Chapter 79

Episode 79

#79. Divine Power of the North (2)

An epidemic swept through the Northern Region. It was unprecedentedly fast and deadly.

But, the witches who should have stopped it were in no better condition.

They could only helplessly watch as the epidemic spread.

The pride of the northerners, which had soared high like spices, fertilizers, ceramics, and paintings, plummeted.

The paradise-singing morale of the north hit rock bottom.

Especially after a bell-ringing witch visited, the epidemic broke out, so the northerners’ view of witches was more hostile than ever.

“Any reaction from the Kingdom Alliance? No word from Sigma who infiltrated Badenheim?”

Khanbraman, the crown prince, asked Karaso, the prime minister, while reading a report on the current state of the north.

“They haven’t even grasped the situation in Badenheim yet. It’s too sudden.”

For once, the prime minister replied with a gentle smile.

Inside the palace, the atmosphere in the Spring Palace where the crown prince usually worked was as warm as its name.

Khanbraman sat on the silver chair below the golden throne, symbolizing his regency, overseeing state affairs.

“The Crown Prince, the northern relief army has just finished preparing for departure.”

At that moment, a royal knight approached from the entrance of the grand hall, knelt down, and reported.

“I see.”

After hearing the report, the crown prince put away the documents he was reviewing.

It was to personally see them off.

The empire decided to send one legion to the north.

The army wasn’t named an expedition or punishment force but the Northern Relief Army.

Because it was setting out under the pretext of aiding the northerners suffering from the plague.

Richard, a superhuman comparable to a Swordmaster and champion of the royal family, was the commander-in-chief of this relief army.

‘I hope nothing happens while Richard is away.’

This was Khanbraman’s own gamble, sacrificing his and his father the emperor’s safety.

“To Richard, I will bestow the battle-axe myself. This golden axe enchanted with all sorts of magic made by the mage tower.”

There was Valkyrie and Sun in the north, but he wasn’t particularly worried.

The north was already in turmoil due to the plague, and the plague didn’t discriminate between soldiers and knights.

In such a situation, it was impossible for just two superhumans to fight against the entire imperial army.

“Your Highness, Archbishop Theresa will arrive shortly.”

“Yes, the archbishop must attend. When she comes, we can move together.”

Moreover, this time the church also sent a large number of paladins and high priests in support.

The pretext and power were perfect.

This was a war they couldn’t lose even if they wanted to.

“But… doing this means we can’t make the entire north a direct royal territory.”

He felt uneasy in some ways, rather sticky. It felt like hard work done for others.

“There’s nothing to be done.”

Khanbraman sighed and stood up from his regent’s seat.

The waiting servants approached to check the crown prince’s attire.

“Your Majesty! Your Majesty!”

Just then, a courtier rushed into the grand hall.

‘Majesty?’

That courtier was calling Khanbraman, the crown prince, ‘Majesty’ far too disrespectfully.

“Majesty!”

“…?”

The courtier running in was the head attendant managing the emperor’s bedroom.

“The late Emperor Goite passed away just now. From this moment on, Khanbraman Goite is the sovereign of the empire.”

“!!”

“Long live the Emperor! Glory to the Thousand-Year Empire!”

The head attendant cried out with tears streaming down.

“Long live the Emperor!”

“Glory to the Thousand-Year Empire!”

“Long live the Emperor!”

“Glory to the Thousand-Year Empire!”

Then, like dominoes, cries celebrating the birth of the new emperor echoed loudly throughout the grand hall.

“This is… my father has finally passed away… what a tragedy for the empire!”

Even though the crown prince had become the emperor, he wore a sorrowful expression.

“…”

“…”

But the ministers and courtiers in the grand hall clearly saw that Emperor Khanbraman’s eyes were smiling.

“Hurry and prepare the funeral for the late emperor and get ready for the coronation!”

Khanbraman calmed the ministers and spoke.

“And delay the departure of the relief army.”

Anyway, the north was already suffering irreparable damage now.

It wouldn’t matter much if they moved a bit later.

“After the late emperor’s funeral and the coronation, I, Khanbraman, will personally lead the relief army to the north.”

No matter how important the northern expedition was, it couldn’t compare to the late emperor’s funeral and his own coronation.

“The northern expedition will be my first personal campaign. Increase the scale even further!”

He immediately sat on the golden throne above.

