The Forest Race Clonne

Chapter 24

“You’re saying he can return to daily activities starting tomorrow?”

“Yes, so there shouldn’t be any significant disruption to your schedule. I heard you were concerned about that.”

“Well, that’s reassuring, but isn’t that a bit difficult to believe? I doubt the skin will even heal by tomorrow.”

“It will heal sufficiently. I’ll be using herbs that aid regeneration.”

“No matter how effective, that seems impossible…”

Lisa couldn’t hide her disbelief. Even without specialized training like hers, I knew how unrealistic this sounded. A simple scrape doesn’t heal overnight, let alone a severe wound showing bone. It seemed like an extreme exaggeration.

“You’ll see for yourself.”

Semeion’s face was full of confidence. Lisa and Hale glanced anxiously at Hamar, unsure if they should continue trusting his treatment. Nevertheless, Semeion continued without hesitation.

“The man with black hair, could you fetch the containers of herbs from the kitchen table?”

There were two with black hair in our group, but one was unconscious, leaving only me. As I looked up, his light purple eyes met mine with a gentle gaze. His intense stare was as strong as it was when we first met.

‘Is that just a habit of his?’

Or maybe he was reciprocating my own persistent observation. I resolved to restrain myself and stood up. Following his request, I brought the containers of herbs. He then asked me to hand over specific colors as needed, which wasn’t a difficult task, so I nodded.

Each time he mentioned a color, I passed the corresponding container, and he would take an appropriate amount from it before mixing it into a single bowl. Some were taken in large quantities, while others in very small amounts.

“What are all these medicines for?”

“They’re all necessary for treating external injuries. The blue one helps regenerate skin and produce blood. The green one controls inflammation. And the white one in the vial alleviates pain.”

As he explained, the mixture in the bowl gradually thickened. Finally, he took another vial from his pocket, which seemed to have been prepared separately, containing a red liquid. Semeion poured the entire contents into the bowl.

“What is that?”

Was it my imagination? The color and texture reminded me of blood.

Of course, I knew that was impossible. There was a time when folk remedies involving the consumption or application of blood on patients were popular, but it was long proven ineffective. In fact, the medical community deemed it dangerous due to the unseen bacteria in the blood, which could cause more harm.

Semeion, being an apothecary, would surely know this. The liquid had no discernible odor either. Despite this, I felt an inexplicable discomfort. As I watched intently, Semeion, meeting my gaze, smiled softly.

“It is a solution that enhances the efficacy of the herbs. While useful on its own, it’s more potent when mixed with other ingredients.”

“I see… What ingredients does it contain?”

“Apologies, but that’s a secret of my family. I can’t disclose the ingredients.”

I had to accept that. Forcing myself to nod, a particular word caught my attention.

“You mentioned your ‘family’—does that mean your family has been apothecaries for generations?”

His smile deepened, almost as if he had been waiting for that question, which caught me off guard.

“Yes, exactly.”

A family of apothecaries, huh? With such distinctive hair color, they’d surely be known somewhere. I made a mental note to look into it later, and as the conversation wrapped up, something caught my eye.

There was a wound on his palm. From its appearance, it was clear that it had formed recently. Since I hadn’t noticed it before coming here, it must have been a fresh injury.

Did he get hurt while preparing the herbs in the kitchen? The depth of the wound suggested he had lost a significant amount of blood. I was about to dismiss it without much thought—until the image of the red liquid from earlier flashed in my mind.

‘No, it couldn’t be…’

At that moment, my eyes met Semeion’s light purple gaze. He, too, seemed to realize that I had noticed his wound. And perhaps what I was thinking as well.

Playfully lifting the corners of his mouth, he placed a finger to his lips in a quieting gesture. Speechless, all I could do was nod.

‘He wouldn’t kill me… right?’

…And so, a potentially life-threatening incident was quietly buried beneath the surface.

* * *

Even after all the treatment, Hamar didn’t regain consciousness. Following Semeion’s diagnosis that he would have a high fever for a while, our course of action was decided. We couldn’t continue occupying the small house, so one person stayed to nurse him while the others returned to the inn. Naturally, the youngest—me—stayed behind.

“Then, we’re counting on you, Sei.”

“I’ll be back in the morning. Hang in there till then.”

