This Isn’t an E*otic Game?

Count Lebaton's wails distorted his wife's tear-stained face into an expression of confusion and shock.

No matter how great her astonishment was,

it could not compare to that of their son, Henry.

Henry, with his mouth agape, looked at his sobbing father with a horrified expression.

Regardless,

once the count's honesty surged to 100%, he couldn't stop speaking.

"Your talent was exceptional!!! You've been called a genius since you were a child!! I never doubted you would inherit the family business and build a greater empire than I did!! But music?! Why would you pursue such unprofitable music with your talent?! I only reprimanded you because of that!!"

The count held his chest tightly.

Perhaps it was his sorrowful demeanor,

that caused Henry to hesitantly rise from his seat.

"Ah, father."

"I hoped you would correct your course and continue our family legacy!! You have more talent than I! My proud son!! I pressured you because I wished you would take over! But now, I regret it!! Why did you hang yourself! How could you do this in front of your parents!!......Not a single day since your death has been joyful! Henry! Not a single day has been happy!"

"Honey!!"

The Countess pulled the count into an embrace, and they began weeping together.

The count's monologue continued unabated.

"It's no longer necessary for you to continue the family business. Just live on as my son Henry....... that's all I wish for!! You can call me a devil! You can hate me! My son! Just live! Don’t die; just stay healthy....... just live on!!!"

Henry's face showed a complex mix of emotions.

After pondering for a while, he finally turned his head.

"It's too late. It's already too late......."

Damn it!!

Infuriating child!!

You damn fool!!!

[Raising honesty to maximum!!]

"I wanted to make you proud, Dad!!!!"

Henry also collapsed to the ground, sobbing.

Now it was the count’s turn to be shocked.

"I wanted to make you happy with what I’m good at!! I can’t live without music!! I was only happy when playing an instrument!! I wanted to become the most famous and successful musician to support you and hoped you would look at me and say you were proud of me!!"

"You have always been my proud son!! There has never been a moment when you weren’t!! Yes!! Follow your music! If it stirs your soul, then pursue it, my son!! Nothing else matters! I just need you!!"

"Why!!.......Why didn’t you say that earlier!! Why!!"

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, my son!!"

Henry hugged his father.

And the family cried together.

I quietly released the Absolute Hypnosis I had cast on both son and father.

And waited until they had finished their emotional release.

After some time.

The family, having exhausted their tears, slowly stood up from the ground.

"I'm ashamed, Saint."

Count Lebaton said with puffy eyes.

I shook my head, smiling.

"On the contrary, it was beautiful to see. Count. Hiding one’s feelings only leads to decay. Like today, be open and honest with each other. It’s important to share good things energetically."

"I will......I truly will. Thank you."

"Come here."

I took the hands of the count and his wife.

Given the circumstance of their son's suicide attempt,

it was expected that they were not well.

Indeed, the countess was suffering from gastrointestinal issues, and the count had severe problems with hair loss and vision.

I healed them both.

"Ah!......."

"Saint........"

"Don’t harbor resentment; live together in understanding and compromise, and you will enrich each other’s lives even more."

"Thank you. Thank you so much!! Saint Amayel!!"

"Do not pressure your son. When you squeeze clay, it doesn’t retain its shape but only leaves fingerprints."

"I was foolish, Saint!"

I turned from the weeping father to the son.

"Do not give up on music. But also do not forsake the family business."

The arts are challenging. It’s the nature of the times, isn’t it? Are there platforms like YouTube or specialized music sites?

Even with extraordinary talent, making a living is hard.

"Consider merging your music with the family business. A car that lets you listen to music while driving. Wouldn’t that be wonderful?"

At my suggestion, Henry's eyes widened, shaking with inspiration.

"Thank you! Saint! Thank you! I will never forget your words!!"

Pleased with their understanding, I smiled and then stepped back from the family.

"I must depart now."

"Saint!! Please, stay for a meal!!......."

That’s unnecessary.

After such an event, they need time for family discussions.

Moreover, now that they are healed, they no longer offer me any value as clients.

Instead, they should go out into society and spread the word!

That way, other nobles will seek me out, and I’ll continue to be connected to noble families!!

"I will take my leave now. May your home always be filled with laughter."

"Thank you! Thank you!!"

After exchanging farewells, I exited the noble estate.

Phew!

That should suffice.

Now the rumors will spread, and other nobles will keep seeking my services.

Gradually, I will become a saint exclusive to the nobility, and the poor will scorn me and leave.

Even old Yodel.

Even the followers of the Lilia Church will distance themselves from me.

That settles it! I’m now fully moving away from divine punishment!!

****

After the saint had departed, the Lebaton family enjoyed a cozy meal together for the first time in a long while.

Was it because they had poured out their tears, or was it because the saint had thoroughly healed their bodies? The deep-seated emotional scars that had built up over the years seemed to have washed away.

"Father."

"Yes, Henry. Speak."

"I know it might be late, but still... I've decided to inherit the automobile business. I will study and strive to continue the family legacy."

"No, you don’t need to say that just to make me happy, Henry. Do what you want. If you wish to pursue music, that's fine too."

