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Chapter 85
Fortunately, Detlef seemed to think that the reason he had collapsed was simply because his body had lost strength.
“Sp-spare me! No, please spare me! I’ll do anything! I carry out important duties on behalf of His Great Majesty the Emperor! I can’t die here!”
The desire to survive is the same for everyone, regardless of age or gender. The noble before me was no exception.
Usually, I only dealt harshly with those who insulted me, or the rotten ones. In short, the bad guys. And I always dealt with them in their own way.
So, smiling as brightly as a spring sun, I said:
“Ah, so you mean… you’ll do anything?”
We left the deputy village chief’s house.
Just moments ago, Detlef, who had woken up acting high and mighty, had instantly turned into a trembling beast with his tail between his legs after just one word from me.
‘M-money! If it’s money you want, I’ll give as much as you like!’
In fact, Detlef and Sylvester had passed through several towns on the way here, but in none of them had anyone been able to cure Detlef’s illness.
So when I scared him just a little, he quickly backed down. It made all his arrogance and insults seem laughable.
People like him were easy to handle. They cared about their own health more than anything else.
If you imply that the cure might vanish unless they obey, they never dare refuse.
Anyway, I wrapped up the matter with Detlef neatly, then brought Lord Rederick back to the deputy village chief’s house.
‘What I saw earlier—I will keep it secret. I swear it on my honor and ability.’
The lord swore, unprompted, that he would never reveal anything.
‘Hmm, the more I see of him, the more I like him.’
Then he had Koma summon his knight, promising to ensure that men and supplies would arrive sooner to aid us.
By now, word must be spreading that the Black Family had arrived.
And as the plague gradually began to die down, people wouldn’t be as reluctant to come when called.
‘Don’t worry about money. As you saw, the Emperor’s envoy will take care of it himself.’
‘Yes, ha ha. Very reassuring. You also have quite the skill, I must say.’
“Now we don’t need to worry about money,” I muttered.
At that, Father stopped walking.
“Was this your plan from the beginning?”
“Hmm…”
In the third timeline, I remembered that the Imperial envoy had died in Chemik Village. The moment Lord Rederick mentioned the envoy, the thought came to me.
‘Since treating the envoy is unavoidable, I might as well profit from it.’
And it worked out well.
I met Sylvester, and thanks to his cooperation, I could now learn the envoy’s true purpose.
‘Since the Imperial Family is our ultimate target, I need to know what they’re doing at this stage.’
I remembered the major events. All I needed to know was what schemes they were up to right now.
I was about to answer Father when I hesitated. After all, there was someone here who made me uneasy.
“Am I making you uncomfortable? Please, speak freely,” he said.
It was Sylvester.
He had silently watched me deal with Detlef, then offered to see us off, tagging along.
“How far are you planning to follow us?”
“Hmm? I must pay the price, mustn’t I? You wanted to know the envoy’s purpose.”
Oh, so he came along to tell us that?
He didn’t strike me as the diligent type.
In the third timeline, when I became the Chief Physician, I had often been summoned by the Imperial Family for consultations.
The Emperor, plagued by a long illness, often wasn’t in his right mind.
‘Though I had the means to treat him, I pretended not to know.’
Because my only goal was the Imperial treasure.
Since Sylvester oversaw reports, I naturally came into contact with him. After learning of my position, he would often ask me strange questions.
‘Is there a poison that can make a person die of natural-seeming suffocation?’
‘Are you seriously asking a physician that?’
‘But the Black Family is famous for poisons, no? Surely you sold plenty in the shadows.’
That was the kind of thing he asked.
Already irritated enough dealing with the heirs of the Eight Families, I had loathed Sylvester, who only ever brought me bizarre questions.
Even so, whenever I sniffed around for ways to steal the treasure, I often saw him lazing about instead of working.
‘For someone of his status, he lived very quietly. Who would have thought he’d go on to deliberately ruin his own family?’
He had left quite the impression.
“This seems like a good spot,” Sylvester finally said.
We had reached a secluded part of the village. Perhaps because it was full of the sick, the atmosphere was gloomy.
Along the way, we had constantly passed moaning patients, the stench of sickness, and children too weak to cry, only coughing pitifully.
…Seeing all this, all I could think was that I needed to end this plague quickly, request or not.
Stopping in the alley, Sylvester turned to Father.
“Will you block the sound with wind now?”
I worried Father might be offended, but strangely enough, he complied, wrapping wind around us.
Then he turned to me and asked lightly:
“Now that no one can hear… can I hit him a little?”
…So he was annoyed.
But come on, Father. Why does this feel more and more like I’m raising three kids?
I’m the kid here, aren’t I?
“Really? Don’t go ordering my dad around.”
“Ah, of course.”
Why was he being so obedient toward me? It only made me more wary.
“Well then, I’ll get straight to it. I’ll tell you the envoy’s objective. Though I suppose… you already have a rough idea.”
Already have an idea? That startled me, though I didn’t show it.
“It’s common knowledge that the Black Family is gathering Imperial secrets to restore its honor.”
“Ah…”
He must mean our family head’s ambition. I nodded vaguely.
“Straight to the point then. The envoys’ task is to travel across the major territories, instructing lords to search for… something.”
“Something?”
“Yes. Hmm… You may find this absurd, but… We’re looking for a small white fox.”
I flinched.
And the presence inside my bag seemed even more startled.
The bag in my arms began trembling violently. I pressed it down firmly. Did Raon realize they were talking about him?
But why was Raon being brought up here of all places?
“A fox? That’s… quite random.”
“Yes, it sounds that way.”
Sylvester crossed his arms, looking hesitant.
“Tell me, Physician—how much do you know about the Eastern Continent?”
…Not much. Other than that its culture resembled the East.
The original story only ever unfolded in the Western Continent.
There, the protagonist Heuk Ayan became head of the family, survived the Empire’s schemes, and gained recognition across the continent as a physician before the story ended.
The Eastern Continent was merely where her ancestors came from, and the trial she had to overcome all her life.
“Despite the many immigrants, few truly know of the East. Most are second or third generation. The first generation, even if asked, kept silent and died with their secrets.”
“What exactly are you trying to say?”
“The West has always been very interested in the East. Especially since healers and physicians are so scarce here. His Majesty the Emperor, in particular, was deeply interested.”
It was well-known that the Emperor had been greedy since youth. His son, the Crown Prince, was no different.
“In the Eastern Continent, there are mysterious beings—said to be both human and beast. After long efforts, His Majesty managed to bring one of these beings into the Imperial Palace.”
“…Unless I misheard, that sounds like you’re saying he kidnapped someone.”
Or maybe smuggled, if it was a beast?
I hugged the bag with Raon even tighter. Somehow, I understood why he was trembling.
“You wouldn’t be wrong. For the one His Majesty brought back took the form of a woman.”
A flicker of disdain crossed Sylvester’s face.
“The Emperor treasured this woman dearly. And under her… a child was born.”
“…What?”
“The woman from the East hid her child. But the child’s form… was that of an animal. Hard to believe, I know, but that is all I can tell you.”
I was dumbfounded.
I came here to treat a plague—what on earth was I hearing instead?
If his words were true…
‘Does that mean our Raon is the Emperor’s child?!’
