In Mushoku Tensei with an A.I. Chip

The laundry list of her symptoms went on for a bit longer and Luke was stunned at how this young woman managed to survive up to this point. By all counts, her life expectancy would be a single digit in a less magical society. Turns out the alchemists and pharmacists in this world weren't totally useless after all.

In truth, diseases and chronic illnesses weren't that deadly in this world. For the rich, that is. With detoxification magic and a hefty donation to the local Millis Church, one could even invite a Saint-rank healer to personally cure your disease. But for the poor, they could only rely on significantly less efficacious tinctures from local alchemists at a fraction of the cost.

Officially, Luke only learned up to Advanced-rank Detoxification magic. This was due to the Millis Church having monopolized Healing and Detoxification magic above that level. 

Unofficially, Luke was confident in treating any mortal and mundane illnesses or diseases with his brand of detoxification magic. That was because chant-based detoxification magic was more of a blanket cure-all rather than targeted spells with surgical accuracy. 

Having a fever? An elementary-rank detoxification magic could wipe out the harmful virus attacking your immune system. 

Ate something bad? Another similar elementary-rank detoxification magic could kill the bacteria that was making a mess of your stomach. 

Intermediate detoxification magic would usually be used for infections from infected wounds or simple poisons. While advanced detoxification magic could treat conditions caused by long term exposure to hazardous material or deadlier venoms. 

The larger amounts of mana being used for these spells is solely due to the need to be comprehensive when targeting more virulent strains of bacteria, aggressive viruses, fungi or parasites. 

Luke didn't need higher-ranked spells or more mana to achieve the same results, because he had the A.I. Chip that could provide an X-ray, MRI, CT scan, ultrasound, PET scan and more all in one. 

With the A.I. Chip he could accurately diagnose the specific virus, for instance, where it is located, what type of disease it is causing, and then use a perfect amount of mana in a flawless delivery method to eliminate it, with a fraction of the mana cost. Luke could even kill cancer cells with just the same amount of mana an intermediate-rank spell would cost. 

However, for Marie, it was a more special case. While she had a laundry list of symptoms and conditions, the root cause of her condition were genetic disorders, not from any specific virus or bacteria. Which meant that Detoxification magic would not be of use in this instance, and Healing magic could only heal the damage her genetic conditions had done so far, but it won't solve the root cause of her problem. 

Did this mean Luke could not cure her? Of course not. Luke had the near-omnipotent A.I. Chip with him. Curing Marie would only be a matter of time.

And it was also in Luke's interest to keep Marie close. He had to hold himself back from exclaiming out loud when he first saw the amount of Magic Power she had. 

Even after downing Cerulean Ocean potions like they were water, he had hit the limit of improvement from that particular brand of magic power raising elixirs. His own magic power now sat at a respectable 453. A third of what Marie had naturally without training. 

This was the difference between a natural talent and an artificial one. Luke had to resort to external aid to reach Saint-rank, but Marie already had the potential to surpass him without the help of any potions. 

Envy? Luke was not envious. For was he not the luckiest bastard in this world already? He had only been a split soul that miraculously survived the infinitely deadly and precarious astral realm. The frail split soul had then somehow managed to enter an unprotected world without a World's Will and was reincarnated with his A.I. Chip fused in his soul. And his reincarnated status was one of the best - son of an upper-class noble in the richest kingdom in the world. 

Fortune displays itself in different ways. Marie might have been born with a prodigious amount of magic power, but without intervention, her remaining lifespan could be counted with two hands. 

Recruiting Jude was good, but if he could bind Marie to his service, it would be even better. 

"I-is there something wrong? You have been quiet for some time, my lord." Marie hesitantly spoke up, as it had been over a minute since Luke cast his diagnostic spell. 

Luke looked back at her and reassured her with a gentle smile, "Nothing to worry about. I was thinking of the best way to cure you." 

"The b-best way? Then it is possible?" She timidly asked. 

"Of course it is possible." Luke answered nonchalantly, "It is just a matter of time. Your condition is tricky, because you are not suffering from a simple illness. Your condition is an inherited affliction. If I had to guess, either one or both of your parents would have a similar constitution as yours. Am I right?"

"Yes, yes! My father, he was also weak and sickly like I was. He passed away ten years ago…" She replied in a mournful tone. Though her father had died ten years ago and she had long since accepted it, the loss of a loved one always left an emptiness in oneself that could only be temporarily forgotten about and not truly gotten over. 

"I see. Then it is likely that you have inherited your feeble body from your father. It is not his fault, it is just an affliction that plagues his family line." 

