79 - I Became a Guy Who Got Caught Up in the Summoning of a Hero

**A Place of Exchange** In truth, winter should be a season of rest. That was the image of the estate I had envisioned. However, contrary to expectations, the estate was thriving with unprecedented prosperity. "Hey, you over there! Move that carriage!!" "Are you saying this inn is full too? Where are we supposed to go in this freezing cold?" "Inns are being built as we speak, so please wait a little longer." The influx of countless mercenaries and merchants had swept into what had become an unbelievably hectic daily routine. It was a week into the Month of the Demon. "Sigh. At this rate, I'm going to collapse." I had already taken five mana recovery pills and drank plenty of alcohol. I had become proficient at drinking, to the point where I could be considered a heavy drinker. But the problem was with this damn alcohol. ‘Damned nobles... Couldn't they just stick to drinking wine…’ The enormous entourage led by the princess was giving me a headache. The princess had realized that she could now visit the Ingrad estate without needing to use teleportation. She moved from a nearby frontier count's estate, leading a grand procession of merchants to our estate. Moreover, Master Brynne de Istain, the owner of that estate, also accompanied the entourage. While they were being entertained at the lord's manor with laughter and pleasantries, I was busy constructing inns to accommodate the endless stream of merchants and mercenaries. At that moment, Ania and Beni, who had followed me as attendants, looked at me with concern. "You seem to be getting more and more emaciated. What's happening?" "Exactly. We’ve been meticulous about including both meat and vegetables in your diet..." Their expressions were filled with worry, and I wished I knew the reason myself. Every time I bathed recently, I was taken aback by my gaunt appearance. Even with pharmaceutical knowledge, I couldn't pinpoint the exact cause. The most likely culprits were the alcohol and mana recovery pills I was consuming. ‘There were warnings about side effects...’ The daily limit for mana recovery pills was five. But there had been many times I exceeded that, and with the increasing demands for mana lately, I’d been consuming anything touted to aid mana recovery. To make matters worse, I hadn’t encountered Hare, who was knowledgeable about mana, as frequently as before, depriving me of opportunities to ask questions. Overall, I was in a frustrating state. Would I end up dying of exhaustion and being reborn in an entirely different world? The thought made me chuckle, albeit strangely, it seemed. The two women were only growing more worried. "Don't worry! Once this busy period is over, I'm planning to rest and take care of myself." "Lies. You always say you’ll rest and then continue working, my lord." "Seeing my lord lately, I'm convinced that work addiction truly exists. I wonder if you’re working more than a slave." In reality, the answer was "yes." I was the only person who could quickly construct buildings here and handle various grievances, which made me busier. I was working diligently, comforted only by the fact that we were earning a lot of money, but I wondered if the two women would try to imprison me as a last resort. "Why not just set up tents instead?" "In this cold weather?" "Truthfully, they don’t feel the cold like you, my lord." Ania was pointing out that I was unnaturally thin and felt the cold more. Lately, even Beni and Alena would start with concerns whenever I attempted anything. Consequently, the frequency of intimate relations had drastically reduced. I was realizing that it was one of the factors decreasing my quality of life. "I’ll finish up here, and besides, I just took my medicine, so I need to use the restored energy, right?" "…Truly, can’t you take care of yourself?" Ania's words were filled with worry, but I thought I was doing a fair job of looking after myself while starting the construction. With a single mana recovery pill, I could construct a total of six inns, with thirty rooms each—a pretty sizable structure. But having built five, I found today’s recovery a bit lacking. Feeling considerably tired, I decided that I would stop for the day and was heading towards the lord's manor when it happened. The world spun, and my vision went black. 