The sweet venom Chapter 14: 13

Read chapter 14 of The sweet venom by aspa201 on NovelPedia.

Late in the night, calm had finally settled over the frontier camp. Despite the silence, the air remained thick with palpable tension as the wounded knights fought against the venom. The side effects, although varied and unpredictable, made the monitoring of each patient essential. Nearly five more knights had been saved thanks to the remedy, carefully applied by the soldiers' medical team. However, the condition of the injured remained fragile, with several requiring constant supervision due to the numerous side effects: heart palpitations, extreme fatigue, violent headaches, and other ailments. Helia had scarcely had the chance to rest. Since taking charge of preparing the remedy with Bellair, she had lost count of the hours spent monitoring, treating, and noting every detail for her research. Exhausted but driven by unwavering determination, she felt, for the first time, truly useful and fulfilled in her vocation, even though the effort drained her both mentally and physically. Sir Leon had not regained consciousness. His unstable heart rate occasionally threatened to cease, but thanks to the constant care provided by Bellair and his team, he had survived up until now. Helia sat beside him, quietly recording the fluctuations in his condition, when the Prince’s presence startled her. "You are still here at this hour?" he asked as he approached, looking fatigued and his voice slightly hoarse. He stood there, exhausted, his black armor darkened by soot and stained with dried blood. Dark circles shadowed his eyes, and his hair was disheveled, but his expression remained as closed off as ever. Helia offered him a reassuring expression. "Your Highness, I took a short nap earlier. I'm fit to stay awake for a while." He furrowed his brows slightly. "Where is Bellair?" "He went to rest, he hasn't slept since yesterday," she replied, her gaze returning to Sir Leon. Silently, The Prince pulled a chair and sat by Leon's bedside. Helia guessed that he, too, wanted to watch over his friend. She observed him for a moment, struck by the quiet determination visible in his features despite the exhaustion weighing down his shoulders. He remained there, motionless, his gaze fixed on his sleeping friend, in a silence thick with unspoken thoughts. After a long silence, the magical device placed near Leon's bed, measuring his vital signs regularly, emitted a faint hum, signaling an increase in his heart rate. Helia jumped up and leaned over to check Leon's pulse herself. The device only measured variations, but she preferred a more direct precision. Suddenly, she felt Leon's fingers weakly close around her hand, a tentative but real grasp. She immediately raised her eyes, her lips stretching into a relieved smile as she saw his heavy eyelids slowly opening. Leon stared at her for a moment, his gaze still clouded with fog. In a weak voice, he murmured. "You… are you an angel? Am I dead and in heaven?" A bit surprised, Helia stood frozen, her cheeks slightly flushed, until the Prince intervened in a serious voice. "And what about me? Am I one?" Leon flashed a sarcastic smile, a gleam of mischief in his eyes despite his condition "Oh, I must be in hell, then." The tension seemed to ease a bit, and Prince Arthur rolled his eyes while Helia gently released Leon's hand. "Sir Leon, welcome back among us. Do you remember what happened?" she asked gently. He frowned slightly, as though trying to piece together his memories. "I was attacked by a wild boar… but… how is it that I'm still alive?" The Prince gave a nod toward Helia, and Leon, realizing the implication, asked, amazed. "You found an antidote?" A cry of pain interrupted him as he brought a trembling hand to his head, and Helia immediately called for a nurse. She then explained. "These are the side effects of the venom. We managed to block its most dangerous effects, but it's still present in your body. Tell me, how exactly do you feel?" Leon nodded weakly. "It feels like a weight is pinning me t