Volume 2 Chapter 8.3 (1/2)

Chapter 8.3

Translator: Reflet

Editor: Weasalopes

Frowning to this quick answer, Douga continued:

「Can you negate that kind of poison?」

「Depends, but I could take care of most poisons out there. Unless it’s too late for that. I could use an All-purpose Potion, but I gotta go far for the ingredients, and our equipment’s a little shotty, and like I said, if it’s too late for it, negatin’ the poison won’t do a thing.」

「Hm. How about an illness?」

「Same goes. I’ll have to hear the symptoms and check it out for myself, but I could cure most. Now any kind of after effect for an disease or a poison is free game. I can’t say how that’ll turn out until I see ‘em.」

「I see…」

After pondering for a moment, Douga got up and prepared to leave.

「Where are you going?」

「I’m going to pop in at the Association.」

With that, he changed his appearance with the magical item, and swiftly walked out, leaving Aearis and Rayna behind.

「So, y’all know what he was talkin’ about?」

「…Elena hasn’t been feeling well for a long time, now…」

「The court doctor and magician couldn’t figure it out?」

「Yes. They said she has a mysterious illness, but…」

「We can’t be too sure ‘til I hear her symptoms and take a look at her.」

Hiroshi pointed, out and Aearis nodded, and began to list the symptoms as much as she could remember. Most were shared by many illness, but…

「Tremors in her hands and feet, and phantom pains, huh? Does Princess Elena dine with everyone else?」

「Since about a week before her symptoms started appearing, she was always alone, except for lunch. It was in part because everyone in the family had a varying schedule.」

「How ‘bout you, Elle?」

「I usually eat at the Temple, and eat the same things as the other priests there…」

「Gotcha. Do the tasters rotate?」

「Yes. We have their body and conditions to consider, and to ensure there are no mistakes, there are four tasters at a time, in a different combination of members, each time.」

「No one else has her symptoms?」

「No.」

With this much information, Hiroshi was sure.

「It’s poison.」

「You’re sure?」

「There is a disease that cause similar symptoms. But, the only way to get infected is bein’ scratched by a Marjin Rat. And once it infects a human, it spreads like wildfire, so a bunch a people would have been showin’ symptoms. It’s only got a long incubation period for the first infected person. Besides, she would have healed on her own in two weeks without any treatment or nothin’. So, it’s poison. No shred of doubt.」

「Can you make an antidote for it?」

「Yeah, no problem. The thing is, I gotta use ingredients that spoil fast. Can’t make it right away.」

Even with their Rotproof enchantment, they didn’t have a large stock for all materials. Obscure materials required for potions, especially, weren’t easy to get a hold of, even in Wulls, the trade port of the west.

「How long’s it been since her first symptom popped up?」

「Let’s see… Almost a month, I believe. It had at least been two weeks when we were trapped by Piaranork.」

「Was it pretty dumb goofin’ ‘round here like this?」

「I wouldn’t say that…」

「Guess ya wouldn’t.」

In reality, even with his track record of crafting the large amount of antidotes, there was no way that they would come to a no-name adventurer about this. It should take two weeks or so for them to go through everyone with the appropriate credentials. Even without the Piaranork incident, it would have taken them just as long to get to and interview Hiroshi and Haruna as it took for Aearis and her party to wake up and get to this point. It was a marginal difference.

「Well, we can’t do much until Uncle Doul comes back. What do you want to do?」

「Sun’s gettin’ high. Why don’t we whip up another taste of ol’ Japan?」

Hearing this, Aearis’ expression brightened for a change.

「What are you going to make?」

「Pork, squid, shrimp, beef tenderloin, cabbage, flour, and sweet potato. You can do the math from there, can’t ya?」

Hiroshi responded to Tatsuya with a list of ingredients. A man from Osaka could only be prepping for one dish with that combination of ingredients. Needless to say, both the pork and beef were produced from an animal that taste similar, since they didn’t have the same kind of animals here as they did on Earth. The “pigs” of Farlane, especially, didn’t produce much lard nor broth from its bones (it didn’t host parasites, for that matter). The only similarity between them and pigs on Earth were their looks, as well as the texture and taste of the meat.

「Nice. Can I request it in Modern-style?」

「’Course. I’ll compromise and do Hiroshima-style, but not Monja-style, I’m beggin’ ya. Just a matter of taste, though.」

「That’s okay. Monja-style isn’t my favorite anyway.」

As they discussed the details, they placed a black flat-top on the dining table. It was an industrial-sized flat top that covered a third of their gigantic dining table. They could flip a dozen of Okonomiyaki pancakes at once if they wanted to. The detail of Hiroshi’s craftsmanship really shows through the polished surface and special coatings for rust prevention and whatnot. Not to mention that it had been enchanted here and there to make it a magic-powered. Some serious time was spent on crafting this piece.

「When did you have the time to…」

「When I was checkin’ the furnace. Somethin’ like this don’t take as much materials as it looked.」

The materials, by the way, were recycled metal parts of busted tools he scavenged.

「Alright, let’s get to it.」

With that declaration, Hiroshi started swiftly chopping the cabbage and expertly kneading the dough. He seemed to have some sense of pride in his work, as he prepped the entire thing alone, without even letting Haruna touch it.