The Injured Man At The Village Outskirts.

The next morning, instead of heading to the subterranean labyrinth, Paula and I were led by the Village Chief to the outskirts of the settlement.

Dragon-Bone Island is shaped like a dragon curled into a circle. This small shack stood isolated in a spot where the trees of the Dragon-Arm Forest—the “arm” of that circle—were clearly visible. Compared to the densely packed houses surrounding the village plaza, it was a lonely sight.

However, as we drew closer, I began to understand why.

It smelled.

The unique scent of animal hides and the sharp, heavy aroma of herbs and flowers mingled together. The various odors were so thick I instinctively wanted to cover my nose. The shack was overgrown with climbing vines and a profusion of various flowers, completely cloaking the structure in green. The few visible roof tiles and wall planks were warped or peeling; to an uninformed eye, it looked like an abandoned ruin.

But Chief Dirk didn’t hesitate. He approached what appeared to be the entrance and pulled back a hanging piece of leather, calling inside.

“How are you feeling, Ethan?”

“…Not very well, I’m afraid. It seems the time to return to the earth is drawing near.”

“Hmm, your complexion is the same as ever. Anyway, I have two guests with me. May we come in?”

“I have nothing to offer as hospitality, but if you don’t mind that…”

The voice that drifted out was weak and androgynous. Following the Chief’s beckoning, Paula and I stepped cautiously into the shack.

I blinked in surprise. Contrary to the cluttered impression of the exterior, the interior was meticulously organized. Tanned furs hung in neat rows along the walls. On a desk at the far end, small tools were lined up precisely, and half-finished arrows were arranged at equal intervals. On the opposite shelf, several books and small jars were placed in perfect order. The room smelled of smoke and incense, creating a strangely calming atmosphere.

The master of the shack lay upon a large bed beside the entrance. Sensing our presence, eyelids beneath long lashes slowly opened.

Large, emerald eyes filled with a hidden fragility. A dainty, upturned nose and lovely lips. Pale gold hair that reached the neck was intertwined with soft green leaves and vines. At first glance, the inhabitant looked like a sickly young girl hiding away in a humble shack.

Smiling weakly, the person asked in a clear voice:

“Nice to meet you. Are you new settlers?”

“Yes, my name is Nino.”

“And I am Paula. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

A hand reached out in a nod. The supple arm was tinged with a faint shade of green—the unmistakable proof of the Treant race.

“I am Ethan. Forgive me for remaining lying down. It is a pleasure.”

As I took the hand, I stared intently at Ethan’s face. Wow, the real thing is way more of a beautiful girl than the game screen. Seeing me entranced, Paula teased me with an amused look.

“Fufu, my Lord. You are making Master Ethan uncomfortable.”

“Oops, sorry.”

Reluctantly letting go of the soft yet firm skin, I muttered to myself internally. …Calling this a man older than me is a total scam.

Ethan the Hunter. This character caused a massive stir among Dra-Chro 2 fans due to his design. While his speech and behavior were those of a composed adult male, his appearance was cute enough to fit perfectly into a “heroine” role. He consistently ranked high in popularity polls, and I suspect many people who played the game during puberty ended up with slightly warped preferences because of him.

Despite being such a popular character, Ethan’s complexion was clearly poor up close. The Chief nodded to me, then leaned over the bed and spoke gently.

“Now, Ethan, let me see the wound.”

“Eh? But…”

The way he looked up with a bewildered, pleading gaze made him look like nothing but a beautiful girl. Truly, it’s no wonder the brain gets tricked.

“Don’t worry. You can trust these people,” the Chief said as he gently peeled back the furs covering Ethan’s legs.

A white cloth was wrapped like a bandage around his right thigh. When the cloth was quickly unfurled, a painful, gaping wound was revealed. The surrounding flesh was stained a dark purplish-black, a clear sign that something was wrong.

Last year, the Chief’s daughter, Emma, had disappeared after being attacked by monsters in the forest. Ethan, acting as a hunter and guard, had been with her at the time. Apparently, they had been swarmed by an unnaturally large pack of Great-Fang Cats. Only Ethan, suffering a terrible wound to his thigh, had managed to crawl back to the village.

The wound, accompanied by numbness, showed no sign of healing, and Ethan had been bedridden ever since, with the Chief providing constant healing arts. Despite the immense shock of losing his daughter, the Chief’s dedication to looking after Ethan was truly humbling.

“…What do you think, Sir Nino?”

“Yes, I can heal this.”

At my words, Ethan’s eyes went wide and round.

“C-could it be… this person is…”

“Yes,” the Chief replied. “He is the Alchemist who will save our village.”

Leaving Ethan frozen with his mouth open in a cute expression of shock, I performed a quick diagnosis. Like the Forest Crow, the Great-Fang Cat has paralytic poison in its claws. That was undoubtedly why the wound wouldn’t close. Fortunately, because of that, the wound hadn’t hardened in a deformed state. If a wound scars over completely, basic recovery potions lose their effectiveness. In the worst-case scenario, he would have been left with a limp for the rest of his life.

Alright, first: removal of the paralytic toxin.

I performed of medicinal properties from a Human-Face Ginseng, which is effective against paralysis. By it with Labyrinth Water, a Paralysis Antidote was finished instantly.

Next, the Great-Deer Saliva I obtained yesterday. This has the property of activating cells and promoting growth. Combined with Unicorn Horn Powder to help cell bonding and Bitter-Juice Grass for antipyretic and analgesic effects, I performed on the three.

—One Mid-Grade External Trauma Medicine, coming right up.

I gently applied the antidote first to remove the numbness. Ethan’s face remained stunned, but then his eyes snapped wide again. His sensation had returned. His lovely face immediately contorted in pain.

Then, I poured on the healing medicine. The effect was immediate. The flesh around the wound swelled and knitted together, vanishing without a trace. Ethan stared at his skin as it returned to normal, his expression one of pure disbelief. Once he confirmed it was completely closed, he moved his leg slowly.

His face, which had been filled with confusion, gradually overflowed with joy. Eventually, the Treant youth began to shed quiet tears and lowered his head to me, collapsing in gratitude.