Descending Into A Novel-Chapter 74:Rayleigh Von Mez (4)

"Prince William has fallen seriously ill."

Rayleigh stopped what he was doing, immediately running towards William’s bedchambers. Ignoring the several shouts from his military strategies teacher.

He even used his mana just to run faster, his training with his teachers coming in handy as he utilized the mana to strengthen his muscles and kick off the ground harder.

Nearly slamming the door open, Rayleigh felt his heart sink at the sight.

His brother lay on his bed, his skin pale and sweaty. He was trembling slightly, breathing hard. A damp towel lay on his forehead as he wrestled with a fever. His hair looking dull. Their mother sat on a chair by the bedside, holding his hand worriedly. A man in a white robe stood next to him as well.

"Brother!"

William opened his eyes briefly, giving a small smile as he saw his younger brother’s appearance. Able to tell that he had rushed all the way here.

"You shouldn’t...run in the palace halls...you might...trip."

"Prince William, you mustn’t speak or your health may decline even further!"

The man placed a hand onto William’s chest, a green light forming around the area. Almost instantly, he could see William recover. The color creeping back onto his face as it did, his breathing becoming more stable. Deepening as his body relaxed more.

Releasing his hand, the color quickly left him again. William’s appearance returning to being sick and frail.

The man quietly stroked his chin, a long white beard of hair flowing down as he watched William’s condition. Before solemnly declaring to them.

"I am afraid that I cannot do much for prince William. My healing is lacking. I doubt the empire has any mages that are skilled enough in white magic able to help prince William fully recover."

Rayleigh and his mother both shot up out of their seats, a desperate look on their faces.

"Can’t you do something? Anything? What if we got more mages to heal him?"

He shook his head at Rayleigh’s question, "It is not the quantity but the quality that matters here, prince William has been stricken with a sickness that is hard to cure. My healing can only provide temporary relief to him."

His mother collapsed back onto her chair, despair taking over her as the man’s words replayed in her head.

"...Lifebloom."

The man’s eyes widened slightly.

"...The Lifebloom Ambrosia. His majesty has one stored in the palace’s vaults. It can cure any and all sickness and wounds. As well as provide a strong, healthy body."

"Such a thing is too valuable your highness! His majesty would never agree to use it!"

"William is the crown prince of the Virex Empire! The empire that rules over all of humanity! If this is a waste of its usage then what is a proper use for it?!"

She raised her voice at him, the first time Rayleigh had ever seen her do such a thing. A look of determination filling her eyes. It made her look a bit scary, not at all the kind and loving mother that he knew.

"We have to try. The emperor won’t allow us to accept help from the other races, and no human mage is skilled enough or willing to help with how his policies have been treating them. The Lifebloom Ambrosia is the best option."

"...I shall make a request for it right this moment, but be prepared. The emperor will most likely refuse to use it on prince William."

The old man held his head in his hands, he already knew it was futile. But how could he possibly bear to wrench this hope away from a mother?

"I’ll become a mage."

"What?"

"My teacher, she says I’m really talented with mana. Enough to be the best mage the world had ever seen."

"Who is your teacher?"

"Sage Kristen."

His eyes widened, recognizing the name and the weight that was held by it. Such a person would never hand out mere flattery unless they were truly sincere about it. That could only mean Rayleigh was truly someone who did have the talent necessary.

"I’ll learn white magic. If I’m the best mage, I can heal him right?"

"That...magic is a long road, prince Rayleigh. It will take far too long for you to master white magic to the level that is required here."

"You said that William can only hold out for a few more years at best. That’s long enough isn’t it? With your healing, he can live for even longer!"

Rayleigh felt as if a fire had been lit under him, as if a sword hung over his head. Impulsively making a decision that would alter his life forever. For better or for worse. It was either learn magic to heal William, or not learn magic and watch him die.

***

"The emperor has made a decision, the Lifebloom Ambrosia will not be used for prince William."

"He has sent over several other rare medicines, however. Whether they may work in helping prince William recover is unknown."

Rayleigh’s mother slammed her fists on the table, causing the messenger and Rayleigh to jump back slightly. Rayleigh nearly falling out of his chair.

