The Terminally Ill Prince is the Mad Dog of the Underworld (Novel) - Chapter 7
Chapter 7. Sorting Out the Situation
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“What? He asked for more food?”
Rewinding time a bit.
Peter, who came to relay Allenbert’s request for a second meal, was rolling his eyes while watching someone’s reaction.
“Really?”
“Come on, why would I lie?”
The annex’s dedicated chef felt both bewilderment and irritation at having his break time stolen to urgently respond to the fourth young master’s order that came well past mealtime.
His principle was that the worst person in the world is someone who gives orders multiple times instead of all at once.
In that sense, to intrude on his break time twice already – if it weren’t the fourth young master, he would have spat and told him to eat boogers.
Moreover, for a boy who usually only ate rice porridge to suddenly feast like this? It was strange no matter how you looked at it.
“Peter, are you trying to steal food somewhere? I know your situation is pitiful, but you’ll be fired immediately if you do that.”
“R-really, that’s not it. He said it was so delicious he wanted more.”
“This is absurd. Hasn’t he never done this before?”
“I’m surprised too. It’s the first time I’ve seen him eat so well. Hehe.”
Peter scratched his head and laughed good-naturedly even while being scolded.
As Allenbert said, an attendant typically receives the same treatment as their master. Sometimes even harsher.
Therefore, as he had insight into, that silly and foolish-looking smile was Peter’s own way of survival.
‘Does pride put food on the table?’
Though meager, it was enough salary to feed his sick mother and two siblings.
This was solely thanks to his position as attendant to the fourth young master of House Grünewald, if only in name.
The humiliation he faced was bearable if he thought of it as the price he had to pay to receive money beyond what an uneducated person like himself deserved.
‘…But to think the young master would understand my situation.’
Sniff.
Peter, overcome with emotion, started sniffling.
“W-what? Why are you crying?”
“Boo hoo, I’m sorry.”
The rough-faced chef panicked and tried to comfort Peter.
“What are you crying for over something like that, you’re a man.”
Perhaps feeling bad about making the boy cry, the man grumbled while rolling up his sleeves.
“Wait a bit. He must have his appetite back after waking up after so long. I’ll show my skills for the first time in a while.”
“Thank you, mister.”
The boy stopped crying and grinned. Whether from crying so many times today or from poor nutrition, Peter’s eyes were almost swollen.
‘But it’s really strange. How could he change so much? It’s like someone else entered young master’s body.’
But Peter didn’t dislike that change. Though his language was rough, wasn’t he warm?
‘The young master really is a good person.’
There was a time when Peter thought this way.
* * *
“Name.”
“Peter.”
“Age.”
“Fifteen.”
“How many years have you worked at the ducal house?”
“Five years counting this one.”
Peter, who had been answering diligently as if under interrogation, suddenly sighed.
“…Really. Give me back my emotional moment.”
“What are you talking about? Pathetic fellow.”
I scolded Peter and threw out the next question.
“When did you become my attendant?”
“Ah, about three years ago.”
“How did that happen?”
“…Firstly, it was largely because young master quickly dismissed other attendants, and secondly, I think you thought of me specially since I often took care of you when I was a servant.”
“I see.”
I suspected he might have been one of the few harmless employees to Allenbert.
“Is there a third reason?”
“Yes. Well… I vaguely heard there was someone’s influence.”
“Do you have any idea who?”
“…Young master, this is just my thought.”
“Don’t worry, I understand.”
After pondering for a moment, Peter bit his lip and said:
“It was probably one of the first, second, or third young masters.”
“Does that mean the first young lady and youngest brother aren’t the type to do such things?”
“Based on my feeling and the family’s reputation, yes.”
“Let’s hear the reasons.”
“First, the youngest young master doesn’t seem like someone who would lead such matters over all his elder siblings, and the young lady focuses on external activities, so she wouldn’t have time to care about such things.”
“I see.”
Judging by Peter’s anxious eyes, it seemed difficult to probe deeper.
“Alright. Let’s move on to another question.”
“Phew.”
“I roughly understand the atmosphere around me, right? But are there any restrictions on my movements?”
“Not as far as I know. But young master used to say ‘It’s better for both me and mother if I don’t leave my room.'”
That’s quite a meaningful statement. For a precious young master of a ducal house to not leave his room?
Perhaps it meant mother’s situation was as difficult as mine.
“Is mother alive?”
“Yes.”
“Is she far away?”
“…She’s in this castle.”
I asked an important question.
“Whose will is it that I can’t meet mother?”
Peter couldn’t answer.
“Is it father’s will?”
