Mushoku Tensei — Chapter 141 - Genius, — Face to Face

The fourth time I opened my eyes.

"Brother!"

Golden hair filled my vision.

The back of my head was resting on something soft.

A lap pillow...

That familiar, adorable voice.

My little sister.

Norn...

"Norn... where am I right now?"

"We're in the Superd Race's village, Brother."

Looks like I'm fully awake.

Good.

If I had another dream about something happening between Norn and me...

I really wouldn't be able to take it...

"Rudeus."

"Mm...?"

I turned my head. Orsted was here too.

So that magic I'd activated had worked.

"Your body seems to be fine."

"It is."

I raised my right hand. The ring was gone.

Orsted didn't bring it up either, so I let it go.

I got up from Norn's lap, dusted myself off, and turned to Orsted.

"What about Ruijerd?"

"He's fine."

"Is Vita the Plutos dead?"

"Yes. He self-destructed along with the ring."

"...Was that within your expectations?"

Orsted smiled faintly.

"Not exactly. I simply thought he might make a move against you, so I gave you that ring as a precaution."

"Lucky me."

"Indeed."

But still.

Vita was dead.

Which meant the Superd Race's epidemic...

I turned to Norn.

"How are the people in the village doing?"

"Their condition suddenly got worse..."

Hoh...

But it should be fine.

Orsted was here, wasn't he?

"Well? Can your magic cure this epidemic?"

Unexpectedly,

Orsted shook his head.

Is he unwilling to save them?

He'd mastered every magic in this world. Every single one.

"Uh... you don't want to save them? Because it won't help the future?"

"No. I've simply never seen this epidemic before."

"Huh?"

"I've said before — in every previous cycle, I never encountered any Superd Race besides Ruijerd. This epidemic is the same. I have no record of this disease."

"I see..."

In other words.

This was an epidemic that even Orsted was powerless against.

Mm...

"It's fine, Rudeus. As long as Ruijerd is alive, that's enough."

"Is that so?"

"Yes. That's how it's always been in the previous cycles. All the other Superd Race died."

"Alright."

It might not be the most admirable way to think about it, but the Superd Race was most likely headed for extinction.

As I was turning that over in my head, Norn grabbed my hand.

She'd heard everything.

"Brother... are you going to give up on the Superd Race...?"

"What do you think, Norn?"

"I want... to help them. I just want to try my best. If it really can't be helped..."

"Alright. Then for my adorable little sister, I'll give it everything I've got."

"Thank you, Brother."

I patted Norn's head and started thinking.

I probably didn't have any solutions either.

But I'd agree to my little sister's request first, and figure out the rest later.

Orsted had said it didn't matter if the Superd Race died. So all I needed to do was try.

Mm...

Let me think.

This epidemic almost certainly couldn't be solved with magic. At least not with any magic currently known. Orsted had mastered every spell in existence, and even he couldn't do anything.

So could it be medicine? Was there some treatment that could work?

If that was the case, I couldn't handle it alone. I had no knowledge in that area.

But I could call in doctors from the Asura Kingdom and the Ranoa Kingdom. Have them all take a look.

Right, and people from the Holy Country of Milis too. Their medical expertise was nothing to dismiss.

While I was thinking, Ruijerd walked in.

"Rudeus..."

"Yeah?"

"Do you have any ideas? My people... are suffering."

His expression was grim.

The first thing he'd done after waking up was go to the village to help care for the sick.

In the end, how was this thing spreading? It didn't seem airborne. Water, maybe? Or food?

Those were really the only routes of transmission. Physical contact alone couldn't account for this many infections...

"Brother will find a way. I'll do my part too... Mr. Ruijerd."

Norn said it to Ruijerd, and took his hand.

Little sister...

...Huh.

"I'll do my best."

For now, let's call in everyone who could help and have them all take a crack at it.

------

I used the teleportation circle to return to the Ranoa Kingdom, went straight to the royal palace, and filled the King of Ranoa in.

He agreed without hesitation.

Next was the Asura Kingdom. Ariel didn't hesitate for a second.

Finally, the Holy Country of Milis.

I teleported there and requested an audience with the Pope at the temple gate.

The person who showed up, however, was Cliff.

He shouldn't be Pope yet. Not at this point.

"Rudeus!"

Cliff threw his arms open and came striding toward me.

I didn't think we were quite that close, but I smiled anyway, returned the hug, and spoke.

"Cliff, why you? Where's the Pope?"

"I heard the whole story and volunteered to come help. In this country, no one surpasses me in medicine."

"So you're a doctor?"

"No. I just happened to have studied it."

"Hoh... happened to study it, and you're that confident?"

"Hmph! Leave it to me. I call myself your friend, but it seems you've never really understood me."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I am a genius. A genuine, undeniable genius."

➤ Next: Genius 2