Lion of Citra

Strapping a mask around his face and donning a thin black robe, Leonardo descended alone. The ship anchored itself a bit further away from the docks, preventing communication between the rowdy crew and inquisitive ears.

He had originally planned to bring Sana along to gain some experience, but she was too attractive in a crowd. Even if a mask obscured her face, her physique would be a dead giveaway she's a woman.

Given the risks involved, he had her oversee the ships instead.

It was already dawn, so the docks were bustling with people. The plague doctor attire drew quite a few eyes, but Leonardo swept over them nonchalantly and carried his small coffer to a nearby carriage. Knocking softly, he then embarked wordlessly and found himself across a lion.

"Duke Salerno," he bowed slightly in surprise, "I didn't expect to be greeted by your majesty here. Pardon the tardiness."

Despite sounding polite, Leonardo wasn't too subservient to the ruling class. He knew they were just people, just as frail as any old life. However, if paying obeisance helped him pass a few hurdles, it was a net positive. He didn't care for arrogance nor whether his reputation would be impacted.

"Pay it no heed. I am pleased to meet you at last, artisan of Daedalus."

The man extended his hand, surprising Leonardo. Knowing he'd be disrespectful otherwise, he unstrapped the mask and surprised the duke in turn. His youthful visage simply couldn't match the reputation of an experienced smith.

As they shook hands in a tight grip, the men assessed each other with great scrutiny and patience. Despite being a mortal, the duke was among the strongest people he'd encountered. Truly a lion among men, his broad musculature and callused hands spoke volumes of his dedication to war.

His atypical red mane of hair was what originally got him the title, but he more than made up for it with combat valor. Now, when speaking of the Lion of Citra, they referred less to his sun-kissed auburn hair and more to the rivers of blood he irrigated the battlefields with.

The carriage departed the docks and moved inland. Leonardo studied the streets through a narrow slip on the windows while he made small talk. The duke proved to be quite erudite, once more surprising him. From their correspondence, he thought Gustav was too straightforward for a noble, who usually liked to flower every sentence with cringe and annoying euphemisms.

As it turned out, the duke didn't feel the need to play those games to elevate his perceived standing. It was simply beneath him. As such, despite coming off as brash and direct, Leonardo noted he was a very well learned man and they thoroughly enjoyed their conversation.

As they drew closer to the duke's estate, the man finally lost his smile, "So, how good is your cure? Will it save my daughter?"

Noting the sudden seriousness in the man's voice, Leonardo smiled reassuringly.

"I dare say there is no one better acquainted with this accursed disease than me. I too suffered under its craze. Have faith that I will do my best to ensure she doesn't have to suffer a moment more than she should."

Despite the letters exchanged and his reputation, the duke remained skeptical of the miracle cure. However, just like many others, he too was in despair and was ready to try anything and everything. Despite using herbal remedies to keep the patients alive, they had been bedridden as the curse continued to linger within them.

A father's love was boundless and without reason. Were it not for these unfortunate circumstances, Leonardo would have a much harder time securing their cooperation. It might have been all but impossible to rely on nobles for information and local access.

The benefits aside, this cooperation carried a lot of risk as well. For one, Leonardo knew with certainty he wouldn't leave the duke's estate alive if anything wrong happened to his daughter. Guards were sprinkled across the compound, turning it into an impregnable fortress. The largest threat however remained the church.

The nobles and the church always squabbled for power and authority in a given domain, and even kings weren't spared that game. By making his presence known here, he already put himself on opposing sides with the zealots under the papacy.

Ushered in from a side door, Leonardo soon found himself traversing the modest mansion. Neither too opulent nor too bare to shame the title, the estate seemed to embody the duke quite well. Authoritarian and simple, it focused on an efficient design and dull colors.

In stark contrast to the gray hallways, the daughter's room was vibrant with soft colors, displaying a red ceiling and fluffy drapes, another testament to the duke's love.

The colorful room did little to combat the bleak atmosphere in the room, however. The curse spoiled everything. Its victim whimpered softly under the sheets, ensnared in a struggle for life. Perhaps she was having a nightmare, because she fidgeted weakly.

The small gesture might have passed unseen to others, but the duke seemed to notice and rushed to her bedside, personally tending to her.

"You seem to love her a lot. She's lucky to have you."

Though unwilling to spoil the moment, Leonardo put down the medicine container after pulling the drapes. His comment pulled the duke out of it, and the man uncharacteristically coughed in embarrassment.

"She's all I have that matters," came his response, full with unconcealed emotion.

"I understand," approaching the bedside, he hesitated then gestured to the butler and guards, "I'll tend to her now, please vacate the room."

"I'm staying," the duke answered even as he dismissed everyone else. His answer was resolute and left no room for debate, so Leonardo could only smile wryly and proceed with the diagnosis.

Taking her pulse, he studied the state of her heart and blood flow. A Life Sense spell soon unraveled the layers of physical obstruction and revealed to him the core of the problem.

The curse had spread all throughout her body and her organs suffered the brunt of this war for survival. Without magic treatment, she wouldn't make a full recovery even with the cure administered. It's why Leonardo decided to pay a visit himself.

"Have someone draw a bath for her. She'll need it once she's awake."

Smiling confidently at the duke, he took out a set of acupuncture needles and nonchalantly parted the covers, exposing the girl's bare chest. He didn't bother to check the man's expression, but guessed he wasn't too happy. Not minding the murderous gaze that scrutinized his every action, he confidently began his intervention.

Focused and calm, he first made sure he didn't miss anything in his diagnosis before feeding her the cure. As soon as the curse broke its hold on her, he pushed a stream of energy through the the needles and began to repair her lungs and heart tissues.

The needles darkened and vile filth soon seeped through the girl's pores, forced out by his treatment. Despite the horrid odor it carried, the duke smiled in satisfaction and sighed in relief, finally assured his daughter was saved.