The Treatment

Elara and Aurelius were now walking through the trees. 

Aurelius smiled as he watched Elara's hips sway from behind; he wanted to pounce on her right then and there. But he held himself as he mumbled inwardly, 'Patience, my man! The right time will come eventually!' 

Elara, who was oblivious to what Aurelius was thinking, looked back once in a while at Aurelius, making sure that he was following her. She didn't believe Aurelius totally. 

Her rational mind wanted to doubt him and ask him many questions, while her emotional heart wanted to believe him. 

'I want to believe him; since only then will my daughter be cured.' She muttered inwardly. 

The duo walked through the trees for a few more minutes until they reached what looked like a welcome sign. 

The sign was made of wood, which by now was rotting, while the words were written in thick charcoal. 

SNIFF 

Aurelius took a deep breath as the smell of fresh food hit his nose. 

GROWL 

His stomach growled in hunger as he hadn't eaten since he transmigrated. 

Elara frowned when she heard Aurelius's stomach growl; she turned toward him only to see his mouth twitch slightly in embarrassment. 

"So gods do get hungry!" she exclaimed while smirking, but a part of her got disappointed as the chances of him saving his daughter reduced. 

Ahem 

Aurelius cleared his throat and looked sideways, 'Dammit!' he cursed inwardly for the shitty timing of his stomach. 

"W-Well, the gods get hungry, but it is different from the mortals." He explained, his cheeks reddening a little when he saw Elara's smirk. 

"Oh! Really?" she asked while her smile widened in amusement. 

Aurelius nodded his head and replied, "Yes, we get hungry when no devotee is sacrificing food for us." He lied; actually, he was just damn hungry. 

'No matter what! I have to act like a god!' he resolved inwardly. 

Elara looked at him skeptically, half believing his words. 

Aurelius, noticing Elara's looks, quickly changed the subject by saying, "Let's go! You have a daughter who needs to be saved." He then walked into the village without waiting for her. 

Elara's shoulders slumped when she heard his words, 'That's right! I cannot be happy when my daughter is suffering!' She curled her hands into fists while tightly clenching her jaw. 

Aurelius, who was walking into the village, stopped and turned around; he noticed that Elara was in a daze, probably because of what he said. 

He walked back toward Elara and placed his hand on her shoulder while saying, "Don't worry, I will definitely save her." 

'Activate Divine Charm' 

[Ding!] 

[Activated Divine Charm!] 

Elara looked up to him only to get mesmerized by his looks, making her sorrow vanish in an instant. Her eyes widened when she saw his deep blue eyes staring down at her with kindness and care. 

Aurelius slowly lifted his hand and wiped the tear that was sliding down her cheek. "Let's go," he whispered. 

Elara nodded her blushing head and backed off from Aurelius. She gathered herself before she turned around and walked in a certain direction of the village while gesturing him to follow her. 

Aurelius paused his steps for a moment and took a glance at the village, 'Soon, this will all be mine!' His eyes glinted with greed as he imagined a village full of women worshipping him as their lord and husband. 

As for the males, 'they can fuck off for all I care' 

He then began to walk, following in Elara's footsteps. 

Soon, they reached a house that bordered a hut. Its walls were made of mud and clay while dry sticks and leaves acted as its roof. 

There was no door nor a window but only had big opening for people to enter. Aurelius smiled wryly as he looked at the house, 

SIGH 

He sighed and turned to another house to see if there was any difference but only shook his head when all the houses here were the same. 

'Well, beggars can't be choosers!' he mumbled inwardly and entered the hut. 

Inside, there wasn't much to talk about. A wood stove sat in a corner while a few cooking utensils decorated another. There was nothing else in the hut except for a few clothes that were hanging from the roof. 

He turned to Elara who was now kneeling and wiping of sweat of a sleeping girl who appeared to be sixteen years old. She had the same jet-black hair as her mother, with a fair complexion, Aurelius thought she would be a beauty if it wasn't for the sickly look on her face. 

'It looks like she has a high fever' He muttered inwardly as he saw the girl sweating a lot. But he frowned when he saw black spots under her skin. 'What is that? Is that some kind of poison?' He asked himself as he got closer toward the girl. 

'System, appraise the girl' 

[Ding!] 

[Appraising the target!] 

