~CHAPTER 44~
* * *
Lindeman Territory in the western region of the Kalrad Duchy.
It was managed by the Lindeman Count Family, one of the Kalrad Duke Family’s vassal households, and served as the center of northern trade.
Merchants active in the north mostly stayed in the Lindeman Territory and traveled from place to place.
Then three weeks ago, a merchant working in the textile business collapsed with a high fever.
Since catching the flu was common in the cold northern region, everyone assumed he had simply come down with a bad illness.
But every time he exhaled, black breath came out, and he died only ten days after falling ill.
That was where the real problem began.
More individuals started showing similar symptoms, increasing rapidly before anyone could intervene, most of whom were merchants traveling all over the northern lands.
By the time the Lindeman Count Family realized the severity and began investigating, the infected merchants had already spread the disease across the north.
This unidentified epidemic was named Black Breath Disease and reported to Aizen.
“Have you identified the cause?”
“No, I am sorry.”
“What is the scale of the damage?”
“More than half of Lindeman Territory’s residents have already fallen ill, and infected individuals are appearing in other places as well.”
The transmission rate was extremely fast, and Aizen frowned.
Because northern climate conditions made epidemic outbreaks very rare, the threat felt even more alarming.
After long thought, Aizen ordered:
“Seal Lindeman Territory immediately and create temporary shelters to relocate uninfected residents.
Isolate all other infected individuals from nearby territories and supply them with food and water.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
“Also declare a state of emergency throughout the Duchy so every resident understands what is happening.”
Aizen prioritized informing the people and preventing further spread.
However, the disaster sweeping across the north was not something easily controlled.
Black Breath Disease slipped through Aizen’s grasp like sand and spread among the people.
Even when their movement was restricted and they were isolated, new cases continued to appear daily.
The most terrifying aspect of the disease was that it affected everyone equally.
Noble or commoner, wealthy or poor, no one was spared.
And those who chose to help others rather than protect themselves were even more likely to become infected.
Eventually, even among nobles, infected cases appeared and the north began to shake.
The Kalrad Duke Family was no exception.
Worst of all, the first infected person within the Duke Family was someone unexpected.
“Tommy, I feel so dizzy.
It’s hard to breathe.”
“Young Master, are you alright?
Young Master! Young Master! H-hey… black breath…!”
It was Matthias.
He had been confined inside the mansion the moment the disease was identified, yet still became infected.
* * *
Hearing of his grandson’s infection, Wilhelm rushed to the Ducal Mansion in shock.
After learning about Black Breath Disease, he had only worried for Aizen’s health, but Matthias’s sudden infection felt like being struck on the back of the head.
“Where is Matthias! Where is he!”
“Your Excellency Kalrad, you cannot go to the Young Master!”
The butler blocked Wilhelm in a panic.
Matthias was isolated in his room and the entire section was sealed off.
Because of the risk, even attendants could not care for him directly.
“You mean that little child is sick alone inside that room?! Move, I will take care of him myself!”
“You must not! The disease is highly contagious and the mortality rate rises significantly with age!”
“So you expect me to watch my grandson die without doing anything? Absolutely not!”
He had already experienced helplessly watching his eldest son and daughter-in-law die.
Ignoring everyone’s attempts to stop him, Wilhelm forced his way into Matthias’s room.
He had at least prepared himself to an extent.
Because the disease was believed to spread through droplets and air, he covered his face with a special opaque cloth and wore gloves.
On the large bed lay a small child, breathing painfully.
Seeing the tiny mouth release black breath tore at his heart.
How could the heavens allow this?
Was taking Michaell and Joslin not enough?
How can they take Matthias too…
Tears welled at the edge of his wrinkled eyes.
Matthias overlapped with the memories of his parents who had wasted away in illness.
If he had been born into another family, he might have lived healthy without ever being cursed and lived happily as part of a warm family.
“Matthias cannot die.
Absolutely not Matthias.”
Gritting his teeth, Wilhelm gently stroked his grandson’s small hand.
“It’s alright, Matthias.
Your grandfather is here.
I will protect you so you won’t suffer.”
He wiped the fevered body with a cold towel and poured small sips of water over his dry lips, caring for him faithfully.
But such efforts were nowhere near enough to cure Matthias.
As his condition continued to worsen instead of improving, Wilhelm sank into despair.
Am I truly powerless again…
During that time, Aizen and Renée arrived and forcibly ended his dangerous caregiving.
Realizing his presence changed nothing, Wilhelm accepted it and gave up after three days.
“I am sorry, I…”
“You did your best, Father.”
Aizen comforted him bluntly, while Renée patted his shoulder with a gentle smile.
“It’s alright.
We understand your feelings completely, Wilhelm.
But you may have been infected, so please move to the temporary shelter and monitor your condition.”
“Very well, Renée.”
Wilhelm left the mansion with heavy steps and moved to the shelter created near the central outskirts.
From that day onward, secondary infections appeared rapidly within the Ducal Mansion.
It became faster to evacuate the uninfected residents than isolate the infected.
Wilhelm was still fine when he left, but symptoms of Black Breath Disease appeared two days after arriving at the shelter.
But before that, Renée, who had gone to the shelter out of concern for him, coughed black breath and collapsed.
“Wilhelm… stay back.
I think I am infected…”
“Renée, stay with me! Renée!”
Seeing his wife taken away was a heavy shock.
Although he soon became infected himself and was isolated in the same place, guilt crushed him, believing it all happened because he stubbornly acted on his own.
As the number of patients grew explosively, shelters became insufficient, and Aizen opened the Ducal Mansion as a quarantine site.
Renée, Wilhelm, and the other infected were transferred to the Ducal Mansion.
Escorted by knights with tightly covered faces, Wilhelm struggled to walk while supporting Renée, black breath escaping with each exhale.
Then a familiar voice shouted loudly behind them.
“Mother-! Father-!”
“…?!”
Wilhelm stopped walking and turned his head.
Beyond the knights, a woman with cloth covering her mouth waved her hands.
Her soft, wavy dark-blue hair and large blue eyes were visible above the cloth.
It was Jenna, who came after hearing the news that they were being quarantined in the mansion.
“Why are you here…”
This was their first meeting since Aizen fainted and they argued.
He thought she had been hurt by his words and would never approach again.
From a small distance, Jenna shouted with a clear firm voice.
“I will definitely make the medicine and save both of you!
So do not worry and please wait!”
“…”
“I promise!”
The situation was too desperate for him to tell her she could not do it.
Wilhelm simply looked at Jenna and nodded silently.
“Please eat well and take care of yourselves.
And if you meet His Grace Kalrad, tell him I am very worried and he must endure just a little longer!”
Jenna stood there, waving and calling out long farewells as the carriage departed.
Afterward, the infected members of the Kreutz Viscount Family were also isolated in the Ducal Mansion.
The only ones who remained uninfected and standing in their positions were Jenna and Aizen.
