Chapter 125 : The Days Toward the Rostingia Marcher Lordship (9)
Chapter 125: The Days Toward the Rostingia Marcher Lordship (9)
St. Anthony's Fire.
It was known that those afflicted by this disease suffered as the tips of their fingers and toes burned black, eventually dying in a fit of madness accompanied by auditory and visual hallucinations.
In the past, it was called a curse, but through the thirty years of the Holy Empire's civil war, it had been revealed that the disease was caused by eating contaminated rye. Shatien knew this because he had lived through those times.
“Ho. This is a disease that only appears in ancient books, yet this young knight is more knowledgeable than I thought?”
Mage Agpiel looked at Shatien with surprise.
The ignorance of knights was widely known, yet here was such a bastard. He was truly beyond strange; he was a rare specimen.
“Ahem. I happened to hear it from a priest. This disease once spread in a village in the past....”
“Well, that makes sense then. The reason it was called St. Anthony's Fire in the first place was thanks to a saint of the Order.”
Only then did Mage Agpiel nod as if he understood.
Originally, this was a disease well known to priests, so it was plausible for someone from a priestly background with an interest in ancient texts to know about it.
“By the way.... You said it's not a disease my wife should catch?”
“Ah, that's.... Originally, this disease is....”
“It's not easy for a noble like a Count to catch it easily. However, it's not an entirely impossible thing. It can be caught anytime if the conditions are met. And the current situation of the castle fits those conditions perfectly.”
At that moment, Mage Agpiel abruptly cut off Shatien's words.
While doing so, he was very quickly persuading the man, and surprisingly, Count Joberham seemed convinced by it.
“Hmm.... Is that so?”
He had nodded with a much softer expression than before.
“I see. Then will you see my wife?”
“Yes. Treating this disease requires various treatments and mysteries, so I need to see her personally.”
“I'll lead the way. Follow me.”
With a cold expression, Count Joberham began to lead the way again.
Mage Agpiel watched his back for a moment and then winked at Shatien.
“Young knight. Sometimes, unnecessary truths return as a great disaster. There's no need to get caught up in their family disputes, is there? You don't need to flaunt your foolishness.”
“Ah—!”
Only then did Shatien realize why this mage had interrupted him. His words were stinging, but they were clearly permeated with wisdom.
“Thank you.”
“Oh— You're certainly interesting.”
Mage Agpiel chuckled as if it were unexpected.
Usually, when spoken to in this manner, young knights would flare up in anger regardless of the advice....
‘Is it because he's a mercenary?’
Mage Agpiel thought the upcoming schedule would be quite enjoyable. It seemed there would be many chances to tease him.
“Naturally, I should look after you. Since you have to attend to me during our future schedule. Haha.”
“……”
“I'm counting on you, servant! There's plenty of work to do later.”
‘Damn it!’
Thankful, my foot.
Anyway, this mage seemed to be as wicked as his reputation suggested. Shatien sighed inwardly.
In the meantime.
“Go! Go! You lowly things!! Let go of me this instant.”
“Madam. Please calm down!”
“What are you all doing, catch her quickly.”
They must have gotten close to the wife's room. A loud commotion broke out nearby. It was clearly a struggle(?) between the lady of the house, who was running wild in a fit of madness, and the servants trying to stop her.
Count Joberham strode forward with a sigh, unfurled his cloak, and wrapped it around his wife's semi-naked body.
“Hmm, it's not great, but it's better than I thought. Step back, Count.”
Mage Agpiel, who followed, assessed the situation and then strode forward, thumping his staff against the floor.
-Wooong.
The mysterious power surged, and a faint green light instantly swirled around the tip of the staff.
The clear scent of a water-soaked forest wafted out, and the light softly passed the people to begin enveloping the Count's seizing wife.
“The forest embraces all, and you shall find peace within that forest.”
Simultaneously.
-Hah, hah, hah.
The Count's wife, who had been showing signs of madness, regained her composure and calmly closed her eyes. She then fell into a sleep with an expression as innocent as a newborn babe.
“It's a calming magic. She won't suffer from seizures for the time being.”
“Thank you, Sage of the Forest.”
Mage Agpiel shrugged as if it were nothing, but Shatien was different.
It was because he had witnessed the writhing mysterious power just now.
‘It's an incredible power.’
Is this the level of mysterious power moved by a mage, a mage called the Sage of the Forest?
When looking from behind, he had momentarily deluded himself into thinking the space had filled with mysterious power and become a forest.
He was indeed a master worthy of the title Sage of the Forest. That sly mage.
“Why are you standing there blankly?”
“Oh, yes? Me?”
“Yes, my friend. Didn't you agree to help with my work. Tsk tsk. To be this dull. Move quickly.”
“……”
This guy? But Shatien managed to suppress his anger. Wasn't he the one who wanted something? He intended to not even look back once he heard the stories about magic. Shatien asked the Count for permission and went inside, dismissing all the servants.
“Everyone, please leave this room. No, just leave everything as it is and go out. This room will be sealed from now on. I've received permission from His Excellency the Count. Isn't that right?”
Of course, he never had.
He simply thought that since Count Joberham was listening to Mage Agpiel, he would naturally follow this word as well. Count Joberham was momentarily speechless at Shatien's brazen answer, but soon nodded.
