Primordial Sage: Plight of Immortality

'This is annoying,' Illyan sighed regretfully as he was taken care of by the physician apprentices.

It had already been several hours since they had 'accidentally' found him and were carefully transporting him back to the city.

However, it wasn't a comfortable ride for Illyan, as the apprentices were far below his standard.

They were running around him like headless chickens as they yelled.

"He has severe frostbite on his fingers and toes!"

"We will need lukewarm water to soak these parts as soon as possible, or we will have to amputate them!"

"Some of the ribs are broken. He needs to be transported carefully, or his organs could be punctured…"

All sorts of problems were found on Illyan's body as they treated him.

But Illyan felt they were too inadequate.

In the eyes of a normal person, they were quite capable, but in his eyes, they were just like small children in front of an adult.

'They are truly slow and incompetent… I made my injuries severe but not so grave as to panic so much…'

Illyan grumbled as he was being taken back to Faruin City.

He truly couldn't relate to these apprentices, as he believed that these injuries were quite easy to take care of.

The fact that these injuries could be said to be just minor scratches to him also didn't help.

'But at least they will take me to Aurelia sooner since she is the most competent in this place.'

This experience was truly eye-opening to him, as he had a taste of what it would be like if he was powerless and others had to take care of him.

'I will never allow myself to fall into such a pathetic state…' Illyan swore to himself as he endured the journey from the forest back to the city ruins…

……..

"Bring him to the Heart Bearers' area!"

The moment they entered the gates of the city, they quickly ran through the empty streets to get to the devastated square and went straight to the place where the remaining members of Brynjar's clan were.

"What is happening?"

One of the members, seeing the group heading towards them, made haste as he came in front of them, asking with curiosity.

"Quickly! There is no time to waste! We need Miss Aurelia! She should be currently the best physician here, right?!"

One of the physicians shouted loudly as he didn't even look at the man asking.

The gang member furrowed his brows at this, but feeling the situation wasn't right as he looked at the man they were carrying and all of the physicians tending to him, he nodded in the end.

"I can guess the situation. I will lead you to her. But…"

His face distorted as he looked at one man.

"Luke, I can see you behind all of them. You will face the consequences if—"

"Don't worry, Mauren. The man is truly the physician we were looking for since yesterday. Please, quickly, his situation isn't good."

Luke quickly interrupted the man as he dragged his body through the group and spoke to the man he called Mauren.

Mauren sighed as he turned around and beckoned them with his hand as he walked towards Aurelia's personal tent.

The reason for his reluctant behavior was the risk of getting harshly punished by their patriarch for bothering his daughter without any important reason.

The treatment of an Academic Physician was definitely one of them, but he didn't even know what the man looked like since Illyan was always reclusive.

In the end, Mauren pushed any responsibility he could face onto Luke, who brought Kaoran and led them to the tent.

'I don't know why he is like this when he is just letting her rot inside of his man-made prison.' Mauren grumbled under his breath as he moved forward.

Everyone in the gang knew about her condition, but they all felt that Brynjar's behavior was excessive. He always tried to isolate her and keep her bedridden.

One would think that he was just a caring father, but the fact that the number of times he had spoken to her in the last few years could be counted on one's fingers was big enough of an indicator of their sour relationship.

"We are here. Wait for a second, I will call—Is something the matter, Mauren?"

Just as Mauren wanted to tell Luke to wait for him, a woman with fiery auburn hair stepped out of the tent he was standing in front of and asked him in a tired tone.

"Ah, Miss Aurelia! They—We apologize for disturbing Miss Aurelia's rest, but there is an emergency."

Mauren opened his mouth as he wanted to greet her, but Luke interrupted him, cutting straight to the point.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Aurelia frowned as she took a few steps away from the entrance of the tent.

Her figure was thin, and her face looked sickly as she coughed after being exposed to the chilling wind.

However, when she looked curiously at the man who was held on the makeshift bed, her eyes widened.

"No way… Is that…?" Aurelia seemed flabbergasted as she stared at Illyan in 'wonder.'

Little did they know that this scene had already been planned out beforehand by both of them.

"That's right, miss! It is Doctor Kaoran. He was alive after all, and we managed to find him after a few days of searching. But his situation is bad, and the remaining apprentices are incapable of helping him with the most grievous injuries. We are beseeching you…"

"Why didn't you say so quicker?! Bring him inside!"

Before Luke could finish talking, Aurelia decided to take him in.

Luke looked at the men holding the makeshift bed and nodded at them.

They immediately entered the tent while the others stayed outside.

However, the physicians also wanted to enter, but Aurelia turned towards them with a cold expression as she pointed at one of them.

"You, come with me and explain his current state. The others may leave."

Then she disappeared inside the tent as the physician hesitantly entered, while the others looked at each other in confusion.

"You heard Miss. You are not needed here anymore, so leave." Mauren sighed in relief that Aurelia had taken the man without hesitation as he chased the others away.

Soon, the group dispersed as Luke sighed in relief for finishing the mission without a hitch.

'Well, it makes sense that she would help him. From what I heard from the physicians, he taught her medicine during the march, and they became well-known acquaintances.'

Just as he thought so, he suddenly saw someone storming toward him as a shadow suddenly covered his face.

When he looked up, however, he was horrified to see Brynjar with an expressionless face.

"G-Greetings, Patriarch!" Luke bowed as he waited for Brynjar's words.

"Did you already deliver the man?"

