Chapitre 9: Aftershocks of a Book
"Lady Alma, is there anything that can be done?" Mathew's anxious voice sounded as he did his best to stay strong while holding his wife's hand.
"According to the book... it should be the fungal disease Paltrix. To help the afflicted, one needs extremely hard liquor and soak affected fuzzy spots in for an hour. After that using putting him in an extremely dry place will make all fuzzy spots peel off; you can use a hot stove's heat to have a similar drying effect. This will delay his death... as for cures? I'm afraid he will be unable to be cured with the little technology we have now. But doing this practice will help delay the disease for at least forty years if done consistently!"
"Are there any side effects?" Mathew's face looked extremely happy as he realized his son would survive was all he cared about. After all before this no one knew how long he would survive or even how much time he had left. Now as long as Alma was correct his son would live till 50! That was even older than he is currently!
"Side effects? Sort of? The places where the white fuzz is at currently will turn black and slowly turn back to normal after a month. Oh- also if he ever grows any white fuzz on his genitals he will no longer be able to have children."
"That's enough, thank you, thank you!"
It was at this moment that the mother spoke up, "You say that there is a cure? Although I am happy he will survive, can you tell me how long can he last without your cure, after all hard liquor is expensive and I don't know how we can care for him all the time. If there is a way to cure him even better, after all I do wish for grandchildren one day... I- I hope you understand."
Alma nodded and spoke with a smile, "Well without care now, he will die in around a year depending on how far the fungus has progressed inside. If he doesn't receive treatment when the fuzz starts growing again, he will become like this eventually, but what I will warn you of is if he becomes like this three more times he will likely die by then no matter what you do. What I suggest is that if the fuzz grows larger than a fist you should get treatment urgently. This means if he grows two patches the size of half a fist, then you should treat him as well.
You also asked about the cure, but I don't think that is possible now. Perhaps in the early stages, he could have been saved, but now he is guaranteed to die unless he receives the treatment of a very special machine. Which leads back to why I say he is unable to be cured. The machine would kill the fungus while also severely weakening him, but in the end, he would be lifted of the disease entirely. Unfortunately, I only know the machine by name and what it does, but nothing about how to build one or even how to power it."
"Could... Could you ask Lord Alex for the knowledge?"
"I can ask, but I don't think it will help much since from what I understand from the book, it would take too many years just to get the infrastructure set up. At least that is the feeling I got from reading about it in the book."
*sigh* "Well, you have done enough, thank you lady Alma." The woman proceeded to get on her knees as she began to worship Alma like a devout believer.
"No problem, I had promised to help and I did what I could."
"Thank you Lady Alma. Knowing my son will live has given me great hope."
Standing up again Alma nodded at the couple and left after all she had a tree to grow!
Standing up again the woman spoke to her husband, "Are you sure we can believe her?"
"Vicky, I saw her disappear to speak to the great Lord myself. I originally thought they were using my hopelessness, but after seeing her disappear into the white mist convinced me..." Pausing Mathew spoke firmly, "She is the hope for humanity. She is the messenger of the God. Alex is our savior and the only god I will pray to. So long as her treatment works, I will follow Apostal Alma to the ends of the earth."
"I suppose we can only hope for the best." Praying for a little while more the couple quickly got prepared to complete the treatment recommended to them by Alma.
***
Nolan was sitting on a meeting table filled with twelve people all looking at each other nervously. It was at this moment a man Nolan recognized spoke, Jason worked at another department as him, but he was kind and well-liked.
"So... Did everyone else receive the urgent email?"
Everyone nodded as they quickly realized that none of them were told what this meeting was about. It was at this moment that a man and woman pair walked into the room. The woman quickly set some papers down at the head seat before backing away. The man on the other hand simply sat down and looked at everyone with a serious expression.
As the silence made everyone even more nervous the man finally spoke, "As you know we have been removing several people..." As the pause made everyone even more nervous wondering if they would be the next group to be removed the man continued, "You have all been chosen by those around you... To fill up some spots that you would be better suited to."
Hearing 'filling up spots' everyone let out a sigh of relief as the stagnant air in their lungs came out all at once. The man picked up the papers and quickly looked at them for a moment before turning back at everyone.
"If I call your name you have been nominated to take over what was known as by several people as, 'that bitch Jenny's department' ready?" Because he had spoken it so plainly without emotion, only one person laughed at how ridiculous it sounded to hear someone in high management say a curse word. Still the man's stoic face didn't change as he listed out names.
