122. Guilt

“Butler Go, bring out the Evergreen Antidote stocks that we have.”

“Young Master, we already gave our stocks away, only five of them remaining in our Manor are usable. You know how hard it is to create an antidote, and with the current supply moving slowly because of the many precautions we must take, production is going further down.”

“Then repurchase the antidotes we sold to the Apothecary Guild. I don’t care how much we lose, just make sure to buy them all.”

“We can’t. Everything had been ransacked by the Nobles. Only the five that we have here remain.”

The Evergreen Antidote was a rare medicine. It had only been discovered a couple of months back, and the only one who could manufacture it was Jin.

With Colt’s wealth and Jin’s persistence, Jin managed to manufacture and sell thousands of bottles, but it wasn’t enough.

The stocks were never enough, it was always lacking, and now, the Evergreen Antidote that used to be 500 Priba a bottle costs 10,000 Priba each.

Colt was rolling in fortune, he was happy about the development, but seeing so many people suffer, he felt more of a villain than the real ones.

“Please, I beg of you…help her.” The pleading Mother’s still resounded amidst the chaos. She was getting weaker by the second.

‘This is going to bite me in the ass later.’ Another stupid idea came to his mind, “Jin!”

“Yes, Young Master?”

“With five Antidotes, do you think you could dilute them and spread them and kill the pain in their body for a while?”

“It’s possible, Young Master. But I fear that if we dilute the antidote, only the infected children would be affected. As for the older ones, I think they would be spared from the pain.”

Colt looked around the pleading commoners. The number of infected children was outstanding.

He drew in a sharp cold breath, “Okay, we’ll go with that plan. Prepare as much as possible, because I don’t think what you have in mind would be enough.”

When Butler Go heard Colt, his mind immediately sounded alarms. His plan was so easy to see through, “Wait, Young Master, you can’t mean!”

“Silence! I know what I’m doing is not fitting, but…just look past over it, Butler Go. Now, everyone, including you, Butler Go. Just prepare the medicine. No one is to get out of the Manor without my orders once I open these gates.”

However, before Colt could even take a step forward, Butler Go grabbed him by the shoulders and stopped him dead on his tracks.

“Let go, Butler Go.”

“I can’t let you go, Young Master. Please stop this nonsense, just promise them that we’ll complete the cure quickly. What else can we do now?”

“This is your Young Master’s orders.” Colt carried a harsh tone.

However, Butler Go ignored him, “Young Master, you’re going to get infected. I made a vow to the Master of the house to protect the immediate descents from any harm. That also means I have to protect them from themselves.” The gentle old Butler had was not planning on backing down.

A white line appeared on Colt’s forehead. It was still a weak light, but it was there nonetheless. His head became calm, and the rising anger was suppressed.

Colt faced Butler Go, “I know what I’m doing, Butler Go, and I know why you are worried about me. But don’t mind, I won’t get infected by the disease, I have this little one with me.”

“Human, let him go, he’s telling the truth. Such a weak disease is nothing before the great, I!” The Chick nodded its head as it presented its Grand Self.

Colt shrugged Butler Go’s hands. Butler Go saw Colt’s back who bravely marched forward the danger and could not help but shake his head and flash a smile.

He then shouted aloud, “Every Gardener, Coachman, and Guard go inside the Manor and do not come out unless instructed! The Maids and the Chefs prepare easily digestible food. Let us go, Jin, I’ll help you prepare the medicine you spoke of.”

Colt heard the movements behind him. Before long, Butler Go left there, and the maids, guards, and everyone else scrambled out of the way, leaving only Colt and two of his Soul Partners.

The commoners who were begging for help saw Colt walk towards them and a hopeful, albeit slightly flabbergasted expression befall them.

The Gates of the Edgeworth Manor opened. As soon as it did, Colt walked over the Mother begging him to help her child. He reached over and tried taking the child.

However, the Mother evaded his arms, not because she was scared of him, but because she was worried, “Young Master, y-you may get infected. We only need a bottle, please, that is enough for us.”

“Do not worry about me.” Colt softly stated.

“I apologize, but I cannot give you a full bottle.” With everyone’s eyes on him, Colt insisted and took the child from the Mother. With an infected child in his embrace.

Looking at the little girl who seemed about as old as Lyra or Filla, Colt felt a pang of guilt. The white light shone ever so slightly, “I cannot fulfill your wish but would you at least wait for an alternative to ease her pain?”

The Mother and everyone else should have mobbed Colt’s gate if this was back on earth, but the commoners? They froze in front of a Noble. They were not afraid of him but were in awe.

A Noble was someone far above them, someone they should not meet the eyes of, someone they could only revere.

The act of begging in front of a Noble household had happened many times before, but their endings were not the least bit pretty. However, Colt showed them a kind of expression far from disdain or arrogance. It was a warmth-filled gaze, eyes filled with both kindness and guilt.

What was he guilty of? They did not know for the only thing they saw was a man trying to help another.

The Mother looked at Colt. Although she clearly heard Colt’s reminder that he might be able to fully help her daughter, a single streak of tear escaped her eyes.

She lowered her head as she knelt on the ground and weakly uttered, ‘Thank you.’

As she bled from her nose and mouth, the Mother failed to stay conscious.

Colt quickly caught the Mother with his open arm and entered the Manor with her.

As Colt entered, not everyone followed immediately. They were too taken aback by this show. Such a display was out of the question for a Noble.

However, an infected old man followed Colt, “Can you not see his sincerity? You are disrespecting the Young Master by showing such distrust.”

With his words and actions, the people followed the Young Master. Colt could not take them deeper into the Manor, so he had them stay in the front garden.

It took about thirty minutes the Chef to finish cooking some porridge for the hungry. They tried to take the vat of food directly to Colt, but they were stopped by Butler Go.

“Do not get drawn by the Young Master’s sacrifice. You may be inspired to help as well, but your ending will not be the same as his. Do you want to end up like those two?” Butler Go pointed at Sera and Mary, tied with a rope and watched by a Red Anaconda.

Butler Go reminded the Chefs and maids who almost run out to help Colt. They scuttled about as Colt went to take the vats, bowls, and utensils to the commoners and began serving them.

Butler Go watched him with a smile, remembering the words his mothers used to say to him, ‘A foolish yet brave Martyr who risks it all for everyone and anyone, huh? It appears the legend of the past millennia is getting reborn.’

Legends from thousands of years ago surfaced in Butler Go’s mind.

‘Hero, was it?’