Chapter 26: Even If I Lie

After I finished breakfast, I went to the kitchen for the second time.

Chloe, who accompanied Colt the chief, has already gone for preparing the construction. They’re extremely busy arranging the villagers’ gathering under the pretext of offering a mass prayer to end the disease in the afternoon today.

My part is to check the amount of pastries. I must make around 200 portions.

Light Snow Silk Crepes are being made all at once by pouring into the stone board. Truth be told, this pastry is made not just to treat everyone as a medicine, I also put the possibility of selling it in Margrave Fernande’s territory into consideration. It’s a highly original and incredibly delicious pastry that can be produced in large numbers, using kudzu as the ingredient that no one has ever seen before. There’s no way it won’t sell well.

However, since it won’t last long, I’m going to have to go to the store and make it there personally. It won’t be a regular product, but a special limited once a month menu. There should be that way of selling too.

“Kurt-sama, I’ve brought a lot.”
“Thanks, Tina.”

I asked Tina to bring a lot of broad leaf bamboo grass (sasa).

“What are you going to use these for?”
“A substitution for plates. As expected, there are not enough plates for two hundred people, and they can’t just be handed over by hand.”

The sasa is washed with water, and the Light Snow Silk Crepe is put on top of it.

“It’s really pretty. Placing it on top of sasa leaf makes it look more delicious than being put on a plate.”
“There’s a good balance between the translucent pastry and sasa. Besides, the scents won’t clash. Moreover, sasa won’t decay and it also has the effect on defeating the source of illness.”

In Japan, there’s a culture of wrapping mochi and sushi in sasa, because it has the benefit of making the food long lasting, other than due to the appearance and convenience.

One by one, the sasa leaves are lined up on top of the tray I created using earth magic arte, then the Light Snow Silk Crepes are placed on them.

“Kurt-sama, I’m helping too.”

Tina starts helping out. She washes the sasa and lines them up on the tray, so I can focus on placing the Light Snow Silk Crepes on them.

“It’ll be good if everyone eats Kurt-sama’s pastry.”
“You’re right. Let’s believe it’ll happen.”

With that, the two of us continue the work in silence.

☘

After finishing the preparation step, we left the kitchen with the trays. We’re delivering the pastries. While going to the pastry’s storage area that Colt told us beforehand, my eyes caught sight of the altar installed at the center of the village.

It makes me think of huge campfire, the way those wooden frames are being arranged. They’ll probably use fire. Sparing a sidelong glance for them, we deliver the pastry to a building that’s an arm away from the plaza. It’s covered with damp cloth so that it won’t be exposed to sunlight. There are water jugs filled with plenty of water nearby. It’ll prevent dryness and preserve the coolness.

After making round trips, we’ve delivered all the pastries and met up with Colt and the others to sync our awareness.

☘

The day yields to the afternoon; it’s finally the prayer time. All the present villagers are gathering in the central plaza of the village. Tina and I are watching from the corner of the plaza.

On the raised platform, Colt explains the current state of the disease’s spread, then he signals the beginning of the prayer. The altar arranged at the center of the plaza is thick with flames. The elves around it are offering prayers similar to Buddhist prayers while being clad in white hakama. Around them, all the villagers who aren’t sick from the disease are praying. Everyone wears a serious face. Most likely, they don’t really think that the disease matter will be solved by praying either. But even so, this is the only thing they can do. They’re cornered to this extent.

“Kurt-sama.”

Tina squeezed my hand. She can feel the unusual unease and helplessness in the air.

“It’ll be all right. I will figure it out.”

I squeeze her hand back. It makes her smile.

After the prayer ends, it’ll be my turn at last.

For Tina, for Colt, for Chloe, there’s absolutely no room for failure.

☘

After a while, the prayer ends. Colt ascends the platform for the second time.

“Everyone, thank you for taking the time to come in this busy hour. I wish that your prayers will reach the heavens as well.”

Colt’s voice resound in the vicinity. His voice shows his sincerity in his wish. That feeling seems to reach the villagers as well, because they’re making docile expressions.

