Chapter 25: Pain

The special sleeping method, though capable of maximizing recovery from physical fatigue and mental exhaustion, still left Shaoke somewhat unsatisfied. Mastering this technique required extensive practice. He thought that if he could master the ancient Five Animal Frolics from his previous life, the results might even surpass those of this method. Combining the two would undoubtedly enhance physical recovery further. Unfortunately, Shaoke only vaguely recalled a few general movements from before. After several attempts, he had no choice but to abandon the effort.

Although this sleep-breathing technique was demanding, mages typically began learning it under their mentors’ strict guidance as soon as they commenced spell studies. Having practiced it for a long time, Shaoke had gradually grown accustomed to it.

Time passed swiftly. When Shaoke woke up at his usual hour, the other two mages were still sound asleep in their respective beds. He chose not to wake them—mainly hoping they could rest fully and regain their energy for more practical spellcasting practice, thereby concluding this babysitting mission sooner.

The fire in the hearth was nearly extinguished. After casually adding a few logs, the temperature inside the tent rose again. Since it was still dark outside, Shaoke began his morning routine within the tent: reciting incantations, memorizing spell structures, and meditating briefly. He now sensed that both his mental space and mana reservoir had expanded slightly—a development that thrilled him. He felt that, recently, both his mental acuity and mana capacity had been increasing steadily, albeit slowly. Though the growth was gradual, time waited for no one—promotion was only a matter of time. To ensure success on the first attempt, he might simply need a bit more patience.

This time, inspection and maintenance of the magic arrays fell solely to Shaoke. The early-rising soldiers followed him enviously, watching as the mage employed various strange tools and incantations to replenish the arrays’ energy, perform repairs, or redraw them entirely. Though the soldiers had witnessed this many times before, the arcane mystery continued to captivate them anew each time. Of course, they dared observe Shaoke’s maintenance process only because, unlike other mages, he never forbade onlookers—not even low-ranking soldiers.

By then, the other soldiers had also awakened and begun preparing for the day’s tasks. Shaoke felt he should check on yesterday’s injured comrade, hoping he hadn’t succumbed or suffered permanent disability—otherwise, their team would remain short one warrior for an extended period.

When Shaoke arrived at the physician’s tent, Physician Ino was busily brewing medicinal herbs for the wounded. The modestly sized tent was largely filled with piles of furs, medicinal herbs, and assorted instruments. Three crude bedboards were haphazardly scattered among the clutter. A mixture of pungent odors continuously assaulted his nostrils. Though uncomfortable, Shaoke remained inside—leaving would have been impolite. Moreover, all these preparations were made for the soldiers’ safety.

“Mage Xueye, what brings you here… Please find a place to sit for a moment. I’ll finish brewing this medicinal soup shortly,” Physician Ino said upon seeing Shaoke enter. He wanted to set aside his work to greet the mage and offer him a seat, yet also wished to complete his current task. Stopping now would mean restarting the entire brewing process—an endeavor that would waste considerable time and compromise the wounded soldier’s treatment.

“Don’t mind me, Physician Ino. Please continue with your medicinal soup. We mustn’t delay the wounded soldier’s treatment,” Shaoke replied, glancing around the cramped tent and abandoning any notion of finding a seat inside.

The injured soldier, spotting the esteemed mage, struggled to sit up and pay his respects—but Shaoke gently stopped him. “You’re injured now. If you do that, Physician Ino will blame me! Where is your father, Physician Ino?”

“Mage Xueye, I wouldn’t dare blame you. Though we’ve known each other for so long, I believe even close acquaintances—be they physician or mage—must never lose sight of their respective roles. My father? He’s stepped out. A soldier had diarrhea, so he went to brew some medicine for him. Hmm! I imagine everyone will be drinking a bowl of his medicinal soup this morning,” Physician Ino replied, preoccupied with his work while answering the mage’s question. “Mage Xueye, is there something you need?”

“Nothing urgent—just checking on the wounded soldier’s condition. It’s not yet time to reduce our combat strength,” Shaoke answered.

“Heavens! Mage Xueye, I assure you this poor fellow has no serious issues now—just a few broken ribs, already set. However, during this mission, he won’t be able to crouch behind large trees and shout battle cries as before,” Physician Ino said, slightly irritated by Shaoke’s skepticism. He glanced at the wounded soldier and gave the mage the most definitive answer possible.

“Lord Mage Xueye! I… Gore thanks you for your concern… Gore is already fine,” the wounded soldier said, gazing at Shaoke with excitement. He hadn’t expected his injury to draw the attention of a noble mage. Though he’d heard from previously injured comrades that Lord Mage Xueye had visited them when hurt—something they’d envied endlessly—experiencing it firsthand made him feel the injury was worthwhile. He even contemplated getting injured more often in the future, just to exchange a few words with the Honorable Mage.

Shaoke chatted briefly with the physician about the wounded soldier’s condition before taking his leave. He didn’t ask the physician to see him out—the medicinal soup in the small pot was nearly ready, and the physician couldn’t step away.

Upon returning, Shaoke found the two mages awake—both seated on their beds, constantly rubbing their feet and legs, occasionally groaning in pain.

Seeing Shaoke, they gestured to explain their predicament. “Mage Xueye, Mage Yija and I have severely swollen feet and can’t walk,” Mage Kiya said, wearing an uncomfortable expression. Mage Yija sat beside him, head bowed in shame, unable to meet anyone’s gaze.

It turned out that after several days of high-intensity marching, the accumulated fatigue of the two newly arrived mages had finally erupted following yesterday’s prolonged battles and extended march. Mage Yija had even struggled multiple times to overcome the soreness in his lower back just to sit up after waking—only to find himself unable to get out of bed due to the swelling in his feet. Mage Kiya was marginally better, yet his feet no longer fit into his warm deerskin boots. They had waited for Shaoke’s arrival.

Seeing this, Shaoke felt utterly helpless. Had they never engaged in physical exercise? A mage’s body was already frail enough; without proper conditioning, they might not even reach half the fitness level of an ordinary person. To prevent the two mages from delaying the mission, Shaoke had no choice but to seek the physician’s assistance once again. “Mage Yija, I’ll have the soldiers bring breakfast first. You two eat while waiting. Physician Ino is busy right now—he likely won’t be able to come until later.” Without waiting to see their reactions, he strode alone toward the physician’s tent once more.

“Mage Xueye, welcome back. Do you need any help?” Physician Ino said upon seeing the mage return. As before, he didn’t bow—too occupied with his work. Through their long acquaintance, he knew that although Mage Xueye was rather reclusive, he placed little importance on formalities—making interactions with him far easier.

Shaoke nodded and explained the condition of the other two mages, requesting the physician’s immediate visit and treatment. “Physician Ino, can the swelling subside within a day or two? After all, we can’t afford excessive delays on their account.”

“Mage Xueye, rest assured—they’ll recover fully within at most two days, provided they apply the ointment my father developed several times daily,” Physician Ino replied, lifting the small pot of medicinal soup off the stove and carefully pouring it into a wooden bowl to feed the wounded soldier. “I’ll accompany you to examine them shortly. After all, diagnosis based solely on description is unreliable.”

“Oh! Alright—I’ll wait here a bit longer then!” Shaoke didn’t wish to return immediately and face potential complaints from the two mages. He truly had no desire to discuss what he considered trivial matters with them.

After settling the wounded soldier and advising him to rest more—though the soldier repeatedly suggested clearing the mixed odors from the tent—Physician Ino reassured him, “This scent will accelerate your recovery,” which finally silenced the soldier’s pointless complaints.

The moment Mage Kiya saw Shaoke leading the physician into the tent, he couldn’t help muttering, “Is Physician Ino too busy? Can’t he spare even a thought for us? He was so attentive to us just days ago—what’s changed?”

Aware of Mage Kiya’s dissatisfaction, Physician Ino quickly apologized: “Mage Kiya, I was delayed just now, mainly preparing some medicine. Look! Honorable Mage—applying this ointment to the swollen areas will bring swift relief.” Physician Ino now deeply regretted his earlier actions. He hadn’t anticipated that the mage, who had gotten along so well with him just days prior, would complain over such minor matters—leaving a bitter taste in his mouth.

“Mage Kiya, don’t forget—the wounded soldier from yesterday needed Physician Ino’s care. A slight delay is insignificant,” Shaoke said, frowning slightly.

“But Mage Xueye, this will delay our journey. Even if treated now, a soldier cannot rapidly rejoin combat. Besides… who knows whether he’ll ever return to the battlefield again!” Mage Yija interjected, blushing as he supported his companion’s stance.