069. Gray Plague (5)
Dasha. She is one of the most powerful people in a secret agency comprised of only the most elite informants.
So up until now, I was feeling a little confident that there was nothing to be afraid of as long as it wasn’t Dekaron Knight level.
However, the young prince, whose Auror activity was at the level of a squire, was staring at her and waiting for her every time she came, which was truly astounding.
“Welcome, Dasha. “Do you have any new information?”
It’s even more infuriating to just stare at someone without even knowing what they’ve done!
Dasha looked annoyed for a moment, then briefly bowed and quickly began reporting.
“The Academy students were freed from the hands of the plague doctors thanks to the intervention of Sir Francis. I stopped the bloodletting treatment and underwent egg removal surgery by imperial palace doctors. “He has not yet regained consciousness.”
You’re still alive after all. thank god.
“They say that if it had been a little later, his life would have been in danger due to blood loss.”
Damn Lyora’s quacks!
But the report that followed was unexpected.
“Actually, while I was conveying the message you gave me to Your Majesty, I heard a surprising fact from the Intelligence Department. “The plague discovered in the court was not the first to occur yesterday.”
Not the first time?
“This plague has been discovered here and there on the island from time to time for several months now. “It is said that it is mainly spreading to people who live alone, so the early symptoms are not known.”
“A few months ago?”
“yes.”
Dasha’s eyes deepened slightly as she nodded.
“This was already being called [the gray plague] within the intelligence community.”
Gray Plague.
The name was given because the skin of the affected person’s entire body turns a strange gray color.
Because it mainly appears in elderly people living alone, vagabonds, and people with existing illnesses, it has never been discovered in the early stages. This is because most people suffer alone in a corner for several days and are only discovered one day when a completely changed person appears.
The strange disease, reported by an inquisitor several months ago, was first discovered after a villager reported that an old villager had been cursed and had gone mad. He was an old man who lost his son and wife and lived alone. He was a normal person who suddenly appeared with a strange headache after a few days.
When the Inquisitor was dispatched after receiving the report, the old man was drooling from his mouth and his eyes were completely unfocused. He could not speak or understand, and the skin on his entire body turned gray, stiff, like dried leather, and he walked stiffly as if he were a wooden doll.
He eventually died less than a week later, unable to eat or drink.
Since that incident, reports of a crazy person who has often turned gray have come from all over the capital. At first, they thought it was a curse from a demonic species and immediately imprisoned it at the Heresy Tribunal for investigation, but in the end, no evidence of a demon was found and they came to the conclusion that it seemed to be a mysterious plague.
Seongjin, who heard that far, tilted his head.
“You don’t know the early symptoms? “How do you know they have the same disease?”
“One of the inquisitors who investigated the case happened to observe the students’ procedure.”
Dasha unconsciously nodded at the prince’s valid point, brushed away her hair that was falling in front of her, and continued her explanation.
The Inquisitor noted that the discolored skin on the students’ chests was similar to the changes in the skin of patients with the Gray Plague.
He also recalled that pieces of hard stone of similar shape were found in the same location in the chests of patients who died from the plague. In other words, the stone fragment is presumed to be a monster egg that has become calcified over time.
ah. Suddenly, Seongjin realized.
You’ve dissected all the people who died from the plague so far.
“Furthermore, the priests say that the recently discovered monster egg had the same feeling as the stone fragment. As you know, Prince, aren’t priests very sensitive to the energy of evil things?”
Francis said that too.
They say you can tell whether it’s a demon species or not just by feeling it. And you said that the monster’s egg and Bantra Moss’s larva had the same feeling.
“So what are the measures?”
“Apart from what is discussed at the Holy Assembly, it is said that a dedicated task force will be created according to the orders of His Majesty the Holy Emperor. It is said that a large number of inquisitors, exorcists, and related experts will be deployed. It is said that the official name of these mysterious creatures will probably be [Monsters]. “This is all a result of the prince’s message.”
“… … .”
Well, it’s subtle.
When it comes to measures, they are measures, but for some reason I didn’t feel the will to actively solve something. Rather, I feel like since things have come to this point, I should now react like this.
Wait a minute, this guy… … .
Seongjin furrowed his eyebrows, but Dasha added in a slightly excited tone, unaware of his speed.
“This is all thanks to the Prince and Sir Francis who took the initiative to find the cause of the disease early.”
“You seem happy.”
