Once we saw Nacht and the others off, we moved Marx inside.
Two knights supported him on both sides as I followed them with luggage entrusted to me by Nacht.
A structure built out of wood and straw came into view once we crossed the stone gate.
The knights carried Marx into the main house in the front.
As soon as we entered, a horrible smell made my eyebrows wrinkle. I was surprised by what jumped into my sight: men rolling in what seemed to be rags poorly laid out on the floor.
Their uniforms told me they were all knights, and their faces were all red with a high fever. I knew at first glance that it was the disease.
“This is awful…”
Not only is this place cramped, but there’s also a problem with the general hygiene. Just smelling the odour from the mixture of sweat and dust in the air made my head spin.
I quickly entered and pushed open a window. The refreshing wind flew in and swept away the stagnant air in the room. I felt like I could finally breathe again.
“Whether it be supplies or pair of hands, there’s just not enough to go around.”
One of the knights lamented as he laid Marx down on a bed.
As I had suspected, no additional supplies were ever sent in.
“I wish to draw some water. May I know where the well is?”
“I’ll help you.”
Accompanied by a knight, I headed to the well.
The village was eerily quiet. We rarely came across the populace, and the people we did see often looked exhausted and lifeless.
The seldom groans that can be heard dropped the temperature down a notch further.
When we reached the well, the knight threw a roped bucket into it. A strange woman rushed up to us as I was drawing the bucket.
“Hey, you. I’ve never seen you before. Are you from outside!?”
The knight quickly intercepted her and pushed the woman away from me.
But the woman wasn’t deterred and tried to reach out for me with her hands.
“Medicine? Did you bring any medicine with you? My little boy is suffering. Please, please help me!”
“…I understand. I’ll be right there.”
I handed the rope over to the knight and returned to fetch my luggage.
I grabbed the medicine bag and hastily made my way over to the woman’s house.
A boy about five or six was resting in a simple bed. The boy had a beet-red face and his limp body laid in the bed with his thin limbs thrown about. It felt like any of his small breaths could be his last.
“…”
The appearance of a dying child weighed more on my conscience than I had imagined. I scolded myself for being frightened in that one moment, before taking a knee beside the child’s bed. I began wiping the sweat away from his forehead with a cloth.
It was burning hot. I dipped the cloth in cold water before wringing it and replaced it on his forehead to cool him down.
“Son! My son…!”
On the other side, his mother called out to him, causing his eyelashes to tremble. His eyelids were slowly pushed open, revealing light brown pupils that couldn’t seem to focus on anything.
“…?”
“Can you drink water?”
When his eyes caught my figure, they twinkled in confusion. I asked him with a smile and he lightly nodded in return.
I supported his back as he drank. I wanted him to at least take something, but him only being a child, I was afraid that anything that goes in would come straight back out.
Handing over the medicine, I switched roles with the mother.
“Let him drink plenty of water so that he won’t be dehydrated. Warm water is a must, and a little mix of salt is even better. If he vomits, make him lay on his side and rub his back so that nothing will clog up his throat.”
“Th-Thank you very much!”
It was a bittersweet moment.
These methods simply alleviate the symptoms and by no means were they a cure. But right now, I won’t say anything, because their will to live would be extinguished if their sliver of hope was crushed.
When I opened the doors to return to where the knights were, many people were already waiting outside.
“Um! I heard that there is medicine here!”
“Give me a bit too, would ya?”
“Is there no food anywhere!?”
I pushed my way out ahead and held up my hand.
Everyone’s eyes were bloodshot. They were all desperate, for themselves and their loved ones, to live.
“Please calm down! A child is sleeping!”
The noise subsided a little when I announced so. It seemed like the instinct to protect children still remained. I managed to calm them down and told them to come back to the house where all the knights were later.
With the help of the knights, we distributed medicine and food to the villagers.
When all was over, it was already the middle of the night.
I dragged out my tired body and leaned on the entrance wall.
As my mouth let out a sigh, a cup was thrust into my vision. I turned to look and found that it was a knight that had offered. I think his name was Herman.
“Thank you for your hard work.”
“Thanks.”
Receiving the cup, I gently blew on it. The steam shook and the fragrance drifted.
I took a sip and felt the warm liquid pass through my oesophagus before falling further down to the stomach. My shoulders relaxed, followed by another deep sigh.
“We all regained a little bit of our spirits back thanks to you. Thank you, Master Johan.”
Indeed, the look on their faces when their hands were full of food and medicine was slightly more content.
But this was only temporary. The supplies I’ve brought here today will only last for so long.
“…I’m afraid my efforts here won’t be of much good. It is by no means a lasting solution.”
I muttered bitterly while taking a sip of the tea.
All is well today, but what about tomorrow? What about the coming weeks?
We couldn’t hope for any relief from Grenze either. All the supplies that we possess have been gathered in this very room. I have to hold on somehow until Nacht comes back, but I have no sure-fire plan to achieve this.
“Speaking of which, does Sir Heinz know about this?”
“…”
My question was faced with Herman’s silent reply and a head hung down.
The answer came, however, from a different direction.
