Ice Chamber

"By the time Jon entered the Healing Ice Coffin, he was already at the end of his rope. Even though the coffin froze his flesh, the corrosion continued to spread, only more slowly. If not for Lady Yurika's careful treatment, then when you returned and opened the coffin, Jon might have died on the spot."

Angel fell silent for a long while. "If Lady Yurika hadn't fussed with Mentor Jon's body, perhaps he could have held on until I returned."

Leon sighed. "Everything is only a 'perhaps.' Forget it. No matter what, all that is in the past now. Since you said you've found a way to treat Jon, once the banquet is over, I'll take you to see him."

The family banquet continued, but the atmosphere fell into a stretch of silence.

"How did Lady Yurika view Jon?" Angel broke the stillness. Though he had an extreme dislike for Yurika, since she had known of Jon's condition three years ago, how would she, as a formal wizard, assess Jon?

Was it as he had imagined?

Angel's question was actually quite broad. Leon did not possess mind-reading abilities, after all. Anything he could answer could only be inferred from his observations of Yurika's everyday behavior.

He pondered for a moment. "Whether it was Lady Yurika or my mentor, their attitude toward Jon was one of surprise at first, as though they had obtained a priceless treasure. But after studying him for some time, I noticed that their attitude changed slightly. Perhaps it was because they gained nothing."

"Later, although they still valued Jon greatly, his body was already on the verge of collapse, and they had no way to continue their research. My mentor even went out to seek methods to sustain Jon's vital signs, but it seemed he found