Incompatible Interspecies Wives

Chapter 180

180 – Approaching Crisis (4)

The day after good news had come, I had to relay some hard-to-accept news.

“…What?”

All the residents of Stockfin had gathered in the village center.

Everyone was visibly shaken by the news Baran had brought.

Shaun and Jackson quieted the clamoring crowd.

From the center, Baran spoke once again.

“I can’t be certain. However…”

Baran gritted his teeth.

He was as shaken as I was.

Baran also seemed to hope that this issue was nothing serious.

“…”

“But if it’s not a plague, what reason could there be for Buns to fall sick?

Buns was healthy just until yesterday.

He was not the kind of man to catch something like a cold.

Even if he did catch something, he was not weak enough to collapse.

I blinked my eyes and cautiously looked back.

Shen, as surprised as I was, stood there.

Shen, who was carrying my child.

“…Be…Bell…”

She looked somewhat frightened.

At Shen’s appearance, I pull myself together.

I spoke to Baran.

“Guide Buns.”

“Cough! Cough!!”

As soon as we entered the room, we heard a sound of an explosive, tearing cough.

A wet cloth was placed on his forehead, as if trying to bring down his fever.

A woman who appeared to be Buns’ lover was nursing him.

As soon as the woman saw me, she stood up from her spot.

“Le…Leader…what…what should we do with Buns?”

“…”

I had no answer to return.

Instead, I walked up to Buns and looked down at him.

“…Buns.”

“Cough!! Cough!!”

When I called his name, Buns looked up at me with a smile.

He responded with a voice wasted in just one day.

“…Leader.”

“…How’s your condition.”

Buns continued to cough.

“Cough! Cough!!”

As he tried to catch his breath, he spoke.

“…Leader…get out of the room. Take my girlfriend with you.”

“…”

“I know my own body…cough!! This…cough!!”

Maintaining his smile till the end, he slowly opened his eyes.

Looking straight into my eyes, he seemed to tell me to trust him.

“…This isn’t a cold.”

“…….”

From noble mtl dot com

“…Damn it… I hope it’s not the plague…”

There were two possibilities for Burnz’s illness.

Either a pre-existing health problem suddenly manifested…

…or he contracted the plague from yesterday’s thief subjugation operation.

And I, was leaning more towards the latter.

The thieves we subdued yesterday had come from afar.

There wasn’t zero possibility.

I gritted my teeth slowly.

This problem seemed to be my fault, too.

Did I even foresee such an occurrence for Burnz, who trusted and followed me?

Am I about to lose another one of my men?

“…Phew.”

I shook off the negative thoughts with a sigh.

“…Burnz. Just rest more. Did you eat something?”

“…Cough! I… have no appetite at all…”

“Eat. It’s an order. I’ll prepare something easy to take in. Eat when it’s brought.”

Burnz nodded weakly.

“And considering it could be a plague, you’re quarantined in this room from now on. I’ll have a nurse outside the door, call if your condition worsens.”

“Cough! Cough!!”

“…Also, inform the people who shared the room with you yesterday.”

“…Ba…Baron sergeant knows. Cough!”

With that, Burnz seemed to deflect his reply to Baron.

I nodded to his words.

“Understood. Just rest.”

Then, I gestured to Burnz’s girlfriend.

Though her expression was tormented, at the persuasion of Burnz and my suggestion, she left the room with me.

And as we left the room, my heart became even heavier.

I met eyes with the other squad members waiting for me outside.

“…How is Burnz?”

Baron asked with concern.

“Baron.”

“…Yes?”

“Isolate everyone who shared a room with Burnz yesterday as well.”

Burnz nodded in agreement.

“…Already done.”

At his response, I moved along.

It seemed I had to discuss this issue with Gale.

****

The news that spread faster than the plague in the village had already reached Gale’s ears as well.

As soon as he saw me, he let out a long, deep sigh.

“……….Haah….”

And then, he who had been tapping the table as if agonizing for a while asked.

“…How is Benz?”

I didn’t bother to hide the truth.

