In Doctor Whildem's personal Lab at the Academy.
The petals of Paroah's flowers where carefully placed on lavender velvet cloth exposed directly to the sunlight coming in through the big windows. Another batch prepared in a similar fashion was kept in the dark. Some of the petals were preserved in different colored liquids and the spirit dust was collected separately.
Whildem himself was silently observing a reaction between a blue liquid and the spirit dust that he collected.
The silence in the lonesome lab was broken by the loud creak of the glass window.
Whildem : " I've been expecting you today..."
He said to the man that came in opening that window.
" Is that why there are no assistants in here hovering to get a glimpse of your knowledge?"
" Precisely."
"I appreciate the thought."
He said as he hopped on to the table and sat under the shadow of the curtain. Beside him was the velvet cloth on which the petals were placed.
" I assuming you also know the reason why I'm here."
He asked as he fiddled with a petal with his finger tips.
" Vaguely."
Whildem said without losing focus.
" Hey, don't you think you're being a little too cold to your friend?"
" Stop sulking. Even though I may look this placid I'm in the middle of a very sublime breakthrough."
" Eh? Is that so? Then, let me make this moment more memorable by asking this to you."
Whildem grimaced a little as he had an inkling of his question but did not want to hear it.
" How much longer do I have?"
Whildem frowned, having reluctantly heard it.
" He had to say it without cutting corners."
He mumbled, blaspheming.
" Four years and five months, if it remains as it is."
" That was pretty accurate. Haha"
Whildem saw him smile. A strong gust of wind blew the curtain and his hair, the gentle sunlight fell upon the young man lighting up his eyes which didn't hold a shred of fear, Fear of death. His hands still fiddling with the petal playfully.
" Young Ma... No , My friend, Carseain....."
His ruby red eyes moved towards him.
Whildem : " Why are you smiling?"
Carseain's face was now playfully smiling.
Carseain : " You too.... Why do you look like you're about to cry?"
Whildem : " Shut up, you brat!"
Carseain : " Hey now, ~~ Who are you calling a brat? We're just two years apart in age."
Whildem took a step back hastily.
" You... How? Wha..."
His eyes widened in realization.
Whildem : " You saw that as well.... Haa... I should have realized when we meet eyes that moment itself." He clicked his tongue.
[ Refer Chapter 18 Chantless- When Whildem was checking his Flow of Life Force.]
Carseain was grinning mischievously as he bowed with his left hand on his heart.
Carseain : " Please forgive my insolent behaviour up until now."
Whildem : " Sure, sure. "
' Well, now that he knows. I should get rid of this disguise.'
Whlidem's body started glowing in a purple color and was being shrouded in lavender mist.
Carseain : " Please pardon my tardiness in the greetings."
" Your etiquette has improved."
His voice changed into a Young arrogant lad's from the husky old voice.
Carseain: " I greet one of the eternally shining stars of our empire. Your Highness, The Third Prince.
Yuriel Nothgrien Seigweried Sol Elmirania. "
As the mist faded, the white bearded old man disguise was no longer seen. A twenty one year old, with golden irises donned a doctor's coat. He had a whitish pale complexion which complemented his short lavender hair with dark purple ends.
Yuriel : " I'm surprised you remember my full name when you don't even know the name of our Empire's king. "
Carseain : " I know it, okay!"
Yuriel : " Tell me."
Carseain : " Terrier "
Yuriel : " That's my younger half brother, the fourth prince."
Carseain: " Umm.... Eric? "
Yuriel : " That's the crown prince."
Carseain : " Uhh... Deitrich!"
Yuriel : " Bruh, Didn't you just give a history exam? That's my ancestor. I think the 12th generation."
Carseain : " Oh, no wonder the guess felt off."
Yuriel : " You were guessing all along, huh?"
He gritted his teeth as he palmed his head.
Carseain : " This one will be the last...."
He said as he leaned forward.
Yuriel : " Uh...Huh?!... Okay...."
' Does he really know?'
Carseain : " Dylan "
Yuriel : " Lord, give me a wall to smack my head for even thinking he might know... Carseain, Your last guess was a woman's name. Also, she's the Ducal daughter. Not even an imperial."
Carseain : "Eh? We have a knight named Dylan. He's a lucky guy. So, everyone drags him to the casinos to get winning odds. I thought I'd win too. "
Yuriel glared at him with a ' T H I S F U C K I N G B R A T ' look.
