Chapter 47: What Do You Mean?

Chapter 47: Chapter 47: What Do You Mean?

Chapter 47: What Do You Mean?

The man turned silent.

"And how exactly am I supposed to trust you..."

"I don’t expect you to trust me. From what I’m aware of, her condition has only worsened with each passing day."

"I take it you’ve already exhausted your means?" Osborne raised a brow.

"Not even the mages in the capital were able to do anything. What makes you so sure you can help me?" The man said.

’The Capital? Just who is this man to speak of such a place so calmly...’ Natalie’s interest grew.

"Well, you could just let me treat her. If the treatment is unsatisfactory, you’re free to do with me as you see fit. I’m sure a man like yourself shouldn’t have any problems with that."

"Young Master..." Natalie, on the other hand, didn’t feel so good about this. Putting his life on the line like this wasn’t something she liked.

"It’ll be okay. I’m confident I can cure her with ease." Osborne looked at her and said with a light smile.

He then turned back to Silvester.

"So what will it be..."

"...."

---

Silvester silently escorted them into his simple lodging. Unlike what Natalie expected, there was no sign of luxury.

From the furniture to the decor, everything was quite cheap.

Silvester led them into one of the two bedrooms in the house, where a young girl around thirteen years old was lying atop her bed.

’A Demi-human?’ Osborne was surprised when he realised the girl wasn’t human, but in fact, an elf. And judging by her ears, she wasn’t a half-breed.

Her eyes were squinted, her expression uncomfortable, while she would occasionally squirm about.

"She’s been like this since the beginning of the year... I’ve tried my best, but–" Silvester knelt next to the bed, holding the young girl’s arm.

’The novel didn’t mention her race, so it’s too early to be wary,’ Osborne said to himself.

’I wonder how much torment he must have undergone, feeling so helpless and unable to help her all this time.’

’In the novel, it was later revealed that what affected this young one wasn’t an illness but in fact an illusive curse...’ Osborne pursed his lips. ’Silvester had no idea it was a curse, and she ultimately ended up dying. Only after she died did he learn of the cure for it.’

’Normally I’d need to break a curse using magic, but the novel did show that curses can also be dispelled using concoctions.’

’I can’t have him getting suspicious, so let’s start like this...’

"Hmm..." Osborne approached the girl before gently feeling her forehead.

"It’s just as I thought." He retracted his hand and said.

"W-What? You really know how to cure it."

"Yes... I do, but I’m going to need a few things first."

"Then tell me! Whatever it is, I’ll be sure to get it!" Silvester said, sounding agitated.

"Natalie, I’ll need a pen and paper." Osborne turned towards his chaperone.

"Give me a moment," she said before walking off.

She soon returned right after, then passed the items to him.

Osborne took them before writing down a list of items.

"Fortunately, these should be easy to get here. The only other thing I’ll need is blood from someone who cherishes her as much as she does them." Osborne said with a firm look. "I’ll need some of your blood for the medicinal remedy."

"..." The man turned silent for a moment. "So long as it’ll bring my daughter back to me," he later said.

Osborne nodded.

"Natalie, I’ll need you to procure these items."

"Of course, young master. Leave it to me." She offered a light bow before leaving.

---

"Here are all the items you had me procure," Natalie returned sometime later.

"These are going to help my daughter get better?" Silvester said, sounding a bit skeptical.

"Sir, are you going to go back on your word now that my young master has decided to help?" Natalie gave the man an unhappy expression.

"It’s alright, Natalie. He has enough reason to be suspicious."

"Well, sir, should I begin the treatment then? If you’d like me to leave, please say so."

’Of course, if I do, she might end up dying.’

’So, what will it be? Accept my help to save her, or simply do nothing because of your cowardice and watch her die...’ Osborne’s gaze remained as calm as ever.

Silvester saw Osborne’s nonchalant expression and let out a breath before offering an apologetic bow. "Please forgive my indecisiveness... You may begin with the treatment," he said.

