Chapter 134 134 – So Close

They trembled even more, and I continued my speech. "Could any of you check what kind of poison is in my wound?"

One of the men answered without looking at me. "W-we've only managed to make one type of poison for the demons…."

"Did you guys also make the antidote?" I cut his words.

Those people fell silent again, and I started to lose my temper. "Answer me!!!"

"W-we never thought of making an antidote out of that poison." This time, the woman answered, though she did so by crying. "And sorry, we did make the poison with the mindset that it couldn't be cured."

I rubbed my face. My hands clenched tightly, and my desire to finish those three was overwhelming.

"Sorry, I'm so sorry…." The woman continued to cry, and her two male colleagues couldn't hold back their tears too. "We are only carrying out orders from the state."

Xenora came up to me, touched my shoulder, and hugged me from the side. She pressed her forehead to my upper arm then I could feel her tears on my skin.

"Don't worry, Xenora." While trying to hold back my overflowing emotions, I gently stroked her hair. "Maybe I still have a solution."

She lifted her face and looked at me with her mouth slightly agape.

"I feel the effect of the poison in my body is gradually decreasing," I explained. "Can you guys use my blood or whatever is from my body to make an antidote?"

The three of them exchanged glances. Then, the woman said again. "To be honest, we don't know. We'll have to look into it further. However, that possibility exists….."

"You all stand up." I cut her off a second time, wanting to kill them even more for that uncertain answer. "Come closer to me."

Although looking very doubtful and frightened, they obeyed my order.

"Take care of all this with Emily, Xenora." I asked the succubus. "I trust you."

She let go of her arms from me, wiped away her tears, and I lightly kissed her mouth.

"Of course, you can leave everything to me." She wore a faint smile.

As soon as she was away, I opened the game UI and started selecting a destination to teleport to.

"W-what are you doing?" One of the scientists near me asked in a worried tone.

I didn't answer and pressed the [Confirm] button. In just a second, the scenery around us turned into cave walls.

"For Lyra's sake! What the heck is going on!?" The woman scientist was looking around with her two colleagues.

I was about to knock on Lexi's door, but the doctor opened it first. Her gaze immediately fixed on the scientists in white shirts.

"Are they scientists from the capital, my lord?" She asked, looking nervous.

"Doc." I approached the woman. "Listen to me. Maybe I have found a way to cure Phisovia."

She looked back at me.

***

Lexi continued to collect blood from the incision in my arm. Meanwhile, the other scientists were examining my blood sample that had been taken earlier.

"I think this is enough." The doctor brought her luminous palm to the cut on my arm, sending a feeling of warmth through it.

And I caught her hand. "It would be better if you took more samples, right? I don't care. Take as much of my blood as you can."

"No." The doctor sighed. "Even if I wanted to do it, I can't. You could faint if we took more of your blood than this. You're already feeling dizzy, right?"

I wanted to argue, but I knew any argument would be useless. Lexi will keep refusing to take my blood again.

Not long after, Garthur entered with a fellow minotaur. The scientists immediately flinched at the sight of the towering creatures.

"Forgive us, my lord." He spoke to me while bowed. "We're late because we're doing night training away from here."

I deliberately appointed the most intimidating ones so that the scientists would take their job seriously.

"Keep them from doing funny things." I pointed at the scientists.

"Do you need my help, Your Highness?" Garthur asked me who was walking a little staggered.

"No." I walked out of that place. Lexi has treated my wounds, but my head is so dizzy.

Once outside, I flapped my wings, heading for the main base. My goal is not to rest but to meet someone.

Arriving in front of Phisovia's room, I saw Ayre smiling.

"I have heard of your return." She said in a gentle tone. "I had expected that you would come here straight away."

I opened the room's door, made the two guardian succubus inside rise and bowed, then hurriedly left.

"You know what, Ayre?" I sat down on a chair, looking at Phisovia's face, which was still pale and thin. "It turns out that maybe the key to Phisovia's cure is so close."

The shapeshifter general didn't answer, and a small chuckle escaped my mouth.

"I was exposed to poison from them, and my body can heal itself in a relatively short time." I ran my hand through Phisovia's hair.

"Aah…. So, there's a chance we can make an antidote from your blood…. Maybe it's because you're a high demon…. No wonder you're quite pale. Doc has taken a lot of your blood, right?"

I brought my face closer to the red-haired succubus, then whispered. "I'm sorry, Phisovia. If only I had known this sooner. You might have recovered a long time ago and see what we have accomplished."

Ayre then wrapped her arms around my neck, and her chest pressed against my back. "It's not your fault, my lord. No one would be able to guess something like this. All the scriptures regarding your past version of yourself don't address this matter either."

I held the shapeshifter general's hand.

Even so, this is all my responsibility as a leader. If I had tried a little harder, Phisovia might have been with us, laughing together and playing mini-soccer with the others.

Yes, many beautiful memories could have happened if she didn't lie still like this.

But is there any point in mourning this over and over again?

"Relax, Phisovia," I whispered to my woman again. "We have a wonderful scientist. Now she is working hard with the great people of the capital."

I felt the gentle caress of Ayre's hand on my face. "Good, my lord. You are getting better as a leader."