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Chapter 84
The Terminally-Ill Baby’s Doctor Doesn’t Hide That He’s a Genius
“Are you not going to take any money?”
“Huh…? Didn’t you just say you liked money a while ago?”
“I’m not taking it from you. What you just said is enough.”
Sylvester’s face went strange.
Whatever. I opened the medicine bag my father had been carrying.
“You’ll treat him?”
“Wait — you’re going to treat him just on verbal agreement? At least leave a contract.”
“His condition is serious. Fine. I’ll leave it to your conscience.”
“Wait—!”
I poured water into my hands.
A jet of water shot up.
I smiled at the man whose glasses had splashed with water.
Ha — I’m getting to see his flustered face, the one he always hides so well.
“Don’t pass out. It’s hard to give medicine to someone who’s unconscious.”
Since I’d already prepared medicine for Lord Roderick, making another batch wasn’t difficult.
“Hmm, he might be a little low on energy today.”
I checked the remaining strength carefully and handed the finished potion to Sylvester.
“Drink this.”
Sylvester gripped the bottle and sighed.
“This feels like cheating a child out of candy. For what it’s worth—don’t do business like this, whether it’s trade or deals.”
He glanced at his fainted superior, then looked at me and shook the bottle a little.
“Clearly, someone without illness is much preferable. Let’s make a proper contract.”
Sylvester stomped his foot as if a little unnerved. That was when my father took a step back, holding me.
Kururuhng.
With a small vibration, a column of earth rose from the ground.
“You needn’t be surprised. I’m an earth mage.”
Strangely, the top of the dirt column had been cut at an angle.
Its smooth surface had a shallow palm-shaped depression.
“Put your hand there. The ability I’m using now is the basic binding used in contracts. If either party breaks the agreed terms, it’s the kind of power that drags them down into the earth.”
I knew that earth mages oversaw contracts related to the land.
I’d even signed an earth-mage contract once. Still, this format was new to me and fascinating.
“All right.”
I tried not to smile openly.
Even if I treat him first, I have a way to make him behave and listen to me later — so if he agrees to this, I’m grateful.
Just then, my hand—about to be placed on the earth column—was held back.
My father, face full of displeasure, put his own hand down instead of me.
“Do you think you can just place your hand wherever? I’ll do it.”
Sylvester answered my father.
“Sorry, but that’s not possible, Marquis Heukbi. This contract must be made by the parties involved.”
I patted my father and placed my hand on the spot.
“It’s okay, Dad.”
“…If you do anything foolish, I’ll cut off your head.”
“…”
…This father of mine — since being exposed as the King of Assassins, has he decided to drop the filter from his speech?
“Don’t worry about your daughter!” my father snapped.
I grabbed my father’s face the way he had been holding mine and pressed his lips tight.
Then, without hesitation, I placed my hand on the contract.
Wuuuung.
A vibration ran through my palm.
Earth covered the back of my hand, and a faint, golden light flowed out.
It was soft and gentle.
This is very different from the earth-mage contracts I know.
Typically, when you write a name at the end of a contract imbued with an earth mage’s power, light spills out — but that light usually stings the eyes.
“Contract terms: The physician will fully cure me, and in return I will grant the envoy’s aims and wishes. Do you agree?”
“Yes.”
“Completed.”
The column of earth faded away. Sylvester had warned that those who broke the contract would be dragged deep into the earth.
“There’s nothing to worry about. Once he takes the medicine, he should recover quite a bit.”
Sylvester swallowed the potion.
The blotches that had covered his cheeks, neck, and the back of his hands faded away.
He looked at his hands in wonder.
“I didn’t think he could be healed… This must be what you Easterners call a fortunate coincidence.”
Maybe. It could be.
If I hadn’t come, everyone here would likely have died.
“So you can save your superior as well, right?”
I stirred the water I’d roused earlier. Then Sylvester stepped in front of the water stream.
“As payment for saving him without taking a single coin, I’ll tell you one thing. My superior is a bit arrogant, unlike me.”
Sylvester pointed at the unconscious man with his fingertip.
He warned that if I restored him fully like he was, he’d be troublesome.
Then he offered a neat suggestion.
“Treat him only halfway.”
“Huh?”
“It may sound strange…”
“No, no — fine.”
“Really?”
“You look exactly how I expected.”
I smiled and waved my hand. I made a potion slightly different in color from the one I’d given Sylvester.
“From the start, I was planning to only heal the envoy halfway.”
“…Why?”
“If he’s only half-healed, he’ll talk sensibly to get the rest.”
If I didn’t treat him, the royal knights would hassle me. But if I cured him completely, he might pester me — talk about taking me to the palace or returning favors — and become a nuisance.
“You said not to play with life.”
“Well, you’re the exception.”
I narrowed my eyes playfully.
“So is your superior the bad kind of person?”
Sylvester shrugged while looking at me.
“Thinking about it, he might be a terrible man. He was abusive in his power. I even considered quitting because of him.”
“Perfect.”
He’d taken the chieftain’s position by claiming he was sick in the first place.
I’d planned to heal him halfway and then use that to blackmail him.
“Ooh, a dragon! Protector of the Western Continent! Thank you… thank you…!”
A moment later, the man Sylvester had called his superior opened his eyes. His name was Detlef Grot.
As Sylvester had said, he was a typical arrogant Western noble.
“Well, I’m alive. I thought Eastern treatment would smell weird, but it doesn’t? Maybe the baby smell is masking the piss smell since he’s an infant? Hahaha.”
He had that kind of casual disdain for Easterners.
“Allow me to offer my thanks,” the arrogant Detlef said pompously.
I smiled politely at him.
“Oh no… I’m a bit short on skill. I think he’ll die in five days!”
“…What?”
Sir, Doctor Piyu is paid afterward; you’ll need to pay more.
“But there might be a way.”
“A w-way? What is it!”
I gave a slightly wicked smile.
“If you show a little sincerity, there might actually be a chance.”
Detlef, who had been inching closer hesitantly, tripped over something that seemed like a gust of wind — which wasn’t surprising.
— Keep your distance.
