The Cure (1)
A single candle flickered in the pitch-black space.
A man clad in a crimson robe knelt on the floor.
Thud—
Red liquid splattered in all directions.
The floor was ankle-deep in blood, sloshing with every movement.
The man spoke.
“I report to the Progenitor. The Third Bishop I dispatched to invite her to join the sect has been unreachable for several days. After investigating, I estimate she was slain in Fernguard.”
A red curtain hung before him.
From beyond the curtain came the voice of a slender woman.
“Order the Second Bishop to move at once and invite her to join the sect.”
“Understood.”
The man in the red robe bowed deeply.
Then, from behind him, a voice rang out.
“Progenitor, may I report something from the First Bishop?”
A woman in a crimson robe stood there, identical to the man.
The answer drifted from behind the curtain.
“Granted.”
The woman spoke.
“I will join the Second Bishop as well. Watching from afar, the girl beside her appears more skilled than the Second Bishop.”
The Progenitor’s reply was curt.
“Do as you wish.”
“Thank you.”
Just as the man and woman in red robes began to retreat, a whoosh sounded and the candle extinguished.
All that remained was the sound of blood sloshing on the floor.
***
A few days later.
Rodeban arrived in Tiliard without incident.
No further attacks came.
The tension that had lingered for days was finally beginning to ease.
Elise’s mansion came into view.
Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind.
If this was the case, I should have tried to be a little more careful.
Still, it was a past event, so regretting it would accomplish nothing.
Moreover, he had failed to retrieve the holy relic the Third Bishop had been carrying.
The moment he touched it, it dissolved into blood and vanished.
In short, he felt a lingering unease.
As the carriage halted before Elise’s mansion, a familiar face appeared to greet him.
“Rodeban-nim. It’s been a while!”
Rodeban raised an eyebrow.
“Hello. Liána.”
It seemed the servants sent along had accompanied him.
Liána smiled brightly.
“Have you eaten?”
“Ah, yes. I’m fine. I’m not hungry right now.”
“The young lady is in the study. She said to bring you there the moment you arrive.”
Rodeban nodded.
“Understood. Then I’ll go right away. Luce, rest in the guest room for a bit.”
“Got it.”
He followed Liána into the mansion.
The study lay on the third floor.
Knock knock—
Liána, who had been knocking, said.
“Young lady, I’ve brought Rodeban-nim.”
—Come in.
As the door opened, a potent herbal scent assaulted his nostrils.
Entering the study, the piles of roots spread across the desk caught his eye.
Elise, seated before them, waved a hand.
“You’re here. How’s your body… wait, hold on. Did you absorb another person?”
Rodeban casually replied that nothing had happened.
“No. Nothing at all. I ate a rare herb called Moonrise Flower.”
“Hmmm…”
A suspicious gaze turned toward him.
Soon Elise adopted an expression of indulgence and pointed to the sofa in one corner of the study.
“…Sit there. I’m brewing medicine here. You went and ate something good for your body on your own.”
Her voice carried a trace of resentment.
Seated on the sofa, Rodeban said.
“The cure is truly appreciated. Still, the herbs only boost magic resistance, so they hold little meaning for the commander.”
“Right. You did well.”
“…”
She sighed deeply and continued.
“I heard from the knights. There was an attack? Since you don’t seem hurt, it’s fortunate. Why is that Progenitor causing such a fuss over you?”
“Well, I don’t know either. At first he only asked for a test, but this time he said since I’m someone the Progenitor loves, just come to the body.”
“Love? Are you her fan?”
“…”
Rodeban’s eyebrow twitched.
People thought similarly.
Elise said.
“…The cure is testing by searching for Black Heart Disease patients. Since I don’t know the exact ratio, I can’t simply feed it to the Second Prince.”
“Well done.”
“Letters arrived from the imperial family too. The Second Prince said he would wait about three months. A few days ago the Grand Duke came to visit, and it seems the negotiations went well.”
Rodeban’s eyes widened slightly.
It was better news than expected.
It felt as though the lost trust had been restored by a fingernail.
He asked.
“Is that so? Do you think it can be done within three months?”
She smiled confidently.
“Don’t worry. Who do you think I am?”
Rodeban recalled the word “demoted” in his mind, then switched his tone.
He did not know what rewards Elise had received from the Grand Duke.
But helping him was something worth being grateful for.
“Elise, daughter of the Teresevan family, youngest 7th-tier mage in the empire’s military, 13th in military power ranking, master of alchemy, renowned for her extensive knowledge, in the social world…”
As he spoke, Elise’s face suddenly flushed and she shouted.
“S-s-stop! This kid… are you mocking me right now?”
Then Rodeban silently scratched the back of his head.
Why does it always turn into a mess when I help.
Elise took a deep breath.
She gestured as if to say go away.
“…Go rest.”
“Yes. Thank you for helping.”
He left the study with a slightly awkward expression.
***
As soon as he entered the guest room, he took a shower.
After all, he had rushed to Tiliard as quickly as possible to avoid any further attacks.