“Sir Heinz probably knew nothing of this.”
Marx, who I thought had been resting until now, responded.
“Commander, you’re awake. Do you want some water?”
“Thanks.”
Marx sat up and gulped down the water that Herman gave him. After he had had his fill, Marx heaved a relieved sigh and expressed his gratitude.
“What do you mean about Sir Heinz not knowing anything?”
“Sir Heinz experienced a heart attack about a year ago, causing him to be bedridden. Since then, his son, Philipp, has taken over the reins instead.”
So Sir Heinz’s illness wasn’t a mere hoax after all.
But there’s still a part I’m not convinced. If he is in fact still alive, there is no way he would forgive quarantining the diseased.
“Master Philipp was desperate to fill in Sir Heinz’s shoes. He was very devoted to getting Grenze back on the map. We all tried to support him, but instead, we were driven away. Perhaps he had always had his reservations with us in secret, back when we all served beside Sir Heinz.”
The relationship and trust shared between Sir Heinz and his men cannot be taken lightly. It’s the kind of bond that couldn’t be beaten by even blood relatives.
How cruel and humiliating it must be for Philipp, his very own son.
“Even without us, Master Philipp declared that he would make Grenze prosper by his own hands. In fact, Grenze was beginning to shine as a cornerstone of the trading market. But as the town was starting to grow, the disease appeared.”
“So that’s why he was frantically trying to cover it up.”
Marx showed a wry smile at my cold tone.
Silence fell upon us. Only the burning sound of the lit old lamp could be heard.
“It wasn’t like that in the beginning. We thought it was only a regular high fever and administered medicine, at the cost of drawing the denizens’ attention. But instead of subsiding, the disease spread even further.”
If rumours like these start to circulate to other countries, no one would be willing to visit Grenze.
Philipp, sensing an unprecedented crisis, chose to isolate the sick.
In the city, new rumours began to circulate that a village hidden deep in the mountains were the source of the horrible disease. After the diseased were moved to the forest, he decided to shut them out and appointed Marx and the others as guards.
He was trying to get rid of the people that were in his way in one big swoop.
“…I see.”
I drank the remaining contents of the cup and turned towards the ceiling.
My splitting head was met with the back wall, but it wasn’t the wall that caused my headache.
“I understand that the situation is worse than I had first imagined.”
Never mind waiting for help. We were being intentionally disposed of.
“Worst-case scenario, in fact.”
I grumbled to myself.
At about the same time, someone knocked on the door. Soon, the knocking turned into violent slams. I looked at everyone before placing my hand on the doorknob.
Once we saw Nacht and the others off, we moved Marx inside.
Two knights supported him on both sides as I followed them with luggage entrusted to me by Nacht.
A structure built out of wood and straw came into view once we crossed the stone gate.
The knights carried Marx into the main house in the front.
As soon as we entered, a horrible smell made my eyebrows wrinkle. I was surprised by what jumped into my sight: men rolling in what seemed to be rags poorly laid out on the floor.
Their uniforms told me they were all knights, and their faces were all red with a high fever. I knew at first glance that it was the disease.
“This is awful…”
Not only is this place cramped, but there’s also a problem with the general hygiene. Just smelling the odour from the mixture of sweat and dust in the air made my head spin.
I quickly entered and pushed open a window. The refreshing wind flew in and swept away the stagnant air in the room. I felt like I could finally breathe again.
“Whether it be supplies or pair of hands, there’s just not enough to go around.”
One of the knights lamented as he laid Marx down on a bed.
As I had suspected, no additional supplies were ever sent in.
“I wish to draw some water. May I know where the well is?”
“I’ll help you.”
Accompanied by a knight, I headed to the well.
The village was eerily quiet. We rarely came across the populace, and the people we did see often looked exhausted and lifeless.
The seldom groans that can be heard dropped the temperature down a notch further.
When we reached the well, the knight threw a roped bucket into it. A strange woman rushed up to us as I was drawing the bucket.
“Hey, you. I’ve never seen you before. Are you from outside!?”
The knight quickly intercepted her and pushed the woman away from me.
But the woman wasn’t deterred and tried to reach out for me with her hands.
“Medicine? Did you bring any medicine with you? My little boy is suffering. Please, please help me!”
“…I understand. I’ll be right there.”
I handed the rope over to the knight and returned to fetch my luggage.
I grabbed the medicine bag and hastily made my way over to the woman’s house.
A boy about five or six was resting in a simple bed. The boy had a beet-red face and his limp body laid in the bed with his thin limbs thrown about. It felt like any of his small breaths could be his last.
“…”
The appearance of a dying child weighed more on my conscience than I had imagined. I scolded myself for being frightened in that one moment, before taking a knee beside the child’s bed. I began wiping the sweat away from his forehead with a cloth.
It was burning hot. I dipped the cloth in cold water before wringing it and replaced it on his forehead to cool him down.
“Son! My son…!”
On the other side, his mother called out to him, causing his eyelashes to tremble. His eyelids were slowly pushed open, revealing light brown pupils that couldn’t seem to focus on anything.
“…?”
“Can you drink water?”