“Why not? I achieved quite a lot in just one day of becoming a dedicated informant. “This is what it means to say that work is rewarding.”
Dasha shows her white teeth and shows her cool smile.
“Oh, and here is a message from His Majesty the Holy Emperor.”
Father?
“He says [you can do it if you want].”
What on earth?
As Seongjin was confused, Dasha gave a subtle smile as if she knew.
* * *
That time.
There were people who were in great confusion due to an unexpected situation.
“It’s a big deal. “It is said that members of the imperial palace extracted seeds from students at the academy.”
“I heard. So suddenly… “How on earth did you find that?”
An old man and a young man, whispering together, were wearing white Orthodox priest’s robes. Even in the darkness, the pattern of the main deity engraved on the clothes is clearly visible.
Among them, an old priest groaned, holding his head with both hands.
“It was a mistake. I think we may have been sowing too indiscriminately in the joy of the approaching harvest. It’s my fault.”
“It’s not like that! It’s not often that prisoners without Auras or divine powers who are suitable for seeding arrive. Who would have known in advance that the prisoners imprisoned in the Heresy Tribunal would be smuggled out to the Tribunal in just one day? “Don’t be too hard on yourself.”
“That’s right… … .”
And the two people let out a long sigh at the same time.
“So what happens to the harvest now?”
“But now Brother Clemens has gone to see the bishop about that matter.”
“Then let’s pray together until you return. I hope you can complete your task safely. Bethelah.”
“Bethelah.”
——————
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The two priests stood there and began to pray reverently.
As time passed, a young priest with a tired expression came up to them. It was Clemens who went out of the imperial palace to meet the bishop.
And the news he brought was even more troubling.
“They say it seems like someone accidentally tried to sow to the imperial knight. When it was discovered, the seeds of the academy students were exposed. “The bishop was very angry.”
“Well, that…” … !”
The old priest’s face turned blue.
“What kind of idiot would sow to a knight of the imperial palace? Unless you were planning to get caught by the Holy Emperor! “Didn’t the Bishop clearly say that no matter how many seeds you plant for Auror users, they will never bloom?”
“So, I am now on my way to check with the helpers outside the palace. But they only sowed to vagrants and drunkards. “Those with high auror activity claim that they were not even touched.”
“How dare you turn away when there are consequences!”
The old priest, whose face turned red for a moment, soon made the sign of the cross and chanted softly to control his mind. Bethelah.
“Whew. Anyway, it already happened. “What does the bishop say?”
Clemens frowned at the old priest’s question.
“First of all, if Seonghwang doesn’t make any special moves, he told me to proceed with the plan as is. Even if we start investigating now, it will take quite a while to find out anything.”
“Are you sure the exorcists will be okay?”
“It would be difficult to conduct a full investigation there as well. Originally, they did not have enough manpower, and they said that they had recently taken on some of the work of the Inquisitors who were sent to the southern front.”
Then the young priest spoke in a worried voice.
“It is unknown. Who is the leader of the exorcists? Isn’t that the ghostly Leander? “They will definitely sense this and try to interfere.”
“The plan was to keep in mind that it would be discovered after some progress had been made. Of course, if this is not possible, we will have to bring the harvest a little earlier, even if preparations are insufficient.”
“Going forward, is that possible?”
Clemens’ eyes glowed earnestly at the old priest’s question.
“I met another brother of the Forgotten Church here not long ago. “If we can get his cooperation, it will be a little easier to accomplish the task.”
* * *
-You can do it if you want.
The true meaning of Seonghwang’s ambiguous message was confirmed the very next day.
After breakfast, Seongjin was about to run out to the training ground with a nutcracker, but stopped when he saw an unfamiliar man in the lobby of Jinju Palace.
‘… who?’
At that moment, Masain was standing in front of him. It looked like he was welcoming a guest, but he sensed Seongjin’s presence and turned around with a slightly embarrassed expression.
“Lowering… … .”
In that unusual atmosphere, Seongjin carefully examined the man in front of him.
He was a pale, middle-aged man wearing a gray uniform that was almost black.
Aside from the color, his clothes resemble the uniform of the Knights of Saint Aurelion. Unlike the Aurelion Holy Knights, which were white with a red sword and red shield engraved on them, they were different in that they had dark clothes with a silver sword and intersecting silver hooks engraved on them.
The man had a face as hard as a dried old tree, and his cold expression looked extremely insensitive, comparable to that of Seonghwang.
