Chapter 236
“…What…?”
Chris looked Ella straight in the eye as he continued speaking.
“The Medical Energy Techniques you poured into your clan head caused a condition known as Throat Gland Storm. That’s what put him in this state.”
It was a revelation that would shake the entire House of Medical Saint.
“T-That’s absurd! That can’t be true!”
Ella strongly shook her head, unable to accept it.
“No matter how intense the Medical Energy Technique is, it never causes Throat Gland Storm.”
The throat gland was a biological organ responsible for producing vital substances needed to maintain the body’s life force.
Medical Energy Techniques enhance the body’s vitality, so of course the throat gland becomes more active—but that alone should never cause a problem like this.
“That would be true… in a normal case. But your master was already poisoned.”
“He was poisoned? What are you talking about?”
Ella’s face showed that she found this just as impossible to accept.
“If Master had been poisoned, then it makes even less sense. Medical Energy Techniques should’ve improved his condition, not made it worse.”
According to Chris, the Energy Techniques actually worsened the poisoning. That idea felt completely irrational.
“If it were a typical poison, yes. But what if the poison was being used like medicine?”
“…What does that even mean?”
Chris asked first.
“Tell me—how exactly do Medical Energy Techniques cure poison?”
“…Well, they neutralize harmful substances in the body using the Will to Save Life.”
Ella answered hesitantly.
“Then what happens if the substance isn’t harmful to the body?”
“!!”
“Let me ask this: what’s the difference between poison and medicine in the first place?”
It all depends on how the same substance is used—what may be medicine in one case can be poison in another, and vice versa.
“If you misuse a drug, it’s no longer a medicine—it becomes a poison. And sometimes, poison can act like medicine.”
Ella fell silent, and Chris continued his explanation.
“The poison that your master was exposed to actually enhanced the activity of his throat gland. On its own, it wasn’t a poison—it functioned more like a drug. The problem came afterward.”
“…The Medical Energy Technique.”
“Exactly. Your technique over-activated a gland that was already abnormally stimulated. And then you kept using it… without stopping.”
Ella bit her lip.
Just as Chris said, because they didn’t understand the cause of the illness, they kept pouring more and more Medical Energy into their master.
The more they did, the worse his condition became. And the worse it became, the stronger the Energy techniques they used.
A textbook vicious cycle of treatment failure.
“Then if we just stop using Medical Energy Techniques—?”
“It’s too late. His condition has already progressed into a full-blown Throat Gland Storm. Even stopping now won’t reverse it.”
“!!”
“And at this point, medicine won’t work either. His condition is too far gone. In every way… it’s the worst-case scenario.”
Ella’s body staggered.
I’m the one who brought Master to the brink of death… because of my own shortcomings.
She was on the verge of collapsing under the weight of that crushing guilt.
Chris said something unexpected.
“Still, it’s not like there’s no way.”
“What do you mean?”
“Just remove the throat gland.”
“!!”
Ella immediately shook her head, as if the idea was out of the question.
“Surgery is impossible in a Throat Gland Storm condition. Touching the gland would only hasten death.”
A Throat Gland Storm refers to a condition in which the gland produces an uncontrollable excess of life-enhancing substances.
In such a state, if the gland is mishandled during surgery, those substances could erupt all at once, rapidly worsening the patient’s condition.
And yet—
“Then just remove it without stimulating the gland.”
“…That’s even more absurd.”
No healer in the House of Medical Saint had ever been able to perform such a surgery.
“But I can.”
“!!”
“Leave it to me.”
For context—
In his previous life, when Chris was revered as a miracle-working doctor…
He didn’t know the techniques of Medical Energy.
With just medicine—and a single scalpel—he saved countless lives.
In other words, when it came to pure surgical skill, he surpassed everyone in the House of Medical Saint.
* * *
After much deliberation, Ella entrusted the surgery to Chris.
Leaving the clan head’s life in the hands of a demon—it was something that should’ve been unthinkable.
But there was no other choice.
No one in the entire House of Medical Saint had the skill to succeed in the surgery Chris proposed.
Ironically, the disciples of the House of Medical Saint aren’t that skilled in surgery to begin with.
The irony stemmed from their reliance on Medical Energy.
Most illnesses could be treated with Energy techniques alone, which meant they had little real surgical experience.
“I have one condition. I’ll be assisting in the operation.”
At Ella’s words, Chris nodded.
“Fine. But I have one condition too.”
“What is it?”
“Watch carefully—eyes wide open. You’re going to learn from my surgery.”
“!!”
He meant it.
Her skills are worse than I expected…
Ella was meant to play a critical role as the next head of the House during the calamities to come.
When I met her in my previous life, she wasn’t like this…
This surgery would become the turning point for her awakening.
And how would he achieve that?
Simple.
“Let’s begin.”
Chris picked up his scalpel.
And from that moment, the surgery began…
Ella was overwhelmed—staggered by a depth of shock unlike anything she had ever experienced.
A kind of healing…
One that was on a whole different plane.
Like the sky itself.
* * *
Ella couldn’t find the words.
She was utterly shaken by Chris’s surgery.
Hope that rattled her a little.
Chris simply shrugged his shoulders.
In any case, the surgery had been a success.
The clan head survived.
Though he hadn’t fully recovered yet, and his consciousness hadn’t completely returned…
Still, he managed to issue summons to the disciples who violated clan protocol. And since it’s the clan head’s order, they won’t be able to ignore it.
The reason Saintess Michelle was able to break the clan’s rules in the first place was because the clan head had collapsed.
Now that he had recovered, it would be impossible for her to continue acting on her own.
With that, Chris had successfully prevented the House of Medical Saint from getting involved in the war—for now, at least.
Of course, it’s not over yet.
Chris’s gaze turned cold.
The Lion King, Maximus. His head must roll.
That man would only cause more trouble down the line.
This was the perfect opportunity to deal with him.
But first, I have to finish my business here with the House of Medical Saint.
He still had one last matter to settle.
Just then, a knock came at the door of the quarters where Chris was resting.
“…May I speak with you for a moment?”
It was Ella.
She looked at Chris with a somewhat complicated expression, then bowed her head.
“Thank you for saving my master. You are a benefactor to our House of Medical Saint.”
A sincere expression of gratitude.
Chris smirked.
“Just gratitude? When someone does you a favor, you should offer something in return.”
Ella looked slightly flustered but nodded.
“Of course. If there’s anything you want, just say the word. I’ll repay you however I can.”
“Anything?”
“…Yes, as long as it’s within the power of our House.”
She looked a bit tense, unsure of what Chris might ask for.
But then—
“Restore the House of Medical Saint to what it’s meant to be.”
“!!”
Ella’s face stiffened.
“You know it as well as I do. The House is rotting from within. If you don’t fix it, it will collapse from the inside.”
They had avoided immediate disaster this time, but the clan head’s remaining lifespan was clearly limited.
In the end, it would fall to Ella—the next clan head—to put things right.
“A great calamity is coming to the continent. And if your House is in this state… you won’t stand a chance.”
Ella looked at Chris, eyes filled with turmoil.
Ella’s eyes held a question—Why would you make such a request?
Chris only shrugged.
The reason’s simple. The House of Medical Saint needs to become one of my pawns too.
Chris alone wasn’t enough to stop the catastrophe that loomed on the horizon.
That’s why he planned to subdue the Venomous and Destruction Demonic Houses and form the Dark Alliance, while also strengthening the Crusade Union from the outside.
And since the House of Medical Saint was one of the central pillars of the Crusade Union, it needed to stand strong—properly and righteously.
Besides, I was once the clan head myself… even if only in name. I can’t just sit back and watch it rot.
Meanwhile, Ella looked at Chris with a conflicted expression.
“So Evan was right after all. Even though you're a demon, you carry a light more noble than anyone else.”
Chris shut his mouth tightly.
No, this is all for fame and fortune…
He was working like a dog, yes—but he hadn’t forgotten his original goal(?):
To prevent the world’s destruction, rise to the top of the Magus Empire, and enjoy unparalleled glory and wealth.
Still need to decide on my Demon King title… Slothful Demon King? Or Greedy Demon King? Damn, both sound great. A lazy sloth-like king basking in untouchable luxury—yeah, I’ll go with that.
Ella, of course, had no idea what Chris was thinking.
She bowed her head again.
“When we first met, I wrongly judged you by your sinister appearance. I truly apologize for that.”
“It’s fine,” Chris replied, awkwardly shaking his head.
Though seriously, why the hell do I look like this?
Over time, his features had become more unpleasant, as if radiating the unmistakable aura of a villain.
What made it worse was that this villainous aura somehow synergized with his good looks.
Like those hidden masterminds in novels—he was starting to give off that exact vibe.
In any case, Chris made his next request.
“As payment for saving the clan head, give me the Elixir.”
“!!”
Ella froze momentarily.
Chris tensed.
Will she really hand it over…?
He had saved the clan head, yes—but the Elixir was still a big ask.
It’s the House of Medical Saint’s greatest treasure, made with rare ingredients so difficult to find that it takes decades to produce even one.
Yet Ella gave an unexpected reply.
“Yes. I will give it to you.”
She agreed without hesitation!
“…Are you sure?”
“Of course it’s not an easy decision. The House of Medical Saint has only one Elixir left. That’s why the clan head refused to use it for himself.”
Ella continued calmly.
“But someone like you, who carries such a noble light, would make better use of it than anyone else.”
Chris felt a little embarrassed.
She keeps saying noble this, noble that… It’s not like that at all. Still, there’s nothing bad about being misunderstood in a good way.
Honestly, if things hadn’t gone well, he’d planned to steal it.
So this was a pleasant surprise.
“There’s something else I wish to give you besides the Elixir.”
“What is it?”
“Our House’s secret manual—the Medical Immortal Codex.”
Chris’s eyes widened.
It was the House of Medical Saint’s most prized secret text!
Containing the clan’s core truths and medical principles.
“Why give it to me?”
“Because of the Healing Will you possess.”
Ella explained further.
“By our tradition, if someone appears with a 10-star Healing Will, they are to be named as our Medical Saint. But you are a demon. We cannot appoint you as such, and I know you wouldn’t accept it either.”
“So, instead… you’re giving me the Medical Immortal Codex?”
Ella nodded.
“I don’t know if this is truly the right decision. But I choose to trust what I saw that day at the Pond of Minus.”
“…I see.”
“Just don’t expect too much. Since you can’t use Medical Energy, it will only help deepen your knowledge of medicine—nothing more.”
But that wasn’t true.
This Medical Immortal Codex would prove more helpful to Chris than any other treasure.
Now, even I will be able to perform the 'Miracle of the Medical Immortal.'