Chapter 8: Herbalism (1)

I was getting more and more used to it.

Just as humans are creatures of adaptation, my life here was gradually seeping into my daily routine like ripples created by a small droplet.

Repetitive life probably had a significant impact.

The older kids, who were about to graduate, sometimes didn't show up all day, but my daily routine didn't change at all.

Basic physical training, the development of my mystic abilities, and Lena's etiquette lessons.

The etiquette lessons felt a bit awkward, like something out of a movie where European nobles would do it, but I tried my best.

No matter how the details changed, the strictly controlled schedule remained consistent.

When the time came, I trained, ate, and slept.

'Routine is important, after all.'

One thing that bothered me was that my worst condition was getting worse day by day.

At first, I couldn't understand what was wrong.

'I don't sleep well... but I exercise and eat well, yet my condition is getting worse.'

Even with the Ironman trait, it didn't make sense. Even if the Ironman trait was incomplete, it shouldn't have gotten worse.

But recently, I could roughly guess the reason.

It might be because my body was actually getting healthier.

A weak body is similar to being in the worst condition.

The more my body improved, the more strongly I felt the effects of the bad condition, which made sense.

For example, if I had a strength of 10, the reduction due to the trait would be 5, but if I had a strength of 50, it would be 25.

Still, as I got used to the life, I entered a relatively stable phase.

The devil's blood and the urge to act were dormant. Perhaps it was because there wasn't a situation that required acting.

Acting and going crazy are different.

Suddenly cursing Marhan or Lena isn't acting; it's going crazy.

Anyway, I was definitely making progress amidst the familiarity.

Because my basic physical strength had improved, Marhan's gaze when he looked at me had changed a bit in the past few days.

Judging from this, it seemed that the day I would handle real weapons was not far off.

"Hmm."

Checking the time, it was time to get up. I was so tired that I didn't want to move, but...

I had to go to Lena's class.

* * *

"Hmm."

Haban, the Duke of Haisen and the head of intelligence, leaned his chin on his hand and looked out the window of the carriage heading to the royal palace.

His gaze was outside, but his thoughts were racing.

Was there any missed business? No. He had already organized all the intelligence from the empire and the direction of the nearby kingdom.

The same went for internal affairs in Haisen. He had finally turned to personal matters.

'Kalin.'

Recently, the report on the child with mystic abilities, which Haban was most concerned about, was heard every day.

The evaluation of the child was ambiguous. It had slightly shifted towards the negative side, but it was still very positive.

It was more like disappointment or regret rather than negativity.

For some reason, the child could only use about half of his talent.

Of course, there were advantages. He was even considering changing the education policy.

From the first meeting, the orphan seemed quite sharp. He rarely asked questions.

Considering that he had lived on the streets and hadn't received proper education, he was quite intelligent.

He was far more intelligent than the foolish nobles he met.

'They are just lucky to have good blood.'

Haban, from his experience, knew that a life of poverty made children mature quickly.

So, it wasn't strange that the orphan was quick-witted, but even considering that, Kalin stood out.

The 13-year-old seemed to understand most of the implications in his words. Moreover, his senses were remarkable.

Among the children the Duke had brought, none had this level of danger perception.

Even Denif, whom he thought had the best talent, only flinched and looked around after an attack in the same situation.

He sensed something was wrong but didn't know the cause.

But Kalin rolled on the ground without looking back.

He seemed confused by the lack of attack.

The other children looked at Kalin strangely, and Mohen laughed loudly, but the Duke felt an unparalleled sense of satisfaction.

The child he had brought had felt the genuine killing intent he had harbored in his heart.

Of course, even if the child could only use half of his talent, it was still a decent level...

Considering everything, it might not be bad to focus more on strategy than physical strength.

While aiming to be versatile, it was impossible to make all subordinates that way.

Ultimately, each had a specialized field.

In fact, the Duke managed his subordinates according to the situation.

'But it's a bit disappointing to give up easily.'

The talent Marhan saw in Kalin was on par with or slightly better than Denif's.

He had high expectations.

He thought it would be fine with time.

But the report that the child wasn't using all his abilities remained unchanged even after some time.

The only difference now was that the phrase "because he was an orphan" was omitted.

The health issues due to malnutrition had been resolved over time.

So, was Kalin hiding his abilities?

No, there was no reason to.

The child was sharp, but there was no benefit in hiding his abilities.

Moreover, it was his first time with physical training.

It was impossible to perfectly hide his abilities from Marhan's eyes.

In the end, there was only one conclusion.

'...Does he really have a serious illness?'

The child's every move, whether during training, sleeping, or eating, was reported.

The Duke recalled the report that the child was often tired and had a pathological obsession with cleanliness.

Orphan and obsession with cleanliness. At first, it seemed strange, but now it made sense.

'He must have had a serious illness as a child, and he doesn't know it, but it hasn't fully healed.'

And when he had a serious illness, there was a high probability that it was related to something dirty.

Obsession with cleanliness is often triggered by trauma.

As an orphan, he couldn't help it, but now that the situation is different, the obsession with cleanliness has manifested.

