18 - The Time of the Blind Beast (15+ Revised Edition)
Chapter 18
Ezekiel's expectations from Dr. Briman's experiment were very clear. He possessed the disposition of a gambler, willing to go all in. Rose, on the other hand, did not anticipate results as extreme as Ezekiel desired.
Their expectations for the future differed, and no one knew what conclusion awaited them.
Rose steadied her wavering heart.
How fickle people's hearts are. They came seeking atonement, yet they were already calculating all possibilities for a future that had not yet unfolded.
Even though there was no reason to do so yet.
"Don't rush."
Rose repeated to herself.
"Don't think about too many things, too far ahead."
"That's not why I came."
"This man is sick. He is a person in need of help. He is someone who struggles greatly just to live through each day."
"So, do what needs to be done now."
“...I understand the Major’s intentions well.”
Ezekiel’s firm assurance that he would not hold him responsible left Dr. Briman no room to refuse further.
“Does the experiment begin immediately?”
“No. We must first check his lifestyle habits and health condition. The biggest problem in long-term treatment is stamina. I have often seen patients give up because they couldn't endure until the end. Of course, you, Major, have such well-built stamina that there's no need to worry.”
While listing the generally preceding precautions, Dr. Briman quickly assessed Ezekiel. Though the soldier who once rode through every corner of Astria had become gaunt and sickly from being confined to the mansion, his naturally strong constitution remained. Above all, the man possessed the mental fortitude forged through a long war. It was more likely for the experiment to fail than for his patience and stamina to give out first.
“I can start right away without any issues.”
Ezekiel also showed confidence.
“Just a moment, Doctor.”
But as he finished speaking, a quiet voice cut through the brief interval while awaiting the other’s reaction.
“You just said lifestyle habits are important.”
It was Rose.
“Then, shouldn't you quit drinking and taking medication?”
She looked directly at Dr. Briman, seeking his agreement. Dr. Briman, with a bewildered expression, asked Rose in return.
“That would be ideal. Do you take anything regularly?”
Dr. Briman gave the exact answer Rose had hoped for. Rose quickly nodded.
“I drink wine and Rhodanum every day.”
She had no intention of missing this opportunity. Among those who had a say in Ezekiel’s health, Dr. Briman was the most knowledgeable in medicine. If the doctor advised him to quit both alcohol and medication, Ezekiel and Madam Serva would have no choice but to comply.
Looking back, it was a chilling memory. Ezekiel, staring blankly into space with vacant eyes, wandering in a world of ghosts, and the overwhelming fear she felt watching him, unsure if his condition was possession by a spirit or a mental breakdown—that day’s events.
It was terrifying. Rose never wanted to see the man gradually deteriorate like that.
“What’s the problem with painkillers? They aren’t poison. Whether it’s alcohol or Rhodanum, aren’t they common prescriptions from doctors? If they were something one shouldn't take, they wouldn't have been prescribed in the first place. Isn't that right, Doctor?”
Ezekiel frowned at the sudden interruption.
Rhodanum, a well-known painkiller, was indeed one thing, and alcohol was also used for emergency treatment when necessary. A drink or two to calm a startled person was common, so most households kept a bottle or two of brandy in their cupboards.
In the military, alcohol was also an essential supply. For soldiers enduring the cold with nothing but their bodies, it served as a means to raise body temperature and was useful as a disinfectant. Ezekiel often poured alcohol on his wounds, tied them up roughly with cloth, and continued fighting.
“I heard that in the past, you didn’t touch alcohol or painkillers at all, even when injured.”
Rose countered again.
“Back then, I didn’t have the luxury of being sluggish and intoxicated. You never knew when or where a battle might break out, and it would be dereliction of duty for a commander to lie around comfortably.”
“But you compared this experiment to a battle, Major.”
Of course, a metaphor was just a metaphor. Rose knew her logic was somewhat forced. She could understand why Ezekiel had turned to alcohol and opium.
Even if it was a hallucination, how could one resist the temptation of seeing clearly when emerging from an abyss of darkness? What might have been a terrifying sight to others was likely a miraculous moment for him.
After observing and contemplating several times, Rose finally managed to grasp Ezekiel’s feelings. However, understanding and agreeing were different matters. In the eyes of those unaware of his circumstances, his actions would be no different from those of any other mentally disturbed person. Moreover, his deteriorating appearance day by day clearly indicated a distance from healthy habits.
This man himself must know that his body was breaking down. Wasn't he once a man famous for his strict self-discipline? He must have become addicted because he calculated that the gains outweighed the losses.
Therefore, she felt it even more profoundly. She couldn't take away the world of hallucinations from him with just a moderate justification.
This meant that the person Rose needed to gain agreement from was not Ezekiel, but Dr. Briman.
“Drinking it once or twice occasionally is not a problem, but every day is excessive. It would be best to quit for now. If my prescription mixes with the existing medication, its effect might decrease or even cause an adverse reaction.”
Dr. Briman’s conclusion was clear. Rose felt a quiet sense of relief.
“Fine, I’ll quit.”
It was as she had expected. The moment he heard that the medication’s efficacy was at stake, he agreed without hesitation or further argument. His speed in judging and making decisions was astonishingly swift.
However, it was too early to completely let go of her anxiety. As Rose followed Dr. Briman to see him out, she glanced back at the drawing-room. In the past, he would have returned to his bedroom immediately after the doctor’s consultation and retreated into his own world. But today, due to the prohibition of alcohol and medication, he had not yet left the drawing-room.
Nevertheless, in case anyone overheard, Rose lowered her voice and stopped Dr. Briman.
“Doctor. May I speak with you for a moment?”
In the middle of the night, the sound of glass shattering repeatedly woke her from her sleep. Startled by the piercing noise that rang in her ears, Rose’s eyes snapped open.
Without even time to fix her appearance, she rushed into Ezekiel’s bedroom.
“Major? What’s wrong?”
She almost screamed as soon as she entered the room. The bedroom was a mess, with Sleep tea soaking the floor and walls, and broken glass scattered everywhere. The dim night light, filtering in from the adjoining room, cast a faint glow.
The Sleep tea was a dark, blackish hue, making the bedroom resemble a crime scene covered in blood at first glance. If not for the herbal scent of Sleep tea vibrating from all directions, a faint-hearted person might have fainted on the spot.
Rose carefully navigated her way, avoiding the glass shards, and approached Ezekiel.
The figure of the man lurking on the bed was enormous, like a beast. Even from his dimly visible silhouette, the tension in his coiled muscles was palpable.
It was an ominous presence at first glance. The memory of her first time entering his bedroom surfaced, and Rose inwardly flinched. The man had several similarities to that day.
The disorienting pain, the violently heaving shoulders from ragged breaths, the sharp, tense atmosphere.
She froze on the spot.
“Ro…se.”
Ezekiel, somehow, sensed Rose’s presence. His voice, hoarse and cracked, called her name.
“...Yes, I’m here.”
“Bring a rope.”
“What?”
“Bring a rope, Rose!”
His voice, scraping his vocal cords, was filled with ragged breaths.
What would it feel like to encounter a wild wolf, filled with venom and ferocity, on a mountain?
It was terrifying. The reason she felt her spirit suppressed just by facing him was, by all appearances, that he was not in a normal state. Rose clenched her fists, trying not to tremble. First, she had to check his condition.
“Major, are you alright?”
“Tie… me up, quickly!”
“Calm… calm down.”
“I can’t control it. ...Damn it!”
Suddenly, a curse-filled shout echoed chillingly. Her heart pounded uncontrollably at the reverberation that struck her ears.
