Embracing Magic - E.M Chapter 91 (Part 1)
Margaret’s cooking delighted the taste buds. He didn’t want to miss this flavor for anything.
“How much should I pay you per month?”
“Twenty-five gold… would be… good…”
“Twenty-five gold, huh…”
“When I worked at a restaurant, I earned thirty gold. So, I should at least get twenty-five gold…”
Margaret hurriedly added this explanation, assuming the hesitation was due to the high pay.
In reality, it was the opposite. Rodin was questioning whether he should be hiring someone who could make such excellent dishes for just twenty-five gold a month.
‘With cooking skills like this, it’s akin to having a remarkable talent.’
Twenty-five gold didn’t feel like a waste at all. Still, since this was their first arrangement, he decided to start with twenty-five gold and gradually increase her pay.
“How much would the cost of ingredients be per month?”
“There are two of you, right?”
“No. There’s also a kid who attends Cardos Sword Hall. He takes care of breakfast and lunch at the school, but he’ll be eating dinner with us. He’s twelve years old, and he eats quite a lot since he trains hard daily. As for me, I eat almost double portions.”
“I eat a lot too.So, give me plenty as well.”
Margaret mumbled something under her breath, seemingly calculating the rough cost of the ingredients.
“What kind of dishes do you want? Depending on the ingredients and the type of dishes, the cost can vary greatly.”
“I don’t mind the type of dishes. Elegant meals fit for nobles or royals are welcome, but simple meals are fine too. What’s important is flavor and nutrition. As long as it’s tasty and filling, that’s all that matters.”
“About twenty gold should cover it.”
“Really?”
He was surprised it would cost so little.
Even eating heartily at a good restaurant could easily cost fifty silver per meal. For two people, that’s one gold. If they ate three meals a day, that would be three gold. In a month, that would total ninety gold.
Yet it seemed everything could be managed with only twenty gold for ingredients. That included the kid Larry’s dinner as well.
Even with Margaret’s salary included, it wouldn’t reach fifty gold.
“Well, if I shop wisely…”
“No, it’s fine. We’ll set your pay at twenty-five gold, and if we like the meals, we can increase it later. Let’s start with one hundred gold for ingredients. And if it’s not enough, just let me know right away. Don’t use poor ingredients because of a tight budget. If there’s any leftover, you can return it next month. How does that sound?”
With his approval, Margaret’s face brightened.
Margaret had been uncertain before coming here.
She wasn’t sure if she could earn the money she wanted just by cooking a few meals a day instead of working all day in a restaurant. She was hopeful, but she was even more worried.
However, she couldn’t lower her pay. She had a sick son. He was well into his thirties but bedridden with an illness.
One day, her son had collapsed, and no one knew the name of the illness. He simply lay there all day. Without regular doses of potion, he could barely breathe.
“Yes, I’ll do that.”
“And… hmm. This isn’t really a condition, but… you mentioned your son is ill? I’d like to see him.”
“Pardon? My son? Why?”
Margaret reacted awkwardly.
She didn’t want to show her son to others. Everyone who had seen him so far had reacted poorly. Some had even gagged at the stench.
“I’m a mage. I just want to take a look, just in case.”
“Oh! Other mages have seen him too, but they couldn’t diagnose his illness.”
“Well, you never know, right?”
“Alright then.”
Margaret eventually agreed. Although she disliked showing her son to others, she clung to a faint hope—‘Maybe this time…’
* * *
Rodin followed Margaret, with Bianca tagging along out of boredom.
“While we’re out, I should pick up some cooking utensils. Could you help me with that, Margaret?”
“Of course, since I’ll be the one using them from now on.”
Margaret’s steps led them from the city center toward the outskirts. They continued walking for a while until they reached an area near the city walls.
“Did you come all the way from here this morning?”
“Yes, if I hurry, I can get here quickly.”
“No way. It must take at least two hours, even if you rush.”
“My legs hurt, brother.”
As expected, Bianca started complaining about her legs hurting.
With no other choice, Rodin used magic to lift Bianca, not with his arms but by using a magical hand to support her from below.
“This way.”
“Understood.”
Margaret led them into the slums.
Surrounding them were houses with roofs that looked dubious at best, and walls that were crumbling. The streets were littered with the remnants of nightly activities, animal corpses, and other unpleasant traces.
“Sorry for the shabby surroundings.”
“No need to apologize.”
“It’s right over there.”
Fortunately, they didn’t venture too deep into the slums.
It was about a twenty-minute walk from the main road, so they were at the outskirts of the slum area.
“May I come in?”
“I-I’ll go in first…”
Margaret hurriedly rushed inside, and sounds of bustling activity came from within.
After waiting for about ten minutes, Rodin stepped inside. Margaret, who had been cleaning in a rush, looked visibly flustered.
“I-I’m sorry.”
“No need to apologize, Margaret. I came in on my own. Your son is over there, right?”
“Yes.”
Rodin entered the room she indicated. Inside was a thin man in his thirties, lying unconscious.
‘Wow, this is unbelievable. It’s not just mana poisoning; it’s mana intoxication? Is that even possible?’
When Rodin had first met Margaret, he noticed a slight concentration of mana around her. It wasn’t a significant difference, so he didn’t think much of it.
But he became suspicious when he heard about her son’s mysterious collapse. Perhaps the mana concentration had something to do with his condition.
“Do you have any idea what’s wrong with my son?”
“Yes, I think I know.”
“Can he be treated…?”