Death March — Fixed

“Tek here, in a game you usually collect everything--that way you already have the required item by the time you get the quest. Since it takes time to travel around in games, it’s better to grab everything possible.”

 

Just when the tea party was about to end, Marquis Ashinen appeared--it seems he was in a good mood…at first.

 

“Hey everyone, I guess the person over there is Chevalier Felspar?” At first he spoke cheerfully--but his tone hardened as he saw me.

 

“Greetings, Marquis.”

 

My trouble with him is minor, but he is the kind of man to hold a grudge over the smallest of imagined slights.

 

It all started when a carriage had cut in front of his while they were entering the Trade City. He saw that I was nearby, and made me act as umpire when he challenged the old lower-rank noble that had cut in. The result was the complete victory of the Marquis’ representative, but he didn’t stop his kill-strike toward the old man, even after I announced the win.

 

So, following the duty of an umpire, I stopped the blow, saving the old man’s life.

 

Apparently, he had been planning on killing the man; he had deliberately orchestrated the event so as to legally assassinate him. It seems that he now holds a grudge.

 

I, who was in trouble with him, brought him a present when I first came here. From his point of view, I probably looked like a lower-ranked noble who was trying to apologize and curry his favour.

 

As for why I gave him such an expensive gift, it was to stop him hating me more--and so that his wife was more likely to be on my side if he did something to me.

 

“I apologize for my absence on your day of arrival, even though you expressly came here. I’ve received your gift, and it was quite an article.” There was a fake smile on his face.

 

It might have been better if it was a statue of a nude man, instead of a nude woman, but they weren’t selling any. But it would probably just be turned into money anyway.

 

Before he could cause any trouble, the Marchioness walked over, “Leave the talks for later. Now is the time for enjoying food, light subjects, and rumours.”

 

“M-My love, Reter, please don’t be so angry.” He is definitely scared of his wife, I need to make sure to stay on her good side.

 

***

After everyone had left, I was called by the Marchioness’s attendant, and guided to a different parlour.

 

Both the Marchioness and the wife of Baronet Dyukeli are there.

 

“Hoshe, don’t you have something to ask Sir Felspar?”

“B-But--”

 

The Marchioness is pushing the obviously hesitating Hoshe, the wife of Baronet Dyukeli. Apparently, she is the Marchioness’s cousin.

 

At first, Hoshe was hesitant, but she began to talk little by little.

 

“Sir Felspar, you have traveled around various regions, right? Are you familiar with The Water Of Life?”

 

“The Water Of Life that I know of is a kind of liquor, but what kind of thing are you looking for?”

 

My words made her widen her eyes, for some reason, before she spoke again, “I-It’s not a liquor. It is a miraculous medicine, which works for all disease.”

 

“We have asked an acquaintance, who is a scholar, and they told us that it’s the water drops from a Spirit Tree that reaches the heavens. Either that or water mixed with a melted Philosopher’s Stone. Do, do you know anything about it?” The Marchioness supplemented.

 

I quickly searched through the miscellaneous materials in my storage, but there were no items with the name ‘The Water Of Life’.

 

However, I have some ideas about the ‘Spirit Tree that reaches the heavens’, and I definitely know about Philosopher’s Stone. I will ask them to introduce me to their scholastic acquaintance some other time.

 

I’ve found some recipes that can cure ‘all diseases’, and they need materials from the World Tree and Philosopher’s Stones, so it could be any one of these, though their names aren’t ‘The Waters of Life’.

 

“I’m sorry, I don’t think I have ever heard of such a miraculous medicine before. However, I do have some experience with compounding, so maybe I could offer some advice if you could tell me what kind of illness it is?”

 

“Have you ever heard of the Goblin Disease? It’s a mysterious illness that only seems to spread among nobles and wealthy merchants--”

 

I search the term in the books sitting in my storage, while listening to them describe some of the symptoms. There are some details about Goblin Disease in the Alchemy books I’ve acquired in the Duchy Capital.

 

It seems to be an incurable disease, one which Cure Potions, Health Potions, and Healing Magic are ineffective against. However, while incurable, it doesn’t seem to be fatal.

 

However, a certain document, which isn’t an officially recognized as an Alchemy Tome, says that it can be cured if the patient is supplied with a moderate quantity of fresh vegetable over a fairly long time period.

