Chapter 56

[Title: Haha, Successful Expedition]

Author: Western Pioneer

(Various treasure confirmation memes)

Who am I? The world’s number one treasure hunter!

I’ve crossed far beyond Elard, exploring the ancient kingdoms, lol.

Now I’ve arrived in the Adrian Empire and am thinking of selling some items.

Planning to auction them at the capital’s marketplace, so wish me luck!

[Recommended 9999+] [Not Recommended 145]

– Did my hobby finally gain attention!!!

– Wow, you’ve traveled quite far!

– There are so many amazing things!

– I see signs of kingdoms destroyed due to the Great War.

ㄴ (tears blurring…) Con

ㄴ (screaming cat meme)

A few days ago, a post like this went up.

Treasure hunters, explorers, adventurers, etc.

They’ve been gathering treasures while roaming the kingdoms that perished during the Great War.

And they return to the Adrian Empire to maintain their living by selling items at auction…

The problem was the next post from that Gallum.

[Title: What the hell, why is this happening to me]

Author: Western Pioneer

(Inflamed groin lymph node meme)

I’ve got something like a tumor in my groin;

My head is burning like a fireball and my whole body aches—what’s going on?

– Ugh, you disgusting jerk!

– Don’t zoom in, damn it!

– Huh? You too? I’ve felt something weird lately too.

– You ate some weird fruit, didn’t you? Haha.

ㄴ I guess you ate the Fire Fire Fruit.

ㄴ Author) Hahaha, damn, I’m Torch Man now!

– Isn’t this a bit dangerous?

ㄴ But that’s just how treasure hunters roll!

ㄴ You’ve been exploring far, so it’s normal to feel worn, right?

ㄴ A glorious wound, ain’t it?

Given that only the strong survive in this Another World, they didn’t complain about minor injuries.

And since they zoomed in excessively on the groin, I thought it was some new tactical nuke or something.

But that was the warning sign.

It was the initial symptom of the disease known as the Sun Plague—Black Plague.

And that Gallum turned out to be a great medium for spreading a far worse pneumonia-type plague throughout Adrian.

[Title: Yum, Rat Skewers!]

(Rat skewers meme)

Want one?

[Recommended 53] [Not Recommended 42]

– Ugh, damn it!

– What’s the Deputy doing, not working?

ㄴ? Why is this disgusting?

ㄴ Ah, haha, these are Kellierhton folks.

ㄴ In Adrian, it’s considered a delicacy, haha.

– For real, rats are the ultimate food.

ㄴ They give meat, and are easy to catch!

ㄴ Just do a sweep through the sewers, and you’ll catch dozens, haha.

Besides, they ate rat meat in Adrian.

When they couldn’t buy items at the marketplace or were starving, it was like a snack.

The city was littered with rats, and after the Great War, rats became a hot commodity.

Thanks to that, there was no need for fleas or airborne Black Plague transmission.

They had effectively signed up for the Black Plague right now.

– Um, my body hurts…

– My head is so hot; I can’t move!

– Breathing isn’t easy… cough cough.

– Maybe we should go to a church prayer meeting and pray?

– It’s a punishment from God!

– Come to the church, let’s repent through the gathering.

On top of that, there were church gatherings too.

“I’m going crazy.”

It became an environment where the Black Plague just couldn’t help but spread.

“I only know about the plague doctors when it comes to the Black Plague.”

[Shop]

[Category – Medicines / Antibiotics]

But the system knew the answer.

I revived my memories of the old internet and entered the antibiotics tab at the shop.

I knew penicillin was a thing that cured diseases and killed germs; that’s all I knew.

So I thought, maybe if I searched antibiotics, something would come up; I entered it.

[Gentamicin 100mL] – 8 points

[Ciprofloxacin 100mL] – 9 points

.

.

.

“What is this?”

Strange names welcomed me.

Gentamicin? Sounds like some skill that a magician from an RPG would use, right?

But fortunately, the shop had a search function too.

[Please enter the word you wish to search.]

