80
I Killed the Demon King. It was a mistake.
Chapter 80
Harrison nodded after hearing Finn's explanation.
"Is it true that you can definitely cure malaria?"
"Yes. It's definite. 99% of clinical trial subjects have successfully been cured. And we've also cured people who were infected with malaria in the demon realm."
"What about side effects?"
"None have been discovered so far."
Harrison thought for a moment and then spoke.
"But I feel like the Royder Order won't like this treatment when it's created. Do you have any plans to deal with that?"
"Well..."
"As I thought, you haven't considered that yet."
Harrison took off his glasses.
"Malaria is one of the few diseases that can be treated with a potion. Using a 5% holy water potion can provide life-sustaining treatment. From a commercial calculation perspective, from the Royder Order's standpoint, they would lose their fixed potion sales point."
Finn nodded in understanding.
"I know. However, for malaria contracted in the demon realm, even using a potion makes life-sustaining treatment extremely difficult. Even using a 10% potion only makes one feel better for half a day before falling ill again. The mortality rate is much higher than existing malaria. But this treatment, after just one injection, means you'll never have to worry about malaria again."
"That's very encouraging, but if the Royder Order gets seriously involved, you might not even be able to recover your investment."
"But this is about saving people. Do you know how many people die from malaria?"
"That's not important. What's important is that this medicine will significantly harm the Royder Order's interests. This isn't just a business perspective, but a matter that needs a political approach."
Harrison said while interlocking his fingers.
"You either need to get permission from the Royder Order, or share profits with them, or find someone who can protect you from the Royder Order's interference."
"Actually, I was trying to proceed with a joint investment with the Royder Order. However... My master absolutely opposed it."
Harrison tilted his head.
"Is there some bad history between Professor Smir and the Royder Order?"
"I don't know. He absolutely never explains it to me. But one thing is certain: the Royder Order doesn't seem to like Professor Smir either."
"Hmm... Does Sir Caesar know about this?"
"He said he explained it before."
Harrison tapped the table.
Caesar knows about Smir's relationship with the Royder Order and still invests in this medicine.
That means the effect is certain and worth investing in.
Honestly, Harrison also smells money from this medicine.
How many patients are suffering from malaria in Dreju, Vex, or Royder?
If all of them are considered customers...
It's definitely a medicine that could make one sit on a money cushion.
"I'll discuss this with Lord Caesar. And please ask Professor Smir to help a bit as well."
"I've already sent letters to the wizards of the Valentine Magic tower asking for support in drug production. They'll send their opinions soon."
"Ask other doctors too. You have colleagues, don't you?"
"Of course."
Finn and Harrison shook hands.
"I'll contact you later."
***
Harrison carefully approached Caesar, who was meditating.
Caesar sensed someone's presence and turned around.
"Did you finish talking with Finn?"
"Yes. It seems to be something that will definitely make money."
"Do we have enough funds?"
"If we invest 5 million Del over three years, it should be possible. Providing the factory site shouldn't be a problem either. But..."
"The Royder Order is the problem, right?"
"Yes. Exactly."
The Royder Order's main income is, of course, potion sales.
The moment this malaria treatment is developed, potion sales will be somewhat restricted.
Of course, potions won't stop selling entirely, but the Royder Order doesn't like these potion alternatives emerging.
They think that if they allow one, other treatments will spring up like mushrooms, eventually reaching a situation where potions are no longer necessary.
"Hmm... Well, there's a way to roughly solve that problem."
"What do you mean?"
"Do you think only ordinary soldiers get infected with malaria? There are knights, wizards, and of course nobles too."
Caesar stood up.
"Get me a few bottles of that malaria treatment. I'll do some sales myself."
***
Caesar met Miles at Benjamin & Sons.
"How's the magic stone business lately?"
"Not bad."
Caesar used psychometry.
-Except for the demon race smuggling business, everything else is fine.
-But that demon race smuggling business is connected to the imperial family, so... It's quite troublesome. Now I can only use land routes.
If there's a will, there's a way, right?
Giving up on transporting demon races by ship, he'll apparently use land routes.
I can't do anything about that.
Isn't war originally brutal for the defeated side?
I want to save them too, but that's beyond my authority.
'What does the imperial family have to do with this?'
"Come to think of it, I haven't seen that yellow band lately."
"There's no need for the yellow band anymore."
-Is he deliberately scratching the surface?
-Or is he testing the waters?
-Well, Sir Caesar must have been angry about the demon race incident.
He read more thoughts, but there was nothing useful.
As expected, forcibly making Caesar recall information through words wasn't easy.
He roughly knows what to expect, but the scenario has changed so much that it's hard to speculate.
"You don't need to worry about that issue anymore."
"Good. That's fortunate."
"By the way, why did you want to meet?"
"Oh, this."
Caesar took out 10 sample bottles of malaria treatment he received from Finn.
"What is this?"
"Doctors and wizards I know developed a malaria treatment. They say the effect is incredible."
"Is that so?"
-Suddenly, what's this medicine?
-Did he meet some strange medicine seller?
-Wait... Malaria?
Miles looked at the medicine bottle.
"Is this treatment definitely effective?"
"They said 99 out of 100 clinical trial subjects were cured. The one who didn't survive died from other complications, not malaria. Mass production is all that's left now."
Miles fell into thought while looking at the bottle.
-Come to think of it, I heard the crown prince had demon realm malaria...
-This might be effective.
-But I'm not sure if I can use an uncertain medicine.
The crown prince had malaria?
Now that I think about it, he had a high fever, headache, and chills.
Classic malaria symptoms.
How did he even contract malaria?
"Who developed this medicine?"
"Professor Smir and a doctor named Finn."
"...Smir."
-Of all people, Smir?
-He's marked by the Royder Order.
