Chapter 1123 – Descartes Origin (Middle)

000

The meeting between the two was a coincidence.

＂Write…＂

He was looking down at his arm with an uncharacteristically nervous expression, and although it was wrapped in a white cloth, his blood was flowing out, and it was stained red.

He always kept in mind that he had to be careful when handling machinery, but was he still careless or did he lack maintenance?

The fast-turning gear bounced and hit Old Burn’s arm.

Since his physical abilities were at the level of an ordinary person, his skin was torn and his arm was broken, and he almost fainted on the spot from the pain.

He somehow managed to stagger out of his basement, using the mental strength he had developed during his days as a sailor, and wrapped his arms in cloth.

Even though he felt embarrassed that people’s attention was focused on him, he rushed into Eratus’s clinic.

First, it was an emergency patient, and contrary to what the receptionist said, who said that a doctor would come and respond immediately, Oldburn became impatient due to pain and irritation when the doctor did not show up even after entering the examination room.

When the door finally opens, Oldburn will look back in that direction, irritated.

＂No, people’s arms have reached this point now, why now… ＂

However, he had no choice but to pause for a moment.

He thought it was a doctor who came in, but what was standing there was a woman wearing a doctor’s assistant’s uniform.

Old Burn was momentarily taken aback by the appearance of her with pink hair tied up and skin like jade, but since what he had to say didn’t change, he tried to continue speaking.

“Sorry. The doctor is currently undergoing emergency surgery. If it’s okay, I’d like to take a look at it. If it’s disinfecting and suturing wounds, I can do that too.”

A woman who speaks confidently.

“… Are you a doctor?”

When Old Burn spoke to her as if he was a little untrustworthy, she would confidently shake her head.

“No. I am your teacher’s assistant. ＂

＂What is the assistant… How can he trust you?＂

＂I see. If I lose the use of your arm, I promise to take responsibility and be your arm for the rest of my life. But if you don’t trust me here, you’ll have to wait until the doctor comes out of surgery. No one can guarantee that the time to save your arm will not pass in the meantime.”

As she says that, the look in her eyes that doesn’t face Oldburn should be called confidence.

There was a confidence that seemed to reassure Oldburn somehow.

Thinking that she might be caught up in this woman’s words, Old Burn hurriedly grabbed her by the arm.

＂Ugh…!＂

However, when she tried to move her arm, she felt intense pain because the bone was broken.

“Be quiet, Mr. Descartes. If you move too hard, not only will the wound open, but it will also affect healing. Covering the wound with a clean cloth was a wise choice.”

A woman actually grabs Old Burn’s arm and brings it to the examination table.

＂Aaaaah!!＂

Oldburn screamed in pain, but the woman didn’t care and just peeled off the cloth from his arm.

＂Joe, be a little gentle…!＂

“The pain is bearable. However, if the treatment of wounds is delayed, it can become uncontrollable. I’m sure you understand which one to focus on.”

Despite the serious wounds visible where her cloth had been removed, she did not seem the least bit embarrassed and began treating Old Burn by wiping the wounds with the disinfectant that was lying nearby.

Old Burn’s body trembled at the pain that seemed to seep into her bones.

＂Even though it hurts like this, if the treatment fails, you… I know not to let it go…!＂

When Old Burn spoke in her venomous tone, the woman answered.

＂Florence.＂

＂Ha, haa…?＂

“My name is not ‘you’ or ‘you’, it is ‘Florence’. Oldburn Mr. Descartes.”

As she said that, she was suddenly holding a suturing needle.

That day, her screams rang out several times in the examination room where Old Byrne was in.

001

“Excuse me, Mr. Oldburn.”

＂… Why did you come again…＂

A week has passed since Old Burn received her wounds.

Although his arm was treated by Florence and the wound itself was sutured, he was unable to move his arm on his own until the effects of the medicine that regenerated the internal bones were properly administered, so as a person living alone, his daily life was bound to be greatly disrupted.〈 Br〉

But still, Oldburn was dressed very neatly, and the reason for this could be thanks to Florence, who had been visiting Oldburn’s house from that day on and supported him and took care of the housework for him.

But the important thing is.

Old Burn told Florence that he ‘didn’t ask for it’.

To be honest, Oldburn felt a bit burdened by Florence, who recklessly came to his house and did things he didn’t ask her to do.

“I told you? I will take responsibility if you lose the use of your arm. Even if it’s not ‘for the rest of my life’, I’m trying to take responsibility for my words until my arm heals.”

