Chapter 45

Chapter 45 I Next

Captain, it appears you have alopecia areata.

Raciels response came swiftly and with accuracy. The once solemn and weighty atmosphere in the emperors office turned somber in an instant.

Unbeknownst to him, Captain Roberto, with his superhuman patience and self-restraint, clenched his fist. If not for these qualities, he would have disregarded the prejudices associated with his status and position and delivered a powerful blow to Raciels face.

But Roberto maintained his composure. Silently, he mourned the daily loss of his hair. As tears welled up, he raised his head, forcing a slight smile to prevent them from flowing.

Why am I like this because of such a thing. Sigh. If it were the Crown Prince, it would be possible.

The captain concealed his tears, stealing a moment of vulnerability in secret. Meanwhile, the emperor felt a sense of horror brewing within.

Are you saying that the captain indeed has alopecia areata?

Yes, Your Majesty.

But look. The captain still has a full head of shiny hair.

Its because he wears a wig.

.

Raciels matter-of-fact response hit the mark. The emperor had no choice but to admit Raciels answer. This was because Captain Roberto had recently been struggling with severe hair loss and had spoken about his troubles.

However, only Robertos wife and the emperor himself knew the full extent of the captains daily struggle with baldinga secret that remained hidden from the world.

But how did you deduce it?

A perplexed question filled the emperors eyes as he looked at Raciel. The deduction was impressive, yet peculiar and difficult to comprehend. Curiosity drove the emperor to inquire further.

Did you possess extraordinary insight, perhaps?

No, its not that.

Raciel responded promptly.

Captain Robertos wig is flawless. Even a keen observer would be unable to tell that its a wig. I simply examined captain Robertos pulse.The source of this content nov(el)bi((n))

Examined his pulse?

Yes, Your Majesty.

Raciel continued.

If you touch the inside of your wrist, you can feel the pulsation of blood flowing through the arteries. Using the Asrahan Core Technique, I sense, feel, and analyze that pulse.

Hmm, it may sound like a bluff, but its plausible.

Thank you for considering it, Your Majesty.

So, what did you diagnose to deduce Captain Robertos alopecia?

Its quite simple.

Raciels answer flowed effortlessly.

I diagnosed captain Roberto as physically robust, with highly active mana. Particularly, the energy in his heart and small intestine was the most vigorous.

The heart and the small intestine?

Yes, there was a significant surge of fire qi from those areas.

Fire qi.

Such energy tends to rise upwards, like a flame.

Are you suggesting?

Yes, Your Majesty. Your speculation is correct. The highest point of the body is the top of the head.

The vigorously rising fire qi within Captain Roberto reached the highest point of his bodythe top of his head?

Indeed, Your Majesty.

Raciel glanced back at the captain.

The fire qi concentrated on the crown of his head, directly exposing the hair roots to intense heat, much like grass withering on a drought-stricken prairie.

Sniff.

Listening quietly, the imperial guard captain, Roberto, teared up. The emperor sympathetically clicked his tongue.

Damn.

The diagnosis seemed plausible, prompting the emperor to nod in agreement.

As I reflect upon it, there is some truth to Raciels words. Robertos family has produced exceptional knights for generations, and naturally, Roberto has learned the Core Technique passed down in the family. This Core Technique accumulates mana energy in the heart, making it exceptionally strong and fervent.

Suddenly, a memory flashed through the emperors mind. It was of his training sessions with Roberto. The mana that surged through the swords when they clashed was rough, untamed, and intense.

That means he possesses such potent mana in his heart, and that energy stimulates the crown of his head.

As he pondered, he realized that many men in Robertos family had a tendency to be bald. Whether it was a hereditary coincidence or a side effect of the Core Technique, he couldnt say for certain.

But one thing was clear.

Regardless of the secret, he truly answered my question.

The emperors gaze shifted to Raciel. He still had numerous questions about how the young prince acquired such medical knowledge and insight, but for now, he had no choice but to acknowledge it.

Very well, I understand.

For now, his words held truth, and his claim wasnt entirely unfounded. The emperor didnt know what Raciel intended to achieve, but

I hereby grant Crown Prince Raciel Adria Magentano access to the lower section of the Imperial Palaces archives tonight.

Thank you!

But, you will only be allowed to access the lower section and obtain one item.

Pardon?

Didnt you hear me?

I heard you clearly.

Then whats the issue?

I didnt say there was an issue.

Then why are you tilting your head like a puppy who doesnt understand human words?

I understood what you said. Its just

Just?

Im not entirely sure I understand.

What dont you understand?

The emperor furrowed his brows. He had asked a question, and the child had provided an answer. He acknowledged it and granted him access to the Imperial Palaces archives. So what was the source of his dissatisfaction?

