Upstart Pastry Chef ~Territory Management of a Genius Pâtisserie~ - Chapter 49

Chapter 49: I Couldn’t Bear to Let Them Die

We were guided to a bedroom on the second floor of the mansion.

There lay a beautiful elven woman on the bed.

With a pained expression, Colt, the middle-aged man with silver fox ears, looked down at her and spoke.

“She’s Chloe’s mother and my sister. About two weeks ago, she began complaining of fatigue, loss of appetite, and severe coughing with blood. Above all, she sweats profusely.”

In this world, it’s not uncommon for siblings of different races like Colt and this elven woman.

Children of different races inherit the characteristics of one parent or the other perfectly.

“Thank you for informing me of the symptoms. Let’s proceed with the examination.”

I placed my hand on her forehead and activated the preliminary ritual for Heal.

“Heal” provides all the information about the target as a preliminary step to healing.

What I learned was that she was suffering from an infectious disease.

Moreover, she was infected with a type of bacteria that humans inherently lack antibodies against.

Her lungs were affected. Natural recovery is hopeless. She’ll likely perish within a month.

Furthermore, this bacteria is airborne.

Curing this infection through conventional means is almost impossible. It’s an extremely difficult disease similar to pulmonary tuberculosis.

Pulmonary tuberculosis was considered incurable until very recently on Earth. With the facilities in this world, there’s nothing we can do.

But I can heal her with Heal.

“We’ve identified the nature of the illness.”

“You mean you could tell just by touching her forehead?”

“Yes, I’m a mage. I can use magic to heal people.”

Upon hearing my words, Colt was speechless.

Because being a mage is something you should keep hidden as much as possible.

Due to its rarity, there are risks involved in letting people know.

Moreover, my “Heal” spell is extremely powerful and valuable, not something to be casually revealed.

“Is it okay to disclose that?”

“Yes, because there’s no other choice. This disease is no joke. There’s no time to hesitate or beat around the bush. If we don’t act, the village will perish. Besides, I trust you to believe in me.”

I confided in Colt about my secret because he loves Tina’s mother and Tina herself.

“It seems I’ve caused trouble. What’s the nature of this disease that requires you to go to such lengths? Could you give me more details?”

Colt’s hand trembles. He’s afraid of facing reality.

“Firstly, this disease never heals naturally. It’s caused by a certain bacterium… It settles in the lungs and the human body has no means to resist it. Furthermore, there’s no medicine to kill the bacteria. The bacteria keep multiplying, the disease worsens, and ultimately leads to death. I repeat, there’s no chance of natural recovery.”

Colt’s face contorts in pain upon hearing this truth.

He must have been hoping for the disease to eventually heal.

“There’s more to it.”

“Is there more bad news?”

“Yes, among the patients affected by this disease, the bacteria continue to spread through coughing and airborne transmission. And among those who breathe in this air, the bacteria continue to multiply. Currently unaffected individuals will eventually develop symptoms once the concentration of bacteria reaches a certain level. And then they’ll spread the bacteria further.”

The disease is likely to continue spreading at this rate.

When Chloe came to my village, I checked if she brought any illness, but she was still safe. However, it’s only a matter of time before a significant number of the villagers who haven’t shown symptoms yet become infected and fall ill.

“…You’re saying something dreadful. It’s as if…”

“Once someone falls ill, they will never recover, and the number of affected individuals will continue to grow. And the longer it takes, the faster the spread will become.”

I remove all considerations and simply convey the facts.

Hesitation now will only lead to more casualties.

“If that’s true… then this village is finished.”

“If you rely on me, I can use magic to heal all the patients. Let’s treat everyone with magic, including those who haven’t shown symptoms yet. Additionally, I must mention that there’s a risk of recurrence even after treatment. Regular check-ups will be necessary.”

That’s the most practical solution available.

This way, everything can be resolved.

Since Colt hasn’t responded, I continue speaking.

“If you intend to save this village without relying on my power, I recommend isolating all those who have fallen ill immediately. Simply being near a patient will increase the risk of infection. No, it might be better to kill them off. They’ll only suffer until they die anyway. In the future, anyone who falls ill will need to do the same. …By isolating and eliminating those afflicted with the disease one by one, the damage will eventually be contained.”

It’s an incredibly inhumane course of action.

But it’s necessary given the circumstances.

“…I can’t isolate my fellow villagers. Let alone kill them.”

“Then rely on me. Let me show you how I can heal them.”

“We can’t rely on human power.”

“Then the village will perish. That’s all there is to it.”

Colt falls silent.

He’s desperately wrestling with his duties as the leader and his instincts as a parent.

“Let’s get back to the discussion. I believe it’s acceptable to help only those who are sick and wish to be saved, and as I mentioned earlier, I’m willing to take care of them on my territory if they’re expelled from the village for breaking the rules. Those who wish to live even if they’re banished from the village will be saved… However, if even one sick person remains in this village, everyone here will eventually perish. With that understanding, I ask for your decision as the leader.”

I pushed him to make a decision.

As he said, this is the realm of the spirits, and I am an outsider. But for Tina’s sake, I want to save this village.

