Emeralds and Enemies

Chapter Fifty-two

          

Just as they were finishing breakfast the palace investigators showed up. The court physicians allowed them ten minutes with their patient before sending Wen-Hou back to bed. Then investigators took each boy to separate rooms in the apartment to have them to recount the previous day, including what prompted them to come to the palace.

For Il-don the answer was easy, "I got a message from our team manager. He said it was urgent. Wait it is probably still in my coat pocket if you want to see it." The butler produced Il-don's coat and the boy eagerly handed over the crumpled parchment. The investigator scanned the note and jotted down something down before handing it back.

"So, you met the carriage at the east gate, and then?" The investigator followed Il-don's narrative step by step and then asked him about the previous day and their usual training regime. Il-don did not know why those details might matter but shared them easily. 

San-Jin had a similar story with the added advantage of having his family and usual guard able to serve as witnesses if needed. He was patient with the repetitive questions understanding it was a technique to search for inconsistencies. 

The representative from the protocol office showed more deference to San Jin than the others. He quizzed Il-don about his selection process and then set him to complete a full genealogy. After Il-don had to admit to not knowing much further than two generations back the man gave a loud sniff and muttered something about social experiments. The butler came into the room and interrupted.

"You know the guests here are deemed to have the same status as the resident," he reminded the protocol officer stiffly.

"No offense was intended."

"Indeed?" the butler said firmly pointing to the door.

Il-don did not know where to look. He tried to hold back the bubble of laughter that formed as he watched the protocol officer stalk out of room.

"Thank you," he said quietly as he nodded to the butler.

"Not at all. When Knight-Master Lie finds you worthy you should never let anyone make you feel smaller."

Il-don did not know what to say so only nodded again. Being the second son in a merchant family he had always been conscious of his family's precarious social status. They did not own an estate, or even have a seat on the town council. His grandfather repeatedly told the story of having to rebuild after a shipping accident wiped out their savings. But none of that mattered here. What mattered was that he here with the team and he really hoped they would be released to go back to the training yard soon. He wondered how much longer Junseo would be tied up with the investigators.

Professor Yip arrived shortly after the palace investigators and after quickly checking over Wen Hou insisted on staying through Junseo's interview.

"I am here to clarify such matters of the craft as necessary." He said looking directly at Junseo. The boy took the professor's meaning. Details of how crystal healing might be accomplished were not to be shared.

Junseo started his narrative with sending Knight-Master Lie off to the wedding. He was careful not to give any indication of the opinions the team, and especially the Go brothers, held about the Choi family. From the investigator's expression it was obvious the politics of the situation were well known. Junseo then touched on the accident and the need to clean up the forge to explain why he had not checked in on his mentor sooner.

He went into detail about how he came to make the diagnosis and the urgency of getting to the palace. This was when Professor Yip interrupted. "The boy showed very strong diagnostic skills. This is in keeping with the progress he has been making at the academy but I don't want you to think we are all so fanciful as to call on the dragon's assistance."

Junseo noted this warning and emphasized being able to call on court physicians for help and how they had stepped in to complete the cleansing procedure successfully.

"Do you think you would have been able to complete the procedure on your own?" The investigator asked.

"I'm not sure we would have been abled to clear all the poison. Our efforts would probably have helped Knight-Master Lie live long enough for another attempt at cleaning. I'm glad they came when they did, it was easier on his heart this way." Junseo stopped when he saw the slight shake of Professor Yip's head.

The exact procedure for clearing the poison must have been considered a craft secret so Junseo kept to the most general explanation.

"Do you have any ideas as to what kind of poison it was?"

"I would only be guessing. I am sure there should be enough from the samples to start to narrow it down." Junseo looked over to Professor Yip who nodded his approval.

"Isn't there anything you might share. You seem a sharp observer."

"I wouldn't want to steer you in the wrong direction but the symptoms were more like a blood poison, maybe something absorbed through the skin. I'm sorry to say I don't know enough to say for sure." Junseo's uncertainty and regret were clear.

"No student is qualified to make such a judgement," Professor Yip said rubbing Junseo on the back. "I can also say there are very few students who could have assisted in such a complex procedure. We are fortunate Junseo has attended the Academy's special lab session on the use of crystals."

"And that he is a fifth dan." The investigator added to show how much he already knew about Junseo. Then he asked, "What crystals do you normally wear?"

Junseo showed him his bracelets without a word. Professor Yip seemed surprised at first but then nodded. He had a lot more questions for Junseo but it was not a discussion for anyone outside of the craft. The court physicians had said they did not know how the boy had the strength to do most of the cleansing procedure with just a bloodstone anchor and emerald field but here was at least part of the answer. It was a lot more plausible than Junseo's insistence the dragon helped.