MHHC Chapter 12

Embers

Even after saying the words, the healer hesitated. He seemed worried that he might have spoken too carelessly.

Adelheid intuited that because he was an outsider who would soon leave, he would give her information more honest than anyone else's.

"Please tell me anything."

She spread her palm with silver coins on it, meaning she was listening. The healer brightened and pocketed the silver.

"Exactly twenty-two years ago from now, there were rumors that 'it' had appeared. I remember it clearly because I was seven years old at the time."

"......"

"By any chance, have you ever heard of the House of Nassau, Your Grace?"

"Nassau? That... the house that fell, you mean?"

Because the head of the house went mad. As if guessing the words she couldn't bring herself to say, the healer nodded greatly.

"About a hundred years ago, it was a house as powerful as Ansgar. If one-third of Bitzleben belonged to Ansgar, then another third belonged to Nassau. Lingen, Schleicher... couldn't even reach their ankles."

"I've heard. That they were very powerful."

"They say madmen were born in that house, skipping generations. Some say it's a curse passed down from ancient times, others say it's because madman's blood flows in their veins."

This much was a story Adelheid knew as well. Since Nassau had been as powerful as it was, rumors about that house were also abundant. Even though it was a house that had fallen before she was even born.

"When Duke and Duchess Nassau died at an early age, there were only young siblings left in that house. The boy, according to the original order, couldn't be raised as heir due to his madness, but from childhood he was said to be exceptionally smart and well-behaved."

The healer's voice gradually grew quieter, like a fire whose logs had burned down. Like the ominous and ill-boding shadow that had fallen over the castle.

"His speech was proper, his behavior and attitude were flawless, so even those who had doubted his qualifications later supported raising him as head of house. Then one day."

"......"

"He suddenly went mad, they say."

The healer's voice recalling memories gradually became clearer. As if gradually returning to that time, as if calling that era into reality rather than memory...

Adelheid noticed that at some point, the trembling of Greta in her arms had stopped. That the person who had been trembling with fear no matter what was done was now listening to the healer's voice as if chewing and burning her last anger.

"It was a disaster. If they had known from the beginning that he was a madman, they would have somehow prevented the succession, but when he showed his true colors, he was already sitting in the head's seat."

"...The reason? Was it discovered?"

"They say he was bewitched by some heathen priest. He bought all sorts of wicked things, bought sacrifices, and held heathen rituals. Later, when he ran out of money, he took the house seal and all the family treasures and sold them all. Rumor has it that the head of the household was looking for a 'dragon.' Ah, thank you..."

The healer seemed thirsty and looked around briefly. When Adelheid quickly poured and offered him a glass of water, he gratefully received and drank it. Eventually he wiped his wet lips with the back of his hand and continued.

"Where was I? Ah, yes. The downfall came overnight, they say."

"Downfall?"

"No one knows what happened that morning. However, within half a day, every person existing in that castle was dead, they say."

"...They all died on the same day at the same time?"

Adelheid's light green eyes widened. This was her first time hearing such a story. History taught that a terrible epidemic had swept through Nassau castle.

"Is that really true?"

"My teacher was the one who was on pilgrimage from Lingen at that time. He was urgently requested for support and went... He said he'd never seen such a bizarre sight in his life. The corpses showed no signs of damage, not even traces of bleeding."

The healer shuddered once as if he himself had experienced that event.

"What was even stranger was that they all had peaceful expressions, as if they had met death without knowing anything. Like fish dried in the sun, pale corpses were scattered here and there throughout the castle."

It was a horrific story. Adelheid took a moment to catch her breath.

"...Were there no survivors at all?"

"Even including all the servants who had left the castle, there wouldn't have been even ten people. There are no survivors clearly identified as having been inside the castle when that disaster occurred. There is one madman who claims otherwise, though..."

"Who is that?"

"When I was young, he was called the madman Kook, a beggar who begged around Lingen castle. Whether he was mad from before, or really went mad after seeing something then..."

"......"

"In any case, it was an incident that was difficult to explain, so at the time there was a commotion saying the Dragon of Bitzleben had appeared. After the House of Schleicher officially swallowed half of Nassau's land, there were also rumors that that house had poisoned the wells or something to devour Nassau."

"...Is he still alive?"

"Who? Kook?"

"I'd like to meet him once."

The healer made an 'oh no' expression at Adelheid's words. He seemed to regret having said too much unnecessarily. He scratched the back of his head.