I’ll lend my full strength. Given the circumstances, I no longer feel the need to conceal my ability to use ”Heal”.

However, ultimately, I can’t do anything without Colt’s decision.

Watching our conversation silently, Chloe stepped forward and confronted me.

And she stared at Colt.

“What are you hesitating for, Uncle Colt?”

“…Chloe.”

“Let’s ask for help. Is the village’s rule more important than lives? I value everyone’s lives more than such rules. If Uncle Colt won’t make a decision, I’ll personally go persuade each and every sick person. Then, I’ll take my mother and the others who were cured, along with those who want to survive, to Kurt’s village!”

I was slightly taken aback.

Chloe is composed. She calmly devised a way to save not only her mother but also many others.

Currently, it’s probably the best way to save the most people.

“I… I’ve… made my decision. Kurt, please take this.”

Colt placed something in the palm of my hand.

Opening my hand, I found a beautiful emerald-colored gem.

“It’s called an Emerald Jewel. When an Elf dies, their heart turns into a gem. It’s a keepsake from my mother. Elves have a tradition of giving Emerald Jewels to loved ones upon death. Humans used to hunt Elves for them. They’re not just beautiful; they enhance magical power.”

“I’ve heard of Emerald Jewels. Mostly in fairy tales, though.”

I could feel the magical energy emanating from the gem in the palm of my hand.

It was transparent to the point of seeming to absorb souls, with a mesmerizing emerald hue.

Perhaps this single gem was worth more than all of Arnoldt’s territory put together.

“Let’s give this to Kurt as a gift. Consider it an advance payment for treatment. Would you be willing to help Chloe? First, I’d like her sister to be healed.”

There was no reason to refuse such a gift.

But what concerned me more was…

“Was it okay to say that the material for this is an Elf’s heart? What if I’m targeted out of greed?”

“They’ll come and attack this village with many humans in tow, won’t they? Kurt won’t do such a thing. It’s a token of gratitude for revealing your magic.”

Colt chuckled lightly.

With that said, there’s no way I could betray him.

I gripped the emerald jewel tightly, feeling the magical energy naturally increasing.

“Well then, let’s heal… [Heal].”

My magic was activated.

A warm light enveloped the Elven woman, and the illness was healed.

Her troubled sleeping face softened, her breathing stabilized, and the sweat subsided.

Chloe smiled, kneeling down and holding the Elven woman’s hand with both of hers.

“Uncle Colt, Mom looks so much better. She hasn’t looked this peaceful since she got sick.”

“Yeah, what an incredible power. To heal so quickly in such a short time.”

It’s no wonder they’re astonished.

My [Heal] is indeed an extraordinary power.

“Chloe, Kurt. I’ve made up my mind. I want you to save those you can. To tell you the truth, in a situation like this, I wish we could bend the rules and heal everyone. But inevitably, there will be those among us who reject humans. We can’t change their hearts. And as Kurt said, as long as there’s even one person infected, the disease will continue to spread. We’re at a dead end. At the very least, I want you to help those who can survive outside.”

Colt had the look of determination unique to those who have resolved themselves to a difficult decision.

It was a heartbreaking determination.

“What about you?”

“I’ll stay here to witness the end of this village. As its leader. I’ll do everything I can to save as many as possible until the end. Somehow, I’ll try to implement the isolation Kurt mentioned in a peaceful manner.”

I pondered.

Would I be able to remain this calm if I were to become a lord, knowing that the collapse of Arnoldt is inevitable? And would I be able to think of the people until the moment of my death?

Colt must know that if he were to think only of his own life, he and Chloe could come to my territory. Yet, he resolved to save as many people as possible.

I wanted to become a man like him.

That’s why I didn’t want him to die.

So, take action. It’s not just about having a convenient power like [Heal]. Squeeze out all the power of Kurt Arnoldt.

“I decline. I can’t handle the trouble with just a pebble like this.”

“Well, I see. If there’s anything else I can provide, I’ll prepare it. I could gather all the emerald jewels in the village.”

Colt looked at me with eyes that seemed somewhat disappointed.

His eyes seemed to say, “In the end, you’re just another human consumed by greed.”

“I want nothing but the finest fruits. It would be a loss if this village were to disappear.”

However, disappointment turned into surprise with the next words.

“Fruits over emerald jewels?”

“Yes, I’m a doctor, a lord, and also a pastry chef. A delicious fruit shines brighter to me than any gemstone.”

Seeing me assertively declare this, Colt chuckled.

“Hahaha, coming out with something unexpected. You’re an interesting man, Kurt.”

“It’s no laughing matter. I’m serious. Colt-san, you said it yourself, ‘I wish we could bend the rules and heal everyone. But inevitably, there will be those among us who reject humans. We can’t change their hearts.’ So, I’ll try to convince them.”

“That’s impossible. There are more people with strong aversions to humans than Kurt thinks. Even if they know Kurt is a doctor who can heal the sick, convincing them is impossible.”

Certainly, that might be the case.

Words from a doctor might not reach them.

But even so…

“I’m a pastry chef. There are no racial barriers when it comes to delicious sweets. It will surely reach their hearts.”

I swore on my pride to break down those stubborn walls with my pastries.

That’s my determination.