Chapter Seventy-One: The Seeker of Medical Aid / Chapter Seventy-Two: Mom, I Sold the Entire Family Fortune

Rizovolt Sturlut spoke solemnly, deep doubt coloring his words. He could not imagine that human woman having the ability—or, for that matter, the willingness—to cure Altrouge.

An injured Altrouge was a better Dead Apostle Princess for everyone. Neither the Dead Apostles nor humanity would want to see Altrouge at the height of her power.

Thus, he seriously suspected that the girl called Aozaki Touko was merely humoring her and taking the opportunity to profit, with no intention of treating Princess properly.

"She won't just cure me. She'll become my subordinate, too."

Altrouge brushed back her long black hair, a confident glint in her eyes. She believed that once Aozaki Touko understood the extent of her power, she would only need a little temptation to abandon her human identity and throw herself into her embrace.

"Since Princess has said so."

Rizovolt Sturlut nodded slightly, then had no intention of saying anything more.

Chapter Seventy-One: The Seeker of Medical Aid

The next day.

The sky had only just begun to brighten when Aozaki Touko left the Western Mansion alone. Her steps were as elegant as ever, and not a trace of confidence had left her, despite having faced the Dead Apostle Princess the day before.

She was heading to the Clock Tower to teach, covering some basic potion knowledge. The subject was neither profound nor particularly interesting or vivid; the lessons could only be described as perfunctory.

She appeared for only one short class each week, which made it impossible for her to fulfill even the basic responsibilities of a mentor.

Even so, every class she taught was packed without exception. There were even plenty of students standing along the edges of the classroom because there were no seats left.

"Hmm, there are quite a few unfamiliar faces today. I hope you can keep up with the lesson."

After entering the classroom, Aozaki Touko stepped onto the lectern and swept her gaze over the students taking the course before casually beginning her lecture.

The students present were already used to this scene. They also knew that the girl's teaching was merely perfunctory work.

Since her friend was the daughter of the Plant Department Monarch, she had naturally come to the Plant Department to become a lecturer, despite not being particularly skilled in potions and similar subjects herself.

But they did not care about whether she was right or wrong, nor did they intend to condemn her for it, because most people who came here were not here to study potion knowledge.

Some were heirs to prestigious magus families. They dressed themselves up like princes and came here intending to charm this genius girl, hoping to obtain her extraordinarily excellent magic lineage.

Others came to ask the girl about cross-disciplinary matters. They would present the problems troubling their magical research, hoping to use the girl's genius to overcome barriers they could not break through.

Those two groups basically accounted for the reasons people came here.

Today, however, quite a few people had come with a different purpose. They gazed hopefully at the girl shining like the sun on the lectern.

Her confident, self-willed bearing somehow rekindled hope in hearts that had already lost it.

If it's her... she should be able to save them.

This thought appeared in the minds of the third group almost simultaneously.

That was right. Quite a few people had come today specifically because of the rumors surrounding Aozaki Touko.

The world's greatest doctor, a magus capable of bringing people back after they had fallen into temporary death and curing illnesses that were almost impossible to treat.

Those were the rumors about the girl that had spread during this period.

"Hmm... it's time for questions. If you have an extracurricular question, and it's troublesome, please prepare the remuneration yourself."

Aozaki Touko turned to look at the students below and said something that sounded nothing like a teacher's words.

"I have something to ask!"

A handsome young man raised his hand, looking nervously at Aozaki Touko. At the same time, he hurriedly lifted a heavy black case and struggled toward the lectern.

This scene drew disgusted looks from quite a few people in the classroom. They were displeased by the young man's lack of manners.

Normally, nobles and powerful figures with high status would ask questions first. Only if no powerful person stepped forward could ordinary students ask Aozaki Touko something.

Yet this young man had broken that unspoken understanding today, which naturally irritated people.

"Looks like what you want to ask isn't related to potions."

Looking at the anxious young man approaching, Aozaki Touko smiled helplessly.

"Yes, Teacher Aozaki."

The handsome young man laboriously placed the black leather case on the desk and opened it, revealing a case filled with gold bars.

Then the young man performed a full prostration before Aozaki Touko and said respectfully:

"Teacher Aozaki, I have something extremely important to ask of you. Please save my dying mother. Once it is done, I am willing to pay you ten times the remuneration I have brought today."

He pressed his head firmly against the floor. So tense was he that the hand braced against the ground bulged with veins.

He was the heir to a publicly traded company, and his family had some tenuous connection to the world of magic. After accidentally learning that there was a magus in the magical world who could cure any illness, he had rushed to the Clock Tower.

"A case of gold... That's certainly an impactful sight. Unfortunately, I don't have time recently."

Aozaki Touko glanced at the gold on the lectern, her eyes utterly unmoved. She said calmly, "Besides, why do you think I can save your mother?"

Although she had that reputation, she had yet to actually save anyone.

Even so, someone had come to seek treatment with an entire case of gold.

--

Everyone in the classroom instinctively focused their gazes on the young man, wanting to see how this magician, who could not even be considered third-rate, would answer Aozaki Touko's question.

