2-1 - An Encounter With My Father

The courtyard was shrouded in darkness as the sun set and night descended.

I was heading toward the main residence when I heard Claire-nee’s desperate voice coming from a corner of the grounds. I hurriedly changed course and headed toward the sound.

Beyond the bushes, I witnessed a scene of madness illuminated by blazing torches.

The first thing that caught my eye was the fierce red flames. A man who appeared to be my father and several knights were holding torches, surrounding Michelle and several other servants.

The servants had been made to sit on a platform constructed from straw and firewood soaked in oil or something similar. It was immediately obvious what was about to happen.

“Father, please, I beg you to stop this!”

“Claire, I understand your feelings all too well. I feel exactly the same way.”

“Then please put a stop to this!”

“I cannot. I have a duty to protect the greater number of people. If we do not eliminate the source of this disease here, there is no telling how much damage it might cause.”

“But they’ve been faithfully serving House Granches!”

“You need not remind me. I told you that I share your feelings. However, if I give them special treatment simply because they are part of our household, others will follow suit. And then eliminating the source of the disease will become impossible!”

“But they’ll recover if they’re allowed to rest!”

“That is merely what you wish to believe.”

“No, it isn’t!”

“Then tell me, where did you acquire such knowledge?”

“That’s—!”

Claire-nee bit her lip. She probably realized that saying anything more would expose my secret. Unfortunately, her silence only deepened Father’s misunderstanding.

“…Enough. Continuing this will only prolong their suffering.”

“But—!”

“Claire-sama, your concern alone is more than enough.”

While the other maids trembled, Michelle, the only one who had maintained her composure, spoke up.

“…Michelle, do you understand what you’re saying?”

“It is not as though I wish to die. However, if this continues, the people precious to us may also suffer because of us. Rather than allow that to happen, I would… choose death.”

“That’s… No, no! Michelle, please, don’t say things like that!”

“Claire-sama, you mustn’t come near me!”

Michelle firmly rejected Claire-nee when she tried to cling to her.

Considering the flames that were literally about to engulf her, Michelle’s terror must have been unimaginable. Yet she spoke with unwavering resolve.

Watching Michelle, I could feel just how deeply she loved Claire-nee. And Claire-nee must have felt the same way. With tears threatening to spill from her eyes, she stopped herself from approaching.

“…Claire, step back.”

Father gave an order to one of the knights, who restrained Claire-nee when she stood there, unable to move.

…I guess this really was too much for Claire-nee to handle alone.

Ideally, Claire-nee would have persuaded him herself, but there was no helping it now. Just as Father was about to issue another order, I stepped forward.

“Father, please hear me out!”

“What now? You’re… Leon? Why are you here!?”

Father cried out in bewilderment, and Claire-nee’s eyes widened in surprise. The surrounding knights also began murmuring among themselves.

It was our second encounter, nearly four years after our first.

Having lost my parents at an early age in my previous life, family bonds held a special significance for me. That was why, rather than harboring resentment or bitterness, I had wanted to establish some kind of relationship with my father.

…But now wasn’t the time for that. Saving Michelle and the others came first. I took a deep breath and began trying to persuade Father.

“I’m here because there’s something I need to discuss with you, Father.”

“…Were you the one who put those strange ideas into Claire’s head?”

“They aren’t strange ideas. They’re accurate medical knowledge.”

“What nonsense. How could someone who has spent his entire life living in the detached residence possibly possess such knowledge?”

He clearly didn’t believe me, but that was within my expectations. First, I needed to capture his interest by rattling off everything I knew without holding anything back.

“In addition to a high fever, the symptoms include fatigue and loss of appetite. Unlike an ordinary cold, the symptoms appear suddenly and affect the entire body. Furthermore, it spreads during cold, dry seasons. What these women are suffering from is influenza, a highly contagious disease.”

“…Influenza, you say? Are you claiming to know about this disease?”

“Yes, I’m very familiar with it.”

That was a bluff intended to make my argument more convincing.

Even assuming it was influenza, there were numerous strains, so I had no idea how severe the one spreading through the territory might be.

But if Father discovered my uncertainty, Michelle and the others would be doomed. I met his gaze directly and desperately maintained an appearance of confidence.

“If you speak with such confidence, I presume you also know how to cure it?”

“Yes. I know very well.”

I answered without averting my eyes, breathing an inward sigh of relief.

Next, I needed to convince him that Michelle and the others could be saved. With that in mind, I turned my attention toward the trembling maids.

It would have been difficult for young children or elderly people with little physical strength, but fortunately, these women appeared to be in their twenties. Even without medicine, they should have a good chance of recovering if provided with an environment where they could rest properly.

