Escape from an Ancient Civilization Ch 154

Chapter 154

“‘I said I needed time to think.’

‘What are you going to think about?’

‘If my thoughts were tidy enough to tell you, I wouldn’t be asking for time.’

‘Medeus.’

‘What.’”

Nataek clasped Medeus’s hands tightly. Standing there facing each other for a long time, he felt Medeus’s expression growing more sullen—and at the same time sensed his mood slowly loosening.

“I have something I want to say. If, after hearing me out, time is still needed, I’ll give space.”

“…Say it.”

Nataek stepped one pace closer.

“When arguing or making peace, I don’t avoid a lover. If there are parts that could breed misunderstanding, I want to resolve them by talking. If you leave now and come back thinking something different from my heart, what then?”

He spoke in a soft, low voice, soothing Medeus.

“And saying you need time to think… that leaves room for me to misunderstand.”

“Misunderstand? How?”

Medeus answered with a flustered look. His tone had settled somewhat; the softened eye corners and slackened shoulders showed he was much calmer than moments ago.

“It sounds like you want to re‑consider our relationship.”

In ordinary modern relationships, “I need time to think” often meant “I might need to consider breaking up.” As Nataek continued, Medeus began to glare.

“Re‑consider our relationship? Why say that? …Were you thinking that?”

“No, that’s not it. Only that it can sound that way…”

“Absolutely not. How could a small quarrel… lead to that so easily. I was worried about you—why jump there?”

“I’m not saying I truly thought so—only that it can be heard that way—”

Suddenly, Medeus pulled Nataek into an embrace.

“No. …No. That’s not it. I didn’t mean that at all. I finally have you—why would I think that?”

Nataek had meant to cut away anything that could invite misunderstanding; instead, he had only fueled Medeus’s anxiety. Startled, he hugged Medeus back.

“No, I’m not saying that’s what it is. I mean, it’s—hah.”

Medeus held on even more desperately.

“No. I had no such intent. Don’t misunderstand.”

He felt the white cheek at his neck. For a love between two grown men, the end reached after anger and attempted clarity was not very adult at all. With the patience used to soothe a clinging child, Nataek patted Medeus quickly.

This isn’t why I brought him back inside.

“Teresi, don’t misunderstand. I don’t want to break up with you.”

“Yes. I know. Me neither. I’m sorry—I chose my words poorly.”

“I don’t want to break up. I absolutely don’t.”

In that low murmur, a weight like a stone settled on Nataek’s chest.

Since it’s come to this… there’s nothing else for it. While I remain here, I’ll just have to do my best.

“…Yes. Me too.”

The weight of guilt pressed heavily.

Knowing nothing, Medeus was desperately participating in a process that led toward an ending. Feeling the prick of conscience, Nataek squeezed his eyes shut.

Knock, knock—

As they clung to each other, a knock sounded.

“I’m coming in.”

The princess’s voice. Nataek tried to pry Medeus away, but the arms stuck fast. The door swung open.

“I brought herbs first…”

Eyes wide, the princess looked between the two men holding each other.

“Have I… intruded?”

“No. There’s nothing to intrude upon.”

Nataek answered quickly, tapping Medeus’s back. Only then did Medeus slowly release him; the pleading look flipped in an instant, and he fixed the princess with a calm gaze.

“The physician?”

“It may take some time. I brought herbs for now—shall I leave them?”

“Give them here.”

Medeus took the basket from her arms. The princess watched them with a discreet, curious gaze, then, as if something had just clicked, gave a small nod. From recent frequent talks, Nataek knew she was not someone lacking in perception.

“Then I’ll wait outside.”

She had likely taken the scene as confirmation of the two men’s relationship. The thought sent a flush to Nataek’s ears. As the princess turned and set a hand to the door, a symbol on her cloak caught his eye—the emblem of the cedar. Seeing it brought the vial he’d retrieved to mind.

“The adversary revealed his weakness in the Cedar Forest.”