"Alright, any questions?" Two hands went up it was Nolan, and Jason, "Jason, what is it?"
"Well... I am not part of Jenny's department, in fact I barely interact with it. Why am I suggested for her department's management?"
"Because despite your little interaction you have shown that you are very suited to it. Now Nolan?"
"Umm... Never mind sir, I was going to ask about why I wasn't going to be given a chance at Jenny's position, but your answer before completely dispelled my doubts."
"So, what do you think I would have answered you with?"
"I believe the answer is that I am more suited to another department. Sir."
"It is good you understand. Next, I will announce who has been nominated for Kenya's department, who had gotten promoted."
Soon the three different department managers and their nominees were spoken out. "That is all. Any more questions? If not then be ready for me to call you in at random in five minutes." Suddenly a hand went up, "Yes what is it?"
The one who had raised their hand was the only one who had laughed during the time the man cursed. "Sir, you haven't spoken my name at all. May I know what I was called for?"
"For Jenny's department, but now you can just go back to work. Those who don't know how to be serious when it is time to be serious won't be promoted by me personally. Maybe someone else will do it, but not me."
"But... *sigh* Yes sir..." Despite wanting to argue the woman looked down as she didn't say more.
"Before you go... If you want you can go to Jackson for a position as a secretary for him. Tell him Preston sent you and I give him all the power."
"Jackson?" The girl called out with uncertainty before nodding with a happy smile, "Thank you for this chance sir!"
"You still worked hard so I will not treat you badly. Sally, email Jackson about the possible new secretary."
"Yes sir."
***
"What is your business here?"
"I need to meet with the master of the house."
"What gives you the right?"
"My name is Kanbu, son of Gabby and Lyon the master of the house."
The guard frowned and looked at he man more closely only to realize he had completely dead eyes, "Are you... blind?"
"Yes, that is why I am not part of this household, but still I simply want the chance to meet with my father, master Lyon."
"... Alright... David, tell the master a blind man by the name of Kanbu has come and wishes an audience."
The two men stood in silence as they waited for a reply. After nearly an hour of silence David returned, "Follow me, the master has allowed you to enter."
Kanbu nodded as he started walking. As he walked David frowned as he remembered that the man was blind so he stopped walking and turned around to see Kanbu following closely behind as if he could see him. "Do you need help?"
"I will be fine. I can follow without needing a specific guide."
Frowning David turned around and kept walking to the designated meeting place. The walk continued for ten minutes as David kept turning to check if Kanbu truly followed. Still Kanbu followed as if he could see. He even followed the paths and made sure to avoid others walking.
Eventually, the pair made it to an office, David Knocked and announced their arrival as a rough voice called them in. David simply opened the door and let him in after which he closed the door and guarded from the outside leaving the father and son to talk by themselves.
"Kanbu... I didn't expect you to visit me... I abandoned you and now you are here, so tell me what it is that you needed so badly that a blind man like you would risk moving so much to arrive at a stranger's house. After all, I abandoned you for a reason and I certainly won't take you back or give you special treatment. So tell me..." The man's voice became deeper and more forceful, "What do you want."
Kanbu on the other hand didn't care about this and bowed before speaking, "I want two things. One; last night my mother died. I need somewhere nice to bury her. Two; I want a chance to prove myself. So I will offer myself to work for you. That is what you want from your kids anyway, so why not give me the chance?"
The middle aged man raised his eyebrows before raising his hand signaling silently to a guard in the room. The guard nodded and silently raised his fist and swung at Kanbu. Kanbu on the other hand calmly dodged and pulled the fist over his shoulder as he flipped the guard on his back.
"If you signal with a clearly visible movement it makes it obvious what you want to do."
"But you are blind." Despite seeing his guard thrown to the floor Lyon only smiled.
"No. My eyes do not work. But in my mind, you are the one who is blind. You can't even see the use in someone like me who was born blind. Instead, you threw me and my mother away. If you hadn't provided food for us I would have come here on a suicide mission to kill you."
"Well, at least I can say you have made something of yourself despite being blind. Might I know what changed?"
"I simply read a book."
"You are literate?"
"No."
"You have truly become someone strange... Bart, have someone collect this boy's mother and prepare a suitable burial. Tom, get this new employee cleaned up."
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone