A Mixture of Intentions

Unlike what he had said about capturing an orc in the mountains, Lucian headed straight to the Imperial Guard as soon as he left.

The Red Wolf Knights. The first knight order of the empire.

This was a knight order only for swordsmen, known as the strongest in the empire.

Inside the training ground, swords and spears were lined up on one side, and mana stones were densely embedded on the floor.

Lucian strode in, dressed in his uniform.

Although there were no places to be dispatched right after the war, the knights were training so that they could be called upon at any time.

Lucian often visited them every morning to lead their training and to hear reports.

After that, he would handle administrative tasks, participate in meetings, visit Shana’s pharmacy, and so on.

Although he had already finished training today, seeing Lucian visit again, the deputy commander, Leon Valcerio, shouted.

“All rise.”

The members of the Red Wolf Knights stood up in unison and bowed.

Lucian gestured with his hand, and the knights raised their heads again.

Leon ran over to where Lucian was in one stride.

“Commander. What’s going on? Did you teleport in?”

He was in a state where he was sensitive to using mana after the battle with the monsters.

He couldn’t help but be surprised to see Lucian using high-level magic like teleportation.

“I have an urgent mission.”

Leon’s eyes were immediately sharp.

“What mission is it? Monster extermination? Or guarding a major figure? Perhaps, the suppression of a rebel force?”

Lucian handed Leon a long paper list.

“Get these.”

Leon examined the list with a serious face. Tiny letters filled the paper.

“It is difficult to read because your handwriting is so bad….”

“Focus and read.”

He had to obey his superior’s orders.

Leon got close enough to the paper for his nose to touch it and read the letters.

What kind of mission did he rush here for?

Unlike his questions, the lists written on the paper were humble.

No, they were more than humble; they were peculiar.

“Herb juice, orc sap, stag beetle legs, slime goo…? Commander, are these really the required items?”

“Is there any difficulty?”

“No, if it’s what the Commander orders, I would even catch a dragon. It just seems like a very easy mission.”

Although it would be cumbersome for ordinary people to obtain the ingredients and prepare them, it was too easy for the Red Wolf Knights, who could handle their aura.

“Then, it’s done. Finish it within a day.”

“H, a day… you say?”

The Red Wolf Knights’ usual daily schedule was very tight, so even giving them three days would be barely enough to kill the monsters, collect their parts, and handle them.

But he couldn’t make a sound of complaint. The Red Wolf Knights had their pride!

Lucian looked down at Leon and asked.

“Is there a problem?”

“No.”

Lucian nodded slightly.

“Leave the finishing to the quartermasters who don’t have mana. It’s a gift, so wrap it up nicely.”

It was an order because they wouldn’t contaminate the mana rejection syndrome treatment with mana.

But Leon paid more attention to the latter sentence than the former.

A gift, he thought. Was it going to be sent to a neighboring country?

It was a story that couldn’t help but raise suspicion. A gift made of slime goo. What kind of meaning was involved?

“But to whom are you giving this gift? I think it would be helpful if I knew a rough idea.”

“It’s confidential… are you confident that you won’t regret it?”

Lucian raised his eyebrows.

Then, Leon quickly looked at his subordinates and said.

“N, no, I’m not. Let’s go. Aiden, Kyle. Bring your team members.”

In fact, there was no need to use the Red Wolf Knights, the best talents of the empire, to obtain these medicinal ingredients.

But Lucian thought differently.

What if the ingredients spoiled during preparation?

What if a thorn remained, and Shana got hurt?

It wasn’t a matter that could be entrusted to any soldier. Everything that went into her hands had to be perfect.

“Oh, by the way, if possible, cut the surface cleanly. Beautifully, got it?”

Lucian advised Leon once more.

“Ah, I understand.”

***

As the swordsmen used instantaneous movement magic and moved out, the list of medicinal ingredients that Shana had written was completed in an instant.

To be exact, they were so trivial that it was hard not to catch them.

“Only a few orcs are left. If we leave it to the quartermasters, it will be ready in a day.”

“Yes, well done.”

In the meantime, Lucian, who was on the mountain, was only looking at his wristwatch.

“Is there anything you are waiting for?”

“Ah, just. I want to see it quickly.”

“Want to see it quickly? Are you, by any chance, a lover?”

Lucian was not the type to use public power for personal matters, but Leon couldn’t help but ask because the content of the mission was so strange.

“That’s not it.”

Lucian’s lips formed a curve, and he smiled.

Leon was shocked by that appearance.

He had hardly ever seen any face other than a plain expression, let alone a smile, but to see him make such a soft smile that melted like spring snow.

The most he had seen was when he was in the battlefield looking at his necklace, or when he reread a letter.

‘Wait, is that person by any chance…?’

Leon’s eyebrows went up at Lucian’s appearance.

“It’s a ridiculous story… but is the gift prepared for a romantic partner?”

Lucian immediately frowned and looked down at Leon with a face asking if he had gone mad.

Then, Leon nodded as if he agreed.

“It was a joke. Who would court someone in this way? Orc sap? That’s ridiculous.”

“……”

“No one would like this kind of thing even if they received it. Hahaha!”

