Chapter 135
The Eccentric Prince’s Meeting
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The reek of medicine was pungent throughout the room when I stepped in .
I almost choked but quickly recovered when a call came for me .
“It has been a long time, Lord Nacht . ”
My gaze turned right to the large bed in a corner of the room . My eyes were met with an old man who had a stack of pillows keeping his back upright .
His hair and beard were pure white from age as his eyes were sunken, cloudy, and yellow . His hands that showed through the shabby white clothes were thin and dry like dead branches of a tree . The number of wrinkles on his face evidently alluded his age . I couldn’t believe it… No, I just didn’t want to .
“…Yes, it has, Sir Geisster . ”
The head of the Geisster family, the man who governed the western lands as well as Grenze, replied . I was taken aback by the Margrave’s—by Heinz von Geisster’s—complete change in appearance .
Sir Geisster smiled as I stood there with unconcealed shock . His kind, grandfatherly gaze, as if he were trying to soothe a crying child, certainly felt nostalgic .
“Please forgive my rudeness . I have shown you my unsightly appearance . ”
“Don’t worry about it… I, too, am sorry . ”
I apologised for my awkward staring from earlier . He asked me to pull up a chair next to the bed, and I complied .
The closer I got to him, the stronger the medicine smelled, and as if trying to bury me in it, another whiff relentlessly attacked my nostrils . It was somehow similar to the odour I recognised around my mother before her death . Right behind the jolly old man, I could practically see the God of Death itself raising its scythe .
I had heard he had a heart condition, but perhaps the situation was more serious than the rumours made it out to be .
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“I don’t intend to lose to you younglings, but every day, it’s getting harder and harder to wake myself up . I wish I wasn’t so old . ”
Sir Geisster’s face was calm, but it was plain to see the tinge of envy for the youth .
When I met him a few years ago, he had an unrivalled and powerful build, so strong that no one would dare think it would wither, and an arm that could easily swing a greatsword with ease . But forget holding a sword, right now he couldn’t even stand by himself, and what’s more, he’s appeared to have accepted his destiny .
However, the shadows in Lord Geisster’s eyes suddenly disappeared .
His right hand, which had been lying on the bed, slowly raised up . Since he couldn’t muster enough strength into them, his fingertips trembled as they painstakingly stretched out, and he quietly stared at his empty palm .
“But there were some things I never realized that I now understand for the first time in my life . I didn’t know anything at all about my son… about Philipp . ”
His weakening voice was full of regret .
I didn’t know what their relationship was like between the tough lord and his ailing son . However… If they were to be willing to meet halfway, perhaps another future could be waiting for them . Thinking thus far, I shook my head to counter the stupid thoughts that arose in my mind . It was because there was no use thinking about it now since the matter had already come to a close .
“Sir, let’s talk about your son…”
“I have already heard of how the people under my rule suffered by my son’s hand . I cannot offer you any excuses . Philipp von Geisster’s sins are my own . As both his father and the head of the Geisster family, I am willing to accept any punishment . ”
“…The sentence is still under debate . I’m sure we will hear of it sooner or later . ”
While our first and foremost priority was to tend to the people, it was still necessary to reach a verdict as soon as possible .
If Philipp said he acted as the Lord’s proxy when attempting to stop the spreading of the disease, at the very least, he wouldn’t face the death penalty . Once he was stripped of his status, he would likely be put under house arrest . The Geisster family would not fall to ruin, but someone else would take their place in ruling the western front .
To replace Lord Heinz von Geisster, who was undoubted in his abilities and adored by his subordinates and the people alike, would most definitely pose a headache in the future .
“By your will . ”
Lord Geisster’s gaze dropped along with his head .
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Silence fell upon the room . Shortly after, Sir Geisster raised his face in a dignified manner, and the gentle, grandfatherly expression changed to something fitting of a margrave .
“Speaking of which, Your Highness . If you can forgive my rudeness, may I ask about the current situation regarding the epidemic?”
