TFSG 86

Chapter 86

The Terminal Baby Physician Doesn’t Hide She’s a Genius

Maybe it was because my expression was so blatantly ridiculous.
Sylvester just lightly shrugged his shoulders.

“In truth, this is the kind of story only the heads of the eight families… or those on their level are allowed to hear.”

So he was saying it’s something he wouldn’t even tell a lord he met as an imperial envoy.

What on earth is he thinking, telling this to a physician he’s met for the first time today?

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Isn’t it part of the contract to disclose the envoy’s purpose?”

Sylvester spoke as if it were obvious, even tapping at his own neck as he did so.

“Did the contract look easy to you? If I’d tried to hide the envoy’s goal, I’d have been dragged underground myself.”

“…”

“And conversely, if there had been any intent in your medicine to deceive me, then it would’ve been you who got dragged under.”

So basically, he’d only been trying to find out the imperial family’s current objective, but ended up snagging a giant fish of information instead.

I glanced down at the bag I was holding and swallowed hard.

“Well, I understand your story. As you said, I only asked about your objective because I thought I might have to relay something to my master. I’m not sure I can tell you everything, though.”

Am I insane?

Of course I’m not going to tell the head of my house.

“But… do you really have to catch that white fox?”

“Ah, come to think of it, doesn’t the Black Family’s territory have the Black Forest? That may come in handy.”

Sylvester’s face brightened as he spoke.

Yeah, that’s where I met our little Raon in that market…

“Have you ever heard anything about this white fox?”

“Hmm… not really.”

I feigned ignorance shamelessly. Sylvester only nodded, as if he hadn’t expected much anyway.

“His Majesty’s orders are absolute. And… from here on, it’s even more classified. It’s currently being said that the white fox is the only thing that can cure His Majesty’s illness. They won’t give up on it.”

I widened my eyes.

‘What does the emperor’s illness have to do with a white fox?’

From diagnosing the emperor myself, I knew he had a nasty, incurable disease.

So I couldn’t guess anything at all.

“Rumor has it, if you eat a part of the white fox, you can even bring a dead person back to life.”

Eek—what is he saying? There’s a kid listening here!

I unconsciously clutched my bag tighter until Father gave me a subtle signal by shifting his hold on me.

— Your fox is going to suffocate.

Ah. Only then did I loosen my grip slightly.

“For the record, it’s not like I actually believe that either. What power do I have? If they tell me to chase it, I chase it.”

For someone explaining so earnestly, his attitude seemed oddly lacking in sincerity. Clearly, he didn’t like this mission.

“…But why are you even telling me this part?”

He’d already told me the envoy’s purpose. This was clearly a favor beyond that.

And he’d even called it classified.

“Ah, Physician. Let’s just say it’s gratitude for saving my life.”

“And?”

“I’m fairly intuitive. Somehow, I feel like… I’ll be seeing you often in the future.”

Sylvester bowed slightly.

“To diagnose and cure an outbreaking plague instantly at first glance—this is an ability I’ve never even heard of. Your skill will soon… shake the Empire.”

There was something in the man’s eyes reminiscent of the time in my third round when he had poisoned me to death.

I swallowed reflexively.

“If you hadn’t treated me, I would’ve been stuck in endless suffering until a cure was developed, just barely clinging to life.”

Sylvester’s eyes curved warmly. The desire in them was unlike the usual base greed I was used to.

“Why do you think I accepted a contract with no set number of favors, promising to grant you whatever you wished?”

Ah, so he did know it was strange?

No wonder he’d accepted such absurd terms so easily.

“If there’s anything you want, contact me. I, too, would like to use your abilities going forward if possible.”

“…As long as I’m paid, anything?”

“Good, you’re quick on the uptake.”

Sylvester looked back the way we’d come, then said he had to go now.

“I’ll leave only when my superior is completely healed. While I’m here, I’ll help you.”

He waved his hand. The wind blew his fingers back just as he stepped a little closer to me.

“I’m curious about the Black Viper as well. But to think you’re such an overprotective father—this is quite surprising.”

“Ahaha…”

I glanced sidelong at Father.

Honestly, it surprised me too. Considering what he was like when we first met, he’d changed a lot.

“Strange indeed. I heard he’d lost his memories…”

“What?”

He knows that much?

“If you’ve regained them, that’s good. I hope you’ve overcome all the tragic events.”

Sylvester said this to Father. Up to that point, it was only mildly shocking.

“Then… what about your wife?”

Sylvester spoke to Father with an almost pitying tone.

“I heard she died very painfully. You must have suffered.”

Even before Sylvester could finish speaking, a chilling sensation ran through me.

…What is this.

My whole body trembled. I couldn’t dare raise my head. Forcing myself, I lifted my eyes.

“And did you recover your wife’s remains? I heard they were taken from you…”

Father’s face was already expressionless.

“Aahhh!!”

And then my body dropped toward the ground. Ah—I’m falling! I squeezed my eyes shut but felt no pain.

Thud—at the last moment, a breeze caught me and lowered me gently to the floor.

Panting in shock, I snapped my head around. This was no time to hesitate!

My eyes went wide as if they’d tear.

‘Father!’

Father was holding Sylvester up by the neck. A chill ran down my spine.

“Khh, ugh, what, are, you—urk…”

“Say that again.”

Sylvester’s legs kicked helplessly in the air.

“Taken? What do you mean, taken?”

Father’s eyes were unfocused. He looked like a different person entirely.

“She’s not dead.”

Still gripping Sylvester, Father muttered in a voice I’d never heard before—deadly and low.

Then he murmured again:

“Why would she die…? She wouldn’t die. Not leaving me, not leaving me behind…”

The air around us was thick with killing intent.

It wasn’t like when he crushed a mountain bandit underfoot.

‘This… is he losing his reason?’

No, it was different from Uncle’s madness. This was extreme agitation, rage, confusion…

“She’s not dead!”

Even his voice sounded desperate. I was too stunned to even try stopping him.

Why was he so worked up? He knew his wife had died. Until now, he’d always acted indifferent.

What “trigger” had been pulled?

What was the trigger?

‘Father…?’

When I looked again, Father’s eyes were shaking violently, like someone facing an unbearable truth.

“Kh, what, nonsense, she’s dead! It’s been ages since she—gah!”

“How dare you… speak that name so carelessly?”

“Ghh, stay… still… I can’t die here—kgh!”

Sylvester clawed frantically at Father’s hand. At the same time, a column of earth shot up beneath his feet.

But with a single glance from Father, the wind roared and—boom, boom!—the earth pillar shattered uselessly.

Only dusty gusts drifted down.

“Father!!”

I called him without another thought.

The sense that someone was about to die was flashing like a bright red warning light.