Enthus 6

"Are you alright? I'm going to use a healing gem now."

"What? Crossdressing... I thought that was a good strategy, but it seems people can figure it out easily after all."

"If you're feeling bold enough to say that, then you're probably fine....William, why aren't you fighting back?"

I asked deliberately, already having guessed the answer.

"Dale-sama occasionally gets overly excited. It helps to play along like this and calm him down....Fighting back would only prolong things unnecessarily."

"You're still surprisingly mature for your age. If you become the lord of this town, things might actually be stable."

"Please don't say that in front of Dale-sama. He'd get even more worked up."

"Occasionally, it's okay to cry like a child. You're still young."

"I can't afford to act that way. I have to grow stronger... so I can protect my sister."

With tears welling in his eyes, he slowly fell asleep, breathing steadily and evenly.

He must have expended a great deal of concentration and physical strength.

Such a strong child.

If the opponent hadn’t been a noble, I’d have definitely attacked that guy named Dale by now—my insides were boiling with rage.

After finishing the treatment, I slung William onto my back and headed toward the training facility. At that moment, I caught Anne’s gaze, her eyes fixed on me.

Anne bowed deeply.

"Does William always suffer through this treatment?"

Her voice carried a hint of force.

"We carefully schedule our days to avoid such encounters. Yet, despite our precautions, these incidents keep happening in secret...

Anne looked away, her fist clenching tightly. Everyone's going through a hard time. Thinking this, her anger finally began to subside just a little.

I handed William over to Anne, and while I was at it, I slipped the healing crystal into William's pocket. A Christmas gift unlike anything in this world. Given William's skill, he'll surely learn to use it well.

Anne stared in shock, then asked.

"Are you sure about this? Healing crystals are quite expensive."

"It's fine. I'm not bragging, but I earn a decent income, and I have spare healing crystals. William might be able to use them. If he can't, just hire someone who can and make them a maid."

After seeing Anne and William off, I headed toward the tower where Lina was.

I had to report the results from yesterday.

My steps were heavy.

"Miss Lina, we've received the results of the examination. The decorative item indeed contains components from a magic stone. We're still unclear about how it affects the body through clothing or skin, but it's clear that Miss Lina is experiencing the effects of the magic stone, causing the magic stone elements in her bloodstream to become activated."

"So that's how it is."

Lina lay on the bed, quietly answering as she gazed out the window.

"In the research conducted in Akau Village, located within the imperial territory, magically activated crystals inside the body somehow fail to be expelled, instead appearing on the skin and firmly attaching, growing larger and larger.

Eventually, they become massive crystals that significantly affect the body. The exact cause remains unknown, but it seems they're also drawing out physical strength."

I gradually explained what we've come to understand through the research in Akau Village. To Miss Lina, this was likely either something she'd heard many times before—or something she'd personally experienced.

"I can't even pray anymore."

She says this while looking at the window. I can't see her face, so I can't read her expression. The sunlight through the window seems to flicker irregularly.

"You can still pray without using that pendant. Even if you use it, as long as you maintain strong focus and don't activate the magic stone, there's no problem."

I manage to answer, barely able to speak through my anguish.

"But if that's the case, then there's no point in offering prayers... Perhaps the day I go to my mother's side is drawing near."

"Though it's just a hypothesis, I believe there are parts of your body that are particularly susceptible to the influence of the magic stone. If we can improve that constitution, I think you might be able to return to your former life."

"I hope that's true... but..."

"I'm glad you're back," I was told, and without doing anything that day, I left the mansion. After that, I continued for a while without being able to do anything. For some reason, I found it hard to visit Linna's room. I tried going once, but couldn't enter her room.

Neither the ultrasound machine nor magic showed any progress.

Then, Alek returned.

"Looks like you were away on a mission for quite a while. Was it really such a big job?"

"I went to the forest near the dock and was hauling around a large tree. It was quite a sizable one, you know. There were also a pack of wolves there. Great workout, really."

"Still into heavy lifting, huh?"

Since I hadn't accomplished anything, the conversation felt like a nice mental break.

I did hear that many ships had been destroyed by the shark monster.

The guild had issued a request for a large amount of wood to build replacements.

Alek said the ship repairs would be finished in about two weeks, allowing him to return to the empire. That meant, considering travel and scheduling, we had to resolve this matter within just about one more week—otherwise, we wouldn't be able to search for the Hero's Legend, nor would we learn how to cure Linah's illness.

I panicked.

I just wanted results—anything at all.

No matter how inconvenient or awkward the method, I had to try anything I could with the samples to see if I could improve her condition.

Nature isn't kind. It was like pouring water on a hot stone.

I wobbled when I suddenly stood up. My body must be worn down from days of working late into the night. No, compared to the exhaustion William and Lena have endured, my fatigue isn't even worth mentioning.

The desk is cluttered from all the tinkering and rearranging.

I was on my way to the shelf, trying to tidy up, when I stumbled badly due to the uneven floor of the old dormitory. I fell forward with force, and the momentum shook the desk, scattering the items even more wildly.

Just as I had mustered my resolve again, I lost all motivation.

No good—just being discouraged won't get anything done. Someone important once said: "A true professional is someone who gets up right away."

Close your eyes and take a deep breath to calm your mind. Then, pick up items and put them away, keeping your eyes closed to rest them. Most things go back to their usual spots, so you can tell where they are without looking.

...Suddenly, I felt a strange sensation of being pulled in.