No one can live forever with a mask on. Even if they use face changing tricks and bone-shrinking arts, they eventually revert to their true nature.

**–**Lucius Annaeus Seneca

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After leaving the grand hall on the first floor, we followed the royal attendant’s guidance to the guest room area.

“This way.”

The place we arrived at was a space prepared for a small group of about five or six people to enjoy light refreshments and relax.

“Hmm.”

The interior was luxurious beyond words at first glance.

A large mirror, a fireplace, and a plush carpet.

A splendid mother-of-pearl cabinet and chandelier.

Around the corner table were soft chairs, and behind them was a sofa where one could sit cross-legged.

Unlike a nouveau riche’s home, where expensive items are randomly crammed in, this room was arranged with an almost obsessive aesthetic standard, allowing for a comfortable view of the interior from any position.

Though not as luxurious as Buckingham Palace’s famous drawing rooms like the Green Drawing Room or the Regency Room, this room had the power to make Mrs. Hudson’s cozy boarding house look shabby.

Even without my level of observation, one could immediately tell that every element in this room, including the visible furnishings, was of a different price range than what can be commonly seen.

“Hmm?”

Looking to the side for a moment, I saw Watson standing with a face much more tense than expected.

I thought I had prepared her over the past month with various training under my instructions to maintain composure in any situation, but this was unexpected.

Well, given the continuously unexpected situations, it’s understandable.

“Are you alright, Watson? Your hands are trembling.”

“I’m fine. It’s you I’m worried about.”

“…Ah.”

I inadvertently made a foolish sound upon seeing Watson’s face.

“Hmm?”

Surprised, Watson widened her eyes like a rabbit and reached out to check my pulse.

“Oh no… Was the internal injury worse than I thought?!”

I was mistaken.

Watson wasn’t tense because she was overwhelmed by the luxurious interior.

She was worried about me.

“No, it’s not really a big problem-”

“Come, sit down quickly…!”

Watson forcibly pulled me to sit on the sofa, then turned her head to the attendant who guided us.

“I need medicine for internal injuries.”

“Of course.”

The attendant walked quickly to the fireplace and twisted the handle of the poker that was placed on the stand.

-Kugung!

-Druruk!

The next moment, the large fireplace jutted out about one and a half feet towards the center of the room and then moved to the right.

“By the order of Her Majesty, we can provide any medicine, pill, or decoction available in the Palace, Doctor.”

What was hidden beyond the fireplace was a wall lined with wooden drawers.

Under each handle was the name of the medicine contained in the drawer, comparable to any decent apothecary’s pharmacy.

“Thank you. Could I first have the Poria & Crimson Fleeceflower Pill? If there’s Medicamentum Communionem1, I’d like that too.”

“Medicamentum Communionem…you say?”

The royal attendant, who showed no emotion until the name Poria & Crimson Fleeceflower Pill was mentioned, looked surprised for the first time.

“Watson…”

“Don’t think about interfering in the doctor’s work, just prepare to circulate your energy quietly.”

I understood Watson’s intention and shut my mouth immediately.

“Since it is by Her Majesty’s order, it’s possible to give you Medicamentum Communionem, but please understand it will take some time.”

“Then, can I take the other one first?”

“Of course. The Poria & Crimson Fleeceflower Pill is stored here.”

The royal attendant hesitated for a moment upon hearing the name Medicamentum Communionem but then opened the drawer without delay and handed over the pill Watson requested.

“Thank you.”

The Poria & Crimson Fleeceflower Pill, as its name suggests, is a medicine made primarily from Poria and Crimson Fleeceflower Root, and is a staple medicine prepared in abundance at any reasonably sized hospital or pharmacy in London.

It is known to help heal internal injuries by calming pain and boosting internal strength when taken and circulating energy, and skilled doctors use it in combination with other medicines to achieve synergistic effects.

For example, they would give the patient one or two Poria & Crimson Fleeceflower Pills, have them circulate energy briefly, and then administer other medicines to begin full-scale internal treatment.

“Holmes. Swallow this first.”

“Alright.”

Watson poured lukewarm water from the kettle into a cup and handed it to me with the pill.

As I swallowed the Poria & Crimson Fleeceflower Pill, I could feel its characteristic pine scent lingering in my mouth.

I should wait about a minute for the medicine to dissolve in my stomach, then slowly circulate energy before taking the next medicine-

“Doctor, you need to come with me for a moment.”

“Me?”

“When taking out an elixir from the third Wonder Drug Storage for the treatment of an invited guest, the prescribing doctor’s signature is required.”

In the royal palace, besides the Physician To The Queen responsible for the health of the royal family’s Twelve Primary Meridians and Eight Extraordinary Vessels, there are many doctors who reside or work there.

Among them, there must be those who take charge of treatment when a visitor suffers internal injuries or their health deteriorates.

Normally, an on-call doctor would have been assigned, but I have Watson, an excellent assistant and my personal physician.

