Chapter 14
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Chapter 14
"Welcome."
"Advisor."
Former con artist, current advisor.
Yurta, whose main occupation was advisor, was waiting for me. He greeted me with an impassive expression.
"I heard from Dale that you wished to meet The Lord, Miss Ann."
"Yes."
At that, Yurta's face clouded with concern.
"However, he is not in a suitable state to receive visitors at present."
"I heard he was ill."
"You already knew, then. In that case, there's little more to—"
"I'm a physician."
"...!"
In that instant, Yurta's eyes widened.
He adjusted his spectacles.
"Then... could it be that the reason you've come today is to examine The Lord?"
An unmistakable glimmer of hope kindled in Yurta's gaze.
The main building of Lord's Castle was decrepit even within its walls.
It seemed a thorough cleaning had not been done in ages, and various sections lay neglected and poorly maintained.
"But as you can see, we have no funds to offer."
Yurta's voice grew hollow.
"We could only maintain Lord's Castle by taking the brokerage fee from introducing the house to you."
"I won't charge you anything for now."
At that, suspicion flickered across Yurta's face.
"What is your reason?"
"Of course I'll be compensated. I'll accept payment for my labor, but not now—after The Lord recovers."
"We in Grunvalt have neither land nor buildings to offer you."
"My thinking differs."
He stared at me intently, as if trying to discern my intentions.
"The opportunity exists only now."
"We have sought many remedies and attempted various treatments thus far. Yet none have shown any improvement."
And as if having reached a decision, he spoke.
"...So it is worth placing our final hope here."
I let out a soft laugh at his words.
"You have a talent for gambling."
And I ascended the spiral staircase.
The stench of illness was growing stronger.
I could barely breathe.
The scent I'd detected at the birthday celebration had been merely medicinal herbs.
But this—this was like acrid black smoke mingled with the earthy smell of rain-soaked soil igniting into flame.
I held my breath.
Yurta opened the tightly sealed door for me.
And there lay The Lord, motionless upon the bed.
"How long has he been like this?"
I approached and examined The Lord carefully. He seemed delirious, uttering labored groans.
"He was never in robust health to begin with. His chronic condition has persisted for quite some time. As for his collapse—his inability to move at all—that occurred roughly three months ago."
"Three months. That's hardly an ideal window for treatment."
Three months had already elapsed; it seemed we'd missed the optimal moment for intervention. At this, both Yurta and Sophia, the woman beside her, grew visibly darker in countenance.
"However."
I withdrew the medicine bottle I'd prepared.
"Fortunately, I do have a remedy that should suit The Lord quite well."
This scent emanating from The Lord.
It had been worthwhile to recall that previous encounter. It was definitely a smell I'd encountered before. Now that I smelled it again, I was all the more certain.
Yurta gazed at the medicine bottle I held, her expression troubled.
"Is that transparent medicine truly the solution?"
"Well, if you don't like it, there's nothing I can do."
I tucked the medicine back into my bag.
"I'll return later."
But why wouldn't the bag close? As I pressed down on it repeatedly, my eyes met Yurta's.
She had slipped her hand into my bag, deliberately preventing it from closing.
Yurta managed a smile.
"That was an uninformed question on my part. I apologize, but might you explain once more?"
I'd been caught.
I slowly shook my head, feigning contemplation.
"I know of no treatment method other than administering this medicine."
"It's not that I distrust you, Miss Ann. But we find ourselves in a situation where we must secure one certain method, and one alone."
Yurta spoke with earnest conviction, her voice unwavering and strong.
But I knew what this illness was.
"My Grandfather suffered from this very same condition long ago."
"...!"
"He suddenly experienced hallucinations, spoke nonsense, developed severe memory loss, and broke out in rashes on his arms and the soles of his feet, didn't he?"
"How could you possibly know?"
Yurta's eyes widened.
"His pupils will grow clouded, and especially at night, he'll keep insisting he wants to take walks. It becomes difficult to distinguish whether it's a mental ailment or a physical disease."
