TLFP 2

Chapter 2

After I finally calmed down, I was too embarrassed to lift my head, so I just shut my eyes instead.

I’ve already said everything I needed to… so why am I not going to the afterlife?

Please let me go now.

Please!

Rustle.

Even with my eyes closed, I sensed someone move and flinched.

Ah. I’m still holding onto his clothes.

Father had never liked it when I approached him in the first place.

Thinking it must’ve made him uncomfortable, I hurriedly let go.

“What exactly are you talking about?”

His voice had dropped, colder than before. I froze.

“Who told you such nonsense?”

“…No one.”

But… you didn’t like me.

You raised me out of duty.

I couldn’t even call you “Dad.” I was sure I had blocked your path in life.

If it weren’t for me… Mother would still be alive.

It was only natural for Father to resent me.

I was an illegitimate child.

A rootless bastard he suddenly brought home one day, claiming I was his.

Because of me, his standing in the family diminished even further.

And the child he brought in—of unknown origin—was sickly and had no proper ability to speak of.

So Father was treated like he was nothing in this house.

How often had they pointed fingers, saying that someone with a useless ability would surely have a useless child as well?

But Father was brilliant. If not for me, he would have been recognized by the family.

He should have abandoned me early.

If he had sent me away for adoption somewhere, at least one of us could have lived comfortably.

There were times I resented him. Times I hated him. Times I cried over my own circumstances.

But after he collapsed from illness, I learned the truth.

The countless research notes for treatments in his underground laboratory.

That he had felt responsible for me. That he had devoted so much time to developing a cure for my condition.

“Ah, anyway…”

If I hadn’t been here, he wouldn’t have overworked himself and gotten sick…

Hm?

Wait.

I found out about Father’s illness when I was around ten.

It was incurable.

No name. No known cause. And yet it spread throughout the Empire.

Oh.

“…The cure!”

Doesn’t this mean I can save him?

A cure was eventually developed when I turned fifteen—but Father had been infected far too early. By then, he was already on the brink of death.

So even after the cure was completed, it was too late for him.

And since I didn’t have much life left myself, curing him would have required using all my remaining life force—so I couldn’t properly use my ability.

Wait. Then right now… couldn’t I save him without using my ability at all?

If I save Father, I might live longer than sixteen this time!

If I mature early, hand him the cure, and gracefully leave the family on my own…

Father would regain recognition in the household, and I’d become the admirable child.

I’ll become independent!

Commoners usually came of age at seventeen, but nobles sometimes held their debutante ceremony as early as thirteen or fourteen.

And for nobles, a debutante essentially signified coming of age.

So independence might be possible, right?

I nodded to myself, pleased.

“…I don’t know who put such words in your head, but don’t keep useless nonsense like that in your mind.”

“…Pardon?”

“I didn’t think anyone entering your room would dare to speak carelessly…”

No one really comes in here except you, Father.

The maids only stopped by twice a day to bring meals. That was it.

In short, someone disliked by the head of the household had no real rights.

“Anyway…”

I clenched the blanket tightly.

“This time, it’ll be okay.”

“……”

At my words, Father’s already stern face hardened further, his brow furrowing deeply.

It wasn’t particularly new. He had never been very expressive.

Still, thinking back, he always visited occasionally to check on me—and he had never once raised a hand against me.

“Father will be happy.”

Once I cure your illness and disappear, that is!

And my own condition can’t be cured anyway.

It can’t even really be called an illness. I never told him the details because I didn’t want him to worry more.

“No—I’ll make sure you’re happy!”

I clenched my fists.

“…What?”

“So don’t worry. I’ll handle everything!”

I’ll earn tons of money, cure your illness, and make sure you can leave this rotten family that looks down on you for not bringing in profit!

Good thing I read the newspapers diligently!

If I think carefully, there must be useful information in there.

When I beamed brightly, I saw Father’s pink eyes crease faintly in the darkness.

…Ah. Right. He didn’t like it when I smiled.

I quickly lowered the corners of my mouth.

Without a word, he reached out and placed a large hand on my forehead.

“Are you unwell?”

“…No?”

“You seem to have a fever.”

He muttered gravely, looking deeply concerned. Apparently, he thought I’d gone mad.

A fever’s nothing new.

I blinked innocently and shook my head from side to side.

Father studied me with a strange expression, then nodded.

“In any case, take your medicine and rest.”

“Yes. I’ll eat well and rest well. You don’t have to worry.”

He paused as he was about to leave.

“I can manage on my own.”

My body might be small, but I was originally sixteen.

I’d practically devoured every book in the ducal estate. Being sick meant the only thing I could do was sit in bed and read all day.

“Stop talking nonsense and sleep.”

“Yes. Good night, Father.”

Still sitting awkwardly, I bowed my head deeply. He looked at me strangely before leaving the room.

As soon as he was gone, I scrambled out of bed.

I searched the room and found a notebook and pen, then hurried back.

It was night. Outside was dark, and only moonlight seeped in.

First… let’s write down ways to make money.

The timing of Father’s illness was crucial too.

Trying to write with my tiny hands wasn’t easy.

And why did the quill insist on bending whichever way it pleased?

Frustrated, I switched to a fountain pen.

Then I carefully began listing things to do.

1. Early detection of Father’s illness.
   (Initial symptoms: dizziness, declining vision, dulled senses, excessive sleep, black spots appearing on arms and body.)

2. Begin developing the cure for the incurable disease now!
   (Beware of black animals—black foxes, black rabbits, etc.)

3. Invest in “Sanya” textiles and the shipbuilding industry to fill Father’s pockets!

4. Subjugate the barbarians who will attempt to seize the territory.

5. Improve Father’s image within the family!

After organizing everything neatly, I nodded.

After Father fell ill, I had read not only every related newspaper article but also every pharmaceutical text I could get my hands on.

Security had grown lax, so I even snuck out to meet physicians.

So I knew the medicinal herbs used in the cure. I just needed to rediscover the formula.

And since I’m here, testing won’t be a problem.

Thankfully, after years of research, scholars had eventually identified the infectious agent behind the incurable disease that swept through the Empire.

Jet-black animals.

Rarely seen black wild animals were the source.

Honestly, it’d be easier if I just got infected myself.

I tilted my head thoughtfully.

After all, as long as I still had lifespan remaining, I wouldn’t die from most illnesses.

Ah—nobles in this world were called those chosen by God and were granted divine abilities.

Father’s ability accelerated plant growth.

Mine allowed me to heal light injuries—so long as the person wasn’t already dead.

The downside was that the cost was my life force… my lifespan.

And it didn’t work well on diseases. Plus, it required medical knowledge to use properly.

“Alright. Let’s do this.”

Maybe because I was younger—or because of the fever—my eyelids felt heavy.

“…I’ll just sleep a little first.”

Thud.

I lay down, pulled the blanket over myself, and placed my hand where Father’s warmth still lingered.

Then I closed my eyes.

Night fell.