Chapter 201
Nikolai took a deep breath, mentally steeling himself not to squabble with someone who clearly lacked understanding. “Tell me, is the person meant to take this pill, by any chance, suffering from a recent poisoning?”
Poisoning? What on earth?
Collins‘ face clouded over with confusion, and then he shook his head. “No, my buddy just has some nerve damage.”
Nikolai furrowed his brow in response. “That doesn’t add up. This Crimson Sage is specifically. designed to prevent toxins from spreading throughout the body, and it even offers temporary protection for nerves against toxin damage. If your friend isn’t poisoned, why would he need. this medication?”
Collins scratched his head in bewilderment. All he wanted to know was whether this medicine. was safe to take, and now they were discussing poison. This conversation was veering intol realms of fantasy!
Besides, with modern medicine being so advanced, if Leo had been poisoned, the doctors would have detected it during a routine checkup long ago.
Just then, Collins‘ doctor friend chimed in, “Ahem, Collins, this gentleman is the Nikolai I mentioned before. He’s highly skilled in alternative medicine. I dare say you won’t find another practitioner in all of Ashford with his level of expertise.”
Upon hearing this, Collins was genuinely taken aback, and his expression involuntarily shifted to one of respect. He nodded earnestly at Nikolai and said, “My apologies for earlier, Nikolai.”
After a brief pause, Collins addressed the earlier question more seriously. “My injured friend’s sister gave him this medicine. I didn’t know if it was safe, so I thought it best to consult an expert. Moreover, my friend has been thoroughly checked at the hospital, and other than the spinal nerve damage, there are no other issues.”
Turning to Dr. Ray, Collins continued, “If I recall correctly, Dr. Ray, you reviewed my friend’s lab
“esults.”
Dr. Ray indeed remembered and nodded in confirmation. “Correct, the patient’s issue was strictly with the spinal nerves.”
Nikolai fell silent for two seconds before speaking again, “Let’s put it this way: this Crimson Sage pill is classified as S+ grade by the Pharmacist Guild. Only a handful of pharmacists can concoct it, and it’s so rare that it’s priceless.”
Not being an insider, Collins didn’t grasp the rarity of an S+ grade medication from the Pharmacist Guild, but Dr. Ray did. His reaction to Nikolai’s statement was one of sheer astonishment.
The Guild’s medications were categorized into four tiers – A, B, C, and D, with A being the most
precious, B and C following suit, and D representing common, albeit high–quality, drugs not typically accessible to the general public.
An S–grade medication indicated a special class of ancient formulae, and the pharmacists capable of creating them were few and far between, their status almost transcending that of other herbalists. Wherever they went, respect was a given.
An S–grade drug was already extraordinary, but S+ was simply beyond imagination. No wonder Nikolai had been so agitated upon receiving the pill.
Collins was dumbfounded, with the phrase “priceless” echoing in his mind. He might not know about the Pharmacist Guild, but the concept of “priceless” was clear to him. It was akin to how Leo’s albums would sell out as soon as they hit the shelves, leaving even the wealthy unable to snag a copy. So, Collins touched the tip of his nose and ventured, “Is this medicine… that valuable?”
likolai glanced at him, his look still laced with palpable disdain. “You couldn’t match the value of this pill even if there were a thousand of you.”
Collins was taken aback. “That’s a bit harsh, don’t you think?”