Although he hadn’t undergone the coronation yet and couldn’t wear the crown, he could sit on the throne.

‘So this is it! This is it!’

Khanbraman looked down at the grand hall he used as an office while sitting on the throne.

Everything looked fresh.

‘Finally… Finally, I’ve become the emperor!’

The position of regent and emperor are completely different.

The noble council, the church…

No one dares to challenge the authority of the emperor.

Though not absolute imperial power, it wasn’t weak either.

If the emperor jokingly said “die,” one would at least have to pretend to die.

“What is this nonsense! Suddenly delaying the departure!?”

Just then, Archbishop Theresa’s cry was heard outside.

She entered the grand hall quickly, her face filled with confusion and excitement.

“We can’t suddenly do this… Ah…!”

Just as she was about to argue, she saw Khanbraman sitting on the golden throne and swallowed her words.

“Your Majesty.”

Then she bowed her head to show respect, having instantly understood the situation.

“I’ll hurry… prepare for the coronation…”

Theresa said that and left the grand hall immediately.

Khanbraman’s crimson pupils burned with joy like never before as he sat on the throne.

Here in Arcadia, soap had existed for over a hundred years.

Thinking back to the Golden Age, it had been around much earlier, but anyway…

Unlike Earth’s medieval times, this world luckily had a basic concept of hygiene.

Thus, whether in the scorching southern lands or the freezing north, people generally used soap when bathing.

“Of course, this is based on the standard of people living comfortably.”

I said while looking at the medical kit I had finally named “Duke’s Care.”

“Thanks to you, sir, more northerners will use soap now. We’ve succeeded in mass production. Moreover, it smells good too.”

Mary beside me said while putting soap into the medical kit.

Puff~

Her mouth held a short pipe filled tightly with mana cigarettes.

“Why are you smoking if you’re not a proper witch?”

I looked at Mary curiously.

Of course, unlike on Earth, mana cigarettes in this world don’t harm the body thanks to mana, the cheat code.

Rather, they’re very beneficial for those who handle mana, especially magicians.

“It boosts my magical power, doesn’t it?”

But somehow, seeing this enthusiastic female employee smoking mana cigarettes right in front of me like this wasn’t quite pleasing.

“Then why don’t you smoke yours?”

Apparently unaware of my feelings, Mary instead looked strangely at me for not smoking mana cigarettes.

“Would you smoke mine?”

She blushed slightly and handed me the pipe she was holding.

“I don’t need it.”

I politely declined her offer.

“If you don’t need it, why not?”

Mary asked in a slightly dejected tone.

“For me, 2nd circle mana is enough. I’m not aiming to excel in magic.”

Though I gave that excuse, I had bad memories of cigarettes from Earth.

My father was a heavy smoker and passed away from throat cancer because of it.

Moreover, my mother suffered from lung cancer due to secondhand smoke and endured hardships until her final days.

‘That’s why I never touched cigarettes on Earth. I even deducted 20% from job interviews if the applicant smoked.’

Due to this trauma, no matter how healthy mana cigarettes were, I couldn’t feel attached to them.

“Hmm…”

Realizing I didn’t like it, Mary quietly extinguished her mana cigarette.

“Why?”

“Huh?”

But staying silent here would make me seem like a grumpy old man.

“Go ahead and smoke. What’s more important than mana for a magician?”

Though just words, I gave Mary an expression saying it was okay.

“R-really? Then…”

Tiiik,

Mary lit her mana cigarette again with a bright smile.

Hoooooo~

The refreshing smell of the mana cigarette carried by the wind brushed against my forehead.

“…Let’s get back to work.”

Giving up, I decided to focus on the task at hand.

“Yes.”

Mary also focused on the work with the pipe in her mouth.

Currently, Mary and I were helping with the packaging process on the factory production line.

Of course, the two of us working here doesn’t really help much.

Not causing any hindrance would be fortunate.

‘It’s symbolic. Symbolic.’

This is purely for show.

When the country is in crisis, showing a formal kind of noblesse oblige.

Would there be any idle employees in Arad Workshop if the inheritor baron and the company president are seen working directly on the production line?

“Sir, the sketches are all done.”

Just then, a painter standing nearby cautiously approached and reported to me.

“Is that so?”

After receiving the painter’s report, I finished wrapping up what I was doing and stood up.

On the opposite side, Mary was still focusing on packaging, exhaling cigarette smoke.

