The Healer of Shadows

Chapter 5 Perfume and Blood

Nocturne lay down on the bed inside his quiet room. The bed had no pillow and no blanket—it was cold and bare. But this wasn’t just an ordinary human bed. His bed was something special, not common, and undeniably rare.

In the evening, Nocturne was spotted near two vampires outside his house, where two enemy vampires had been secretly watching him. Nocturne noticed their presence hiding behind the large trees, barely visible in the darkness.

He sensed the threat and ran toward them to launch an attack. But in the chaos of their encounter, Nocturne was hit by a speeding car on the road. The collision was sudden and forceful.

Joy, Who happened to be passing by, witnessed the entire accident. Her eyes widened in shock as she saw Nocturne lying on the ground—the fight was interrupted, and the mystery deepened even more.

Joy rushed to help Nocturne and brought him to her uncle’s hospital, where he was treated and his wounds were cleaned, and a band-aid was placed on his face.

The next morning at the hospital, Joy and her friend Maxine saw Nocturne walking down the hallway. A band-aid was still on his face, but as they watched, it suddenly detached and fell off. Joy noticed it—and was shocked. Nocturne’s face was completely healed, without a single trace of the wound.

Joy: Excuse me, Dr. Nocturne... Why is your face completely healed? That wound was serious just yesterday.

Nocturne was confused. He hadn’t noticed that the band-aid on his face had fallen off. He touched his cheek—smooth, without a trace of injury. Only now did he realize the wound had healed, even though he hadn’t felt any pain or recovery. His thoughts were scattered, and his voice came out uneven.

Nocturne: Ahh... hmm... Don’t worry about it.

He quickly walked toward his room. Joy, unsatisfied with his answer, followed behind him.

When they reached the room, Nocturne sat on the edge of the bed, avoiding Joy’s gaze. Joy stepped inside, her voice tense but filled with concern.

Joy: Are you hiding something from me? This doesn’t seem normal.

Nocturne: I don’t want to explain. We’re not close.

Nocturne grew frustrated. He pointed toward the door.

Nocturne: Then leave.

He returned to sit quietly at the edge of the bed. Joy stepped out of the room, glancing back at the door—confused and hurt.

The next day, after Nocturne’s operation in the operating room, he was quickly summoned by Dr. Henry to come to his office. Dr. Henry said there was something important and confidential to discuss regarding a VIP patient.

When Nocturne arrived at the office, Dr. Henry wasn’t there yet. While waiting, he noticed an album slightly open on the desk. Out of curiosity, he approached and flipped through the pages.

He was shocked by what he saw—old photos of his father and mother, and a man who looked exactly like Dr. Henry. The man’s appearance in the photos hadn’t changed at all, even up to now. It was uncanny. Nocturne quickly took pictures of the album using his cellphone.

Dr. Henry arrived, slightly flustered.

Dr. Henry: I’m sorry you had to wait so long. I was speaking with someone. Please, have a seat, Dr. Nocturne.

Nocturne smiled, though his mind was racing with questions. They began discussing the VIP patient—a chairman from another company who specifically requested Nocturne to perform surgery for a rare illness. No other doctor could handle the case, and Dr. Henry had full confidence in Nocturne.

Nocturne agreed to take on the task, but his curiosity about the album lingered.

Later that night, he secretly entered Dr. Henry’s office to search for more evidence. But he didn’t realize someone was watching him.

Clara, an assistant doctor working overtime, saw his movements and reported them to Dr. Henry the following morning.

Nocturne was invited to Dr. Henry’s house—a secluded and elegant mansion nestled deep within the forest. The air there was heavy with mystery, and the silence surrounding the estate felt almost unnatural. As Nocturne stepped inside, he was greeted personally by Dr. Henry.

Dr. Henry: Welcome to my home, Dr. Nocturne. I can see you’re desperate to uncover the truth. Well then… I am a vampire—just like you. And yes, I’ve known for a long time that you are one too.

Nocturne was stunned. He had only recently begun to suspect that Dr. Henry was hiding something, but hearing it confirmed sent a chill through his body.

Dr. Henry: I’ve always wondered why you never asked why I look so human. Why didn’t you sense my true nature? Let me show you something I use every day.

He walked over to a polished cabinet and retrieved a small, ornate bottle.

Dr. Henry: This is my special perfume. It’s not ordinary—no one else can make it. It masks my scent, shields my aura, and allows me to walk among vampires like you without being detected.

Nocturne looked at him intently.

Nocturne: Have you… killed people? How do you manage to live a normal life?

Dr. Henry fell silent, clearly affected by the question. He approached a locked chest and slowly opened it, revealing rows of vials filled with deep crimson liquid.

Dr. Henry: You want to know the truth? Inside this box is my food—special blood taken from patients, ethically sourced. I drink it twice a day. It’s the only thing I consume. I don’t eat human food. This is my life.

He picked up one of the vials and handed it to Nocturne.

Dr. Henry: Take this. I want you to try it. If you like it… I’ll give you more.

Nocturne accepted the gift and immediately returned home to help his close friend Elio uncover the truth about what was really inside the blood.

Three weeks later, Elio discovered the truth. He found out that the blood was addictive and could transform a person into a serpent-like creature. He quickly called Nocturne to share what he had learned. Nocturne had just come from work and rushed home. There, he realized that Dr. Henry’s methods were wrong—they weren’t good at all.

Nocturne continued investigating and updating his parents’ album, which contained information related to Dr. Henry. The next day, he uncovered a long history: Dr. Henry was once a friend of his father but had become a traitor and enemy. Nocturne read a book written by Dr. Henry that revealed old secrets—Dr. Henry had envied his father for being promoted to doctor. Out of jealousy, Dr. Henry ordered his servant to kill Nocturne’s father at that time.

That night, Nocturne studied and searched extensively about the Chairman’s VIP patient and quickly understood the procedure he was preparing. One day, Nocturne requested a blood sample to create a cure for the disease—and his efforts were immediately successful. A month later, in the VIP room, the Chairman’s patient waited for Nocturne to begin the operation. The procedure was successful, and the patient began to recover.