Valerian, The Legendary

220 Terrifying Intellect.

Valerian and Fortuna were sitting in the pavilion and they had just finished talking when Fragrantia walked over with Azula and Priscilla in tow. Valerian stood up to greet them with the manners of a gentleman.

Fragrantia walked over to him and checked him from head to toe as she asked, “How are you? Do you feel any discomfort?”

Her voice was brimming with love and concern. Valerian smiled and shook his head as he said, “I am fine, but you are not looking good.”

He took her hand and made her sit down on the chair. Azula said, “She is having trouble sleeping these days, we tried some medicines but none work.”

Valerian nodded and said, “The brain of a mage can resist medicines subconsciously if the thoughts were too hyperactive. What are you thinking about?”

The second half of the question was intended for Fragrantia, who was looking at Valerian with a complicated expression. She shook her head and Valerian cast a wood spell. Suddenly lush vines propped up from under the chair and transformed the chair into a recliner. The fourth prince did not care about the damage he would cause to the chair.

Then he stood up and said, “Priscilla, can you grab me a vail of lavender oil essence?”

The maid nodded and rushed back to the kitchen. Valerian found that Ensis was standing at a distance monitoring the place. He said in a loud voice, “Lady Ensis, please do not allow any palace staff to come over, only Priscilla and His Excellency can pass over, okay?”

Ensis was surprised by the command but she nodded and said, “Yes, your highness.”

.....

Azula was looking at all this with great interest and Fragrantia asked, “Val, what are you doing child?”

The boy replied, “Giving you some much-needed treatment before you end up dead from exhaustion.”

His tone was calm but firm, Fragrantia did not say anything further and surrendered to the grumpy kid. Azula chuckled and said, “By the way, Val, can I ask you something?”

Valerian nodded and said, “Why do you need to ask? Just say it.”

Azula smiled at his words and said, “Do you know how many magical attributes you can use now?”

The boy was surprised but he figured out that the lady was asking him about the use of light attribute mana in the duel. Valerian sighed and said, “That guy caught me off guard, if not for the light magic, I would have been the one who died and not him.”

Azula nodded and said, “I understand that, but now you have four attributes, please be more careful and less cocky when facing stronger enemies. Also, I told Consano about you, I trust her, she will not spread these things around so rest assured.”

Valerian nodded and said, “I hope she does not if she loves her and her sister’s head.”

The cold and decisive tone shocked the two ladies and even Valerian was stunned. Just when he was surprised, Fortuna said, “It is the effect of that thing inside you, ignore it.”

This was an even bigger shock. Fragrantia and Azula cast a gaze at the big white tiger and they asked, “You can use human tongue?”

Fortuna cast a side glance and with a snort, she said, “You look down on me too much.”

Fragrantia was shocked but then she calmed down and knew that dragons could communicate with humans using their thoughts, the voice they heard was echoing directly in their minds. Azula was still in shock when the empress asked, “What did you mean by the thing inside him?”

Fortuna said, “You do not need to know that, just know that he will be fine and this coldness is a distinctive trait he has gained through that thing. It will be fine soon.”

Valerian sighed, “We need to get things sorted quickly.”

The air was almost tangible when Azula stood up in a snap action and asked in a shivering tone, “Val, what is this tiger?”

Fortuna replied, “What does this question even mean? And I am a tigress.”

Fragrantia ignored the two and asked Valerian, “What do you mean by sorting things up here?”

Valerian replied, “This chaos on the continent, I might leave this place after that.”

Now the two ladies were shocked, Fragrantia knew that this day would come but it was still too sudden of an announcement. Azula turned her head and asked, “What do you mean by leaving this place? Where will you go?”

Valerian shook his head and said, “All I can say about that place is that it’s a magical realm. Alright, put it aside for now, Sis, can you deal with the procurement process as safer and secretly as you can? None shall get a whiff of this.”

Azula nodded and said, “I have sent people to deal in Sapientia, it will be done slowly but secretly. Do not worry. Tanner has also begun to deal with the spies, however, Father told them to not look so obvious.”

Valerian nodded, and Priscilla arrived, she was panting and said, “Apologies for the delay, Your Highness, the oil.”

Valerian nodded and beckoned her to come close, while he suddenly took out the hairpin from Fragrantia’s hair bun, letting her long hair fall loosely. He made sure to have the shawl fall over the chair and made the lady lean back to recline as well.

Then he began to massage her head gently while humming calm tunes. Gradually, Fragrantia felt relieved of her stress and she fell asleep. Valerian tied the long hair into a braid after oiling them. He stood up and said, “Priscilla, go bring me a blanket, let her sleep here for some time, when she is in deep sleep, we can move her to her chambers.”

Priscilla nodded and left with a bow. Azula asked, “Where did you learn that?”

Valerian said, “Read it in a book.”

The princess smiled and said, “That is what you might do. Well, are you serious about leaving the place?”

Valerian gazed into her concerned eyes and with a faint smile, he said, “Think of me as a sick person, I need to go visit a Medicus in a faraway land to get better. That Medicus cannot come here. If I delayed it too much, then this disease will be the end of me.”

Azula was shocked and she asked, “You mean?”

Valerian nodded and cast a gaze at Fragrantia as he said, “This thing that I am suffering from, is eating me up, inside out. Devouring everything that I have and everything that I am, slowly. I can still control it but this will not last for long. I need to get rid of it or... Mother knows my condition, and from your words, you also know about it, I guess.”

Azula nodded and sighed, as she said, “If only I could have helped you with something.”

Valerian smiled at her and said, “You have done a lot for me already.”

The two were about to go on talking when Fragrantia moved and let out a nasal found. Priscilla came back with a blanket and Valerian heated the fabric slightly with his mana to make it warm and cozy. The three people conversed with each other and soon the Empress was in deep sleep. Valerian being the boy took it upon himself to carry the lady to her chambers while she was wrapped in the blanket.

Fragrantia had not slept this well in the past few days, ever since Valerian left the palace. They were just about to leave after settling the Empress when the lady mumbled, “Flos, he grew up so strong. You should be proud of him.”

Valerian closed his eyes to contain his urge to hug her and also to hide his longing for his mother and stood up. Azula patted his shoulder and the two left the room. The princess asked, “I wonder why people go to war. What good is it to rule over people? What is the use of chasing strength and power?”

The guards outside the door were surprised, the third princess was the calmest. This was the first time she asked such questions.

Valerian looked at her aggrieved reaction and replied, “We do all this to give those who we love, a life filled with safety, care, and freedom. An emperor is not meant to rule, but to serve and lead his people to a level, where they do not need him anymore. So, that he can be a common man. Under the glorious outfit and under the heavy crown, the emperor and the empress are also normal humans. Are these reasons enough?”

Azula sighed and said, “It is so bad to have a younger brother who can act so wisely.”

Valerian smiled and the two people left, however, their conversation began to spread outside boosting the morale and the soldiers overnight.

In his room, Valerian lay on the floor and Fortuna was laying beside him. She said, “You sure know how to use the small opportunities.”

Valerian smiled and did not say anything. The last conversation was something Valerian and Azula had discussed putting up as an act in front of the guards. They needed the army to be encouraged as well. If they wished to unit the entire continent, then this was how it was going to be done.