Chapter 104: CH 115

Translator: Yonnee

RP: Haebaragi_syk

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The Pluntria Empire, notable due to their magic tools, could be found—in terms of the Earth’s latitude—between 30 degrees north and 30 south.

So, originally, it had a climate that was a mixture of a hot, humid tropical region and a hot, dry desert.

However, thanks to the imperial family who specialized in fire, the empire’s climate was quite mild. This was because the dragonfolk tribe had searched for a suitable place with agreeable weather due to their decreasing dragon power.

In the case of the current imperial family, their source of power was ‘fire’, and the Pluntria Imperial Family had settled down in search of heat. So, they were absorbing the heat that was supposed to be covering the whole country.

“Thanks to this, instead of a perpetual summer, the current Empire has four seasons. This is a better environment for the bubonic plague, but…”

Reina’s brows became knitted together as she scrutinized the report from the Bezak estate.

“The Black Death…”

Murmuring to herself, she swept a hand over her eyes. Then, she took out a piece of paper and a pen, trying to sort her tangled thoughts.

「 Rat fleas → plague bacteria host, spread through rodents. There is an incubation period.

.

.

.

Lymph node infection → Hemorrhagic inflammation causes the lymph nodes to swell and appear in the form of abscesses (bubonic plague).

After lymph node infection, plague bacteria may also invade blood vessels (septicemic plague) → In this case, necrosis occurs. 」

It would take about two or three weeks for the human body to be able to activate secondary immunity. However, the reason the plague had been terribly fearsome in the past was due to how countless humans had died before the secondary immunity could be activated.

That was the very situation that was happening with the patients in the Launcer village. Most did not die within a week, but they couldn’t last past two or three weeks.

“Fortunately, there aren’t any pneumonic plague patients yet…”

Airborne droplets through the air through coughing and sneezing would spread bacteria that would infect others through the respiratory tract, and this was the beginning of a pandemic.

“Damn it.”

She wrote about the memories of her past life as though they’d been planted in her head, but her hand suddenly halted.

「 In the family of streptomycin, chloramphenicol and tetracycline. Or, it could be treated with gentamicin or doxycycline antibiotics.

However, penicillin cannot be used. 」

Setting her pen down, she swept both hands over her gaunt face roughly.

“Again… There’s virtually no treatment method possible.”

Penicillin was the most basic one out there, but it’s currently not available. But even if it was, it wouldn’t be of any use anyway.

Knock— Knock—

“Reina.”

“Come in, Ethan.”

As soon as he was given permission to come in, the door opened and a man dressed in plain clothes appeared.

“Did the discussion go alright?” she asked.

The person who was asked the question remorsefully shook his head. She smiled bitterly as if she already knew that this would be the outcome.

“I’m sorry, Reina. The Utta temple is cooperating only because there’s an official letter asking for their cooperation, but they’re emphasizing that this is a private land of the Utta religion.”

In principle under the imperial law, an individual could not be given the right to own land, only the exclusive rights to use the land. They could also pass this on to their descendants.

In other words, the emperor had distributed exclusive land rights to the nobles, and the nobles would redistribute the land for a certain price. This was the case with House Chantra and the taxable land within their domain.

House Chantra was the secondary owner, while the Utta religion was the tertiary owner. That being said, it was possible for House Chantra to forcibly take away the temple itself and its surrounding land.

‘But then… That’s no different from declaring war on the Utta religion.’

“…In the end, it’s difficult to expect more than concessions at the moral level from them.”

Ethan concluded that this was the best for now. Reina rubbed the back of her neck, exhausted.

“Ethan… Truthfully, I’m not confident.”

Drawing near her before she knew it, Ethan sat down and met her gaze. Reina mumbled quietly, staring straight into his dark eyes.

“The people of the Utta temple, they’re… they’re especially aggressive. Aren’t I just raising a disturbance here?”

Ethan knew Reina’s nature, and to that effect, he also knew just as much as the arrogance of the people of the Utta temple. That’s why he couldn’t easily say, ‘I’m certain that you can overcome it, Reina,’ because that would just be false consolation.

“Reina, I’ll help you as much as I can. My divine power is more powerful compared to the current pope of the Utta temple, so that will surely help.”

On the table, Ethan carefully wrapped a hand over hers and held it.

“Aren’t two heads better than one?”

It was entirely uncharacteristic for him to have said that. Realizing this, Reina’s eyes went wide.

“Ethan… You’ve really changed a lot.”

Words of awe unknowingly slipped through her lips, and at this, the corners of his lips gently tugged up.

“It’s all thanks to you, Reina.”

“What? Me?”

“Yes. My world has changed because of you.”

Light purple eyes looked at their two hands, entwined together.

‘Because of me…’

She never imagined that the day would come when she’d hear this from him. But now that she was here, it felt strange to be experiencing it.

‘I liked Ethan before, I’m sure of it.’

But what she was feeling now wasn’t the same as before. Back then, it was just a vague emotion laced with anticipation and positive feelings, but now…

“Reina.”

As his voice pulled her out of her reverie, Reina looked up at Ethan.

It seemed as if there were many things that he wanted to say, but he uttered only a single sentence as if that alone contained everything.

“Promise me one thing.”

“What is it?”

“Promise me that you won’t put yourself in danger without telling me first, just as you did in the Thurn Village.”

“Ah…”

Would she be able to work through this in moderation without being carried away in a frenzy? Actually, she wasn’t confident.

As though he could read her thoughts, Ethan spoke again.

“To be very honest with you, all I want to do is to take you away from this temple, as far as possible. You don’t have any healing powers, Reina.”

“Ethan…”

“But that’s not something that you want.”

Reina nodded, agreeing. As if he already knew that she would react this way, he laughed bitterly.

“That’s why, you have to know. I’m barely stopping myself from spiriting you away just to lock you up in a safe place.”

Of course, he had no right to enforce anything because he was within the grounds of the Chantra estate.

But what would she be able to do against someone who had power comparable to the dragonfolk? He had the power to blow away an entire kingdom with just the flick of one finger.

“…Thank you for understanding, Ethan.”

“But if even just one thing puts you in danger.”

Perhaps thinking of the worst-case scenario, Ethan grimaced. He gritted his teeth momentarily, then slowly opened his lips to confess his true feelings.

“I will not be able to guarantee anything, Reina.”