“...That is correct. Everyone, follow Sir Shatien's words.”
“B-But. This is the mistress's....”
“It's for the mistress, so don't say another word!”
“Now, now, now, then please step back. Step back. Don't be like that. Hey.”
Having received permission, Shatien drove out all the servants.
“Ah, the Count must step back as well.”
“...Me too?”
“Yes. Isn't that right? Mage Agpiel?”
“That's right. Leave this matter to us and go work as a Count. Haha.”
“……”
Count Joberham twitched his eyebrows in displeasure, but he didn't refuse. Had he not already heard the exact name of the disease and seen the madness calmed? Thinking this was all part of the treatment, Count Joberham stepped back.
Of course, Shatien thought he would be thoroughly hated for Count Joberham's somewhat chilly attitude.
“Isn't he properly pissed off?”
“Well, even so, that's all it is. Would damage come to me anyway? Besides, it's an anger that will disappear once his wife is treated. Though it might be different for you. Hahaha.”
“...Do you do this while knowing that? Mage Agpiel.”
“It's not my business, is it? It's yours.”
What was the point of talking. It only made his mouth hurt. Shatien pouted and scanned the empty room of the lady.
St. Anthony's Fire was a disease that occurred from eating contaminated rye.
Since the symptoms shown by Count Joberham's wife were typical of St. Anthony's Fire, she had definitely eaten contaminated rye.
However, the problem was....
“Rye for a noble. There's actually no reason for her to eat it.”
Mage Agpiel spoke as if he had read Shatien's thoughts.
“It's certain that someone made her ingest it separately. They could have mixed it into her food. Food that goes to a noble, especially food that goes to a sick person like this, is usually inspected thoroughly before it goes out, so it's unlikely it happened on the cooks' side.”
“A servant coming into the final room must have been bribed.”
“Right. A servant could have kept contaminated rye in their robe and poured it in while pretending to inspect it....”
While saying this, Mage Agpiel muttered as he tapped the floor or corners of the room with his staff.
Shatien watched him, shrugged, and headed straight for the drawer next to the bed.
“Or they might have brazenly and confidently placed it inside and fed it to her, claiming it was a medicinal herb good for the body. Like this.”
-Rumble.
When he opened the drawer, he saw finely ground rye inside a neatly wrapped bag.
“Hah? How did you know?”
“Isn't it obvious when there's someone inside who hates the mistress that much?”
It was a method that was once popular in the Holy Empire. The power struggles of nobles, especially female nobles, had many similar characteristics. It was a 'what if' thought, but as expected, it was exactly that.
Shatien shrugged his shoulders triumphantly.
“My, you look like a bear but you're quite like a fox.”
Mage Agpiel snatched the bag, immediately tore it open, and threw some of the contaminated rye into his mouth with his hand.
-Ptui.
After chewing it a few times, Mage Agpiel immediately spat out the contaminated rye.
“It's definitely contaminated rye. Seeing as it has a sour and disgusting rotten taste.”
“Do you taste that as well? Besides, how do you know that contaminated taste.”
“Shouldn't one do at least that much to be called a sage? I am even the Sage of the Forest. I must be knowledgeable about all the plants in the world.”
“Huh....”
Goodness.
To think he went around personally tasting contaminated grains. There was indeed a reason why the personality of that Sage of the Forest was eccentric(?). Since he went around so ignorantly, could he possibly endure it without being crazy.
“...It seems you're thinking something very disrespectful?”
“Ahem. No. I was just thinking it's quite amazing. This is what one must do to be called the Sage of the Forest. Truly a mage indeed.”
“...Exploring the mysterious power is the same as scholars exploring intelligence. Ahem.”
“Yes. Of course.”
Mage Agpiel coughed and made an excuse as if he were also a bit embarrassed. It didn't feel like it worked on Shatien at all, though.
“Ugh....”
Then Mage Agpiel clicked his tongue and put the bag of contaminated rye into his robe.
“Are you going to tell Count Joberham? Since you've found the evidence.”
“Not quite.”
“Pardon?”
“What meaning is there in going to Count Joberham. You seem to like blowing other people's families to pieces more than I thought. You're a very scary person.”
Shatien didn't know what kind of strange thing he was talking about.
“Dull. So dull.”
Mage Agpiel clicked his tongue.
“There's no need to make enemies, young knight. Do you think even Count Joberham doesn't know about this anyway? From the position of one giving advice, there's no need to stack up grudges by creating opportunities.”
“It feels like I know but also don't? Mage Agpiel.”
“Do you still not understand? This is quite regrettable. I don't know who your master was, but he must have been quite frustrated.”
That was certainly true.
The fact that this sage's silver tongue was truly a master at turning people's insides upside down.
Seeing Shatien's sulky expression, Mage Agpiel clicked his tongue and continued.
“Just wait. For the real owner of this pouch.”
“?”
“We just need to have a good talk with that person. Hahaha.”
While Mage Agpiel was laughing, a woman opened the door and visited.
“So you were here. Mage Agpiel, the Sage of the Forest.”
“Glad to meet you, Isabella. Or... should I call you the second mistress?”
“Hmm, I like Isabella better than 'second.' Of course, call me as you please.”
It was completely unknown to Shatien.
“???????”