I Don't Want To Work! - Chapter 114
CHAPTER 114
“Master.”
Others wouldn’t have known.
“After going to all that trouble to fetch the box, you just ignore it and only tend to the patient. What are you going to do?”
This guy, softly smiling as if he’s about to melt someone away.
“Did you check inside the box? It seems like the fruit of the world tree to me. Even if I’m not sure.”
I realize he’s pissed.
‘Why is he angry?’
Until a moment ago, he didn’t seem to be in a bad mood.
What happened in between?
I looked at Lionel, who was smiling brightly for a moment, then widened my eyes.
And took a step back.
“…Master.”
Lionel, who had stopped speaking, blinked once and extended his long legs to come closer.
This isn’t right.
I stepped back again, and Lionel took a bigger step forward.
Ironically, we were much closer than before.
“Master.”
Lionel, wiping the smile from his lips, looked into my eyes and asked.
“Why do you keep running away?”
“Running away? What do you mean?”
I glanced at the wall behind me, then subtly pushed Lionel’s chest with a handkerchief wrapped around my hand.
“Lionel, can you step back a bit?”
“….”
Lionel’s gaze met mine, resting on my hand wrapped in a handkerchief.
“Right now, you’re too close….”
He smirked and took a step forward instead.
Thud, my back hit the wall completely.
“Why?”
This guy?
Until a moment ago, he seemed to be smiling slightly.
But now, there was no smile in his eyes.
“Why shouldn’t I get close? Even with the handkerchief.”
His pretty lips twitched, and then he spat out a word.
“Master, do you think I’m dirty…….”
Thunk!
Lionel’s words were cut off.
Because I just knocked my head against his.
“….”
The shock was so great that Lionel staggered, clutching his forehead.
“My hand is dirty, so get away!”
I had touched many contagious Rigonta’s patients just before.
What if you get infected?
I rubbed my reddened forehead and glared at my disciple.
“I can cleanse myself with Ifrit’s purifying flame, but you can’t.”
There are gains and losses in everything.
With the power of the demon, Lionel had various constraints.
One of them was not being able to use the power of spirits.
The slight affinity with the spirits disappeared, and instead, there was a backlash.
‘Last time, I had to use Ifrit’s flame for purification, and I almost burned Lionel.’
Why does my disciple have to be dirty?
“So, until I use it, don’t come close.”
This is a wooden shop with dried herbs below, not suitable for using Ifrit’s flame.
Is there anywhere suitable where there are no people and nothing to burn?
I looked around while scratching my neck, but Lionel, still holding his forehead, pouted his lips and extended them toward me.
“…I want to get closer.”
While doing so, he reached out and touched the end of the ribbon tied around my waist.
He gently touched the slightly dried end of the ribbon with his long, crooked fingers, then pressed it firmly with his nails.
“Isn’t even this much enough, Master?”
While intentionally lowering his body and looking up at me from below.
Under the sunlight streaming through the window, his incredibly blue eyes were revealed.
I smiled at that sight.
“No, it’s not.”
“….”
“Where are you trying to act cute?”
Did I teach him bad habits?
Lately, whenever he gets a little annoyed, he’s been acting like a spoiled child.
At my words, laughter sparkled in Lionel’s eyes again.
“Am I cute, Master?”
He tilted his head and gently raised the corners of his mouth.
Oh well.
Now it seemed like all the anger had dissipated.
I chuckled and walked down the corridor.
“Aren’t I cute?”
While swaying beside me, Lionel followed.
“Cute, very cute.”
“You don’t sound sincere in your answer, Master.”
“Okay, okay.”
Giving a vague answer, I went out to the backyard and used Ifrit’s purifying flame.
Swoosh, the fierce flames seemed to wrap around me and then quickly disappeared.
‘Now, is it done?’
There wasn’t a single place burned, but I absentmindedly flicked the hem of my dress.
Standing a little distance away, Lionel came closer step by step.
“What about this?”
What he was holding out was the box containing the fruit of the world tree.
“Give it here. Let’s check.”
I should have checked it as soon as I received it.
I had completely forgotten about it while tending to herbs, cutting, boiling, and taking care of patients.
‘Well, whatever. It’s not like I’ll lose it just because I forget it for a moment.’
Click, as I opened the lid of the old box, inside, as expected, there was a small, red fruit.
“Wow!”
As I laughed heartily, Lionel extended his head from the side.
“Is it right?”
“Yeah, it is.”
I nodded and took out the fruit of the world tree from the box.
This color, this texture, this smell!
It’s the fruit of the world tree!
“Now we just need to figure out how to eat this.”
“Master, I have a question.”
“Yeah, what is it?”
“This.”
Lionel pointed to the fruit in my hand.
“Can’t we plant it?”
“Plant this?”
At my words, Lionel nodded.
“It’s the fruit of the world tree. If we plant it and grow a tree, wouldn’t it solve the Master’s medicine problem in the future?”
