Magic Maker - How to make magic in another world - - Chapter 49

Magic Maker – How to make magic in another world –

Chapter 49   Uncontrollable feelings

The rain persisted, and the wind obstructed our movement. Nevertheless, we desperately urged our horses forward. And then…

“I see it, Shion!”

Istria came into view. The illusion of the torchlight welcoming us embraced us. Finally.

I glanced at my sister’s profile. No changes. She was breathing, but it seemed like she was unconscious. We needed to get her to a doctor quickly.

Unable to contain our impatience, we hurried along the road. In about an hour, we arrived at the main gate of Istria. Father spoke to the gatekeeper. At night, there were few travelers, and usually, those foolhardy enough to travel at this hour didn’t exist. However, urgent situations could happen to anyone. We never expected such a day to come for us.

The gatekeeper Father spoke to opened the access gate. The main gate would not open at this late hour unless there was something significant. We passed through the entrance, still on our horses, and entered the city.

“Wha…what is this?”

For a moment, I lost my composure at the scene around me. First and foremost, there were many people collapsed on the roadside. People carrying individuals who seemed like family hurried down the street. It was the main thoroughfare at night. Normally, aside from patrol guards, very few people ventured outside. Except for the entertainment district, common folks didn’t walk the streets at night. Yet now, sporadic figures of people were visible. I guessed it was around one in the morning. Could it be that they were in the same state as my sister? Laziness syndrome. Did it suddenly break out for everyone? I shook off such unsettling thoughts.

“Let’s go to Dr. Alfonse.”

Dr. Alfonse, the physician. When my mother suffered a serious injury, he came to the village and treated her. His skills were reliable, and he often visited the village whenever something happened. Medical technology in this world is not advanced. Although pharmacological treatments are available, occult practices are also prevalent. Dr. Alfonse’s proficiency in Western medicine techniques makes him invaluable. Fortunately, there’s little prejudice against treating injuries to the body, a sort of surgery, and medical practices are slowly advancing. However, compared to the modern world, it’s undoubtedly far behind. We traversed through the main streets of Istria and headed towards a quiet residential area.

The clinic, unlike typical stores, takes on a form that is more in line with the residents. Therefore, it seems to be located in residential areas. On the way, similar to us, there were many people carrying someone. It’s probably better to consider that Laziness Syndrome has broken out. The cause is unclear, but right now, the reason doesn’t matter as long as my sister can be saved.

“There it is!”

Upon hearing my father’s voice, I snapped back to reality. It was bright. Near the clinic, where my father had pointed, a crowd had gathered. About a dozen patients formed a line.

“P-please, examine him! My son, my son isn’t moving!”

“Please, I beg you! Please help my daughter!”

“My mom, she’s not moving… ugh…”

Everyone carrying someone had their arms hanging limply, unmoving. Their lack of reaction was so reminiscent of a corpse that, if someone said they were dead, I might believe it. Their complexion was pale, and they stared blankly at the ground with half-open eyes. My sister was the same. Despite being struck by heavy rain, she showed no reaction. Though she was breathing, it was shallow, and you could barely tell without careful observation.

“…It seems they’re waiting in line. We have no choice but to wait.”

“B-but my sister!”

If we had to wait in line, coming all the way here felt meaningless. We came here thinking that getting my sister examined by a doctor as quickly as possible might lead to early treatment and prevent worsening. Crossing the dangerous night streets, only to be left with waiting, stirred up strong feelings of impatience and frustration. My father gently touched my shoulder as I felt this way.

“Everyone’s in the same boat.”

Everyone gathered here for the sake of their families. They want their loved ones to be saved, waiting patiently in the same way. I understand that. However, the most important person to me is my sister. That’s why I couldn’t help feeling frustrated. I clenched my teeth, suppressing the surging negative emotions. I managed to do so because my father’s hands were trembling. He felt the same way.

“I’ll go ask the innkeeper if we can leave the horses there. Shion, please wait here with Marie.”

“Sure.”

