Chapter 78 A series of visits aimed at helping him.
Gracia, Medical Room.
The last time Ancia came here was when she visited Skalk with Merri to find an offensive position for the freshman scrimmage. This time, she was the one being visited.
The infirmary she stayed in was much more luxurious than the one Skalk had stayed in; at least the room had only one bed, but was fully furnished, much like a small hotel room.
When Ancia woke up, her body felt heavy and weak, and a sense of exhaustion from the depletion of her magic power emanated from the depths of her soul.
The white doves outside the window cooed a few times, spread their wings, but didn't fly away immediately; their big black eyes stared straight at her.
She shook her head helplessly after seeing it, "Go ahead."
The white dove then took flight nimbly, and soon after, Heligalo came in carrying a tray with a bowl of creamy mushroom soup and several bottles of potions made by the priestess Maria.
"You're awake?" Heligaluo's eyes were filled with worry, but he still gave a gentle smile. "Maria said you need to rest for at least a week. Drink some soup first, then take the recovery potion, which will gently nourish your body."
He helped Ancia up, carefully propped up her with pillows, and asked, holding the silver spoon, "Would you like to drink by yourself, or should I feed you?"
Ancia tried to move her shoulders, but even the slightest movement brought a heavy, aching pain. "I don't have much strength, you should feed me."
Heligalo was not very skilled at taking care of people, and his first touch hit Ancia's teeth. He paused, a look of annoyance flashing in his eyes, showing that he cared about it more than Ancia herself. "Sorry."
Ancia's voice was weak and a little hoarse, "What should we do? I'll punish you by making you come and feed me again tomorrow."
Heligalo laughed too, "Only tomorrow?"
Ancia: "A week? I'll recover quickly."
Heligalo lowered his eyes. "Next time something dangerous happens, take me... our Papal Privy Councilor with you? I don't want to see you lying in the infirmary again when I get a message from you."
Ancia stretched out her finger with difficulty and hooked it around Heligaluo's little finger. "I won't make you worry anymore, I promise."
The door was pushed open, and Airlan walked in with a grim expression. "And what about me? Aren't you going to make a promise to me too?"
Heligalo turned around and calmly greeted, "Airlan."
He changed his position and sat on the edge of the bed, but his hands remained clasped together, their fingers intertwined even more intimately.
Airland's gaze fell on their clasped hands, his emerald eyes narrowed slightly, and he gave a cold snort before placing the fresh bouquet he had brought into a vase.
Ancia keenly sensed the subtle shift in the atmosphere. She blinked and said, "Aierlan, you seem to have gotten even paler."
Ayrland's lips curled slightly. "You have good taste." He sat down on the other side of the bed beside Ansia, deliberately leaning down to get close to her. "So, do you like it?"
Ancia's attention was completely drawn to his slightly open collar, the smooth curve of his slender collarbone, and the emerald gemstone set against his fair skin, shining brightly in contrast to his eyes.
"So beautiful," she exclaimed sincerely.
Airland almost laughed out of anger, "I told you to look at my face, where are you looking?"
Ancia: "What's the difference? Aren't you still the same person? You're just very beautiful."
Arlan finally got the answer he wanted and sat back down, satisfied.
He took out an exquisite crystal bottle. "A soul-stabilizing potion made from the sap of the Tree of Life. Ask me for more after you finish drinking it. The Tree of Life is very worried about you."
The shadows in the corner of the room rippled, and Murtrie stepped out of the shadows, taking the crystal bottle. "Thank you, I'll make sure she drinks it."
Airland glanced at Ancia with a half-smile, "Looks like you're quite busy."
Ancia chuckled dryly, "It's alright."
Merri stood by the bed, his face cold and hard. Only when facing Ancia would his gaze soften. He glanced subtly at the two men on either side of the bed.
Ancia shook her head. "It's alright, go ahead and say it."
Merri then spoke, "The aftermath of the detached palace has been cleaned up, and those who were tracking us have been led in the wrong direction."
Ancia: "What happened to the Lionheart?"
Heligalo: "Various versions of rumors are circulating in the noble circles of the Eternal City. Some say that His Majesty simply died of illness, while others say that he was cursed by the demons. Verion has not yet announced the cause of his death, and for the time being, no one has publicly questioned the legitimacy of Verion's succession, after all, he is the rightful heir."
Airland's gaze turned cold as he added, "Even if it's perfectly legitimate, some people will still try to take advantage of the situation. Those who oppose it are still testing the waters, just waiting for an opportunity to retaliate."
Merrith: "Velion has taken control of the palace guard and is purging the Lionheart’s most loyal followers, but he is encountering great resistance. Some nobles are questioning the claim that the Lionheart died of illness and are putting pressure on him with financial and public opinion measures. The Keton army’s attitude is ambiguous, and everyone is waiting for Verion’s confirmation."
