Chapter 204: |
Chapter 204
That’s what Durak said with a pale face.
Raymond’s face became serious.
“Collapsed? Didn’t they take their medication?”
“No, sir. They’ve been taking the medicine the Marquis sent me.”
Raymond tilted his head.
He felt like he had to go and see how the children were doing.
‘Uh…… But my beef.’
Raymond was silent.
It’s 200 pena per person! It was a whopping 1,000 penas for 5 people!
‘Uh-huh.’
He cried inwardly, but there was no way.
‘…1,000 penas. It’s nothing compared to what I owe.’
Swallowing back tears, Raymond rushed to the mansion of the Count de Durak.
* * *
It was Rune, the older sister of the twins, who fell.
A fat doll-like girl was lying on the bed with a white complexion.
‘What is it? Was there a lack of thyroid hormones?’
Raymond checked for vital signs and several other symptoms.
Then he tilted his head.
‘I don’t think that’s a problem, is it?’
The symptoms were completely different from those caused by a lack of thyroid hormones.
‘But I don’t see anything else?’
After much deliberation, the diagnosis was made.
‘What, this is just overfatigue, isn’t it?’
“Has your daughter been pushing herself too much lately?”
“Yes. I think she slept less than 3 hours a day. It’s not uncommon to stay up all night two days in a row. Rune and Ren are both overwhelmed.”
“Why the hell are they so overwhelmed?”
Raymond looked puzzled.
Even if their thyroid function wasn’t bad, it was only natural that they would collapse because they had done such a strain.
“I asked, and they said it was to pay off a debt.”
“…Debt?”
“Yes, they didn’t tell me the exact details as if it were some precious secret.”
“…….”
Raymond broke out in a cold sweat for a moment.
‘…… Could it be?’
‘…… I’ll study as you say.’
‘I’m going to study.’
When he treated the Rune and Ren twins, Raymond had told them that they didn’t need to give him anything in return, that they should study and grow up to be great.
At that time, he remembered the two of them answering like that with a very determined face.
‘…… Could it be because of me? What the hell did you take my word for?’
Just then, Rune opened her eyes, frowning.
“Rune!”
“…Father.”
Rune squinted and turned his head, her eyes widening at the sight of Raymond.
It was a look of great surprise.
A faint welcome?
Also, there was tension.
Raymond cleared his throat.
“May I talk to you for a while?”
“Marquis?”
Raymond said, looking at the twin girl who were out of alignment.
“As a healer, I feel like I need to have an honest conversation with my patients.”
* * *
[Quest Occurs!]
[Soothe the twins!]
(Social Quest)
Difficulty: Low
Quest Description: The twins with their scars are making a misguided effort! Comfort the twins’ wounds and guide them on the right path!
Clearing Conditions: Appease the Twins
Reward: Bonus Level Up, 40 Skill Points
Perks: Rune, Ren
“How are the both of you?”
“……Okay.”
The twins nodded awkwardly.
By the way, both of them were amazingly beautiful, looking like dolls.
If Princess Sophia is like a cold ice doll, are they cute dolls who are fat and blunt?
Her hair was a pale blue that was almost light blue, and her eyes were a beautiful red, making her look even more doll-like.
Raymond asked cautiously.
“I heard about it from your father. Is there a reason why you study so hard?”
Rune replied. “To repay the Marquis for the favor. You told us to study.”
“No, that’s …….”
Her twin brother, the boy Ren, also nodded.
By the way, Ren was also very forceful, and his complexion was not good.
“We have not forgotten the grace we have received from the Marquis. I can’t wait to be of help to the Marquis.”
Raymond scratched his head.
“I’m grateful for that but that’s not what I meant. You don’t have to worry about that anymore.”
They both shook their heads.
“I can’t do that. I’m sure I’ll return the favor.”
“That’s right. We cannot pass on such grace without any cost. The favor we have received must be repaid.”
Raymond looked at the two of them awkwardly.
“You don’t have to think too hard. I’m a healer. It’s enough for you to be happy.”
Rune gave an unexpected answer.
“We don’t think so.”
“Huh?”
“There is a price for any favor in the world. Of course, the Marquis is a little different, but that’s the world we’ve learned. Therefore, we will surely repay the Marquis for his favor.”
“…….”
Raymond realized the mismatch he felt in the twins.
“You are not able to accept the favor of others purely.”
To be precise, they felt a strong wariness and distrust of the world.
Raymond could easily guess why the twins were doing this.
‘They’ve been hurt so much since I was a child.’
The twins had been held hostage by Berard since they were younger.
Given Berard’s personality, it is unlikely that they would have lived a comfortable life as a hostages.
He must have suffered greatly.
Therefore, it seems that they have adopted a personality that does not easily accept the favor of others.
The world they had been through must have been cold and cruel.
‘Anyway, Berard is truly a bloody bastard.’
A sigh came out.
‘What can I do? I can’t let them keep doing this.’
From what he could see, even if it was okay, it wouldn’t be easy for them to listen to him.
‘What can I talk about to ease theie minds?’
A book caught Raymond’s eye.
<The mana quantum interaction between lightning magic and enchantment >.
It’s a difficult title to look at.
