Under Eirik's guidance, Zion arrived at a small medical hall that had been put up for sale.
The building was not particularly large, but it was clean, well maintained, and received plenty of natural light. More importantly, it had been operating for more than a decade, which meant the place already had something that money alone could not immediately buy: familiarity.
The old physician who owned the medical hall greeted Zion warmly after learning that he intended to purchase the place and reopen it. His attitude had changed almost immediately, and he began showing Zion around the property with the enthusiasm of someone eager to see his life's work continue in capable hands.
"The location is one of its greatest advantages," the old physician explained proudly as Zion inspected the rooms. "I've been practicing here for more than ten years, so many of my patients already live nearby. If Young Master takes over, I believe quite a few of them will continue coming here. They're accustomed to this place."
Zion nodded.
That was exactly what he had been looking for.
Starting a medical hall from nothing would mean building a reputation from the ground up. This place already had one. It might not be famous, but a decade of serving the surrounding neighborhood had given it a certain credibility, and Zion had no intention of wasting that advantage.
As for attracting patients, he wasn't concerned.
With his medical knowledge, establishing a reputation was only a matter of time. The existing medical hall would simply give him a head start.
With Eirik handling most of the negotiations, the transaction proceeded smoothly. The old physician clearly knew the treasurer well, and their relationship made the discussion considerably easier. In the end, Zion purchased the entire medical hall for three hundred gold coins, using the money he had obtained by pawning his mother's jewelry.
It was a bargain.
Even so, watching three hundred gold coins leave his hands still made Zion feel a little pain.
Money disappeared far more quickly than it was earned.
After arranging for a few simple renovations, Zion returned to the General's Manor. If everything went according to plan, the medical hall would be ready to open within seven days.
He had decided to name it Origin Hall.
Once he returned to his courtyard, Zion immediately set aside thoughts of the new business and sat down to cultivate.
He had another deadline to worry about.
Three months.
In three months, the royal family would hold the grand hunting competition, an event that took place only once every two years. The competition would draw young talents from across the empire and attract the attention of the royal family and numerous influential nobles.
Zion intended to use it as his first real opportunity to change how people saw him.
For years, the name Zion Phoenix had been associated with weakness, humiliation, and the neglected young master of House Phoenix. That reputation would not disappear merely because he had become stronger.
He needed to show everyone the difference.
And three months was the time he had given himself to prepare.
His cultivation had to advance as quickly as possible.
Unfortunately, he had barely entered meditation when Black came rolling into the room like a furry cannonball.
"Master, Kaelan and Vanessa are coming."
Zion's eyes opened at once.
His expression hardened.
Those two rarely appeared together without bringing trouble with them.
He rose from his seat and quickly altered his appearance.
The healthy complexion he had gained through cultivation faded away as he suppressed the vitality in his features. His cheeks became hollow, his skin paler, and the sharpness in his appearance disappeared beneath the sickly disguise he had used before.
Within seconds, the transformation was complete.
The confident young man who had walked through the streets of the imperial capital was gone.
In his place was the thin, weak-looking Zion everyone in the General's Manor believed they knew.
He had just settled back into his seat when footsteps approached from outside.
Then came a loud crash.
**BANG!**
The courtyard door flew open under a violent kick, nearly tearing itself from its hinges.
Zion immediately lowered his head and allowed his body to tremble.
"Wh-who is it?"
Vanessa entered first.
Her gaze swept across the courtyard before stopping on him.
The moment she saw his pale face and frail body, her eyes widened slightly.
It really was the useless Zion.
The sight immediately brought another question to her mind.
How could this person possibly be the young man she had encountered on the street?
The difference was simply too great.
That young man had possessed an entirely different bearing.
Vanessa frowned.
Could someone have impersonated him?
Beside her, Kaelan was also staring at Zion.
He had expected Vanessa to come looking for him, not her brother.
Did His Highness still care about this useless waste?
The thought made him uncomfortable.
No.
That was impossible.
Vanessa quickly dismissed her doubts.
"It's nothing."
Her tone was indifferent.
Then, without warning, she reached for a cup sitting on the table and threw it directly at Zion's forehead.
Zion's eyes narrowed for the briefest instant.
A flash of anger surged through him.
'This woman is actually testing me.'
The cup struck his forehead.
**CRACK!**
"Argh!"
Zion cried out and deliberately fell backward from his chair.
The impact genuinely hurt, but he had no choice except to endure it.
If he dodged, Vanessa would immediately become suspicious. Anyone with fighting experience would instinctively react to an object suddenly flying toward their face, especially if they possessed the strength he had displayed outside.
Instead, Zion had allowed the cup to hit him.
The performance was more important than the pain.
Still, as he lay there, a trace of regret surfaced in his mind.
'Why did I introduce myself with my real name that day?'
What had he been thinking?
Perhaps he had simply wanted to show off a little.
Or perhaps he had been curious about Princess Callista.
Whatever the reason, revealing his identity had created an unnecessary problem.
Vanessa looked down at the fallen young man.
The suspicion in her eyes gradually disappeared.
The person before her really was the useless Zion.
There was no way someone capable of fighting like the young man from the street would simply stand there and take a cup to the head.
Her test had given her the answer she wanted.
Beside her, Kaelan quietly relaxed as well.
If Vanessa could treat Zion like this without hesitation, then she clearly had no feelings for him.
"Your Highness..."
Kaelan began, but Vanessa had already turned away.
"Let's go. I've confirmed it."
The disdain in her voice was unmistakable.
She glanced once at the broken cup and the trembling young man before walking out.
Kaelan followed her, though his eyes lingered on Zion for a moment.
Neither of them noticed the faint coldness that had replaced the fear in Zion's eyes.
