"You haven't failed me yet, Doctor Crown. I am sure I would already be dead without your intervention."
"If you say so, ma'am." He gestured for her wrist. "May I?"
After assessing her and clearing the damage done since they last met without overtaxing the already exhausted countess, he gently let go of her wrist.
"We should probably wait until tomorrow before traveling to Mecane. I will need to make some arrangements."
"I do not think I am up for travel today either," the woman admitted with a wane smile.
Mattheus bowed his head, words stuck at his throat before he straightened up and walked toward Harloch, who had been observing him.
"I was thinking of staying overnight so the countess and I could head out early next morning," Mattheus stated. "Would you mind staying at Marinell House too, just to prevent her reputation from being tarnished? Have… Dame Farfelou present too."
Baldroy Harloch hummed. "That seems doable. Best to make sure the Lady can leave with you to Mecane without issue if you stay overnight too, I suppose."
"She is pretty weak right now," Mattheus admitted.
"Hm… Yes, yes, I understand." The other baron gestured to the butler before telling the manservant to make arrangements. The plain-looking treasury officer looked back at Mattheus. "Are you going to come back later or do you want to call your family from here?"
"I'll send Vincent back," Mattheus said dismissively.
…
A few hours later that felt like an eternity, Mattheus found himself stuck sitting with Baldroy Harloch and Anne Farfelou after the evening meal he didn't eat much of.
Of course, Anne had to remark about it not being to Mattheus's tastes, essentially calling him spoiled and privileged in so many words. But the twenty-year-old couldn't be bothered, only humming agreeably instead of arguing.
At the soul of it, he was a child of immigrants that grew up modestly, so her pointed insults just flew right over his head.
He'd tolerate Anne if she kept it from just being himself and Harloch though. In a way, while it was abusive to the ears, he had experience tuning out Mother He. It was a boon that Anne Farfelou distrusted himself so much she declared she was going to keep an eye on him the entire time he was at Marinell House.
It was nearly midnight before Mattheus declared he needed to get some rest so he could get up early tomorrow. He retreated to the guest wing and room the servants made up for his overnight stay.
…
Mattheus was dressed for sleep and in bed before he pulled up the System menu.
He navigated to the Companions tab. There were now four buttons instead of a list: Family, Friends, Acquaintances, and Familiar.
He mentally jabbed at the Familiar button, where it opened up to Brunilda's still corrupted profile information. Below that were three options.
Equipped.
Message.
Special.
He picked the last one, opening a menu where every option was not assessable except for Share Vision.
This was the biggest addition from the System from the Version 1.4 update. The ability to be able to operate at a distance while still keeping in immediate contact if needed.
Harloch might think he won but with this, they might be able to discover the source of the curse.
Sending Brunilda a message to warn the cat he was going to try to hijack and piggyback off her vision, he got an acknowledgment from his friend.
He felt nauseous when he saw two different locations overlapping each other before he closed his eyes.
It took a moment for Mattheus to just realize the incredible night vision the cat had when he saw the countess's bedroom lit up as if it were day instead of well past midnight.
The twenty-year-old exchanged conversation with Brunilda for a while before eventually getting bored. The cat noticed and told him to get some rest so he wasn't suspiciously exhausted the next morning.
Protesting that he couldn't fall asleep at such an important time, Mattheus would be slightly embarrassed he did nod off for a bit before Brunilda contacted him as she said she would.
What happened? Mattheus jolted awake.
"Share my senses, Mattheus."
As soon as he did so, he found that Brunilda was actually on the bed, staring at a sleeping Ophelia Marcel.
He furrowed his brow in confusion since the woman was breathing and truthfully looked quite peaceful while asleep.
"I found the anchor of the curse. It's a pendant necklace, the one that she mentioned Earl Marcel called his good luck charm. Sure is 'good luck'… Probably led him straight to the grave."
You have it in your bag?
"Of course," Brunilda sighed. "Now, do you think you can channel your magic through me to heal her so we don't need to go to Mecane and leave Harloch with those very important votes?"
Mattheus opened his eyes doubtfully before quickly pinching one of his eyes closed from the double-vision. Surprisingly, that seemed to work in separating what they both saw, though he just closed the remaining eye and only made a note to test later. You think that's even possible?
"Why not? We're talking telepathically right now. It wouldn't hurt to try, anyway. And if it doesn't work, you can always give me some half-strength juiced up water for Ophelia Marcel."
You would need to touch her.
"She's not going to wake up."
And so the pair attempted to see if Mattheus could heal from a distance through Brunilda.
He was able to heal, but it was only his friend. The magic refused to leave her form.
After a few minutes, they gave up and Mattheus grabbed a corked bottle from his Inventory, infused healing magic into it, before placing it in Brunilda's bag through the Equipped section of the Familiar page.
He was able to see the necklace in question at that point too, but he didn't take it out considering the timing.
