Siblings And Colds (6)

I’ve never heard of a dragon catching a cold. Or are they surprisingly delicate creatures that can catch a cold?

Does the influenza virus affect all beings equally? That’s impressive.

It seemed that because it was a human body, the immune system was affected just like a human’s.

It’s not an unreasonable idea, as dragons in polymorph form who engage with humans give birth to humans.

Dragons who have children while enjoying their time don’t lay eggs; they give birth just like humans.

The children born that way are not dragons. They are not hybrids either.

I’ve heard that they give birth to pure humans. No matter how much they spread their seeds during their play, the number of dragons doesn’t increase, only humans do.

If that weren’t the case, there would be more dragons in the world.

Anyway, this means that a dragon’s polymorph perfectly replicates human cells and tissues, so it’s not surprising that the cold virus can infiltrate Rurin’s current body.

But it’s still strange. The cold virus usually spreads through contact with mucous membranes or saliva, and Rurin was just beside me. How did the cold transfer?

“Rurin, if you turn back into a dragon, won’t the virus disappear?”

“I don’t want that. Didn’t I say I don’t want to be different from you? I am me. I want to be myself now! But I’m dizzy. I have no strength. My throat hurts, ugh.”

“You’re stubborn.”

“Turning into a dragon makes me feel like I’m a different being from you. I really hate that. I made a firm decision in the capital back then. And didn’t you say I’d get better if I lay down?”

“Okay, I get it. For now, just lie down properly.”

There’s no guarantee that turning back into a dragon and then returning to human form will make the virus disappear.

There’s a good chance it could lay dormant and then cause a fever as soon as she turns back into a human.

The fortunate thing is that my body feels light.

If we were both bedridden, it would be a real problem. I don’t know if it’s thanks to Rurin’s clumsy care yesterday or because my cold transferred to her, but I don’t have a fever, and my body feels light.

“So I told you to stay away, geez.”

“Hehe, my throat hurts, you…!”

“Is that something to laugh about? And you didn’t laugh once yesterday?”

“I’m laughing because you seem to be all better! Hehe, I don’t mind being sick!”

“Okay, I get it. Just be quiet for now. You say your throat hurts, but you’re talking a lot.”

I placed the cold towel Rurin had enchanted with preservation magic on her forehead.

“Get some sleep. Sleeping is the best cure for this illness.”

“That’s my specialty.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

I answered her and then started wiping Rurin’s sweat with the towel.

Ment immediately reported to El after the overseer who harassed the young men visited the ranch. El focused on the word ‘tax evasion’ mentioned by the young men and entrusted the case to Baron Greek.

It was the second day since Linte and Mate started working. Baron Greek began thoroughly investigating all the rights and matters related to the construction of Greek City.

“Eat something. Is this task so important that you’re skipping meals?”

Berna approached Baron Greek, who was searching through various documents in the study. She was carrying a tray with tea and snacks.

“Mother! This is a task my Master requested.”

“Oh my. Your master?”

“Yes. It’s something I must do no matter what. And it seems it will be finished soon, so don’t worry too much.”

For Baron Greek, this was the first task El had asked of him. It was also akin to clearing out the deep-rooted corruption in Greek City.

After Count Dedran disappeared, all the nobles associated with him were dealt with, but they hadn’t managed to handle the other organizations in Greek City connected to those nobles.

But he couldn’t bring himself to tell Berna that this was one of the things Count Dedran had orchestrated, knowing it would unsettle her.

She had already suffered so much mental anguish because of it.

“Alright. Please make sure to help.”

Berna, with a conflicted expression, decided not to disturb her son and left the room.

Overseer Latanda had recently lost all the nobles he served to arrests, leaving him in a desperate situation.

So he was desperate to make a big score and find new connections.

“That ranch where those guys work is a goldmine, isn’t it?”

“Yes, Overseer. Hahaha.”

“The secret of the cheese, huh. That’s good. I can make money and ensure those guys never find work again. I visited the ranch recently, and those guys were so arrogant it made me furious.”

“Is that so? Don’t worry. We’ll take care of it.”

The thing he was most concerned about was starving to death the audacious brothers who dared to defy him.

He was determined to make them regret it until they died.

After arranging work for the thugs, Latanda returned to the construction site. He no longer had noble connections, but he still oversaw all the city’s construction.

Thus, he reigned as an absolute presence at the construction site.

“You’re here, Overseer!”

Latanda always felt like a god when he arrived at the construction site. Workers constantly fawned over him.

