Medica Materia A Mob Psycho 100 Fantasy AU

Chapter 15

Reigen awoke in an unfamiliar room. He sat up, wincing at the pounding pain in his head. Where was he? He only remembered flashes of information. There was the little girl and the horse, a force yanked him off his feet, a hand grasped his head and then nothing. These images meant little to him and only made his head ache more.

Was his satchel here? If it was then he could treat the headache quickly. Reigen examined his temporary prison. The bedroom was opulent, the mattress he was on was plush and thick. There were tapestries on the walls featuring fantastical animals and the knights who hunted them. The room belonged to someone wealthy, possibly even royalty. The satchel was next to the bed. Thank the gods.

Reigen rifled through his satchel and found the tincture he was looking for. He swallowed the liquid, knowing that sweet relief was only minutes away. Then he could concentrate on more important things, such as escape. He laid back on the bed, letting the medicine work.

When the pain had faded, he took in the layout again. There was one window and a door that could be possible exits. Reigen tried the doorknob; it failed to turn. That left the window. The glass appeared thick but Reigen was confident he could break it. The question was whether that sort of escape of worth the risk. He had no idea how high up he was, the fall could kill him. Reigen glanced at the sheets, depending on the height he could construct a crude rope. Destroying the bed linens would not guilt him in the slightest. Still, he had to think this through.

He had been kidnapped but there was no obvious indication of ill-will. His prison was not a cell but rather a luxurious bedroom, so he doubted that he was the hostage of common bandits. If someone meant him harm then why here and not just a mean cot? Then he spotted the one thing that could make his skin crawl. In one of the tapestries was a crest, one with two lions and a shield. It was a crest Reigen sought to avoid, that of Duke Roushuto.

In the corner sat a little conversation set with a table and chair. The chair looked sturdy enough. Reigen grasped the heavy object, hefting it in the air. He would shatter that window into a million pieces.

The door opened, revealing a redhaired man with cruel eyes. His costume was as lavish as the room. Two bored looking manservants flanked him. The redhaired man raised an untamed eyebrow. "That will not be necessary."

Reigen was startled at the intrusion. He stumbled, the chair tumbling to the floor.

"Reigen Arataka the Apothecary, I presume," the man said, eyes locking on the green cloak.

"Yes, and you are—" Reigen prompted.

"King Suzuki Toichiro," the man said, his voice as haughty as his title, "Ruler of the Claw Kingdom."

This was far worse than being in the Duke's clutches. Reigen swallowed, trying to tame the panic choking his throat. He had to make conversation. "I take it the man who brought me here was properly rewarded?"

King Suzuki's answer was terse. "I executed him."

Reigen's blood went cold. "You what?"

"He asked for far more than the bounty," the King replied. "Keeping him around was simply not worth the effort. I have plenty of Mages, the man was expendable."

Shou's stories about the man did not do his cruelty justice. "Am I expendable as well?" Reigen asked. He needed to know where he stood, how deferential he needed to be until he could concoct a plan.

The King's eyes were unkind. "No, Arataka." Reigen bristled at the familiar use of his first name. "You are very valuable indeed," the man purred. "You know that my son took Fukuda, now my army is without a healer."