Was the medicine that cured addiction also effective in treating blurred vision?

Rude decided to face the undeniable change that could no longer be denied.

Strange indeed, the medicine prescribed by that grumbling old man was clearly meant to expel the drug that had tamed his body.

Then what about the sight that was clearly brightening as much as the red spots slowly disappearing from his body?

It had now gone beyond the point where it could be dismissed as a delusion.

Ironically, the sight that was only hazy like a fog in front of his eyes was clearing up, but instead of feeling good, it evoked the opposite emotion.

That woman. The elegant and unrivaled noble woman who bought him for an outrageous sum and stuck him in this place.

The woman knew. She knew that his eyes were blind.

It was strangely irritating and uncomfortable to the point of being unbearable.

No. It was worse than that. In fact, he felt so dirty that he wanted to smash someone’s face.

“Well, it’s time for your medicine. Don’t just lie there, get up for a moment.”

Just as he was feeling dirty, the grumbling quack doctor arrived.

Rude, who had been pressing one arm over his eyes, shook his head to shake off the hazy sleepiness.

Ah. The damn sleeping pills.

“What to do. I want to get up too, but someone keeps trying to put me to sleep like an animal. My body feels heavier by the day?”

“…Ahem, ahem. A young and strong man like you won’t be harmed by that level of sleeping pills! Trust me!”

Perhaps feeling a pang of conscience, the old doctor hastily made excuses.

Of course, Rude’s mood sank even further at that excuse that didn’t even sound like an excuse.

Who are you to confidently say whether someone else’s body will be harmed or not? I’m the owner of this body, aren’t I?

“If it’s going to be like this, just put a collar on me and treat me like a real dog. Why bother treating me like a person when you think of me as a rabid dog inside?”

As he muttered in a low voice, exuding hostility even with a smile, the doctor, who was instantly discouraged, pathetically shook his shoulders.

In fact, the old doctor and his few servants had been frightened of Rude since the first day he arrived here. It was because on that very first day, he had taken some cheap drugs, which quickly led to withdrawal symptoms, and he caused quite a bit of troublesome rampage because of that.

-C-calm down! That drug has to be discontinued anyway, this won’t solve the problem!

-…Ah, yes. How very kind of you.

First, he threw all the visible objects.

He even managed to throw the bed, breaking it in half with his extraordinary innate strength, so for a while, he had to receive treatment in another temporarily arranged room.

Still, he seemed to have enough sense left to select and throw the most easily breakable objects when throwing things.

The problem was that a few hours later, he let go of even that thread of reason.

Rude, who had lost all reason, succumbed to the itching and pain that felt like insects were gnawing at his whole body, and began to abuse himself. Even here, he was so strong that he left several blue bruises like medals on the bodies of the servants who tried to stop him.

The drug had to be discontinued, and treatment had to be done.

The doctor and servants, driven to a dead end, soon made a decision.

To put that troublesome patient to sleep for now and treat him.

Fortunately, the sleeping pills had the desired effect, and the sleeping Rude was as docile as a baby deer.

“Well, rather than a dog… He’s more like a bear. Anyway, it’s true that his strength is like a beast, so it was an unavoidable choice for me. I hope you understand.”

The doctor, Gerald, confessed his inner thoughts without even having the courage to face Rude, subtly averting his gaze.

I must be crazy. No matter how good the money is, to accept such a terrible patient.

It was a mistake to accept the request of the noble-looking young lady as it was.

He should have realized from the start that the reason she offered such a high price was because she had hidden some ominous scheme, no… an ominous patient.

Blinded by money, he had walked into hell on his own feet.

“The sleeping pills I use for you are made from really high-quality medicinal herbs, so even if you take too much, it won’t cause much harm to your body. Really! …And, and it would be better for you to be asleep. Otherwise, you’ll be in so much pain that you’ll hurt yourself like last time.”

“……”

After finishing his explanation that sounded like an excuse with all his might, he glanced at the man lying on the bed.

The pupils embedded like embroidery in the fox-like, horizontally elongated eyes scan Gerald’s face as if judging and weighing something.

The man, who had a somewhat ominous yet profligate impression that felt extremely dangerous, was silent for a long time before slowly sitting up.

“Let’s assume what you just said is true. Let me ask one more thing.”

“…Wh-what do you want to know?”

“My eyes.”

Hah, Gerald swallowed a gasp. Rude instantly read the man’s pale, trembling face that couldn’t hide his agitation.

Seeing the obvious truth before his eyes, a sneer burst out.

Yes, I was the only one who didn’t know. Only me.

“Why did you treat me without the consent of the eye owner, and what the hell is the explanation? It’s not some surprise gift, I’m so very curious about the reason behind the sudden treatment out of nowhere.”

Now the old doctor had even forgotten how to breathe properly.

