บท 60: Chapter 60: Adden’s Hospital
Chapter 60: Adden's Hospital
August 31st, Rune Era, Year 1420.
It was around 9.00 in the morning.
A young teenage boy lay on a hospital bed, slowly opening his eyes. The morning light streamed through the window, casting soft patterns on the white walls. Raven could feel the pull of stitches across his chest, each breath a reminder of the wounds he had inflicted on himself.
His mind felt hazy, the remnants of the paralysis potion making it challenging to think clearly. Taking a deep breath, he prepared himself for the role he had to play.
A gentle knock on the door preceded the entrance of a middle-aged nurse. She had kind eyes and a warm smile that brightened the room. Raven watched as she approached his bed, her movements were professional yet caring. But what caught his attention was the newspaper in her left hand.
"Good morning," she said while placing the newspaper on the nearby table.
"You are in the headlines today, boy."
After saying so, she took out a stethoscope from the nearby table and checked his heart rate. Then, she measured his body temperature using a thermometer and made notes on a clipboard. "How are you feeling?"
Raven blinked slowly, feigning confusion. "Where... where am I?"
The nurse gave him a reassuring smile. "You're in Adden's Hospital. You've been through quite an ordeal, but you're safe now."
He furrowed his brow as if trying to piece together fragmented memories. "I don't remember... what happened?"
"You were discovered injured in an underground basement," she explained, her voice gentle. "The investigation suggests that you were kidnapped six months ago and subjected to torture for a long time. Because of your noble background, the news spread rapidly and caught the attention of all the influential figures in the city. The police brought you here after rescuing you. Do you still remember your name?"
He hesitated, then shook his head slightly. "No, I... I can't remember anything."
He tried to recall but shivered uncontrollably.
"B-But I vaguely know I was in a horrible place."
The nurse nodded sympathetically. "That's okay. You've been through a lot, and it's not uncommon for memory to take some time to return after a traumatic experience."
Raven glanced around the room as she spoke, taking in his surroundings. The room was small but comfortable, with a vase of fresh flowers on the bedside table and a window overlooking a garden outside.
He could tell this room was allocated explicitly for VIPS with a simple glance.
"You'll be all right," the nurse continued, adjusting the surrounding blankets. "We're going to take good care of you, and the doctors will be in shortly to check on your progress."
With that, she left the room, leaving Raven alone.
[You're doing well.] Zera commented in his mind.
'I know,' he replied silently. 'I just need to stay focused.'
The door opened again; this time, a lean man in a dark green suit entered. His hair was graying at the temples, and he carried himself with authority. He was around 40, with dark green eyes and fair skin. Raven guessed immediately that this was the police officer assigned to his case.
"Good morning," the man said. "I'm Head Constable Kyler. I'm glad to see you're awake."
Raven gave him a cautious nod, maintaining his facade of confusion. "Hello, Sir. Nurse told me you found me in an underground basement, but... I don't remember."
Kyler studied him closely. "That's not unusual in cases like this. You've been through a significant trauma, and it might take time for your memory to come back. We're just glad you're safe now."
Raven met his gaze, careful to keep his expression neutral. "Thank you, Sir. I appreciate what you've done for me."
Kyler nodded, pulling up a chair beside the bed. "I'd like to ask you a few questions if you feel up to it. We're trying to piece together what happened to you, and any details you can remember would be helpful."
Raven took a deep breath, trying to appear thoughtful. "I wish I could help more, but it's all blurry. I woke up here, and everything before that was just blank."
Kyler leaned back in his chair, his eyes never leaving Raven's face. "That's all right. We'll take it one step at a time. Do you remember your name or where you're from?"
Raven hesitated, then shook his head. "No, I'm sorry. It's like there's a fog in my mind."
Kyler nodded, scribbling notes in his notepad.
"Don't worry, son. We'll do everything we can to help you. The doctors will monitor your condition closely, and we have some of the best specialists in the Borough."
Raven nodded, grateful for the officer's understanding demeanor. "Thank you, Sir. I'll do my best to remember."
As the Kyler stood to leave, he paused at the door. "Let the nurses know if anything comes back to you, no matter how small. We're here to help you, Thomas."
Raven forced a small smile, nodding as the Kyler left the room.
'I don't know when they will discharge me.' He muttered.
[It will take more than a week.] Zera answered.
Raven had nothing to do, so he quietly took the newspaper off the table and opened it.
As the nurse mentioned, the front page featured a picture of him being carried into the Hospital by police officers.
'When did they take this photo?'
While asking, he looked at the front page and read the headline.
"Legacy News!...
Breaking!...
Heir to the Holmes Family Discovered!
