Chapter 10

"Hahahaha! I am the Emperor of Chaos, Tera Chaos! Brave ones of Tormann Village! Bow down to my evil power!"

"Kyaa!"

"Uwaah!"

A suspicious figure with a large Dart Hydesnake head attached to his hat was terrifying the village children.

Yes, to be honest, this is me, Mutt... No! I am the Emperor of Chaos, Tera Chaos!

"Kishaaa!"

"Kyaa! It's scary!"

"Wh-what are you doing!?"

"Hahahaha! The weapons of mere mortals are useless against the Emperor of Chaos!"

"Wh-what! This guy!"

"Hahahaha! Ow, that hurts! Hitting me where my skin is exposed, you have some talent! ...Ow! ...Ngh! The privilege of a boss monster, weapon destruction!"

*Snap* The wooden branch broke!

"Aah! You broke it!"

"Hahahaha! The only thing that can affect Tera Chaos is the energy of the earth contained in wheat...! You must gather the fallen grains together to break the seal on this weapon!"

While saying this, I took out a small bow and arrow from my pocket.

"It's a bow!"

"What is that!?"

"Hahahaha, if you fill this bag with fallen grains, I'll give it to you! But only if you can defeat this Tera Chaos with it!"

"...We'll gather them!"

"Me too!"

"I'll go to the field over there!"

Lured by the children's bow, the young children scattered to their respective fields.

After swinging wooden branches around, they still had this much energy. Kids really are monsters.

"Good job, Mutt... You're really good with kids."

"Ah, Caspar. Are your morning consultations over?"

After taking off the Emperor costume, Caspar, who had been treating patients in the village square, had returned.

He must have used healing magic multiple times again. His exhaustion gauge seemed higher than when I saw him in the morning.

"The harvest is almost complete as planned. We'll have the harvest festival tonight and leave tomorrow."

"That's right. I'm glad it ended without any major injuries. Mutt, you've done a lot of work too..."

"No, not as much as you, Caspar. You really did a great job. By the way, are you getting enough sleep?"

"No, the sounds of insects and frogs... I'm not used to it..."

"Ah, the capital and cities are quiet at night. Well, take it easy."

The security duty is over today.

It was a few days' mission, but it ended without any bandits, which is a relief. It was peaceful, just dealing with bugs, snakes, and goblins that came out near the fields. Even if some of them escaped to the road or other areas, they would likely be caught and dealt with by patrols this season. That's not our job anymore.

"How are the villagers? Any serious illnesses or injuries?"

"There were some. Mostly leg and back problems. It must have been painful..."

"Ah, there probably isn't a clinic around here. Farm work is hard on the back."

That's why a scythe, which puts less strain on the back, might be used. But as you get older, it becomes harder to hide the accumulated strain.

"...There's also the issue of distance and money. But most of all, they've resigned themselves to this situation... and adapted to it. It's painful to see them like that."

While watching the children gather the fallen grains and throw them into the bag, Caspar muttered.

"It's said that while people in the city can live to 70, people in these villages can only live to about 50. Without healing, bad conditions accumulate, and they eventually can't bear it and die... But for the village, this way of life is the norm, and no one questions it."

"...Is it an education issue?"

"Yes. That's what I think. ...But, Mutt, you shouldn't talk about this carelessly outside. There are many people who don't want to improve the education of farmers."

"Ugh..."

I didn't know. That's something I didn't expect.

"...Healers are always in short supply. It's the same in the capital and cities. ...Even in the capital, many people 'cut in line' for treatment, but the fact remains that there are far too few healers."

"If it's not an emergency, you might have to wait for days."

"Yes. ...I want to change that. But I can only save so many lives by pouring my physical and mental strength into it. That's why I need to train the next generation. But..."

Watching the children gather the fallen grains, Caspar sighed.

Healing is a specialized profession. The difficulty of healing magic is said to be much higher than that of attack magic. To increase the number of healers, thorough education for children is needed, but...