“As the personal physician of Sir Little Heavenly Demon, it is mandatory that you accompany me.”

The attendant emphasized the words ‘personal physician’.

This meant that since a royal physician did not step forward, the Palace would not be responsible for any issues during treatment.

I could clearly see the attendant’s intention to point that out.

‘It seems Watson’s request for Medicamentum Communionem bothered them.’

Factor VIII2, according to Hebrew numerology Gematria, is a set of eight legendary pills numbered 1 to 8.

The higher the number of the pill, the harder it is to manufacture, making it as rare as plucking stars from the sky, but even the first pill is known to possess excellent efficacy in treating various internal injuries and meridian diseases, and collecting all eight is said to cure the sinister disease hemophilia transmitted through blood.

Just as Christ redeemed humanity’s sins, the efficacy of saving a life on the brink of death is the origin of the grand name Factor VIII3, also known as the “Life Redeeming Treasure”.

And Medicamentum Communionem, the second pill of Factor VIII, unlike the easily obtainable first pill at large hospitals, required a considerable amount of money to acquire.

‘If one is not a doctor skilled in handling medicine and proficient in energy circulation, having Factor VIII would only cause side effects and end there.’

The royal attendant would not be displeased, by mistaking Watson’s request for expensive medicine as taking advantage of Her Majesty’s favor.

The fact that the Medicamentum Communionem is in the third storage of Buckingham Palace’s various Wonder Drug Storages means it’s not among the rarest medicines available here.

The attendant was surely worried about the internal injuries of a guest who received an invitation to the palace worsening.

Of course, as the person involved, I had no qualms because I saw Watson request Medicamentum Communionem with sufficient confidence.

The attendant also seemed to judge that Watson did not request for expensive medicine without reason, as they showed no sign of trying to stop her.

“Then I’ll be back shortly. You finish circulating your energy first.”

“I’m indebted to you once more. Thank you, Watson.”

“It’s nothing. I’ll be back with the medicine soon, so wait for me.”

My capable personal physician smiled gently and left the room following the attendant.

‘…To request Medicamentum Communionem. It’s quite different from the humble demeanor she had while walking around the palace.’

Should I say it’s unlike Watson?

No. Perhaps this is more like Watson.

‘Did I cause her unnecessary worry? It wasn’t my intention.’

She was probably quite tense since confronting Father Brown.

Seeing me injured after using the Indulgence Talisman must have stirred her emotions.

That’s why she broke the Palace’s strict rules and rushed forward to support me.

‘I told her not to overdo it so many times…’

I can’t exactly fathom her feelings as she scolded me with a voice that seemed forced out, but she did not look pleased.

She was probably angry at me for repeatedly jumping into danger despite her requests.

‘Your Majesty! As Little Heavenly Demon’s attending physician, I humbly ask despite the rudeness!’

Despite training for a month to never lose composure and not break the Forbidden Palace’s rules, Watson eventually made a mistake.

Of course, that doesn’t mean I’m disappointed in her.

“I would have done the same.”

Honestly, I don’t know how my way of living appears to others.

But regardless of what they think, the principle I’ve upheld all my life is clear and simple.

Constantly sharpening the blade of reason to leave no room for emotions.

As long as I adhered to this one rule, while wearing the mask of an outstanding consulting detective, the world was always in the palm of my hand.

-Rustle.

[So, you followed that brilliant reason of yours and threw yourself off a cliff with your arch-nemesis.]

It was then.

With the sound of a page turning, a mocking voice echoed in my head.

“…?!”

Is it Hamlet4? It had been quiet for a while.

Did I unintentionally inhale a trace amount of the residual Demonic Qi while I was neutralizing it, or did the Lily Essence stimulate and break the seal?

Or perhaps my meridians were damaged, creating an opening for it to emerge.

First, I need to start my breathing exercise to restore my body-

[Hey. Do you still remember John Watson?]

“…?”

The next moment, a question came flying at me.

[Your poor friend whom you left without even saying goodbye.]

“Of course I remember.”

I didn’t need to answer it, but I inadvertently spoke in an irritated tone.

And then I regretted it.

[You answered properly for the first time.]

A nasty laugh mixed with the voice of an innocent boy.

As soon as I heard John’s name, my heart was greatly agitated, and I made a mistake.

“…Of all times, now.”

Responding to the Specter’s words is akin to acknowledging its existence.

‘When the King’s Specter speaks to you, keep your mouth shut. It means to stay silent until it quiets down, no matter what it says.’

I recalled my master’s advice too late.

I ended up giving form to the worst neighbor that had been drifting like a shadow.

1. TL/N: Meridian-Unblocking Pill ️

2. TL/N: Eight Life Redeeming Pills ️

3. TL/N: Factor VIII is a crucial blood-clotting protein, also known as antihemophilic factor, that is essential for the normal blood clotting process ️

4. TL/N: The King’s Spectre which is one the Lionhearts elixir withdrawal symptoms ️