Published: September 10, 2025
Of course, it goes without saying that this work is fiction.
It has no relation to any actual person, organization, or infectious disease.
The makeshift hospital in the Norok Kingdom had taken on the appearance of a battlefield.
“—Doctor! Gleb, the stonecutter, has vomited blood!”
“Damn it, even the medicine for miasma poisoning isn’t working!”
The strange disease had already wiped out two frontier villages, and the town of Noromos was now seeing an unprecedented number of deaths from illness.
“Influenza, forest fever, miasma poisoning, goblin sickness, simian hemorrhagic fever… It’s like no disease we know, yet unlike any disease. What kind of medicine can cure this?”
The doctor slammed his fist on the table in the staff room, trying to dispel the crushing sense of helplessness and frustration.
At first, the early symptoms resembled forest fever, a common epidemic in the Norok Kingdom, so it was initially thought to be either forest fever or a disease derived from it.
“That’s right, how’s the cooper? Is the cooper alright? That patient should be nearing their limit too.”
“That patient is stable for now. Symptoms haven’t improved, but they haven’t worsened either.”
(…What does that mean? Even though the rare medicine for miasma poisoning didn’t work, are they saying the anthelmintic drug mistakenly given to the cooper is effective?)
The doctor furrowed his brows deeply at the assistant’s report.
(…No, that can’t be. It’s more reasonable to think the improved forest fever medicine given before the parasite removal drug was effective.)
“Use the improved forest fever medicine given to the cooper on young people who seem physically strong.”
“There are only five doses of that medicine…”
“I’ll leave the selection to you.”
“Th-That’s…!”
The timid assistant stood there, pale-faced.
(They don’t want to bear the responsibility of weighing lives…)
“Change of orders. Use the improved medicine starting with those closest to adulthood.”
“Understood. We’ll start treatment immediately.”
“And increase production of the improved medicine!”
“Yes!”
The assistant rushed out of the staff room.
“Director, may I come in?”
Replacing the assistant who just left was a priest from the Heralon Temple, dispatched as reinforcements from the neighboring Saga Empire.
“Priest! How did the Holy Magic go?”
“Calm yourself, Director.”
With one hand, he restrained the doctor who looked ready to charge forward.
“Let me get straight to the conclusion: patients treated with advanced healing magic were completely cured.”
“Is that true?”
The doctor’s exhausted face brightened at the long-awaited good news.
“However, I can only perform advanced healing magic three times a day at most.”
“—W-What about intermediate level?”
“Symptoms temporarily eased, but that’s all.”
“That can’t be…”
Of course, there were many priests and clerics even in Noromos Town.
But no one possessed enough virtue to use advanced Holy Magic.
Strictly speaking, there was one, but they fell ill during the period when the disease was thought to be forest fever and quickly passed away.
“Three patients a day is just a drop in the bucket, but better than doing nothing.”
“Thank you, Priest.”
“No need for thanks. More importantly, I ask you to produce the medicine as soon as possible.”
“Understood.”
“Also, gather as many magic power recovery potions as possible. With those, we might be able to increase the number of patients treated per day.”
“But, Priest, that will take a toll on your health—”
“I don’t mind. My days are numbered anyway. Using it here for the sake of the younger generation is God’s will.”
The doctor bowed deeply as the priest left the staff room.
It was common knowledge among doctors that excessive intake of magical potions could harm one’s health.
For the elderly priest, it would likely shorten his lifespan…
Just then, the quiet atmosphere in the staff room was shattered by a noisy assistant bursting in.