“The sick are being quarantined in a secluded village in the southwestern forest as we speak . I returned to the royal capital by myself for medicine and food, leaving Johan behind to take care of the rest for the time being . ”
“…His Highness Johan?”
Sir Geisster frowned and muttered those words with a pained voice .
Johan was a lot closer to Sir Geisster than I ever was . I knew that Johan was like a nephew—no, a son, to him . Without a doubt, Johan being in such a dangerous place only served to drive the margrave’s anxiety even further .
“This is a new disease, so the current medicine we have won’t work . I was in such a situation when a princess from our neighbouring country arrived, showing me the light . ”
“…When you said princess, did you mean Master Johan’s elder sister?”
Perhaps it was an unexpected story that the Lord had a slight glint in his waning eyes .
I nodded and continued .
“Yes . Her Royal Highness Princess Rosemarie not only delivered a miraculous cure but also brought along with her many excellent pharmacists . The person herself even helped with treating the sick . ”
“The princess got hands-on with the sick herself?!”
Lord Geisster’s surprise was not the same as the one before . Because he had suddenly raised his voice, as a result, he violently coughed with a hand on his chest . I rubbed his back to relieve him .
When breathing eased, Sir Geisster thanked me and sank back into the bed . A smile floated on his face when he finally relaxed .
“His Highness is so stoic and wise beyond his years, but whenever it comes to his sister, he always had a smile befitting a boy of his age . I’ve heard that his sister is kind and beautiful, but clearly, it was more than I had imagined . ”
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I agree . It was more than I could’ve imagined as well .
I knew Johan loved his sister very dearly, that was why I didn’t place much trust in his words whenever it came to her . I wouldn’t say he was grossly overselling his sister, but I did think he was exaggerating a little .
However, the moment I met her, the princess overturned my expectations on its head in an instant .
“Was the pharmacists you spoke of also provided by Nebel’s royal family?”
“Not at all . I haven’t heard the details, but it is unlikely . Even Johan didn’t know about the cure . If I had to guess, it is that they are from another country altogether . ”
Sir Geisster went into thought for a while, then he looked at me as if something had clicked in his head .
“If it’s another country… Perhaps Flamme?”
“…Ah, thinking about it, they did ride from Flamme’s direction . ”
‘As I thought,’ said the lord, and a broad smile floated on his face .
I remained confused as he added a small chuckle .
“Sir?”
“Excuse my rudeness . It seems this old man couldn’t hide his joy . ”
Lord Geisster laughed while leaving me confused .
“I didn’t expect that a princess straight out of a fairy tale was herself a hero . ”
“The princess, a hero?”
At first, I, too, thought that she resembled a princess or a saint straight out of a book .
But I realised that wasn’t quite right . Like Sir Geisster said, she was the hero .
“I’ve heard of a family of pharmacists living deep inside the mountains of Flamme . They are a hidden clan with vast amounts of unrivalled knowledge and advanced techniques, one that even the royal family’s own doctors and apothecaries couldn’t match . It was thought that their existence itself was a myth because of how rarely they were ever spotted in public, but to hear that they now recognise the princess as their master…”
“…It’s absolutely ridiculous . ”
“Yes, and that is exactly why I called her a hero . ”
Lord Geisster nodded at my stunned words .
I couldn’t find a way to object . Firstly, she sought out the mythical pharmacist family and actually gained their cooperation . After that, despite knowing the dangers, she still jumped head-first into helping others . And lastly, she tried her best to help another country’s citizens; a kindness that couldn’t be overlooked . All seemed to fit the description of a hero .
As my thoughts ran, I regretfully realised that our meeting time was finally up .
I continued my stay in Grenze for a while longer .
Supplies were sent from the capital into the forest along with other goods, ready to be delivered on-demand . We organised information while seeing to the health of each doctor and pharmacist, and rotated their shifts accordingly . As I helped out the margrave by acting as the proxy Lord of Grenze, I also paid close attention to the city itself .
Although their numbers occasionally increased, most of the isolated sick was getting better every day .
And so, one month later—
The last person was finally cured, and my friend Johan, along with his sister the beautiful hero, returned to the bustling town once again .