Ch.129129. Winds of Plague (11)

With guidance from Junon and after investing a considerable amount of time, the medicine finally takes form in Senia’s hands.

When tested on a captured mouse, just a single drop was enough to confirm that it caused a severe rejection reaction.

Of course, how effective it would be in a human body remained unverified, but at least they were certain there would be no side effects.

To explain this, Senia shared the whole story with the Elder.

“Hmm… So this person you mentioned is currently your teammate, and strangely enough, Lumia is under his protection?”

“You understand perfectly.”

“Well, well… What a coincidence.”

The Elder was surprised to learn that the person most deeply connected to Lumia was protecting her, and moreover, was part of this isolated unit and in the basement.

When Junon had brought up the story of the Fenarive baronial family, he hadn’t really believed it.

But as it turned out, it was an undeniable fact.

Now that Senia was saying the same thing, there was no reason to continue doubting.

The Elder quickly ordered the two guards outside to bring Cain.

‘If I had believed from the beginning, perhaps I could have sought his wisdom more smoothly.’

The old man consoled himself with regret as he thought of Junon.

Just then, Senia spoke in an uncharacteristically soft voice.

“Since it’s just the two of us while they fetch Cain… there’s something that worries me slightly.”

“Worries you? I don’t see any issues that could be picked apart.”

“I’m not concerned about the humans from the Empire.”

“Then, are you referring to the isolated unit here?”

Senia shook her head again.

“What I’m worried about isn’t the humans, but the Sirens here.”

“Oh?”

The Elder raised his eyebrows, still not understanding what Senia was concerned about.

With only the Elder and herself present, Senia saw an opportunity to address the issues she had noticed about the Sirens during this meeting.

“The Sirens are currently—”

“May we enter, Elder?”

Unfortunately, the timing was terrible. The two people who had gone to fetch Cain knocked, forcing the conversation to be postponed.

“…I’ll talk about it later. Let’s bring Cain in first.”

“Let’s do that. Come in.”

“Human, enter.”

Upon receiving the signal, the three entered.

But from the moment the door opened, Senia sensed something strange.

The Elder might not have noticed, but they were staying unusually close to Cain.

Moreover, it would have been sufficient to send just one person to bring someone, yet there were two. It was obvious that there would be even more outside.

“I wish to speak with the three of us alone, so please leave us.”

“…Understood.”

Just as expected.

Even if one tries hard not to reveal their inner thoughts, emotions inevitably manifest in actions.

The emotion Senia sensed from them as they reluctantly bowed their heads and left was one of turbulent unease.

‘But I can’t talk about this now.’

What good would it do to bring it up right now? The source of their unease was clearly the presence of humans imprisoned in the basement.

And the Devourers that could attack at any moment. Both issues needed to be resolved to alleviate their anxiety.

“So you’re Senia’s colleague. I’d like a brief introduction, if you don’t mind.”

“I’m Cain, Third Vanguard of Tembris. Lumia and I owe each other our lives. Beyond that, I’m afraid I can’t explain much else.”

“Hmm. I am the Elder of this village. Please be understanding that I too have circumstances that prevent me from revealing my name.”

“Understood.”

With that, the brief introductions ended. Neither had any particular issue with their first impressions of each other.

Both saw no need for pleasantries and wanted to get straight to the point, to the reason why Cain had been summoned here.

A vial glowing with a brilliant blue light.

The conversation began as the Elder extended it toward Cain.

“I heard Lumia has contracted the Lemtert Plague. Is that correct?”

***

By now, the interior of the Empire was beginning to overflow with patients.

What had initially seemed like merely unpleasant spots had now grotesquely covered their skin, causing them pain.

No matter where one went, groans of suffering were constant, and finally, the first death occurred.

“…Horrific.”

Everyone was puzzled when a monster suddenly appeared in the hospital room.

And when they confirmed that a person had died, it was possible to guess the situation even without performing an autopsy.

Who could have imagined that there would be rats emerging from holes in human bodies? No one had dared to even think of such a thing.

Even Dalia, who had been researching the Scourge, only reached certainty after witnessing the horrific end of this disease.

“The temporary name is Scourge, but the official designation will be Devourer.”

These weren’t self-destructing demons but predatory ones.

“Only inform medical personnel with access to knowledge from higher-ups about the action guidelines. If we tell the general public immediately, panic might ensue.”

“But won’t that delay treatment…?”

“If fear spreads, other institutions will be paralyzed as well. I’ll try to create a medicine that can alleviate the symptoms, but until then, absolutely do not disclose this.”

