Chapter 16
“Master, we’ll be arriving soon.”
A few days later, Ludiana and her companions headed to Brno.
Compared to the eastern Pianus territory, it was a shorter distance, but even so, the journey to Brno by carriage took at least four days.
Moreover, since young Irene and Ludiana were traveling with them, the party had to move more slowly, which delayed them further.
“Look! I can see the walls!”
At the knight’s words, Irene leaned out of the window and shouted. The towering city walls looked as majestic as those of the capital.
But it was strange: even though the sun was still shining high in the sky, the city gates were tightly shut.
As the carriage neared the walls, a group of men blocked the road.
“Whoa, whoa—.”
The Pianus coachman carefully reined in the horses.
“This is the carriage of the Duke of Pianus. Open the gates.”
The captain of the Pianus knights rode forward to confront the group.
“I’m very sorry, but no matter that it’s the Duke’s carriage, we cannot let anyone pass without inspection.”
An elderly man bowed respectfully as he explained.
“What is the meaning of this?”
The knight captain’s calm but imposing voice rang out.
To dare stop the Duke’s carriage—if their reason wasn’t valid, they would be forced to pay with their heads. His very presence conveyed as much.
Flinching under that pressure, the men dropped to one knee.
“There is an outbreak of plague spreading through the surrounding lands.”
‘Already this far?!’
Inside the carriage, Ludiana gasped and pressed her face closer to the window.
“A plague…?”
The knight captain repeated in shock.
“Yes. That is why all entry and exit from the territory has been blocked.”
One of the men paused, glancing uneasily at the Pianus carriage.
Whoever had given such orders had made the right decision. If the plague had not yet reached Brno, blocking movement mattered more than trade.
But even so, barring the Duke’s passage was no small matter. If any noble here chose to execute them on charges of insulting nobility, no one would question it.
“Conduct the inspection.”
Allen opened the carriage window and gave the order.
“Thank you!”
The men hurriedly stood and began checking everyone present—examining their eyes and temperature.
At last, they approached the carriage and carefully opened its door. The elder at the front suddenly recoiled in shock.
“L–Lady Rosellin?”
“Robert?”
At the sound of her name, Rosellin’s eyes widened and she responded.
After exchanging a few words, Ludiana’s party was cleared by Robert and directed toward Roembec Castle.
The streets on the way were utterly empty. The sight shocked Rosellin, who had always spoken of Brno’s lively charm and beauty; now she stared blankly out the window with a stricken face.
“It’s been a long time, Lady Rosellin.”
At the castle, an elderly woman came forward to greet them.
“Emma….”
Tears welled in Rosellin’s eyes as she saw her. Emma too sniffled, dabbing her eyes.
“Shall we go to the drawing room? I’ll bring some tea.”
Rosellin nodded, and Emma smiled warmly as she led the way.
“You mean you received no word of this?”
Once seated in the drawing room, Ludiana’s group questioned Robert, the head of Brno’s merchant guild, and Emma, the head maid.
“No, we feared something might have happened to you on the way….”
“No one would dare attack trained knights of Pianus,” Carlo, standing beside Allen, said sharply.
“It was likely not men, but the plague,” Robert muttered, eyes lowered.
Robert, as the leader of Brno’s guild, was currently responsible for maintaining order in Roembec Castle. With no lord present, most servants had fled, leaving the place managed almost entirely by him and Emma.
“The plague from the east has already spread this far?”
Ludiana asked in disbelief.
Normally, it should have been impossible for it to reach Brno so soon. Originating in the eastern mining regions, the plague spread only through contaminated water or the saliva of the infected.
At this time of year, the mines would still be in operation, with little outside traffic….
‘How has it reached here already?’
“Well…”
Robert glanced at Rosellin for permission. Catching this, Rosellin gave a faint smile.
“It’s all right. Speak freely.”
“The Emden guild went in haste to collect gems. Normally they would not have gone now, but with Roembec separating from Nurnbern, they rushed.”
‘Ah…!’
The Emden guild belonged to Nurnbern, but after Rosellin’s marriage to Jonas, they had operated from Brno for its geographical advantages.
But after her divorce, they had to abandon Brno, and so they went one last time to collect gems from the mines.
Transporting goods over long distances cost dearly. Jonas, ever calculating, had them set out from Brno, closer to the mines, to save on shipping costs.
‘Even after taking every one of Roembec’s lucrative rights… all for mere transport expenses!’
Ludiana bit her lip until it reddened. She had not foreseen this consequence.
“The plague must have spread widely then….”
Rosellin spoke weakly.
“Yes. Every village the Emden guild visited is already infected. Nurnbern, realizing the danger, ordered the guild not to return and closed its borders.”
‘Hah…!’
“And where is the Emden guild now?”
Ludiana’s small hand trembled.
“We barely stopped them from entering Brno. They are camped in the western forest, waiting for rescue.”
“They’re camping with gems in the forest?”
Ludiana asked, eyes wide.
“No. The gems have already been taken back to Nurnbern. Only the workers remain, waiting for aid.”
“What?”
Carlo let out a derisive laugh.
Rescue, in name only. In truth, Jonas had abandoned Emden’s laborers to die in the forest. That was just like him.
“So the western forest… our knights must be there too.”
“Yes, since we returned by the southern route instead.”
Carlo nodded at Allen’s remark.
Brno lay southeast of the capital. The direct route passed through the western forest, but it was rough terrain, so Ludiana’s party had taken the southern road.
“There are no infected within Brno itself?”
Rosellin asked, worried.
“Infected townsfolk have been isolated.”
“……”
A heavy silence fell over the room. It was Ludiana who finally broke it, her voice calm.
“Is there a Burva tree grove within the territory?”
“The Burva tree…?”
Her unexpected question puzzled Robert.
“My mother once said there is one inside the city, but only a single tree. Burva trees are native to Brno, are they not?”
“Yes… that’s true. There is a large grove north of here, about an hour by carriage.”
Ludiana nodded and turned to Allen. Their eyes met; he looked away and spoke.
“Could you guide us there tomorrow? This young lady, Ludiana, can prepare a remedy for the plague. It’s too late today, the sun will soon set.”
‘This child—barely ten years old—knows how…?’
Robert stared at her in astonishment. But given the Duke’s words, he dared not voice doubt, and merely nodded solemnly.
“Understood.”
“B-but first, you must be weary from the long journey! Perhaps you’d rest in your chambers instead of such grim talk?”
Emma, who had been sitting with a somber face, spoke brightly.
“Yes, let’s.”
Allen glanced at Rosellin.
“…Yes.”
‘I must make the cure.’
Ludiana went to bed early to rise before dawn and set out. But worry and unease kept her from sleep.
‘I know the treatment thoroughly… I remember the research papers from my past life. It will be fine.’
The divorce between Jonas and Rosellin had already accelerated the plague’s spread exponentially. Their choice had triggered a butterfly effect that no one could have foreseen.
They had to flee Nurnbern to survive… but the guilt weighed heavily.
Turning from side to side, she brushed the hair falling across her face behind her ear and brooded.
‘The problem will be the dosage….’