Actually, the obsession with cleanliness wasn't a big problem.

Even for an intelligence agent who does all sorts of things, the usefulness varies depending on the trait.

It could be tried to treat, but there was no need to force it.

It could be used in other ways.

The Duke's disappointment was that the child wasn't using his full potential.

The first to suspect the child's illness was Lena. But the child said he wasn't sick.

Lena agreed. It seemed that way, except for the fatigue. He thought it was just a lack of physical strength.

But now, nothing else came to mind except the remnants of a serious illness.

The question was whether it was in a treatable range. Could the remnants of the illness be eliminated, or was it irreversible?

'Well, it doesn't matter much.'

Except for the disappointment, the Duke had brought the child for one reason: the mystic ability.

The talent in other areas was secondary. He had hoped for it, but it wasn't a problem if it didn't exist.

As long as the basics were covered. The child had enough talent, so there was no need to worry.

The mystic ability and the child's sharpness had many potential uses in other areas.

It would be good if it could be cured, but it was fine even if it couldn't. Still, it needed a bit more attention.

The royal palace was getting closer. The Duke, having organized his thoughts, spoke.

"Find a decent doctor."

"Yes."

The response came from the Duke's shadow. The shadow understood that a decent doctor meant at least the level of a royal physician.

The Duke confirmed that his shadow had faded.

* * *

"I'm so tired I could die."

Lying on the bed and looking at the ceiling, I muttered unconsciously. Then, a hollow laugh escaped me.

It had become a habit.

I don't want to move. I'm tired. The penalty trait made my self-talk feel formalized.

Especially in the evening. After training, I had no energy left.

Marhan always pushed me just beyond my limits.

But today, I had a bit more energy left than usual. Lena's class ended early.

But as life often goes, unexpected luck always has a reason.

I sighed, sensing someone's presence.

"Kalin, it's time to go."

"..."

I really don't want to move. But I have to.

To survive in this harsh world where 13-year-olds are trained as intelligence agents.

I got up from the bed.

Opening the door, Denif and Orhen were waiting for me.

"Sorry."

"Well, you being tired isn't a new thing."

Denif shrugged. Orhen nodded silently, and I felt a bit guilty.

I had improved since the first time, but I hadn't become close to the children.

'Especially Orhen.'

We greet each other in the morning, but considering the time spent here and his age, the relationship improvement was slow.

It wasn't a problem with my personality but entirely due to the penalty trait.

...It's true.

I had many friends on Earth. At one point, it was annoying to meet them all.

Now, with no energy, I can only be quiet when eating or resting.

Moreover, I ate as quickly as possible to brush my teeth and rushed to the dorm to shower after training.

After the evening class, I immediately fell into bed.

There weren't many opportunities to get close through private conversations.

The Ironman trait isn't perfect yet. It's a high-level trait that adults have.

I'm in the process of becoming an Ironman.

But it still has an effect. It's thanks to the Ironman trait that I can keep up.

Anyway, it was fortunate that Denif approached me.

He was naturally friendly and, being an orphan like me, subtly cared for me.

Why do martial arts novels have Beggar Sect members protecting beggars?

"Is this not the way to the apothecary?"

Denif, who had been leading the way, tilted his head in confusion. It had taken longer than expected, and it seemed he had taken a wrong turn.

He had been so confident, and I found it a bit amusing.

"I haven't been here in a while. I'm confused."

Denif laughed awkwardly.

"...We should have gone that way."

Orhen, who had been silent, spoke in a small voice, and Denif nodded.

"Ah, right! That way."

"...Idiot."

"What? It's easy to get confused. You should have said something earlier."

Denif snorted and walked ahead.

"...Moron."

Orhen muttered under his breath, but his lips were curved upward.

Denif and I were quite close, and he often showed his emotions.

"Is the herbalism class not often held?"

"Yeah. Herbalism usually starts at 13. You were lucky."

"Then how did you get here before?"

I asked casually, and Denif glanced at Orhen. Orhen chuckled.

Something must have happened.

"I ate something wrong and had to be educated..."

"What did you eat?"

"The foolish Denif mistook a poisonous herb for a medicinal one and ate it secretly."

"It wasn't stealing! It was on the carriage..."

Well, carriages often came and went for supplies. I had seen them too.

He must have eaten something while moving the supplies. I laughed, imagining it.

"Marhan said it was a miracle I didn't die. Because of the foolish Denif, I had to receive special education in the apothecary."

Orhen smiled at me.

Seeing the usually talkative Denif quiet, it must be a well-known black history here.

Kids do get close through pranks, I guess.

Nothing much, but I felt a bit closer to Orhen.

Anyway, we arrived just in time. In the apothecary, which smelled of bitter herbs, Rekon and Mohen were waiting for us.

Rekon smiled at Denif.

"You got lost because it's been a while? I should have come with you."

"...No, I didn't."

Denif shook his head, and Rekon chuckled.

Among the older kids, Rekon was the most kind.

Unlike someone standing next to him.

Mohen glared at me and pouted.

"It's because of you. You lack stamina and keep lying down. Where are the results of your training?"

Sigh.

This kid is at it again.