At her words, Oldburn sighed, ‘Haa’.

Of course, she needs someone’s help now that she can only use one arm, but even if it wasn’t for this reckless woman who sutured her own arm without anesthesia…

＂Are you a member of the National Assembly?＂

Oldburn asked that question to insinuately ask if he could stay here.

“I took a few days off. What? The teacher was also angry, as if his pride had been hurt a little because I treated your arm arbitrarily.”

No, that’s right…

If something had happened, the doctor would have been responsible as well.

“Anyway, I hope you take good care of me today as well.”

While saying that, Florence enters the mansion.

Since she didn’t have the power to stop her, her old friend was scratching her head with her remaining arm and begging her to do so.

“Ah, damn it. Don’t go into the basement.”

002

From morning to night, Florence stayed at Old Burn’s house, cleaning his house and washing several days’ worth of laundry.

They filled the empty warehouse with groceries (with Old Burn’s money) and, for the first time in a long time, served healthy meals, not preserved food, in front of Old Burn.

Bread, salad, soup.

Although it was simply decorated, it was a table full of human warmth.

When Old Burn saw that, for the first time in a long time, he swallowed his saliva without realizing it.

In the end, the two people sat across from each other across the table.

The meal was prepared only for Oldburn, but Florence seemed to have no intention of leaving until Oldburn finished eating, saying that she wanted to help Oldburn in case he needed anything.

In a space where only awkward and quiet time passed, it was Oldburn who couldn’t hold back and spoke first.

＂When you… Treated me. You knew my name. “How?”

He remembers that he did not reveal his name to the guide.

As soon as I saw the wounded arm, I was told to quickly go into the examination room.

“… There is no one here in Eratus who doesn’t know you. You were originally a sailor, but before you knew it, you had amassed a huge amount of wealth and had taken over several stores in this city.”

It seemed like he had suddenly become a celebrity in this city.

Among those who have been on the same boat before, those who knew the original Old Burn will find it fascinating.

Where do you get that kind of money? Where are you now? What on earth happened to him who rarely appears in front of people?

＂Well, I guess so…＂

“And also your notoriety.”

＂Ah, notoriety?＂

Oldburn was taken aback by the words that came out from Florence.

Did he do something to make someone resent him?

＂The business you acquired is famous for producing the highest profits with the highest efficiency. However, it seems that respect for people is not included in the calculations, and people are said to be used as expendable items.”

＂What is it? I clearly presented the direction of the business, but employees are free to work even under those conditions.”

Old Burn was just like that, and he complained about the fact that he was thought of as a villain from some century.

“Freedom… Is that really true?”

＂…?＂

“Even though the owner suddenly changed, there must have been some people who kept working there because they couldn’t lose their jobs. Some people are anxious about whether they will be able to find a new job if they quit their current job. Did they really have such a thing as freedom?”

Oldburn had no choice but to remain silent for a moment at her words.

That’s because it was something that was ‘outside’ Oldburn’s business plan.

“When you came to the clinic a week ago, the patient you were operating on. This person collapsed at your workplace from overwork and hit his head. As the number of such people has increased recently, there are many complaints about you even within the assembly. People are used like ‘machine parts’.”

＂… Ha.＂

If she said that much, no matter how old she was, she would lose her appetite.

Yes, I guess so.

No matter how much their business develops and the economy of Eratus improves through their pursuit of profit, they do not know how to pay attention to and be thankful for the misfortunes and hardships that have befallen them right now.

“Do you think so too? I really treat people like machines and have no human heart.”

＂Yes.＂

＂…＂

Oldburn felt a little hurt by the unexpected and immediate answer.

He was the one who asked, and he didn’t have many expectations.

“Then why did you treat my arm? And why do you come to my house every day and bother me? “What on earth do you want?”

“Because you are a ‘villain.’ That’s not a reason why I shouldn’t do something for you. You were a ‘patient’, and you actually bled and suffered right before my eyes. The reason I am treating you is enough.”

Oldburn asked back as if he couldn’t understand her attitude of answering with unwavering eyes.

“… Then what on earth do you want?”

＂There is nothing in particular. “I have already received the treatment fee.”

Do you have any awareness that you are doing more than that?

Clearly, as she said, she belongs to the category of villains.

As for her, it would be that she is a ‘good person’.

Among them, whether she realizes it or not, she is a person who is the exact opposite of herself, who gives ‘unconditional goodwill’.

Even if you give something to someone, unlike yourself, it doesn’t start unless you flick the abacus in your head.