Raymond was stunned.
‘…… One minute. This is a book for advanced enchanters.’
Raymond asked cautiously.
“Rune, what is your major?”
“I’m a wizard. Enchanter, to be exact.”
‘What?’
Raymond’s eyes widened.
Enchanter!
It refers to a wizard who makes magic tools.
‘… It’s a person I’ve been wanting the most, isn’t it?’
He had been anxiously waiting to be an Enchanter to be independent of the Demon Magic Tower.
‘But I couldn’t find it because it’s such a rare job, so why is it in a place like this?’
‘No,’ he replied. I’m sure she’s a beginner enchanter.’
But Rune told an even more surprising story.
“I’m underachiever, I haven’t become a meister yet. With a little more effort, I think I can become a junior meister and be of help to the Marquis.”
“……!”
Raymond’s eyes widened.
Meister!
It was the same enchanter rank as the Wizard.
That 15-year-old girl was on the verge of becoming a Wizard.
‘No,’ he said. Enchanters are said to be much more difficult to climb the ranks, so it’s even greater.’
Raymond’s heart was pounding.
I can’t believe that such a gem was studying hard for himself!
‘When I send thyroid hormones, I’ll send you beef!’
Thinking so, Raymond came to his senses.
‘No, it’s not this. I was trying to appease these kids.’
Speaking of enchanters, he lost his mind for a moment.
‘Soothe them well for them to live a happy life…’’
Raymond swallowed.
‘…… Isn’t life for patients a happy life? It’s not necessarily because I am greedy for an Enchanter’s talent.’
Raymond looked at Ren this time.
“Ren, what is your major?”
“I am a knight.”
Raymond nodded.
The article wasn’t particularly disappointing.
“I see. It’s going to be hard to master the sword.” He said without a soul,
“I’m more focused on studying than swords. I’m a wizard too.”
“……!”
Raymond’s eyes widened again.
‘A demon swordsman?’
This was a different story.
‘It’s rarer than an Enchanter! Dealing with magic and swordsmanship at the same time.’
“I’ve just broken through the realm of advanced mage, but I don’t have enough magic to do so. It takes more effort.”
Raymond was again taken aback by Ren’s words.
‘If you’re an advanced mage, you’re in the pre-wizard stage. But it’s not enough compared to swordsmanship?’
Even if he becomes a normal wizard (C-rank) at Ren’s age, he will be known to be a genius.
But he is currently a high-level mage (B-rank), but he is not good enough compared to swordsmanship?
“How good is…… your swordsmanship?”
“I’m embarrassed, but I’m an expert intermediate.”
“……!”
Raymond was too stunned to be surprised any more.
‘Well, what kind of monsters are these?’
Then, Christine, who was listening to the conversation in the background, spoke.
“They look like the greatest geniuses in the kingdom of Droughton.”
“The best genius?”
“Yes, they’re famously called Droughton’s monster genius twins. By the way, Lord Ren, the Demon Swordsman, is a genius comparable to Lord Elmud.”
Raymond was silent.
‘Come to think of it, I’d heard of it before.’
‘Monster genius twins. Were these two the said twins?’
‘I’d heard it before.’
Then, the twins spoke determinedly.
“We’re sure we’ll be of help to the Marquis.”
‘Uh…… What am I going to do about this?’
‘I came to soothe them, but I am getting too greedy.’
‘Uh-huh. It’s too much of a waste to just let it go, right?’
Of course, Raymond wants the twins to be happy, but it’s too wasteful!
‘Honestly, I coveted it!’
But.
‘…… But not this one. Trying to take advantage of the power of these scarred kids.’
Raymond let out a deep sigh and thought.
What the twins must have suffered under the Grand Duke Berard must’ve caused such a distrust of human beings.
But now that they just come into their father’s arms, he’s going to take them away because of their powers. No matter how snobbish he was, it didn’t seem like that was a good thing.
‘Besides them, we can get other enchanters and mages.’
It’s a huge shame!
He suppressed hus heart and said, “Rune, Ren, look into my eyes.”
Raymond had his trademark ‘eyes for others’.
“As I said before, all I want is your happiness.”
The twins’ eyes wavered.
“It’s not my wish for you to be so pushy. Is that clear? You must live the life you want.”
At that, the twins looked at each other with wavering eyes and asked an unexpected question.
“Isn’t the Marquis greedy for our abilities?”
“Hmm?”
“When the Grand Duke Berard noticed our talent, he thought of using us as tools. We were held hostage and forced to make a bloody effort for the Duke of Berard. If we didn’t get results, he would starve us and we would often be beaten badly.”
Raymond was silent.
There was such a painful secret behind the twins’ rapid achievement.
Raymond sighed.
“Can I be honest with you? Of course I’m greedy.”
Raymond continued.
“But I still want you to have a happy life.”
He meant it.
Raymond remembers the first time the twins came to visit him.
The twins asked him to kill them for their father’s sake.
That’s when he thought about it.
‘I want them to be happy.’
“It’s a pity, but it can’t be helped.”
“I mean it. So don’t worry about what I said back then and live the life you want.”
Rune and Ren kept their mouths shut, their heads bowed as if their hearts were shaking.