"No. The saint's words keep echoing in my mind. A car that plays music. A car where you can listen to music while driving. Wouldn’t that be great?"

A pleased smile appeared on the count's face, which then turned serious.

"Indeed... we would need to create a new differentiation. That seems like a good direction."

"What would we need to make it possible to listen to music inside a car?"

"We would need to make the phonograph much smaller, small enough to fit inside a vehicle. Moreover, since listening to just one or two kinds of music might become boring, it should allow for a variety of music to be chosen at will."

"It would need to be very small. Much smaller than the current phonographs and easier to handle."

"Maybe we could miniaturize the jukebox and fit it into cars?"

"That's not a bad idea. But more fundamentally, we need a compact music storage medium. It should be portable, lightweight, and able to produce sound that is much clearer than that of phonographs."

Watching the animated conversation between father and son, the countess laughed.

"It’s wonderful to see. Really. Both of you. Ah, it’s like a dream. To have the family come together for a meal like this again."

Moved by his wife's words, Count Lebaton smiled broadly.

"Perhaps, son, before developing a car that can play music, our priority should be to repay the grace we've received from the saint."

"Right. Didn't he say he would cleanse the Third Slum District?"

"What if we do this?"

"What are you suggesting?"

"Build a new tire factory there. The location is not bad. It's been a problem area because it’s a high-crime zone and nobody has wanted to start businesses there. But if we can resolve the security issues, the 51st District has a geographical advantage as it’s closest to the capital's outskirts."

"Now that I think about it, it really is!"

"The raw materials for the tires come from the Tramata Kingdom, and if they pass through the 51st District, the route to the capital will be much shorter! It’s a pretty good business plan, even without considering the grace!"

Henry and the countess nodded.

"That's not bad at all! I really like it!"

"I must meet with Jonathan Karma tomorrow. I need to discuss this with him."

Count Lebaton kept his promise.

The very next day, he went to see Jonathan Karma.

Upon discussing the plan, Jonathan was overjoyed.

"Ha-ha-ha! Excellent! Come in! If you join us, I can provide you with the elixir needed for factory operations at half the market price!"

"Half price?"

"When you consider the distance, it’s feasible to install a direct line underground to supply it. It’s entirely possible to offer you the elixir cheaply if you set up a factory or business in the Third Slum District."

Count Lebaton's eyes sparkled.

His businessman's instinct sniffed out the opportunity.

"I hope you'll keep that promise."

Count Lebaton then completely revised the tire factory establishment plans.

With the elixir costs astronomically high daily, getting it at half price was an excellent deal.

Rumors spread rapidly that a factory would be set up in the empty 51st District.

Naturally, this piqued the curiosity of many.

When asked why he chose to build a factory in a slum, Count Lebaton replied with a smile,

"I can get the elixir necessary for operating the factory at half price."

The rumors spread.

And gradually, the number of companies wanting to set up in the slum district began to increase.

For the officials managing the Third Slum District, this was an astonishing development.

"Is this really happening?"

"Gather the workers! We need to mobilize them for the construction of the factory!"

"In honor of the Healing Saint, we will follow his rules in his district. The wages will be the same as those provided by the Karma Company!"

One Salad per day's wage.

Suddenly, jobs began to increase.

The slum dwellers easily found employment.

Factories began to rise everywhere, and the slum dwellers, after demolishing their homes and receiving compensation and a bonus, moved into new residential areas built by the Karma Company.

Hope.

A word unimaginable in the slums began to spread.

People ate well, slept well, and had work.

The streets were no longer filthy, and people no longer scorned them.@@novelbin@@

Their health improved, and most importantly, the idea that tomorrow would be different than today motivated people.

"The Healing Saint is truly remarkable. He cured my son's disease of 13 years in an instant. Something that no clergy from any church could heal!!"

"I must make an offering. It's only right to not stand idly by after experiencing such grace."

Hearing about the deeds of the Lebaton family, nobles continued to summon the Healing Saint through Cecilia.

And those who experienced miracles never forgot their gratitude, consistently repaying it.

More offerings.

More capital flowed into the Third Slum District and the Lilia Church.

"We can't just sit on this much money! It would be a sin against the Goddess to let it idle!!"

High Priest Yodel used the influx of offerings prudently.

He circulated official letters to the Lilia temples in the southern provinces, calling for priests with exceptional healing abilities.

The saint couldn't look after the sick by himself forever.

With the priests he gathered, Yodel set up a clinic inside the Mage Tower temple.

It was no exaggeration to call it the empire's best clinic.

All kinds of high-quality medicines and various magic potions were generously provided.

"Only send the critically ill to the saint! Those who cannot be healed by miracles or medicine! The saint needs rest too!!"

A virtuous cycle.

An endless virtuous cycle was in motion.

Everyone was happy.

"Damn it!! Why!! Why!! I wanted to become a corrupt saint clinging to the nobility, so why won't they leave me alone with their curses!! Isn’t it a waste of money?? Tell them to stop donating!!"

Only one person was unhappy.

Saint Amayel, instead of being scorned and abandoned, was now loved by both nobles and commoners.