Ch.68Chapter 68 – Hey! I Even Fixed My Hair Loss, So That Damn Thing (3)

“I won’t ask about the specific methods. We’ll compensate you generously, so will you help us?”

Justin bowed his head as he requested my assistance.

Thinking back to when I first met him at the tavern in Oak Village… he was an incredibly difficult person to deal with back then.

But now, Justin was sitting before me, bowing his head and asking for my help.

This must mean that the situation he’s facing is so difficult that he needs to humble himself before me.

I understand that finding a cure for Prezmerine disease is challenging enough to make even the head of a major information broker branch struggle.

But who exactly is seeking the cure for Prezmerine disease that’s causing him such difficulty?

“Before I help you, there’s something I’d like to ask.”

“What would you like to know? I’ll answer everything I can to the best of my knowledge.”

Justin approached our conversation with the determination to tell me everything if I wanted to know.

“Who exactly is the client for this job that has you struggling so much, Mr. Justin?”

According to Serin Ekatos, the woman who once accompanied me, Justin’s branch was the most powerful among the Black Feather branches.

So if the person who could be considered the leader here, Mr. Justin, was struggling to the point where he couldn’t outright refuse, how remarkable must this person or organization be?

“Hmm… according to regulations, client information should remain confidential.”

Mr. Justin seemed reluctant to reveal information about the client.

In fact, this is how it should be.

As an organization that trades in information, client protection must be especially important.

“However, since you, Patos, are certified by the Great Goddess Order, I suppose it wouldn’t be a problem to tell you.”

“Huh?”

Contrary to my expectations, Justin said he would share information about the client.

And the reason he gave was… because I was certified by the Great Goddess Order.

I wanted to ask Justin why he came to that conclusion, but… it seemed better to let it slide for now.

“Then I’ll tell you. The client for this job is…”

Anyway, the identity of the person who brought the Black Feather emblem and requested this job finally began to flow from Justin’s lips.

I leaned in, focusing on Justin’s mouth so as not to miss a word.

“It’s Margrave Dorian Beventus, head of the Beventus family.”

The client Justin named was someone I’d never heard of before.

But as I kept repeating the name “Beventus family” to myself, it somehow felt familiar.

“What? Margrave Dorian Beventus?”

“?”

While I remained quiet because I didn’t know who that was, Eterna, sitting beside me, showed an intense reaction.

If Eterna reacted like that, could this person really be that impressive?

“Isn’t there no one in the Beventus Margraviate family suffering from Prezmerine disease?”

“There is. If you don’t know about it… it’s because we at Black Feather are strictly controlling that information to prevent any leaks.”

“What?”

“Pardon?”

I doubted my ears for a moment.

What could be hidden about Prezmerine disease that even the fact someone contracted it needs to be controlled?

“First, I should explain about the Beventus family. My real name is Justin Hamon Beventus.”

“So, Mr. Justin, you’re saying you’re a member of the Beventus family?”

Eterna seemed surprised that Justin was from the Beventus family.

“Why are you so surprised?”

“I wondered why the Black Feather branch leader Justin was so strong, and now I see it’s because he carries the Beventus bloodline.”

“What does that mean?”

I asked Eterna for a detailed explanation.

“People of the Beventus family are all known to show exceptional abilities in martial arts. The current head of the Beventus family, Margrave Dorian Beventus, is also one of the Swordmasters of the Celebrio Empire.”

So the Beventus bloodline specializes in martial prowess.

“That’s correct. I too carry the Beventus bloodline. Though only half of it.”

“So, Mr. Justin, you’re not from the direct line but a branch family, correct?”

“Yes. I’m from a branch of the Beventus family. That’s why I use the surname Hamon instead of Beventus. However, when I reveal my identity as a member of the Beventus family like this, I state both surnames.”

I don’t quite understand what they’re talking about, so I should probably just stay quiet for now.

“But how does this relate to the current situation?”

After the two finished their conversation, I asked what I was most curious about.

“Prezmerine disease freezes the soul. As the soul freezes, physical abilities deteriorate as well. However, the Beventus family strictly values martial prowess, so those who are weak in combat cannot bear the family name. It might sound like self-praise, but even though I’m from a branch family, I was recognized as a family member because I proved my worth through martial prowess. That’s why I revealed to you both that I’m from a branch of the Beventus family.”

“So, someone with Prezmerine disease wouldn’t be considered a member of the Beventus family, correct?”

“That’s right. However, the person who contracted Prezmerine disease this time is different.”

From what Mr. Justin was saying, it seems the person from the Beventus family who contracted Prezmerine disease must be incredibly important.

Otherwise, why would a family that values martial prowess go to such lengths to find a cure?

They could just abandon them and be done with it.

“The person who contracted the disease is Aisen Beventus, the youngest daughter of Margrave Dorian Beventus. From a young age, she displayed exceptional martial prowess and remarkable talent, to the point where there was talk of her being the next family head. However, a year ago, the current Margrave fought against the ‘Witch of Bitter Cold’ who invaded the Margraviate. After an intense battle, he succeeded in eliminating the Witch of Bitter Cold. But just before her death, the witch left a curse that manifested in one of the family members, and unfortunately, Miss Aisen contracted Prezmerine disease because of that curse.”

“Hmm.”

Aisen Beventus? That’s a name I’m hearing for the first time. But why does it feel like I’ve heard it somewhere before?

“The family tried to gather information about a cure for Miss Aisen’s Prezmerine disease from all sources, but I heard the Margrave stopped it.”

“Why is that?”

Why would he prevent the search for a cure for Prezmerine disease?

“If rumors spread about seeking a cure for an incurable disease, there’s a possibility that political rivals of the Beventus family or those harboring grudges might approach Miss Aisen under the pretense of having a cure.”

That makes perfect sense. I heard something similar when treating the Emperor’s baldness.

“So the Margrave issued a gag order on this matter and tried to find a cure himself by actively searching, but he had no success. That’s why he finally used the Black Feather emblem left by his ancestors to ask us, who were controlling the information about Miss Aisen’s illness, to find a cure.”

After hearing Justin’s explanation, it was somewhat understandable.

Of course, I still had some questions.

Why would they want to cure Aisen who had contracted Prezmerine disease?

From what I’ve heard so far, shouldn’t they not recognize her as a member of the Beventus family, which values martial prowess, since she contracted Prezmerine disease?

However, I decided not to ask that question as it might take too long to get an answer.

I can ask Margrave Beventus directly later.

“I understand. How long does it take to reach the Beventus Margraviate?”

“By carriage, it would take about a month of continuous travel, but there’s a teleport station installed in the Margraviate, so you can move through teleportation.”

Fortunately, it seems we won’t have to travel by carriage for a month.

There’s something called a teleport station, so we can use that to move.

“I see…”

Hmm… but why does Eterna look disappointed at the mention of a teleport station?

Don’t tell me she was planning to do that crazy thing again? That would be troublesome.

“I’ll contact Margrave Beventus for now. Would you mind waiting a moment?”

Mr. Justin asked for our understanding and stepped outside briefly.

Left alone in the branch leader’s office, Eterna and I waited for Justin’s return…

“I’ve received a response. He says he’ll cover the round-trip costs for the teleport station and asks that you come immediately.”

And so, we received permission to enter the Beventus Margraviate.