OPDSP 39

After a moment’s hesitation, Aeryl turned toward the infirmary. He might be asleep. No need to bother him and risk waking him up for nothing.

I’ll just sneak a peek before the combat unit head out later, he thought as he reached the infirmary tent.

Inside, Beryl sat looking completely haggard. Whatever had happened overnight, he looked like he could pass for a patient himself and claim a bed.

“What happened?” Aeryl asked.

“Oh, something happened, all right.”

Beryl rubbed his face with a dry hand, his expression betraying a mix of exhaustion and turmoil that piqued Aeryl’s curiosity.

“Was there some kind of emergency?”

“Not exactly… but, well, since you’re a doctor too, you should know.”

“Know what?”

“You know that medic named Ronar? He’s dead.”

“What?”

Ronar was the medic Aeryl had always felt uneasy around. And now he was suddenly dead? But what Beryl said next was even more shocking.

“Thing is, he wasn’t actually Ronar. Just some guy disguised as him.”

“What? What are you talking about?”

“I don’t really know the details. I was told not to leave the tent. Just that the real Ronar was replaced by an imposter, the knights came to catch him, and he died. Kyla and Jenx stayed up all night watching over the corpse.”

“I see.”

“What do you think really happened? This whole purge—why is there never a calm day?”

Beryl let out a long sigh. While he seemed completely in the dark, Aeryl had a pretty good idea of what had gone down.

Looks like they found the guy who gave Fedel the candle.

In just one night, no less. He had to give it to the Grand Duke—he was as sharp as they came.

‘I knew something was off about that guy from the start.’

That bad feeling turned out to be right. There really had been something fishy about him.

And if that guy had been an imposter… then what the hell was that conversation with Aeryl about? Was he trying to figure out if Aeryl could brew anything suspicious?

Ugh. Aeryl grimaced. ‘Good thing I never drank that tea he gave me.’

Well, he’s dead now. That means there shouldn’t be any more trouble.

Just three more days of this, and it would all be over. Aeryl truly hoped nothing else would go wrong.

But hopes like that rarely came true so easily.

It was around lunchtime, after Aeryl had finished his morning shift and was eating with Innis. The camp was at its busiest, but thanks to the consideration of those around them, they managed to eat in peace. Aeryl had planned to help Innis work through some of her trauma afterward—but an unexpected disruption came first.

“Captain!”

A soldier posted at the entrance came running straight to Innis.

“What is it?”

“You’d better come see this. Oh—Doctor, you too!”

The soldier looked extremely flustered. Without asking questions, Innis and Aeryl leapt to their feet and ran.

The entrance was in chaos. One soldier in a khaki uniform was collapsed on the ground, looking as if he might pass out at any moment.

A khaki uniform—that’s a scout.

Scouts were responsible for moving ahead of the combat unit, scouting the forest, and tracking monster movements.

“Lael, what happened out there?” Innis asked the scout.

But the scout couldn’t respond. He looked like someone who had barely escaped a blizzard alive. His clothes and hair were frozen, and his lips had turned a stark blue.

Aeryl dropped to his knees in front of the scout and quickly assessed him. His body temperature was dangerously low, and he was suffering from frostbite on his hands and feet.

“Can you hear me?”

The scout was barely conscious. His body kept trembling, and his heartbeat was erratic—all signs of hypothermia. Raising his body temperature was the top priority.

“He needs warmth! Bring a stretcher! Boil some water!”

Aeryl shouted orders as he began removing the scout’s outer clothes. Keeping on frozen clothes only made hypothermia worse. Fortunately, the inner layers were dry. Aeryl wrapped the scout in his own coat and held him close.

Then he began casting healing magic. A white light flared from Aeryl’s hands and spread over the scout’s body.

Healing magic wasn’t a cure-all—it was especially effective on physical wounds, but not ideal for hypothermia. Still, it helped prevent the scout’s condition from deteriorating further.

“We brought blankets!”

The scout was bundled in blankets and moved into a nearby tent, where a fire was already burning to keep the space warm. Soldiers soon brought in hot water bottles and sugar water. They were all from the North and knew how to handle this.

Thanks to their swift response, the scout’s condition quickly stabilized. His body temperature rose, his heartbeat normalized, and he began breathing steadily. Only then did Aeryl stop channeling healing magic.

“Is he going to be okay?” Innis asked.

“Yes. The quick response probably prevented any lasting damage,” Aeryl explained—then caught himself when he looked at her. Damn. He’d used healing magic right in front of her without thinking. He’d been trying to be cautious, knowing it could worsen her fear if overdone. He checked her expression.

“I’m a little queasy, but it’s bearable. I think I can at least watch it now without panicking,” Innis replied, having noticed his concern. Considering Aeryl hadn’t released any pheromones during the spell, it was significant progress.

“Then maybe next time, we can try using healing magic directly on your body.”

“Mm… Yes. I’d like to try.”

Her positive response brought a smile to Aeryl’s face. Not every unexpected situation was a bad one.

That afternoon, the combat unit returned. Around the same time, the scout regained consciousness, and a meeting was called immediately.

Each division’s leader gathered, and Innis brought the scout into the Grand Duke’s tent. Even after the two of them went inside, Aeryl lingered nearby.

‘If something goes wrong, I’ll rush in.’

He hadn’t been able to check on the Grand Duke since yesterday, and he worried he might lose control again—just like last time—and let his pheromones run wild. Judging by the scout’s condition, something serious must have happened.

‘Isn’t this a bit much, even for the Grand Duke?’

He was a patient, after all. He obviously hadn’t slept last night, and now he’d returned from combat duty too. If I’d known it’d be like this, I should’ve stopped by early this morning.

While Aeryl was lost in these thoughts, the Vice- Commander approached with two other physicians.

“There you are, Doctor Aeryl. I’ve been looking for you. His Grace asked for you to come inside.”

“For us?” Aeryl asked, glancing at Jenx and Beryl. They both looked just as confused, shaking their heads.

The three of them followed the Vice- Commander into the tent, bewildered.

“I’ve brought the doctors.”

As they stepped inside, everyone in the tent turned to look at them. The air was heavy, and the pressure made them tense up. When the Grand Duke’s gaze fell on them, they nearly choked from the weight of it. Though they were part of the same unit, the Grand Duke rarely got injured—so none of them had ever stood this close to him. That icy stare drained the fight from them.

All except Aeryl.

He remained perfectly calm. He could sense how serious things were, but there was something more important than worrying about appearances.

‘Let’s see… what’s the Grand Duke’s condition right now?’

Aeryl quietly assessed him. The Grand Duke was composed, and his pheromones were stable. As Aeryl’s own pheromones reached him, the Grand Duke’s reacted in turn. It was likely an unconscious response, but Aeryl could feel a quiet sense of welcome.

‘Okay, no smiling now.’

He tried, but couldn’t keep his face from softening. The Grand Duke, with that deadpan expression, was subtly releasing his pheromones like puppy wagging its tail. Even if he is the Grand Duke, this is… kind of adorable.

“What is it? Do you have something for us to do?” Aeryl asked, sounding relaxed.

Compared to the nervous silence around them, his tone stood out sharply. Jenx and Beryl stared wide at him.

Did he just casually talk to the Grand Duke first? What kind of guts does he have?!

The captains and commanders in the tent were just as stunned.

He didn’t seem like that type, but he’s surprisingly bold, Innis thought. Everyone else was thinking the same thing. Even those who had served the Grand Duke for years froze like frogs before a snake in his presence.

But what came next was even more astonishing: the Grand Duke actually answered.

He wasn’t known for kindness, especially not toward subordinates. He usually issued curt, essential orders—no explanations, no consideration. His people were expected to understand and execute them flawlessly.

Yet now, the Grand Duke began to explain.

“You’re aware something strange is happening in the forest?”

“Yes, I’ve heard,” Aeryl replied.

They’d already been told that monsters were changing habitats and moving in organized patterns—things they hadn’t done before.

“The scout you treated has identified the cause. A snow woman has appeared in the forest.”