Chapter 27: Cheese (6)
Seral sighed deeply and got up from her seat, motioning for me to follow her.
She opened the side door, revealing a boy who appeared to be in his late teens lying down.
“Is this your son?” I asked.
A wet towel was placed on the boy’s forehead. Judging by the situation, it was clear he was ill.
“He has a severe fever. As you know, a high fever that affects the entire body can be cured with the right medicine. But his body doesn’t accept the medicine. It seems to be because of his constitution… As soon as he tastes the medicine, he vomits it up. Because of this, I can’t go anywhere. I even quit working at the ranch because of him. I’m really sorry,” Seral said, kneeling by her son’s side, gently stroking his face.
If that’s the reason, there’s no room for persuasion. But if her son’s illness is cured, the problem might be resolved.
“Should we ask Miss Reina and Miss Elena for help?” I suggested.
“That’s right. It might be a good idea,” Reina agreed immediately, knowing well of Elena’s medical skills.
“There’s a skilled doctor we know. Would you like to give it a try?”
“Is that true? If so, please, Reina! And Sir Ellesion! I don’t care what it takes if it can save my son!” Seral looked at us with desperate eyes.
What mother would refuse anything to save her child? I left Reina behind and immediately went to the clinic to bring Elena. However, after examining the boy’s condition, Elena looked troubled.
“The severe fever she’s talking about can be cured with medicine. But if he can’t take the medicine, that’s a serious problem. Is it similar to how I can’t eat meat? Since it’s not an external injury, neither Great Heal nor Heal will work…”
Elena’s expression showed there was no answer. Her own constitution couldn’t be fixed either.
Seral, trembling, muttered, “As I thought…”
“Furthermore, if he could take the medicine, he would recover quickly, but if nothing is done, the fever will continue to damage his organs. It might even cost him his life…” Elena said with a regretful look.
Tears welled up in Seral’s eyes as she collapsed to the floor.
“I tried mixing it with water, and since he likes sweet things, I tried mixing it with fruit juice, but the herbal smell is so strong he can’t keep it down. What am I supposed to do? He’s my only son…! It’s my fault. I’m a terrible mother…”
Seral began to sob, holding her son’s hand. The boy, who had been groaning, woke up and grasped his mother’s hand.
Without syringes, such medical issues arise. Syringes were developed only in the 1800s on Earth.
Given this world’s level of civilization, the concept of a syringe is unheard of.
While I could summon a syringe, using it to inject herbs directly into the bloodstream without medical knowledge could be dangerous.
But if the issue is making the herbs consumable, there’s a way. As a chef, I can rely on cooking, not magic.
“Elena, can you help me?” I asked.
“Yes?”
“Seral, please wait a moment. There might be a way. You said your son likes sweet things, right?”
“Yes, he loves fruits. But he still vomits if I mix the herbs with them…”
I nodded and looked at Elena.
“Can you prepare the right herbs for this patient?”
“Yes, but he can’t consume them…”
“I have a method to try.”
“Really? I can definitely prepare the herbs then!”
We went back to the clinic to get the herbs and then returned to Seral’s house. The herbs Elena provided didn’t smell too strong. Since there’s no concept of powdered medicine here, the stronger taste can mask the herbal flavor.
In this world, there aren’t many snacks strong enough to do that, but modern times are different. The strongest sweet taste?
I took out some chocolate.
I melted the chocolate, crushed the herbs to extract their juice, and added small amounts. While it didn’t turn completely green like matcha chocolate, it had a slightly odd color. I tasted it myself.
High-cocoa chocolate is bitter, but this was milk chocolate with a strong sugary taste that completely masked the herb flavor. The smell, too, was covered by the added almonds.
This should work. I put the chocolate in the magic refrigerator to harden and, with nothing else to do, watched Rurin, who was sprawled out and sleeping on the table.
She was sound asleep, tossing and scratching her belly occasionally, muttering cutely in her sleep.
Watching Rurin made time fly. Once the chocolate hardened, I quickly headed to Seral’s house.
Perhaps hopeful from my words, Seral greeted me with a very tense face. I first handed her some chocolate without herbs.