“If you follow the treatment I recommend, most of the patients can be saved.”

I declared this while looking Father straight in the eye. Immediately afterward, the surrounding knights began murmuring among themselves.

Their reactions amounted to disbelief that such a young child would dare make those claims. None of them seemed willing to listen to me.

However—

“…Hmm. And what exactly would this treatment involve?”

Father alone responded to my words with a question.

“They need to rest in a clean, warm room with sufficient humidity, while being given plenty of fluids and easily digestible food. If we do that, they should recover in about ten days.”

“Oh? Are you saying no medicine is necessary?”

“Medicine… won’t be necessary.”

Truthfully, I would have liked to have some fever reducers. But only if they were genuine medicines.

On Earth, when civilization had been at approximately the same level as this world, substances believed to be medicines but actually poisonous had been openly administered. Frankly, I wanted nothing to do with medicines whose effects were uncertain.

“Are you saying they will recover simply by resting?”

“The most important thing is providing an environment where they can do so.”

Suffering from influenza while being confined to a warehouse in the middle of winter? Even a disease that would ordinarily resolve itself wouldn’t improve under those conditions. I felt like even an ordinary cold could kill someone in that situation.

“If your claims are true, that would be wonderful… But how do you intend to prove them?”

“…Unfortunately, I can’t prove anything right now. However, if you follow my instructions, the results should speak for themselves in ten days.”

“Indeed. Trying your method would establish whether your claims are true. However, that is not possible.”

…Just as I thought.

“Let me confirm something. It’s not that you refuse to believe anything I’ve said, is it?”

“Of course not. I have no idea where you acquired such knowledge, but…”

As Father spoke, his gaze shifted toward Claire-nee.

…Huh? Wait, did he somehow discover that Claire-nee has been visiting me regularly? Or did he simply suspect something because Claire-nee and I were saying the same things?

Come to think of it, he also recognized me as Leon almost immediately. Maybe he just figured it out by elimination because I called him Father… Well, there was no point dwelling on that now.

“At any rate, you do not appear to be lying. I believe your proposal is worth considering.”

“Then please tell me why it isn’t possible.”

“Because the risks are too great. You said yourself that this disease is highly contagious, did you not? If their symptoms fail to improve and they infect others, how do you intend to take responsibility?”

“That can be prevented through proper isolation.”

“But allowing them to rest would require healthy people to care for them. Are you suggesting that someone should be sacrificed based on your uncertain claims?”

“That’s…”

That risk certainly remained. In a world without proper medicine, I couldn’t guarantee that nobody would die, and I couldn’t dismiss the possibility that the person who died might be one of the caregivers.

However, I had already prepared an answer to that question. If someone had to take a risk, then the person who proposed the idea should be the one to shoulder it.

Therefore—

“—In that case, I shall care for them.”

Just as I was about to speak, a clear, dignified voice suddenly rang out from behind me. Hearing a voice I never expected to hear here, I whirled around in surprise.

“Milly!? What are you doing here!?”

“I anticipated that if your attempt at persuasion succeeded, someone would be needed to care for them, Leon-sama.”

“Care for… you mean those women?”

“I told you before, didn’t I? I will always be on your side, Leon-sama.”

Milly smiled mischievously and stepped forward to stand beside me. Then she turned to face my father.

“Robert-sama, it has been quite some time.”

“…Milly. Are you saying you will take care of these women?”

“Yes. That is correct.”

“But… If you heard our discussion, surely you understand? Caring for them would put your own life at risk.”

“I am fully prepared for that. Besides, I believe in Leon-sama.”

Milly made her declaration without the slightest hesitation. Faced with her unwavering attitude, Father appeared somewhat troubled.

“…You are serious, then?”

“Yes, of course.”

They stared at each other in silence for a while. Eventually, Father was the one who relented.

“…Very well. If you are that determined, I shall entrust their fates to you.”

And so, the patients from the mansion were placed in our care. I’d expected a much greater struggle, but everything had suddenly shifted in our favor after Milly arrived.

She’d mentioned that it had been a long time since they’d met, so perhaps they’d interacted quite a bit in the past.

Incidentally, and rather surprisingly, none of the knights raised any objections. Rather than believing my claims, they probably trusted Father’s judgment. Or perhaps they simply hadn’t wanted to kill everyone.

“In that case, I’d like to take them back with us now. Would that be acceptable?”

“Indeed. I shall have anything you require delivered to the detached residence later.”

After receiving Father’s permission, Milly approached the maids, who were trembling from both cold and fear. Being left outside in the cold had probably worsened their conditions. They looked utterly miserable.

