Magic Maker - How to make magic in another world - - Chapter 46

Magic Maker – How to make magic in another world –

Chapter 46   Laziness syndrome

Outside, heavy rain and thunder continued to pour incessantly. I lay on the bed, looking at my sister who lay motionless, and entered a state of bewilderment.

“I’ve sent someone to the lord. They should be here soon.”

“Oh, yes, thank you.”

An old man with white hair and oddly sharp eyes, he was Ted, the village chief. Despite being Rose’s father, he was quite elderly, but he had no intention of meddling in other people’s affairs. More than that, my mind was filled with thoughts of my sister.

At first glance, there seemed to be nothing abnormal. If someone said she was just sleeping, I would believe it because she seemed unusually calm.

“Sis… What on earth happened?”

I held Marie’s hand, my face tense.

In this world, doctors were not as abundant as in modern times. Physicians were rare, and even in large cities, there weren’t many. Naturally, there shouldn’t be one in such a desolate village. The storm outside intensified, and the sun had already set. In this world, nighttime brought forth ferocious creatures, and going outside was generally avoided.

In other words, heading to Istria now to call a doctor would be extremely dangerous. At least at this point, I couldn’t make the decision to go to Istria. Impatience gnawed at me. I wanted to go to Istria right away. In any case, whether my sister was in a dangerously critical condition or not was uncertain. If I knew that, I could find some relief.

In the room were me, Marie, Rose, Maron, and Red. Maron and Red looked at us with concern, while Rose, with a twisted expression, observed Marie.

Then, Marie slowly opened her eyes, and I reflexively spoke to her.

“Sis! Sis, are you okay!?”

My throat didn’t move as I intended. My voice sounded strained, as if it weren’t my own. My sister faintly opened her eyes and gazed at the ceiling. There was no sign of her reacting to my voice. She didn’t look at me, and there was no response.

“W-What’s wrong? Sis.”

She just stared at the ceiling, appearing absent-minded. She was conscious, but her mind seemed elsewhere. Despite my intense agitation, I continued to talk to her. However, the outcome remained unchanged. What on earth had happened? As I was just flustered, Rose moved next to me and peered at Marie’s face.

“It might be Laziness Syndrome.”

“Laziness Syndrome…?”

“I mentioned it briefly earlier. The prevalent epidemic. That disease is Laziness Syndrome. Suddenly, one becomes listless, inactive, as if a thread has been cut. Consciousness is present, but there’s no response; it’s a disease where one becomes completely absent-minded.”

“S-So, my sister has it?”

“I don’t know. However, the symptoms seem similar. Laziness Syndrome is a recently discovered and spreading disease. There doesn’t seem to be any major physical abnormalities, and it might not pose an immediate threat to life.”

“S-Should we show her to a doctor right away?”

“I’m not sure… There are many unknowns about Laziness Syndrome, and I’m not well-versed in it either. Showing her to a doctor sooner might reveal a clue to recovery, or it might not.”

Laziness Syndrome. True to its name, it’s a disease where one becomes lethargic and ceases to do anything. My sister, as of now, is just staring at the ceiling, as if she’s a completely different person. Just a while ago, she was showing a bright smile. Now, she seems like an emotionless doll. No matter how much I talk to her, hold her hand, or shake her, she doesn’t even try to look at me.

“W-Will she recover?”

“…At least, from what I’ve heard, there are no known cases of recovery. The cause is also unknown; we just don’t know anything.”

It’s a lie.

Doesn’t that mean it’s an incurable disease? Will my sister stay like this?

Until she dies?

Her kind face.

Her troubled expression.

Her sulking face.

Her angry face.

Her embarrassed face.

Her happy, smiling face.

That I won’t be able to see her anymore? That she can’t even speak? It’s a lie. It has to be a lie. I can’t believe this.

Just a while ago, she was acting as usual. As always, with a smile, seeming happy. But why? Why is my sister in this situation? Misfortune strikes anyone suddenly. Even if I heard those words many times, deep down, I thought it didn’t concern me.

So when something happens, everyone thinks the same: Why is it happening to me, to my family, to my friends, to my lover? The reality hits, and I’m forcefully made to understand.

There’s nothing more unfair than this. Oh, I know, don’t I? I have a past where someone suddenly died without doing anything, without any warning.

Death and time are equal, right? No, the world is built on unfairness. Amidst those who live righteously and die young, there are those who commit heinous deeds and still live a long life. It’s built on such inequality. I should have known that.