"Y-yes, that's right. Miss Aurelia immediately took him in after seeing his condition…"

Being unable to see through Brynjar's expression, Luke felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave as cold sweat trickled down his neck.

"Why did you go to my daughter without reporting first?" Brynjar's tone was calm, but the chill behind it couldn't be hidden.

"I… This was an emergency, sir… Miss Vanda ordered us that if we actually found the man alive, we should—"

"Are you my subordinate or hers? If the messenger hadn't come to tell me, I would still be in the dark."

Brynjar spoke with a dark expression as he sighed deeply, a frown on his face.

"Whatever. Get out of my sight before I throw you to the dogs." Brynjar said as he headed toward his daughter's tent.

"Yes! Thank you!" Luke bowed once again as he disappeared as fast as possible.

Mauren, who saw this, gulped down the saliva in his mouth as he wanted to leave as well.

Brynjar, who saw this, only muttered to himself, "Worthless wretch."

He shook his head as he went straight to the tent.

He knew that this was excessive, as this was considered an emergency, and his relationship with Vanda could worsen if he denied that man's treatment. It could even delay the plan.

'But why is this so annoying?' Brynjar thought as he bit into his thumb until blood flowed, a hideous expression on his face.

There was a certain obsession written all over his face as his eyes shone with madness.

Being aware of that, he stopped right before the entrance of the tent and calmed his heart.

'Calm down… This is nothing. The man is probably an acquaintance of the old man too. They already knew each other. Wait… Now that I think about it, they spent a considerable amount of time together on the way here, and even in the city square, I heard they were sometimes seen together… I need to check it. If there is something wrong, then even if it delays the plan, then…' Brynjar's face returned to his calm visage, but his eyes flashed with murderous intent.

'I will kill him.'

With such a thought, he entered the tent where his daughter was tending to the man.

He could hear some voices, but he didn't manage to understand all the words. Despite also having blood energy reserves like Aurelia, he hadn't learned to strengthen his senses and was thus unable to hear through obstacles or great distances.

Only once he pushed aside the tent's entrance cover could he finally hear clearly what they were talking about.

"…He has over seven ribs broken, and there is even damage to some of his organs." Once he entered, he saw Aurelia leaning over Illyan's body, who was 'unconscious' and placed on the table, while the physician apprentice acted as an assistant, recounting Illyan's injuries.

The man had his back to the entrance and didn't notice Brynjar coming in, but Aurelia definitely did, as she was positioned right against it.

However, there was no reaction shown on her face or body language, as she didn't even lift her head to look at Brynjar.

This made him frown.

"Carefully take the boiling pot of water in the corner and mix in the cold water. Do it until you get a lukewarm temperature!"

Aurelia ordered the apprentice as she checked on Illyan's fingers, which had terrible frostbite.

Such an injury had to be warmed up gradually, since the shock of going from chilling cold to scalding heat could cause irreversible damage to the tissue.

Obviously, this was not the case for Illyan, who could return to his peak condition in a few minutes, and Aurelia knew this.

All of this deception was for people like Brynjar, who had just barged in.

"Aurelia… Why are you silent when you are in my presence?" Brynjar spoke with a frown.

"Ah?!" The apprentice yelped in fright upon hearing Brynjar's voice behind his back.

"You, leave." Brynjar cast his cold eye before ignoring him and stepping past him.

"Ah, yes, sir…" The apprentice mumbled to himself as he quickly left the tent.

Deafening silence flooded the tent as Aurelia still didn't acknowledge his presence, and only the rustling of her moving arms could be heard.

Seeing this, Brynjar sighed as he wanted to say more.

"What did you come for, Father?" But in the end, before he could say anything, Aurelia finally spoke while still working on the treatment.

"Why are you even—Isn't this why you brought me to this damned place in the first place?"

Just as he wanted to question her, she shot him her own question, lifting her head to look at him with an empty gaze.

"No, I did not. I do not care for insignificant people. The reason I brought you is that the moment I leave you alone, you become unhinged and don't listen to reason…"

Brynjar spoke with a frown.

"Well, that's the difference between you and me. I actually love helping people. Just like Grandfather does." Aurelia said nonchalantly as she placed Illyan's arms into the bowl of lukewarm water and sprinkled some kind of powder into the bowls.

"The weak do not have the right to offer help to others. Go rest, Aurelia. The boy will be taken care of."

Brynjar spoke with an expression on his face as if he were looking at a helpless little girl.

Aurelia didn't address this at all. She didn't have the energy for that anymore. She was aware that this was just some kind of obsession he had. The control over her, a very weak and fragile daughter who was in need of protection.

It was a kind of twisted show of 'love.' Whether it was love towards her or her deceased mother he was projecting onto her was something only God knew.

She didn't know if he realized this or not, but she didn't care either. The acts of abuse he put her through wouldn't change just because of different intentions behind them.

He was broken. And she had to get out of his control before he broke her too.

"By whom? The apprentices that ran to me for help?" Aurelia raised her eyebrow. She knew that her father would try to stop her from performing any difficult procedures.

"That would be me, missus."

What she didn't expect was to hear a sudden introduction as someone entered the tent with a smirk on his face.

The moment Aurelia saw him, her face stiffened a bit, but she hid it before they could see it.

The one who entered was one of the apprentices. She didn't know him by name, as she hadn't deemed it necessary to know.

However, seeing his face, which radiated an aura of imperfection, she could see the flaws in the skin covering the man's face…