"Alright. Done," Brunilda's voice echoed in his head. "Open the window after a few minutes. Servants are guarding the countess's room and yours."
…
"Doctor Crown, sir! Doctor Crown!"
Mattheus blearily opened his eyes, sitting up in the bed and staring at the butler and his valet. He looked at Vincent, who was dressed but looked a bit bewildered over the situation.
"Good morning, Master Mattheus, it seems that Countess Marcel is calling for you."
He instantly became more alert, though a part of him expected to see the woman healthier than she had been in weeks. "Did something happen? Vincent, help me get dressed!"
The twenty-year-old still had a role to play for Baldroy Harloch, after all.
When he was presentable, the butler guided him to the sleeping quarters of the countess. He barely walked past the archway of the doors before seeing Ophelia Marcel standing.
The widow spun around, a housecoat covering her form. Her hair was up, which was all that mattered by New Albion standards of propriety, in any case.
"Doctor! It's a miracle!"
Mattheus blinked for a few minutes before walking toward the countess. She had already raised a hand in anticipation, allowing him to feel her pulse and scan her condition at the same time.
He showed a look of surprise. "I… This is as if you're no longer plagued by the curse and the medicine was allowed to work unimpeded. It… It is a wonderful surprise, madam, but I must admit to a bit of confusion over the circumstances."
"There was a lot of moving around considering the trip to Mecane, do you think that broke whatever curse it was?" Anne was so happy at seeing Ophelia well the woman didn't even think to insult Mattheus. "My lady, I don't think you need to head to Mecane anymore, do you not agree?"
Ophelia wrinkled her brow. "I do not know about that, but I feel well enough to attend to my duties."
"My lady!" Harloch, who had been pretty silent, protested. "What if your health regresses?"
"Oh, Baldroy, you are always so overly cautious." Ophelia sighed. She glanced at Mattheus and asked. "What do you think, Doctor?"
His pale eyes flicked over everyone. "… I truly am at a loss as so how you got better, madam."
"But am I well enough to attend the voting session later today?" Ophelia persisted.
Mattheus hemmed and hawed. "Well, you are certainly healthy enough to attend the meeting but—"
"There! Even he's said as much," Anne cut him off and seemed to address her words to a rather disgruntled-looking Harloch. "Our lady considers today's vote really important, you know this, Harloch!"
"Ahem. I think I should go," Mattheus turned a bit uncomfortable and stated to the countess. "I will leave some medicine with your maid and check up on you tomorrow afternoon."
Ophelia didn't keep him and Mattheus did as he stated. He told Vincent to pack up while he instructed the butler to keep the meals the same for now.
Harloch caught up with Mattheus when the Court Healer was about to step into a carriage to head to the station.
"Lord Mattheus!"
Mattheus turned around. "Yes…?"
The older baron looked at Mattheus closely, before likewise darting his gaze over Vincent. After a pause, he nodded his head. "Have a safe trip."
When they were finally on a train, Vincent asked, "Should we head straight back?"
Mattheus finally felt safe enough to take out the necklace, reaching a hand into his pocket so it wouldn't appear out of thin air. He drew out the simple chain with the tiny black pearl, recalling how Ophelia mentioned she refashioned her late husband's favorite tie pin to a necklace so he would forever be close to her heart.
"No," the man replied as he let the necklace glitter in the light. "You can go back and tell them the trip is canceled. But, before that, drop me off at Baron Endlewood's residence."
…
Hours later, Mattheus was at his lab, staring at the perfectly innocuous-looking pearl set in white gold. "Miasma pearls and Pelerin's Miasma, was it? The black-colored energy that books associated with the element of Death?"
After a moment, he set it down and looked at Brunilda.
"So it actually triggered? How did you stop it?"
"I ate it," Brunilda said simply.
Mattheus sprang up in alarm. "You ate the Death Energy!"
"Uh. No? I ate the curse."
"How is that any better?" Mattheus fretted. "Let me scan you, I don't think eating curses are good for anyone."
Brunilda dodged his hand. "It's fine," she said with a tone of exasperation. "The color of my aura is black. It won't harm me."
"Oh. That's a relief." And then her words registered. "Wait, I didn't think living beings could have black auras… It's why the Color is colloquially associated with Death. Then again… the curse wasn't trying to kill the countess either—death was more of a consequence…"
Mattheus suddenly recalled Brunilda commenting on the technical terms for the elements before. He had meant to ask but had forgotten.
"Didn't you say how Obitus and Lucis did not translate directly to Death and Life?"
"Lucis is easy. It means 'light.' As for Obitus, it has several different meanings. While it can mean death, it can also mean ruin or destruction in that vein. Or implying motion of some type, to a destination or state."
Mattheus considered the necklace. "Do you hide your aura?"
"Of course."
"Harloch knew exactly what was killing the Countess." He had been trying to find traces of a black aura on Mattheus and his luggage.
Baldroy Harloch was very likely a secret Occultist.