“In this place, there is something that I wish to tell you. Already many of you know this, but my daughter, Culrina, who left this village with a human, has passed away. She seems to have been defeated by disease. The same disease that took the life of the human who took Culrina with him.”

The villagers who heard those words were visibly shaken; their faces darkened. Tina’s mother should be a popular person adored by this village.

“Also, Culrina has brought a child into this world. My grandchild. Her daughter’s name is Tina. She’s born as a Lunar, and looks like the spitting image of Culrina. That Tina has come to this village. Let me introduce her at this place, along with another person who came with her.”

The villagers made a larger commotion. Then, Tina and I climb to the platform. From the side, she looks like Culrina. She’s an exact resemblance. Or so what everyone is whispering about.

First, Tina starts to speak.

“Nice to meet you. I’m called Tina. I’m very happy to be able to come to my mother’s hometown. To me, she told me a lot of things about the spirit village. It’s a place of joy, a great place. I’m very sad that a disease has stricken a village that wonderful.”

Tina conceals her face. She truly feels sad. And it’s because she’s sincere that her feelings can reach the villagers.

After pausing for a while, she speaks again.

“The truth is, my objective to come to this village isn’t to visit my mother’s hometown. Chloe left the village in order to borrow the strength of a human doctor to save the village, and she had a fateful encounter with Kurt-sama, who is beside me. Kurt-sama took care of me when I was lost on the roadside after losing both of my parents, and hired me as his servant. To help Kurt-sama as his assistant, I came to this village.”

As the story changes course, the villagers become baffled. Tina continues in the middle of that.

“Kurt-sama came to this village in order to cure the disease of the village. However, his medical treatment was rejected because this village couldn’t borrow a human’s strength. If it’s Kurt-sama, he can definitely cure the illness. I wish, you will accept Kurt-sama’s treatment. Please.”

Tina lowers her head. However, the reactions from the villagers are bad. I can pick up the voices by strengthening my hearing range with mana.

[A human doctor?]
[If he truly can heal the illness, if it’s true…….]
[It has to be a lie. There’s no one in the village who can do anything about it.]
[It’s unthinkable to borrow a human’s strength.]
[Hear, hear. I’d rather die before I’d throw away my pride.]
[But, if he can save nee-chan, even if he’s human, then]

The negative opinions, those who doubt me, make up more than half of the crowd. Very rarely, there are voices who express their willingness to borrow my strength even if I am human.

Well, it’s as I imagined. It’s difficult to make them accept medical treatment through a frontal attack.

“Tina, it’s okay. You’ve done well.”

I grasp Tina’s shoulder while saying that.

“Kurt-sama.”
“It’s all right. Leave the rest to me.”

Tina has done her part really well. From now on, it’s my responsibility.

“Nice to meet you. I am Kurt・Arnold. I’m a human doctor. I came to this village upon Chloe’s request. Let me tell you something first. As Tina said earlier, I could definitely cure this illness.”

I strongly assert my words. There’s a larger commotion than before, then all their interest is pointed at me all at once.

“However, regretfully, I was told that you wouldn’t borrow a human’s strength, and I couldn’t lend my hand. To protect that rule, I am told that those who have the resolution to be banished from the village can be healed. After this, please state it if you intend to do so. You don’t have to worry after being banished from the village either. It’s in a human village, but I’ll prepare the place for you to live and work. This has gone through your village head’s, Colt’s approval.”

This is the precaution if the pastry does fail. In the event that the pastry still cannot persuade everyone, I informed them that I’ll still save them, at the very least.

“I want to save lives. However, I’m not allowed to. To be honest, my heart is torn apart. …….I have the power to save you, but I can only watch the residents of this village die. It makes me feel miserable and helpless.”

Like how Tina did it, I show them the sincerity in my words. No matter how small it is, if it can make them trust me.

“That’s why, at the very least, for the sake of all the villagers here, I wish to do what I can. I am a doctor, as well as a pastry chef. Using the ingredients in this village, I made a pastry that none of you has ever seen before. I wish to present this pastry to you. After presenting the pastry, I’ll be violating the village’s rule and thus will leave this village along with those who wish to get my medical treatment even if they have to be banished from the village. I’m sorry, that I cannot do anything other than this.”

