Bello's Predicament

Inside the Medical Ward, Aletheia carefully checked Alune's condition once more. The man with a pretty face looked like he was asleep, resting from the previous situation.

Aletheia checked his pulses, used her abilities, and carefully utilized medical tools in order to check.

Upon doing so, she had been assured that Alune's condition was becoming stable. Thus, she grabbed a couple of medicinal herbs and drugs from the shelf and began to concoctan ailment.

"Moonshine grass, 5 milliliters of spinal fluid of a Dream Bicorn, white chamomile, 50 milliliters of water, and.. scrapes of a Dream Bicorn's horn."

She began naming the things that she needed, placing them down at the examination table.

She then brought out a vial, a teaspoon, a mixing bowl, a boiling flask, potion flask, and a burner.

Upon doing so, Aletheia placed the moonshine grass and white chamomile at the mixing bowl along with 10 milliliters of water. She then used a skill related to the winds in order for the ingredients to mix.

While that was mixing, Aletheia brought out the burner and turned it on. Placing the boiling flask at the top, she poured the 5 milliliters of spinal fluid and let it get hot for a while. Seeing as the spinal fluid had changed color from purpleish to light pink, Aletheia poured the rest of the water.

Then, she used a stirrer to carefully mix the concoction.

After 6 seconds had passed, Aletheia turned off the heat and carefully carried the boiling flask.

She headed towards the mixing bowl that was being slowly mixed by the winds.

Standing in front of it, Aletheia very slowly poured the mixture of spinal fluid and water to the bowl.

The fluid inside the bowl very quickly changed from a pinkish color, looking enchanted and glittery.

Aletheia poured the entire mixture and she brought out the scrapes from the horn of the Dream Bicorn. She did not mix it to the mixing bowl immediately but instead, she chanted some enchanting words.

"Sueño~"

With those words that carried a heavy weight, Bello felt kind of sleepy and dreamy. It felt like he was being put to sleep, his eyes closed in the newfound tiredness that he felt.

Thus, she poured the scrapes of the Dream Bicorn horn, it looked like glitter as it fell into the mixture.

The liquid inside the mixing bowl suddenly became shiny, it was tempting to look and it seemed like it had reflected the light of the moon.

There were shiny particles flowing from it, and the mixture itself looked pinkish and bright.

Immediately, Aletheia brought out the potion flask and used the winds in order to pour the concoction more precisely.

She did not make a pour gesture but rather, the pinkish liquid flowed out on their own towards the potion flask.

Bello was mesmerized by the dreamish and pinkish concoction inside the flask. It looked as if one sip of the thing could instantly make you feel asleep.

Although the potion flask was filled to the brim, there was still some excess on the bowl. The excess then flowed naturally to the teaspoon that Aletheia had been holding, not wasting nor spilling a drop.

Aletheia then walked over to Alune's resting face and opened his mouth, carefully making him ingest the dream concoction.

Alune's face seemed to lighten due to the concoction, his breathing turned even more stable and his overall condition looked better.

Bello could not help but feel relieved at this, his brother looked better after all. After seeing the previous troubled face of his brother, Alune could only smile softly at the scene in front of him.

After that, Aletheia wiped her forehead and sighed deeply. She had done her job of taking care of a dear patient and she was very proud. As an esteemed Apothecary, it was only normal for one to feel proud upon saving a life.

She then stared directly at Bello and walked carefully towards him with the dreamish concoction at hand.

"This concoction in my hand is called the Dream Potion, it won't fix your brother's condition immediately but if he takes it regularly then he will slowly get better."

"My prescription is for him to take it at least once a day, only a teaspoonful! This medicine is very potent and drinking more than a teaspoonful could temporarily damage his Soul."

"In the worst case scenario, if he drank the Potion whole, he might fall under a long slumber. So, take note of this okay?"

Bello gathered the given information in his mind, taking note of the importance and the guidelines that the Queen had given him.

Moreover, the Queen seemed so kind and benevolent, her words were soft and caring, making Bello feel some sort of comfort deep within his heart.

She was the very opposite of that fiend, Veritas!

Bello then bowed deeply and thanked the Queen with all of his heart.

"Your majesty, the Queen! I have no words to express my gratitude!"

Bello then realized that a potion of that caliber had to have cost a lot, so he vowed to use all of his savings to buy it.

"Mind I ask, your majesty? But how much would a Dream Potion cost in the market?"

"Usually.. something like this would cost around 100 White Elrodite or more."

Bello's face looked pale at the Queen's statement.

'100 White Elrodite?! It would take me 2 lifetimes to get that much!' he had thought.

