The West Wind's Destination - Chapter 9
Bea was a combat alchemist who had taken countless lives on the battlefield. While her opponents were the empire’s mages, most of those she killed weren’t mages. They were the ordinary soldiers used as shields by the mages.
In any case, had she and this man met during the war, he would very likely have been beheaded by Bea.
“I am an alchemist.”
“I see.”
Bea expected a disdainful look at this point, but there was no sign of displeasure in his gaze as he intently observed her. Instead, there was a clear sense of pleasure from learning something about her.
Intrigued by his heterochromatic eyes, Bea quietly met his gaze, and his gaze seemed to deepen even more.
It appeared the world had changed significantly while she was in hiding. Had all alchemists disappeared? It was almost the first time she encountered a soldier who didn’t view her as an enemy.
“My name is Aseph.”
Bea nodded, acknowledging that she understood his name.
Normally, if one person introduces themselves, it implies a desire to hear the other person’s introduction.
But Bea lacked such social graces. Even if she had them, she likely wouldn’t have felt the need to share her name with someone she’d just met and might never see again.
“…….”
Aseph seemed slightly disappointed at Bea’s silence but quickly brightened up and continued talking.
“Does the meal suit your taste? It’s the skill I used to feed soldiers during prolonged battles, but the feedback wasn’t bad.”
“…….”
“There are many edible mushrooms growing around here. As an alchemist, don’t you enjoy foraging?”
“…….”
“Then, may I offer to gather ingredients for you?”
Unaccustomed to interacting with people, Bea found his barrage of questions irksome. So, she silently looked at her plate and continued eating. However, Aseph, undeterred by her response—or lack thereof—kept prying with more questions.
After dismissing over ten of his inquiries, Bea, caught up in his pace without realizing it, found herself waiting for the next question. When he suddenly fell silent, she looked up.
“Ah…….”
His face was pale, or rather, it looked jaundiced as if poisoned.
As Bea cocked her head in confusion, Aseph seemed to feel nauseous, covering his mouth with his hand and struggling to stand.
Ever polite, he seemed to want to excuse himself from the table.
“Just a moment… ugh.”
But he couldn’t finish his sentence and collapsed. He seemed to try not to fall over the table but failed, and his large body fell, toppling the table and scattering food and utensils, leaving a mess on the floor.
Bea, who had emotionlessly watched the entire scene unfold, was certain something had gone awry with his body. She laid him flat, unbuttoned his shirt, and touched his bare skin.
Specifically, the area below his left waist – where the kidney was – seemed swollen.
“Ugh…!”
Aseph groaned in pain as she probed the area. Bea, unfazed, examined it further.
“Hmm? Hmm. Ahh… The organ is damaged.”
It was clear that the previously tattered organ, haphazardly stitched together with her limited knowledge, had developed issues.
Bea immediately fetched the painkiller she had used last time and administered it, easing his breathing. She then used a smooth knife to cut into the swollen area, revealing the engorged and discolored organ.
She had hastily cut and reattached the damaged organ last time, and clearly, she had miscalculated.
‘He endured this well. Must be because he’s a soldier.’
The fact that he had hunted, foraged and cooked in this condition was a testament to his remarkable willpower.
Admiring the physical resilience, Bea suddenly worried.
‘What if similar issues arise when I resurrect my master?’
That would be a real problem, as her master was a perfect being. If she failed to perfectly restore his body, it would be a disgrace.
The damaged parts were one kidney and a part of the spleen. Considering their functions, replacing them with new ones seemed feasible. Fixing Aseph could be a good practice run for human alchemy.
She began calculating the formula for an array to create a new kidney and immediately started drawing.
Time was of the essence. Any delay might result in losing this valuable practice subject.
As Bea worked, dripping with sweat and concentration, Aseph tried to focus his blurry eyes on her and spoke weakly.
“You… must be the angel I see before I die.”
“…….”
Bea was taken aback. Dying people often hallucinate, and it seemed he was in that state now.
The task of creating a new organ and its array took an unexpectedly long time.
During this period, she had to administer painkillers and stimulants several times, barely preventing Aseph from taking his final breath.
There might be side effects, but what does it matter? To Bea, creating and replacing the organ, and ensuring its proper function, was paramount.
