Feeding Medicine to My Little Sister
Sunlight slanted through the gap in the window. Elena sat on the edge of the bed, peering at the salt statue cradled in her palm. The white crystals caught the morning light, shimmering faintly. A relic of an ancient god. Something she'd vowed to find someday after becoming an adventurer. A treasure that even nobles scoured the world for, one she'd hoped to claim first. An artifact said to elude seekers their entire lives—now resting in Elena's hand. Uncle had given it to her as a gift.
She stroked the statue's head with her thumb. Each touch of the smooth texture evoked the rough sensation of Uncle's hand ruffling her hair. Her lips curved upward on their own. She couldn't stifle the grin bubbling uncontrollably at the corners of her mouth.
Today was a rest day.
"Nngh~."
Uncle had taken on the Northern Mountains scouting himself. He'd told her to take the day off while he did a preemptive survey before the dungeon spawned.
Today was also the day Doctor Roan visited. He came around this time every week to examine Elis.
Elena boiled porridge in the kitchen. She carried the steaming bowl to Elis and gently shook her shoulder. Scooping up a spoonful, she fed it to her.
"Sis, I can eat by myself."
"Stay still."
Elis struggled to prop herself up, opening her mouth. Elena blew on the porridge to cool it, then carefully slipped it past her little sister's lips.
After finishing the porridge, she prepared the medicine. Mental dulling powder. The drug prescribed by Roan prevented Elis's illness from flaring up. Elis had been born with the curse-blessing of excessive genius—her mind overwhelmed her body, leading to sickness. Dulling her intellect with this medicine kept it from worsening, or so he'd said.
Elena tore open the powder packet as instructed and poured it into a cup. Then another one. Double the usual dose. Roan had said Elis was building tolerance, so add an extra packet. She sprinkled more powder onto the surface, where it floated. A puff scattered into the air. Inhaled involuntarily, it made Elena cough violently.
"Cough! Cough...!"
For a moment, her head spun. Her vision blurred, thoughts turning sticky and sluggish—a strange daze. Even that tiny amount had muddled Elena's sharp mind. She shook her head to snap out of it and mixed in one more ingredient.
"Uncle said to add this."
A bluish powder. Dried and ground mana grass—the darkest leaf. She'd been shocked when he told her to give it to Elis, but if Uncle said so, she'd trust him.
She stirred it into the now-murky water and held the cup to Elis's lips.
Gulp.
Gulp.
Elis drank it down. Elena wiped the trickle from her cheek with a towel before it could reach her neck or clothes.
As the water level dropped, Elis took the cup in both hands and drained it.
Knock knock.
"Elena, it's Roan."
Roan had arrived. Men's entry into the women's dorm was forbidden, but the landlord made an exception for him, knowing Elis's condition.
Elena opened the door, and Roan stepped in with his medical bag.
"Did you give her the medicine?"
"Yes."
Roan sat by Elis's bed, checking her pulse and pupils. He touched her forehead to gauge the fever, nodding to himself. After a brief pause, he spoke.
"Her condition looks stable. But don't let your guard down. This only slows the progression—it can't stop it. For your sister's sake, you'd do anything, right?"
"Y-, yes."
Elena's shoulders tensed ever so slightly.
"I trust you, Elena. Look at you—a splendid adventurer. You're the sister Elis can boast about."
"It's all thanks to Uncle."
Elena blushed, unable to contain her beaming smile.
"You've grown so impressively. I never imagined rumors would spread of you holding your own against B-ranks in such a short time. As expected of one born with the sacred fate of the wagon bearer."
Roan pulled prepared medicine packets from his bag and set them by Elis's bedside.
"Elena."
"Yes."
"You remember what I said is needed to cure Elis's illness?"
"Yes."
The relic slumbering in the ancient temple. Its power was what Elis needed.
"I've pinpointed the ancient temple's location."
Roan glanced around warily, confirming no eavesdroppers, his voice dropping low.
"This info was hard-won—I'm sharing it only with you. I scoured ancient texts and cross-verified testimonies from retired priests. Took over half a year."
He pulled a rolled parchment from his bag.
"High chance it's here. Go investigate. At your current level, you can handle it."
Elena took the parchment.
"Find the salt statue there. Its ancient divine power can reinforce her fragile vessel, curing Elis at the root. No more relying on mental dulling drugs."
Roan's gaze was deadly serious.