"I don't know, but I have no other choice. After hearing that you could save anyone, I ran here like a gambler."

Still maintaining his prostration, the young man spoke in a sorrowful, pained voice. Tears fell one after another, soaking the lectern.

He had no other options left. Even the finest hospital had pronounced his mother dead.

But he could not accept that result.

So he had come to the Clock Tower to seek help from the girl before him.

Moreover, in order to increase his chances of success, he had not chosen the convenient method of paying by check.

He had displayed a large amount of genuine gold and silver precisely so that Aozaki Touko would feel the weight of money.

Then, perhaps, his chances of success would increase.

"I see. I understand."

Aozaki Touko raised her brows slightly and chuckled. "I can save your mother, but only after I examine her medical records. I'll adjust the price accordingly, though. It might become high enough to bankrupt your family."

"..."

The handsome young man fell silent, suddenly caught in a dilemma. After several minutes of silence, he gritted his teeth and said:

"It doesn't matter. If you can bring my mother back to life, I can accept any price."

"Is that so? As long as you're sure."

Aozaki Touko smiled. "Then bring your mother to the Clock Tower's hospital."

Chapter Seventy-Two: Mom, I Sold the Entire Family Fortune

"Is that all for today?"

Aozaki Touko put away her textbook and immediately left the classroom.

She had encountered quite a few people seeking treatment today. Although they had all offered extremely generous remuneration, it meant nothing to Aozaki Touko.

She did not want these trivial matters to delay her magical research, so she decided to raise her prices to an unbearable level and discourage most of those seeking treatment.

"Lady Aozaki, you haven't taken this case of gold!"

Seeing this, the young man froze slightly. He then noticed that Aozaki Touko had not taken his case of gold at all, so he hurriedly picked it up and chased after her.

He wanted to see Aozaki Touko take the case of gold with his own eyes. Otherwise, he would never be able to put his mind at ease.

The people in the classroom had mostly dispersed.

Only one monk remained. He sat motionless in his seat. Combined with his towering body, he looked like a dull, heavy boulder. A troubled expression covered his face, as if he were pondering a question that was difficult to answer.

"..."

The monk kept staring at the writing on the blackboard until the evening glow appeared outside the window and pale golden sunlight poured into the classroom.

At that moment, he spoke in a heavy voice.

"Intellect that lacks the Buddha's compassion, yet possesses the Buddha's potential to save the world? If someone could guide her correctly at a time like this, it would surely be a great blessing for all living beings!"

Though he said this, his expression became even more troubled.

Although he had seen through the matter on that level, he had no way to influence Aozaki Touko, nor could he think of anyone capable of guiding Aozaki Touko onto the path of saving all living beings.

"Perhaps... I should find someone who can guide her."

He stood and left the classroom.

A month later.

Inside the Clock Tower's independent hospital.

"...What happened to me?"

A graceful woman who still retained her charm awoke on a pure white hospital bed. She looked around in confusion and discovered that this was not her original ward but a completely unfamiliar environment.

Finally, she noticed that her son was asleep, lying beside her bed.

"...Numata, wake up~"

She pushed her son and called softly. The sleeping young man furrowed his brows, then opened his eyes drowsily and saw that his mother had awakened.

"Mom, you're awake?"

The young man's voice trembled slightly. Tears the size of beans kept falling as he looked at his mother, who had awakened once more. His heart was filled with tangled emotions.

"Mhm, you've worked hard."

Seeing her son's helpless appearance, the woman smiled wryly. If her body had not been so weak, she might have pulled Numata into her arms to comfort him.

"It wasn't hard. As long as you're safe and sound, Mom."

As he said this, even more tears streamed down the young man's face. He was happy that his mother had recovered, but he also felt heartbroken over the money he had paid.

He had given the entire family fortune to that girl, Aozaki Touko, in exchange for the chance to have her treat his mother.

"Safe and sound? Didn't I have a terminal illness?"

The woman blinked in confusion. Wasn't she supposed to have an incurable illness that would inevitably kill her? Why was he saying that she was safe and sound?

"Mom, your illness has been cured."

The young man's body stiffened slightly, and his gaze shifted away. "I hired the world's greatest doctor. She completely cured your illness."

"..."

Seeing this, the woman frowned. She knew her son extremely well. Whenever he had done something bad and wanted to cover it up, he wore exactly that expression—the same expression he had now.

"Numata, are you hiding something from me?"

Her gaze grew sterner.

"No."

The young man's eyes drifted even farther away.

He was worried that if he told his mother he had sold the entire family fortune, she would be so enraged that she would pass out. So he intended to wait until she had recovered before telling her.

"Tell me!"

The woman's gaze sharpened, and her tone brooked no argument. The young man shuddered slightly. After hesitating for a while, he asked in a small voice:

"Mom, do you really want to hear it?"

"Mhm. Let's hear it."

"Mom, did you know that the world's greatest doctor charges rather expensive medical fees?"

"How expensive?"

"...I gave her the entire family fortune~"

"All of it?"