Moriarty the Patriot (憂国のモリアーティ)

Our son's fever isn't coming down.

He's having trouble breathing, too. I fear that if this keeps up...

Please, I beg you! Help my son!

What's all this fuss about, then?

Please, your lordship! My son is ill!

Then you should take him to the doctor in the village.

But, your lordship, the village doctor is not in tonight, due to his daughter's wedding.

So if I could prevail upon the doctor here...

You expect my attending doctor to treat your son?

B-But, your lordship, my son is likely to die!

So what if he is?

It's none of my concern what happens to lowborn folk like you.

Burton, I employ you for your skills as a gardener.

But if you mean to trouble me any further...

Your lordship, I beg of you, as well--

A Rare Breed

Pardon me, but could I trouble you for directions to Goetsbeck Manor?

Goetsbeck Manor? You wouldn't happen to be the maths teacher

we heard was coming to the university, would you?

Well, yes. You knew about that?

You're out in the country now, lad.

When an outsider comes to town, word spreads quickly.

On top of which, you come from noble stock,

but you still teach at the school. Quite the odd duck.

Not hearing about you would have been more peculiar.

Peculiar, you say?

You'll have to cut that one some slack. That girl, Michelle, hates aristocrats.

After all, the viscount here as good as let her son die.

Ah, Brother! You sure took your time.

I was wandering the streets of the village, and found myself lost.

That sounds like quite the ordeal. How about we have some tea?

I'll go and get it ready.

It feels as though I've finally come home.

"Come home" is a bit out of place, isn't it?

Other than the quick inspection we made when we purchased the residence,

this is your first time coming here, right?

Indeed, this is no more than a temporary residence,

chosen because of its proximity to the university.

But regardless of where it may be,

any place where I can drink your tea is home to me.

Oh, that reminds me...

Brother, this came for you.

The Viscount of Belfor?

Yes. It seems he's the lord over this whole region.

He would like to have us over for dinner when we have the chance, would he?

Albert is going to be arriving tonight, right?

Yes. He is finishing up his current job,

and said he would come to see how everything was.

I see. Then let's all three of us accept his invitation.

Well, I must say,

Lord Moriarty, I am delighted to have you and your whole family around my dinner table.

I hope that we, as fellow noblemen,

can enjoy each other's company for many years to come, as well.

Yes, as do I.

Tonight is a positively smashing evening.

I believe I will drink up.

Your lordship, that is plenty.

Hmm? Is it?

Also, it is just about time for your lordship's medicine.

Is something the matter?

Oh, just a spot of heart trouble.

Your heart?

Oh, there is no cause for alarm. Not as long as I have this.

And that is...?

They call it quinine. It was originally a drug for malaria...

...but from what my personal doctor says, it's also effective with heart ailments.

Ho?

As it happens, this quinine is homemade.

The plant they make it from, quina, is grown here in my conservatory.

Lord Belfor, is horticulture one of your interests?

Hmm, in a sense. Collecting rare plants is a hobby of mine.

Indeed. And this hobby of yours has yielded unexpected benefits.

Oh, if you are so inclined, after dinner, would you like to see my conservatory?

Yes, by all means.

What do you think?

This is truly a sight to behold.

The plants gathered here have different habitats and growing methods, but they are all rarities.

However, the one thing they all have in common

is that rare breeds can only spring from the seed of rare breeds.

People are quite the same.

Don't you agree with me?

Yes, but when you have this much, it must be a lot of work tending to them.

Oh, no, I have a fine gardener, you see.

See? There he is.

That man takes care of everything in here.

His name is Burton, and he's not a very considerate chap,

but he is quite handy when it comes to gardening.

Through the sweat of those of lower status, the noble stock blooms.

This conservatory is a veritable microcosm of our society!

I have an idea! How about we have a tea party here sometime?

It will feel as though we are taking in paradise.

What do you think you're doing?

Who else besides you and me lives here?

And yet you set places for three.

I had a dream.

I dreamt our boy was crying because he was hungry.

Even so, what good will carrying on this game of house do?!

You're right. No good will come of it.

Nothing at all, now.

In light of this being our first class, how about we end things here?

That was a good lecture, and easy to follow.

Still, I can scarcely believe our new maths professor is so young.

Honestly, I'm astounded.

He must surely be quite brilliant.

Would you mind if I joined you?

Who are you?

The name is William James Moriarty.

I recently moved here to teach mathematics at the university.

You're a college professor?

What does a bigwig college professor like you want with me?

I saw the conservatory at the Viscount of Belfor's residence the other day.

I understand you take care of it for him.

Yeah, that's my job.

I expect it is no easy task to raise so many rare varieties.

It is truly stunning.

I'm glad you like it.

Someone with skills such as yours

could put them to use in the botanic gardens of London, could they not?

Hmph, what a load of bollocks. My father, and his father,

served as gardeners for the viscount here.

Which means I do, too.

We were born here, and here is where we die. That's the sort of life we live.

That's the sort of life you live, you say?