The Source of the Plague (1)

“Damn, there really isn’t a moment’s rest.”

Right after I finished the first day of preliminary matches, I immediately headed to the slums with the knights sent by Riya.

To be honest, I was exhausted, but time was of the essence right now.

We had to clearly identify what kind of power the man called the calamity of disease and demons possessed, or else we couldn’t establish any proper countermeasures.

“If I give you the signal, you must run away no matter what.”

Just before arriving at the slums, I spoke to the knight order commander walking by my side.

However, he shook his head as if the idea was absurd.

“That is not possible. Her Highness the Princess told us to protect you, Count Clay, at all costs.”

“No, please, I ask that you do as I say. I’ll explain things to Her Highness.”

“But…”

“If you really think my life is in danger, you can help then. But at least, when I give the signal, please fall back.”

“Uh, understood.”

When I spoke firmly, even the knight order commander had no choice but to relent.

Since the enemy was the ‘calamity of disease and demons’, he posed no great threat to me at least.

But that wasn’t true for everyone. No matter how accomplished a knight might be, they couldn’t defeat illness.

[Someone like me can overcome disease, though.]

‘That’s because of Divine Blood, too.’

[Divine Blood is actually derived from the level I’ve attained, you know?]

His smugness was annoying, but I had nothing to say. He wasn’t wrong.

‘Come to think of it, there are slums even in the capital of the empire.’

Considering Draig was the capital of the empire, I thought perhaps there wouldn’t be any.

But the brighter the light, the darker the shadow.

The slums of Draig felt all the more miserable, standing in stark contrast to the splendor of the imperial palace.

“Hm, I must’ve shown you an unpleasant sight.”

The knight order commander murmured, perhaps embarrassed by the wretched state of the slums.

“No, it’s fine. More importantly, let’s start searching.”

“We’re looking for the doctor in black, right?”

“Yes, that’s right. The one wearing a goblin mask. I don’t know if that’s his real name, but they say he’s called Edward.”

“Understood.”

The knight order commander nodded silently and began directing the other knights.

‘According to Monet, the children trusted him.’

While the knights gathered information separately, I moved, recalling Monet’s words.

‘It’s hard to track his location by profile since there aren’t any proper items.’

Of course, searching by people’s profiles wasn’t easy either. Due to a lack of information, I had no choice but to wander the slums blindly.

At that moment, I spotted a woman walking hand-in-hand with a child.

I quickly approached her.

“Excuse me, may I ask you something? Do you know anything about a doctor who wears a goblin mask?”

“You mean… Doctor Edward?”

“Yes, that’s right. Do you know where he lives?”

“Um, well…”

The woman hesitated, glancing at my clothing.

So I put on a gentle smile and placed a gold coin in her hand.

“If you head straight east from here, there’s a ruined bell tower. That’s where Edward lives.”

As soon as she received the gold coin, she began to share what she knew, her hesitation vanishing as she smiled.

‘East? Ah, there it is.’

Luckily, the bell tower was visible even from here.

I immediately gathered the knights, told them to be on guard, and approached the bell tower.

It was quiet near the bell tower.

I slowly opened the splintered wooden door, revealing a dark interior. It was hard to believe anyone lived here.

“Is anyone there?”

My shout echoed through the bell tower, and only then did I sense someone’s presence.

“A guest, I see.”

Like a grim reaper, a doctor dressed in black emerged from the shadows.

He gazed at me silently, then continued in a calm tone.

“I’m sorry, but it’s rather difficult to receive guests today. I’m quite busy, you see.”

He slowly turned his back.

It was, essentially, an order to leave.

“How dare you!”

As expected, the knight order commander was greatly offended and tried to step forward. It was far too rude an attitude toward a noble.

“Commander, please calm yourself.”

“But how can a mere doctor behave like this?!”

I stopped the knight order commander from advancing, my gaze on Edward’s back.

To check his profile.

‘My god.’

And I was appalled.

Riya had been right.

The calamity of disease and demons, Edward, possessed a unique power.

An outrageous one at that.

“… A mere doctor, you say?”

At the commander’s exclamation, slowly, the calamity of disease and demons—Edward Williams—turned around.

“I believe I already told you.”

His face, faintly visible in the darkness, was hidden behind a smiling goblin mask.

But as his palm brushed past, the mask transformed into a mask of a furious goblin.

“I am very busy.”

Ssssss!

“W-what…?!”

From under Edward’s robe, thick green smoke began to seep out.

Seeing the commander’s shock, I shouted urgently.

“Hurry and get out of the bell tower!”

“Y-yes, sir!”

The knight order commander urgently signaled the other knights to retreat from the bell tower.

“I can’t just let you go. I don’t wish to be exposed, after all.”

The smoke, like a living creature, chased after the knights running outside.

But just as the smoke was about to touch them—

“Hmm?”

I dashed toward Edward, driving my sword through his head.

‘Just as I thought, it’s useless!’

As I pierced through his head, his body completely dispersed into smoke, then reformed some distance away.

“… I’m certain the smoke touched you. How are you unharmed?”

“Who knows. I wonder myself?”

According to what was written in Synopsis, his disease could not be cured.

But as expected, Divine Blood perfectly blocked his power.

“……”

Edward stared at me in silence, then turned into smoke.

I wondered if he would chase after the knights, but the smoke seeped down through the broken floorboards.

‘What is he planning?’

I readied myself, waiting for his next move, but oddly, nothing happened.

[Looks like he ran away?]

‘What?’

Sure, my power wasn’t affected, but would he really flee that quickly?