When his eyes caught my figure, they twinkled in confusion. I asked him with a smile and he lightly nodded in return.
I supported his back as he drank. I wanted him to at least take something, but him only being a child, I was afraid that anything that goes in would come straight back out.
Handing over the medicine, I switched roles with the mother.
“Let him drink plenty of water so that he won’t be dehydrated. Warm water is a must, and a little mix of salt is even better. If he vomits, make him lay on his side and rub his back so that nothing will clog up his throat.”
“Th-Thank you very much!”
It was a bittersweet moment.
These methods simply alleviate the symptoms and by no means were they a cure. But right now, I won’t say anything, because their will to live would be extinguished if their sliver of hope was crushed.
When I opened the doors to return to where the knights were, many people were already waiting outside.
“Um! I heard that there is medicine here!”
“Give me a bit too, would ya?”
“Is there no food anywhere!?”
I pushed my way out ahead and held up my hand.
Everyone’s eyes were bloodshot. They were all desperate, for themselves and their loved ones, to live.
“Please calm down! A child is sleeping!”
The noise subsided a little when I announced so. It seemed like the instinct to protect children still remained. I managed to calm them down and told them to come back to the house where all the knights were later.
With the help of the knights, we distributed medicine and food to the villagers.
When all was over, it was already the middle of the night.
I dragged out my tired body and leaned on the entrance wall.
As my mouth let out a sigh, a cup was thrust into my vision. I turned to look and found that it was a knight that had offered. I think his name was Herman.
“Thank you for your hard work.”
“Thanks.”
Receiving the cup, I gently blew on it. The steam shook and the fragrance drifted.
I took a sip and felt the warm liquid pass through my oesophagus before falling further down to the stomach. My shoulders relaxed, followed by another deep sigh.
“We all regained a little bit of our spirits back thanks to you. Thank you, Master Johan.”
Indeed, the look on their faces when their hands were full of food and medicine was slightly more content.
But this was only temporary. The supplies I’ve brought here today will only last for so long.
“…I’m afraid my efforts here won’t be of much good. It is by no means a lasting solution.”
I muttered bitterly while taking a sip of the tea.
All is well today, but what about tomorrow? What about the coming weeks?
We couldn’t hope for any relief from Grenze either. All the supplies that we possess have been gathered in this very room. I have to hold on somehow until Nacht comes back, but I have no sure-fire plan to achieve this.
“Speaking of which, does Sir Heinz know about this?”
“…”
My question was faced with Herman’s silent reply and a head hung down.
The answer came, however, from a different direction.
“Sir Heinz probably knew nothing of this.”
Marx, who I thought had been resting until now, responded.
“Commander, you’re awake. Do you want some water?”
“Thanks.”
Marx sat up and gulped down the water that Herman gave him. After he had had his fill, Marx heaved a relieved sigh and expressed his gratitude.
“What do you mean about Sir Heinz not knowing anything?”
“Sir Heinz experienced a heart attack about a year ago, causing him to be bedridden. Since then, his son, Philipp, has taken over the reins instead.”
So Sir Heinz’s illness wasn’t a mere hoax after all.
But there’s still a part I’m not convinced. If he is in fact still alive, there is no way he would forgive quarantining the diseased.
“Master Philipp was desperate to fill in Sir Heinz’s shoes. He was very devoted to getting Grenze back on the map. We all tried to support him, but instead, we were driven away. Perhaps he had always had his reservations with us in secret, back when we all served beside Sir Heinz.”
The relationship and trust shared between Sir Heinz and his men cannot be taken lightly. It’s the kind of bond that couldn’t be beaten by even blood relatives.
How cruel and humiliating it must be for Philipp, his very own son.
“Even without us, Master Philipp declared that he would make Grenze prosper by his own hands. In fact, Grenze was beginning to shine as a cornerstone of the trading market. But as the town was starting to grow, the disease appeared.”
“So that’s why he was frantically trying to cover it up.”
Marx showed a wry smile at my cold tone.
Silence fell upon us. Only the burning sound of the lit old lamp could be heard.
“It wasn’t like that in the beginning. We thought it was only a regular high fever and administered medicine, at the cost of drawing the denizens’ attention. But instead of subsiding, the disease spread even further.”
If rumours like these start to circulate to other countries, no one would be willing to visit Grenze.
Philipp, sensing an unprecedented crisis, chose to isolate the sick.
In the city, new rumours began to circulate that a village hidden deep in the mountains were the source of the horrible disease. After the diseased were moved to the forest, he decided to shut them out and appointed Marx and the others as guards.
He was trying to get rid of the people that were in his way in one big swoop.
“…I see.”
I drank the remaining contents of the cup and turned towards the ceiling.
My splitting head was met with the back wall, but it wasn’t the wall that caused my headache.
“I understand that the situation is worse than I had first imagined.”
Never mind waiting for help. We were being intentionally disposed of.
“Worst-case scenario, in fact.”
I grumbled to myself.
At about the same time, someone knocked on the door. Soon, the knocking turned into violent slams. I looked at everyone before placing my hand on the doorknob.
