Chapter 400
Ah! I had forgotten.
The reason we were attacked was because we took Maddie…. But if they retrieved it, we wouldn’t be able to save Rio.
We worked so hard to get it. We didn’t want it to be taken away from us.
“Why do you guys want Shati?”
Kushana broke the silence.
“It’s to cure the spotted disease. This one thing could save many people.”
“…Shati will be the cure for the spotted disease?”
Kushana’s eyes widened in surprise.
Kushana picked up the red mask that had fallen without a word.
“My brother has spotted disease. He’s my only living relative. I want to help him in any way I can.”
Leon spoke in a low, serious voice.
“But we can’t simply hand over Maddie, either. It’s God’s flower.”
The orange masked man said in a polite voice. It was the first time I had ever heard his voice.
He slowly removed his mask. The face of a calm and gentle man with a stubble beard appeared. … I did not sense any hostility in him toward us.
In their community, Maddie must be very sacred.
…I wondered if it would be like a Buddha statue in a temple suddenly being stolen one day.
“Anyway, come along to our village. Don’t be so alarmed; they won’t do you any harm.”
Kushana said to Victor, who had a stern look on his face.
We followed Kushana for a short while. The orange-masked ones were still a little disgruntled, but they did not complain about the Queen’s decision.
Kushana was well-liked… It would be a pleasure to be trained under her, but we had to deliver Maddie to Rio first.
How should I negotiate with her?
Duke-sama approached me from behind as I was pondering this in agony. I stopped and turned to look at him.
Duke-sama looked at me with a furrowed brow and a difficult expression on his face.
“Is something wrong?”
“…I thought I should tell Alicia.”
I looked at Duke-sama, who seemed to be having difficulty saying anything, and waited quietly for the words to come out of his mouth.
After a short pause, he began to speak slowly. 𝐟𝘳ℯ𝚎𝘄𝒆𝑏𝗻𝑜ѵ𝚎l. c𝘰𝑚
“‘My Uncle has spotted disease. …and even if he takes the cure, he won’t last long. It has already reached such a terminal stage that it’s of no use anymore. But Gilles is working hard to find a cure… Spotted Disease cannot be cured, even with Liz’s help. It’s that difficult to replicate magic that could be equivalent to Maddie.”
Duke-sama spoke calmly, his words piercing my heart one word at a time.
Gramps Will, the spotted disease…? Couldn’t be cured anymore?
I felt as if the ground on which I was desperately standing was shaking. I didn’t even know if the decision I was about to make was the right one.
I had never imagined that Gramps Will would be gone so soon.
“Gilles is…, okay, wait what?”
I didn’t know what to say, and I was concerned about Gilles’ mental state.
He loved Gramps Will more than anyone else. It must have been quite painful to suddenly lose someone who could be considered his parent.
“He is still holding on to some small hope and trying to keep his composure.”
I couldn’t accept that Gramps Will would leave this world.
The world has just finally started to change….
“Not even Liz-san can help… then what the heck was the status of a Saint for!”
Duke-sama looked apologetic at the sound of my raging voice.
It was no use mentioning it to him… I knew that it wasn’t Liz-san’s fault, but I still took it out on him. And I frustrated myself even more.