Chapter 134

‘Stay calm.’

I desperately recalled Nora’s explanation about the plague.

Actually, there was no need to strain—I’d been thinking about and dealing with the plague every day.

“At first, most cases begin with coughing and high fever. There are individual differences, so some stages can be skipped. Then nosebleeds occur and hives appear on the body. It varies by person, but after the incubation period, death is likely between four and eight days. Based on current conditions, the fatality rate is over 80%. The infection route is… still unknown.”

“Four to eight days…”

Thanks to isolation and hygiene measures, that period had been stretched by a few days at least.

“At most two weeks, I guess.”

I collapsed into my seat. If they couldn’t make a cure in that time, I’d die.

It didn’t feel real.

‘Am I really going to die? Me?’

I had nosebleeds and hives, but I still seemed fine. I felt no pain.

But my head was sending red alerts.

“Ha…”

For a moment I went blank. No thoughts came.

What should I do now?

While I was out of it, it seemed morning had come; I heard people getting up one by one.

I forced my waning consciousness back and stood, covering my nose and mouth with a cloth as I headed to the lab. Fortunately, the lights were on.

“Sorry to come by so early.”

The senior cleric in charge of research and the physician staff who had been hard at work rose from their seats.

“Not at all. The Chancellor is the busiest of all. The fact that patients aren’t increasing further now is thanks to the measures the Chancellor took. That gives us strength too.”

“Thank you for saying that. I was just wondering if there had been any progress.”

The senior cleric gave a wry smile and shook his head.

“Not yet. Still, since the Chancellor’s measures seem to have had an effect, we’re using that as a clue to guide our research. It’s much better than working blindly from zero, knowing nothing.”

“I see…”

When a physician staff member beside me took a step forward, I involuntarily stepped back.

“Better to keep a proper distance just in case. They’re valuable talents.”

“What are you saying? It’s said you hardly sleep. I’d like to take a look at your complexion and prescribe something—could you lower the cloth for a moment?”

“I’m fine. Don’t worry about me; focus more on developing the cure. I won’t get in the way anymore. I’ll go first.”

“Chancellor, please—just a moment…!”

I didn’t wait to hear the rest; I fled the lab.

Could they do it within two weeks? I wanted to ask, but I held back.

My heart pounded like crazy. My throat suddenly itched unbearably.

“Cough cough.”

Startled, I clapped my hand over my mouth. It seemed the initial symptoms of the contagion were only starting to surface after the hives.

“Haa…”

I walked slowly, looking around the clinic. Patients were waking up, and the medical staff were moving in coordinated fashion.

“Now, it’s time to take your medicine. There you go.”

“It’s bearable compared to before. I felt like I might die any day, even tomorrow.”

“Clerics and physician staff, be sure to wear clean cloths when entering. Don’t forget to wash them in hot water every day and dry them in the barracks.”

“Now, try this hot ginger tea.”

“Patients, please wipe your face and hands clean with a wet towel.”

“At first this place really felt like hell, but now it feels like people live here. I think I could close my eyes peacefully like this.”

“Don’t talk nonsense, patient!”

I watched in a daze when someone called beside me.

“Chancellor?”

It was Cleric Nora.

“What are you doing here?”

I put on an air of composure and answered.

“Just taking a morning walk and looking around. I’ve seen enough, so I should be going.”

“Um, Chancellor…”

I hurried back to my quarters, worried that a long conversation might give me away.

‘They seem to be able to manage without me now—should I just rest?’

All my strength drained away.

I’m not someone driven by a noble sense of duty. I’m just an ordinary citizen. Thrown into mortal danger, I had no heroic courage to push myself and sacrifice.

I was at a loss about what to do next, whether I had to accept this fate. No—really, I instinctively knew. I saw the patients every day; my symptoms were clearly the plague even without confirmation.

Aside from not wanting to die, I didn’t want to worry those left behind. I didn’t want to make a scene among the countless patients just because I was infected. How many people here had already lost family members?