Carseain : " Now, now... there's no need to fret over it now, is there ? It's always ' Your majesty' or 'Your highness' when I address them anyway. Their names don't really matter. Besides, why does your old man have so many women? "
Yuriel : " Should I just have you executed for blaspheming the Imperial family?"
Carseain laughed.
" You can't do that~~, Your Highness. Your cover will be blown."
Yuriel sighed. " Cheeky as always, Carseain or should I say you've gotten even more cheeky in the long time."
" Yeah, it has been long, Yuri. Really long..." Carseain smiled but Yuriel could only feel sorrow.
" Carseain, you really are ' Carseain' , right? The one that belongs to this world."
_____________________
Last time, when Whildem ( Yuriel ) was sensing Carseain's flow of Life force during the check up, for an instant they had their memories intertwined. This was because both of them had the memory of their ' Absolute Death' . In that moment, they saw the memory of each other's death in their previous lives.
Carseain : " Yuri... Why are you asking that? Isn't it-"
Yuriel : " Because I am not the 'Yuriel' that was born here."
Carseain : " What?!"
Yuriel gulped once out of nervousness.
" The 'Yuriel' that was born here was frail and he died at the age of seven. I woke up in that dead body with all his memories intact after I died on Earth."
Carseain : " Whoa! I did hear a rumour that the third prince was on death bed but dismissed it when I saw you butchering up the monsters I hunted to study their anatomy."
Yuriel : " Well, you never met that 'yuriel'. "
Carseain : " Yep, we met when you were nine. So for me you're the only Yuriel."
Yuriel was a little touched and it made him teary.
" Also, Yuri.... I am Carseain. The one who hunted monsters for you to butcher and painted the purple ends of your hair when you were asleep. "
Yuriel smiled. " Yeah, It's you alright. No one else could be that cheeky with a royal." He said as he wiped off a tear in his eyes.
Carseain : " So, that guy with dark circles under his eyes with a pale complexion literally dragging himself out of the surgery room was you. I can't believe you dropped dead as soon as you stepped out of the operation theatre. Talk about being overworked!
Were you married to surgeries?"
A nerve throbbed on Yuriel's forehead.
Yuriel : "Shut up I am at least better than the one who died saving a dog on his way back from work despite having cancer..."
Carseain flinched.
Carseain : " Hey wait, how did you know that I had cancer?"
Yuriel : "The symptoms were as clear as a day.."
Carseain : " I guess you were not a doctor just for show..." He mumbled
Yuriel : " Say what?!" He roared but then stopped himself from getting dragged himself at his pace. " Well anyways, what happened to you?"
Carseain : "What do you mean?"
Yuriel : "I mean.. how did you end up here with those memories?"
Carseain : "Well I don't know anything clearly.
Like I said I was just drunk, fell into the forest and for the five days that I was asleep my past was like running in my dream like a movie."
Yuriel : "Ah...I see... A movie, huh? This is the first time I have heard that word after coming to this world..."
Carseain : " Of course, no one would know it."
Yuriel : " It feels nice to have someone to talk to. Honestly, after all these years I was feeling a little lonely...."
Carseain : " Is that so ? We should grab a drink sometime. I bet we have lots of things to talk about."
Yuriel : " Sure, after your drinking ban is lifted. I bet you wanted to use me as bait to drink..."
Carseain : " Hehe... You caught me."
Carseain's mischievous smile made his heart warm up.
Yuriel : " I am actually glad that you look better. Just until the last semester of your academic year, it felt like you were still being haunted by your mother's death."
Carseain could feel his face scrunching up. Yuriel smiled gently as he saw it.
Yuriel : "I can see you are still not over it, but there is still improvement."
Carseain : " Well, it is just that I have a point of view of an earthling that I can use to calm myself while thinking of her... That is all."
Yuriel : "I see..."
There was a brief moment of silence. Carseain sighed.
"You know the past two hours have been too complicated..
The world renowned travelling doctor the royal family is chasing is actually the third Prince of The Empire. Also, he is a transmigrated doctor who gave me my tentative date of death. Ain't this hella crazy?"
Yuriel ruffled Carseain's hair.
" Carseain, I'm sorry I didn't talk to you even once after the funeral. Things were tough but that's just an excuse..."
Carseain saw Yuriel clench his fist.
Yuriel : " I swear on my name, You're gonna see your great grandchildren as well."
Carseain : " Haha....what's with that?"
They were taking a moment in silence to gather their thoughts when Carseain broke the ice.
" Hey..."
"Hmm?"
" What is your old man... I mean, the Emperor's name?"
" This brat...."