Episode 99

Morning came, and I received a letter addressed to me.

‘It’s too soon for Arzen to have sent a reply.’

As expected, it wasn’t from Arzen—it was from Robert.

Robert was known for completely isolating himself whenever he started a research project, immersing himself so deeply that he barely communicated with the outside world.

True to those rumors, the only indication that he was even alive was the occasional news that he was still breathing.

I had never sent him a letter first, either—I didn’t want to disturb him while he was dedicating himself to his research.

All I did was provide small vials of my blood whenever his assistant came to the Grand Duke’s estate to collect samples.

And yet, for the first time, he had reached out to me first.

My heart pounded loudly in my chest.

I would be lying if I said I wasn’t excited.

With slightly trembling hands, I opened the envelope.

Inside, I saw Robert’s distinctive, elegant handwriting.

A faint scent of medicinal herbs lingered on the paper.

[It has been a while, my lady. I hope you have been well. I am writing to you for one reason—I believe I have found a breakthrough in the treatment of Lisbeth disease.]

“…….”

[I await your visit to my laboratory.]

I reread the letter multiple times.

But the words remained the same.

“Finally….”

Finally, a clue had been found.

A breakthrough for the damned, incurable disease that had eaten away at my body since childhood.

I nearly burst into tears, but I held them back.

I had experienced too many false hopes before, and most of them had only led me to despair.

There was no guarantee that this time would be any different.

And yet… why did I feel like I could believe in it this time?

Robert’s words, brimming with an unusual confidence, ignited a spark of hope inside me.

“Nella, prepare the carriage immediately.”

I could feel the heat rising in my flushed cheeks, a reflection of my anticipation.

* * *

A small, quiet village on the outskirts of the Drenihan duchy.

The carriage moved through the peaceful streets, making its way to Robert’s laboratory.

At last, it stopped, and I stepped out.

As I looked up at the familiar wooden house I hadn’t visited in a while, a bright, lark-like voice called out to me from somewhere.

“Sister!”

Sharon peeked her head out from a second-floor window, waving excitedly.

“Sharon, have you been well?”

“Yes!”

Sharon looked much healthier than when I last saw her. Her complexion had improved, and she had gained some weight.

Compared to when I saw her in the East District, she seemed far stronger—it was a relief to see.

Soon, Sharon rushed down from the second floor, opening the door to greet me.

“I missed you!”

“I missed you too, Sharon.”

I handed her the teddy bear I had bought for her on the way.

“Wow—thank you!”

Sharon hugged the teddy bear tightly, her face lighting up with joy.

As I patted her head, amused by her cuteness, I heard Robert’s voice from inside.

“You’ve arrived, my lady!”

“Yes, I came as soon as I read your letter. Is it true? You’ve found a lead?”

“It is. Please, come inside first.”

Following Robert’s lead, I entered his laboratory.

In just a few months, the place had become a chaotic mess, filled with signs of his relentless research.

Papers covered in notes were scattered all over the floor, leaving barely any space to step. The tables were lined with half-finished potions and experimental concoctions.

I couldn’t even begin to fathom how intense his battle had been.

“I did try to clean up a bit, but it’s still a mess. My apologies, haha.”

“No, I should be thanking you for all the effort you’ve put in.”

Robert soon pulled out a chair for me.

“Sharon, could you prepare some tea for the lady?”

“Yes!”

Sharon nodded eagerly before stepping away.

As I glanced around the room, my eyes landed on an open newspaper lying on the floor.

“…That’s…”

It was an article about the East District explosion.

For two consecutive days, the empire’s newspaper had been dominated by the unprecedented disaster.

And on one page, I found something all too familiar—an article about the second explosion from just the day before.

[Sierra Drenihan Recreates a Miracle.]

The article was essentially claiming that I was a rising force capable of surpassing even Thergon Drenihan.

“……”

‘These imperial newspapers…’

No matter how much pressure Drenihan and Karsian put on them, they still refused to learn.

If there was someone who could surpass Thergon Drenihan, that person wouldn’t just be remarkable—they would be a monster.

All I had done was borrow the power of a spirit for a brief moment to extinguish the fire.

I wasn’t like Thergon, who could summon rain for an entire week to nourish dry lands!

Robert, noticing my gaze on the newspaper, spoke.

“So you went to the South again.”

“Oh, yes. There was something I needed to confirm.”

“I was shocked when I first heard the news.”

Robert’s voice was heavy with emotion.

The East District, now reduced to ruins, had been his home just months ago.

And no one had been more dedicated to ending the district’s plague than he had.

“What was the situation like at the site?”

The devastation had been horrific.

But I couldn’t bring myself to say that to him while he looked so troubled.

“It’s much more stable now.”

“I see. I also heard that you played a significant role in helping. On par with Lord Thergon Drenihan…”

“That’s not true.”

I waved my hand dismissively, correcting him.

Just then, Sharon returned and handed me a cup of tea.

“Oh, thank you, Sharon.”

“It’s nothing! You two can continue your talk.”

With a bright smile, Sharon left the room.

Robert watched her fondly before his expression turned serious.

“Now, let me explain my findings.”

He walked toward a bookshelf.

“These are materials collected by Queensbury under the Grand Duke’s orders.”

The massive shelf was packed with ancient books, their covers worn with age.

“These tomes are priceless, impossible to obtain with money. I never imagined I would have the chance to work with such rare records.”

“But ancient texts…”

Most people couldn’t decipher them.

Only I had the strange ability to read them as if they were in my native language.

“That’s right. Most cannot understand them. But Queensbury managed to decode them. And within their translations, I found a crucial clue about the cure.”

Robert pulled out a large, red-leather book.

Flipping through its thick pages, he stopped at a particular section and showed it to me.

“This part right here.”

The text was written entirely in an ancient language.

Alongside it was a piece of paper containing a modern translation.

Robert pointed at the translated section, but I naturally read the ancient text itself.

The book described the symptoms of a disease from ancient times.

And as I read, I realized something—

The symptoms perfectly matched Lisbeth disease.

My eyes widened, and Robert spoke.

“Lisbeth has existed since ancient times. This entire book—hundreds of pages—is dedicated to discussing the disease.”

Then, he added something even more shocking.

“And… if the contents of this book are true, Lisbeth disease may not be a naturally occurring illness.”

“……?”

Not naturally occurring?

Then what was it?

“The records state that Lisbeth’s symptoms closely resemble those caused by consuming a certain fruit in ancient times.”

“A fruit?”

Robert nodded.

“I didn’t believe it at first, either. But the more research I did, the more convinced I became. When I analyzed your blood, I found traces of an unknown fruit.”

“An unknown fruit…?”

He glanced at a photograph on his desk, his gaze nostalgic.

“My wife used to gather medicinal herbs for me from the mountains whenever I needed them for my potions. The Deiorsa Mountains—a land of abundant nature.”

“……”

“There were countless herbs and fruits growing there. She often ate them as well. It’s possible… that one of those fruits was responsible for triggering Lisbeth.”

Robert closed the book with a firm thud.

“I also asked Sharon—whether she ate anything unusual before she got sick.”

“…And what did she say?”

“She remembered eating a strange fruit she had never seen before. Since her case is more recent, she was able to recall it well.”

Robert turned his gaze to me.

“And you, my lady—do you remember? Do you recall anything unusual before your illness began?”

“I…”

 

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