It was clearly a human voice, but there was no strength whatsoever. It sounded like boiling phlegm.
-Don't be fooled. It may not be one.
-Yeah. It could be an act to make us let our guard down.
-I will call the warriors.
The two guardsmen exchanged glances and gestures, urgently calling out to the surrounding warriors.
Thud thud!
"Save me, save me!"
The soldiers of the Royal Guard began to tense up a little at the sound of footsteps dragging their feet and the completely incomprehensible words.
A short while passed like that. Finally, a faint shape appeared in the burning fire of the brazier.
"...."
Even the highly trained guardsmen were startled by the grotesque appearance of the being, which was either human or monster, and took a few steps back.
"I'm… I'm… hungry!"
A monster in the shape of a human.
There wasn't a single hair on his head.
Her face was swollen and puffy, covered in blisters. No, not just his face, his entire body was covered in blisters. Except for the areas covered by the leather clothing, the areas where the blisters had burst were covered in red blood and pus, regardless of the limbs.
"stop!"
"If you don't stop right there, I'll attack!"
Two guardsmen stood in front of the monster, spear tips outstretched, shouting warnings. However, the monster in the shape of a human, half out of its mind, continued to approach with its desperate eyes and its two hands waving.
"I'm… I'm… hungry!"
At that moment, the SS soldiers who had received the request for support rushed in in an instant, and the SS soldiers who had first discovered the monster shouted urgently.
"It doesn't seem like they have any intention of attacking us. For now, just don't kill them."
"Okay, just subdue him."
Suddenly, the guards surrounding the human-shaped monster began beating it mercilessly with their clubs.
Thud! Thud! Pfftpfft!
The monster, who had been lying on the floor, clutching his head with both hands and screaming in pain, suddenly lost consciousness and became quiet.
* * *
I was sleeping in the temporary barracks when I received a report of a 'heavy snowstorm' and headed to the scene of the incident.
The torch-bearing guardsmen saluted me and moved away. The monster man who had been reported to the floor was lying on the ground with blood pouring from his head.
"I'm not dead yet."
After hearing the words of the 'fierce wolf' who was at the scene, I couldn't help but frown upon seeing the state of the man who was called a monster.
"Damn it! Everyone back off! This guy has a contagious disease."
At that shout, the guards surrounding the monster man became commotion for a moment and quickly retreated. I also stayed away from the monster man and quickly gave instructions to the 'Heavy Snowstorm' and the Royal Guard warriors.
"Any SS fighters who subdued or made contact with this man are to be separated. And right now, every SS fighter is to be thoroughly washed with emergency soap."
"Understood, Your Majesty the Emperor!"
As if they realized the seriousness of the situation, 'Heavy Snowstorm' moved quickly. After a while, the commotion died down.
The 'Honest Bear' who finished bathing first and the guardsmen who were escorting me were watching from afar.
"Your Majesty the Emperor! Are you alright? We are guarding Your Majesty the Emperor closely."
I warned him again, sharply.
"Never enter that line until I give you my order."
"Understood. Your Majesty the Emperor!"
From behind, the dead voice of the 'Honest Bear' could be heard. I was still deeply troubled and continued to examine the man with the contagious disease.
I don't know exactly what contagious disease this person has. However, just by looking at the symptoms on the skin, you could tell right away that it was a serious infectious disease.
'The blisters have completely engulfed my skin.'
It definitely wasn't the leprosy I knew. But it certainly wasn't measles, smallpox, or the Black Death. This is truly the first time I've seen such an infectious disease.
I raised my head and checked the monster man's status window with my mind's eye once more.
[The River That Returns Far]
[Affiliation: Sun Tribe of the Extinct Prairie, Herbalist]
[Alignment: Calm, Passionate about treating patients, High potential to grow into a great herbalist.]
[Ability]
Stamina: 11
Strength: 8
Agility: 5
Wisdom: 21
[Intermediate Non-Combat Skills]
Herbal Medicine (14/20)
As a herbalist… . It was a job I had never seen before. In addition, there were skills that only I had, influenced by the game system.
Herbal medicine is also an intermediate non-combat skill.
'It means that you can cure patients with herbs.'
Just by looking at the skill name, you can immediately guess what kind of ability he has. And the potential is enormous.
How much potential does one need to have to become a great herbalist? In my opinion, the monster man was an exceptional talent that was not commonly seen in the world.
'hmm!'
So I wanted to save this monster man. However, trying to save interest could have resulted in the deaths of the SS warriors from an unknown infectious disease.
My special ability, "Treatment", is once a day. In the meantime, the worst-case scenario could have occurred, with the epidemic spreading unchecked and the SS soldiers left without any treatment.
Because the infectious disease's ability to spread is so terrifying. Finally, after much deliberation, a decision was made.
'Save me.'
I approached the monster man lying on the floor, seemingly dead like a corpse. And as he put his hand on his chest, he heard the urgent voice of the 'stubborn bear'.
"Your Majesty! What are you doing? Are you saving that freaking man?"
Knowing that the 'honest bear' was a word that came from his loyalty and concern for me, I just focused on treatment.
'therapy!'
In that moment, the sacred, transparent light that flowed from my hand permeated the monster man's body. And so the monster man's transformation began.
The wounds healed quickly, and the blisters all over his body hardened as if shedding their skin, and fell off ceaselessly like dirt peeling off his body.
[Tiring!]
[All illnesses cured.]
