern sea, and silence weighed down the office like a physical force.
Even Alec — who’d always known the duke as cold and emotionless — was startled to see such a reaction.
Of course… she’s his bride-to-be. Anyone would be shaken.
Usually, when people are under mental stress or physical exhaustion, their mana flow becomes unstable. With enough rest and calm, it returns to normal.
But Lady Avelio’s mana flow had been subtly different from the very beginning — almost unnaturally so.
At first, Alec assumed it was just wedding stress. But after today’s checkup, he knew something was seriously wrong.
Asterion steadied his dizzy mind and finally spoke, his voice low and heavy.
“You didn’t tell her about this, did you?”
“Of course not. I wanted to verify my findings and review the records before reporting to you first, Your Grace.”
“Good. And you’ll keep this a secret. From everyone.”
“Even… from the patient herself?” Alec asked carefully.
Doctors were obligated to tell their patients the truth — no matter what.
Asterion’s expression twisted in pain before he quickly composed himself.
He could barely stand to hear it himself — how could he possibly tell her?
I’ll cure it. No matter what it takes. At least until then…
Even if the world called him a coward, Asterion refused to let Roxana know.
“She doesn’t have to suffer over it. I’ll handle this.”
His tone was suppressed, his words clipped — but they carried the sharp edge of a blade.
Alec dabbed the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief.
“Y-yes, of course, Your Grace.”
He could almost feel his neck snap if he said the wrong thing.
“Tell me everything about the disease and its treatment.”
Asterion’s voice was tight, forcing calm. Alec’s hands trembled as he explained.
“The illness is called Elven Vein Collapse Syndrome — Elf Jeolmaekjeung in ancient terms. It occurs when the body’s natural flow collides with the flow of nature’s mana. It’s extremely rare — only a few elves in ancient records were known to suffer from it. It’s… very dangerous…”
As Alec went on, describing the symptoms and the patients’ fates, the air around Asterion grew heavier — the killing intent pouring from him like a storm.
“So at best, she’ll be half-paralyzed, and at worst… she’ll die?”
The words came out like a voice from the depths of hell.
“Y-yes…”
“You said almost incurable, not incurable. That means there’s hope, isn’t there?”
Asterion’s voice trembled faintly, filled with desperate hope.
“There was one recorded case of a successful treatment… but the problem is that it’s impossible to reproduce. The ingredients for the cure can no longer be found.”
Alec wiped his cold sweat again, trembling under the duke’s intense stare.
Asterion’s reply was firm and absolute.
“Then find them. I’ll get you everything you need. Just make the cure.”
His voice struck like a gavel, echoing with unyielding authority.
“Your Grace, even if I could gather the ingredients… the recipe itself isn’t in any of the medical texts I’ve seen.”
Asterion’s icy blue eyes glinted with deadly intent. Alec’s brain spun wildly, desperate for an idea — any idea — that could save his life.
Then suddenly, something flashed through his mind.
“Ah! Maybe… maybe I can find it in the Chamber of Wisdom!”
The Chamber of Wisdom was a massive private library within the Kailani estate — filled with ancient and forbidden books, and only direct members of the family were allowed inside.
“You have my permission. Find it within a week.”
Asterion didn’t hesitate.
Alec’s eyes went wide.
The Chamber of Wisdom?! He’s letting me inside?
Excitement mixed with fear — what if he couldn’t find it in time?
Still, the chance to read such ancient medical texts made his heart race uncontrollably.
Asterion’s next words made his jaw drop.
“If you find it within a week, I’ll give you another week’s access to the Chamber. For every day you finish early, I’ll add another week.
I’ll pay you enough to keep your family wealthy for three generations.”
He’d read Alec perfectly — he knew the man’s secret obsession with rare knowledge.
Alec’s face twisted between laughter and tears as he nodded wildly.
Compared to Roxana’s life, Asterion’s condition meant nothing.
If Alec could find the formula and make the cure, Asterion would reward him beyond imagination — lifetime access to the Chamber, endless wealth, and his gratitude.
But deep down, Alec worried.
Even if I find the recipe… can I make it?
Without all the rare ingredients, the cure would be useless.
One of them, he knew, was almost impossible to obtain.
Still, that was not his concern.
The duke saw the list himself. He’ll handle it.
Moments later, Alec left the office, clutching his orders, and hurried straight to the Chamber of Wisdom.
Asterion slumped over his desk, his large frame trembling as if the air had left his body.
He clutched his chest — the pain felt like his heart was being ripped out.
From the moment he heard the diagnosis, his mind had been shattered.
The woman who was everything to him… was dying.
He wanted to believe it was a nightmare. But the cold ache in his chest told him otherwise.
Right then, Asterion wanted nothing more than to see Roxana — to hold her, to hear her voice. But he clenched his fists and forced himself to stay still.
If he went to her now, his enemies — led by the Crown Prince — would pounce like hyenas, tearing her apart.
He couldn’t let that happen. Never.
He’d hidden his feelings for her well all this time, and he would keep doing so — cold, distant, emotionless.
That was the only way he could protect her.
He once thought that by keeping her close, he could finally protect her completely. But that was arrogance.
Heaven had just proven him wrong — and cast him into despair.
Life without Roxana was unimaginable.
I’ll cure her. No matter what it takes.
Even if the cure required the heart of a Sword Master — his own heart — he would gladly cut it out himself.
Five days later.
Alec was still inside the Chamber of Wisdom, searching endlessly for the cure to Elven Vein Collapse Syndrome.
He ate and slept inside the library, never leaving, eyes bloodshot and body trembling from exhaustion.
As the deadline approached, his nerves grew tight — but his obsession burned stronger.
“I found it!”
He jumped up, eyes gleaming with madness, clutching a thick tome to his chest.
He ran down the hallway like a man possessed.
Bang!
The doors flew open as Alec sprinted straight toward the duke’s office.
A knight in the corridor saw him coming and knocked quickly on the door.
“Your Grace, Physician Alec Kynes is here.”
When the knight opened the door, Alec stumbled in, gasping for breath.
“Hah… hah… hah…”
Asterion rose to meet him.
When the duke sat on the sofa, Alec dropped into the seat opposite him.
His hair was greasy, his face smeared with fatigue and sweat — the marks of five sleepless days.
By the time the butler, Khalid, set down the tea between them, Alec had finally caught his breath enough to speak.