I lower my head.

The villagers are looking at me with complicated expression. It seems that at least they have let their guard down, more or less.

“Everyone, Kurt’s pastry is truly delicious. That’s why, please, eat them.”

A strikingly cheerful voice resounds. It’s Chloe.

She appears on the platform out of nowhere. In her hand, there’s a Light Snow Silk Crepe that has been placed on sasa. It’s jiggling while being moved.

On top of that, Chloe scoops it with a spoon. The spoon sinks smoothly, then she brings it to her mouth. She starts chewing in a blink of an eye. She held her cheeks with her two hands, showing a happy expression.

“Yuuup, it’s as delicious as I thought♪ It’s the first time in my life I’ve ever eaten this kind of pastry.”

Chloe showed with her whole body how delicious the pastry was. The villagers swallowed their drool soundly.

“Hey, everyone. We don’t know when we’ll fall sick. I think that we shouldn’t waste away this chance to eat the best pastry like this. Just accepting the pastry won’t break the rules of the village, right, Colt-ojisan?”
“Yes, that’s right. It’s not included in the rules.”
“Hear that? Ah, but if you won’t eat it, I’ll be eating everyone’s portion.”

Chloe’s words are making fun of them, and the villagers come to their decisions.

“We’ll eat too.”
“As if we’ll let Chloe eat all of that delicious-looking thing.”

Then, they come this way. I smile bitterly, step down from the platform, then bring over the Light Snow Silk Crep on the sasa. Just like our planned arrangement, I bring that to the table and start distributing them.

“Here you go.”
“Oniichan, thank you.”

While handing over the Light Snow Silk Crepes one by one, I secretly cast Heal on them without fail.

At first, there are a lot of villagers who look reserved, but as soon as there are more folks who start eating, their tension is loosened; the villagers put my pastry in their mouths. Then, my popularity shoots through the roof.

“Everyone, make a proper line.”
“This is the end of the line.”

Chloe and Tina help with arranging the line. It’s quite helpful. When the line surpasses one hundred, I start to let out cold sweat. Today, there are about a hundred and fifty folks in this place. It is the first time that I cast [Recovery] nonstop to this extent.

However, I can only endure. There’s a meaning to cast it on every single one of them.

If I start to lose my consciousness. I’m, totally done for.

When I thought like that, I could feel warmth coming from my back. It’s Tina’s hand. She supports me. Just from that, I feel like I can work hard a little bit more. That’s how I feel.

She probably came here because the line flowed smoothly that Chloe could handle it by herself.

Just, a bit, more. Let’s sprint to the finish line.

☘

After a while, finally, the Light Snow Silk Crepes are finished being distributed.

“What’s this, it’s jiggling?”
“It’s slippery, it’s plump, it’s sticking to my mouth.”
“But, it’s not sticky at all. When I bite into it, the plumpness feel so good.”
“Not just the texture, the taste is great too. So pinal can taste this good.”
“I can taste paple too. And rice wine too.”
“It’s the first time I ate it, but I feel the taste is so familiar.”
“This transparent skin, how is it made, really? Wish he could teach me.”

The spirit village’s residents spoke in admiration one after another.

Because it’s a small pastry, one by one, the Light Snow Silk Crepes are disappearing. Even those who have tasted just a tiny bit can’t hold back anymore and simultaneously start following the people around them who have been savoring the delicious food.

All of the villagers finish eating the Light Snow Silk Crepes.

With this, the first hurdle has been passed.

I step onto the platform. Now, let’s throw the bomb.

“Everyone, thank you for eating while showing how delicious my pastry is. Seeing it makes making it all worthwhile.”

Being asked that question, one by one the positive responses rise up. It’s delicious. Thank you. They reply with those words.

“I’m really happy to hear those words. This pastry is named Light Snow Silk Crepe. I made it with love.”

Then I cut my sentence. I speak again at the timing of grabbing their most attention.

“Then, I have to ask forgiveness from everyone. This pastry isn’t just a pastry. It’s medicine. With this, I’ve medically treated everyone in this place. Sorry for making you break the rules.”

In an instant, silence falls down. Then, great noise dominates the area.