Chapter 51

Chapter 51 I Next

Huh?

Raciels eyes widened in disbelief. It was unavoidable. The woman at the gate, engaged in an argument with the guard who questioned her, appeared entirely ordinary.

Just a human?

No matter how he observed her.

No matter how he pondered.

It defied comprehension.

What in the world? She looks completely average. Clearly in her mid-twenties.

Could she be an elf? Yet her ears lacked the characteristic pointiness.

Not an elf either, then.

Perhaps a dwarf? Unlikely, considering her body proportions.

What on earth is she?

Raciel was bewildered. Just then, Demian, standing beside him, suddenly spoke up.

That woman is a werewolf.

A werewolf?

Yes, Your Highness.

How so?The source of this content nov(el)bi((n))

Raciel tilted his head, further perplexed. The novel, Devil Sword Emperor, did mention the existence of the werewolf race.

But didnt it state that even in human form, they possess long and bushy tails?

The woman displayed no visible tail. Demian pointed at her pants.

Its because shes wearing trousers of that particular shape.

Indeed, it was as he said.

The womans pants were peculiar. Not extremely baggy, but puffy from the buttocks to the thighs, resembling a pot. From the knees down to the calves and ankles, the fit became tight. A truly unique design.

Demian continued with his explanation.

I dont know the specifics, but werewolves are highly reluctant to reveal their tails. Hence, they intentionally wear pants shaped like that to conceal them.

Is that so?

Yes. At some point, werewolves started adopting such trousers, and people began avoiding them to prevent being mistaken for werewolves.

As a result, those pants became associated with werewolves, naturally.

Indeed, Your Highness.

Hmm.

This was a detail not even mentioned in Devil Sword Emperor. The novel merely touched upon the werewolves ability to transform, their tremendous physical strength, and their dog-like sense of smell.

So

Wait.

Raciel paused, revisiting a thought that had unconsciously crossed his mind.

Hold on. This The robust physique, the keen sense of smell They are ideal qualities for a nurse working at an Oriental medicine clinic.

His brain suddenly kicked into overdrive. Neurons fired rapidly as he engaged in radical speculation.

Robust physique? That means she wont tire easily while nursing. Nursing is an arduous profession. Its extremely demanding. Its not just about caring for a single patient. In South Korea, on average, a nurse attends to 15 to 20 patients.

Constantly monitoring patients without respite, and not all of them are calm individuals.

Theres a diverse range of people. Additionally, theres the responsibility of tending to the patients families. These duties are performed almost every day, across three shifts.

D-shift starts at 7:30 am and ends at 3:30 pm. E-shift is from 2:30 pm to 10:30 pm. N-shift spans from 9:30 pm to 8:30 am the next day.

Although technically an 8-hour shift, in reality, theres an additional 1 to 2 hours for handover. Its an incredibly demanding schedule and workload.

Hospitals couldnt function without nurses. They are the unsung heroes, the backbone of the healthcare system.

Nursing is that rigorous and exacting. Thats why possessing physical strength is crucial. And what about a werewolf? Wouldnt they possess strength that could rival professional athletes?

She would excel based on her physical strength alone. Moreover, her exceptional sense of smell

She quite literally possessed the olfactory acuity of a dog.

The condition of the medicinal herbs for the decoction, the quality of the mugwort used for moxibustionboth could be determined with a single sniff. Moreover, while simmering the decoction, she would be able to gauge the perfect moment to adjust the heat using her acute sense of smell.

Not only that, but while caring for patients, she could detect changes in their condition in real-time through the bodily smells she senses.

The more Raciel pondered, the more astounding it seemed. The more he considered it, the more she appeared as a captivating talent.

Now, what about her character?

The guards gaze reflected surprise. Anise, too, shared the same expression. Raciel addressed her.

Despite being a werewolf and confident in your strength, our guards are among the finest in the empire. It will be a fair match. Do you see the large fountain in the inner garden near the gate?

She nodded.

That distance is approximately 400 meters. Run to the fountain and back. If you return before our guard, you pass the physical test.

Understood.

Anise nodded swiftly. The guard hesitated, seeking cues.

What are you waiting for? Get on the starting line.

Only upon hearing this, the guard hastily dropped his sword and removed his helmet. Soon, Anise and the guard stood side by side at the gate. Anise stole a sideways glance.

The same guard who had insulted her earlier. She made a silent vow to surpass him with flying colors. As she steeled herself, the Crown Prince gave the signal.

Start!

She burst forward, her feet pounding against the ground. Swift acceleration, reminiscent of the ancestral spirits running through open fields. Racing onward, she carried on the legacy of her revered ancestor who once served as an aide to Emperor Calidus.

The surroundings blurred past her. The rushing wind roared in her ears. There was only one destination.

That fountain!

Anises gaze remained fixed on the fountain, not wavering for a moment.

As she drew nearer to the fountain, she did not slow down. Instead, she leaped.

She propelled her entire body upward, reaching for the top of the fountain and grasping it tightly, filled with the momentum.

Her body traced a wide arc around the hand clutching the fountains edge. Centrifugal force wrapped around her, surging through her body. With a release, she soared through the air, propelled in the opposite direction toward the gate where the Crown Prince awaited.

Executing a flawless 180-degree turn without losing speed, she landed firmly and pounded against the ground once more.

With unyielding determination, she accelerated once again. And in that moment, she noticed a sluggish figure approaching from ahead.

Huff! Hoo! Hook!

It was the guard who had mocked her earlier, still making his way towards the fountain. He ran with all his might, refusing to fall behind. Among humans, he was indeed swift.

So slow.

She couldnt help but chuckle at his false sense of superiority.

Ive won.

Anise planned to breeze past the guard, leaving him in her dust. But then

Huh?

Was it mere coincidence? Or had his desperation to keep up with her caused him to lose his footing? The guards sprint became entangled, and he stumbled over his own feet. His balance faltered, and he tumbled forcefully to the ground. In that moment, Anise surged past him.

Uh!

The guard looked up at her, struggling to rise. But his movements were peculiar. Anise didnt pay it much attention. She continued running, leaving the human who had scorned her in defeat.

She raced onward, the gate drawing closer. Yet, the closer she got, the more unsettled she felt. The strange movements of the guard, his struggles to get up, lingered in her mind.

It seemed like his shoulder dislocated when he fell.

The more she dwelled on it, the more uneasy she became.

Damn it.

Anise cursed. It didnt feel right to continue running like this. If she completed the race in this manner, rumors would surely circulate. She sensed that the guard might use his dislocated shoulder as an excuse.

She didnt want that. She wanted to utterly crush him with her abilities, leaving no room for excuses. And so

She halted her sprint.

Merely 10 meters from the gate, she abruptly turned around, cursing under her breath, and retraced her steps toward the guard. In a way, it was a small opportunity for revenge (?). Fixing a glare upon the guard, she spoke.

Weak human, daring to challenge me. Stay still.

Huh?

The guard, who had been struggling to relocate his dislocated shoulder, gazed up with a vacant expression. In that instant, Anises forceful hand grabbed hold of his shoulder and arm.

With a sharp motion, she realigned his dislocated joint.

Arrgghhh!

The guard let out a cry of intense pain. Raciel, who had been observing from the gate, murmured to himself.

Wow.

In the next moment, the pass necklace in Anises hand glimmered and shimmered.

(To be Continued)

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