Chapter 205
“I’ll give it to my uncle.”
[Hey-!!]
Storas roared, the ground rumbled as a gust of wind blew into the room. The curtain fluttered wildly.
Taylor, who looked out the window murmured, “Is it an earthquake?”
I spoke to Taylor without averting my eyes from Storas.
“However, I’ll own the distribution rights for drugs made from meria grass.”
“… You’re worse than your father. We call that a slave contract.”
I glanced at Taylor and said.
“It’s a pity that the empire doesn’t have a law to govern such a contract. So, you don’t like it?”
“No.”
Taylor looked up at me and raised an eyebrow.
“It’s great. Give me the meria grass.”
The contractor glowed red.
[This damn……! For generations to come you will regret it!]
Storas flew up after a roar. As soon as I saw it disappearing like dust, I shrugged.
After that, I returned Taylor to the mansion and left the room.
The first thing I did after leaving the room was to secretly contact Seria.
“Seria, bring the grass I mentioned earlier to the mansion.”
[If it’s grass… ah, yes. All right.]
After hearing Seria’s reply, I went to visit Marquess Shuheil and his son Edgar.
“How was it, Lady? Can my husband live…?!”
The marquess took my hand and almost begged.
“Calm down, madam. He will wake up safely. Maybe he doesn’t even have to amputate his leg.”
“Huh?”
As the Marquess’ face brightened, Edgar Shuheil asked with a frown.
“How are you sure of that?”
“That is, so…”
I know where the meria grass is, and it can be used to make antibiotics, and maybe even a better medicine if it’s Taylor.
‘…I can’t say that.’
I put my hands on my chest.
“Somehow, I think someone whispers the cure to me.”
Looking around with cautious eyes, Edgar burst out laughing.
“Does that even make any sense-”
“Edgar.”
The marquess stopped her son with one hand and said to me,
“Neither the doctor nor the priest can be trusted. The only person we can rely on is the lady.”
At the words of the marquess, I smiled.
People seek God in their worst moments.
I glanced at Edgar as he turned his head, biting the tender flesh in his mouth.
Yes, the child of fate heard the voice of God, what would youndo?
‘Oh, my title as the child of fate really helped.’
Mina, please come as late as possible so that I can fully enjoy my title. No, it’s better if you don’t come. You always wanted to go back to your original world.
I smiled brightly and took the marquess’ hand.
“I’ll do my best. Please don’t lose hope, madam.”
“Ah, lady…”
The marquess was weeping.
***
Me and my brothers returned to the mansion.
Taylor, who usually didn’t care whether I came or not, was waiting for me in the courtyard.
“So when are you going to go find the grass? It won’t take very long if you use a long-distance teleportation, but if you want to do a search in the deep mountains, at least three or four days…”
“Aren’t you going?”
“What?”
Taylor frowned and said.
“It was in our contract that you give me meria grass and I save the Marquis of Shuheil.”
At that, Henry, Isaac, and Johann, who had come down to the courtyard to find me, looked at him.
Johann looked at me and asked.
“Contract?”
Isaac grabbed my wrist towards him. Hearing my contract with Taylor, my brothers became worried.
“Are you crazy? Kid, do you know how dangerous a ‘contract’ is? If the contract is not properly executed, all who are entangled must suffer terrible things!”
As Isaac shouted, Henry pushed him away with a stiff face.
“It’s meria grass. How would you find the legendary grass that only appears in myths?”
Jogann gave orders to the knights guarding the courtyard.
“Gather the knights. Let’s gather everything we know about the myths.”
Henry looked at Johann.
“We have to go to Mount Enox. In the myths, it is written that the grass grows on Mount Enox-”
“What?! If it’s Mount Enox, it’s owned by the Duke of Marche! Damn it. Can we get permission to enter before Marquis Shuheil is dead?!”
Isaac shouted “Ah!” and pointed to Henry.
“Let’s sacrifice our oldest brother. When he becomes their son-in-law, we can go there easily!”
“… Lady Marche is 13 years older than me.”
“So what? The kid got tangled up in a contract! If she fails, her skin may melt or she may lose her eyesight!”
Johann said,
“Well, if we only got engaged for a while…”
They must be crazy! I quickly intercepted their crazy babbles.