"Do you think we haven’t tried other medicines?! We have already tried most of the items listed here! William is the crown prince of the Virex Empire!"

She nearly shouted at the messenger, causing him to sink back as he faced the wrath of his mother. After several minutes of furious yelling, she stopped when she saw the messenger pull out another letter from his pockets.

"Who is that letter for?"

"T-the emperor also has a message for prince Rayleigh." 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Rayleigh furrowed his brows, "Me?"

"Ahem. The emperor has strongly cautioned prince Rayleigh against learning magic. Stating that prince Rayleigh is to continue following the path of a warrior, if Rayleigh truly wishes to learn magic. He will withhold the right to succession from prince Rayleigh."

It hadn’t even been a day since he had made the decision to learn magic. Now, he was already being told that he was being banned from learning it. Yet, the fire of passion in Rayleigh only seemed to grow stronger, solidifying his decision to do so—even if the emperor disapproved of it.

"Then I’ll give up my right to succession."

"Prince Rayleigh!", the messenger’s eyes widened. Only to be interrupted by his mother.

"Quiet. Let my son speak. A mere messenger has no right to interrupt a prince."

"William is the crown prince anyways. He’s the one that’s going to become the emperor. So it doesn’t matter if I give up my right to succession. What matters is that he’s going to live long enough to become emperor."

He clenched his fists, sure of his own decision.

"I’m only learning white magic anyways. There’s plenty of magic knights who can fight with a sword and use magic at the same time. The emperor won’t disapprove of something like this right?"

The messenger looked conflicted, "I will pass on your message to the emperor. Whether or not he approves is unknown."

From then on, Rayleigh further intensified his own already intense training. Waking up earlier and sleeping later just to cram in a few more extra hours of learning. Despite his constant busy day, his eyes remained just as dedicated to his goal no matter what.

His own schedule looked something like this: Wake up at the crack of dawn, self-study magic on his own in the palace libraries for two hours, eat breakfast, train his swordsmanship or fighting style, learning under his teachers—history, military tactics, horse riding as well as management skills. Lunch, followed by another session of learning under his teachers. Finally, after dinner he would return to the palace libraries and study magic again.

All in all, he slept for only around four hours a day. Something that heavily worried his mother, who was concerned for his health as a still growing adolescent male.

"Rayleigh...you need to rest now."

"Not now mom, William is still sick. I can rest once he’s fully recovered."

She put her hands on his shoulders, massaging his stiff muscles as she did so. Causing him to relax his body.

"If you don’t rest, then you might also get sick. Then I have to take care of two sick children."

"I...I’ll rest for a little bit then."

She smiled, letting him rest his head on her lap as she quietly massaged his forehead. His eyes closing briefly, before eventually falling into a deep slumber. His mouth quietly opened with faint snoring sounds.

Lucille felt worried, her oldest was sick and nearly dying. Her youngest working himself to the bone just to try and help the oldest. As a mother, she felt powerless to help. Despite being the empress consort, she held no true authority in the empire. Her family only sent over a few decorative letters saying they were currently going through tough times and had nothing to offer. Merely pretending, putting up a good facade. It was clear that they didn’t care about William.

She should have been the one who was suffering not her children, she felt guilty for Rayleigh but she also felt guilty for William. Should she continue to let Rayleigh study himself to death? Or should she simply wait and hope that William could push through? She didn’t know what the correct choice was anymore.

She quietly stroked Rayleigh’s head, his soft, silky hair parting before her touch.

Lucille remembered when she had named him, Wandering Knight Rayleigh.

The knight who could tolerate no evil, the knight who would never be bribed, the knight who defeated all that was wicked. The stories differed by the narrator, but there was always a common start and ending.

Wandering Knight Rayleigh was a knight born out of love, in the end. It was love that killed him, as he sacrificed his life to rescue his beloved.

She wondered whether it had been a curse, her own son was born from a loveless marriage, yet now he was working himself to the bone to try and save his brother.

"I’m sorry...I should have never given birth to you two..."

It was her own greed that had caused this. She should have just quietly suffered in the palace all by herself, she possessed enough mana control that she could have made herself infertile. But her desire had brought two innocent souls into this whirlpool of torment.