“Well, I guess it could?”
Since it’s a fruit and then a tree, it should grow if planted in the ground.
But.
“I’ll probably die before it sprouts.”
Already curious, I asked the oldest being I knew, Elam.
‘I want to try growing the fruit of the world tree.’
As soon as I said that, he laughed mockingly.
<Ha, a good laugh.>
He chuckled for a long time, wiping away tears from the corners of his eyes.
<You could try planting it. But it’ll take… at least 4,000 years for it to sprout, right?>
“What?”
<No, would it have to endure even longer than that? And then it would take much longer to grow a tree.>
“How do you know that?”
<My first contractor somehow managed to get hold of the fruit of the world tree and planted it.>
Elam smirked, lifting the corner of his lips.
<But it still hasn’t sprouted.>
‘…I’ve heard from time to time that there’s been no news even after going to check.’
If there’s no news even after that, isn’t it just dead?
I asked again, and he said it wasn’t.
It’s alive and preparing to sprout, but it hasn’t sprouted yet.
And since the fruit of the world tree doesn’t have seeds inside, you have to plant it whole.
“So, growing it is impossible.”
“Hmm.”
Lionel sighed.
“I thought it was a good idea.”
Saying so, Lionel brushed his chin with his hand.
“I’ll look for another way, Master.”
“Yeah, thanks.”
I nodded lightly and put the fruit back in the box, closing it.
It’s a shame, but I’ll have to find a way to cut it a little to get the best effect.
“By the way, Master.”
Casually holding the box, Lionel opened his mouth.
“Have you heard about the hunting festival?”
“Yeah, I have.”
I swept my hair back.
“They’re holding the hunting festival in the Terron region this time?”
The hunting festival is one of the major events held in the Pandelion Empire.
Originally, it was supposed to be held in the large forest near the capital.
But this time, the festival is being held in the Terron Territory, a slightly distant region.
“Yes, they say there’s been a tremendous amount of damage in that region.”
Lionel nodded lightly.
“It seems that monsters are overflowing from Cranis.”
The Cranis Forest, where my tower is located, is adjacent to many countries.
And unfortunately, the Terron Territory happens to border Cranis.
Recently, an enormous number of monsters have been pouring in through there, and the lord of the Terron Territory has requested help from the emperor.
“We can move the troops during the hunting festival and use them to drive out the monsters.”
If a lot of people gather, the monsters tend to retreat in fear.
So, we can hold the hunting festival, drive out the monsters, and kill two birds with one stone.
“You’re doing something too, Master.”
“Yeah, I decided to attend the charity auction. The Marquise of Exton is organizing it, and I can’t miss it.”
Those who don’t directly participate in the hunting festival attend the charity auction.
Before the hunting festival, nobles donate items, which are then auctioned off.
The proceeds are used to help the common people in the Terron Territory.
“I don’t know what to donate.”
I groaned.
I’d have flown around if someone had told me to participate in the hunting festival.
But I had no idea what to donate to the charity auction.
“According to Lady Marcus, people will evaluate you based on what you donate, so you can’t just donate anything.”
At first, I just wanted to donate whatever and be done with it, but Lady Marcus dissuaded me.
They’ll judge me based on what I donate.
“The nobles use the items donated by the imperial family as a benchmark for choosing their donations.”
“Is there no word from the Emperor or Empress?”
“My grandmother seems to be offering a book written in Gore.”
According to her, it has significant academic value.
“What about the Empress?”
“Eh, too much hassle to bother.”
And honestly, it’s a bit tacky.
“Even Liena couldn’t easily decide what to donate.”
“Then maybe something like paintings or sculptures would be okay.”
Hmm, he continued after clearing his throat lightly.
“The safest bet would still be jewelry.”
“Really?”
“Yes, the red brooch you wore last time seems nice.”
I simply nodded at Lionel’s words.
Honestly, trusting Lionel’s judgment more than mine might be better, right?
“The craftsmanship is splendid, and the rubies used are also of good quality, so the price won’t be bad. And there won’t be any criticisms either.”
“Yeah, yeah. Okay. I’ll go with that.”
Alright, that’s one less thing to worry about.
“Thank you, Lionel.”
I smiled brightly at Lionel.
Just then, a breeze blew, causing my hair to sway gently.
“Well then, shall we head back once only the person seeing the patient arrives?”
I should start explaining to Pendrade and Ringo what’s happened.
Thinking of Pendrade and Ringo, a natural follow-up thought occurred to me.
“By the way, we swept the mansion for no reason.”
I shook my head.
“They said the ghosts of murderers wander around every night. But they were just patients?”
Where did Pendrade get such weird…?
“There was.”
Picked up…? Huh?? What?
“What was there?”
“There’s an underground treasure vault. There were guys with missing heads and limbs wandering around.”
“And so?”
“I burned them.”
Neatly.
Looking at Lionel, who grinned, I nodded.
Indeed, he’s my disciple!