“Try giving him this first. It’s a sweet treat.”
“This? It’s not medicine, is it?” the boy asked.
“No, it’s a sweet,” Seral assured him, though her voice trembled.
The boy sniffed the chocolate. This one didn’t contain herbs, so I was a bit worried. If he rejected the chocolate itself, it would be a failure.
But he took a bite and soon his face lit up.
“Mom, this is sweet! It’s really good!”
“Really? Do you like it?”
“Yeah.”
Seeing a glimmer of hope, Seral looked at me expectantly. I handed her the herb-infused chocolate.
“Now, give him this one. Assure him it’s the same sweet treat.”
“Okay, I will!”
Seral whispered to her son, her hands trembling even more.
“If you like it, you can have more. Our guests brought it.”
“I want more,” the boy said, still weak but clearly fond of the sweet taste.
He ate the herb-infused chocolate while everyone watched anxiously. Seral’s hands shook so much it was visible. If he vomited, it would all be for nothing.
But after a moment, the boy spoke again.
“Mom, I want more.”
Seral’s face lit up with joy as she continued to give him the chocolate, her hands still trembling.
Elena, Reina, and I exchanged relieved looks. We’d done it.
We left the room to give them some privacy.
“Did you really put the medicine in this dark treat?” Elena asked, examining the chocolate curiously.
“Yes. Try it. It’s plant-based, so you should be fine.”
Since I confirmed she could consume milk, it should be okay. Elena and Reina each took a piece and their faces lit up with delight.
“This melting taste… What is this?” Elena asked, marveling at the chocolate.
It’s milk chocolate loaded with sugar. The more cocoa, the bitterer it gets, but this was milk chocolate.
“Amazing, Sir Ellesion! To treat a patient this way…” Elena exclaimed, clapping her hands and jumping up and down with joy. Reina also looked impressed.
Soon, Seral came out. Elena approached her with a bright smile.
“If he takes the medicine this way for two to three days, he should be fine, Seral.”
Seral knelt before me.
“Can you teach me how to make this? I’ll pay you!”
“Seral, did you forget why I came here in the first place?”
“Huh?”
“I’ll deduct the cost of the chocolate from your first paycheck. So work it off.”
At her age, she can work in this world. If he recovers, she won’t need to take care of him constantly, meaning she can work at the ranch without any problems.
“I’ll go! A hundred times over if needed. No, for a lifetime if necessary! I’ll repay this kindness. I promise!”
Seral wept, bowing her head.
A mother’s gratitude for saving her child.
This will ensure she remains loyal to the ranch. So, we’ve gained a valuable new worker.
I helped Seral up and nodded.
Feeling relieved, I returned to the restaurant to find Rurin had fallen off the table and was sleeping on the floor.
“Hey, wake up! How can you sleep after falling off the table?”
“Uh…?”
Rurin groggily opened her eyes.
“Why am I on the floor?”
“You’re asking me?”
I helped her up and started cleaning the kitchen. Rurin sniffed around, like a puppy.
“Something smells good!”
The dragon’s nose detected the chocolate’s scent. But I’d used up all the chocolate I summoned today.
“You get nothing, lazy dragon.”
“No way!”
She looked devastated. Then I noticed a chocolate-flavored gum packet beside the empty chocolate wrappers.
It must have been summoned together.
“Well, here, try this.”
I handed her the gum, showing her how to chew it.
“By the way, don’t swallow this.”
“Why not? I already swallowed it!”
I looked at the dragon who’d swallowed the gum at lightning speed. With her stomach, there shouldn’t be any major issues, but still.
“See, you just chew it to get the sweetness, and when it’s all gone, you can do this.”
I blew a bubble with the gum, and Rurin’s eyes widened in amazement.
“Wow, that’s so cool! Me too! Me too!”
She insisted, so I gave her another piece. She chewed it eagerly and started blowing bubbles, completely engrossed.
The bubble from Rurin’s small lips burst, sticking to her face.
“Hey! This thing attacked me!”
Her ridiculous declaration made me laugh.
What a day, ending with gum and a playful dragon.