He recalled the epic line from Lagab’s box. The Cedar Forest—Zagros—was closest to the princess’s city of Delam. Perhaps she knew the contents of the vial.

“Your Highness, a moment.”

He called her back. Both her curious gaze and Medeus’s keen one fixed on him.

“There’s something to ask you both.”

It wasn’t exactly the best time to break off reconciliation for this, but this too couldn’t wait. Nataek took the wrapped bundle from the table. Unwinding the carefully tied belt revealed a slim vial.

“Do you know what this is?”

He briefly explained the importance of the glass vial—that it was hidden deep in Lagab’s quarters and thus seemed important to him. The princess examined it first, easing the stopper open to smell it.

“This… smells like birim sap.”

She passed it naturally to Medeus. As soon as he held Lagab’s vial, he shed the fragile look entirely. He smelled it, then tipped it to taste.

“It is birim sap. And there’s juice from hyang leaves mixed in… Teresi, this was truly in Lagab’s quarters?”

“Yes. I fetched it myself.”

The princess tilted her head, chin propped in thought.

“Birim sap is a commonly used medicine in Delam. When winds blow from the Cedar Forest, powder comes with them. That can cause a variety of ailments; we use this then.”

Powder from the forest? Powder from a plant—pollen is all that came to mind. Connect that to “variety of ailments,” and… pollen allergy…

Medeus took another sip.

“When symptoms are severe, you mix hyang leaf juice into the birim sap. If it’s to the point of adding hyang leaves, the case is quite serious.”

“Indeed. But why would such a thing be in Lagab’s chamber…”

Nataek took the vial back, sniffed it out of habit, and turned the clue over again.

“The adversary revealed his weakness in the Cedar Forest.”

A weakness in cedar… Lagab’s weakness in the Cedar Forest… Could it really be something like an allergy?

Other than being a light drinker, he’d never felt illness from food or environment. He had never personally experienced an allergy; he didn’t know how severe it could be.

An allergy—an odd match for a brute like Lagab—but it was the only possibility.

He looked to Medeus.

“What if Lagab is vulnerable to cedar powder?”

The princess and Medeus looked at him at once.

“It’s entirely plausible.”

“It isn’t impossible. In Delam, children and adults alike—some are vulnerable to cedar powder, some aren’t. Lagab could be one of them.”

Nataek looked down at the hard‑won clue. An unbelievably paltry, unimpressive weakness—but the most likely. He gripped the vial.

At this point, there’s nothing for it but to stake everything on this. Use it to challenge Ur’s reconquest.

“Medeus. What if we use cedar powder in the Ur campaign?”

“Scatter this in Lagab’s face, you mean?”

“Something like that.”

At that moment, the system poured certainty into his heart.

[Quest: Lagab’s Weakness completed.]

[Main: ‘Kish’s Mole’ story completed.]

That trifle was truly Lagab’s weakness?

Hollow, absurd—but there was no time to dwell. The timing would need more discussion, but if Lagab showed a severe allergic reaction to cedar powder, they could exploit that opening. Ordinary methods would not do. To have any chance at Ur, they had to use the system‑revealed weakness aggressively.

Hope surged suddenly—that they could win. With resolved eyes, Nataek stared at Medeus. With a short sigh, Medeus turned to the princess.

“Where are the soldiers? And call everyone. We’ll begin the operations council here at once.”

The princess went immediately to summon them. As the door thudded shut, Nataek clenched the vial and muttered softly,

“That bastard Lagab… this is payback for the filth you did.”

The words slipped out in a rush of heightened feeling.

“Filth?”

Medeus asked in a hard voice.

“What filth. Did Lagab do something to you?”

…!

He’d said it facing away, barely above a whisper—Medeus heard it like a ghost. Calming his jolting chest with effort, Nataek answered,

“No. What would he do—he threw punches.”

But Medeus’s reaction was not normal. He seized Nataek’s shoulders and whipped him around.

“What did that bastard do to you?”