Ancia listened quietly, her face still pale, but her eyes had sharpened. The information was rapidly being processed in her mind, and she almost instantly understood the predicament that Verion was facing.
What Verion needs is not just the military suppression of the remnants of the Lionheart, but also a victory in public opinion; he must become a wise successor who can set things right.
Ancia's face showed signs of fatigue. Herigalo and Ellan got up one after the other. The former told her to rest well, while the latter frowned at Mertri, who showed no sign of leaving.
They left the infirmary and walked outside the castle before Erlan called out to Heligalo, "Are you resigned to this?"
Heligalo said calmly, "What can I do if I'm unwilling? I'm only a five-star mage now, and you're just a six-star mage. Mertri is already a nine-star assassin. According to the Holy See's intelligence network, since he returned from the Abyss, his strength may have surpassed nine stars. Perhaps Ancia's affection for us is fair, but when she encounters danger, her first reaction is to call for him."
Airlan laughed after hearing this, "Heligalo, if you really didn't care, you wouldn't have said so much."
Heligalo glanced over indifferently; the azure and emerald green stared at each other, neither giving way.
Airland's voice was as soft as the wind, "We're not just separated by time. Mertri and Skark don't reject each other, so what about us? Until we reach equal strength, we need to help each other. We're best friends, aren't we?"
Heligalo fell silent and continued walking forward.
Arlan stood still, chuckling softly. He was right; they were best friends. He knew Heligalo, and the man's silence spoke volumes.
That gust of wind still blew into Heligalo's heart.
Arlan looked back towards the infirmary, wondering what Mertri and Ancia were doing.
Actually, she didn't do anything. Ancia just told Merrith, "I want to see Franka, Aurora, and Eve, all three of them together."
Without asking why or discussing the difficulty, Murtrie nodded slightly and disappeared into the shadows.
He would do what she wanted.
As darkness fell, the three women came into the room together.
Eve still looked a little shaken. "Next time, just use telepathy to contact me. It was really scary when Professor Murtrie suddenly popped out of the shadows."
Ancia had regained some of her strength. Seeing Eve's refreshed appearance, she lazily smiled and said, "Your Highness, your commission is complete. When will you pay the balance?"
With Verion safe and sound, Eve's mood improved. She handed the crystal card to Franka and gestured with her chin, "Swipe it as you like."
Ancia held up one finger and shook it. "Not enough."
Eve raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Do you know how many gold coins are in there?"
Ancia raised a second finger. "Two more conditions: host a party in your name at the Nightingale Salon, and take Aurora to meet your brother."
Eve didn't understand Ancia's purpose, but she still frowned and agreed, "Okay."
Ancia struggled to sit up, her weakness making her speak slowly, but her spirit remained: "Franka, you used the guild's intelligence network, and Aurora used the salon gathering to spread these messages."
"First, secretly spread the news of King Lionheart's senile obsession with forbidden magic and his desire for immortality, using bards' poems, salon ladies' gossip, street rumors... every imaginable method to spread this royal secret."
"Second, once the secret is no longer hidden, reveal Verion's merit in sacrificing his own family to stop the evil ritual."
"Third, publicize all the things that Verion did for the people in the past, explain his ideas of reforming taxes and providing relief to disaster victims in the simplest terms, and emphasize his benevolence, which is different from that of the iron-fisted Lionheart."
"Before his formal coronation, the hearts of the people and the wavering nobles will all turn to him, paving the way for him to the throne."
Franka bowed her head respectfully, quickly jotting down the notes. "Understood, President." She nodded and bowed, then immediately left the room to get to work.
After issuing the order, Ancia rubbed her throbbing temples and smiled at Aurora, "Countess Aurora, your chance to join the ranks of the powerful has come."
Aurora gently stroked her black dress, her eyes filled with ambition, and said softly, "That's wonderful. I'm tired of wearing black dresses. Finally, I can wear some brightly colored clothes."
Eve's lips parted slightly as she looked at Ancia with confusion. "The request to save my brother has already been completed. Why did you do so much for him? You two are clearly not close. Did he pay you money too?"
The phrase "their relationship is just a polite way of putting it" is an exaggeration. In Eve's view, Ancia has always been too lazy to pay attention to her brother.
Ancia sighed and turned to look out the window.
It was already dark outside the window, and scattered lights appeared all around the castle, like the hope that burned in the eyes of that ashes-like person.
Ancia shook her head. "He didn't pay. There are some reasons why he had to ascend the throne, and others..."
"I just felt sorry for him and thought it was too hard for him to stand there alone, so I wanted to help him."
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