Children born into farming families and expected to inherit the land rarely get that opportunity. It might be better than being heavily taxed, but the sense of being stuck is there.

"If I can't reach them as a healer, at least... I want them to live without injuries, without illness, and in good health. ...With this old body, all I can do is pray for that."

The harvest festival was lively in a modest, rural way, and the night wore on.

I prefer to watch these ethnic festivals, but young people have the obligation to be dragged into the hospitality of the elders. We danced some incomprehensible dances, sang incomprehensible songs, ate mediocre food, and had seconds and thirds brought to us, and before we knew it, the festival was over.

I was full and couldn't eat anything more. The food served with a smile was politely inedible. I really do feel bad, but I can't eat what I don't like.

"Thanks, Uncle!"

"Thanks for the bow and arrow! Uncle! Come again!"

As a kind of atonement, I gave them a children's practice bow and arrow that had been in my luggage for years, and we set off on our way back.

The only trouble on the way back was that the team leader, Tomason, had hurt his back helping with the harvest and had to ride in the cart. Otherwise, it was a peaceful journey. It was a very peaceful mission from start to finish.

I don't look forward to the harvest season every year, but it was good to have a little experience with scythes and to get along with the old men of the Legor Security Team's third squad. If we work together again in the future, I'll be grateful.

...Considering their age, it wouldn't be surprising if some of them were dead by the next time.

"Life is a flower while it lasts."

Back in Legor, I was working on a craft project in the room of the inn where I was staying. I carefully dripped several types of pigments and oil onto a flat dish of water and used a needle to mix and create patterns on the colorful oil film that floated on the surface. It was a psychedelic, marbled pattern, a bit like latte art.

I carefully submerged a small letter I had just written into the oil film.

"Alright."

The letter was covered with the marbled pattern. The pattern was light, so the writing was still visible. I stamped it, folded the letter, and sealed it with my original seal.

"...Well, I want to repay a favor before I die."

This was a letter from Lord Chaos, not Mutt. It was a good time to send it since I hadn't done so recently.

I put on a robe I don't usually wear and went out into the night.

---

"Mr. Caspar! Something's happened! Look at this!"

The next morning, the atmosphere in the clinic where Caspar worked was chaotic.

"What? What's wrong? Did you make a mistake?"

"Look at this! A letter from Lord Chaos was delivered to the drop box! And not just to the security team, but the same content was delivered to other places as well!"

"Hmm? I remember Lord Chaos as an inventor."

"Yes, I don't know why it was sent here! But the pattern on the letter is unmistakable! It must be genuine! We need to hurry and make it! We can't let other clinics make money first!"

Caspar unfolded the marbled letter and read it.

"...An oral rehydration solution recipe?"

The recipe described a drink made with water, salt, sugar, or honey. The ingredients themselves were simple and unremarkable. Yet, the letter claimed it was a special remedy for diarrhea, vomiting, and dehydration. It was hard to believe at first, but considering the many inventions attributed to Lord Chaos, it was too valuable to ignore.

Most importantly, if it was true, it could save an incredible number of lives.

"...Yukes. We need to test the recipe to confirm its effectiveness and safety... But if it's true, this recipe should be shared with other medical institutions."

"What!? You're giving up the chance to make a fortune!?"

"It's written in the letter. 'I wish for this knowledge to spread widely.'"

"Ah... I see..."

"It seems to have been sent to multiple institutions, and the ingredients are common. It's not something that can be monopolized."

"...Hmm, I thought we could become rich."

Yukes, the new healer, was still a worldly young man. Caspar smiled at him and reached for the mixing shelf. Well, first things first, we need to test it.

"If this recipe is genuine, it will make treating patients we've struggled with much easier. Our work will progress much faster. ...Is that not what you want, Yukes?"

"...! No!"

"Then that's good. Let's get ready for work..."

"Yes, sir!"

And so, another busy day began.

But from today, the number of patients we can save might increase. Caspar felt a surge of energy for his work.