Of course, he was always a target of hatred behind his back. Linte and Mate weren’t the only ones whose wives he harassed or who were fired for no reason.

“Is this the construction site for the Greek family’s memorial plaza?”

“And who are you?”

Latanda frowned at the boy who suddenly appeared.

“And who are you?”

“What?”

Latanda, feeling like a king, sat down on a chair and looked up at the assistant supervisor next to him.

“You insolent brat, how dare you speak like that. Apologize and get lost!”

“You should be the one apologizing, Latanda.”

Baron Greek walked up to Latanda, pulled out a piece of paper, and quickly slapped it on Latanda’s forehead.

“Scum like you are the ones corrupting Greek City! Guards!”

At Baron Greek’s command, soldiers rushed in. Latanda looked confused and tilted his head.

“Tax evasion, harassment of women, rape, assault – there are dozens of revealed crimes. I will never forgive him. I will punish him according to the territorial laws!”

“Yes, My Lord!”

The soldiers shouted the title of the most powerful authority in Greek City, and everyone at the construction site except Latanda knelt with wide eyes.

The first to betray him was the assistant supervisor right next to him.

“My Lord! I didn’t recognize you! I have committed a grave sin! But it’s all that guy’s fault! He conspired with other nobles and did many, many…!”

“Everything will be handled according to procedure. Arrest him and everyone involved!”

Baron Greek resolved to root out all remnants of Count Dedran, starting with this incident. Latanda would serve as an example.

He needed to set an example. Baron Greek was even considering the death penalty for him.

A public execution in the plaza, watched by everyone.

Latanda’s face turned pale, and he could only open his mouth in shock. The nobles he knew were all insignificant.

The boy in front of him was the Lord who would become a Count.

A Count.

Among nobles, a Count is a high-ranking noble and someone commoners can’t even look at.

With things going like this, workers began spilling their grievances about what they had suffered at Latanda’s hands.

The Baron listened to each story. Then he immediately began arresting the thugs who had conspired with Latanda.

This was a task El had asked for and a job for the territory. It was the first major cleanup operation he led himself.

So, it was unusual for a noble, but the Baron personally handled everything. While dealing with the thugs who conspired with Latanda, he saw a strange thug lying on the ground, trembling.

“Why are those guys like that? It doesn’t matter. Arrest them all!”

“Yes, My Lord!”

As the soldiers moved, the Baron clicked his tongue, looking curiously at the thug lying on the ground.

“This is strange. Did they receive divine punishment?”

“N-no, I’m not! I’m not with these guys!”

Meanwhile, Mate, who had been with the thugs, trembled like a leaf and claimed his innocence to the soldiers trying to arrest him.

“Not with them? Then why were you with them?”

The Baron frowned, thinking Mate was making an obvious excuse.

“I knew them from prison. They were trying to drag me away to harm me… at that moment…”

“What is your name, and what do you do? Are you really not a thug? Prove you’re not a thug first.”

The question from the one called Lord.

Mate froze at the question from a being he couldn’t even dare to look up at and lowered his gaze.

“It’s okay. If you’re really not a thug, there’s no need to be scared.”

“Th-that is…”

“If you can’t prove it separately, you’ll have to undergo a fair investigation. Take him away for now!”

“I-I’m Mate. And… I work at the ranch on the hill! Really! I’m not with those guys. We’re actually enemies!”

“The ranch? Did you just say the ranch?”

Baron Greek was surprised and gestured for the soldiers to release Mate. They obeyed, and Mate immediately knelt before the Baron.

“I-I got my wages today. Here it is.”

Mate handed over the envelope with trembling hands. The Baron’s expression softened as soon as he heard the word ‘ranch’.

Even the way he looked at Mate changed.

“Are you perhaps the brothers, Mate and Linte?”

“H-how do you know my brother’s name…?”

“Is that so? What a coincidence. Actually, the owner of the ranch you work at is my benefactor. So, did you do that to those thugs lying over there?”

“N-no!”

“Then?”

Mate hesitated a bit to speak. After all, that woman had helped him. He felt it wouldn’t be right if she got into trouble because of an investigation.

“It’s okay. Those guys are trash. You won’t be punished for doing something to them. I’m just curious about what happened to them.”

“Really? I-I honestly don’t know! It was just… a woman I saw at the hill restaurant… When she glared at them…”

“…Enough! Stop there. Forget what you saw. Understand?”

“Y-yes! Yes!”