Upstart Pastry Chef ~Territory Management of a Genius Pâtisserie~ - Chapter 44

Chapter 44: Determination to Depart

“Munch, munch, gulp, gulp.”

The elven woman who had collapsed moments ago is now desperately eating the bread and milk porridge Tina brought her.

The milk porridge is made by warming goat’s milk and adding honey, then tearing bread into it. It’s sweet, nutritious, easily digestible, and perfect for the sick.

The children look on enviously.

According to my examination and her own testimony, she collapsed simply from hunger and was unable to move.

“So, why did you collapse?”

“Munch, gulp. It’s… embarrassing.”

“No need to answer now. I’ll ask again after you finish eating.”

I resigned myself to waiting for the elven woman to finish eating.

◇

“Ahh, that was delicious. I feel revived.”

The elven woman murmured contentedly, her lips stained white with milk.

Despite being a beautiful blonde with azure eyes, there’s a sense of disarray about her.

She seems surprisingly lively, considering she had collapsed just moments ago. Now, I can ask her about her story.

“Let me ask again, why did you collapse here?”

As I inquire, the elven woman pauses for a moment as if pondering, then begins to speak.

“I was traveling from the Spirit Village to the human lands. But no matter how far I went, I couldn’t find the human lands, and I ran out of food. I failed in hunting too, and collapsed from hunger. Thank you to the kind person who fed me. Thanks to you, I’ve come back to life.”

The elven woman speaks apologetically.

“Well, that’s all well and good, but why were you aiming for the human lands in the first place?”

Elves are an exclusive race, living self-sufficiently without mingling with other villages, and it’s said they spend their entire lives in the village and forest where they were born.

Therefore, while tales of elves exist, very few humans have actually seen an elf.

“Right now, the Spirit Village is in trouble… There’s an epidemic spreading, and everyone is falling ill. I’m one of the few who’s still okay, so I set out to buy medicine. But the elven medicine doesn’t seem to work at all. I thought maybe humans might have medicine that could cure it.”

Ah, I see. Seeking help outside the Spirit Village makes sense in that case.

Human cities are more advanced in medicine than closed-off villages.

“But I’m glad I made it to the human lands like this. Hey, you seem like a doctor. If it’s you, can you cure everyone’s illnesses?”

The elf girl looks at me earnestly.

It seems she’s realized I’m the doctor in this village from my demeanor during the examination and the reactions around me.

“I can’t say without knowing the symptoms. Some diseases can be cured, others can’t, and the effectiveness of the medicine varies. And there are diseases that can only be treated with methods other than medicine. I need as much detailed information as possible.”

I have a bad feeling about this.

The elf seems even more clueless than I imagined. She doesn’t even seem to understand the need to identify the illness. She talks as if a good medicine is one that works for everything.

“Well, um, they cough a lot, collapse, and have a high fever. They lose their appetite. If they’re weak, they’ll die within a month. It’s such a terrible disease!”

The elf girl explains the illness with all her might.

“That won’t do. It’s too vague. I won’t understand, and… probably others won’t either. I can mix fever reducers, but I can’t guarantee they’ll cure it. As I said before, each illness requires appropriate treatment, and many diseases can’t be cured with medicine.”

“Oh no, then what am I… What will happen to the Spirit Village if this continues?”

A pandemic threatening the elves’ village with extinction.

If such a thing were spreading in human cities, it would be a major topic by now. Whether in the Arnold territory or the Count Fernande territory, there hasn’t been any mention of such occurrences lately.

It’s probably an unknown disease. There’s no such thing as a miracle cure.

“If it’s big brother Kurt, maybe he can cure it! Remember, he helped Mil, and he has that black medicine that can cure anything!”

Johann interjects from the side.

I once used the black medicine, claiming it could cure anything, as a cover for the healing power of Recovery Heal.

“Is such a thing possible?! Please! Please, share that medicine. I’ll repay your kindness not just personally, but with all the power and resources available to all the elves. Elves are a people of oaths, we never lie. Please believe me!”

The elven woman bows deeply at Johann’s words.

I lost the timing to say I can’t do such a thing.

I hesitate.

I can help the elves.

But to forsake them just to protect the secret of Heal? Is it right to crush the hopes of such a desperate girl?

But whether I can protect my secret by saving one village is uncertain. If my Heal were to be exposed to others, it would spell instant disaster. Its potential for exploitation is too high.

“Please!”

The elven girl pleads again.

As I struggle to respond, the girl, trying to gauge my expression, lifts her head.

And then her eyes widen in surprise.

Standing behind me is Tina.

“Kururina-sama?”

The girl addresses Tina with a name unfamiliar to her.

“Kururina-sama, why are you here? Please, Kururina-sama, help us too. Our village, our village is going to perish, everyone will die.”

The elven girl desperately pleads, grasping Tina’s shoulders.

Tina is visibly flustered.

It’s not because she doesn’t recognize the name Kururina.

“Tina, do you know someone named Kururina?”

At my question, Tina nods, then slowly speaks.

“It’s my… mother’s name.”

That single sentence was enough to surprise everyone present.