'Ah, I’m going to be confined, aren’t I?' It was a thought that crossed my mind amidst the crisis. * * * When I opened my eyes, I was in the comfort of my own bed. As I tried to sit up, Beni, who was by my side, quickly held my torso down and spoke anxiously. "Sob, I was worried! I told you not to overdo it. Sob…" Beni was on the verge of tears, and behind her, along with Ania, stood several maids and some unexpected faces. Though not as teary-eyed as Beni, Princess Linaah and Countess Brynne, who looked at the situation strangely, were present. As for Countess Brynne, all of the hair on her body seemed to be silver, creating a unique atmosphere with her pale skin. Her face had a cute quality despite her outstandingly cold appearance due to the color of her skin and hair, which gave an uncanny impression. Despite this, she wasn’t old at all. I recalled hearing that, along with Baron Hamerne, she had merged neighboring estates to assist in a kingdom’s war, escaping only with the hero, considered the future of humanity, before dying gloriously in battle and passing their titles to their successors. Countess Brynne was supposedly only 22 years old now. "What on earth brought everyone here?" "The viscount still doesn’t know how to take care of himself, does he?" "I was taking care of myself well enough... I just pushed a bit too hard this time." "No. Right now, your appearance, Viscount… you’re as thin as a sliver, unlike your robust self in the royal palace. You must realize this… Why are you pushing yourself so hard?" Princess Liana asked, as if I were suffering from some sort of illness. “...Symptoms, you say?” Just then, a woman entered the room with something in her hands—it was Hare. She weaved her way between Princess Liana and Countess Brynne, approached me, and sighed. "I couldn’t pretend not to notice, knowing you were working so hard for us. I’m sorry," she said. I was perplexed by her words, but Hare filled in the gaps. "To be honest, I found your sudden weight loss quite strange and decided to consult Marong a while ago." At the mention of Marong, everyone focused on Hare. "Do you remember the mana recovery pills you took? I borrowed some time ago, didn’t I?" "Yes, you took them since it seemed necessary." “I followed the precautions you mentioned, but one day, I encountered Marong, who got angry with me.” “Angry?” “Yes, he warned me that the medicine’s effects were excessively potent, advising not to consume it frequently.” “So, what did he say?” “He said a daily limit of two pills should be adhered to. He also mentioned that unless it’s a medicine crafted with mild ingredients or through special processes, we should stick to the guidelines; otherwise, even consuming two is not ideal unless absolutely necessary.” “...I see. And?” I still couldn’t grasp the problem. Despite consuming a lot, I hadn’t felt heavily burdened before. "He warned that excessive consumption could lead to the depletion of your physical strength, and it seems that's exactly what’s been happening to you..." “Oh... Ah… Um…” As I tried to brush it off, the concerned gazes from all the women pierced through me. They all seemed genuinely worried—everyone except Countess Brynne, whose thoughts were inscrutable, yet nevertheless, everyone else in the room was worried about me. Peering out past inside the room, I noticed through the window that a vast crowd was also looking in with concern. ‘Why am I laid out on the first floor? How embarrassing…’ To have people worried and watching over me simply because I collapsed felt embarrassingly heartwarming. "People are looking at you with admiration. Isn’t it because you can feel the love everyone has for you?" Princess Liana unabashedly remarked. It was somewhat delightful that they cared so much since I collapsed, so I gently pushed Beni aside and got up. That’s when I noticed how loose my clothes had become, realizing my claim of knowing my body best was a delusion. "So, I should stop until I recover, right?" "No. It’s best if you never consume it again. Unless it’s an emergency, I could go so far as to have the drugs banned from use by royal decree in the Ingrad estate, to ensure you don’t take them. If you insist on continuing, I will ensure the raw ingredients are removed from every corner of the forest," Princess Liana stated firmly. A sense of urgency prompted me to respond quickly. "I’ll regulate it. Please refrain from taking such measures!" "…I hope you understand that your body isn’t only your concern. Do you know how surprised I was to hear you had collapsed?" "...I’m sorry for worrying you." Satisfied with my response, Princess Liana left with instructions for me to rest. Remaining were Beni, Hare, and a few maids, ensuring I wouldn’t move, and I had to eat the odd medicinal porridge Hare handed over. "Ugh, what is this? It’s so bitter." "It’s a remedy taught by Marong. He said we wouldn’t be able to break free from this situation without detoxifying the symptoms of addiction." Sending the remaining maids away, I awkwardly avoided the still-teary Beni, and asked Hare a question. "Hare, out of curiosity, what exactly is your relationship with Marong?" Hare glanced at Beni, still shedding tears, sighed, and answered. "Marong is the one who taught me magic and allowed me to experience human society. Every month of the Demon, I am compelled to return, but thanks to that, I’ve learned and experienced much in the human world and have fulfilled many desires." "So Marong is Hare’s mentor then…?" "He denies it vigorously, but I consider him my mentor." So that’s how it was… Now, Hare's remarkable magic skills made sense. She wasn’t an ordinary beastfolk. Not since the moment of having two tails—ordinary wasn’t possible. But to blend into human society, learn culture, and have various experiences made Hare seem quite formidable.