The Ronella territory wasn't far. It was a place filled with underground dungeons and wild beasts, attracting monster hunters and frequent visits from merchants. Because of this, the Ronella disease had a high chance of spreading through visitors. The demand for treatment was constant, so the business prospects were very promising.
"Let's think about it after treating Mia's mother first," I decided, then asked Mia again to confirm. "Are you sure it's the Ronella disease?"
"Yes! The doctor said so. To get treated, we need a very expensive blessing spell from a high priest or buy medicine from the Itima Empire."
"But the medicine is too expensive for us to afford," Mia added.
Meeting a high priest or a grand priest was impossible for commoners. If I remember correctly, the medicine sold in the Itima Empire costs at least 100 gold. In terms of my past life's value, that's about 100 million won. Of course, Mia's family couldn't afford that. If they could, they would have bought it and treated her already.
I quickly recalled the details. With focus, I remembered the exact measurements and recipe. But the ingredients weren't here. Since I needed to see Mia's mother's condition, the only person who could help was Rakis.
"Rakis."
"Yes, my lord."
"Go to the mansion immediately and tell the maid Hayes to prepare as much Ashur herb, Rolana herb, and Nekal herb as possible. Use a carriage or whatever to get back as quickly as you can. Understood?"
"Yes! I'll follow your orders!"
Without waiting for me to finish speaking, Rakis started running. I should have listened to his advice about bringing a horse, but it was a secret inspection, so there was no choice. Thanks to that, Rakis had to endure some trouble, but I was grateful for his loyalty.
I turned my attention back to Mia. "Mia, where is your house?"
"Over there," she said, wiping her tears and pointing to a house just a block ahead. It seemed they lived in a shabby three-story building that looked uninhabited.
I confirmed the house's location and started sprinting at full speed. I felt a bit dizzy for a moment but kept running. Every second was crucial for the patient. There's a reason they call it the golden hour.
Soon, I entered the creaky, seemingly collapsing three-story building and carefully climbed the old wooden stairs to the second floor.
"Cough! Cough cough! Cough! Cough!"
There, I saw Mia's mother lying in bed, suffering from a dry cough.
[*Warning: Infected with Ronella disease. Treatment is needed.]
[*Warning: The condition is rapidly worsening. Estimated life expectancy is 7 days.]
"Seven days? That's dangerous," I thought as my insight skill showed Mia's mother, Mary's condition. It was worse than expected.
And then, "Cough! Cough!"
"Mom! Mom!"
Mary started coughing up blood. It was truly a dire situation.
"My lord is treating my mom! Even with her blood all over him..."
Mia was shocked and amazed. As soon as he entered, Jared supported her mother without hesitation, not turning away or flinching. Despite his clothes being stained with blood from the coughing, he used magic to calm her condition.
It was the first time. Many doctors and even a reputed shaman had been called to treat Mary. They demanded high fees but never provided clear treatment. When Mary coughed up blood due to the Ronella disease symptoms, they would scream and run away, calling it dirty.
This left Mia with many scars. So when Jared offered to help, she thought he would be no different from the others. But she was wrong.
Jared immediately assessed Mary's condition and used healing magic. He held Mary tightly, reassuring her.
"Mary, don't worry. Once the herbs arrive, I'll make the medicine. The blood coughing is just because the cough worsened, so there's no need to panic."
"Cough, cough! Excuse me, but who are you...? Doctor, I can't afford the treatment. I'm sorry, but please leave. I'd rather die peacefully."
Even in that state, Mary was worried about the treatment cost. She had already spent all her savings on medical bills. They barely had enough to scrape by for a few more days. Without the strength to cook, Mia had been struggling to make meals with her small hands for weeks.
"You don't need to worry about the cost, Mary. Trust me."
"Mom! Mom! This isn't a doctor; it's the lord! The lord came to save you!" Mia shouted with all her might. Tears streamed down her face. Seeing her beloved mother suffering and coughing up blood was heartbreaking. Even grown-ups feel sad seeing their parents in pain, so how much more for a child?
Mia tried to hold it together but soon broke into sobs. "Mom, don't die! You can't die!"