Cold.

My sister’s body was cold, and I could hardly feel any warmth. It wasn’t because of the rain. Even though I wiped away the rain and held her hand like this, the parts I touched felt cold. She really seemed like a doll. I tightly squeezed my sister’s hand, trying to feel any hint of warmth, but even then, the sound of footsteps echoed loudly from the entrance. Heavy footsteps approached, entering the room where we were.

“Shion! What happened to Marie!?”

“Shion-kun! Marie-chan!”

Mom and Dad, along with several villagers, were standing there. The fact that my parents had come brought me a sense of relief. Mom and Dad came to my side, and immediately, they looked at Marie’s face.

“…This is Laziness Syndrome.”

“That’s the disease that’s spreading in the town… Why is Marie-chan…”

“I don’t know. It’s an unknown cause. There might not be an immediate threat to her life, but we can’t afford to be complacent. It might be better to show her to a doctor as soon as possible. Emma, get Marie’s clothes.”

“Yes.”

Mom took my sister’s coat from her bag and put it on her. Both Mom and Dad also wore their coats, probably to shield themselves from the rain.

“I’ll take Marie and hurry to Istria. Shion, return home with Emma.”

“W-Wait, Dad! I want to go too!”

“Don’t be selfish, Shion. You’re an obedient child. Given the circumstances, you should know what you need to do. Traveling at night is dangerous. Even a skilled warrior might lose their life on a route where monsters become more active.”

Certainly, Dad was right. I understood that too. That’s why I’ve never walked outside at night until now.

“Shion-kun… Let’s go to Istria together with Mom tomorrow morning.”

Mom gently touched my shoulder. Suppressing the desire to lean on that kindness, I took a step forward.

“It’s not being selfish. Dad is planning to go to Istria alone, carrying Marie. I know Dad is strong. But going alone, protecting Marie, riding a horse, and going to Istria is very dangerous. What if monsters attack? Can you really say it’s okay? Dad alone might be fine, but he has to protect Marie and fight while riding a horse. Not just Dad, but Marie might also face danger.”

I tried to keep my head as calm as possible while stringing words together. There was a feeling that I didn’t want to be separated from my sister. But the determination to do my best to help my sister was even stronger.

“Dad alone has limited capabilities. If the horse is defeated, it takes time to move, wasting precious time. Of course, Dad has to protect Marie, and it’s difficult to deal with monsters while on horseback. Someone needs to be a guard.”

In this village, the only humans capable of fighting are Dad, Marie, and me. Even among other adults, those who have experience defeating monsters only did so by surrounding and eliminating them in large numbers. No one else has the experience of properly hunting monsters except us.

“Shion, you…”

“I’m just a kid. But there are things I can do. Besides, if we’re traveling on horseback, wouldn’t it be better if I’m there?”

Since I’m a mage.

Dad can handle weapons other than a sword. However, he’s not as skilled as with a sword, and most importantly, handling weapons while carrying my sister and controlling a horse is limited.

In that regard, I can use magic.

I’m good at long-range attacks, and I can handle close-range magic to some extent, so I can adapt flexibly.

Dad should understand that.

Dad stared into my eyes, then sighed as if resigning.

“Alright. Emma, get a coat for Shion.”

“….Sure.”

Mom seemed like she wanted to say something but appeared to hold back. I could sense her worry, and it hurt my chest. If my sister is in this condition, and something happens to me too.

That’s probably what she was thinking.

But this time, I’m confident that my decision is right. I took the coat from Mom and put it on.

“Ted, lend a horse to Shion.”

“Yes, understood. I’ll prepare it right away.”

The village chief hurried towards the stable, and Dad, carrying my sister, left the room, turning back to me.

“We’re going. Stay alert until we reach Istria.”

“Yes, got it.”

Dad’s face looked lonely, as if he had a sense of acceptance. I wondered if my actions had become a burden for Dad. But if that were the case, he should be able to decline properly. Then why that expression?

Such questions dissipated with the village chief Ted’s call. It seems the horse was ready.

“Sh-Shion, be careful…”

I could sense concern from Red, Maron, and Rose.

I couldn’t say I’d be okay.

So, the only words I could muster were:

“I’ll be back.”

My voice trembled slightly. Not out of fear. Just an ongoing unease about whether my sister was safe. As if to shake off that dreadful anxiety, I took a step forward.