“Don’t worry about things here.”

I consoled the others as they left, frequently glancing back. Finally, a hush fell over the room. Standing there, I took a deep breath, occasionally hearing the chirping of crickets. After the chaos, the secluded location seemed strangely stifling. I felt as if someone was watching me.

Perhaps this case had me on edge. To shake off the uneasy feeling, I re-entered the house. As soon as I opened the door, the pleasant aroma within brought me unexpected relief. Semeion, who was boiling water, turned and smiled.

“Would you like some tea?”

“Thank you, but I’m fine.”

Having taken over the only bed, I couldn’t accept his offer of tea as well. I declined politely and checked on Hamar. His once pale face was now gaining color. It seemed his fever was rising.

Just as I got up to find something to cool him down, Semeion, as if anticipating my move, brought over a water bucket and clean cloths. He soaked a cloth and gently placed it on Hamar’s forehead.

“Thank you.”

“No need to mention it. He’ll have a fever for a while. It’s not dangerous and will subside soon, so there’s no need to worry. This is all part of the healing process.”

Though his words were likely intended to reassure me, his confident demeanor indeed put me at ease. As I nodded, he smiled, his eyes crinkling in a friendly manner, and he sat down on the sofa beside me. It seemed he hadn’t planned on drinking the water he’d boiled, as he left it aside. Leaning back onto the sofa, he appeared slightly fatigued, understandably, since it was well past the time for rest.

“You couldn’t even rest properly because of us. I don’t know how we can repay this favor.”

“Ah, don’t worry too much about it. This is part of being an apothecary. I’m just glad I could treat him in time. Rather than me, though….”

“Oh, my name is Sei.”

Noticing his hesitation over how to address me, I quickly introduced myself. Semeion blinked, then smiled gently.

“I see, Sei. Aren’t you tired yourself? I can take care of your companion, you can rest for a bit.”

“No, it’s fine. I’ve gotten some sleep, so I’m not all that tired.”

“That’s good to hear. But don’t push yourself too hard. As I mentioned, your friend is alright now. In fact, the biggest issue with injuries from Demonic Beasts is the toxin, but I’ve neutralized it completely, so there should be no aftereffects.”

“Do you know a lot about the toxins of Demonic Beasts?”

For someone encountering this poison for the first time, his confidence suggested he knew more. His awareness of the beasts’ weaknesses indicated that the ancient texts he read might have contained detailed studies on them. Seeing my expectant look, he nodded.

“I know more than the average person. The toxin is quite lethal to humans. It paralyzes the body, and in severe cases, induces a deep sleep. If not properly treated, the aftereffects can render your limbs unusable. But the toxin itself isn’t fatal.”

“It’s not fatal?”

“No, the toxin is not meant to kill. It’s designed to paralyze prey so the Demonic Beasts can keep it fresh and enjoy it later.”

“It sounds just like… a spider.”

“That’s an apt comparison. Though, it’s an unfortunate analogy for spiders.”

His lips smiled, but his eyes did not. It seemed he had a strong dislike for the Demonic Beasts. Understandably, no one would favor predators that preyed on humans. Still, his assurance that the toxin wasn’t fatal was a slight comfort. If true, it meant that even the fallen Emperor wouldn’t die from it.
“From what I overheard earlier, it sounds like you used a different antidote on my companion. Can you treat someone who’s been severely poisoned as well?”
“Hmm, it depends. I do know some highly effective herbs.”

“Is it perhaps the Lupinus fruit?”

Semeion smiled knowingly at my question.

“You’re familiar with that name. Yes, you’re correct. For mild cases like your companion’s, regular herbs suffice, but for those in a deep sleep, the Lupinus fruit is essential.”

This response was somewhat disheartening. Even if the toxin wasn’t fatal, if only a legendary fruit could awaken them, it was practically useless. They wouldn’t die from the toxin but would likely starve.

“It’s said that the fruit is in the Forest of Life. Do you know about that?”

“The Forest of Life… it’s quite possible. Ah, are you searching for the Lupinus fruit?”

Oops, I had said too much. As I fell silent, Semeion seemed to realize my discomfort and didn’t press further. Instead, he looked at me with an oddly curious expression. Feeling his gaze, I glanced up to find him offering me a gentle, almost apologetic smile.