“Then, let’s head to Factory No. 8.”

“Yes.”

“Keep up the good work, Mary.”

“Alright~ Please give my regards to Manager Te.”

As mentioned earlier, this was all for show.

‘Now that I think about it, I haven’t had my portrait or profile picture drawn despite countless drawings.’

Soon, paintings created by our painter will be hung all over the workshop.

Paintings depicting me, Arad Jin, working alongside the employees at the lowest level.

“By the way, a letter arrived via Winter Hawk just now.”

Just as we were about to move for the next shoot (?), Mary hurriedly spoke.

“Letter? From whom?”

“Valkyrie Knight and High Knights will return to the High City within two days.”

“Did they catch the Bell Witch?”

“It seems not. They’re probably visiting to have the magical devices you made repaired.”

“I see. Alright. Mary, finish your quota and return to the office.”

“Yes.”

Though a dire crisis enveloped the north, High City and Arad Workshop remained busy yet peaceful.

Arad Medical Kits are divided into two main types.

One is “Duke’s Care,” a first aid box for general household use.

It contains this world’s version of red antiseptic liquid, powdered cold medicine, ointments, soap, bandages, herbal medicines with pain-relief and anti-inflammatory effects, hemostatic powder, and digestive aids. There’s also a manual printed using Arad’s hastily constructed printing press.

The other type is the “Blessing of Lenslet,” a specialized medical box. In addition to the contents of Duke’s Care, it includes liquid disinfectants, immunogens, penicillin-class antibiotics along with syringes.

All these are the culmination of Arad’s MAX-level skills in alchemy, healing arts, and herbology.

Designed for mass production with the materials and infrastructure of this era, it’s the essence of life extension.

“Alright~ Let’s go!”

Priestess Dorothy of the Lenslet Order said as she administered an injection to a patient’s arm.

Scattered around her were at least thirty boxes of the expert-grade medical kits called “Blessing of Lenslet.”

Aside from the medical kits, stacks of separately distributed immunogens, cold medicine, antibiotics, and syringe boxes lined the walls like a fortress.

“Ughhhhh!”

“It’s okay. It’ll sting just for a moment.”

She repeated the same words countless times, skillfully administering injections mechanically.

To exaggerate a bit, she could do it with her eyes closed now.

Gone was the inexperienced Dorothy who trembled and left bruises on patients’ arms when she first started.

“All done!”

After finishing the injection, she stood up.

‘Creak creak!’

Having treated and cared for patients nonstop for hours, her young body groaned with muscle and joint pain.

Crack crack

She stretched her body while brushing off her priestess robe tailored to match the Lenslet Order’s style.

Cough cough cough

While stretching, coughing sounds occasionally echoed from various parts of the ward.

‘The condition is improving quickly.’

Hearing the occasional coughs, she felt relieved. Compared to a few days ago, it was incredibly quiet now.

“Um… Um… What happens to me now, Priestess?”

At that moment, a patient who had just received an injection from Dorothy tearfully asked.

“Eat well, sleep well, bathe thoroughly, wash your clothes and bedding in hot water, and most importantly, always wash your hands clean.”

Dorothy mechanically answered the patient’s question.

She had said this hundreds, maybe thousands of times, but she still smiled faintly.

“Aaaaah… Thank you. Thank you.”

Upon hearing Dorothy’s words, the patient reacted as if truly saved.

“Lenslet… Rune Lenslet… Kids… Your dad is going to make it. I’m alive…”

Continuously expressing gratitude, the patient soon drifted off to sleep, mumbling due to the medication.

‘This is divine power, isn’t it?’

With that, Dorothy finished treating all the patients assigned to her.

She was extremely tired and exhausted, but she was relatively lucky.

She served in a neighborhood considered middle-class in this city.

Other brothers and sisters of the Lenslet Order were reportedly working hard to treat patients in slums or in the wild under the protection of soldiers.

About five minutes after resting…

“Dorothy Priestess! Patient! We found someone collapsed in the alley, so we brought them in late.”

Soldiers arrived with additional patients.

“Hurry! Lay them down here!”

Dorothy bid farewell to her brief rest.

‘Lenslet Rune Lenslet! Please let me save this poor person…’

Praying sincerely in her heart, she examined the patient while opening the medical kit.

A faint divine light began to rise from Dorothy’s body, though just a little.

This phenomenon occurred similarly among other priests of the Lenslet Order.

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