Jared comforted the crying Mia. "Mia, trust me. I'll definitely heal your mom, so don't worry."
"You're the lord? Oh, now that I think about it..."
Mary, struggling, recognized Jared as the lord. Unlike Lena and Mia, Mary had seen Jared a few times before. Eight years ago, she had been invited to the lord's mansion because of her famous cooking skills.
Her first impression of Jared wasn't great. He was very particular about taste and had seen him speak harshly to the maids. But the Jared she saw today was completely different. He was taking care of her without concern for himself, even with blood splattered everywhere.
Among the doctors who visited, some would run out screaming just at the sight of her coughing, afraid of catching the disease. That was the common reaction to Ronella disease, and Mary had resigned herself to it.
But not Jared. "I remember now. We've met before, right?" Jared said warmly, recalling the memory. At first, he couldn't place her, but then a fragment of memory came back to him.
"Lord, I'm really sorry. You shouldn't get close to someone with such a terrible disease..."
Mary tried to sit up again to show respect, but Jared laid her back down. "Don't say it's a terrible disease. It's not. And lie down comfortably. For the healing magic to circulate quickly, lying down is best. Mia, could you wet a towel and bring it?"
"Yes! Just a moment!" Mia quickly moved at Jared's request. Meanwhile, Jared reassured Mary again. "Mary, people think Ronella disease is serious, but it's not."
"Really...?"
"I'll make the medicine soon, so stay strong. You can't die now, right? You need to make delicious food for Mia with your own hands."
"Lord, but..."
"I won't leave until your condition improves, so don't worry and trust me."
At that moment, tears welled up in Mary's eyes. Everyone had given up on her body. Doctors had demanded a fortune in gold coins for treatment. Reality was harsh. Even though there was a way to treat it, she couldn't do anything without money. All she could do was wait for death.
So she gave up. Let go of her heart. There was nothing else she could choose anyway. But Jared appeared like a ray of light, helping her without any conditions.
"Lord, how can I repay this kindness..."
"Think about that after you recover. For now, just focus on getting better."
Jared held Mary's hand tightly. Looking at her reminded him of his mother from his past life. It's a sad story, but Shintaepung's mother dedicated herself to supporting her son, neglecting her own health. When she finally went to the hospital because she couldn't ignore the signs anymore, it was too late. She was diagnosed with terminal cancer, with nothing that could be done.
His mother, who sacrificed her life for her family, didn't even have time to settle her affairs before her condition rapidly worsened, and she left her family forever. If only there had been more financial stability! If only he had the means to get her a thorough check-up when she was unwell!
These thoughts haunted Shintaepung, making him blame himself repeatedly. It was a story from over 15 years ago during his high school days, but the pain never faded. The longing for his mother didn't disappear with time.
He didn't want to see the same mistake happen in this life. He didn't want to lose Mia's angelic mother, Mary! Especially when he knew the treatment method. Recruiting Mia was secondary. Right now, he wanted to focus solely on treating Mary.
This was Jared's pure emotion and goodwill, without any ulterior motives.
Rakis returned with Hayes about an hour later. Hayes had brought Lena, hearing from Rakis that there was a young girl. She thought the children could support each other since they were of similar age. It was also a chance for them to see what I, as the lord, was doing firsthand. Hayes made a good decision on her own, which I appreciated.
"Hayes, I'll mix the herbs to make the medicine, so help Mary sit up halfway so she can drink it."
"Don't worry, my lord! I even brought ingredients and tools to make bread and meat soup just in case!"
"Good job. That's just like you, Hayes."
"Right, my lord?" Hayes beamed with pride and happiness at being acknowledged by me. She seemed full of energy, just from being recognized.
Hayes approached Mary without any prejudice, wiping the blood from her lips and helping her sit up.
"What's your name?" Lena asked.
"Mia. What's yours?"
"I'm Lena. Don't worry, Mia. Everything will be alright. Let's pray together. You don't have to cry anymore."
"Okay, sister. Sniffle."
Lena comforted the worried Mia like a big sister, as she watched Mary with concern. I quickly began mixing the herbs.