I Proposed to My Childhood Friend After Regressing - Chapter 48

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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After Regression, I Proposed to My Childhood Friend
Chapter 48
To be honest, I’d thought this wouldn’t come to pass even with Cassian’s permission.
‘The House Downer doesn’t consist of Cassian alone, after all.’
Moreover, the Marquis Territory now hosted not just members of House Downer, but Grand Duke Alek and Crown Prince Crowell as well.
I was certain the Marquis would step forward and refuse—but what was this?
‘He’s agreed to hand over the Annex Building? For the patients? Well, all right! You must have your reasons!’
Downer made his decision in a single second, his assent three times more spirited than Cassian’s, who had at least questioned the reasoning behind it.
In exchange, the Marquis had taken to dropping by the Annex Building from time to time to watch what Beatrice was doing—and today happened to be one of those days.
“There you are! Buried in a heap of potatoes again, are you?”
“Sir Bernard, that’s not potato—it’s Lumenbark.”
“Potatoes or Lumenbark, what’s the difference! Either way, I can’t see a single strand of your hair, so I’d say that settles it! Come out! I’ve brought provisions!”
Waving a basket like he was coaxing a puppy with a snack, the Marquis entered Beatrice’s laboratory.
Beatrice, who had been comparing the states of Lumenbark accelerated by Holy Magic against untreated specimens and recording her findings, poked her head out cautiously.
“Oh, sir Marquis?”
“That’s right, it’s me! Why haven’t you sent word since I granted you the Annex Building to conduct your research? So I came looking myself! Well, what else have you discovered?”
“Ah, yes!”
With the Annex Building provided by House Downer and support from the Crown Prince’s faction, Beatrice’s experiments were yielding considerable progress.
“First, regarding the critical patients, there has been improvement, sir Marquis!”
“Is that so? You mean the illness is actually improving?”
“Yes. For now, I’m operating on two fundamental principles: first, cessation of additional Lumenbark consumption, and second, cessation of treatment via Holy Magic.”
“Remarkable—the symptoms are easing just from that? Well, that’s fortunate indeed!”
“Of course, I’m still providing Symptomatic Treatment. If vomiting is severe, I treat to alleviate that. I’m also attending carefully to nutritional intake.”
Combined with research into the Lumenbark itself, the outline of the disease’s origin and the Order’s intended method was becoming clear.
“The cause of the illness is Lumenbark. It grows rapidly in response to Holy Magic, but within it, new toxins form.”
“Toxins? But I was told it was the crop of the divine. How could that be?”
“Well, that’s… a puzzle indeed.”
Whether due to its capacity to thrive in demonic-contaminated soil without issue, the Lumenbark underwent a transformation when exposed to Holy Magic, developing toxicity in the process.
What was more peculiar was that even when its structure was broken down through heating, it still responded to Holy Magic.
‘It wasn’t for nothing that Sharon and the young nobles who’d received better treatment deteriorated so rapidly.’
It must have been because they’d received Holy Treatment from the Order’s monks in pursuit of better care.
The Order would have had no way of knowing whether these people had consumed the transformed Lumenbark or not.
‘And besides, it seems not all Order members are even aware of this fact, which only complicates matters further.’
Beatrice recalled, for a moment, those in the clinic who devoted themselves to saving lives, cutting back on sleep.
‘…Really, what kind of people do these madmen think they are?’
Barely swallowing down the fresh surge of anger that threatened to overtake her, Beatrice continued relaying the situation to the Marquis.
“However, exactly what type of toxin this is falls outside my area of expertise, as the symptoms vary from person to person.”
“Well, learning this much is no small feat! Leave the rest to the healers. That’s how it works, isn’t it, Gallatin? Here, eat this while you’re at it.”
“A sound assessment, sir. However, Miss Cruger, I do have a question I’d like to confirm regarding that matter.”
“To me?”
Offering the provisions he’d brought to Beatrice, the Marquis raised one eyebrow.