Both Yurta and Sophia held their breath, their eyes meeting in silent exchange.
"During the incubation period, there are no symptoms whatsoever. Then one day, all of these symptoms erupt simultaneously."
"I'll pay you whatever compensation you ask for!"
At that moment, a small hand grasped mine.
It was Sophia, the Lord's granddaughter.
"Miss."
"Please, save my grandfather! He's my only family!"
"I understand. Let me ask you something—do you have any cozflower herbs?"
"I'm afraid we don't have any... We've used up almost all the medicinal herbs we had stored."
They must have exhausted all their finest medicinal herbs treating the Lord's illness.
"Could you request help from Kidland? Since Adeline Kidland is living here, perhaps we could ask her."
"...Adeline has locked herself in her room for several days now and won't come out."
Sophia's words trailed off as she avoided my gaze. Looking at Yurta's expression, I understood perfectly.
'She's been humiliated and is thoroughly sulking.'
But if she wouldn't come out on her own, that was actually convenient.
"Then find me these herbs instead of cozflower."
I handed over a note and lowered my voice.
"Can you hold the Lord's arms and legs?"
"Yes. Of course! But what method will you use to treat...?"
*Thunk!*
I shoved a medicine bottle directly into the Lord's mouth.
"Ack! Ugh! Cough, cough, hack!"
"G-Grandfather!"
"It's fine. He's just complaining because it tastes bitter. Hold his arms and legs for me."
In truth, it was a medicine with remarkably fast effects, but it was quite painful.
"Is this really safe? G-Grandfather is suffering so much!"
"Miss Ann, what exactly is that?"
"Holy water—the Temple's most premium product."
"Holy water...!"
Upon seeing the Temple's seal engraved on the bottle, both Yurta and Sophia quickly pressed down on the Lord's limbs.
Holy water was expensive, after all.
"There. That should do it."
I made sure the Lord consumed every last drop of the holy water.
"But if it's holy water... does Grandfather have some serious illness? Did he really see a ghost?"
"No."
An ailment that wasn't quite an ailment—something my grandfather suffered from long ago.
It was precisely...
"Poisoning."
* * *
I counted the money I had brought back.
"Did you visit the Secret Bank?"
Dale, who had returned home late at night, approached with a startled expression.
He sat beside me and tilted his head like a curious puppy.
"Dale, your face is so radiant I can't concentrate."
"...I apologize."
Dale covered his flushed cheeks with his hand.
Yet he remained close beside me, hovering nearby without truly moving away.
"Is this perhaps the money you extracted from Count Grunvalt's house?"
He looked at me with a somewhat anxious expression.
"Why? Are you worried I squeezed out the last remaining funds from an already impoverished territory?"
"...No, that's not it."
His denial came far too late.
But I do not covet others' money without reason.
Besides, Grunvalt is the territory where I must live in seclusion from now on—I would never commit such an act there.
"This is a contract advance."
I gestured toward the purse of money sitting on the table.
It was also the portion I had received back from my brokerage fee that Yurta had taken, minus what I had spent.
"A contract advance? Then...have you made a contract with the Lord's Castle?"
"Yes. I got a job, Dale."
"A job?"
Dale's eyes widened in surprise.
"I'll be going back and forth to the Lord's Castle to manage the Lord's health. For the time being."
I had agreed to work as a physician, occasionally visiting the Lord's Castle to assist with the Lord's health management.
Who would be the first to receive news when The Emperor issued orders to each region?
It would be the Lord of that territory.
Should The Emperor ever begin searching for me in earnest, the Lord's Castle would receive word first.
That way, I could quickly learn of any developments involving The Emperor or if he came searching for me.
I had also negotiated a regular monthly salary.
Though it barely covered living expenses, a steady income—however modest—would allow me to manage the household finances responsibly.
And now, I had secured one additional promise from Yurta, who is currently performing the Lord's duties in his stead.
"She agreed to hand over the garden area in the Forest Behind the Manor to me,"
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