HTLCCBFT Chapter 87

Has The Lord’s Career Chart Been Filled Today? – Chapter 87

There is probably no pig merchant in the world more unfortunate than him.

Piggs thought sorrowfully.

Stupid! All of this was because he was an incurably foolish man!

Having traveled all the way to Laina City, the luck that had lasted him most of his life seemed to have completely run out after witnessing a miraculous harvest and that lord Duke who was even more beautiful than a miracle.

Yes, three days after he broke his leg, when his condition was still relatively stable, he finally managed to discreetly ask the innkeeper about the identity of that lord with unbelievably radiant golden hair.

The innkeeper told the poor guest with absolute certainty: in all of Laina City, there was only one noble person who possessed beautiful golden curls and a lovely face that seemed to glow, yet loved working in the fields.

That was the lord of Laina City, His Highness Oliver, whom the old king praised as the “Angel Duke.”

It was actually the Duke!

Piggs sighed with mixed feelings.

Indeed, such magnificent golden hair, more exquisite than any work of art, could only be possessed by someone of pure noble blood.

While recuperating, he couldn’t stop thinking about that fleeting glimpse of perfection, like an flawless oil painting, and couldn’t even be bothered to respond to his old rival Nisse’s sarcastic remarks.

And when he was forced to painfully decline the invitation from the castle due to his leg injury, he felt even more agony.

What he didn’t expect was that the worst was yet to come—when those vicious bandits attacked, he was first startled by the urgent alarm bells while recuperating, then, panicked and urged by the servants, he dragged his half-healed injured leg into a carriage, attempting to escape before the bandits stormed the city.

He came to his senses at the last moment and made the right decision to “firmly stay.”

But after all that commotion, his injury suddenly worsened.

The city’s residents, having experienced dealing with bandit attacks once before, were much calmer the second time.

Piggs couldn’t panic anymore: from the day he recklessly moved about, his condition had taken a sharp turn for the worse, and with the incompetent treatment from those quack doctors he had no expectations of, it only added insult to injury.

When his whole body felt as if thrown into an oven, bringing on a discomfort that made him both drowsy and nauseous, he knew he might not leave this city alive.

As a merchant constantly on the road, he had seen far more than the doctors in this city—those patients whose wounds wouldn’t heal were ultimately taken by pus and high fever.

Before Piggs could even grieve for himself, he had to use his brief moments of clarity to briefly instruct his servants about arrangements after his death.

He had three sons and one wife publicly, and secretly two young, beautiful mistresses and five even younger illegitimate children… The vast majority of his property would naturally go to his eldest son.

But in his plan, the illegitimate children should also receive a little something, enough for them to survive to adulthood under their non-working mothers.

“Half of the pigs brought to Laina should be offered to the lord, to the great Cat God.”

In the afternoon, Piggs was briefly lucid for a rare moment.

Feverish and dizzy, he knew he was nearing his end. Seizing what might be his final opportunity, he weakly continued his instructions: “Don’t have Pigglett specially bring the rest back either… just sell it here. Even at the lowest price, sell it directly to the castle!”

To the servants’ surprise, their master Piggs harbored no resentment toward Laina, which had proven to be “The Cursed Land.” Instead, he placed all the blame squarely on himself.

—After witnessing so many miracles firsthand, Piggs truly only despised his own foolishness.

If only he had been more devout, more trusting that under the protection of the all-powerful Cat God, the angelic lord would surely turn Laina City’s crisis around—how wonderful that would have been!

If he hadn’t struggled to climb onto the carriage back then, reopening his wounds in the jostling, his broken leg might have almost healed by now!

The servants’ persuasion had undoubtedly played a significant role as well.

But Piggs knew the main reason was his own stupidity.

Oh, great Cat God, these foolish servants were illiterate, couldn’t handle accounts, and couldn’t even tend to pigs properly!

He must have been bewitched by demons to listen to their advice back then!

An unfaithful believer is unworthy of the blessing of the gods.

“Cat God…… Cat God……”

Gradually slipping into his final moments, he murmured weakly.

—When Oliver had the servants administer the [ Healing Potion ] to this pig farmer, he clearly overheard his prayers.

Oliver: “……”

As the mastermind behind the grand deception of the “Cat God,” he couldn’t help but be deeply shaken.

Why would a merchant from out of town, who had suffered such misfortune in Laina City, place such faith in a deity he had casually fabricated?

Even he, who considered himself thick-skinned, felt a pang of conscience.

He could only hope the [ Healing Potion ] would take effect.

After the potion was administered, everyone gathered in the inn room focused intently on Piggs’ condition.

Oliver, meanwhile, reflected on recent events.

To ensure the safety of these potions brewed from various bizarre toxic mushrooms, he had personally administered one to the blind horse earlier.

Unbeknownst to him, the mere fact that the horse had allowed him to stroke and feed it without resistance was enough to shock those familiar with its temperament.

Just look at what they had witnessed!

In plain view, the notoriously ill-tempered blind horse had behaved with unbelievable docility in Duke Oliver’s hands.

Not only did it obediently drink the potion, but it also affectionately licked his fair, soft palm and tugged at the reins to press closer, as if reluctant to part.

Oliver didn’t notice the horse’s unusual fondness for him, assuming it was naturally gentle, and focused solely on observing the potion’s effects.