It was simply… my family I worried about: Ren, who was struggling to protect me in the capital; Rio, who was fighting illness; and Marcella and Juliana. They weighed on my mind.

Friends would be sad but they’re strong and would recover quickly. But the pain of losing family…

That pain wouldn’t disappear even over a lifetime.

I knew exactly what that felt like.

The future was invisible, as if I’d closed my eyes.

Once I acknowledged the illness, symptoms that had been masked by fatigue began to show one by one.

I avoided leaving the quarters as much as possible. Since I had almost no physical duties, I mostly gave orders. I kept visits to my quarters to a minimum and prevented people from coming close as a precaution.

“Cough, cough.”

A fever began to rise in me. Feeling chills, I hastily put on my robe.

I was writing a handover document. I didn’t have much time left and didn’t want to work until the moment I died. I felt the work I’d done would be wasted otherwise, and I wanted at least to lessen the number of families losing loved ones—if only to ease my mind.

“Coco, I brought your meal.”

With no news of supplies yet, the food was gradually running out.

Thin soup and hard bread were all there was.

“I already ate earlier. You can give it to someone else.”

I took meals separately to reduce contact with people.

Was that excessive? Aidan frowned slightly and approached the desk where he was sitting.

“You’re acting strange.”

“Please step back one pace for safety, Aidan.”

I pretended nothing was wrong and sorted papers. He ignored me and strode closer.

“I said you’re strange. You don’t wear the cloth when you’re alone. Lately you haven’t been leaving the quarters at all.”

“You told me to rest, Aidan. I’m doing just that—working a bit and lying about in bed.”

He tilted his head slowly, scrutinizing me with suspicion. I forced a smile, avoiding his gaze. Aidan’s expression twisted more and more, then he suddenly yanked off the cloth wrapped around me.

“…Coco, do you take me for a fool?”

There was a reason I’d wrapped the cloth over my face.

I didn’t want to be cooped up in my quarters. But hives had spread to my face.

“Don’t make a scene.”

“You really…!”

I rose and put distance between us.

“There are so many dying here; I don’t want people causing a fuss around me just because I’m the Chancellor.”

“But does it make sense to work without telling anyone?”

“There is no cure. I’m following the measures given to patients myself. I’m still holding on…”

A sudden, excruciating headache hit, and my vision went black.

“Coco!!!!”

Only Aidan’s frantic shout echoed in my ears.

“Coco, are you conscious?”

I could see the quarters’ ceiling. Beside me, as if they’d come at some point, stood Prince Raven, Nicola, and the senior cleric. I had no strength in my body and could only nod with my eyes.

“Your body has weakened too much. Even pouring in holy power doesn’t bring much improvement. How could you push your body like this? Your stamina is lower than that of the medical staff who were originally here.”

The senior cleric in charge of the lab scolded me as if exasperated.

“We’ll pour divine power into you every day. If it were a mild case maybe it would help, but at this stage… holding on seems to be all we can do. I must hurry back to develop the cure.”

The senior cleric sighed deeply and hurried out of the quarters. Worries from Prince Raven and Nicola followed.

“Chancellor, are you all right?”

“…I don’t think I’m all right.”

It was true.

I felt the shadow of death approaching with each passing moment.

“I can’t let you go like this. You’ve done so much for me… I haven’t even repaid you…”

Prince Raven’s eyes began to fill with tears. I must look awful.

“Coco, I’ll bring you some food, so wait a little. You must eat well and sleep well, they said.”

Nicola dashed out of the quarters with a trembling voice. Aidan just kept his mouth tightly shut, as if holding something back.

Lying there like this, their worries and the future felt distant. I neither wanted to give nor receive comfort. I wanted to rest.

‘Maybe I’m simply too exhausted.’

After everyone left, Aidan, who had sat silently beside me for a long while, knelt and grabbed my hand tightly.

“Coco, you mustn’t give up.”