Chapter 132 : Chapter 132

Chapter 132: Labotas Mine (2)

“I was born and raised in Everton. Now, I travel around to various places, offering small help to those suffering from ailments.”

“…You were a remarkable physician.”

“Far from it.”

Karim quietly bowed his head and returned to the people.

His hands, checking pulses and exchanging greetings, moved with skill.

Roberto spoke softly.

“All the physicians in the area refused us. They said the curse of the Demonic Lands was contagious, and wouldn’t even speak to us, let alone treat us. The one who stepped forward then was none other than Karim.”

So, he was someone who used his medical skills to help others.

I nearly misunderstood him.

Glasses aren’t exactly exclusive to the Empire, after all.

As they say, you see what you expect to see.

Seems my naturally cynical disposition is something I can’t quite fix.

“Please guide me to the mine.”

I asked, trying to hide my embarrassment.

Roberto raised both eyebrows.

“What about the rest of your party? Are you planning a preliminary survey?”

“No, I have no party.”

“…What do you mean? You didn’t come alone, did you?”

“I’m alone.”

“?”

Roberto blinked, then subtly turned his head.

All I could see was the back of his head, but it seemed like he was mouthing to the others, What’s with this guy?

“Wait a moment!”

Karim, who had been treating people, stood up abruptly and approached.

“Whether alone or not, that’s not the issue. Sir Bihen, you must not enter the mine.”

“I’m not pleased to hear that. Why, specifically, am I not allowed?”

“It’s because of the toxic mist inside the mine. Contact with the skin doesn’t cause immediate symptoms, but the poison inhaled through the nose and mouth accumulates in the body, leading to a deadly contagious disease.”

Karim swallowed briefly before cautiously asking.

“…I heard earlier that you’re from the Empire, Sir Bihen. Doesn’t that mean you have no mana?”

“Of course.”

“For the Local Militia members who went to explore, I used the trace amounts of mana they had to create a protective barrier. But if you have no mana at all, even that is difficult.”

I understood immediately.

It’s the same for the Empire’s professional Demonic Beast hunters.

When entering extreme environments like high-temperature zones, harsh terrains, or hallucination-inducing Demonic Lands, they receive various protective spells beforehand.

This seemed similar.

Hmm.

This is troublesome.

An unexpected problem.

I can’t just sniff the air to test how toxic it is.

“Teacher, wouldn’t that medicine work?”

The one who suddenly interjected was the one-eyed boy I’d briefly forgotten about.

He must have been eavesdropping on our conversation.

Roberto scolded the boy with an awkward expression.

“Hey, Joseph! Know when to butt in and when to stay out…”

“S-Sorry, Father.”

So, they had that kind of relationship.

Well, that’s not important right now.

I asked Karim directly.

“What’s this medicine?”

Karim glanced at Roberto.

Only when Roberto reluctantly nodded did he speak.

“It’s a medicine I prepared to allow someone to withstand exposure to the poison for a short time. Even without magical means, it induces temporary immunity and resistance to the poison in the body. It’s not perfect, though.”

“So, it works even without mana? If you had something like that, you should’ve said so earlier.

You made me worry for nothing.”

“It’s not an ideal solution. Purifying the Demonic Lands isn’t something that can be done in an hour or two, is it? The medicine’s effect is shorter than that. Taking more doesn’t extend the resistance time either. And, more importantly…”

Karim trailed off, as if it was hard for him to say.

Roberto stepped in.

“It’s fine, Teacher. I’ve already explained the situation to him.”

“…I see.”

“As I mentioned earlier, Sir Bihen, as you can see, Labotas has neither decent harvests nor a proper source of tax revenue. The only thing we have is this mine, but since it turned into a Demonic Land, even entering it risks our lives. Teacher Karim helped us out of pity for our plight. We kept it quiet because it would be troublesome if word got out.”

Now the story makes sense.

Earlier, when they said Count Theodore warned against provoking the Demonic Lands, I was confused.

Let’s summarize.

Count Theodore judged that purifying the mine was too difficult and decided that restricting access would prevent its spread.

But the people of Labotas had no choice but to enter the mine for their livelihood, and Count Theodore lacked the administrative ability to bridge that gap.

So that’s why Theodore’s siblings were so troubled.

In any case, the solution remains the same: purify the mine. It’s simple, and I like that.

“Teacher Karim.”

“Yes?”

“How long does that medicine last?”

“…At most, about an hour. The poison in the mine is extremely potent.”

“That’s enough.”

Karim’s mouth fell open, and his glasses slid down his nose.

“What do you… You mean to purify mine in that time?”

“Of course.”

It’s not as vast as Talrug Canyon; it’s a confined space.

I had no intention of waging a prolonged battle in such a cramped place, so this works out well.

Creak.

At that moment, I heard a door opening behind me.

I was too preoccupied with my thoughts to notice, but the sudden commotion around me made me turn my head.

I was slightly surprised.

“Linda?”

Theodore’s youngest lady hesitated briefly before speaking with resolve.

“I… I’ll go with you.”

* * *

It seemed Linda had secretly followed us alone.

What surprised me wasn’t that.

It was that she casually admitted to overhearing our entire conversation from outside the hall.

“What? I was just curious about what you were saying, and I could hear everything.”

“…”

She mumbled to herself, Is that strange?

But isn’t it normal to find it odd that she could tap into superhuman senses so easily if she put her mind to it?