As if he would enter the coffin and sleep forever at any moment, Rude snapped his fingers with a crisp sound, ‘click!’, and the soul that had almost gone to the afterworld returned.

Gerald, who had somehow turned from a doctor into a criminal being interrogated, began to speak in a voice trembling like a goat.

“That, that, that person… to-told me to keep it a secret.”

“…That person. Yes. That damn noble woman. Who the hell is she?”

“Uh, uh, pardon?”

Not even paying attention to Gerald, who had unknowingly used honorifics, Rude asked again.

“I’m asking who that woman is, saying ‘that person’ at the end of every sentence. Is she royalty or something? Is she so damn high and mighty that she can ignore the consent of the person involved and treat them as she pleases?”

“Oh, um. Well, she doesn’t seem to be royalty, but she did seem to be of a high status…”

The half-assed reply that seemed to be blurted out without any thought angered him.

Rude, who had cursed under his breath, took a deep breath that made his chest heave, and received the pitifully trembling medicine and water from Gerald’s hand.

“Forget it, just keep feeding me sleeping pills from now on. As you wisely said, Doctor, it would be better for me to sleep than to be awake.”

As soon as he took the medicine, the ghastly pale doctor disappeared like a ghost.

As if to console him who was left alone, melancholy and nervous breakdown came crashing in like waves.

Rude lay down like a corpse, relaxing his body, and stared at the white ceiling.

Then, ridiculously, a blurry hallucination with only a recognizable form appeared. The subject was that woman.

-Of course, I think it will be difficult. But try your best. It’s something that harms your body.

Isn’t she a funny woman?

Who said they needed such charity-like sympathy? Whether I harm my body or shatter and ruin it, what does it have to do with her?

Why is she scattering me here and there as she pleases?

“…She knew from the beginning that I was a blind bastard.”

Come to think of it, that was the case.

There was no way there could be such rapid improvement so quickly unless they had started treatment from the very first day she threw him into this unknown mansion.

The woman knew from the beginning. That he was a blind bastard.

Only then did one question that didn’t make sense become clear.

One of the reasons why that woman bought Rude at a high price and brought him here.

It was sympathy. Sympathy and pity for a blind bastard, or feeling sorry for him, those kinds of stupid things.

The moment he realized it, he felt even dirtier than before.

He felt so dirty that he was immersed in filthy sewage water, and he just wanted to pour sleeping pills into his mouth and fall asleep.

A slave in the arena deserving of sympathy. Just that, a pitiful and lowly slave.

That was him. Rude closed his eyes irritably.

“Shakar. Just a little slower.”

As the speed increased, her hair fluttered and was about to fly away.

As Merche whispered while stroking the soft gray fur, the wolf carrying her gradually slowed its pace.

This wolf, Shakar, was the fourth daughter of the alpha female ‘Nike’ who held the leadership position among the Lupinus Wolf Legion.

Resembling her mother Nike, Shakar boasted a huge build and sharp teeth, and was also one of the few wolves that followed Merche well.

Perhaps if it weren’t for Shakar, it would have been difficult to endure in this desolate wolf castle until now.

Especially when she occasionally rode Shakar and ran across the vast plains like today, she felt like her suffocating breath was somewhat relieved.

Merche smiled faintly with her cheeks flushed red from the wind.

“Growl.”

It was when she heard Shakar’s short cry that she realized something was wrong.

Shakar immediately ran a long distance and returned to the training ground inside the castle.

There, the maid Karin was calling for Merche with bulging veins in her neck.

“…Ah! Where have you been, Young Lady!”

“Karin?”

“You need to go to the main castle quickly. Lord Komeo has collapsed!”

Komeo, a term referring to the lord’s companion.

Lupinus’ Komeo referred to Genovefa’s wife and the mistress of the castle, Elizabeth Lupinus.

Merche urgently asked for the date, suddenly reminded of something.

“What date is it today?”

“Pardon? Uh… It’s October 15th, Young Lady.”

October 15th.

Every year, it was the day when Elizabeth would show severe symptoms of neurosis or lose consciousness and collapse like today.

As such, it was a date that she tried to remember and take care of without fail. Even if she had been distracted lately, it was her own fault that she couldn’t even make an excuse.

Straightening her disheveled attire and hair, Merche entered the main castle without hesitation.

Fortunately, by the time she arrived at Komeo’s bedroom, Elizabeth had regained consciousness.

After dismissing the maid who was carefully wiping off the cold sweat, Elizabeth beckoned Merche closer with a glance.

“Seeing that you’re late, it seems you’ve been hanging out with that wolf again.”

“I apologize. I was lacking.”

“Aren’t you tired of saying that? I think 80% of what I’ve heard from you is just that.”

Elizabeth, who was leaning against the headboard of the antique wooden bed, showed a cold expression unlike her completely round features.

“If only my son hadn’t been born dead from my womb 22 years ago on this day. Then, the grown-up child would have been standing where you are now.”