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Volume 2 – Chapter 11: Little Miller
While Qin Lun and Baron Albert had their morning tea and chatted, the door to the soulless guestroom suddenly and quietly cracked open. A figure dashed in and entered through that crack.
Qin Lun and the old butler had left rather urgently this morning, so the curtains to the windows of the guest rooms had not been drawn, making the room appear darker from a lack of light.
The figure softly said something and pulled out a pebble-sized night pearl from its bosom, the glimmering brightness illuminating the room. The figure appeared to be very familiar with the arrangement of the room as it had only hesitated for a moment before walking toward the corner where Qin Lun had placed the medical box.
However, the figure went only half the way when its attention was attracted by the lone sheet of paper left on the desk. There were originally a pile of notes on the table, but now only this one sheet was left. The other sheets had all been disposed of by Qin Lun.
The sheet of paper was naturally the one that strangely returned to Qin Lun’s desk after he threw it off the cliffs. But this time, everything written on the paper had been blacked out by him so that no words could be made out. Qin Lun’s thinking was very simple. Since he couldn’t throw it away, he’d just blot it out.
The figure picked up the paper and used the light from the night pearl to look over it, only to find that it couldn’t recognize anything on it. However, when the figure used its finger to stroke the paper, a happy expression instantly appeared on its face.
The paper of this era was particularly thick, and since Qin Lun was not a person of this world, he was unaccustomed to using a quill pen. So the words he wrote would get indented into the paper and show on the back. The result was that there were still quite a few marks left on the back of the paper. As long as the figure went back to its room and used charcoal the like, it could surely figure out what was written on it.
Clatter! Just when the figure secretly rejoiced, a loud sound came from behind it and a cold wind shoved it from the back.
The form’s hair stood on the end and it turned around to look, finding the window of the room wide open. Strong winds blasted the curtains, making them rise and fall, float and flutter.
“Phew.” The figure breathed a sigh of relief and wanted to leave immediately, but then strangely stopped and turned back to face the window. He slightly lifted the window’s curtains and once again closed the window’s shutters.
“Bang!” A sudden large gust forced the window back open like a shot and just so happened to hit the elbow that was still on the windowsill.
“Sssss!” The figure hissed in pain, his arm now limp and numb without feeling. It appeared that he had coincidentally been hit in the ulnar nerve.
“Oh no!” the figure suddenly called out as he watched the paper he had been holding float out the window and be blown far away.
The figure hastily reached out to grab it, but with a rip the important paper shredded into pieces, most of them dispersing out the window while he held only a small corner.
“Dammit!” cursed the figure in regret, and turned to look out the window. A trace of bafflement flashed through his eyes. He had a feeling that this paper had been torn to shreds by another power before he had grabbed it.
The figure looked at the piece of paper in his grasp, but he felt helpless. This was not the piece that had writing. Without the paper, the figure once again placed his sight on the medical box in the corner of the room.
……
Qin Lun lowered his head to drink the tea, using the teacup to hide his flickering and unsettled gaze. The serial killer was not a person who was good with words. Under normal circumstances, he usually used his gentle smile to cover himself.
Although he had been in Moonlight Forest for half a month and attended all sorts of Shattered Starry Sky culture in Iveli Light Academy with professors, helping preparatory apostles learn etiquette and polite speech for interactions, time was short and Qin Lun was unable to control the discussion.
Thankfully the old baron across from him was not a wily old fox like that old goblin elder. He was rather frank as they conversed, allowing him to finally obtain the information he was most concerned about.
Baron Thomas Albert had two sons and one daughter, all told. His wife had met with an untimely demise and he had not remarried. His eldest son, Steven Albert, had passed away over a year ago. His second son, Tony Albert, was twenty-four. His third child, daughter Laura Albert, was twenty years old this year and had met Qin Lun at last night’s banquet.
The Albert Family’s adorable little princess, Elizabeth Albert, was Steven Albert’s daughter, and therefore the old baron’s granddaughter.
What amazed Qin Lun was that the fifth member of the Albert Family the old baron had mentioned was not the already deceased Steven, but another one of Steven’s children. The old baron’s grandson, Miller Albert!
Besides inviting Qin Lun over to give him his appreciation and gratitude as the representative of Odia’s government, the most important part was that the old baron wanted to ask him to treat an illness.
The old baron’s only grandson, Miller Albert, had also been infected by that terrible plague.
No wonder Laura would wait for him in the castle’s corridor in spite of the young lady’s reserved character and without even changing her formal attire. No wonder Tony would question Qin Lun’s surgery in that kind of informal occasion at the banquet.
If the person suffering was a close family member, then everything was reasonably explained!
It’s just that… Qin Lun slightly furrowed his brows. He still felt that there was something he was neglecting, a doubt that was still not relieved. And that doubt was that supernatural paper that read “Please save us!” Just what was happening?
“The spread of this plague is extremely fast. Sire Baron should have told me this bad news yesterday.” Qin Lun set his teacup down and said gravely, “For now, let’s go take a look at Young Master Miller’s state.”
Qin Lun did not carry the notion of soliciting the old baron. He stood straight up and interrupted their morning tea that had only progressed halfway. As a doctor, this was his right. Forget a baron, even if it were in the king’s presence, they would still not oppose him. Otherwise, they would have to carry the suspicion of killing a sick person.
“Butler Jason, please ask a servant to summon my attendant and also bring me my medical box from the guest room. I will go take a look at Young Master Miller first.”
“As you wish.” The old butler solemnly bent over and bowed.
……
The Albert Family’s bedrooms were on the upper floor. And due to castle’s structure being much like a tower, the higher they walked, the more cramped the floors. The upper floors were far from the servants’ quarters, and there was usually just a few servants in charge of cleaning, so the place appeared very cold and cheerless.
Creak. the stairs leading up to the upper floors were a bit old, so when everyone walked on it, it made creaking sounds from the weight. Compared to the flourishing floors below, this was like a whole other world. Even the atmosphere seemed bleak and cold.
Old Butler Jason brought everyone to the bedroom door on the top floor of the castle and stopped. He did not go to open the door, retreating a few steps instead and standing behind everyone else.
Qin Lun felt flabbergasted, but did not give it any additional thought. He walked forward a step, taking the initiative to turn the doorknob.
“Don’t!” Seeing Qin Lun’s action, Baron Albert and Old Butler Jason both cried out in alarm. They had forgotten to tell something to this young doctor.
Fortunately, Qin Lun had just opened the door when his expression changed and he hurriedly withdrew, closing the door with a bang. With a thundering face, he started to sternly berate, “What is this? How could this room have such a dense plague odor?!”
Both Baron Albert and Old Butler Jason looked at the doctor’s ugly complexion and forced a smile. They did not blame Qin Lun for his breach of etiquette.
“Get me some alcohol and wet towels!” Observing the two faltering man, he wanted to say something but changed his mind and just ordered them with a straight face.
He could not be blamed for his harsh words. The current situation was such that even if Qin Lun continued using abusive words, it would not be overly excessive. When he had opened the door, the Death Notice warned him that the environment within the room was not one in which humans could live. The severity of it was comparable to Stein’s old home.
One must know, the storyline’s Wellington Stein he was replacing died in such a contaminated environment. Even the physically strong, hunchbacked servant Frank almost died.
When the servants downstairs brought up the towels and alcohol, the hunchbacked servant also arrived carrying his medical box. Following behind were two other Alberts, Laura and Tony. The only one he did not see was Elizabeth, that little girl. Everyone here probably didn’t want her to have contact with a sick person.
Qin Lun mixed the alcohol with the moist towels, covered his mouth and nose, and went into the room again. He used the fastest speed possible to open the windows so that the strong winds outside could disperse the toxic air within.
Watching the doctor’s actions, the Albert family members tacitly glanced at each other and did not speak. Although Old Butler Jason had wanted to say something just now, he was curbed by the old baron’s eyes.
Qin Lun only entered the bedroom after the Death Notice stopped giving warnings, and sized up the little boy on the bed.
Miller Albert, ten years old. Second youngest in the Albert Family; Thomas Albert’s grandson. He was the oldest son of mission target Steven Albert, and Tony and Laura’s nephew. He was also Elizabeth’s older brother.
The unconscious little boy had a pale complexion, his body weak and his limbs as thin as matches. A human outline almost didn’t show on the spacious bedsheets. If it weren’t for his head peaking out of the blankets, the people who entered the room probably wouldn’t even know there was still someone lying there alive.
Qin Lun sat down on the wooden stool Frank moved for him and carefully inspected the little guy. A strange glint slowly appeared in his eyes.
Within the little boy’s mouth was a bit of green liquid, his lips and tongue both had a hint of green coloring. He really was suffering from the strange plague.
However, he was different from the other plague patients Qin Lun had seen in Odia Town. Although the little boy was extremely thin and unconscious, his breathing was steady, and his heartbeat and pulse both remained firm and strong. He simply didn’t resemble a dying sick patient.
As he continued to inspect little Miller’s body, Qin Lun found one more interesting point. On his back was a bedsore! Just how long had he laid in this bed? One month? Two months? Perhaps more than a year…
A queer smile floated up on Qin Lun’s face. This was really quite interesting! Could it be that this little boy was…
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