"Splendid." Osborne nodded with a light smile.

He then went ahead to mix all the medicinal ingredients he had Natalie procure.

Only after smashing them together and extracting their liquid essence did he look at Silvester.

Silvester understood what he wanted and stepped forward.

He then stretched out his hand before a sword seemingly flew into it.

Natalie’s expression faltered for a moment seeing that.

She tried deciphering the blade, but it was but a normal blade.

’Then did he do that with his aura alone?’ Natalie contemplated, finding it absurd. Even she herself hadn’t reached the level of using her own aura to manipulate external objects.

’Just how does the young master keep finding strange people like this...’ She grew even more bewildered by Osborne’s capabilities.

Meanwhile, Silvester used the blade to make an incision on his palm, drawing blood, which he poured every drop into the cup Osborne used to hold the medicinal liquid.

Strangely enough, the moment his blood entered the liquid, its surface released a pinkish gas which dispelled on its own shortly after.

This time around, Osborne didn’t wait for Silvester’s permission and approached the young girl on the bed, before gently lifting her head forward from behind and placing it on his lap.

He then gently pried her mouth open and poured the cure in little by little so as not to choke her.

Fortunately, she unconsciously drank everything.

"W-What’s going on?!" Silvester cried out in alarm when her body suddenly began glowing a pink hue.

"Calm yourself. It’s just the medicine doing its work." Osborne waved his hand reassuringly.

"See?" He said when the pinkish hue began to recede. After that, the poor girl’s tightly furrowed brows began to unknot, and the uncomfortable look on her face gradually disappeared.

"Daddy?..." The young girl spoke, her voice sounding a bit weak.

Silvester’s eyes quickly began to moisten before he walked on over to the bed and pulled her into his embrace.

"Meren... Thank the gods you’re finally alright," he said.

"It looks like you both will need some time alone, so I and my associate will be waiting outside." Osborne let out a quiet laugh and said before getting up and leaving with Natalie.

The both of them then waited outside.

"Young master, I had no idea you were a skilled alchemist."

"Oh no, I’m not an alchemist." Osborne waved his hands dismissively.

"Then how were you able to identify what was plaguing her and also prescribe a cure on site?"

Osborne merely wagged his finger a bit. "I’m afraid that’s a secret."

"I see..." Natalie let out a sigh before going quiet again.

Shortly after, Silvester stepped outside the house.

"...?!"

Natalie was taken aback when the man suddenly dropped on one knee in front of Osborne.

"My true identity is Silvester Vanastraia."

"Vanastraia? You mean you’re a part of one of the four great Ducal houses of the kingdom?" Natalie was more shocked than ever.

"Indeed. I believe it was too much of me to not expect you to know of my household."

"But what’s a man like yourself doing all the way out here, and in the Roosevelt Marché no less..." Natalie said, growing suspicious.

If he really was from the Vanastraia Ducal house, then his incredible mastery of aura could be explained, and yet, she was skeptical as to what would make a man like himself continuously reside in another’s territory rather than that of his family.

"I’m afraid I can’t return to house Vanastraia anytime soon," Silvester offered an apologetic smile.

"It’s because of your daughter, isn’t it?"

"The young master really is perceptive." Silvester let out an awkward sigh.

Natalie, on the other hand, looked confused as if she didn’t understand what he meant. How could a child stop him from returning home?

"As a Vanastraia, my family values power and the purity of our blood above all else. They refused to let me return home on the grounds that I stopped addressing Meren as my daughter..."

’Then why wouldn’t he?’ Natalie understood that human nobility were extremely sensitive about such things, but she didn’t understand why Silvester refused such a simple request. Wouldn’t he be able to still take care of her if he did that?

"I’m guessing it goes far deeper... If I were to think. Your family want nothing more than for you to get married because they’re afraid of losing your amazing talent, but you... You’re worried about your daughter getting caught up in all this."

"If you were to get married, You worry that your unconditional love for her would make her a prime target for your own offspring and spouse..."