[Searching for the keyword: Black Plague…]

[Results found: Streptomycin, Gentamicin, Tetracycline, etc.]

[Instructions for use and dosage will be included with purchase.]

“Wow, I totally believed in it.”

The system knows better than I do.

The system is God, and I’m invincible.

*

Following the system’s instructions, I bought various items from disposable syringes to antibiotics.

Seeing that the girl I picked up was coughing blood, it was pneumonia-type Black Plague.

In any case, it meant danger.

So, holding a syringe, I entered the room…

“…Just as I thought.”

The girl, in a shabby state, glanced at the syringe and then promptly closed her eyes.

She looked like she had resigned to her fate.

“It’ll sting a bit.”

I said the typical kind lie that doctors do, seized the girl’s arm.

“Eek!”

As the needle went in, she instinctively recoiled, but it was only for a moment.

After administering the antibiotic shot, I pulled out the needle.

And the syringe would not be reused; I threw it into the Rift.

Then the girl slowly, very slowly opened her eyes, looking at her healthy body, and cocked her head.

“Weren’t you trying to kill me?”

“What kind of creepy stuff are you saying?”

Do I look like a medieval doctor to you if I have a headache?

As I pressed down on the girl’s head, her head sank into the bed as if her hands were gripping the blanket.

“This is strange. Usually, humans either expel or kill patients with the plague…”

Surprised by my actions, the girl muttered softly as I stood up from my spot.

I had only treated one person so far.

Of course, I wouldn’t be treating everyone myself, but I had plenty of ways to deal with the Black Plague.

As I connected to the Gallery and was about to go outside, I turned my head and asked the girl.

“By the way, what’s your name?”

“Name? I don’t have one…”

The girl seemed lost in thought for a while, then, as if remembering, said, “Sexual desire?”

“?”

What on earth is this kid saying?

She must have been living in a hell of a concept that not even a typical crush could keep up with.

As I contemplated whether to give her a smack on the head, she quickly noticed and dove back under the blanket.

I stared at her for a moment and then spoke up.

“How about Penny?”

“Penny?”

“I was just throwing an idea since there was no suitable name.”

The girl blinked her eyes and nodded slightly.

There was no special meaning behind that name.

It was merely a name for the girl who was the first to receive an antibiotic injection among the Black Plague patients.

Penny, it was short for penicillin.

*

When one thinks of the Middle Ages, the Black Plague comes to mind, as it truly was a catastrophe.

Fortunately, I had the Black Plague counter, antibiotics, but there was a problem.

“There’s no one around.”

There were no doctors to prescribe antibiotics.

And leaving it to the medieval doctors was out of the question because these medieval physicians were likened to mad scientists researching the mysteries of the human body.

Distributing syringes everywhere was also a hassle.

“Do you think they know their own veins?”

Most probably had no clue about their body structure.

Even the medical practices from just hundreds of years ago were barbaric by today’s standards.

At least I thought so.

– Veins? Are you talking about blood vessels?

– I know the tubes through which blood flows.

– Haha, there must be noob who doesn’t even get that!

ㄴ Head of the Gallery*) Ah.

It dawned on me that these people were from the era of the Great War.

There were definitely more people who had seen corpses than those who hadn’t.

Of course, they were masters of the human body’s mysteries.

So, they would roughly know where and what was in which part of the body.

That made things significantly easier.

I immediately started writing an announcement that would be posted at the top of the Gallery.

[Notice: Hiring Part-Time Help]

Author: Head of the Gallery*

No educational or work experience needed.

It would be great if you’ve participated in a war.

Even better if you’ve seen many corpses.

Good eyesight is essential.

Duties: Traveling to homes to treat those with the plague, lol.

– Damn, that’s asking for death!

– Investigate that disease? That’s a bit much;

– Even if you’re the Head of the Gallery, that seems a little too much for me…

– I can’t die yet; my parents are still around! Sorry!

But the response was surprisingly negative.

Come to think of it, I hadn’t mentioned salary or the existence of treatment.

So I rewrote the announcement.