"Even if you find him, you won't hear anything particularly useful. After that, his madness gradually worsened, and eventually he was confined in the basement of some monastery, they say."

Adelheid stared at him quietly, then placed two silver coins on the side table.

"Where is that monastery located?"

"Oh my, what would I know..."

She silently took out three more silver coins and added them to the pile. The healer coughed and hurriedly pocketed the coins. Research conducted at the tower always required massive amounts of money.

"I don't know why you're looking for Kook, but when he was somewhat sane, he only said one thing."

"......"

"If the real 'dragon' had infiltrated among us, livestock would be the first to notice. He said to carefully observe if there were any animals acting strangely. He always spouted such nonsense. Anyway..."

The healer drew it out to the end, then carefully opened his mouth.

"I only heard it was a temple in Schleicher territory. They say he resisted to the end, claiming he'd be a dead man if he went to that land."

"A temple in Schleicher territory..."

"If it has underground dungeons, it must be quite large in scale. That was already five years ago, so by now he's probably dead. Even if he's alive, he wouldn't be capable of normal conversation."

Adelheid let out a dejected sigh. She felt as if she had completely missed what had been virtually the only clue. Was there no other way? If she could gain access to the western tower's library, she would be able to find much more information...

She was anxiously repeating her thoughts when the healer's cough brought her back to attention.

"Ah, I've delayed too long. Here it is."

Adelheid placed a pouch full of gold coins entirely on the table. It was forty-five gold coins for two days plus an additional week.

For the cost of personally employing a healer, it was cheap, but he too had experienced something he couldn't have experienced anywhere else over the past two days, so the accounts would roughly balance out.

The healer's face lit up and he rummaged through his bag to place several medicinal materials on the side table.

"The curse will gradually break as the demon's power weakens. Then her voice will return too."

"Will that really happen?"

"Since there's nothing wrong with her body. Above all, regaining psychological stability is the priority. Have her frequently boil and drink those medicinal materials."

"...What if the demon's power doesn't weaken?"

"Then it would take a bit longer, but it wasn't originally a curse to take life in the first place. Recovery will eventually happen. More than that... I wasn't going to interfere originally, but there's something that bothers me."

"Something that bothers you?"

"Your Grace. Could you extend your hand for a moment? With your palm facing up."

Adelheid hesitated slightly.

Adelheid hesitantly extended her hand. Despite being a healer, he was still an outside man. If Adelheid had been a typical noblewoman, touching her body carelessly could have cost him his wrist.

Fortunately, the healer didn't grab Adelheid's hand, but looked at it very closely. His brow seemed to furrow as if pondering something.

"Did you ever fall seriously ill when you were young?"

"When I was young? I don't particularly have such memories..."

"You've never stayed in a temple either?"

"...A priest who was close with my mother did come periodically to check my health, but I don't have such memories."

"Hmm. Strange."

The healer stroked his chin where rough whiskers had grown. Adelheid looked at him with puzzled eyes.

"I'm somewhat sensitive to these matters because of my special constitution. Unlike His Grace who has very little sacred power, Your Grace seems to have sacred power but it doesn't flow smoothly. As if suppressed by something. Certainly, it seems like I can sense a strong power..."

"Po, power can be sensed?"

"Actually, I'm not sure if it's sacred power or what. Maybe I just sensed it wrong."

He said, scratching the back of his head awkwardly.

"Sometimes when I'm tired, that happens. My teacher would be much better at examining this than I am..."

"......"

"Though the possibility is slim, if you ever have occasion to visit Falkenhaim, please look for Jürgen at the Dawn Tower. That's my name."

Adelheid nodded in a daze. Jürgen bowed his head and grasped the door handle as if to leave the room. Adelheid urgently called to stop him.

"Jürgen."

"Yes, Your Grace."

"What you've seen and heard here, you absolutely must keep silent about. From His Grace's physical condition to all of our conversation just now."

"Ah, of course. Everything I saw, heard, and said here will be as if it never happened."

When Adelheid nodded, Jürgen pulled his hood down low.

"Then, Your Grace. I look forward to meeting again someday."

"Y, Your Grace."

When Adelheid opened the stable door and stepped inside, the stablemaster jumped up from his chair in a flustered rush. Half-pale, he bowed respectfully toward Adelheid. He wore a smile that was almost servile.

"Oh my, what brings you all the way here..."