Chapter 38: Another Pair of Mother and Child

(The narrator is Oliver of the Levant Trading Company.)

I thought I was being careful, but I caught the infectious disease that is spreading. It is a scary disease where many people lose their lives. I cough violently, and my chest hurts. Lately, I’ve started coughing up blood, so I guess I should prepare myself.

“Oliver, are you okay? You sound quite breathless.”

“Mother, I told you to call me Olivia.”

“Good grief, how about letting me call you by your real name when you’re dying?”

Ahaha, Mother is as blunt as ever.

“Is that how it is?”

“Yes, it is. Honestly, you became so beautiful for nothing, even though you’re a man.”

“For nothing is harsh, Mother. I like beautiful things. When I decided to become beautiful, the feminine attire suited me.”

“Yes, yes. I used to worry about where you were heading. Well, it is your life, though.”

“Hah. I am grateful you let me do as I pleased.”

“Is that so. Well, if you were able to walk your own path in life, then that is good.”

I was called “crazy” or “disgusting” countless times because of my hobby of dressing up, but Father and Mother never tried to forcibly correct me.

“Yes, I walked my own path in life, Mother.”

I can see the pallor of death on my own face. There are still so many things I want to do, but I was able to help Father with his business, wear stylish clothes, apply makeup, and live without betraying myself.

Once, when our trading company won a major deal, a business rival spoke ill of me, saying, “A man used seduction to get the contract,” and I was happy when Father‘s face turned red with anger in my defense. I am truly grateful to my parents, who let me do as I wished, even though I tended to stray from the path of a normal life.

“By the way, we tried various medicines and none worked. But your Father got a medicine from the son of the Fairchild Margrave.”

Umm. I have drunk many bitter, awful medicines already.

I appreciate Father and Mother searching so hard for medicine, but honestly, I don’t want to drink any more. But Lord William‘s medicine, huh.

“To be honest, I’m tired of taking medicine, but if it’s Lord William‘s medicine, maybe it will work.”

However, the medicine wasn’t meant to be drunk, but administered by sticking a tool called a Syringe into the arm. Sticking a needle into my arm is a little scary, but if the genius Lord William thought of it, it must have meaning.

Mother inserted the Silver Syringe into my arm. It gave a little prick, but compared to the pain of the disease, it was nothing. Will this work?

Well, if even Lord William‘s medicine doesn’t work, then nothing can be done. As I was thinking that, I grew sleepy. Is the eternal sleep close at hand?

When I woke up the next morning, surprisingly, the chest pain that had troubled me was lighter. My body wasn’t too heavy either. I asked a servant to call someone who could use Appraisal Magic, and Father and Mother, who should have been busy, also came.

“I feel a little better after trying the new medicine, so could you check my condition with Appraisal?”

“Understood. Please wait a moment.”

The person closed their eyes and concentrated.

And opening their eyes, they announced: “Upon appraisal, your condition is now mild. Congratulations! You are recovering from the illness.”

“Oh, God!”

Father knelt and prayed.

“Oh my, that’s surprising.”

Mother used her usual tone, but her eyes were welling up with tears.

I caused my parents so much worry.

“Thank you, Father and Mother. Lord William‘s medicine seems to have worked.”

“Ah, it’s already being called a Miracle Drug. It seems that if you continue the injections for a while, you will fully recover. That person truly is amazing.”

“Lord William is your life’s benefactor.”

Ah, Mother is right. Without this medicine, I surely would have died.

What can I do to repay Lord William? Ah, I know!

“Father, could you make me the manager of the new Northernford branch?”

“Eh, you are my heir. Your job is strategizing at the main store… Ah, I see, you want to work under Lord William.”

As expected of Father. He understood my intention.

“Yeah. I want to deepen the relationship as branch manager, become a staff member at Lord William‘s Workshop, and eventually become his vassal.”

I want to repay my debt, and being near that person promises many interesting things.

“Good grief, I planned for you to inherit the trading company. But once you set your mind on something, there’s no changing it.”

“I am sorry, Father.”

“Well, if Lord William hadn’t been here, you would have died, so it can’t be helped. Besides, that person’s manufacturing talent holds great potential. I understand your desire as a merchant to spread the things he creates to the world.”

“Thank you, Father.”

“Don’t go barging in and cause trouble.”

“Ahaha, I am eccentric, after all. But I think I can be useful. I will be careful not to bother him as much as possible.”