Chapter 77 - My Friend’s Circumstances
I was left speechless by My Friend’s explanation, unable to even form words. As always—or perhaps more accurately, as recklessly as ever—it took me some time to fully grasp his reasoning.
The repeated use of a forbidden potion had caused his soul to mistakenly identify with the opposite gender—something I’d never even heard of before. He had undergone some kind of dispelling—or whatever you’d call it—at the cathedral in the royal capital, but instead, his soul ended up recognizing him even more strongly as a woman.
I didn’t even know what to say. On top of that, due to overuse, he had developed a tolerance to the potion, and now even when he drank it, the gender reversal from female to male lasted only a brief moment. There was no solution.
“Do you know any skilled practitioners here? The priests at the capital’s grand church were at their wits’ end. Do you know anyone?”
“I don’t. And honestly, if the capital’s church couldn’t fix it, where else could?”
“W-Well, what about you...? Do you have any ideas?”
“It’s not my area of expertise. Even if it’s alchemy, I simply follow my ability. And that ability is Craftsman. I don’t specialize in potions. I know the basics, but at best, I can make recovery potions. I’ve never dabbled in forbidden ones like you.”
“I... see. If even you can’t do it... then it’s hopeless.”
“Give up and return to the capital. You won’t be able to conduct proper research here anyway. I’ll have the carriage ready to depart immediately.”
“No, I’m not going back to the capital.”
“Why not?”
“I’m scared... of my father’s gaze...”
“The Minister of Magic’s gaze? What do you mean?”
There seemed to be some deep, complicated circumstances at play. His declaration before the King about wanting to continue his research here at the Fortress wasn’t just an excuse. What could have driven him to make such a reckless statement? I stared coldly at My Friend, who remained silent, waiting for him to speak. If he didn’t explain, I couldn’t grant him “permission” to stay at the Fortress. This place is the front line in the battle against monsters and magical beasts. I couldn’t allow a high-ranking noble’s son—or daughter?—from the capital to stay here permanently.
Finally, My Friend began to speak haltingly.
What he shared was deeply personal and involved matters that should remain secret concerning their family’s portrait. The reason he felt he couldn’t stay at the capital’s estate was rooted in the circumstances of his birth. When he was born, his mother had risked her life. It’s well-known that mothers with vast internal mana can suffer from symptoms similar to mana deficiency syndrome if the fetus has too little mana. In such cases, noble families often terminate the pregnancy and hope for a better outcome with the next child. Women with abundant internal mana are precious, after all.
But my friend’s mother didn’t do that. She was determined to give birth to him, even at the cost of her own life. Why? Because she felt something special about him even while he was in the womb. She was resolved to bring him into this world no matter what. Sadly, she departed to the place where the distant wheel of time intersects shortly after his birth. Grief enveloped the Minister of Magic’s family. My Friend described her as a bright, cheerful woman who lit up the lives of those around her—like a ray of sunshine. I can only imagine how much she was mourned.
“My father... well, he was cold toward me. I didn’t understand why when I was young, but as I grew older, I began to grasp the situation. He must have thought I was the one who killed my mother.”
“That can’t be true. Your mother chose to risk her life.”
“Logic and emotions are two different things, My Friend. When the recent campaign began, our family received a royal decree. As you know, it was about developing magitech tools to aid in the war. I hated it... That’s why I ran away. That was a big reason, but more than that, I couldn’t bring myself to create something that would take lives. My mother risked her life to bring me into this world. I understand the lineage and honor of being part of the Minister of Magic’s family, but I can’t help thinking about the purpose of my existence. Even after the war ended, I hid in the slums because of that. The people living there are all struggling. It’s a place where life is hard. In days that made one want to die, I wanted to offer even a single light to spark the will to live. That’s why I was prepared to disappear into the city.”
“...I think I understand. You’ve always been kind-hearted, never hesitating to lend a hand to those in need. But couldn’t you have done that while staying at the capital’s estate?”
“Well, about that...”
I decided to take My Friend's story as his subjective perspective. After all, the situation was too bizarre. It was inevitable that the Royal Guard Staff Officer would find My Friend’s former attendants. He had contacted them even before receiving my letter. However, My Friend’s evasion and hiding were so skillful that they couldn’t locate him.
That’s when my letter arrived—complete with the scouting magitech tool. The situation improved, and they finally managed to capture him in one of the capital’s sewer systems. The Staff Officer didn’t give me the details, but I gathered that he had used my friend’s former attendants to track him down.
Even those who knew My Friend well never imagined he had changed genders. But from there, the story became even more unbelievable. According to My Friend, when he returned to the Minister of Magic’s estate, the long-serving servants wept tears of joy at his return.
That part wasn’t strange.
But the extent of their joy was extraordinary, My Friend said. The usually composed butler broke down in tears, and the head maid quickly took his hand and led him not to his own room, but to his late mother’s chambers. After thoroughly scrubbing him in the bath, she dressed him in women’s clothing of her own choosing.
Seeing him like that, the veteran servants also burst into tears, creating an eerie scene that left My Friend utterly bewildered.
The head chef, always the most emotional, was even more dramatic than usual. Ah, I remember that slightly exaggerated chef. My Friend continued, describing how the chef practically threw himself at his feet, muttering without looking up... When I asked what he said, My Friend made a disgusted face and told me:
“‘Madam, madam, madam, welcome home. I’ll make whatever you like, so please relax in the dining room. We’ve never run out of your favorite tea leaves. Madam, madam, madam...’ That’s what he said. Everyone was completely baffled, but the butler just nodded knowingly, which was downright creepy. Then I was forcibly taken to the dining room to face my father... You should’ve seen his and my elder brother’s faces. For a moment, they were stunned, then my father grabbed my shoulders and hugged me tightly—my father, who’s always been indifferent to me. My brother just watched warmly, not stopping him, with tears in his eyes. Then... one day, my brother asked me, ‘Just once, can I hug you too?’... What was I supposed to do?”
“How should I know?!”
“Yeah, I figured. Anyway, as long as I’m in that house, I’ll have to wear my mother’s clothes, and the family and servants will treat me not as the second son, but as the lady of the house. Especially the long-serving servants... Ugh, what kind of treatment is that? What do they expect me to do?”
“How should I know?!”
I cut My Friend off. What I don’t understand, I don’t understand. The intricacies of his family dynamics were beyond me. The only thing I could grasp was that living in his family home would be incredibly difficult for him. In the Minister of Magic’s household, my friend was being treated not as the second son, but as a stand-in for his late mother... or something like that?
Or did they think his late mother had returned? I had no idea.
Seeing the apologetic looks on the faces of his attendants in the office, I could tell My Friend’s story wasn’t entirely fabricated. I couldn’t fully comprehend everything, but I understood one thing: My Friend had no intention of returning to the capital.
――― There was no helping it.
I decided to allow My Friend to conduct his research at the Fortress.
ROFL.XD
ReplyDeleteAhahaha.. what a bizzare thing..
ReplyDelete