She just judges the situation in front of her and does what she thinks is right.

For the first time, Old Burn encountered a type of human being that she could not understand or define with her own common sense.

She couldn’t help but feel a strong sense of attraction towards someone else.

＂… No, no.＂

That’s why Oldburn looked at her while saying that.

Thump!

She was talking while holding Old Byrne’s hand, which was on the table, with her free hand.

“Once this arm heals, please give me some time to come to your house and repay you for everything you did for me.”

＂…＂

Oldburn said that with a very sincere expression.

For the first time, Florence looks a little embarrassed by his attitude.

＂… I understand.＂

Briefly, that was the answer.

Oldburn, feeling like he had won something, smiled after hearing her answer.

If she does well, he may even be able to corrupt her towards himself.

Then, the charm will disappear, but you will win.

Just wait and see.

003

“I was surprised, Oldburn. You, who went so far in saying that you don’t trust people, can become someone’s father so easily.”

When Maxwell came to Oldburn for the first time in a long time, Oldburn responded with a bit of embarrassment, as if he was remembering a story he had told before.

“Ah. To be honest, even I am surprised. I still have this feeling of caring for people.”

As a result, it was Oldburn that changed.

Despite the spirit of a woman named Florence, should we say that it is the result of her continued love for others?

After dating for a short time, the two got married and had a child.

After the child was born, she moved from her previous home to a more spacious and decent house.

They hired servants suitable for the house, and when Maxwell visited, a butler even came to meet him.

Not only that.

Oldburn has changed somewhere.

The management policy of the past, which only pursued profits without considering people’s well-being, has also changed.

He was seen helping people, investing here and there in Eratus, etc.

As if erasing previous notoriety.

“So, what kind of person is your wife?”

From what I heard, she was an ordinary woman from Eratus, a native of Oldburn.

I don’t have any professional knowledge, but I heard that he is working at a clinic in Eratus that is short on manpower.

It appears that the family is neither great nor wealthy.

As much as she has grown her business admirably, since she is an Old Burn with a calculating side, I wonder if she had some intention in pairing her with her.

Maxwell wanted to know her value, which only Oldburn knew.

However, Oldburn only answered his friend’s question like this.

“Of course she is, she is the most beautiful woman in the world. She is such a great woman that it would be a waste for me.”

Oldburn’s expression and tone of voice when he said that clearly showed his feelings for his wife, so even if Maxwell didn’t say it in detail, it was easy to tell that it was his sincerity.

“Maybe she has some special ability, or maybe her bloodline is related to ancient people. Something like that…”

“Huh? There is no such thing. She’s just an ordinary person. Ah, I’m good at cooking.”

When the question and answer with Oldburn continued to that point, he also closed his mouth for a moment, as if he understood the intention of Maxwell’s question.

“… I tell you, even if she doesn’t have any special abilities or bloodline, she is my one and only wife and the most precious person in this world.”

＂In other words, there is only a pure feeling of ‘love’ without any loss or benefit calculated.”

When Old Burn silently nodded her head in response to Maxwell’s slightly awkward question, Maxwell faced her and nodded as if she understood.

“I see… That’s a good thing. Previously, I told you that all you had to do was formally start a family and have children. Nevertheless, there is nothing better than having someone you truly love.”

“I didn’t know those words would come from you. I thought I was going to tell you not to be too affectionate.”

When Oldburn reacted with surprise, Maxwell responded.

＂Since then, I am a priest of the Budo Church. Love is also the most important element in the denomination. My purpose is to fill the world with the Father’s love.”

＂Yes, it was like that…＂

Although he had forgotten, Maxwell remembered that he was a fairly high-ranking priest and could only nod as if he understood what he said.

“But at the same time, I am worried. Could it be that you become absorbed in human relationships and neglect your relationship with your father?”

Maxwell shook his head as if telling him not to worry.

“… The world that my father promised is a perfect world. And it is truly the safest world for my wife and children to live in. In order to protect my family, I swear that I will be even more loyal to my father.”

Was Oldburn’s answer quite satisfactory to Maxwell?

He was nodding his head while stroking his beard.

But, right after that.

“Oh, old man! This is a big deal! A little while ago, I got a call from the hospital… My wife…!”

Happiness that came to a person was very easy to leave.

-No.

Eratus’s notoriety as a notorious businessman may have been somewhat washed away by his own good deeds.

However, the karma accumulated through my activities as a ‘returnee’ was kept a secret even from my wife.

At best, he might not have been able to erase it with that much good deed.