He glanced at Seongjin, placed his hand on his chest, and bowed in a stiff posture.
“Meet the Third Prince.”
A cracked voice, as if dry vocal cords were being scraped out.
He was a man with an air that somehow made people feel uncomfortable just by being in the same place.
“This is Sir Leander, leader of St. Terbachia, sir.”
Masain spoke softly.
Terbachia Holy Knights, one of the five Holy Knights.
Sir Leandros, the leader of the knights and the leader of all exorcists.
Why did he suddenly come to Jinju Palace in search of Mores?
-Sooner or later, an exorcist from St. Terbachia will visit the Pearl Palace. This is just for advice, so don’t worry too much. If you give me information about the ‘monsters’ you know, it will probably be of great help to them in their work.
Katrina had said that before, but I had no idea that the director would come in person.
‘Plus, this person has a strange feeling… … .’
Seongjin looked closely at Sir Leandros. However, I only feel a vague and stuffy feeling that is difficult to describe.
what? I don’t know, but why do I feel so uncomfortable?
Seongjin wasn’t the only one who felt a strange energy from him.
[What is this guy? Something a little strange?]
‘Where?’
[It’s hard to pinpoint where, but something is strange.]
What on earth do you really know?
Anyway, one thing was certain. This man is one of the few Holy Knights allowed to enter the Jinju Palace by the Emperor.
“Are you a guest visiting me? Then, lead the way to the drawing room, Sir Masaine. “Let’s talk slowly there.”
Seongjin glanced at Masain, who was now visibly restless, and took the lead toward the living room.
And after a while.
Seongjin found out why the knight commander came to visit him in person. The [monster] situation was changing rapidly in just a few days.
“Under my leadership, we have established a new task force dedicated to [monsters], with the Holy Knights of Tervakia as the main players.”
The man explained in a dry tone.
Seongjin also already knew this information through Dasha.
“We are inviting here experts from all fields who we believe will be helpful in [monster]-related cases, including exorcists, professors from the Theological Academy, and members of the Plague Council.”
After saying that, Leandros’ dry gaze briefly turned to Seongjin’s face.
“From what I heard, I was able to confirm the reality of the [Gray Plague] thanks to the prince’s knowledge and insight. Also, in the Diggory Manor incident, he personally cut down the monster and provided detailed information about it.”
I had a feeling that this was going to get me into some troublesome trouble.
Masain must have felt the same way, as she glanced at Seongjin with eyes trembling with anxiety.
Either way, this dead tree-like man just continued to say what he wanted to say.
“So, currently, within the Holy Knights of Tervakia, there is a prevailing opinion that instead of just asking for advice from a talented person like the prince, you should directly enlist him in a task force dedicated to monsters. Therefore, this Leandros respectfully requests [the duty of a noble man] from Prince Mores.”
“ah… … .”
Masain sighed softly.
The duty of a noble person.
Just like 1st Prince Owen leading his soldiers through the battlefield at the forefront of the southern front.
Just as 2nd Prince Logan leads the young Holy Knights to eradicate the sea creatures from all over the continent.
Now, he tells the 3rd prince, Mores, to work as a member of the monster task force and help protect the capital.
This is exactly what Seonghwang said.
“… “Dear, [the noble man’s duty] is just a façade that is pleasing to the eye, and has no particular coercive power.”
Masain joined in from the side with a nervous look on his face.
“Your Majesty has not yet recovered from his fever, and has only just mastered squire-level swordsmanship. It’s still early. “It is never too late to take your time and decide slowly, so please consider it.”
If it had been him, he would have scolded and yelled at him first and then cracked down on him.
Perhaps because he had told Seongjin not to cross the line yesterday, Masain was now dissuading him in a tone that was close to ej*cu!ating.
‘Yes, there is no force.’
So, isn’t Seonghwang telling you to do it if you want to do it?
‘but… … .’
Seonghwang, who always warned Seongjin not to cause trouble, said, “You can do it.”
Moreover, Seongjin was caught by a strange premonition and stared into the stark eyes of Sir Leandros.
A sense of déjà vu that if I refuse, I don’t think there will be any good results.
A vague feeling of anxiety that you might miss something important.
The premonition that led Hunter Lee Seong-jin, who was not in the ranks of the strongest from the beginning, to remain as the last man standing, still holds a strong hold on him.
Seongjin was unconsciously nodding towards Leandros, and at the same time, deep frustration appeared on Masain’s face.
fantasy,