‘Either way, it’s a relief. If we’d fought, not only the knights but the whole slum might have suffered immense damage.’

Heaving a sigh of relief, I checked Edward’s profile, which I had glimpsed before.

No matter what I did now, there was no way to track him. The best I could do was review the information I had just gained.

==

〈Edward Williams〉

Age: 38

Gender: Male

Role in the Story: Angel of the slums (fake), first calamity (villain)

Abilities: Knowledge of pharmacology (specialized in disease and poison), medical arts (specialized in disease), Calamityfication [Disease]

Special trait: A doctor known as the angel of the slums. He has lived in the slums for a long time and enjoys deep respect.

But his true identity is the first calamity, the ‘calamity of disease and demons’.

==

Just as I suspected, Edward was a calamity.

Overall, his profile reminded me of Riya, whom I had seen in the mountain range, but there was one difference.

That was the ability he had used earlier to turn into smoke.

Calamityfication.

==

〈Calamityfication [Disease]〉

Can turn one’s body into smoke. Whoever comes into contact with this smoke can be afflicted with diseases or poisons created by the user.

Maximum duration: 30 minutes.

Depending on the time used, the user may fall into a deep sleep for up to two days.

==

‘I’m at a loss for words.’

If he suddenly turned into smoke and attacked, how many could evade it?

And merely touching it meant a fatal injury—it was a truly overpowered ability.

‘With Divine Blood, I have nothing to worry about, but…’

Indeed, as long as I had Divine Blood, I didn’t need to fear Edward’s attacks.

The problem was, as just experienced, I had no way to deal meaningful damage to him either.

‘So that’s why I needed that sword.’

The sword wielded by the statue of Raivan Asktalin, the founding emperor of the Asktalin Empire—Genova, the Sword of Man.

Now I had a definite reason to obtain it.

“C-Count Vanhart! Are you all right?”

Once the smoke vanished and the place grew quiet, the knight order commander, who had fled earlier, returned with a terrified expression.

Even a tough knight like him had been shaken by what had just occurred.

Well, if someone suddenly transformed into smoke, who wouldn’t be?

“I’m fine. It seems he’s fled, so let’s search the bell tower for now.”

“A-as expected. Now I see why Her Highness ordered us to follow your lead, Count.”

Unlike before, the knight order commander now regarded me with deep respect and promptly obeyed my orders.

It was a bit much, but there was nothing bad about it, since he listened well now.

“Count! I found something here!”

Several hours into the search of the bell tower.

A knight brought me a bundle full of something.

“Ah, it’s just candy. Sorry.”

Inside the bundle were vibrantly colored candies.

After checking the contents, the knight scratched his head, thinking it was nothing of importance.

“No, you did well.”

“Pardon?”

“This is what I was looking for.”

The very candy Monet had received from Edward.

Of course, this was no ordinary candy.

==

〈Crystal of Disease〉

Created by the calamity of disease and demons, Edward Williams.

Contains a special contagious disease crafted using all of Edward’s medical knowledge.

Primary cause in spreading the epidemic in the imperial capital, Draig.

Upon ingestion, develops after an incubation period of three days, with death occurring within two days of onset.

==

This candy was, in fact, the omen of calamity itself.

* * *

It was late evening by the time I returned to my lodging.

As soon as I got back, after disappearing right after the contest, Count Ribina greeted me with a somewhat displeased look.

“Count Vanhart, even if you won your matches easily, you should at least get some rest.”

“I had an errand to take care of, so I couldn’t help it.”

“An errand? What kind of errand could you possibly have in the empire…?”

“It was a request from Her Highness.”

“… From Her Highness?”

Once Riya Asktalin was mentioned, even Count Ribina could only groan, unable to say more.

“Haaa, very well. But remember, you haven’t fully cleared the preliminaries yet. Remember, you still have two more matches on the last day.”

“I was planning to rest all day tomorrow anyway.”

“… I see. You must be tired. Sorry for holding you up.”

Given that he was the chaperone, it was understandable he’d be concerned about me wandering off alone.

After finishing my conversation with Count Ribina and returning to my room, this time I was greeted by Monet, who looked very upset.

“Master! If you finished your matches, you should rest quietly and recover your stamina. Where did you run off to this time?!”

“I was going to spend tomorrow resting and maybe tour the capital with you.”

“You should be resting in the lodging, not wandering around!”

“Oh, right, I heard there’s a famous omelette rice place nearby in the empire’s capital.”

“… What?”

Monet absolutely loves omelette rice.

Unsurprisingly, Monet stopped scolding me at those words.

“How about I treat you tomorrow? It’s been a while since we went shopping together.”

“W-well, I guess going out to eat with you after so long doesn’t sound bad. And eating good food is a form of rest too, so…”

After rationalizing thoroughly, Monet meekly nodded.

“All right, master. Then I’ll go pick out what to wear for tomorrow!”

Maybe thinking about the omelette rice she’d have tomorrow, her cheeks flushed a little, her expression brightening.

‘… Sorry, Monet.’

I sent a silent apology to Monet, who was cheerfully tidying up my bedding and wishing me a good night’s sleep.

* * *

The next day.

As promised, Monet and I dressed up and went out to explore the imperial capital.

“Master.”

It was about thirty minutes after Monet, cheerfully following me, suddenly froze.

“… This isn’t the omelette rice place, is it?”

Staring at the scholars in white and the crowd of mages in front of her, Monet turned pale.

Standing at their head was Princess Riya Asktalin.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep