The Evil Emperor's Fragile Heart

Physician Kale arrived a week later, and nearly had a heart attack when he ran into Jules. He muttered something about being too old and exhausted to travel much and turned to leave.

"Wait!" Jules called. "Are you Physician Kale?"

The elderly physician turned around and looked at Jules. "I really must be seeing things," he mumbled. "How can His Majesty get so young again?"

Mana, who happened to see them, ran over.

"Hello, Physician Kale!" she greeted happily.

Physician Kale looked at her and looked back at Jules. "What's going on, Princess Mana? Do you have a wind magic user here practising illusion magic?" he asked.

"Of course not," Mana retorted. "Why would you think that?"

Physician Kale pointed at Jules. "Then please explain why I'm seeing a doppelganger of your father, His Majesty King Jaren from twenty years ago?"

Mana burst out laughing. "You're not seeing things," she told the elderly physician. "This isn't my Papa. This is my Big Brother, Jules."

Physician Kale took a step back, his face drained of all colour. Then his eyes rolled back and he fell to the floor in a dead faint.

Mana quickly called for some servants to pick him up and take him to the room prepared for him, and also to fetch Junior Physician Vale.

"He always was an excitable little fellow," Grandpa commented, quite amused by Physician Kale's reaction. He looked at Jules. "Now you know why Grandma and I chose to live a secluded life in a remote area and didn't let you travel much."

Jules touched his face. "Do I really look that much like him…?" he wondered out loud.

Grandma nodded. "You're the splitting image of Jaren when he was your age. I don't know how he looks now."

"Papa keeps a moustache and a beard now, and he's gone a little grey around the temples…but otherwise, Big Brother and Papa look very much like each other," Mana told her. "It's a good thing that the people with me were a younger bunch…if they'd been older people who knew Papa when he was Big Brother's age…the secret would have been out immediately."

Jules ruffled his little sister's hair affectionately. "Good thing I met you, then," he said with a smile.

Physician Kale woke up soon enough, and nearly fainted again at the sight which greeted him. He groaned. "Did I die and go to heaven?" he muttered to himself.

"Kale, old fellow, there's no need to be so dramatic," Grandpa said cheerfully.

Physician Kale sat up and grabbed his hands. "Duke! You're really still alive?!" he cried. "Where were you? How have you been? Why were you hiding?!"

"It's a long story," Grandpa said mildly. "We will tell you everything later. For now…would you mind taking a look at my wife's illness? Your disciple, Junior Physician Vale is quite capable and she is much better now, but he suggested that you take a look at her as well."

Physician Kale looked at Grandma and tears filled his eyes. "Duchess…" he murmured. "I'm so pleased to see you alive and well…"

Grandma smiled at him and held out her hand. Physician Kale examined her quickly, reviewed the prescriptions given by Junior Physician Vale and added a few tonics. "You should recover fully in a few weeks. Just take your medicines on time and avoid spicy food."

"Thank you, Physician Kale," Grandma replied gratefully.

Physician Kale turned his eyes to Jules again. "This boy…this boy really is Queen Dora's first child?" he asked hesitantly.

Mana huffed impatiently. "Just look at him. Isn't his parentage written on his face?"

Physician Kale burst into tears. "The prince…the prince was still alive…what a miracle…" he sobbed noisily. "Oh, thank heavens…thank heavens!"

Then he jumped out of bed and grabbed Jules's hands. "My prince, my prince – how well you have grown!"

Jules flushed, embarrassed at the blatant display of emotion. "Hello, Physician Kale," he said politely. "My name is Jules, and I am very pleased to meet you. Mana has told me a lot about you, and I am grateful to you for saving her life."

Physician Kale stepped back and bowed formally. "Prince Kale, it is my honour and blessing to see you alive and well. I couldn't ask the heavens for a better gift!"

"Really?" Jules asked mischievously, winking at Mana. "We have another surprise for you, though."

Physician Kale said solemnly, "Nothing could make me as happy as finding the long-lost prince of the Emerald Kingdom, and reuniting with the Duke and the Duchess!"

"Well…we found Naver, the poison expert. He's staying here with us now," Jules told the elderly physician with a straight face.