 

“Well, I once had a discussion with a great doctor at the Duchy Capital, he said--”

 

With that as a preface, I discussed with them the regular doses of a moderate number of various vegetables. Of course, I could just make a miraculous Potion, using it to instantly cure the kid, and get them indebted to me--but, I wouldn’t use a sick child like that. I would use a Potion, if the disease was fatal.

 

Hoshe decided to give it a try, seemingly half-convinced. The son will probably be cured with just this diet, but let’s still see if I can meet the scholar.

 

***

A maid broke into the room just after the talk ended, “It’s terrible, her highness isn’t anywhere!”

 

“She’s not visiting Geritz’s room?”

 

Oh, it seems that the Princess didn’t mind her fiance as much as she seemed--if she would visit his room at night, at such a frequency that it was the first question that she asked.

 

“T-That is, Geritz isn’t in his room either.”

“That can’t be, for Geritz to actually leave his room?!”

 

I open my map, searching for the Princess and the plump boy, but they don’t seem to be in Labyrinth City.

 

“Her highness, the Princess, was yearning to be an Adventurer. Perhaps she has entered the Labyrinth?” I suggested.

 

While half-hearted replying to my words with, “That can’t be”, the Marchioness seems to have come to the same conclusion--she instructed the maid to go to the Adventurer’s Guild.

 

I thought of searching for the two of them in the Labyrinth using the map, but unfortunately, I was neither in the same map, or had marked them.

 

The Marchioness had asked me if I could check around the Labyrinth Entrance, even before I could begin to offer. I happily accepted, since I that was what I wanted.

 

Right then, I received an urgent communication from Arisa, who’s currently in the Labyrinth.

 

‘We have saved some younger nobles who were being attacked by some Lost Thieves, but they can’t get up due to the shock…so can you bring some soldiers and pick us up?’

 

Ending a job just after accepting it is slightly sad.

 

I cut the communication after telling Arisa that we would meet them.

 

***

According to Arisa, there were seven young nobles, including the Princess and plump boy, so I borrowed 10 soldiers from the Marchioness and went to the Labyrinth.

 

“C-Chevalier, o-our main duty is guarding the city, so w-we rarely ever go to the Labyrinth.” The Captain stutters as he speaks, mainly because he and the other soldiers are currently running after our carriage.

 

We aren’t really going very quickly, they must be lacking exercise.

 

“It’s alright, leave the fighting to me, and this maid here.” I speak reassuringly to the nervous, and slightly tired, men, while gesturing to Lulu.

 

When she looks over at me, I reach out and stroke her hair, resulting in a happy smile.

 

Even though there was a small problem at the Labyrinth’s entrance, the soldiers were able to enter the Labyrinth even though they didn’t have any Adventurer Certificates.

 

I immediately update the map as soon as we enter the Labyrinth.

 

Arisa and the others seem to be in Area -11. I quickly contacted her with Telephone. They’re not only with the younger nobles, but also with the 20 Lost Thieves that they apprehended. They are also currently being attacked by 50 more Lost Thieves, who are trying to release the captives--currently they are in a small room at the end of a passage.

 

I use a small hand mirror that Lulu had taken from her Magic Pouch, and invoke the Signal Magic as a dummy. When other people look, they would mistakenly think that it was a Magical Communication Tool.

 

“I’ve received contact from our companions. They’ve seen a woman who looks like the Princess in Area -11. They immediately went back as soon as they saw her, we should also go there.”

 

We’re advancing down the corridor, while I swiftly deal with any Monsters we encounter. I sometimes use my Fairy Sword, allowing them to see me ‘fight’, and for stronger Monsters, I take them out with pebbles--outside their view.

 

When we passed through the first division, I announce some information, to fire them up. After pretending to use the ‘Magic Mirror’ again.

 

“Captain, I’ve received a message from my companions. They seem to have protected the Princess…however, they are under attack from Lost Thieves.”

 

“That’s horrible! Let’s hurry!” The Captain gasped, he was exhausted, even though I was moving at a medium jog.

 

With a hidden sigh, I had Lulu give each of the soldiers a Stamina Potion, and we quickly resumed our advance.