Has he always been like this?

The emperor pondered. Raciel hadnt always been so brazen. In fact, he used to be so shy that he couldnt even make eye contact. What changed recently that made him so audacious?

The emperor found Raciels transformation both annoying and intriguing. He waited for the boys response.

Only those wearing these necklaces can enter the Archives.

What happens if I dont have one?

All the attack magic installed within the vault will be triggered.

Also, these necklaces operate by entering the permitted reading time each time. If you exceed the allotted time

What happens if I exceed it?

Once again, all the attack magic installed within the vault will be triggered.

By the way, the reading time entered in the necklace you received, Your Highness, is until dawn.

Wait a moment. That means I only have a few hours left, right?

Yes, you should hurry.

The court lady smiled as Raciel hastily put on the necklace. He glanced back at Demian.

Lets go inside.

Yes.

They entered through the milky, shimmering semi-transparent entrance. As Raciel passed through the magic circle at the entrance, his body swayed, and a slight wave of nausea washed over him.

Ugh.

His sensitive Core Technique reacted to the mana within the magic circle, but it subsided quickly. After stepping through the entrance, a vast space opened up before them.

Oh

The sight reminded Raciel of a local Home Depot or IKEA store. The interior of the warehouse was even larger than most big-box retailers. Countless shelves were scattered throughout the immense space, each filled with various items.

This is going to be a busy night.

When would they find the time to examine all of this? The view before him seemed to blur slightly, but there was no time to waste.

Demian.

Yes, Your Highness.

From now on, we need to search for what we need here.

What should I be looking for?

Items related to coldness. Potions, magic orbs, and similar objects. Check everything. Heres a notepad and charcoal pen.

Lets divide the area exactly in half. You take this side, and Ill search the other. Note down the location of the items I mentioned. That way, I can quickly review the items you checked after I finish my search.

I understand.

There was no need for further explanation. Time was of the essence. They immediately set to work. Demian went to the designated area, while Raciel meticulously examined each item in his section, sorting them as he went.

Please, come forth. Show me the suitable item.

They needed to find a potion or artifact that could enhance Yin energy, allowing him to restore the energy of the patient suffering from Typhus. Raciel moved swiftly, making a silent promise to himself. He rolled his eyes, scanning the items thoroughly, as if searching for a midnight snack in the refrigerator.

However, even after scouring the entire left section, Raciel couldnt find a suitable item. Surprisingly, there were very few items with unique energies. Most of them were simply fine swords, armors crafted by renowned artisans, or beautiful decorative pieces.

Is it because this is the lower part of the warehouse? Hopefully, the right section will be different.

It had to be.

Suppressing his growing anxiety, Raciel headed towards the right section where Demian had been searching. He coincidentally ran into him just as he finished his task.

Did you write down everything as I instructed?

Yes, here it is.

What is this?

I marked the locations of items related to coldness, just as you asked.

But its hardly legible. You need to make sure its understandable.

I did my best.

Do you have poor handwriting?

Demians face turned slightly red, but now was not the time to dwell on it. There was a more pressing matter at hand.

Is there only one item marked here?

Yes. There were very few items related to coldness.

The same goes for the side I checked.

Raciel let out a sigh. There were no items related to coldness in the left section at all, and only one in the right section that Demian had searched. In other words

This single item thats marked its our last and only hope.

Raciel felt a surge of nervousness. He set out to find the shelf where the item was located, and his gaze landed on a shield.

Perennial Snow?

Raciel looked up at the shelf. There, he saw a shield named Perennial Snow, but its appearance was utterly underwhelming.

Is this really a shield?

It appeared feeble.

It was far too small to be a shieldbarely the size of a palm if one were being generous. It resembled a flat circular lump with a handle, similar in size to a mobile phone or a caf call bell. But Raciel refused to be prematurely disappointed.

Lets read the description below.

Each shelf in the warehouse provided brief information about the displayed items origin and purpose. Raciels eyes quickly scanned the description.

[Name: Perennial Snow]

[Classification: Shield]

[Acquisition: Unknown]

[Classification Level: Low]

[Use: When the user injects mana, the core in the center transforms the mana to create and deploy a shield of coldness. The cold shield shatters upon receiving a certain amount of impact.]

[Precautions when using: The fragments of coldness that fall off when it shatters are pure mana crystals. They will naturally disperse over time, so please be careful not to touch or consume them.]

Wow

This was it.

As Raciel read the final part of the description, his eyes lit up as if he had just undergone LASIK surgery.

Trivia:

LASIK, or laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis, is a type of refractive surgery that uses a laser to reshape the cornea, the clear front part of the eye. This can improve vision in people with nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia), and astigmatism.

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