“No, you don’t have to go!”
“What?”
“What, kid?”
“Huh?”
I shouted, putting my hands on my waist.
“Meria grass is nearby!”
Just then, Hans, Duke, and Seto sent by Seria arrived. I let them see what they bring.
“This is meria grass. You idiots!”
Seeing what was in my hand, my brothers and Taylor narrowed their brows.
Taylor took the grass from my hand and examined it. He looked at me with a doubtful expression.
“Isn’t this a mushroom?”
“Yes.”
“It’s not grass, it’s a mushroom.”
“Oh, because it is.”
They couldn’t find it because everyone focused on the word grass like Taylor. Meria grass is the mushroom’s name.
“That’s meria grass. Grass is just part of the name.”
The mushroom fell from Taylor’s hand.
***
I sat side by side on the sofa with my dad, staring at the lit outbuildings late in the night.
My dad put Taylor in the villa. He attached many elite knights to him instead so he couldn’t escape.
With both hands on my chin, I glanced at Taylor’s shadow flickering by the window.
“He’s really passionate…”
As I mumbled, my father, who was checking the documents, glanced at me.
“What?”
“My uncle. He’s not a good person right? He conducted numerous human experiments, harmed his brother, and many more. However it’s strange that he’s passionate about medicine.”
I blinked my eyes and continued.
“Medicine is about saving people. The fact that he, who has killed so many people until now, and is so passionate about saving lives… Oh.”
While muttering, I suddenly realized something and shook my head. My dad looked at me questioningly.
“I don’t think my uncle is that bad.”
“Why do you think so?”
“Since he killed a lot of people up until now, wouldn’t he want to compensate by saving more people?”
My dad answered, turning his eyes to the papers again.
“Compensation won’t bring the dead back.”
“Still…”
“He killed many people, so make amends to the world by reviving so many other people. What is up with that logic?”
“…”
“It’s just self-consolation. His sins wouldn’t be erased. Don’t feel sorry for him.”
“Then that was the same for us? You can’t give reasons to me, my brothers, and all the people of Dubblede who sinned?”
“Yes. That’s the price we have to bear for taking a different path.”
As I lowered my head, dad patted the top of my head.
“Blaine, there are many values in the world. Justice, cause, goodwill, such a thing.”
“I know.”
“Why do you think it’s worth it?”
“……huh?”
“Because it’s difficult. Not taking the money that has fallen in front of your eyes, sacrificing for so many people, and turning your eyes away from desire are actually more difficult than anything else.”
“Yes…….”
“We chose easier means than others. We take other people’s things, sometimes threaten them with their lives, and we do not hesitate to threaten the peace of others to protect ourselves.”
“…….”
“It’s the weight we had to carry that we can’t turn away from.”
“… Isn’t that so lonely?”
“That’s the price we have to pay.”
I hugged my dad’s waist tightly.
“Still, I love you dad.”
My dad became stiff. He looked at me who was pouting and had a sullen expression as he carefully wrapped my cheek.
“This is enough.”
As I stood on the sofa and hugged my dad’s neck, he stroked my back very very carefully.
“You can say I love you back. I’ll listen.”
“…… Yes.”
My dad was a pitiful villain who couldn’t say he loved me at all.
At best, he could only say yes. It’s just a common answer, but I understand. The affection contained in those short words is unmeasurable. I laughed and rubbed my face on his neck.
***
The next morning, Taylor covered his haggard face with his palm.
‘It’s more difficult than I thought.’
He knew best that making antibiotics wasn’t going to happen overnight, but the progress was too slow.
Then, he heard the door open.
“Hey. I told you not to come into the lab…”
He murmured, and lowered his hand.
“Why are you here? Theodore.”
Theodore looked at him and put something down on the desk. It was a bag full of papers and money.
“…… What.”
“It’s materials that were in the archives of Vallua duchy. Check it out, it might be helpful for your experiments.”
“… You suddenly do this kind of favor to me? Did the sun rise in the west? Did you have any change of heart? Huh?”
Theodore said arrogantly at the sarcastic remark.
“Because my daughter loves me.”
“…… Huh?”
“I want to help her. It’s nothing like doing a favor to a damn foe.”
He said while clutching Taylor’s chin.
“Save Marquis Shuheil.”