“Oh, sorry. We bothering you or something?”
“No, it’s nothing like that… it’s just that due to the circumstances, my granddad can no longer smith.”
“… a visitor, Rurika?”
While we were in the middle of our conversation, someone that seems to be an attendant pushes an older, refined gentleman in a wheelchair out from the estate.
Didn’t expect there to be wheelchairs here in this world.
‘It is but a miniature cart. It is not the marvel that thou thinkest it to be.’
Well, if you put it that way, I guess so.
But back to this senior citizen, you can’t see anything aside from his face ‘cause he’s covered up by a throw.
“Arleaf, along with her fiancé, has come all the way here to pay you a visit. He has her parent’s blessing too.”
Wha—?! You’re gonna introduce me like that?!
“Oh, pull the other one. That stubborn mule thinks the sun shines out of his daughter’s backside. His blessings? How preposterous, I do declare!”
Ah, are we a big joke to you?
But, jeez… even their relatives know about how he is?
I’m all the more interested in the legend of Arleaf’s cooking.
‘It is a pitiful one.’
“Grandpa Wayne!”
“Oh, that really you, Arleaf? … hold on. Are y’all elopin’?”
Ah, we’re totally being suspected.
At least he doesn’t seem all bad. He’s quite an eccentric one though.
“My goodness! No, we’re not! We really do have my father’s blessing!”
“Hmph. Castin’ that aside for now, I overheard you said there’s somethin’ you needed from me.”
“Right… did something happen, Grandpa?”
“…”
After Arleaf asked her question, Wayne falls silent.
Finally, he breaks the silence with a nod at his attendant. Following the order, she begins to push Wayne back inside.
“Come in… I’ll explain inside.”
Timidly, Arleaf and I step inside the mansion.
“Umm, should I excuse myself?”
“…”
Ah, he’s not responding.
I feel like I’m a total outsider.
“Please don’t hold back. If I’m troubling you at all being here, just tell me to hit the trail.”
“Is that so? Then I’ll do as I please.”
“Mu.”
‘Quite the eccentric old man.’
As if you’re one to speak, you eccentric dragon.
He’s definitely not as bad as they come.
When I worked in that sweatshop, there was this old fart who was always incessantly complaining. He’d always take his stress out on us and yell at us all day!
Compared to that guy, Wayne ain’t that bad.
‘Leave thy personal history where it belongs!’
Though I’m bickering with Veno inside my head, we remain silent until we were taken to a dimly lit room.
“Arleaf. I’m no longer able to work the forge because I’m no longer able to move my body.”
“Umm… did you get badly hurt or something?”
“No, that ain’t it. Even a professional said that it there’s no helpin’ in for this… you take a single look and you’ll abandon all hope too. Rurika?”
Rurika removes the throw from Wayne and uncovers his body.
Arleaf covers her mouth in shock.
I’m rendered speechless too.
‘Hmm…’
From his neck down, almost all of Wayne’s body was clad in grey and seemingly tough skin.
‘It is an abnormal status called petrification. It could be from a curse, magic, or even monsters such as basilisks and cockatrices.’
Oh, there really are monsters like that here.
“Uhh… umm, is there no treatment for it?”
It doesn’t seem like it’s incurable.
‘If it is caused by magic, then it can be cured with magic. Though it would certainly be difficult. There may be medicines and specialized tools to remove this affliction too. It certainly can be lethal, but I believe there are also many ways to help it.’
I fixate my gaze at Wayne.
By the way he speaks, it sounds like this didn’t happen overnight. The disease must’ve slowly consumed him from his feet up.
“… I have tried. Expensive medicines were effective all the way up ‘til they didn’t…”
Looking at him like that, it’s no wonder that he can’t walk. I’d be afraid of smashing my legs into literal pieces if I were him.
“According to the expert, it’s a rare disease known as petrification… but I’ve yet to find out why it happened. I don’t even know when I will die. I’m very pleased that you have come all the way to see me, but please, don’t expect me to be able to forge anythin’.”
“But…”
“Now, I will introduce you to a good blacksmith in town. So, please, leave it at that. For me.”
It feels like he’s perhaps trying to live his last years at home.
Arleaf looks towards me as if she’s asking for me to save him.
She then clasps her hands together as if she’s getting ready to pray.
“Yukihisa, Lord Holy Dragon… isn’t there anything you can do?”
“Mu…”
Even Muu looks at me with some kind of expectation after seeing Wayne and his state.
I’m happy that you guys think I’m so dependable and I really want to help, but… Veno? Can you do anything?
‘Unfortunately, it is my first time experiencing an ailment like this.’
That means you don’t know how to cure him, eh?
Still… I want to help him all I can.
After all, Arleaf’s helped me out a lot.
‘It is important to first diagnose the patient, aye?’
That’s true, but you think he’ll let me? I don’t think he trusts me much.
I guess I can only try.
I slowly raise my hand.
“Umm, excuse me. I’m wondering if I can take a closer look.”
“What?”
“Boy, the hell you sayin’? You think you can do something about it?”
Ah, Wayne’s totally on his guard against me.
“It’s alright! Yukihisa has taught my village how to make a cure for Bloodflower, the disease that had always been plaguing us. And in his body resides the Holy Dragon too. Perhaps they can help you, Grandpa Wayne.”
I feel you, Arleaf, but he doesn’t trust me enough.
Plus, all that stuff about the Holy Dragon? No way he’d believe you.
Wayne now looks at me with suspicious eyes.
“I don’t know how the hell you deceived Arleaf and the rest’a them, but you ain’t gon’ trick me.”
Well, of course you’d react like this. You’re distinguishing at the very least, if not eccentric.
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