Even I only reached that level after achieving the peak.

…This woman might be more of a monster than I thought.

Linda, aware of the people ahead, spoke.

“Sir Bihen, please don’t misunderstand.”

“What misunderstanding?”

“Father didn’t just ignore them. Until a few years ago, he did everything he could to purify the mine. In the process, many of Theodore’s soldiers were sacrificed.”

Linda’s expression darkened.

It didn’t feel like she was making excuses.

I hadn’t judged Count Theodore as heartless to begin with.

The affairs of the world don’t always divide neatly into right and wrong.

This was just another one of those countless conflicts.

“Then Father directly requested the Imperial Magic Corps and brought in a high-ranking mage. That mage declared the Labotas Mine an unpurifiable Demonic Land.”

“Declared it, huh…”

“Yes. They said further attempts at purification would only increase needless casualties. Instead, controlling access…”

“Enough.”

“…What?”

“I understand the situation.”

No need to waste more emotions on this.

How far had we gone?

I could feel we were near the mine.

The air against my skin was sticky, and the surrounding scenery grew increasingly dull, like a monochrome haze. A rotting stench lingered at the tip of my nose.

“Ugh!”

Linda, walking beside me, suddenly retched.

She’d been quieter since earlier; she must have been holding it in.

“Miss Linda! Are you okay?”

The one-eyed boy, Joseph, approached.

He seemed accustomed to the stench.

“I-I’m fine.”

“There’s no need for you to push yourself…”

“It’s fine, don’t worry. I just don’t want to show weakness, so could you go ahead?”

“…Yes.”

Joseph’s shoulders slumped as he returned to his father’s side.

I glanced at the dejected boy’s back and spoke.

“You didn’t have to be so harsh to a kid.”

“It’s not like that! He’s barely younger than me… And Father always said never to show weakness in front of the people.”

Nobles have their own burdens, I suppose. I considered supporting Linda but decided against it.

“We’ve arrived, Sir Bihen.”

Roberto stopped walking and pointed at the mine’s entrance.

A pitch-black hole gaped through a narrow crevice in the rock.

The stench of rot and a damp aura seeped from it.

“Sir Bihen, please reconsider.”

Karim approached, his face full of genuine concern.

“The danger hasn’t spread outward, so it’s less known, but in itself, it’s no exaggeration to call it the worst Demonic Land in the Kingdom.”

“Don’t worry about me. Just give me the medicine.”

“…Very well. But I’m coming with you.”

“You too? Have you been inside?”

“I’ve accompanied the locals a few times during mining operations. I didn’t go deep, of course.”

“There’s no need to risk yourself.”

“It’s not just about you, Sir Bihen. With Miss Linda and Sir Roberto going in, I can’t just stand by.”

Linda and Roberto were joining me to represent Theodore and Labotas, respectively.

They didn’t want to leave everything to an outsider.

It’s always like this.

Whenever I, a complete stranger, step in, there are always those who refuse to let me go alone.

People whose hearts are moved but lack the strength to act.

In the face of harsh reality, their courage becomes recklessness, and their will is broken.

I’m just lending them my strength.

Gulp.

The medicine was colorless and odorless.

The gritty powder sliding down my throat wasn’t pleasant.

While I took the medicine, Karim was casting spells on Roberto and Linda.

I instinctively activated Ghost Eye.

Hummm.

Mana extended from Karim’s fingertips, seeping into Linda’s crown.

The flow was smooth.

Though I’m no expert in magic, nothing about it felt off intuitively.

“Miss Linda, no need to be wary.”

“H-How did you know…?”

“It’s obvious. Have you never studied magic?”

“No. I wasn’t interested.”

Linda muttered, looking at Karim’s hand on her head. Her lips pursed, as if suddenly annoyed.

Unlike her, Karim’s expression was calm, almost intrigued.

“I see. If you’ve no reason to reject magic, it wouldn’t hurt to try learning. Your mana is exceptional in both quantity and quality, with a remarkably pure flow. You’re born with magical aptitude.”

“…I’ve heard that too many times. Aren’t you supposed to be a physician? You sound like a mage.”

I was about to ask the same thing.

I poured water from a canteen Joseph handed me into my mouth, keeping my ears on their conversation.

“My apologies if that was uncomfortable. To provide proper medical care, a physician must study magic. Most illnesses in mana users stem from disrupted mana flow, which standard treatments can’t address.”

Karim opened his eyes and slowly withdrew his hand.

A faint glow traced Linda’s outline.

“Hmm, it does feel kind of… full.”

“Your mana’s reactivity and recovery are excellent, so both infusion and transformation went smoothly. You’ll have no trouble adapting.”

Next was Roberto.

They seemed familiar with the process, having done it many times.

“Phew, let’s go, Miss.”

Roberto took a deep breath.

The group entering the mine was now four.

Well, it’s better than going in blindly alone. Having someone to guide the way is helpful.

“Father, be careful.”

“Mm.”

Joseph spoke cautiously on behalf of the Labotas people seeing us off.

Roberto nodded without a word and turned away.

A gruff father and a timid son.

A typical father-son dynamic.

That Joseph kid.

Since he didn’t seem to recognize me, I considered quietly telling Roberto about the boy’s misdeeds that night, but I decided against it.

…The more I look at him, the more he reminds me of my younger self.

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