[Notice: Hiring Part-Time Help (Edited)]

Author: Head of the Gallery*

This disease is called the Black Plague, but I have treatments available, lol.

Priority for treatments goes to hired help.

The job is to travel around homes and treat patients.

Also, protective items to avoid infection will be prioritized for hired help, lol.

Salary is 2,500 mana pills per month.

(NEGOTIABLE, lol)

– Damn, I want in!!!!

– 2,500 mana pills??? That’s insane, hahaha.

ㄴ I have to do it, right???

– Please choose me; it’s been my lifelong wish.

– Truthfully, I love the Black Plague.

– My parents pushed me to do it. I’m applying!

“Got it.”

Priority on supplies and a salary of 2,500? I can’t resist.

But honestly, that 2,500 mana pills, when compared to the past, would be around 2.5 million in today’s currency.

So it’s definitely not something to turn down.

But what I’m doing is facing a contagious disease for the first time in my life, playing the role of a plague doctor.

This isn’t really something I should be excited about.

– I barely earn 500 mana pills a month, and 2,500? Please let me do it!

– I can seriously work with just 5 hours of sleep!

– I just won’t sleep!

– I’m just going to bury my bones here.

– I want to date the Black Plague!

But that perspective shifts when you’re in the Middle Ages.

It was either barely earning 500 mana pills or receiving food instead of mana pills.

Sometimes even those who desperately wanted to work could not find opportunities.

In this environment, 2,500 was an astronomical number.

– So when are you hiring?

– Make it an interview, damn it!

– Why aren’t you posting about hiring when you’re teasing me?

– Head of the Gallery, quickly pick me and make me work like a dog!!!!

ㄴ Head of the Gallery*) ; Aren’t you guys scared of facing the Black Plague?

So, curious about how they felt, I asked…

– If you work under the Head of the Gallery, isn’t it a leap in status?

ㄴ It’s a noble position, but you get paid a lot, hahaha.

– Head of the Gallery, you’re giving out meds, right?

ㄴ For real; items from the marketplace are 100% trustworthy.

ㄴ Without a doubt, whenever something new comes up, you have to grab it.

ㄴ But if Head of the Gallery verifies the medicine? It absolutely cures, lol.

“Seriously?”

Are they trusting me this much?

Maybe they’re not trusting me but are putting their faith in modern medicine and new items.

I pondered for a moment and began drafting a new hiring post.

*

In the impoverished outskirts of Adrian.

Throughout the streets, sounds of wailing and screams echoed with blood running rampant.

People locked their homes tight, and no one dared to step outside easily.

And the same went for any household.

“Her fever won’t go down!”

“She’s getting hotter, how long do we have to watch this?”

Anxious voices rang in my ears.

Edmon wiped his forehead with his hand, sighing repeatedly in worry.

His son, who had just returned from outside, was coughing up blood and suffering from high fever.

It was undoubtedly the Black Plague that turned the body black and killed him, according to the Head of the Gallery.

“Damn…”

Edmon wanted to do something—he would gladly trade his life if he could, but reality told him otherwise.

Watching his son slowly lose vitality and die made him feel like he was drying out more with every passing day.

“Edmon, what about the doctor?”

“He said he’s late. There are too many patients…”

But he knew.

There was a high chance the doctor wouldn’t come.

He couldn’t bring himself to say that as he sat on the wooden chair, trembling his legs.

Knock, knock.

A knock sounded from the door that shouldn’t have been heard.

Edmon’s eyes widened in surprise, and he dashed to the front door to open it.

Even with the plague raging outside, it wasn’t the time to worry about that.

If someone was bold enough to knock on the door in such a situation, then surely…

“Nice to meet you, teacher.”

“Gallery Doctor!”

“That’s correct. I heard there’s a patient here and came to help.”

A man whose body and strength were more than that of an adult male.

There was a calmness about him that showed even the plague didn’t scare him.

“Thank you so much…!”

“Don’t thank us; thank Head of the Gallery.”

They were surely the Gallery Doctors under the Head of the Gallery, who had come to heal the plague.