My father lowered my sister from the horse and entrusted her to me. He then led the two horses, heading towards a nearby inn. I gazed at the clinic, holding my sister’s body tightly and waiting for our turn with a vague sense of reality. When my father returned, we both observed the clinic. Surprisingly, the patients were entering the clinic without much spacing. The line moved forward, and we also stepped inside.

The interior was crowded with people. Several nurses or individuals resembling nurses were busily moving around, handing out towels and talking to patients. There was hardly any space to move. The clinic itself was reasonably large, similar in size to my home. Including the second floor, it could accommodate over a hundred people, and a dozen or so could stay overnight. A young man in a white coat noticed us and rushed over. He might be considered a young man, but he appeared more than just a novice. Despite his youthful appearance, he had a strangely refined face. Whether he was a budding doctor or a nurse was unclear, as it wasn’t known whether male nurses existed in this world. He approached us with a sincere gaze.

“I’ll inquire about the symptoms. Are you the one?”

“Yes, she suddenly collapsed in the evening. Since then, she has been like this.”

“Please have her sit in that chair—excuse me.”

Seating my sister in the chair, my father’s face contorted with concern. He looked at her face, took her pulse, and stared into her eyes.

“Please wait a moment. I will call the doctor. In the meantime, please wipe her body with this towel. A drop in body temperature can affect her health.”

My father thanked the young man in the white coat, took the towel, and received a bow in return. The young man bowed and gracefully disappeared into the back room.

In silence, we removed my sister’s coat and wiped the wet areas. The coat, made of thick leather, prevented excessive soaking. Nonetheless, we carefully wiped her hands, legs, face, and hair, all damp from the rain.

It felt cold. It wasn’t just because of the rain. Worried about whether she was still alive, I instinctively placed my hand near my sister’s mouth.

She was breathing. Shallow and small breaths, but undeniably, she was exhaling.

“I’ve kept you waiting, Ornstein-sama.”

The elderly man with white hair—a doctor exuding an odd dignity and a strong presence. Although I had only met him once before, his appearance remained unchanged from our previous encounter.

“Dr. Alfonse… My daughter.”

“I understand. Excuse me for a moment.”

The doctor conducted a physical examination of my sister, taking her pulse and tapping certain parts of her body. After about a minute of diagnosis, he sighed softly.

“It seems to be Laziness Syndrome.”

“As I suspected.”

My father’s shoulders slumped in disappointment. I shared the same sentiments. With faint hope, I gazed at the doctor.

“…Laziness Syndrome is an unexplained ailment. Suddenly, one day, the affected person stops doing anything. They become motionless, cease speaking, and their eyes almost stop moving. They barely manage to breathe, perform basic bodily functions, and eat. Beyond those minimal actions necessary for survival, they become completely inactive.”

“Is there any treatment?”

In response to my father’s question, the doctor shook his head with a troubled expression.

“Unfortunately, as of now, there is none.”

A sound, as if the ground beneath me was crumbling, echoed. All strength drained from my entire body. I desperately tried to maintain balance to avoid collapsing.

None?

No treatment?

Nonsense.

That’s absurd.

Impossible.

Why would my sister be afflicted with such an illness?

In the heavy silence, I unconsciously uttered words.

“I-Is it true that there’s really no, n-nothing, no treatment at all?”

“As you can see. There’s nothing that can be done.”

Certainly, there were other patients with Laziness Syndrome. Like my sister, they lay limp without any movement. Families wept, lamenting the misfortune of their cherished ones. Dazed, I staggered towards the doctor.

“W-What? Nothing? There’s really nothing?

There must be, right? Because there have been others with Laziness Syndrome before. In that case, shouldn’t there be some, s-something you’ve figured out?”

“…Indeed, over the past few months, the number of patients with Laziness Syndrome has been increasing. We doctors are conducting research for treatment, but progress has been slow. Other than doing nothing, patients are practically in good health. There are no symptoms apart from low body temperature and lack of reflex reactions. That’s why past research results are not helpful. I apologize.”

The doctor lowered his head apologetically.