His body was saturated with every kind of scent.
Gurgle gurgle—
Hot water washed away the fatigue in an instant.
He removed the suffocating bandage from his face.
Then, in the mirror, a man with a fierce appearance appeared.
His face blackened in places, the name “Half-Man Half-Monster” suited him perfectly.
…No other villains around.
He wondered what kind of life the original Rodeban had lived.
Since the character had not existed in the game, he could not know.
Just as he was about to turn off the shower and leave the bathroom, Rodeban noticed the presence in the guest room and said.
“…Luce. Why are you here? Bored?”
Luce’s black bob hair was rolling on the bed.
Instead of her usual academy uniform, she wore a white blouse and black skirt.
Luce said.
“When I’m alone, I get bored. It’s lonely too.”
Rodeban’s forehead furrowed as he emerged wearing a robe.
It was the first time he had heard the word “lonely” from her today.
“…Lonely?”
“Yeah. I was a bit lonely at the academy.”
Rodeban made a complex expression.
It was a joy that she had awakened a new emotion.
But since he had planned to send her back to the academy, his chest felt something stuck in his throat.
“Then… don’t want to go back to the academy?”
Luce hesitated, then shook her head.
“I don’t know.”
“If you don’t know, you have to go.”
“Why?”
“…Because I already paid the tuition for this year.”
Rodeban suddenly closed his eyes tightly.
It was an incredibly stingy remark.
Even he, who had said it, was surprised by his own stinginess.
Yet Luce tilted her head.
“Tuition? I receive a scholarship. I’m second place.”
Rodeban’s eyes widened.
Was there truly no talent in the academy?
“What? You never said anything like that in the letter.”
She answered simply.
“Because you didn’t ask.”
“…That’s true.”
Rodeban sighed.
Right. I thought she couldn’t study anyway, so I didn’t mention it in the letter.
Still, why did Luce seem so unlucky today.
A man with immense inferiority complex asked.
“Then what about the money I sent you during that time?”
“It’s there as is. Arga says that with that much money, you can buy a decent mansion on the outskirts of the city.”
“…Hmmm.”
Rodeban clicked his tongue at Luce’s words.
He had only retrieved the money he had kept hidden, yet suddenly felt as though he had earned a huge sum.
At that moment, someone knocked on the guest room door.
Knock knock—
—Rodeban-nim. The lady has come to visit. She is looking for Rodeban-nim…
Rodeban looked toward the door and said.
“Understood.”
***
A black carriage stopped in front of Elise’s mansion.
The carriage door opened, and a silver-haired noble daughter stepped out with a calm gait. It was Seria.
“I greet the lady.”
“Hello. I heard Rodeban-nim has arrived.”
“Ah, yes. Please wait in the reception room for now.”
She had come to find Rodeban.
To inform him of the investigation results so far.
After waiting a short time in the reception room, the door opened roughly, and a woman with long blonde hair entered.
It was Elise.
She entered with a blank expression, then suddenly made a fake smile.
“Oh my, it’s been a while. Crusias daughter. You have become even prettier since I last saw you? By the way, what is the matter…”
It seemed the mansion’s owner did not seem happy to see her.
Seria also smiled gently.
“I’m sorry for coming without notice. I have information to deliver to Rodeban-nim. Madame Benetta.”
Suddenly she covered her mouth shyly and corrected her words.
“Ah, sorry. You haven’t married yet, have you? I’m a bit flighty.”
At that moment, Elise’s forehead twitched.
She was still not divorced from her unfaithful fiancé.
Elise sat on the sofa with a thud.
“…You’ve grown a lot. When you were little, you were very cute.”
“Thank you.”
At this time, servants entered and began serving tea and sweets.
Elise asked.
“Rodeban was called, so he’ll be here soon. What business do you have, young lady?”
“After the investigation into the background of the attack on Rodeban-nim ended. Ah, by the way, I heard there was also an attack on the Teresevan mansion…”
It was referring to the person who attacked Rodeban at the duke’s mansion.
Elise said.
“Ah, the retired knight is still being interrogated, but nothing has been found yet.”
“Oh dear, I see.”
Seria nodded.
It was an expression with a subtle sense of superiority, as if to say you still haven’t found it.
In reality, Elise hadn’t found the background of that retired knight yet, so she had nothing to say.
Thanks to that, the conversation ended there.
“…”
“…”
For a while, no words were exchanged.
Then the door opened and Luce entered.
“Hello. Sisters.”
“Luce. It’s been a while.”
“Luce, come here.”
Luce sat on the empty sofa.
Since she had keen senses as much as Rodeban, the conversation between the two ladies was overheard.
During the brief silence…
Luce looked back and forth at the two people.
She recalled a part from a romance novel she had read relatively recently.
It was a scene where two women argued over one man, and it fit the current atmosphere perfectly.
The moment the uncle appeared was the most anticipated, but suddenly a knock sounded.
Knock knock—
The next moment, Rodeban entered the reception room.
The girls’ gazes in the room all turned to him.
“…”
After looking around inside, he finally opened his mouth.