The Ascent of Jeffery Flamel; Restoring Alchemy's Legacy

CHAPTER 5

“You’re awake! How do you feel?”

Rita clapped her hands together in relief.

She walked over to him, carefully scrutinizing his body as if she were examining a work of art.

“I’m sorry... Who are you?”

Jeffery asked nervously, sitting up on the bed.

“Rita.” Her lips curled into a small smile.

“You passed out on the streets from a gunshot wound yesterday. I was the one who brought you to the hospital.”

Rita said, folding her arms. “When I rescued you, you had a severe gunshot wound on your back. But strangely, after taking you to the hospital, the doctors informed me that nothing was wrong with you. The wounds even disappeared. Why is that so? It’s unbelievable!”

Jeffery furrowed his brows, sensing a strange yet powerful force swirling within him.

Not only that, he began to feel a natural affinity with the elements around him.

It felt as though he could manipulate and control them effortlessly, with just a wave of his hand.

The sensation was truly astonishing.

Jeffery snapped out of his thoughts.

“Thank you so much for saving me, Rita. My name is Jeffery Flamel.”

Rita chuckled as he awkwardly scratched his neck.

Rita carefully observed his expression after waking up, exactly the same as her childhood friend.

It seems to be him.

However, he seems to have forgotten her?

Suddenly, Rita groaned in pain, crouching down and clutching her chest.

At that moment, a man in a doctor’s coat entered, holding a glass of water and a few pills.

“Miss, I would advise you to take your medicine now,” the doctor urged.

“I will. Thank you,” Rita said weakly, enduring the pain as she took the pills and water from his hand.

Jeffery’s gaze lingered on her pale, sickly face.

The contrast between her current state and the poised, exquisite woman who had confronted him earlier was striking.

“Rita, are you alright?” he asked.

“It’s nothing new,” Rita replied, forcing a smile.

“I have a condition—angina, or so they call it. The doctors can’t explain why I suffer from it. They’ve run every test, tried every medicine, but nothing works. These pills are my only relief.”

Jeffery felt confused about her symptoms.

Suddenly, a strange feeling caught him.

He looked at Rita's chest and suddenly understood her illness and the treatment method.

Alchemy!

Is this the effect of alchemy?

Her complexion was still pale. Seeing this, he made a decision.

“Rita,” he said softly, stepping closer. “I am able to cure your disease.”

Her brows furrowed. “What? You are a doctor?”

Rita was taken aback by his confidence.

“It’s not ordinary angina,” Rita said, struggling to speak. “Even the world’s top medical practitioners couldn’t diagnose the cause, let alone find a cure. Simply put, it’s incurable. I can only rely on painkillers to ease the pain. What gives you the confidence to say you can cure me?”

“I won’t treat it using medical means,” Jeffery explained. “It’s a bit difficult to explain, but let me try.”

Rita furrowed her brows, considering his words carefully.

She recalled how Jeffery’s body had miraculously healed itself, the traces of gunshot wounds vanishing.

Moreover, Jeffery was always very good to her when they were young and never lied to her.

“What is your problem?” the doctor interjected. “Are you seriously joking with us? The audacity to claim you can heal the mistress of her ailments! You haven’t even performed any proper medical examination on her!”

“I think you just want to get closer to the mistress by pretending to be a doctor!”

The doctor’s words stung, but Jeffery knew his methods wouldn’t require an examination. Besides, exposing his newfound alchemical knowledge wouldn’t be wise.

“Enough,” Rita said sharply. “Doctor, I’ll decide for myself. You don’t need to speak on my behalf.”

She turned to Jeffery. “Jeffery, I trust you.”

Jeffery was somewhat surprised.

He didn't expect Rita to trust him so quickly.

The doctor opened his mouth to protest, but Rita silenced him with a raised hand. “You’ve made your stance clear. Now step back.”

Reluctantly, the doctor complied, though his glare lingered on Jeffery.

Taking a deep breath, Jeffery turned to Rita. “For this to work,” he began, his voice steady despite the weight of the moment, “I’ll need you to lie down and… remove your top. I’ll place my hands near your heart and begin the treatment.”

Subconsciously, his gaze fell on Rita’s figure, and he quickly averted his eyes, his cheeks heating to a bright red.