Chapter 46
7. Saintess
Plague.
The terror of death, unstoppable by humans, swept across the entire empire.
Of course, this world had basic epidemic control measures.
Infected people were quarantined in separate zones, and travel was restricted.
The imperial knights moved swiftly because the origin of the disease was not far from the palace.
“Close the gates. We must not let the disease enter the palace!”
However, infected cases soon appeared within the palace itself.
“They died after three days of constant diarrhoea and vomiting.”
“Healthy people dried up like paper…”
Everyone shivered at the gruesome sight, and rumours began spreading from a corner of the palace.
“Isn’t Lady Ruweiz suspicious?”
“The western district is adjacent to the Ruweiz estate, yet no one there is infected. How does that make sense?”
“Did you hear? Someone dumped something into District 4’s well and disappeared.”
“I heard that rumour too!”
“But there’s no proof it was Lady Ruweiz, is there?”
“With this much circumstantial evidence, it’s obvious! She’s called a villainess for a reason. Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.”
Of course, some argued back.
“Why would Laura do such a thing? She’s finally being recognised as the Crown Princess and settling into her position…”
“Exactly! What gain would Lady Laura get from this? Besides, she’s wise and kind enough to have resolved the banquet incident. Someone like her would never commit such evil deeds!”
People from the royal kitchens, and even—
“What utter nonsense…”
Asher spoke up.
“If not getting infected is suspicious, shouldn’t I be on the suspect list too?”
Different voices defended her from different places.
But Asher’s was the strongest.
“If these slanders against Lady Ruweiz don’t stop, I will punish them for treason against the royal family.”
As per their contract, he was protecting his fiancée.
However, rumours spread rapidly in secret corners.
That Lady Ruweiz must be driven out, that she was the source of all evil, and that expelling her would resolve everything.
No one knew how or why these words started, or what they were based on, yet they spread like wildfire.
“I’m sorry. I tried to stop it, but…”
Administrator Müller lowered his head apologetically.
“The rumours are spreading too fast. Someone must be deliberately fuelling them.”
Asher ground his teeth but took deep breaths to remain calm.
“Don’t worry. I will never send you to such a dangerous place.”
But my thoughts were different.
“Someone has to go to the site anyway, right? And since so many people are recommending me as field supervisor, wouldn’t it be fitting for me to go?”
“What are you saying… This is nothing like your previous tasks. Don’t you know what this disease is? You could die! Your body would be sent far from the capital and burned without even a proper funeral!”
Of course that was true.
“But the greater the risk, the greater the reward, isn’t that how it works?”
High risk, high return.
Most importantly, this disease—
“Somehow, I feel like I can solve it.”
“What…?”
It wasn’t just a baseless claim.
My microdust had said so.
‘I can solve this problem.’
٩(`·ω·´)و
Since the god of this world confirmed it, wasn’t this a prophecy too?
“So I’ll go.”
It was also a chance to raise my curse purification rate, which had stagnated at 41%.
✦✦✦
Thus, I arrived on site.
“As you can see, the situation is dire.”
Just as the field officer waiting there said, it was disastrous.
I followed him through the treatment centres, with imperial knights trailing behind me.
“All patients show the same symptoms. They die from dehydration after repeated diarrhoea and vomiting. Even the strong are no exception.”
Existing treatment buildings were overflowing with patients.
With no space left, they set up tents as temporary treatment centres, but those too were filled to capacity.
Most patients lay only on blankets spread on the floor due to lack of proper beds.
“Thanks to His Highness’s grace, we’ve avoided immediate crisis, but patients keep coming. We don’t know how we’ll manage going forward…”
The imperial supplies barely kept them afloat, and food and medicine would soon run out.
A few physicians treated patients, but they were far too few.
Most caregiving fell to family members, and those without family were left unattended.
Fear of contagion even made blood relatives turn their backs.
“What’s with those lemon peels hanging there?”
“They’re fragrances. Families brought them.”
“…Fragrances?”
The bearded man scratched his head awkwardly.
“We thought fresh scents might help them recover…”
Looking around, I saw similar things everywhere.
Some people burned herbs to create scents.
‘Do they believe in miasma here too?’
Miasma – the theory that disease came from dirty air.
“…Get rid of all that. Those don’t help symptoms at all.”
In fact, they only blocked the physicians’ paths.
“But there’s nothing else we can do.”
The officer spoke with hesitant pity.
“This disease is surely divine punishment. People are dying without any clear cause or origin. Shouldn’t we let them find some comfort at least?”
He meant well, but—
“Divine punishment, my foot.”
What nonsense.
Gods did exist in this world, but they weren’t behind this.
‘If gods were that capable, they’d have sorted out my and Seraphina’s issues long ago.’
Why else would I be suffering like this?
– God Rudina rebukes your blasphemy.
‘Hmph, what can you even do?’
All it could do was send messages.
-(оﾟдﾟо)
That was the end of my conversation with microdust.
“Mark my words. This disease will be conquered within a fortnight.”
“Huh?”
“What nonsense is that.”
“Aren’t you overpromising?”
The officer was aghast, and even the eavesdroppers around us were shocked.
“That’s too reckless a statement.”
They didn’t want false hope.
“I can do it.”
I was confident.
This disease was cholera.
A plague with established treatment and prevention in history.
✦✦✦
Cholera kills by causing fatal dehydration through constant diarrhoea.
‘But with oral rehydration, lives can be saved.’
Oral rehydration solution isn’t a cure, but preventing dehydration was enough to save patients.
And its preparation wasn’t hard.
Mixing water, salt, and sugar in the right ratio was all it took.
‘At least it’s not something like the Black Death that needs antibiotics.’
The problem was lack of ingredients.
Salt could be bought at high prices, but sugar was a luxury only nobles used.
Even with money, acquiring it in bulk was hard.
‘Though that’s only true in normal circumstances.’
“Shirin!”
– Oh, wise brilliant messenger bird Shirin, at your service, ready to deliver the world’s news—
“Please shut up.”
Behind Shirin, bereaved families were weeping.
Like a deflated balloon, Shirin quieted instantly.
“Send a letter to the Ruweiz estate, addressed to Marsha. She’ll handle it.”
Strictly speaking, it would be DinDin, the merchant lord who ate up both Marsha’s letters and my money, who handled it.
He was the only one with enough salt and sugar in stock.
‘Thank goodness he’s obsessed with money.’
If DinDin had been a shameless opportunist, he would have attached conditions to his supply.
But all he cared about was amassing gold coins.
As long as he was paid enough, he was satisfied.
People even joked that if DinDin couldn’t get you something, you probably didn’t have enough money.
After sending Shirin, I spent time identifying the infection route and spread pattern.
In short—
‘It’s epidemiological investigation.’
Cholera is waterborne, spreading rapidly through contaminated water, so identifying and cutting off the source as soon as possible was critical.
“Where is your permanent address?”
“Why do you need to know that?”
“Don’t make me ask twice.”
“…I used to live by the coastal tourist zone.”
“Wrong question. Tell me where you’ve been and what you’ve done in the past five days.”
“How do you think you’ll stop a disease that couldn’t be stopped 15 years ago? Are you just asking to look busy?”
“You insolent fool! Answer properly!”
When an imperial knight drew his sword, they obediently complied.
Even people dying from disease feared a sword.
There were some odd reports.
‘Who comes all the way from another village just to drink this village’s water?’
But eventually, I succeeded in creating an epidemiological map.
‘Found it.’
The well on the western side of the capital.
That was the source of infection.
