<Chapter 128>
#15. Epidemic (2)
“Why is that bastard here?”
An awkward smile formed on Angel’s lips at Calix’s irritated voice.
“Couldn’t you ask him that when you get there?”
“Ha…”
Calix pressed his forehead with his hand, having to suppress his rising anger. Since Johaim was someone who already knew about this disease, there was a need to discuss whether what he had mentioned was the same as what Calix had seen. Also, although they hadn’t received any contact yet, they needed advice on whether he had possibly found a solution.
Given the situation where even a single physician was precious, his visit should have been welcome, but Calix felt awful. Having kept his distance from Melty throughout the journey for fear of possibly transmitting the disease, Calix was suffering from a Melty deficiency.
Unlike his expectation that he could freely embrace and roll around with Melty after arriving at the Padrian mansion, he had wasted all his time resolving and cleaning up the sudden situation.
“And Melty-ssi is currently in deep sleep.”
As if piercing through the one method that could instantly calm Calix’s irritation, Angel spoke at just the right moment. At his words, Calix, who had lost all energy to be angry, blinked and said.
“He’s sleeping?”
“Yes. Malek-nim took him to his room after he started nodding off shortly after eating.”
“…So he hasn’t been asleep for long. It makes sense he’d be tired after traveling in a carriage throughout the journey.”
Angel couldn’t wipe away his wry expression at his words. He knew love was good at putting on blinders, but it seemed a particularly tenacious one had taken residence in Calix’s eyes. Calix, who didn’t seem to have Angel in his mind at all, nodded easily in understanding and moved without any complaints.
***
“So what did you want to talk about?”
Johaim, who gave a side glance at Calix who urged him to get to the point as soon as he sat down, moistened his lips with the now cold tea water calmly. Despite the major event today, he was excessively composed after making someone wait for half a day.
“Right to the point as soon as we meet?”
“We’re not exactly in a relationship where we sit face to face and have cozy conversations.”
At Calix’s indifferent retort, Johaim nodded in agreement. Although he thought this was basic courtesy, since he hadn’t expected basic courtesy from him in the first place, Johaim got to the point as Calix wanted.
“I heard you were busy. I kept sending messages regarding the disease, but there was no reply.”
“If it was related to the disease, I thought you would send it to the lower levels rather than to me?”
Johaim smiled lightly at Calix’s question. The “lower levels” he mentioned referred to where Braiante, the current head of the Padrian family, was. Initially, it was there that Johaim had discovered the connection between the drought and the disease and requested help. However, there was a good reason why he had contacted Calix instead of Braiante.
“Braiante-nim told me to discuss disease-related issues with you.”
“…That damned father.”
Calix, who was grinding his teeth, took a deep breath. Originally, Braiante wanted to be independent from troublesome matters. That was also the reason why Calix had become the acting head of the family as soon as he became an adult.
‘If that’s the case, just give up the position of family head.’
Frowning and running his fingers through his hair, Calix looked at Johaim, who was staring at him intently.
“As it happens, I also had a few questions about that. Does it involve fever and blisters?”
“I thought you hadn’t received the messages, but you just didn’t answer?”
Calix sighed deeply, getting his answer from Johaim’s deeply frowning face.
“No. It’s true I didn’t receive the messages. I just arrived at the mansion today.”
“Then how do you know the symptoms?”
“Because I saw them. To be precise, on the way back here from the Botenta mansion, I saw someone with those symptoms die.”
“……”
Frowning at the horrific scene that was still vivid in his mind, Calix rubbed his eyes with his hands.
“As you said, that place was also undergoing desertification, and I’m certain it’s an epidemic.”
“…I agree on that point.”
Confirming that Johaim was nodding, Calix opened his mouth with an artificial smile on his lips.
“So? Have you found a method or medicine to treat it?”
“……”
“I was hoping for good news since I had to see your unpleasant face. But it seems not.”
Though he clearly knew there was no way to find a cure for an epidemic so quickly, Calix had some expectations. Perhaps because of that, even though he wasn’t particularly relying on Johaim, a wave of slight disappointment swept over him.
“Padrian provided all the herbs matching the symptoms as you requested.”
“If it was something I could solve alone, I wouldn’t have come all the way here, but in the current situation, cooperation is necessary. That’s why I reluctantly came.”
Calix simply nodded without further comment at Johaim’s crooked words. As Johaim said, it wasn’t something that one side could resolve by exerting effort. If the Sarvie’s role was to examine people’s conditions and symptoms and consider appropriate prescriptions, the Padrians could provide various herbs they required. There was no need to growl at each other like mortal enemies when their combined efforts might still be insufficient.
“Then tell me what you’ve found out. How on earth did this disease originate?”
