The Pharmacist and Her Knight

Story 7

Shirayuki gulped and looked at Ryuu, who had a stoic face on but nevertheless, was sweating. He met her gaze and nodded his head. They didn't know why His Majesty Izana himself had called for them but whatever it was, it was giving them anxiety. Even Obi seemed at a loss for words regarding the whole situation. The three were dressed in their formal attire, with Shirayuki and Ryuu wearing their winter pharmacist clothes while Obi was wearing his winter aide clothes. 

"E-Excuse my rudeness," Shirayuki knocked on the door and entered.

"Come in," a voice bellowed from behind.

The three walked in and saw Izana standing by the window. He turned around and smiled at them. Just that smile alone was enough to send them into an anxiety attack and their hearts beat rapidly, wondering what business he had called them. Obi went to stand on the side while they talked so he could observe.

"It's been a while, Shirayuki," he smiled. "Ryuu, too."

He totally added me at the last minute, Ryuu thought but didn't mind it. 

Ryuu nodded his head. "It's been a while, Your Majesty."

"It's been a while...Your Majesty," Shirayuki bowed as she looked at him hesitatingly. "Excuse me for my rudeness but, is there a reason why you called us here?"

Izana furrowed his eyebrows and his lips pulled into a tight frown. Obi, Shirayuki, and Ryuu tensed up at seeing his expression and immediately knew that it was something serious. The only time he had on such an expression was when it came to his work and figured that something had happened. 

"I'll be cutting right to the chase then," Izana stared at them in the eye. "An epidemic has broken out in the Northern part of Clarines near Sereg."

Upon hearing this information, Shirayuki, Ryuu, and Obi widened their eyes in surprise.

"From what the previous doctors had gathered, it's not contagious but even so, the numbers have been increasing and there seems to be no sign of stopping."

Shirayuki listened intently as she stared at Izana. "Previous...?"

Izana averted his gaze with a grim look. "The doctors, too, fell ill."

Silence ensued and all of a sudden, it seemed as if the sky had gotten darker. Obi furrowed his eyebrows realizing what Izana was planning to do. Knowing Shirayuki and Ryuu and their deep sense of duty, they would undeniably accept the mission that Izana was planning to give to them. 

"What's the cause of the outbreak?" Ryuu asked.

"Unknown," Izana replied.

"Then what are the symptoms?" Shirayuki asked, her eyebrows knitting together.

Izana shook his head. "It was confirmed that it couldn't pass from person to person through the air but even so, we're refraining from bringing inside materials out. From what I've seen, the symptoms are pretty serious. About a sixth of the population has already been inflicted."

The two pharmacists were now at a loss for words.

"A sixth of the population..." Shirayuki breathed, her eyes holding fear. 

"So the reason why Your Majesty has called us today is..." Ryuu brought his eyes up to look at him.

"It's exactly as you think," Izana set his amethyst blue eyes on the two. "I want you two to go to Sereg to help them."

The two were now gaping at him. His eyes were full of conviction, sorrow, and seemed as if he was pleading them and it was then that the two realized just how much he was affected by it. Shirayuki and Ryuu closed their mouths and softened their eyes as they looked down at the floor, each thinking about it. Shirayuki and Ryuu looked at one another, each having a sweat-drop on their face. It was a risk but a highly dangerous job considering the fact that they didn't know the cause of the epidemic nor the symptoms of it. They sighed and seeing the look in each other's eyes, they smiled. They really were on the same page with everything.