STATUS 

Name: Aria 

Level: 3 

Age: 17 

Race: Human 

Condition: Poisoned 

Aurelius narrowed his eyes when he looked at the system screen. 

'What was she poisoned with?' He asked. He had already reached the girl and crouched down while placing a hand on her forehead as if checking her health. 

"What is it? What happened to my daughter?" Elara asked in worry as she looked at Aurelius. She had a frantic look on her face as the black dots on her daughter had worsened since she had left the house a few hours ago. 

"She was poisoned." Aurelius answered without skipping a beat, but Elara's eyes widened when she heard his words. 

'She is poisoned, how?' she couldn't think of a way for her daughter to get poisoned as she had no enemies in the village who would poison her and there were no snake type monsters around the village either. 

"A-Are you sure?" She asked, hesitantly as she thought that Aurelius might take offense. 

Aurelius turned toward Elara but didn't answer, he was looking at the system screen in front of him. 

[10 faith points to know more about the poison?] 

[Do you wish to continue?] 

[Yes] / [No] 

He frowned when he read that he had to pay to know more information, but when Elara saw his frown, her face paled. She thought that Aurelius was angry as she was doubting him again and again. 

She immediately knelt and banged her head on the ground. 

BANG 

"I AM SORRY!" She yelled, startling Aurelius, he looked at her confused as to why she was saying sorry. 

"Why are you apologizing?" He asked while narrowing his eyes. 

"I am sorry for angering you!" 

"When have you angered me?" He asked back. But he didn't pay much attention to Elara anymore who was confused by his words as she looked up to him. 

He then looked at the system screen and pressed 'yes'. 

[Ding!] 

Poison: Ebon Vein 

Cause: Being bitten by a insect monster called Noxious Strider. 

Symptoms: Experiences dizziness, high fever, black spots form all over the victims body. If untreated the victim will die a painful death in 48 hours. 

Aurelius squinted his eyes as he read the information about the poison. 'It must be a rare insect monster as from what Elara said, even the village shamans didn't know what it was.' 

"When was the last time your daughter went out?" He asked while turning toward Elara. 

"I-It was two days ago. She went out into the trees to collect some fruits. That was when it started, she had a high fever when she returned and collapsed in front of the house. I took her to the village shaman but he said that he didn't know what caused her fever and cannot treat her." Elara answered honestly. 

Aurelius nodded his head as he guessed it, "Your daughter has been poisoned by an insect monster called Noxious Strider. It is a very rare insect type monster and once bitten the poison causes high fever and slowly kills the nervous system. If untreated she will die in a few hours." 

Elara gasped in shock as she listened his words. Her entire body trembled when she heard that her daughter will die if went untreated. She banged her head to the ground again while pleading, "Please, save my daughter!" 

Aurelius stayed silent as Elara's plea echoed through the hut. He slowly lifted his hand off Aria and placed it Elara. "I can save your daughter, but in return I want something, your and your daughter's faith. I want you both to entirely devote yourselves to me and worship no one but me. Also I want--" 

Before Aurelius could finish his sentence, Elara interjected him by saying, "I will do everything you want. My and my entire daughter's lives will belong to you. Please just save my daughter!" 

Elara's plea made Aurelius smile in victory. 'The best way to manipulate an emotionally vulnerable person or an addict is to leverage on what they desire the most.' 

"Are you sure? There is no way back once you are in?" His smile had already turned into a grin as he knew what she would say. 

"Yes! I am sure!" Elara said firmly, she was too emotionally vulnerable to think rationally and also Aurelius's divine charm played a minor role in 'convincing' her. 

"Very well then, I will now cure her." Aurelius muttered while wiping the grin off his face. He took his hand away from Elara's head and turning toward Aria. 

'System, how many points to heal her?' He asked directly, he knew that the system can heal her, albeit with a price. 

[Ding!] 

[150 points to cure Aria from the poison, Host!] 

[Do you wish to proceed?] 

[Yes] / [No] 

Aurelius's mouth twitched as he looked at the price, he knew that it would be costly but not this much. 

SIGH 

But still he sighed in defeat and selected 'yes'. 

[Ding!] 

[Starting the treatment!] 

[Host is advised to put a hand on the target's stomach!] 

"Alright, let's do this!"