No, that’s not what I want. I don’t want your apologies. I want your help. For my sister. I don’t need anything else. I grabbed the doctor’s arm, squeezed with all my strength, and pulled him desperately.

“D-Doctors are supposed to help patients, right? That’s how it works, isn’t it!?”

“…Yes, you’re right.”

“Then! Then please help… help my sister.”

“I’m sorry. My abilities fall short.”

I understand. It’s not anyone’s fault. Alfonse, the doctor, is doing everything he can. Examining patients in the middle of the night, likely conducting desperate research for months, searching for a cure for Laziness Syndrome. But I couldn’t stop my own actions.

“Why!? W-Why…”

I pulled the doctor’s arm repeatedly.

The doctor could only look sad.

“Shion… please stop.”

“My sister… always, always, she worked hard, never complained…

She lived so earnestly, not causing trouble for anyone, just living her life. She’s a good person, a kind person! She didn’t do anything wrong!

So why!? Why is my sister going through this… it can’t be…”

There are others who should be going through unfortunate situations. Yet, why is it that someone as good as my sister has to endure this? My sister’s face appeared in my mind—her smiling face, her angry face, her sad face, her happy face, her excited face, her sulking face, her mischievous face, her lonely face, her sleepy face, her tired face, her disappointed face, her serious face.

She had always been by my side. It was natural for her to be there. She was always quick to show her emotions, a childlike innocence.

But now, she’s saying nothing.

“Ugh, why… why is it that my sister… why is this happening!”

I broke down in tears, leaning on the doctor. The doctor gently stroked my back, saying nothing. My father gently pulled me away from the doctor, and I buried my face in his chest without resistance.

“I’m sorry, Doctor.”

“It’s okay. It’s only natural. I feel sorry as a doctor. I’ve never hated my own helplessness as much as now.”

Doctor Alfonse clenched his fist tightly. I wondered if he had gone through this many times before. Facing patients like us, every time feeling the pain of being unable to do anything, I finally understood a bit of that.

My father felt the same way. Everyone here is suffering. What am I doing, acting like the tragic protagonist? I’m not a child. I should understand.

No one here is to blame. Nobody is at fault. I wiped away my tears, sniffled, and turned to the doctor.

“…I’m sorry.”

Upon hearing this, the doctor widened his eyes in surprise and quickly shook his head.

“No need to apologize. It’s a natural reaction. I’m sorry, but I have to attend to other patients as well. Besides the cases of Laziness Syndrome, there are others with strange injuries. Cole, can I count on you for the rest?”

“Yes, I’ll handle it.”

The doctor nodded slowly at Cole, the white-coated young man, bowed to us, and moved on to another patient.

“Currently, there’s little we know about Sloth Disease. We can’t determine a cure, but there are symptomatic treatments. Patients become bedridden and can’t move on their own. Therefore, at least every two hours, we need to move their bodies to prevent bedsores…”

We listened attentively to Cole’s explanation. We couldn’t treat Laziness syndrome. We had to cope with it. It seemed like caring for a bedridden patient. In the struggle between the instinct that couldn’t fully accept the reality and the reason that demanded acceptance, I desperately swallowed the words that seemed to echo. It seemed that my father felt the same way. The changing reality was hard to keep up with, but without coming to terms with it, we couldn’t help my sister. Even though we couldn’t cure her, we could assist in her survival. Even if it meant things would be different from how they were with my sister before. I stared at my sister. Tears threatened to well up at any moment. I held her hand. It felt cold, almost unlike human skin. I wrapped both hands around it, trying to warm it with my body temperature. By doing so, I felt that my sister’s expression softened, even if only slightly.

○●○

After the examination, we stayed overnight at the inn with my sister. My father took care of my sister without sleeping, but I couldn’t sleep at all. And in the morning, when the sun rose, my mother and villagers who had left the house came to the inn. Rose was among them. She shared that Red and Maron were also concerned. Glast also heard the story and came to the inn. I explained the situation to everyone, and they all expressed their sorrow. While my father comforted my mother, who was shedding tears, I continued to hold my sister’s hand.