“We estimate the primary cause of the disease is Avartia. To know exactly, we would need to conduct several more experiments… but as you know, we don’t have time for that.”
Calix frowned at Johaim’s explanation.
“Avartia isn’t a new plant. It’s rare to find it outside of desert terrain, but it’s occasionally found in adjacent areas. And you’re saying that’s the cause of the epidemic?”
“That’s the conclusion I reached after checking that aspect as well.”
“Hmm…”
For Calix, who still had a disbelieving expression, Johaim added further explanation.
“It didn’t occur independently; I believe it’s a disease that occurred by combining with something in the inland. The initial mode of infection seems to have been through ingestion.”
“Ing… No, what kind of crazy person would eat something unknown?”
“If that region is a drought area, it’s quite possible.”
Johaim easily ended Calix’s astounded question. As he said, if plants were all withered and it was difficult to obtain food, there was a high possibility of putting anything in one’s mouth to survive. The survival instinct of humans was stronger than one might think.
Calix frowned as he recalled the people who had desperately rushed to the food pouches when they went to the area to check the drought.
“If the initial mode of infection was through ingestion, how did it spread as an epidemic?”
“We estimate it’s through bodily fluids like saliva or blood.”
“…I agree on that point too. The speed at which the blisters swelled was faster than I thought.”
Unlike the expectation that they would swell slowly, the blisters on the neck of the girl Calix had found in the cabin had swelled rapidly, leaving no time to intervene.
“I have something more to say about that…”
Calix gestured for him to continue as Johaim started again.
“When we classify those infected through ingestion as primary, and those infected through them as secondary. The higher the infection degree, the shorter the time until death.”
“…What? What does that mean?”
Calmly accepting Calix’s hardened gaze, Johaim continued his explanation.
“Since I’ve verified it multiple times, there’s no need to recheck this part. Regarding the herbs used and the combination method… here.”
Johaim took out a paper he had kept in his breast pocket and placed it on the desk. Calix, who snatched it away, quickly read the combination formula written on the paper.
“Fever, chills, vomiting…. These are the initial symptoms, and it seems blisters appear later. Don’t tell me the fever didn’t subside even with this combination?”
“If the fever doesn’t subside with that combination, isn’t the condition serious? The fever did subside, but blisters developed simultaneously…”
“And when blisters develop, death follows.”
Calix let out a hollow laugh and pressed his forehead with his right hand. He used his thumb to press his temple. A headache was already brewing from the unexpectedly received troublesome task.
“Other regions will all be in chaos.”
“Especially those that accepted refugees.”
“Ha…”
Who, why on earth would someone cause such a thing was no longer important. Now, the more urgent matter was how to resolve it.
“If the developed blisters aren’t stimulated. If the blisters don’t burst, would it be okay?”
“Not at all. Even without touching them, they swell on their own, and the result is the same.”
“…There’s absolutely no hope.”
It was obvious that if they delayed a bit more, there would be another protest in the outskirts. But they couldn’t just tell people, ‘You might be infected with an epidemic, and you’ll soon die.’
“How long do you think it will take to find the right medicine?”
“I think you should know quite well, having resolved an epidemic before?”
“…A year is too far. If it takes that long, everyone will die.”
Even the epidemic that occurred 4 years ago had only ended after countless people had died. Even that had ended quickly thanks to Calix, who had been blessed with immunity, roaming through places teeming with patients and clearly identifying the cause of infection. But now there was a risk of faster spread than back then.
“But for someone who was in such a dangerous environment, you seem to be fine?”
“I did examine patients, but I didn’t personally take care of them, and those infected with the disease were strictly isolated.”
“…You ruthless bastard.”
There was no need to ask what happened to the others who had been nursing the patients. The outcome of those infected with an epidemic that had high transmissibility, high mortality, and no treatment method was predictable enough.
“Since I just chose the more efficient method to achieve my goal, I don’t think I need to hear such words.”
“Right. Well, I don’t need to stop you from announcing yourself as a person with a broken character.”
Quickly terminating his interest in Johaim, Calix stretched out his body on the sofa. Johaim frowned at his appearance that fully revealed his fatigue. The usual Calix was overflowing with composure to the point of being unpleasant. Yet, regarding this epidemic, he was distinctly unable to hide his impatience.
‘It’s not like he suddenly developed altruism he never had before…’
Unable to contain his curiosity, Johaim opened his mouth.
“You seem more urgent than usual, is there a reason?”
“A reason? Yes, of course!”
Johaim’s face filled with question at Calix’s cheerful voice. Calix, who had been languidly leaning against the sofa’s backrest, straightened his head and smiled broadly at the person who would suffer along with him.
“Because right now, there are a bunch of people here who might be infected with the epidemic.”