Marie looked despondent hearing that, "So it is true then? Growing up we heard our family was cursed. That our line would always be born under a black star of misfortune. My mother was also robbed and killed a few years ago…" 

"I'm sorry to hear that," Luke showed an appropriate amount of sympathy before continuing, "I don't know about a curse, but your medical problems are biological in nature, not magical. I can first treat your existing symptoms with Healing magic. With Healing magic your ailments will be significantly alleviated, enough for you to live a normal life."

"But that does not eliminate the root cause of your affliction. The Healing magic is only a temporary stopgap. Slowly, you will find your current symptoms reemerging. It may take years, but it will be inevitable. I will need to do some research and experimentation in order to completely cure your bloodline disorder." 

Marie's eyes watered at his words, too stunned to speak. What he shared with her was not mere words, it was hope. Something she didn't think she could ever have again after spending so many years sick and weak. Tears started falling from her watery eyes. 

"Marie…" Jude muttered with a slight smile. Though he could not comprehend most of what had been exchanged between his sister and new master, Jude was still perceptive enough to understand her tears were not from sorrow - those he had seen enough to recognize by now. 

She looked at her brother, his silhouette in her eyes blurry and distorted from the tears welling uncontrollably in her bright blue orbs, "Brother…" 

Luke looked at this tender moment between siblings and interrupted rather coldly, "Of course, your treatment will not come cheap…"

Jude turned to Luke, mouth slightly agape but was clenched fiercely immediately after, "Jude life yours! Please! Save sister!" 

It was as Marie had expected. There was no free lunch in this world after all. But what could this pair of poor siblings have to offer a nobleman? Jude already signed a contract to work for him, could it be her that he desired? But her body was emaciated and infirm. Would he even be interested in her in that way? As one of the Notos Greyrats, Luke would have his pick of maids that would all be ten times more beautiful than her. 

"We truly don't have much to offer you, my lord. What would someone like you want from us? If it is my body, though this lowly one is ugly and unattractive, I would not hesitate to offer it as recompense."

Luke blinked owlishly, "Uh, I am 8 years old you know?" 

Marie suddenly blushed and sputtered, "O-oh! We-well, I always heard that nobles are- that nobles have peculiar desires…" 

"Pfft!" Said noble tried to hold it in but a snicker escaped. "Perhaps so, but that is not what I want from you, miss Marie." 

Marie forced down her embarrassment though the flush on her face remained, "Then we truly have nothing else to offer you, my lord."

Luke smiled gently, "What I want from you, are your services. You see, I detected something interesting when I examined your body earlier. Did you know that you have quite a large mana pool? The largest I have seen, other than my mentor - and he is a famous King-ranked magician himself." 

"M-mana pool?" Marie was now genuinely confused. 

"I will spare you the explanation on mana and magic for now, but suffice to say, you have an incredible potential for learning magic." Luke explained. "So in exchange for my curing your genetic- I mean, your bloodline affliction, I want you to learn magic under me and subsequently work for me as a magician."

Marie's jaw slackened. Just when she thought she couldn't get any more surprised today, the nobleman dropped another bomb on her. Hearing that her sick body could be cured was already overwhelming, but to think she was now being told she had the talent to learn magic? She pinched the skin of her forearm to make sure she was not dreaming. 

"But it will be different from your brother's contract. He has an exit clause in his agreement that allows him to resign after five years of service, and if he decides to leave earlier he will only need to pay back the cost of his training. I am afraid you won't have that luxury."

Luke leaned forward to emphasize his point, "What I am asking from you, Marie, is that in exchange for curing you, I want your eternal loyalty. A lifelong devotion to no one else but me. Is that agreeable?"

Put in another context, his words would have sounded more like a marriage proposal or wedding vows. 

"I accept!" She instantly answered.

Was it agreeable? Marie didn't even have to think twice about it. The boy, no, the young man before him was offering her a chance to reclaim her life back. A lifeline for a future that was infinitely better and far brighter than the short and miserable one that would have awaited her otherwise. She would be certifiably insane to say no!

In truth, hearing his terms laid out plainly and clearly also helped her make her decision. If Luke had acted like a charitable good samaritan that offered the world without asking for anything back, Marie would have been more suspicious of a catch that would show itself later. 

Curing her affliction and teaching her magic in exchange for her loyalty? It was an incredibly fair and generous exchange, and that was something she could trust. 

"Or as my brother puts it, Marie life yours!" Marie followed up with a bright grin even while her eyes were still marred from her tears of joy. 

Luke's smile widened, the sibling pair were rather cute. 

"Excellent. As a show of good faith, I will first treat your symptoms with Healing magic."