As if reading her mind, Agnes chuckled. “He might be ill-tempered, but he is fair in his own way. He will certainly commend you when he learns of your contribution. Don’t worry, I’ll be sure to tell him.”
Outside the main palace, they once again climbed into the carriage. Drachium Palace was vast enough to fit a small village. They passed by a chapel, a large military training ground that could easily accommodate more than ten thousand men, and a dense forest of elm trees.
By the time Maxi finally got to her room at the princess’s residence, she was thoroughly spent. Her accommodation was a spacious and comfortably furnished bedchamber overlooking an orchard and a reservoir.
“Why don’t you lie down and rest while I get the healers for you?” Agnes suggested.
Maxi hesitated. “Th-There is no rush, Your Highness. You must be t-tired from the journey as well….”
“I promised Riftan that I would provide you with the utmost care. I’m doing this for my own honor, so never you mind.”
The princess quickly returned with two female healers. Maxi lay stiffly on the bed, blinking up at the ceiling, whilethe women studied her complexion and pressed different spots on her abdomen. One of the healers asked her questions before brewing a decoction of more than a dozen herbs in a ceramic kettle.
Maxi dubiously eyed the foul-smelling black tonic. “What kind of…remedy is this? I-I’ve never seen any of these herbs before….”
“It aids recovery,” the princess quickly answered for the healer. “Rest assured that all of the herbs that go in it are of great benefit to the body.”
Maxi wanted to inquire further but held back. The princess must be just as exhausted as she was. Closing her eyes, she gulped down the bitter tonic. The healers continued the strange treatment regimen, placing a pouch of heated stones under her blanket and applying a strangely scented oil to her hands and feet.
They were almost finished when an unfamiliar voice sounded outside the door.
“Please pardon my intrusion, but I come to answer the princess’s summons….”
Agnes turned and called for the person to come in. The door opened to reveal a scrawny man in his mid-forties. He wore a dark gray robe, and his unkempt beard bristled as he strode into the room.
“I heard some imbecile managed to squeeze out every bit of mana in their body,” he grumbled. “So who is it? Let me see this fool. I’ve come prepared with a good sermon.”
“Simon, I will not tolerate any rudeness.” The princess gave him a stern look.
Unperturbed, the man named Simon snorted and turned to regard Maxi with critical eyes. “Clearly not a pupil of theMage Tower. Might I ask what kind of dimwit taught you magic to make you think it was all right to do something so foolhardy?”
“I-I…”
“Simon.” Agnes’s eyes narrowed into a dangerous glare.
The mage pursed his lips at the warning in the princess’s tone and pulled a chair next to the bed. “Yes, yes, I understand. She is an esteemed guest, so I will stop my nagging and assess her condition. Please give me your hand.”
When Maxi hesitantly reached out, the man took her hand with bony fingers. She felt him infuse her with a bit of his own mana. Maxi shuddered as the cold energy seeped into her body. He continued to infuse her for about ten minutes before releasing her with a sigh.
“You’re not as gravely depleted as I first suspected,” he said. “Even so, I’m going to prescribe at least a month of bed rest.”
“She will make a full recovery, then?” said the princess.
The mage blinked his owl-like eyes and heaved another sigh. “Yes. In her current condition, her body will naturally recuperate on its own. However, she must not use magic until she has fully regained her energy, or it may lead to permanent damage.”
“Wh-What do you mean…by permanent damage?” Maxi inquired.
“It could decrease your lifespan,” said the mage, his voice low.
Maxi flinched. The mage crossed his arms, his expression growing grave as if to convey that this was not an exaggeration.
“All beings are born with mana inside them, but magesare able to gather the mana present in nature at will and make it their own. It is our bodies’ inherent mana that serves as a magnet to store this additional mana,” he explained. “Not only did you drain yourself of your surplus, you have also used a portion of the energy every human must retain at all times. It is an act that cuts short one’s own life.”
Maxi swallowed hard. “I-It was not intentional. It was a dire situation…a-and I only did what I could….”
The mage sighed at her mumbled excuse.
“Well, you certainly aren’t the first mage to act recklessly in battle, my lady.” He bitterly shook his head and rose to his feet. “At present, your body is as feeble as an infant’s. That is the reason you’re constantly drowsy. Let your body have as much sleep as it demands so you can regain your energy. You must not exert yourself until you are completely well.”