“Understood…”

For now, the truth about the Lemtert Plague must not be revealed.

They needed to buy time for a cure by administering neutralizers to those who had been most closely exposed to the plague and those with severe symptoms.

‘Really… I wondered what they were doing with that structure.’

Despite all the research conducted so far, these Devourers had no digestive system.

These terrible monsters, which didn’t require energy sources but only magical power, slowly consumed humans.

And then the offspring, which had grown by feeding on all the magical power, would grow their bodies with magic and escape by boring holes.

That was the reproduction method of these creatures called Devourers.

‘Muniher… I think I finally understand why you did what you did.’

Without adding any further words, he left the healthy soldiers of the subjugation unit behind and headed back to Utulum Forest after minimal reorganization.

Initially, there was suspicion about why these seemingly healthy soldiers weren’t going along.

But looking deeper, they were all, without exception, covered with the bodily fluids of Devourers, the source of the Lemtert Plague. Those who had completed reorganization and re-entered the forest had selected individuals who weren’t infected, following some kind of directive.

Her husband must have made that judgment after obtaining this information during the subjugation operation.

But what could be done here?

They discovered that Devourers infiltrated human blood through self-destruction, and these offspring consumed magical power, but all they could do was buy time.

If they couldn’t create a cure, it was as good as confirmed that humans would die en masse due to the Devourers.

“…”

[Levrant Academy Student Registry]

She gazed intently at the registry.

Levrant Academy, connected to the oracle confirmed at the temple.

The future of the Empire lay between these two. The meaning of the oracle was content that only those who had fought in the Mirum Decisive Battle could understand.

【 One who has lost everything. 】

The oracle pointed to Levrant Academy with this phrase, and there was a formation drawn there that once protected humanity.

Without a doubt.

Both the shape of the formation and the content of the oracle referred to the power she had witnessed with her own eyes at the Mirum Decisive Battle.

The seventh type of magical power, so ambiguous that it was difficult to classify as magic.

It was a prediction of the appearance of someone with the magical power called ‘Alcaide.’

Biting her lip, Dalia began her research again, wearing protective equipment, as if she didn’t even want to touch that thing.

‘I absolutely won’t let you end up like them.’

She was willing to shed as much blood and sweat as necessary to prevent the past from repeating itself.

***

Originally, I had nowhere to go.

I couldn’t return to the basement, and being human myself, I wasn’t exactly a welcome presence among the Sirens.

But whether it was because of the Elder’s words or because of Chirr sleeping peacefully in my arms, the Sirens merely glanced at me occasionally without causing any harm.

‘It almost feels like I’m getting preferential treatment.’

But no matter what, I’m still human.

Just like my classmates trapped in that basement, and the person whose mistake in haste led us here.

Yet they don’t seem particularly suspicious of me.

The Sirens in this lakeside village seemed confident that I wouldn’t try to harm them, at least. Of course, it wasn’t a relationship of deep trust like with Senia.

“But how did it come to this?”

I’m actually waiting for a mother and daughter right now.

Somehow, Nella, who had been wearing a dissatisfied expression right after the conversation with the Elder ended, pulled this cute stunt.

It’s fortunate that it didn’t become village gossip, but Nella’s mother insisted on repaying her benefactor with a meal.

But in this situation, they ran out of ingredients.

It was just a few minutes ago that she earnestly asked me to wait while she quickly gathered some, absolutely insisting that I shouldn’t come help.

“But this is strange…”

She said she’d just go to the southern forest briefly, but it seems unusually long. Logically, the distance should take less than a minute at full speed, but she still hasn’t arrived, which is suspicious.

This won’t do. I need to move myself.

She might be in trouble.

Just as I put Chirr down and stand up.

-Chirr! Chirrr!

The little one wakes up and starts crying out,

Kuguuguuguuguugu—

And suddenly an earthquake begins.

‘No. This isn’t an earthquake…!’

It’s like the rumbling of something massive breaking through the ground.

I’ve felt this once before. This is…

No way.

It can’t be.

There’s no way that thing would appear here now.

Kuguuguuu—!

It can’t be.

But… as it gets closer, I start to become certain.

Why. Why?!

The gradually subsiding earthquake keeps bringing me a sense of familiarity. This shouldn’t be happening.

Please be wrong!!!

—Kyaaaak!!!

When I reached the epicenter, following the screams coming from right in front.

That massive body, reminiscent of a small mountain, had already bored a huge hole from below.

I uttered just one word.

“Fuck…”

The one that Tembris should have dealt with long ago,

The source of this plague,

The Shanbereshu of the plague,

Why the hell is it here?!