"It won't be easy. A guardian protects the relic, and breaking the barrier requires proving your purity. Just to confirm... you're still a virgin, right? No incidents like assault in your sleep—mind if I check?"
"This?"
Elena held out the salt statue.
Roan's words died in his throat. His eyes bulged. His mouth hung half-open as he stared.
"This... where did you..."
He reached out, fingers tracing the surface. His face drained of color, then he snatched it up, eyes wide with fury.
"Where did you get this?!"
"Uncle brought it for me."
Elena answered flatly.
Roan's expression twisted in an instant. He quickly guessed who this "Uncle" was.
"E-, Eck? You mean that Eck?!"
"Yes."
He scowled deeply.
"How could that subhuman... How could a lecher taint this sacred task? No, but... how?!"
"Uncle got it for me."
"He's a notorious womanizer and brute! How could he break the seal? It requires a pure woman nearby... no."
Roan shook his head.
"He couldn't resist laying hands on a pure woman. And the seal isn't for just anyone—only someone noble, pure, and radiant like Elis could..."
"Uncle's not like that."
"Elena, why didn't you retrieve it yourself...!"
Roan raised his voice.
"This was a sacred pilgrimage meant for you—the wagon-fated sister of Elis! How could you borrow the hands of filth?!"
His words trailed off, head drooping.
"The sacred journey... defiled..."
Staring at the floor, he muttered under his breath, the quiet, grave tone growing louder as it turned into an accusation aimed at someone.
His eyes flicked to Elena.
"Be honest. Have you ever let Eck have your body? Did he grope you?"
Elena's brows furrowed. But in her daze, she replied hazily.
"No."
"Really? If you're too scared to speak, we're here for you. Don't hold back..."
"No."
She cut him off firmly.
"Did you kiss him? Hold hands? Ever show him your skin, even once?"
"I said no."
Roan turned to Elis.
"And Elis? If Eck laid eyes on her noble form, he wouldn't let it go. Did he touch Elis?"
"Yes. He did."
"Gaa...! Gaaaaahhhhh!!!!"
Roan's face went ghostly white. He shot to his feet, screaming.
Elena fell silent for a beat, then explained.
"Uncle saved Elis. A burglar broke in. He showed up right before anything happened and rescued her."
Roan's complexion turned an even sicklier green.
"He's fattening her up."
His voice was laced with horror.
"Not touching her now, saving her for later. No question about it. Word is he prefers mature women. He's raising the kid to devour when she's ripe...! How can anyone be so vile? Elis, tainted by that base scum's claws!"
Roan clutched his medical bag.
"I-I have to tell everyone... now!"
He bolted out the door in hasty strides, before even finishing the checkup.
The door clicked shut.
"...."
Elena stared blankly at the salt statue, a smile spreading across her lips.
"Uncle... hehe."
She collapsed onto the bedside, propping her chin on her hand with a foolish grin.
"Elis, you know how amazing Uncle is? He taught me swordsmanship, how to hunt monsters. Look at this beautiful relic. We can make a cure with it, right?"
"Sis..."
Elis, who'd been feigning sleep, cracked her eyes open with an awkward smile.
"You like Uncle that much?"
"Yeah. So much."
"I thought he'd only bring you hardship because of me. I'm really glad."
"Uncle's the reason we're okay. I'll introduce you later. Once we make the cure and you recover, join our party. It'd be perfect."
Watching her sister melt into the bed, Elis felt a weight lift from her heart.
Elena chattered on dreamily for a while, then her face crumpled into teary haze.
"Uncle, don't go. Sniff. You can't just raise me up and ditch me like that."
She buried her face in the blanket, tears soaking it from her eyes outward.
Elis stroked her sister's head.
Her own mind felt stuffy, like it was packed with cotton.
"Elis, I'm gonna nap a bit..."
Elena's words trailed off as she slumped against the bed and drifted into sleep.
"Sis?"
No response.
Elis slipped a slender arm from under the covers and poked her sister's cheek.
"Must be exhausted."
Elis climbed down from the bed and picked up the salt statue from the table. With the medicine's effect lightening her head, she gazed at it meaningfully.
And then—
Lick.
She licked it, tongue gliding over the surface like savoring half-melted ice cream, wearing it down. Gripping the fist-sized statue in both hands—too big to hold easily—she kept licking relentlessly.
When it had melted to a swallowable size, she tilted her head back and slid it down her throat.
"Salty."
She licked the salt from her lips, her tongue even reaching her palms.
While her sister slept, Elis fetched the empty bottles from the kitchen.