“What is it you need to confirm from the girl?”
“It concerns Master Cassian. Word has it that he intends to consume Lumenbark himself and aid the research. Is that true?”
“Ah.”
Beatrice made a short sound and nodded reluctantly.
“Yes, that’s right. There are two things I’m most concerned about—one is, as I mentioned, not knowing what family of toxin this is. The other is… the possibility of Recurrence.”
The former could be managed through Symptomatic Treatment as it stood now, but the latter was a more serious issue.
“I don’t know whether keeping away from Holy Magic is enough until the ingested substance is expelled from the body, or if it’s never completely eliminated and there’s still a possibility of Recurrence upon subsequent contact with Holy Magic. I can’t know without experimentation.”
“…So Master Cassian intends to conduct the investigation himself?”
“Yes… Ah! Of course, I refused! But he kept saying the situation is fully understood, so it should be fine…”
Beatrice glanced at Gallatin, who seemed to have run out of words.
Certainly, when the sole heir of House Downer steps forward offering himself as a subject, there’s little more to say.
‘I was so flustered when he first said something like that.’
The memory of that night, sharing research results with him, remained vivid.
Cassian had listened to her explanation with a serious expression, then asked her to experiment on him to determine the Recurrence risk.
‘Isn’t wanting to help sufficient reason?’
‘Of course it is! But truly, it’s dangerous. What if you can never receive Holy Treatment again? What will you do in a genuinely critical moment?’
‘But someone must walk that dangerous path, don’t they? I can hardly ask patients just recovered from illness to stake their lives again for others.’
‘No, that’s not…’
‘Then let me bear it. At least I have a sturdy house and Miss Cruger, and you, behind me.’
Cassian had spoken those words with an eye-smile so gentle that Beatrice couldn’t bring herself to be angry.
As Beatrice recalled that moment, a booming laugh burst forth from ahead.
“Ha-ha-ha-ha! That rascal said that?”
“Sir Bernard?”
“The endearing fool—acting just like I did in my youth without anyone showing him the way! I should have known the moment he started saying things like there being too many commanders so he’d sit out the suppression and defense, or that he’d hand over the Annex Building!”
The Marquis laughed so hard tears streamed down his face, then abruptly turned to Beatrice.
“Well then, Lia Cruger, I’ve been wanting to ask myself for a while now. You’ve been staying in the Marquis Territory for some time—how does it feel to live here?”
…Suddenly?
The sudden shift in subject made Beatrice reflexively look toward Gallatin.
Gallatin pressed his index finger to the bridge of his nose as if a headache was building, then nodded—a sign that she could answer freely.
“Well… it’s been good? The people are all kind, and they seem close-knit, tight-bonded…”
“Exactly! Our territory’s people are all wonderfully united! And my people hold what’s theirs dearly indeed! Haven’t you found yourself envious watching? Hmm? Don’t you wish to become one of us?”
It was nice, but not quite to the point of envy.
‘Wait. But I’ve heard a question like this before, haven’t I?’
A strange sense of déjà vu washed over her as she racked her mind, and several memories came flooding back without need for long consideration.
Most were from her time in House Dalton.
‘Bia, this meat your uncle sliced is delicious, isn’t it? If you come into House Dalton, your uncle will slice it for you day and night.’
‘You’re truly a perfect fit! A princess herself couldn’t compare. How did our Bia come to be so beautiful? If you became our family, we’d fill a whole room with clothes for you…’
A question mark formed in Beatrice’s mind as she recalled those memories.
‘Wait—even if the Duke and Duchess have seen me as a daughter for so long, why is the Marquis asking something like this?’
She was weighing her response while observing the Marquis’s eagerly expectant eyes.
—Knock, knock, knock!
With urgent knocking, the maid who opened the door cried out breathlessly to her:
“Huff, huff! Miss Cruger, Lord Dalton has awakened!”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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