Seleucus, the ruler of this great nation, rejected the mortal blood running through his veins, rejecting the death that fate had decreed for mortals.
Compared to the undying Divine in the Celestial Kingdom, the lifespan of mortals was far too brief; even the longest-lived elves were no different from short-lived ants before the Gods.
From his towering palace, Seleucus looked down and saw the bustling crowd in the Royal Capital, and he lanted,
"Mortals, your feet touch the ground... yet the permanence of the earth is not yours to keep."
People toil and labor on this land... many devote their entire lives to the soil beneath their feet, but what significance does it hold for the earth?
Death...
It signifies an end.
Seleucus could not accept this conclusion.
Beneath the wheels of his chariot, he had seen far too many aningless deaths; now recalling them, perhaps one day, his own descendants would also die a aningless death.
And perhaps, one day after his death, the vast nation he had founded would crumble, his achievents buried by ti, never to be spoken of again like dust.
"I cannot simply die."
Seleucus murmured,
"Death is an end, it is nothingness."
After the death of the Queen, King Seleucus embarked on a quest for eternal life.
He first sought counsel from his father, the Fire God, begging Him for the elixir of immortality.
"Seleucus, my eldest son,"
the Fire God gazed at him,
"Everything has its fate, even the mighty Gods are bound by it,
and you, being mortal, are destined to die, and death is your fate.
Do not vainly pursue immortality, my eldest son,
you should know, after your death, I have already secured a place for you in Nakbet, where you can enjoy glory and happiness."
Seleucus looked at his father, whose fiery red hair and solemn deanor displayed the Divine’s majesty.
"My father, my revered Divine Father.
The Netherworld is bitterly cold, cut off from the sunlight, and barren for miles with no living creatures.
What value is there in posthumous glory, though praised by countless spirits?
The happiness found in the afterlife, even if one can indulge in myriad pleasures, amounts to nothing but emptiness!
My revered Divine Father, I will not just die."
Hearing Seleucus’s words, the Fire God saw the foolishness of mortals in his own son.
"Seleucus, a wise man is one who recognizes himself."
the Fire God sighed,
"Then I would rather be a fool, dreaming endlessly of eternal life."
Seleucus responded thus.
The Fire God ceased to dissuade his eldest son, accustod as He was to the fanciful notions of mortals. At last, He said,
"Seleucus, I understand you ca to seeking the secret to eternal life, but I do not possess the elixir of immortality.
Even though the Gods wield great powers, just as the seemingly boundless land has its borders and the unfathomable sea has its end, the Divine are born immortal but do not know how to grant mortals eternal life.
Seleucus, co to your senses in ti."
The king of Liboga sighed deeply.
Even the Gods revered by mortals did not know the secret to eternal life.
Seleucus felt as if he were trapped in a fog, unsure which path would truly lead to eternal life.
Now, he could only take one step at a ti, groping through the fog.
Years later, when envoys from a smaller nation stepped into the palace of Liboga offering tributes to their sovereign state, King Seleucus heard the legendary tales of Carlo.
"You say, this renowned physician heals all ailnts, and every patient recovers through her dical skills and prayers?"
A glint of light flashed in King Seleucus’s eyes.
The envoys beneath the throne exchanged glances, and one envoy stepped forward and said,
"Your Majesty of Liboga, as you said, Lady Carlo is a highly skilled Imperial Physician. She has cured nurous complex diseases for dignitaries, and personally saved countless lives."
On her hands, perhaps there was no disease that couldn’t be cured."
Upon hearing this, King Seleucus’s breathing beca rapid, and his bright red hair quivered slightly upon the throne.
"Then...
Is aging a disease?
Is death a disease?
If aging and death are diseases, could she possibly... cure them imdiately?!"
King Seleucus’s successive questions left the envoys at a loss for a while.
Eventually, one envoy mustered his courage and said:
"Your Majesty of Liboga, please allow to consult with our king."
King Seleucus had been desperately seeking the thod for eternal life for many years; he would not let go of any lifeline. Seeing the envoy’s vague answer, he said coldly:
"Tell your king to ensure that Carlo cos to my palace."
His tone was almost commanding.
The envoy, sweating profusely, could not refuse.
After all, Liboga was their suzerain.
"Your Majesty of Liboga, I will convey your decree to our kingdom..."
.................
.................
Not long afterward, Carlo was invited to a banquet by the Pri Minister and learned of King Seleucus’s summons from him.
"That, that King Seleucus imprinted on the gold coin?!"
Carlo was montarily shocked, and she lost her composure.
"King Seleucus wants to see you, Physician Carlo."
The Pri Minister’s tone was very respectful,
"I can foresee that with your dical skills, you will receive a reward from King Seleucus that far surpasses any before."
Unexpectedly to the Pri Minister, Carlo appeared sowhat nervous.
"What’s the matter, Physician Carlo, do you have so secret you can’t tell?"
The Pri Minister inquired with concern.
Carlo ca back to her senses and shook her head:
"No, nothing, nothing at all."
The Pri Minister did not know.
Carlo had been able to cure diseases imdiately, relying mostly on the witch’s magic potion over the years.
And now, the magic potion was nearly depleted, only one-tenth remaining.
Although as the potion diminished, Carlo realized she couldn’t go on like this forever and started to painstakingly study dicine, achieving so success.
But compared to the almost miraculous effects of the magic potion, these successes were minuscule.
The number of seriously ill nobles and ministers in the Royal Capital had been decreasing annually, and thus the opportunities to use the magic potion beca fewer, which was the main reason she could maintain her reputation as an eminent physician.
But... once she arrived in the unfamiliar Liboga Kingdom, facing the nearly depleted magic potion, how long could she maintain her lie?
Carlo shivered.
Then, the Pri Minister spoke,
"Physician Carlo, King Seleucus also asked the envoy another question, which I think I should relay to you."
"What is it?"
Carlo asked.
Only to see the Pri Minister take a deep breath and speak:
"King Seleucus asked:
’Is aging a disease?’
’Is death a disease?’
’If aging and death are diseases, could she possibly... cure them imdiately?!’"
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