“He’s struggling.”

“Do you think it’s a plague?”

“I don’t know.”

“…It’s a problem.”

I was somewhat relieved about his quick response…but the result can only be known in time.

I wished only for all this to pass without any problems.

I hoped Benz was not been struck by the plague and he would stand up healthy again.

Even if it was a plague, I prayed that all the problems would be resolved with Benz at the end.

“…What are we going to do, Berg?”

In the end, Gale asked me.

It felt like he was pressuring me for an answer.

Maybe, each of us had in our hearts the thought of reaching out to some family proficient in medicine.

I also sighed and spoke.

Ultimately, as a lord, the final decision was mine.

I expressed my opinion.

“For now, I think we should watch… do you have any suggestions?”

“…”

Gale shook his head back and forth.

“Right now, I think the same as you. We’ll have to wait and see.”

“What are the symptoms of the plague prevalent in the kingdom?”

“There is severe coughing, fever. Depending on the case, chills and nausea follow…”

I closed my eyes tightly.

Coughing and fever were symptoms already appearing in Benz.

I seemed to have to hope that the other symptoms would not appear.

“What is the mortality rate?”

“I heard two out of ten die. Even if they overcome it, they suffer from aftereffects for a long time.”

I sat down at his words and covered my face.

I had a headache.

Already in a situation where there was a labor shortage, this happened.

If this plague starts to spread in Staufen, we have no way to survive.

We still had a lot of work to do.

We needed to farm and catch thieves.

We didn’t have the strength to withstand the plague in this situation too.

… My child was about to be born, and the territory was shaking.

Unknowingly, I spoke to Gale.

“…Si-eon is pregnant.”

“…What?”

Originally, it was a statement she was going to share to receive congratulations.

But now the situation has simply turned into an expose of my desperation. I just list worries that I couldn’t tell others.

“Si-eon is already weak, and if the problem worsens…”

“…”

I wonder what I would have done if my older brother, Adam, was here.

Perhaps, he would have acted as if he knew the right answer.

I closed and then opened my eyes before speaking.

There was no need to buy worries.

“…For now, we’ll just have to watch.”

At my words, Gale also nodded.

****

I gathered the residents of Stockfin and reported the situation.

I emphasized that they should be careful as an epidemic could spread.

But as I gave this warning, I was aware of an issue.

From the beginning, Stockfin was a village centered around the Crimson Flame squad.

It was more a military village than a typical one.

Accordingly, there were still members living communally.

Meals were frequently distributed like a mess hall.

There were also members who had started their own families, but most were living in lodgings.

The conditions were very favorable for an epidemic to spread.

Sighing, I returned to my house.

Lua flew to my side and landed on my shoulder.

Lua rubbed her small face against my cheek.

It seemed as if she was comforting me like she could read my thoughts.

“…Are you trying to comfort me, Lua?”

-Chirp! Chirp!

I smiled at the fledgling bird’s affection.

As leader of the village, there were many times when I had to hide my true feelings.

If I did not act solidly, the entire village would flutter.

But there was one being I could show my feelings to- Lua.

It was a bird that couldn’t speak our language.

While I was stroking Lua’s soft blue feathers, I spoke.

“…Why am I so unlucky?”

Lua didn’t chirp, but simply accepted my touch.

Then I smiled and said to her.

“…Give me some of your good luck.”

As I walked back, I could see my house from a distance.

I could also see Si-eon, waiting for me at the front gate.

Lua had flown away from my side at that sight.

From afar, Xien seemed to alleviate my worry with a small smile.

Then, as if asking for a hug, she spread out both her arms.

“…”

At such an appearance of her, I couldn’t help but chuckle.

Thanks to Xien’s consideration, I lightened my heart and moved my steps.

“I’ve returned.”

“Hmm.”

I walked towards Xien and lightly embraced her.

Xien also entrusted me with her full weight.

A light kiss follows after a brief hug.

After expressions of affection for a while, Xien whispered to me.

“… I’m sorry, Bell.”

“What for?”