After a six-month investigation, Inspector Bennett and his team uncovered a lead on the whereabouts of the young noble yesterday and acted immediately. They mobilized all officers from RA-02 Station and launched a raid on Steel Mill Road with a large force. Although the leader and deputy leader of the Gold Thieves escaped, the police successfully arrested over a hundred gang members and detained them. The police discovered further connections between the Gold Thieves and the 'Vipers,' and they found evidence linking them to the production and sale of magical drugs..."
'Oh? So, Inspector Bennett became the Hero, huh?' He clicked his tongue.
Then, he flipped the page and read other news. Most of the news was about the Western Fortress and the Crown Prince's death, but a few pieces about Giaris City caught his attention.
"Postpone of the Council of Spade Meeting! Because of the incident involving the young Fallen Noble's kidnapping, the Council of Spade meeting has been rescheduled to November 12th. There has been a talk that the 12 Head Councilmen are planning to revoke the Holmes Family membership in this meeting. Is it time for the Holmes Family to be demoted from Fallen Noble Household to a Commoner Household?" Raven frowned upon reading the news.
'Is it easy to demote a Fallen Noble to a commoner?'
No, the Emperor bestowed the 'Noble' title to the Holmes Family. Although the once high-ranked Holmes Noble Family fell because of misfortunes and became a 'Knight' Household, it was still a Noble Family in records.
'The current Holmes Family is more like a Knight Household with no land. The Holmes Household will retain its noble title for over a century before losing it.'
Unless the 'Emperor' sent out a decree and demoted the 'Noble' title, it would be impossible for some councilmen to demote the Holmes Family beforehand.
[It's more likely they will remove the family from the Council and isolate it. That way, the Holmes Family will slowly lose its support from the other Nobles and disappear slowly. What will happen if a house loses all its wealth? It will be no less than the house of a commoner. A cast-out noble house is more or less dead in the Nobles' Circle, lad.]
Raven nodded in understanding and continued to read the other news.
He read articles where some nobles discussed the mismanagement and corruption in Giaris City, criticizing Count Andres for his poor administration. There was also speculation about how much compensation the Count would provide for this unfortunate incident, but Raven didn't even bother reading those details.
'Count Spade's name will surely be damaged by this incident.' But he didn't bother looking at it.
The following news that caught his attention was about the Vega Empire!
"Envoy from a faraway Empire! Vega Empire plans to send a high-ranked member to the Zenith Empire next month. There have been rumors about the guest being the Duke Solomen from Starkey Household. Will there be a talk of Sword Princess's marriage during his visit?"
'Hmm, things are moving faster than I expected,' Raven said with a deep sigh, closing the newspaper.
After that, he lay on the bed and rested.
He remained in the Hospital for the next week, undergoing multiple checkups. During his stay, he received visits from reporters, officers, and even some people from the neighborhood. He told others his memories gradually returned and shared some personal information. However, he remained silent about what happened in the underground basement.
On September 7th, Raven was discharged from the Hospital!
"You are free to go back to your house, Thomas. And you don't have to worry about the hospital bills. Lord Count has taken care of it." The slim-looking police officer named Kyler spoke as he arrived beside the hospital bed.
Meanwhile, Raven looked at his scarred chest and slowly stepped down from the bed.
"Thank you for the help, Sir Kyler. If not for your help, I wouldn't have remembered my past. Although I still don't remember many things, I will find out eventually," he said before walking towards the left side and picking up the white shirt hanging on the wall.
Meanwhile, Kyler took a bunch of papers from the file he was holding and placed them on the table.
"Here is the Birth Certificate, Warrant of Precedence, Council Membership Card, and Baptism Certificate you requested. After searching, I found the Warrant of Precedence, Baptism certificate, and Council Membership Card in your house. But I couldn't find your birth certificate, so I went to the administration office and got a new one. Thanks to your special identity, it's easier for me to get it."
Raven wore the shirt while listening, walked towards the table, and checked the documents.
At that moment, Kyler took a small leather pouch from his jacket and placed it on the table.
"This is the compensation amount the Count gave for all the unfortunate things that happened to you: fifty gold coins." In truth, it was a significant amount for Police Officer Kyler, but for Raven, it was nothing.
Instead of looking at the pouch, Raven skimmed through the document and soon frowned.
"What about the legal property documents of the 'Chateau Holmes Wine Factory,' Holmes Mansion, and other small stores?"
"All the property assets' names are registered under your father's name. Thankfully, your father created a 'Will' just after your birth under the presence of two executors and stored it in the Royal Bank. According to the Empire's Laws, you can inherit all the assets whenever you want once you get an approval letter from the two executors. I tried to find out who these two executors were but couldn't. You will know their identities only after you take the 'Will' document from the Royal Bank. If you go to the administration department with their approval letters and provide your birth certificate, they will help you transfer the ownership."
'So complicated. But I understand it is necessary.' Raven nodded in understanding.
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