Elrodite was the main currency used in the Kingdom of Elrod, that includes the 4 regions of the cardinal directions. Elrodite was divided into three categories namely, Black Elrodite, Gray Elrodite, and White Elrodite.

The Elrodite is made from common ore that is found in Elrod, after mining and collecting them they are manufactured by verified Pathbearers to be turned into different types of Elrodite.

The specialty that differentiates the three is the light that is emitted by them!

Black Elrodite is considered to be the coin currency in Elrod. Even if they are called Black Elrodite, they were not really black at all. Instead, they are the same color as a normal silver coin. What makes them different is the lack of radiance that they emit, when compared to the other two. Thus, Black Elrodite seems lackluster in terms of brightness.

Additionally, Black Elrodite comes in coins of 1, 5, 10, 20, and 50!

For the Gray Elrodite, they are paper currency that are made from the common ores in Elrod, they emit a natural light and they could be easily distinguished from Black Elrodite. Gray Elrodite comes in many forms of currency, there are paper bills worth 10 Gray Elrodite, 50 Gray Elrodite, and 100 Gray Elrodite.

Lastly, the White Elrodite emitted the biggest radiance out of the three. These are really distinct from its counterparts, their radiance is very noticeable and one gaze upon them could cause a deep feeling of greed within an individual. They are also in paper form but the color of the White Elrodite is.. white, unlike the Gray Elrodite which looks like a dull color of silver. The White Elrodite comes in bills of 10, 50, and 100.

For conversion, 1 White Elrodite is worth 100 Gray Elrodite, and the same goes for the conversion between Gray and Black.

So, 1 White Elrodite would cost about 10000 Black Elrodites.

A single White Elrodite could buy you a month's rent in the Gold Borough! For comparison, a single Gray Elrodite could buy daily necessities such as bread, oil, sugar, and many more!

1 White Elrodite could buy a 2 years worth supply of food and other daily commodities!

Alune and Bello's household income could only come at a price of 1 Gray Elrodite per week, so by calculating their earnings without buying necessities and other miscellanous stuff, a total of 200 or more years of working would have to be done in order to earn that much!

Such is the reality of the common people in Elrod.

Bello looked pale as if he had seen a ghost, the sudden realization had hit him and he felt forlorn at the situation.

'I guess I'd have to quickly get that Beasttamer position at the den.'

So, Bello could only make a promise and a contract to pay back the debt that he had owed the queen.

"I'm sorry your majesty, but I don't have the money to pay right now. I am willing to sign a contract in order to pay it back in full one day."

Bello looked saddened by the situation as he could only look at the luxurious floor of the medical ward. However, Bello was taken aback by the Queen's sudden words.

"You don't have to pay.. This is free of charge."

"Eh-"

Bello stared at the Queen, dumbfounded.. Something worth 100 White Elrodites was free? Bello could not accept this and insisted for him to pay.

"I-I could not! I can't take this.."

Aletheia tried to protest for Bello to take it but his perseverance had hindered this gift. So, Aletheia stared at her husband for solutions.

She cleared her throat as if telling Julius "Say something quick!", while still keeping her composure and elegance.

Julius very quickly understood the situation and cleared his throat back, staring at the direction of Bello.

"Bello, you are Veritas' friend correct?"

"Yes, your majesty.."

"Will you really not accept this Potion?"

"I won't- No.. I can't."

The King stood close in front of Bello and smiled warmly at him.

"You... have a great sense of morale. Instead of taking it, how about you consider it as an advance payment?"

Bello was taken aback by this and inquired further about this so called 'advance payment'.

"Advanced Payment?"

"Indeed, Veritas mentioned of you as someone of great caliber when it comes to having great resolve in terms of the mind. Additionally, you were able to control a myriad of beasts right?"

"Thats..."

"How about you work for the knights and consider lending your strength for this Kingdom?"

"..."

Bello was confused by the sudden invitation, he had thought thoroughly about considering it.. It had great benefits after all.

He thought deeply about how his brother would feel. When he wakes up he would probably be overjoyed about the sudden change! But.. Bello also considered the people back at Beast Master Den.

In that place, he learned and grew his skills, he was even considered as a prodigy by the other Beasttamers around him. They were the kindest, most messiest people that he had ever met.

He thought what their reaction would be.. Would they get mad? Would they be sad? Or would they feel betrayed.

In truth, Bello already knew what kind of people they were.

He was sure that they would feel proud about his recent promotion..

After a few seconds of contemplation, Bello finally answered with confidence.

"I'll do it, your majesty!"