-But if it's Smir's work, I can trust it.
"Are you looking for investment?"
"Rather than investment, I'm asking you to clear the way so there's no interference in development and production."
"You know the relationship between the Royder Order and Wizard Smir isn't good?"
"We're quite close."
Miles thought for a moment and then spoke.
"If the effect is certain, I can recommend people who can help. Let's discuss it later. Oh, are you coming to the end of the year party?"
"The one happening in Sapientia in a fortnight?"
"Yes. Looks like you received an invitation."
"I got it from Professor Smir."
Miles took out an invitation from his pocket.
"My invitation would be better than Smir's. Smir has more enemies than expected. If you come with Smir's invitation, you might receive unnecessary surveillance."
"Do you know why?"
"I don't know exactly. But there are quite a few people who dislike him."
Caesar read Miles's thoughts.
-Smir knows too many secrets of the Royder Order.
-He was even nominated as the next cardinal.
-I don't know exactly what dirty secrets he knows, but it seems quite foul.
-There are also talks among wizards about him making non-magical drugs.
-Should I try approaching Caesar?
Caesar was surprised.
It was surprising that Smir was a priest of the Royder Order, and that he knew the secret... Could he possibly know the truth about holy water?
Caesar received an invitation from Miles.
"Well, then there's no need to increase the number of enemies unnecessarily."
"When you come, I'll introduce you to some people. There are quite a few who could become Caesar's friends and sponsors."
- From the Imperial side, from the Prime Minister to the Princess and the Dawn Knight Commander are set to come
- From the Redfield family side, the Appropriate Knight Commander and Mitchell are set to come
- Especially, Mitchell wishes to meet Caesar
- I should grease the wheels so that Caesar can immediately swear loyalty to Michel
Miles said this while adjusting his chair.
"Regarding this malaria treatment sponsorship. There's a method that can be resolved more easily than expected."
"It seems someone wants me."
"You're perceptive as a ghost."
Miles wet his mouth with tea and then spoke.
"Would you not consider swearing loyalty to the Redfield family?"
"Are you talking about the nobility title I mentioned before?"
"The essence is the same. But the direction is slightly different."
Miles interlaced his fingers and spoke.
"The current Duke is quite aged. Because of that, the succession competition is fierce right now. It means that if there's a good talent, they need even one more person at this time."
"So you're telling me to serve one of the successors?"
"Yes. That's correct."
Miles rose with a seemingly sophisticated smile.
"I'll introduce you at the end of the year party soon. But I hope you'll be mentally prepared. The person you'll meet is absolutely not someone to be met with a light heart."
Miles left the tea shop with such a smile, and Caesar fell into contemplation.
'This isn't going to be easy.'
The more Caesar's ambition grew, the more those targeting Caesar seemed to surface.
Now, maintaining true neutrality might be difficult.
"Let me think about it first."
"Then I'll see you at the welcome party."
***
Caesar returned home.
There was a face he hadn't seen in a long time.
It was Gideon.
It didn't seem like he was walking the garden alone; he appeared to be having a conversation with Jake.
Gideon bowed his head towards Caesar.
"I greet you, Lord Caesar."
"Have you finished everything?"
"Yes, that's correct."
Caesar looked at Jake and asked,
"What were you talking about?"
"He was saying this house is too small for Lord Caesar to live in. Also lacking in security."
"Really? Do you think the same?"
Jake glanced at Gideon and then spoke,
"It's not entirely wrong. However, I think the security level is sufficient for a house of this size."
Gideon carefully spoke,
"...It seems I spoke unnecessarily. I apologize."
"What are you sorry about? You'll be working under me from now on, so you can talk about this much. More importantly, let's have a personal conversation."
Caesar said to Jake,
"If Gloria is at the training ground, call her. I want to talk."
"Yes, understood."
Caesar went upstairs to the study with Gideon.
"I heard you've given the first floor to Jake. Isn't it inconvenient?"
"Even in noble mansions, the first floor is given to servants. Think of it similarly."
"Well, that's true, but..."
"And rather than being deathly quiet, watching the kids running around is quite interesting."
Caesar opened the study door and sat in the main seat.
"Sit down. Why are you standing blankly?"
"While coming here, I thought a lot. What help I could be to you, Lord Caesar, and why you took me in. I think the only thing I can do is be your close bodyguard. So..."
"You talk too much. Sit down when I tell you to sit."
"...Yes."
Gideon sat on the sofa.
But he still seemed uncomfortable, sitting with his buttocks not close to the backrest.
"You've probably lived your whole life as a bodyguard for nobles or a dueling opponent. So you won't be used to sitting on such a soft sofa, right?"
"...Yes. That's correct."
"And you don't even know what I'll ask you to do."
"That's correct."
"So let me ask you one thing. What do you want to do from now on?"
"I'll live as you command, Lord Caesar. If you say bark like a dog..."
"Do you think I'm some psycho? Why would I tell someone who could be my father's age to bark like a dog?"
Caesar knows why Gideon trembles before him.
It's probably because Aldo's life is in Caesar's hands.
While thinking it's a pitiful father, the thought is somewhat complicated when considering the consequences of his infidelity.
Thump thump thump thump.
At that moment, the sound of stepping on stairs and knocking on the study door was heard.
"Master, Gloria..."
"Come in."
Gloria opened the door and stared at Gideon with sharp eyes before sitting opposite him.
Gideon calmly accepted Gloria's sharp gaze.
These are probably the inevitable hatred he must accept.
"Master. Now you'll tell me, right? Why did you decide to take in Gideon?"
"That's right."
Caesar poured a glass of water and spoke.
"Gideon is Aldo Sylvatil's father."
"...What?"
Gloria seemed to have a momentary brain freeze, her reaction delayed.