I was perplexed by her sudden apology.

While holding my face, Xien continued.

“… If I had still been the Saintess… This kind of problem wouldn’t have occurred…”

Xien was hiding apologies behind her smile.

I shook my head at her nonsensical words.

“Don’t say things like that.”

“…”

“… It’s not your fault. So… ease your mind.”

Xien nodded at my words.

At the same time, I thought.

That I could do anything to protect Xien and my child.

***

Baran was dividing the troops and preparing for the plague.

All under orders from Gael and Berg.

Everyone was trying to live as far away from each other as possible.

So that if the plague spreads in the village, they can respond.

Sean stayed by Baran’s side and spoke.

“… It’s like a bolt from the blue.”

Baran responded to him.

“… It indeed is.”

Sean heaved a deep sigh.

“… Ha.”

“…”

“… My daughter must not get sick.”

“…”

Baran looked at Sean’s face, filled with worry.

He had always teased himself about having a daughter, but for now, Shaun’s worries were unbearable.

Whether it was for Shaun or the village, he had to devote himself to the work at hand.

“It’ll be alright, Shaun.”

“…”

“Don’t worry too much.”

Nevertheless, Shaun could not let go of his anxiety.

He shakes his head and speaks.

“Have you heard from the Chief?”

“What news?”

“My wife told me… the madam is pregnant.”

Baran’s face hardened at this news.

“…What?”

Shaun also expressed sympathy, shrugging his shoulders.

“That’s the thing. She’s had a hard time getting pregnant, and this happens…”

“…”

“It’s as if the world is tormenting the chief. With such lousy luck… born in the slums. Separations, divorces, even the death of the former chief, Adam…”

“…”

Baran soon sighed.

Even he thought that Berg had a lot of pain.

His head would be hurting from leading the territory right now.

Still, Baran wanted to share a hopeful story.

He said.

“But the chief always gets back up, doesn’t he?”

“…”

“So, just like the chief, we can overcome this situation in the end.”

Shaun clicked his tongue.

“…I think the chief is enduring rather than overcoming.”

“…”

Baran eventually waved Shaun off to see about his duties.

He didn’t want to keep dwelling on gloomy stories.

Shaun eventually moved away at his gesture.

Baran went back to assessing the situation while walking around the dwellings crowded with mercenaries.

‘Cough! Cough!’

Then, the sound of Ben’s cough echoed.

Baran felt helpless seeing Ben suffer.

Would he have thought a comrade who has overcome numerous odds would fall ill like this?

It would be deeply unjust to let him go for such reason.

‘Cough! Cough!’

“………..?”

Suddenly, Baran noticed something peculiar.

The coughing sound right now was not from Bernd.

It felt like his blood was freezing at this strange possibility.

– Thud!

He immediately accelerated and rushed into the room where the coughing sound echoed.

“…Who’s there?”

The room was already quiet as a stone. Everyone was staring at one soldier.

“Koff! Koff!!”

The soldier burst into another cough in front of Baran, then looked at Baran with a terrified face and spoke.

“…Deputy leader…”

“…”

“… What should I do?”

****

The next day, Gale and I, who got the report, quietly sat in the office.

Four more patients were added.

We could not deny the fact that the epidemic was spreading in the village.

I didn’t know how long I’d been sitting in silence.

Numerous thoughts and methods crossed my mind.

And these thoughts and methods were always difficult to present as opinions because each one had a flaw.

So it remained for a while.

Then Gale spoke.

“…The situation is getting tough.”

“…”

“Berg. You know as well as I do that the initial response is most important. We need to focus completely on each step we take from now. Because the future outcomes depend on those choices.”

I nodded my head.

I knew it was a nuisance to Gale, but eventually, I asked.

“… Can’t we ask the king for help?”

“His Majesty?”

“Like, send someone who knows about this epidemic…”

“His Majesty is probably more occupied than anyone else, has been facing similar problems long before we did.”

“…”

I tightly closed my eyes.

I sighed.

Then Gale said to me.

“…Berg.”

“…”