Volume 1 Chapter 44 Michael White Moon Disease Sanatorium
At the sanatorium in the south district, Sir Ciel, myself, and Sir Roxas, who said, "I also want to help because of my brother," headed there together.
The sanatorium is located on the outskirts of the south district. The south district, where the lower-class people live in the royal capital, has poorly maintained roads for carriages, and the sanatorium is on a hill that you have to climb up stone steps.
I had Sir Ciel carry a big pot filled with boiled octopus, while I asked Sir Roxas to carry onions, rice, and other heavy things in a basket on his back. I was carrying a bag of seasonings over my shoulder.
By the way, I returned the basket I borrowed from the market lady, so the one Sir Roxas is carrying is the one I bought.
It's definitely better to have a basket for carrying ingredients.
With a basket, Sir Roxas won't spill the ingredients, at least.
Unless he trips, of course.
Even though it's a basket, I chose the cutest one available.
The shoulder straps are rainbow-colored, and the basket is dyed a beautiful emerald green. So cute.
"Sir Roxas, there are stone steps. Please be careful not to trip."
"Ah."
"Sir Roxas, the stairs are tough, so should I carry the basket?"
"No problem. I'm strong. I'll carry it."
"Please be careful not to stumble."
"Do you think I'm an old man?"
Leaving Lobelia Diner House, we headed through the lively town and into the quiet outskirts where the safety wasn't great.
Normally, I would never go near such a bad area, but with Sir Ciel and Sir Roxas here, I felt more secure.
At the top of a stone staircase that led to a wide, empty hill overlooking the sea, there was a sanatorium.
I thought Sir Roxas might trip on the stairs and spill the ingredients, so I tried to take the basket from him, but it seemed I made him angry.
"I don't think you're old, but... the stairs are dangerous."
"I can handle stairs. More importantly, Lydia. Give me a hand."
"A hand? Why? Is it because you might fall?"
"N-no, it's so you don't fall..."
"I'm fine. But Sir Roxas, if you fall and your hands are full, you might hit your face. It would be bad if your glasses broke..."
"Why do you assume I'm going to fall?"
Because it looks like you might.
I gently declined Sir Roxas's kind offer of help and looked up at Sir Ciel, who was holding a big pot with octopus in it.
"Even though this is a place for sick people to recover, the sanatorium is in such an inconvenient location."
"Well... the White Moon disease is now recognized as not contagious, but that wasn't always the case. No, even now, not much has changed. The incurable disease that leads to death was avoided, and patients were hidden away in places where they wouldn't be seen."
"...The people who are sick didn't want to be sick, yet they are suffering?"
"Yes. ...Having a patient in the family is seen as shameful. Just having a family member with White Moon disease leads to discrimination from neighbors. When it was thought to be contagious, people were even more afraid. Because of this, many treatment centers are located in bad areas on the outskirts of town."
"My father also has old-fashioned views, Lydia. When Rail got sick, he treated Rail as if he was already gone. ...But my father isn't the only one like this. Many people in the kingdom probably think like him."
After Sir Ciel's explanation, Sir Roxas spoke.
"...What should I say, I..."
"Of course, even if someone gets White Moon disease, there are many who still see them as important family members. Like Sir Roxas, Ms. Lydia. People are complicated. Even if many are like that, there are also those who are not. Just like my mother loved my father."
"Sir Ciel..."
"Please don't cry. Right now, I'm holding a pot, so my hands are full, and I can't wipe your tears."
"Y-yes..."
Since Sir Ciel spoke with concern, I nodded.
This isn't the time to cry.
The ones suffering are the sick people, not me.
"......My hands are free, though."
"Sir Roxas, did you say something?"
"N-no, it's nothing...!"
Sir Roxas is still restless.
I had known Sir Roxas for a while, so I thought he would be more calm and a bit arrogant based on his way of speaking and his atmosphere.
But since he was the one carrying the colorful basket filled with onions and rice, he might actually be quite friendly.
"──Sir Ciel, thank you for coming. And... is that Sir Roxas? What a strange combination!"
At the top of the stone steps, there was a white 2-story building that looked like a box, set back in a small hill with a few trees.
In front of the entrance gate, a man in his mid-thirties wearing a white coat welcomed us.
He had short white hair and a scar on his cheek.
His build was impressive, like that of the knights, which was surprising since I had an image of doctors being more slender. He looked quite strong instead.
"Thank you for the welcome, Dr. Michael. So you know Sir Roxas."
"Yes... there are various circumstances."
Sir Roxas must have visited the sanatorium because of Sir Rail.
When Sir Ciel gave a nod to Sir Roxas, he nodded back.
"It's okay. We know about Sir Roxas's situation. ...Dr. Michael, this is Ms. Lydia. She is the chef at the well-known Lobelia Diner House in town."
I bowed to the man named Michael.
"How polite. Nice to meet you, Ms. Lydia. I am Michael Junail, as you can see, a doctor."
"Nice to meet you, I'm Lydia from Lobelia Diner House."
"Lobelia... is it? That's a nice name. It's the name of a lovely flower."
"Oh, thank you..."
When Dr. Michael said that kindly, I felt shy.
He seemed a bit scary, but he also felt like a calm, mature man.
"So, I hear you will be cooking today. Ms. Lydia might know, but patients with White Moon disease refuse to eat. Even if you cook for them, we don't know if anyone will be able to eat..."
"Y-yes... I know."
"Sometimes, priests come to visit, but... they just look at the patients. The meals from the nobles are too fancy for the patients to eat. So... we are very happy that Sir Ciel and Sir Roxas, who understand White Moon disease, brought you, Ms. Lydia."
"I-I'll do my best. I want them to say it's delicious..."
"Thank you. But... I want you to understand that there are those who cannot eat. It's not that they are refusing your cooking, but they can't eat because of their illness. I'm worried that the patients' attitudes might hurt you, Ms. Lydia."
"Yes... um, it's okay. I think it will be fine."
I nodded at Dr. Michael's explanation.
It's okay, I understand.
The ones who are suffering are not me, but those with White Moon disease. Even if they can't eat the food I make, I won't be sad.
But──if I can get them to eat it, I'd be happy.
I have to make delicious food that makes them want to eat.
We followed Mr. Michael's guidance to the kitchen in the sanatorium.
On the way, we passed by hospital rooms where several patients lay in bed, their faces and hair pale as if they had lost all vitality.
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