Physician Kale staggered back and fell onto the bed with a thump. "My prince…could you please repeat that? I'm afraid I must be hearing things…"

"Naver, the poison expert, is staying here with us," Jules repeated dutifully.

Physician Kale fainted again.

"Big Brother, that was mean!" Mana complained, but she was laughing so hard that she was bent over and clutching her stomach.

"You naughty children!" Grandma scolded half-heartedly, clearly trying to hold back her laughter.

Grandpa had no such qualms and he was laughing quite openly. Grandma smacked his arm lightly, and he made an aggrieved face.

"But dear, it is really is funny! Did you see the look on his face?" Grandpa whined.

Grandma shook her head and let him be.

Physician Kale woke up soon enough. He looked around the room and took in the amused faces.

"Let me get this straight, or I'm afraid I'll keep thinking that I'm dreaming," he told everyone. "The prince, the first child of His Majesty King Jaren and the late Queen Dora, is still alive and well, and has grown up into a strapping young man."

"Yes!" everyone replied together.

"Oh, good," Physician Kale said, relieved. "Next – the Duke and Duchess, the parents of the late Queen Dora and our current Queen Sora – didn't die in that fire and are also still alive and well?"

"Yes!" everyone said again.

A smile bloomed on Physician Kale's wrinkled face. "And to top it off, you have found Naver, the renowned poison expert…and he is staying here with you?"

"Yes!" everyone told him.

"How wonderful!" Physician Kale cried. "We are blessed! The Emerald Kingdom is blessed! It's a miracle! No, it's three miracles!"

Grandpa patted Physician Kale's back in a friendly manner. "Calm yourself, old fellow," he advised.

"I am calm, I am calm," Physician Kale replied, beaming. "I'm just too happy!" He turned to Mana. "Where's Naver? Can I meet him now?"

"Sure," Mana said. "But I must warn you, you may be a bit shocked when you meet him."

"Why?" Physician Kale asked curiously. "Is he quite an eccentric?"

Mana shook her head. "No, he's surprisingly normal, for someone of his talents and background," she said.

"Then…what's wrong with him? Is his appearance very…unique?" Physician Kale asked.

Mana shook her head again. "He's quite young," she informed him.

"That's all right; I've seen plenty of talented young men. Look at my disciple Vale – he's only twenty-five and yet he's already so knowledgeable!" Physician Kale said proudly.

Mana simply remained silent and let Jules bring Naver over.

"Oh, hello, son," Physician Kale greeted cheerfully when he saw Naver. "You must be the poison expert's son. Is your father too busy to see me at the moment?" he asked.

Naver shot Mana and Jules an uncomprehending look.

Mana giggled helplessly and Jules burst out laughing. Grandpa chuckled quietly.

Finally, it was Grandma who took over the task of introducing Naver.

"Physician Kale, you may want to take a seat," Grandma said.

The elderly physician sat down on his bed immediately.

Grandma cleared her throat lightly. "This young man here…he is not the son of Naver," she said.

Physician Kale raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Then who is he?" he asked curiously.

"This boy is Naver, the poison expert," Grandma informed him.

Naver smiled politely at the elderly physician in front of him.

Physician Kale shook his head. "I must be hearing things again," he muttered to himself. "I really am too old to travel. Yes, I must be too exhausted." He shook his head again, rather violently, as if to clear his mind by shaking off strange things.

"I'm sorry, Duchess, I must have heard wrong. Could you repeat that, please?" he asked seriously.

Grandma couldn't hold back her smile this time. "You didn't hear me wrong, Physician Kale," she told him. "This young man is indeed the renowned poison expert, Naver. He received your letter, too, and he has been waiting for your arrival to discuss the treatment of Mana's Shadow Poison with you."

Physician Kale stared at Naver incredulously. "You…this little boy…you really are Naver? The famous Naver, known to be the greatest poison expert of the century?"

Naver smiled at the funny old man. "That title might be a little pretentious, but I am Naver, and I do know a fair bit about poisons," he said modestly.

Physician Kale stared at him. "And how old are you, pray?"

"Twelve," Naver replied.

Physician Kale fainted again.