“…Everyone, I know you’re suffering, but can you manage to walk to the detached residence yourselves?”

Despite their obvious discomfort, the maids somehow managed to stand on their own.

“What would you like to do now, Leon-sama?”

“I…”

I glanced toward Father, wondering whether I was about to be interrogated or detained.

“There are many things I wish to ask you, but those questions can wait until we have seen the results. For now, do what must be done.”

Hmm. So he was putting everything on hold until the results came in. In that case, I needed to concentrate on what I had to do.

“Thank you, Father. Also, once you return to the mansion, please remember to gargle and wash your hands. And make sure to hang damp towels in the rooms.”

“…Hmm?”

“Other people may already be infected, so these are precautions against influenza. They should help reduce the chances of infection.”

“Understood. I shall issue instructions not only to the mansion but also to the people of the territory. Still, to think you truly possessed such… No, I suppose there is little point in saying that now.”

Leaving behind that meaningful murmur, Father departed with the knights. After watching them leave, I turned my attention back to Milly.

“I’ll head back to the detached residence with you and help out.”

“…I suppose you wouldn’t listen even if I asked you to remain somewhere safe.”

“Would you listen if our positions were reversed, Milly?”

“…That was a foolish question. Very well. In that case, I shall head back first.”

“What are you talking about? I’m coming with you.”

“No. You still have something important to attend to, don’t you, Leon-sama?”

As she spoke, Milly glanced behind me. Standing there was Claire-nee, desperately struggling to hold back tears.

Ah, what should I do? Michelle was one thing, but would it be a problem if I rushed over to Claire-nee in front of the other servants? While I was considering that, Milly led the servants away.

The moment we were finally alone, Claire-nee threw herself into my arms.

“Whoa!?”

“I’m sorry! I’m so sorry! It’s all my fault! I’m sorry!”

“…Why are you apologizing?”

“Because it’s my fault that Father found out about your secret, little brother!”

“Ah… Yeah, I guess he figured it out pretty thoroughly.”

He was probably still only half-convinced for now, but that would change if Michelle and the others recovered. And if news of that reached Caroline-san, Milly would…

“Little brother, let me help with the nursing too.”

“That’s… not happening.”

“Why not!?”

“You already know why. There’s no way Caroline-san would allow it.”

If Claire-nee forced her way into the detached residence, there was no telling what Caroline-san might do. In the worst-case scenario, she might drag Claire-nee back and have the infected servants killed.

Claire-nee seemed to understand that. She bit her lip in frustration.

“…I’m sorry, little brother. All I ever do is cause you trouble. I don’t know what I can do to earn your forgiveness, but if there’s anything I can do, please tell me.”

“Anything you can do?”

“Yes. If there’s any way I can repay even a little of what I owe you, I’ll do absolutely anything.”

Tears streamed down Claire-nee’s cheeks as she looked straight at me. Her emerald eyes were filled with determination, making it clear just how sincerely she meant those words.

Honestly, girls shouldn’t go around saying they’ll do absolutely anything. What would she do if someone made some perverted request of her…? Then again, I supposed she wasn’t old enough to understand that sort of thing yet.

Well, even before considering that, there was no way I’d ever make a perverted request of my own sister.

“You’ll really do anything?”

“Yes. As long as it’s something I can do, I’ll do anything.”

“I see… Then, Claire-nee, I want you to keep smiling.”

“…Huh? Little brother, what are you talking about?”

“I’m. Saying. That’s. My. Request. I helped because I couldn’t just stand by and watch you suffer, Claire-nee. That’s all there is to it. So as long as you can keep smiling, that’s enough for me.”

“B-but that isn’t a punishment at all.”

“Even if it’s something you don’t want to do, you still have to listen to me. That’s what promising to do anything means, right?”

“…That’s not fair. When you put it like that… I can’t possibly refuse.”

She must have wanted to be punished. Claire-nee wore an expression somewhere between laughter and tears.

I understood how she felt, but I wanted Claire-nee to smile. That was the very reason I’d come here, even though doing so had meant making a painful choice.

“Smile for me, Claire-nee.”

For Milly’s sake and mine, too—I added silently.

“…You’re mean. You’re so kind, little brother, and yet you’re so mean. …But a promise is a promise. If you want me to smile, then I’ll always keep smiling.”

“Yeah. Please do.”

“Sniff… Thank you, little brother. Really… thank you.”

Even as tears continued streaming down her cheeks, she gave me a beautiful smile. I held her slender body tightly in my arms until she finally stopped crying.