Not long after that, the audience ended, and Paul was ordered to see the Yuki Clan's young master immediately, since at the request of his aunt, the young man was currently in the palace's medical wing, under the care of the royal healers.
Paul agreed, since he wanted to get this over with as soon as possible and go back home.
As for the prime minister's son, he was not worried, since he already heard that he was only at the mage stage, so if he didn't back down, then Paul would simply kill him.
He was also certain that the prime minister left the throne room in such a hurry to try and persuade his son to step away from this marriage proposal, since he knew that there was no chance his son could beat Paul in a duel, and no woman was worth losing his life.
The guards escorted Paul to the medical wing, which looked more or less like a fantasy version of a hospital.
The two healers were already waiting, and didn't waste any time bringing him to see the patient.
To Paul's surprise, Madam Yuki and Mio Yuki were waiting there, as well as many other people from the Yuki clan.
Mio Yuki even had a triumphant smile on her face, like she had won something.
-Make way.
One of the healers said, and everyone moved away from the bed on which a handsome young man was lying, in a state similar to Xiao Su, but he was not as thin as she was, and his sight was still intact.
Without any delay, Paul touched his forehead and sent mana to see what was going on and if there was any chance at all to save this man.
-Who did this to him?
Paul asked about five minutes later.
-And don't tell me that you don't know.
Also, who did he piss off, or even better, who did he rape to get into this state?
He asked the questions that became evident after he had seen the state the patient was in.
-What are you talking about?
Madam Yuki asked, shocked at the questions he was asking.
-The technique used on him is only slightly similar to the one used on Xiao Su, and if I remember correctly, it is used mainly to punish rapists in the upper world.
Also, there is a way to reverse it, and only the one who cast it can do so, which means that this is either punishment for what he did, or he is just a hostage, and the person who cast this technique wants something or someone.
If that's the case, you have to know who is responsible or at least have a way to contact them.
Paul explained coldly.
He didn't like the people here, and he was not going to hide this fact.
-Are you accusing my nephew of rape?
A beautiful woman with a tiara of a high-ranking imperial concubine, asked, enraged at the accusations.
-Either he did it, or your family is protecting the one who did.
No matter which it is, the fact remains that this technique can only be dispelled by its caster.
-Is there no way to dispel without the caster?
One of the healers asked.
-No.
Paul shook his head.
-Whoever cast this technique made sure that there was no way for anyone else to remove it.
If we try and remove the needles, then the seal array inside of him will activate, killing him.
Also, if we try to disarm the array, the needles will fall into his acupoints the moment the seals disappear, and the effect will be the same.
Lastly, there is not one but two parasites inside of him, one in his heart and another in his brain, so even if we found a way to remove the needles and the array without triggering them, these parasites will kill him, and there is no way to remove them without their owner's command.
-You're saying that these parasites are familiars?
The older healer asked in surprise.
-It sure looks like it.
Paul nodded.
-It also explains why they are in such unusual places, since they usually stay near vital organs and vital spots, making it hard to remove them, but they don't enter organs, and I have never heard of one entering the brain.
The Yuki clan members listened to this in shock.
They hoped that this matter could be resolved without contacting the caster of the technique.
-Truth be told, I don't really care what happened to earn him such torture, but his majesty ordered me to do everything in my power to treat this man, so I need the information you have, or we can simply forget it.
His majesty also permitted me to refuse the treatment if it would endanger the patient's life.
And right now, it looks like he will either stay like this or die if we try to remove the technique.
-It wasn't him.
A middle-aged-looking man finally said after a moment of silence.
-His younger brother had some fun with a girl, and she accused him of raping her.
She turned out to be a young miss from a family in the fourth world, sent here on an errand of some kind.
When we learned about it, we offered to compensate her and her family, but they demanded my younger son's head, and when we refused, this happened.
The man sighed, looking at his son.
This explained a lot in this situation.
-Then you have a choice to make.
Paul said after he heard this story.
-Either you give up your younger son to them, or you can watch your older son waste away.
Well, the third option is to kill him to ease his suffering, but I doubt this would change anything.
-How can we make such a decision? Is it even possible?
Madam Yuki asked, with tears streaming down her face.
-That's your problem to deal with.
Paul said, taking a step in the direction of the exit.
-Where do you think you're going?
Mio Yuki grabbed his shoulder.
-I'm leaving. There is nothing I can do here, so there is no need for me to stay here any longer.
Also, keep your hands to yourself if you want them to stay attached to your body.
He said, brushing off her hand.
-Stop.
Concubine Yuki said loudly.
-There has to be a way to remove this technique from him without surrendering his brother.
She said.
-Even if there is, I don't know it, and just to be clear.
Paul turned around.
-When I treated Xiao Su, there was only a five percent chance of success.
It was not a large chance, but it was there.
In this case, there is not even a fraction of a percent chance of success.
I have no way to remove both needles and the array at the same time.
Which is irrelevant, since the moment anyone does that, the parasites inside his brain and heart will kill him, and there is no way to remove them without killing him.
So either way, the only chance he has is for the caster to dispel the technique and order the parasites to leave his body.
Paul explained, not leaving even a shadow of a doubt about the situation.
The whole Yuki clan was now drowning in sadness, standing before an impossible choice, while Paul left the room.
The same guards that brought him there now escorted him back into the throne room, since he needed to report to the emperor.
Paul explained the situation as clearly as possible, leaving no doubt that he was unable to help in any way, and the only way to save the young man was to make the caster dispel the technique.
-Thank you for your time. You may leave.
The emperor said after hearing Paul out.
Paul bowed, took three steps back, before turned around and left the palace.
Only when he was outside did he sigh in relief, hoping that this was his last visit there.