The Crown's Entrapment

Chapter 695  A Future

"I'm so close…"

For days now, Aurelia had been hard at work in her makeshift laboratory as she tried to come up with a cure for Black Rose. With each attempt, she felt herself coming closer and closer to her goal. Surely, she was about to find the solution to solve this deadly disease. She was so close… She could practically taste it.

[Perhaps change the ratio of the ingredients?] Aura suggested. [Invert the proportions to perhaps match the strength of the symptoms.]

Nodding, Aurelia went to work. Even if she felt something in the Bond between her and Calypso, she ignored it in favor of focusing on her attempts to create a cure. She didn't care what would happen now. If the enemy somehow decided to crash and attack their kingdom, she didn't care. So long as her work remained undisturbed, she was fine with whatever it was that would happen.

[You should get something to eat,] her other self reminded her. [You haven't eaten in two days.]

Aurelia scoffed. What was hunger if not weakness? Granted, she knew that she needed to keep her strength up if she wanted to work efficiently without making too many mistakes, but she felt so close to the end that she couldn't afford to break her momentum for even a few minutes of filling her stomach.

No… She didn't want to stop the stream of consciousness currently running through her mind right now. She was on a roll, and slowing down now would surely set her back for an entire day.

"This should be it," she whispered to herself as she finished yet another formula of her prospective cure. "I just have to test it."

Looking at the vial in her hands, its unassuming appearance almost made her want to casually drink it herself just to see if it wasn't too toxic. Still, it was anything but. It could possibly be the end to this entire epidemic. This small vial containing a small dose of purple medicine could be the difference between life and death for so many people… for Calypso to remain by her side alive as annoyingly charming as he had always been…

As unfortunate as it was for both her reputation and her image, the road to attaining progress was not an easy one. She had killed patients both accidentally and [Test it out already then,] Aura eagerly told her. [We don't have much time.]

With a nod of determination, Aurelia walked out of her laboratory and went straight back to the infirmary. Almost immediately, she felt a few fearful stares in her general direction. Not that she could blame them. Experimentation was a gray area for a reason.

'I've killed a lot of people, both deliberately and accidentally for this cure to exist…'

As unfortunate as it was for both her reputation and her image, the road to attaining progress was not an easy one. She had killed patients both accidentally and sometimes deliberately just to see if her formula worked in curing this dreaded Black Rose. The patients were willing to take the risk in cooperating with her experiments knowing their lives were numbered either way.

It was regrettable, but she had no other choice. There was simply no time for her to go through the proper channels of experimentation to make sure that everything was safe for consumption. It was the reason why she didn't want to test her medicines on Calypso in the first place.

[It's a necessary sacrifice,] Aura reminded her. [Everything we did was for the greater good.]

[Of course,] she blankly replied. [Still, killing my own people just for more information on this disease will forever be my responsibility.]

Not that she'd ever get punished for it. No, she was going to be regarded as a hero for finding a cure to this deadly plague, and it would be a bittersweet occasion.

"L-Lady Aurelia," one of the nurses weakly greeted her as she eyed the prospective cure in her hand. "I-Is that another attempt at a cure?"

"Yes," Aurelia coldly replied. "Is there a patient willing to take it?"

Nodding, the nurse led her to one of many beds that held their patients. Eventually, Aurelia eyed yet another one of her prospective victims in the pursuit of science. A young woman barely in her teens… one riddled with black rashes and clearly clinging on to life.

"She… She won't object…" the nurse sighed.

Nodding, Aurelia positioned herself by the woman's bedside and began administering the medicine. Making the unconscious patient drink it, she waited for minutes… then hours… hoping that her current batch would finally be the one to break the cycle of death happening in her kingdom.

"A-ahh…"

Aurelia's eyes widened. It had already been half a day since she administered the dose, and she had almost given up hope when she saw the patient's breathing slowing down over an hour ago.

She stared at the woman on the bed, her heart hammering as she asked, "Can you hear me?"

Her patient slowly opened her eyes. She was weak, but her eyes clearly showed signs of life as she confusedly replied, "W-Where am I…"

Aurelia couldn't believe it. She had done it. She had finally done it!

"Nurse!" she called out.

A few seconds passed, and the nurse from earlier arrived. Her surprise was also apparent on her face when she saw the patient being conscious.

"S-She's…"

"Monitor her condition," Aurelia ordered as she stood back up, eager to possibly create more doses of her current formula. "If she doesn't show signs of regression for the next few hours, call for me immediately."

"O-Of course!"

Walking out of the infirmary, Aurelia couldn't help but feel the hope start to echo from within the room itself. It would seem that some had overheard her treatment, and the possibility of a cure was starting to become a reality.

[We should give Calypso a dose,] Aura eagerly suggested.

[Not yet,] she quickly rebuffed despite her own feelings on the matter. [Until we're sure that the cure works, I won't have it passing Calypso's lips.]

Still, despite her pragmatism, Aurelia couldn't help but feel hopeful for her progress. This might be the end. She finally had the means to cure Calypso and wake him.

And yes, it was during her time in the laboratory that she admitted to herself that she loved him as a passing thought.

'I have a lot of words for you, Calypso,' she inwardly chuckled to herself. 'But not before I chastise you for being an idiot and getting yourself infected.'

With a small smile, Aurelia went back to work, her emotions finally lifting as she finally let herself think of a future again. A future where she had Calypso by her side.