Peter closed his eyes tightly with a pained expression.
“It’s the Duchess’s own will.”
“Because of my fault?”
“…”
“Peter.”
“No, that’s not it. It’s just… it was unavoidable, young master.”
Unavoidable. What tragedy could have occurred to make a mother push away her child, and for that child to shut himself in a room while saying this was the best path for his mother?
I had a feeling that learning that truth wouldn’t be so simple.
‘This is crazy, good grief.’
While the unfinished business from my previous life as Karzan was an indefinite problem.
I felt that the future I had to face as Allenbert wouldn’t be easy either.
‘Being terminally ill is the biggest obstacle first.’
Power doesn’t stay with a back room elder who’s about to die. Though my body is young, not just mature, my situation isn’t much different from a retired old man just waiting for his coffin.
‘But still, I’m a young master of a ducal house.’
Would they have just sat idle? Without even looking for treatment methods?
That couldn’t be.
“Peter. Tell me if you know anything about this incurable disease I have.”
“Well, I heard it’s an unknown disease that doesn’t even have a name.”
I smacked my forehead.
“This is maddening. How can you cure something without knowing what it is.”
“About that.”
Peter said in an uncertain voice.
“From what I heard from Dr. Josef, there might be a way.”
“Really? Coming from that muddle-headed doctor, it doesn’t sound very reliable.”
“H-he may be a bit slow, but he’s incredibly smart. I’ve seen him recite entire books from memory.”
“So he’s good at studying.”
I nodded and asked.
“Let’s hear about this method.”
“Somewhere in the world, there’s a precious item called ‘Erischker.’ They say it’s a legendary panacea that can cure any incurable disease and even revive the dead.”
“Erischker?”
Rolling the vaguely familiar yet unfamiliar word in my mouth, I suddenly slapped my knee.
“That’s a name I’ve heard before.”
“Wait, do you really have amnesia?”
“Shut up.”
“Yes.”
Erischker was known as a far-fetched legend only found in fairy tales in the northern country where I lived.
I remembered talking with friends during my hungry street orphan days about how we could live in rich houses if we just found that.
“Was that actually real?”
“At least according to records, it exists.”
Peter said.
“It’s not just his word, but his master also confirmed it? As the most renowned physician in the entire duchy, he wouldn’t have spoken falsely.”
“If such an eminent person said so, I should believe it.”
“But, obtaining it is an incredibly difficult matter…”
“How difficult? Like getting a dragon’s whisker, phoenix feather, or plucking stars from the night sky?”
Peter’s expression darkened.
“They say even the king of this country, let alone the Duke, couldn’t obtain it.”
“Wow, if the king can’t get it, who possibly could? Is it that expensive?”
“Forget about the price being whatever someone asks, you can’t buy it even with countless fortunes. They say you can’t obtain it without special circumstances.”
“What circumstances?”
“That’s also unknown. Some say only dragons can make it, others say it’s made from fruit that appears once every 100 years on the highest branch of the World Tree.”
I nodded.
“So in short, it definitely exists, and there are historical records of people being cured by it, but nobody knows how to obtain it.”
“That’s right.”
“I’ll die before getting it, good grief.”
Suddenly feeling frustrated, I pounded my chest.
“Anyway, I understand the point. There’s a way, but nothing we can do right now?”
“Yes. I’m sorry I couldn’t be more helpful.”
Seeing Peter about to cry again, I waggled my finger like a pendulum and said:
“It’s fine, I wasn’t expecting much anyway.”
“Yes.”
“And just knowing there’s a method is a big gain. It’s not like I’m dying tomorrow.”
“That’s true.”
“Then what’s to worry about?”
“Wow, you really have changed. I never expected you to take it so positively.”
“I’m not the type of man who looks at a glass and laments that it’s only half full.”
“That was you, young master.”
Peter glanced at me and added:
“…They said if you diligently train your body, take good medicinal supplements, and properly learn mental techniques, you could extend your life by several years.”
Physical training, medicinal supplements, and mental techniques.
“Was that Josef’s words too?”
“Yes.”
“I see you were quite close.”
“Well, I occasionally brought him snacks.”
“Excellent. Why?”
“…Because he’s treating you, young master. I thought if even I could gain his favor, he might put in a bit more effort.”
“Hmm.”
This fellow has a talent for satisfying people in unexpected ways.
“I’ll praise you for that. Well done.”
“Thank you, hehe.”
“Keep doing that.”
“Yes, sir.”
Mulling over our conversation, I asked to confirm:
“About those mental techniques, I can learn them whenever I want, right?”