“Leon.”

“Yes?”

“You handle the remaining orcs. Cut them cleanly.”

Leon looked up at the orc meat piled up from the floor to the ceiling.

And he checked the cut surface of the orcs he had cut.

It was a precise cut that was as straight as measured with a ruler, and it was hard to be more perfect.

‘The Commander… is he angry at me?’

No, Lucian wasn’t the type to take his anger out like that. Leon had great trust in Lucian, his superior.

‘It must mean that he doesn’t want the ingredients to be spoiled by entrusting them to other knights.

The Commander relies on me after all!’

“Did you hear?”

Leon looked around at his subordinates and lowered his voice.

“I will take care of the orcs, but make sure that the rest of the ingredients are handled without any flaws.

What the Commander wants is a perfect result.”

The faces of the knights hardened at that.

They were sure that it was a confidential mission of the Imperial Palace, and each of them grabbed their swords and spears and nodded.

The collection of insignificant medicinal ingredients.

But at that moment, the Red Wolf Knights moved as if they were protecting the Emperor’s life.

Lucian glanced at it and noticed that they had misunderstood, but he didn’t stop them.

‘Well… it’s good if they work hard.’

Anything given to Shana would suit the best grade.

***

Was this the power of the Imperial Palace? Or was it Lucian’s ability?

A large amount of medicinal ingredients, enough to fill two carriages, were delivered in front of Shana’s pharmacy in just one day.

‘Wow.’

It was prepared because she had requested it to start the mana rejection syndrome experiments quickly, but it was really fast anyway.

Shana ran towards Lucian, who was waiting in front of the carriage.

“Is this the scorpion’s blood? Is this the snake’s poison?

You even separated the color of the lids according to the ingredients?”

Shana, with sparkling eyes, sorted the ingredients. Her eyes were like a gemini-cutter examining a jewel.

Lucian patted her shoulder with his fist and said.

“Yes, I worked hard doing it myself.”

Shana asked in a strange way.

“Without magic?”

“Well… since I used mana recently, I used my hands and feet this time.”

‘That’s right, even if he looks fine, Lucian is also a patient with mana rejection syndrome.’

She began to worry, thinking that she had ordered the ingredients too hastily.

Shana rushed over and thoroughly examined Lucian’s shoulders and arms.

“Are you really okay? Is there any fever or pain?”

‘I received the expensive advance payment, and what if the test subject collapses before the experiment even begins!’

Lucian, looking down at Shana, who was worrying about her condition, had his eyes filled with emotion.

“Shasha. You’re worried about me.”

Lucian spoke in a voice filled with memories.

“You made me medicine like this in the past too.”

“…Ah, yes, I did.”

It was a childhood memory. Shana had been handling medicine from an early age thanks to her mother, who was a therapist.

“You made me medicine saying you would cure my illness.”

“…You’re not going to say anything now that I fed you strange things, are you?”

Then, Lucian burst out laughing.

“No way. I only waited for that time.”

“Really? It’s amazing that you only waited for the time to eat those bitter medicines.”

“Because there weren’t many people who saw me other than you.”

“……”

Shana, avoiding his eyes, changed the subject.

“There’s so much. How did you get them so quickly?”

“Why? Is there any spoiled part?”

Lucian’s voice dropped a little.

He not only brought the ingredients quickly, but he was also concerned about the quality of the ingredients.

Shana quickly shook her head as if to reassure him.

‘To be honest, I thought it would take three days.’

Moreover, the prepared ingredients had no flaws.

The skin of the creatures shone, and the parts that seemed dangerous were removed in advance.

‘It would be ready to be served on the Emperor’s table.’

Of course, if so, she would be poisoning the Emperor.

Shana admired it as she touched the medicinal ingredients.

These high-priced ingredients were prepared to the highest grade.

Shana, who didn’t know how many high-level personnel were sacrificed in the process, could only admire it.

‘Lucian, you’re really amazing.’

Shana said, admiring.

“Now, I can start making the medicine anytime. It’s the first step for money, no, for the empire.”

“Are you going to start the experiment right away?”

“I have to.”

Lucian followed her into the pharmacy.

Shana tied up her hair without hesitation in the meantime, revealing her white neckline.

Shana began to handle the experimental tools, working hard with her small, white fingers.

Feeling his gaze, Shana turned around, but Lucian was sorting the medicinal ingredients.

‘Is it just my imagination?’

Shana thought as she looked at the medicinal ingredients.

The quality of the ingredients was higher than she thought, and the medicine that would be completed would have a very strong effect.

“It would be good if you could come and experiment when you can spare some time, Lucian.

How much of your schedule can you take out?”

“Well, I can take out about two days.”

“Okay, please spare some time like that in four days.”

Lucian tilted his head and asked.

“Are you so worried about the side effects?”

“Rather than that… I think I will need some time?”

‘Because you will sleep properly.’

Anyway, Shana was confident.

Didn’t she already have a test subject named Grandpa Marcus?

“I’ll prepare well.”

Shana showed a confident smile.

Looking at the smile, Lucian knew that what would happen in four days would go in a very unexpected direction, but he didn’t bother to say it.