It wasn’t his imagination.

After consuming the entire bottle, though no visible health bar appeared over the blind horse, the scars covering its eyes—gouged out by thieves years ago—noticeably faded.

Some fresher whip marks on its body also miraculously healed rapidly.

Since the potion had proven harmless to the horse… all that remained was to pray it would work on humans as well.

Oliver didn’t have time to conduct further experiments, so he handed a bottle of Healing Potion to the footman Johan, signaling him to administer it to the barely breathing Piggs.

“Gulp…”

Piggs smacked his lips weakly and let out a faint groan.

Under Johan’s diligent efforts, the bottle was soon emptied.

What astonished the physician standing nearby was that the pig merchant, who had stubbornly clenched his teeth and resisted the spoonfuls of “medicine” during his recent days of unconsciousness, showed no resistance whatsoever to the potion provided by the Lord!

But what followed left everyone—except Oliver and the butler—utterly dumbfounded.

“What happened to me?”

The merchant, who had been on the brink of death just moments before, suddenly sat up.

Though his face still bore an unhealthy flush and he struggled to sit upright, it was clear to all that this was far from a final rally before death—instead, he was visibly recovering at an astonishing speed!

Weakly scanning the room, his gaze suddenly landed on Oliver, and his eyes widened abruptly.

“Y-Your Highness?”

His face flushed even redder as he asked in disbelief, “Great Cat God, have I been summoned to Your divine realm?”

Otherwise, how could the revered divine messenger he had secretly yearned for and admired so fervently suddenly appear before him?

It felt like a scene from a dream!

Come to think of it, in his dazed state, he had indeed sensed an incredible, powerful force flowing through his entire body…

Piggs trembled with excitement.

Great Cat God, could it be that my soul… has been blessed by the divine messenger!

Oliver smiled faintly but hadn’t yet spoken when Fosse’s expression darkened with displeasure.

The butler stepped forward gracefully, effortlessly shielding most of his young master’s figure. His green eyes held not a trace of emotion as he coldly reminded, “Merchant, mind your manners.”

The authority Fosse had accumulated over the years was no joke.

That seemingly calm yet heavily warning tone—the kind that could make even the knight captain Noel’s hair stand on end—sent a jolt through Piggs, who had been lost in wild thoughts just moments before, and he dared not entertain any further fancies.

In truth, Piggs had no idea how incredibly fortunate he was.

Had it not been for Oliver’s considerable curiosity about him and his frail condition, anyone who dared show such disrespect toward the one Fosse held most dear would have surely received a harsh whipping.

“Cat God bless you, esteemed Highness!”

Though he still felt as if he were in a dream and couldn’t quite grasp what had happened, Piggs belatedly realized the fact that “he wasn’t dead after all.”

Overwhelmed with joy, he mustered the little strength he had just regained, hurriedly rolled off the bed, and bowed dizzily in salute: “What an immense honor it is for someone like me, Piggs, to be visited by you!”

Fosse narrowed his eyes slightly, scrutinizing him sternly for a moment before slowly stepping back.

—Of course, this was mainly because his adorable young master had discreetly tugged at his sleeve, reminding him not to be too harsh on the poor pig merchant who had just narrowly escaped death.

“Ohhh, great Cat God!”

Someone suddenly exclaimed.

Next, the servants attending to Piggs couldn’t help but kneel down, sincerely calling out: “Praise your mercy! Praise your omnipotent divine power!”

They had seen it clearly with their own eyes.

After this kind and noble Lord took out that small bottle of potion infused with the sacred power of the Cat God and bestowed it upon their master, their master, who had been on the verge of death, instantly recovered!

Oliver had no intention of staying to face the tearfully grateful servants, nor did he personally explain everything to Piggs.

But after confirming that the Healing Potion had significant effects on others as well, he was in extremely high spirits.

After bringing Fosse and the others, who each had their own thoughts, back to the castle, he sat in the hall and pondered for a moment. Unable to resist, he looked toward the ever-reliable green-eyed steward and said with a smile, “It’s truly wonderful that the potion bestowed by the Cat God is effective.”

Fosse bowed his head slightly in deference. “Yes, Your Highness.”

Although he didn’t quite understand why the life or death of that insignificant pig merchant—who had never been and would never be qualified to appear before His Highness—mattered at all…

But if it was something that made His Highness smile, then it was undoubtedly a good thing worthy of his attention.

Just as he was thinking this, he heard his young lord continue happily.

“It really is wonderful,” Oliver said with genuine joy. “If you or Noel and the others ever get injured in the future, I can… well, request the Cat God to bestow divine power and heal you.” Instead of some damned urine observation and bloodletting!

During those days when Fosse and the others charged into battle to protect him and were slashed by the bandits’ blades, he had been terribly worried they would get infected.

Fortunately, they hadn’t, but the Goddess of Luck couldn’t favor them forever.

Now that there was a way to treat such injuries, it was truly wonderful.

Fosse was stunned.

It took him a long moment before he fixed his gaze intently on the young lord, who wore a gentle smile, and bowed deeply.

He closed his slightly burning eyes, opening and closing his mouth several times before finally managing to conceal the obvious nasal tone in his voice with his usual low, steady tone.

He replied with utmost seriousness:

“Yes, Your Highness.”

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