Finally, all of the monster man's treatments are finished.
'You look pretty clean after the treatment.'
The bald head was still there, but the overall appearance was refreshed. And he looked younger than I expected. Early twenties or so.
After a brief moment of reflection, he called the guardsmen to try to move the still unconscious man, but stopped. Just in case, there might still be infectious bacteria left in this person's body, I thought it would be better for me to move it myself just in case.
I reached out with both hands and lifted the man up gently.
"Don't come near me. You might catch an infectious disease."
"Your Majesty the Emperor!"
The 'Honest Bear' and the guardsmen followed behind, looking restless.
* * *
The next day. I slept in a shabby barracks with a man who called himself a monster. No, I stayed up all night nursing this man.
"My breathing is comfortable and the treatment is over, so why don't I wake up?"
Even though the day had already dawned, the 'River That Returns Far' had not yet woken up. At that moment, the sound of a 'heavy snowstorm' was heard outside.
"Emperor Ruins! I brought you food."
"Leave it at the entrance."
Just in case, I was living in strict isolation with the SS warriors.
"What happened after that?"
"Yes. It has been quiet all night. However, as instructed by His Majesty the Emperor, we are continuing to investigate this city, focusing on the warriors who came into contact with the monster man."
"Yeah, did you find anything?"
I left the curtain at the entrance to the barracks and 'Heavy Snowstorm' continued their conversation.
"Yes. Luckily, I found the dwelling where the monster man was staying, and I was also able to find a blacksmith shop where bronze was smelted."
Unlike yesterday, my income was okay.
"Okay. I'll come and check later. And I don't think I can stay here for long because I'm anxious. Get ready to leave right away at noon. And by the way, don't forget to keep the SS soldiers who came into contact with the man in the barracks isolated until I can treat them."
"Understood, Your Majesty the Emperor!"
After the 'heavy snowstorm', which had given me some instructions, subsided, I got up from my seat and went to get some food from the entrance to the barracks.
The food is exactly enough for two people. I sat down and took a bite of the corn porridge that was assigned to me along with some soaked beef jerky.
At that moment, the man on the bed looked around the barracks with a bewildered expression, as if he had just woken up.
"Where is this place?"
I left the spoon in the bowl and walked up to the man and said,
"I see you've finally come to your senses. How are you feeling?"
'The River That Returns Far' stared blankly at me and habitually put a hand on its body. However, there were no large blisters to be had on hand.
He opened his eyes wide in surprise at the 'river that returns far away' and kept touching his body to check.
"There are no blisters. There aren't any blisters. What's going on?"
I forgot that I was there and started laughing like crazy, shedding tears of joy and ecstasy as various emotions welled up in me like 'The River That Returns Far Away'.
"Hahaha! I finally cured this terrible infection."
I couldn't just sit still and wait.
"I cured that plague."
"yes?"
Once again, the 'River That Returns Far Away' blinked its eyes and stared blankly at me.
"how?"
"That's a bit long to explain. By the way, I don't remember anything about last night."
'The River That Returns Far' was lost in thought and his face changed from moment to moment.
"First, eat something, and then we can talk when you calm down a bit."
"...."
I handed over the food I had brought as his share to 'The River That Returns Far'.
"Come on, eat. There's a lot I want to hear."
"Oh? Yes, thank you."
As if it had been a long time since he had seen warm food, 'The River That Returns Far' began to eat corn porridge and beef jerky in a hurry.
After a while, I was able to hear from the 'long-coming river' who had calmed down somewhat about the city and his story.
"You must have had a hard time."
"…yes."
"Now we are going to leave this ruined city. Think carefully and decide whether you will stay here or follow us. Well, I will see you later."
When I got up from my seat because I had some urgent business to attend to, 'The River That Returns Far Away' knelt down on the floor and expressed his gratitude.
"Thank you so much for healing me and saving me. I will never forget this favor."
"Think about how you can repay that favor."
"yes?"
I chuckled and went out of the barracks.
* * *
"Your Majesty the Emperor! The smell of rotting corpses is terrible."
"I've been here twice, but I still can't get used to it."
The warriors who came into contact with the 'River that Returns Far' stopped by the earthen house where he stayed with me.
Herbs that I was not familiar with were hung all over the walls, completely dried. And just as he had said, five corpses, all infected with the disease, were lying neatly in a corner.
'Hmm! This is a perfect place to spread the disease.'
The city of the sun, once bustling with people. One day, an unknown epidemic struck and took people's lives. The high priests performed countless human sacrifices, claiming it was punishment from God, but the epidemic did not subside.
The epidemic did not discriminate between men, women, old or young. When two-thirds of the city's population died from the plague, those who remained began to flee the city.
The herbalist 'Far River' stayed in the city with his master to find a cure for the plague, trying to cure the less than a hundred people left.
But, it ultimately failed. The master died three years ago, and the girl who survived with him until the end also died a month ago.
Now, the 'River of the Long Return', left alone in the city, had found us after waiting for the day of death with only herbs to delay the spread of the disease and little food left.
I couldn't help but become serious again as I recalled the story of 'The River That Returns Far Away'.
'Maybe this will become our reality in the near future.'
They were gradually preparing for the epidemic to prepare for the European invaders. But that wasn't enough. The process of domesticating wild buffalo and turkeys could have introduced previously unseen infectious diseases.
I was once again shocked and deeply enlightened by the epidemic that broke out in this city.
'We need to come up with a plan from now on.'