He waited.
The moment their footsteps crossed the threshold, Black and White sprang into action.
The two furballs had already been prepared for this.
A fine layer of itch powder clung to their fur, and all they needed to do was make physical contact with their targets.
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
They shot out of the courtyard like two tiny furry projectiles.
Black slammed into Kaelan while White darted toward Vanessa.
The contact lasted barely an instant before both furballs bounced away.
Kaelan and Vanessa immediately stopped.
They had both felt something strike them.
Yet when they turned around, there was nothing to be seen.
The two exchanged a puzzled glance.
Neither could make sense of what had just happened.
After a brief hesitation, they continued walking.
Perhaps they had imagined it.
Perhaps it was some strange phenomenon.
Or, considering the rumors surrounding Zion's courtyard, perhaps the place really was haunted.
Once they were gone, Black and White rolled back inside.
Zion looked at them.
"Did you do it?"
"Done!" Black announced proudly, puffing out its fur.
"Of course we succeeded," White added confidently. "Who could stop us?"
Black attempted to raise its nonexistent eyebrows in triumph, but the only result was a ridiculous twitch of its eyes.
Zion laughed softly and reached down to stroke their fur.
"Good."
His smile faded slightly as his gaze shifted toward the direction Vanessa and Kaelan had gone.
"Today isn't the day for real revenge. But collecting a little interest first should be fine."
He glanced at the pocket watch nearby.
The powder would not take effect immediately.
"It should begin working after about forty-five minutes."
Zion leaned back.
"Let's see how they handle it."
***
By the time Kaelan returned to the Princess's Manor, he had almost forgotten the strange sensation of being struck by something on the road.
Almost.
He was stepping down from the carriage when a faint itch suddenly appeared beneath his clothes.
Kaelan frowned.
It was barely noticeable, so he ignored it.
Then the sensation returned.
Stronger.
He shifted uncomfortably.
Vanessa, who was beside him, noticed immediately.
"Kaelan, what's wrong?"
"N-nothing, Your Highness."
He forced a smile.
But his body was already beginning to betray him.
His shoulders twitched, and his fingers curled slightly as another wave of itching spread beneath his clothes.
Vanessa frowned.
"Why are you standing like that?"
"I said it's nothing."
Kaelan tried to maintain his composure.
Then the itching intensified.
It was no longer confined to one place. The sensation seemed to spread across his body, crawling beneath his skin until it felt as though countless tiny insects were moving underneath his clothes.
Kaelan's face changed.
"What..."
He scratched his arm.
For a moment, the sensation eased.
Then it came back even stronger.
His hand moved to his neck.
Then his waist.
Then his legs.
He scratched wherever he could reach, desperately trying to find some relief.
Vanessa stared at him in confusion.
Kaelan's movements became increasingly frantic.
"You... are you laughing at me too?"
Vanessa's expression changed.
"What are you talking about?"
"N-no... Of course not."
Kaelan's face flushed red.
"I'm just... itchy."
Another wave struck.
He couldn't endure it anymore.
He began scratching furiously, no longer caring who was watching. The more he scratched, however, the worse the itching became.
"It itches..."
His voice trembled.
"It really itches!"
Tears soon appeared in his eyes.
His usual composure had completely disappeared. He wanted nothing more than to escape his own skin.
Vanessa finally realized that this was not some ordinary discomfort.
"Kaelan, what's wrong with you?"
"Your Highness, help me!"
He looked at her desperately.
"Please! It itches too much!"
Vanessa froze for a moment before turning toward the servants.
"Find a physician!"
The commotion spread rapidly throughout the manor.
Servants rushed over, and at first several of them assumed Kaelan had developed some kind of rash.
That assumption lasted only until they saw his skin.
Red marks already covered large portions of his body from his frantic scratching.
Something was seriously wrong.
***
Back at the General's Manor, Zion sat comfortably in his courtyard with a pocket watch in his hand.
He glanced at the time.
Forty-five minutes.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"Right on schedule."
The afternoon sunlight fell gently across his features, making him look almost peaceful.
The amusement in his eyes told a different story.
By evening, news of Kaelan's mysterious condition had already spread throughout the imperial city.
Naturally, it eventually reached Zion.
He lay on his bed, looking considerably more relaxed than he had in the morning.
The itch powder had done its job beautifully.
For once, he felt that he could sleep peacefully.
His dear brother, however, was probably having a miserable night.
If Kaelan had never poisoned the original Zion...
If he had never encouraged him to take his own life...
Perhaps Zion would have shown him mercy.
Perhaps.
But the debt still existed.
And debts had to be repaid.
If the principal could not be collected yet, there was always interest.
The two furballs rolled around beside him.
Black eventually climbed onto Zion's chest and looked at him.
"Master, your itch powder is really powerful. I didn't know it would make him scratch himself like that."
Black had been dissatisfied that morning because it thought Zion's punishment was too mild.
After hearing about Kaelan's condition, however, it finally understood that its master had known exactly what he was doing.
Zion smiled lazily and stroked its fur.
"Of course it's powerful. I made it myself. It's not one of those weak powders sold on the market."
White rolled over beside him.
Its round mouth twitched slightly.
Their master was terrifying.
Black suddenly tilted its head.
Something didn't seem right.
"Wait."
It looked toward White.
"Why hasn't Vanessa started itching?"
White froze.
Black's eyes narrowed suspiciously.
"Don't tell me you messed up."
"How could I fail at something so simple?"
White puffed up indignantly.
Zion shook his head with a smile, "No, you didn't mess up. Both of their actions and betrayals are of different levels. How can we give them the same treatment in revenge?"
Black and White glanced at one another, what their Master meant.