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“What…?”

Nora the cleric asked sharply, sensing something off. People burst into the ward at that moment.

“Coco!”

Aidan was the first to rush to my side. Behind him came Prince Raven, Nicola, the senior cleric, the physician on duty, and the rest of the medical staff.

What is happening?

“They say they’ve succeeded in developing a treatment!”

Aidan couldn’t contain his excitement and shook my shoulder.

“Careful, Aidan—step back.”

I could only listlessly tap his fingers. My fever still raged, leaving me dazed and aching as if I’d been beaten all over. The hives across my body made my skin throb, and the slightest movement left me breathless. Seeing my complexion, Aidan hastily withdrew his hand.

“Sorry, Coco. I got too excited. Anyway, you’ll recover soon!”

I couldn’t quite grasp the situation. A treatment developed all of a sudden?

Prince Raven shoved the frantic Aidan aside and explained calmly.

“Literally, they’ve succeeded in developing a treatment that cures the plague.”

“…How? There was no sign of this until very recently.”

At Prince Raven’s signal, the senior cleric stepped forward. Whatever had happened while I lay there, his face looked like that of a living corpse. Now that I noticed, the other medical staff looked much the same. How had they conducted their research?

“After the Chancellor took measures, the disease’s progression slowed and new infections dropped noticeably, so we used that reprieve to focus research on a treatment. We set cats to catch rats, purified the streams, and thoroughly cleaned the clinic. We also had people make decoctions from ginger, onion, and garlic and drink them. Incoming goods were quarantined before entering the clinic.”

I gave a weak nod. These were all basic quarantine measures I had encountered in my previous life.

“We also ordered frequent handwashing and had everyone worry about infection after contact. It’s a long story, but to sum up: once the infection rate slowed, the medical staff pooled opinions to develop a more reliable treatment. We didn’t report experimental remedies that hadn’t proven effective to the higher-ups to avoid raising false hopes. In fact, before the Chancellor arrived we tried several treatments and failed—quite disheartening.”

“So this time?”

Nora the cleric couldn’t contain himself and pressed on.

“We decided to test every treatment we had only discussed in theory, including those we postponed because herbs were hard to obtain. The clerics and medical staff went out to gather herbs themselves—if you don’t know herbs, you won’t even recognize them. Nearby soldiers and Aidan helped a great deal. After those desperate experiments, one severely ill patient showed significant improvement today, so we rushed here. I’m sorry—we couldn’t wait to run larger trials while the Chancellor’s condition was urgent.”

I could hardly lift a finger; I was in no position to be picky about anything.

“Exactly what is the treatment?”

My throat was swollen, and my weak, hoarse voice leaked out.

I felt my body breaking down piece by piece. The senior cleric cautiously presented a bowl of thin broth. Aidan spooned small portions into my mouth, and I swallowed slowly.

“The common thread in the Chancellor’s measures was strengthening immunity and keeping things clean to avoid infection. In particular, the streams purified daily with sacred power proved effective, so we used holy water. We diluted the holy water and mixed seven types of purifying herbs—those that grow only in the clean parts of the forest—in measured ratios, then simmered the mixture all day.”

The gaunt condition of the medical staff spoke volumes about how hard they’d worked to find the right proportions.

“I can’t say it’s a perfect cure, but given the Chancellor’s condition we can produce a better medicine. The same goes for other patients. If this treatment holds up, we can finally escape the plague.”

Prince Raven patted the senior cleric on the back.

“You’ve worked very hard. It’s not easy to accomplish this in such a short time… I will never forget your efforts.”

The senior cleric shook his head.

“Half of it is thanks to the Chancellor’s actions. And… should we send away the Chancellor, who worked so hard for the plague-stricken East, without trying everything? We had to act.”

“Thank you…”

I wanted to express my gratitude properly, but only a weak, hoarse whisper came out. The cleric checked the empty bowl and carefully laid me back down.

“It’s important to restore your strength. For now, rest and eat—restoring nutrition is the top priority.”

While he explained precautions for taking the medicine, Prince Raven stepped back and left the ward with a stern expression. Nicola gave me a small nod and hurried after him.

The treatment the medical staff developed gradually showed its effects. The fever that had set my whole body aflame began to subside and my swollen throat went down. Swallowing food and medicine became easier. I still had little strength and the hives remained, but this was a major improvement.

Aidan stuck close to care for me, and when he went out to gather herbs, Nora the cleric and Nicola took turns watching over me.

“Nora the cleric.”

“Yes, Chancellor.”

“Actually, I heard everything.”

The prickly man, wrapped in cloth with only his eyes peeking out, cocked his head.

“What do you mean?”

“That you’ll become my slave once I recover.”

He flinched for a moment, then wetted a clean cloth and wiped my hand.

“Even without that, you won this bet against the Chancellor.”

That was true—since the treatment was developed and the plague showed signs of abating.

“So are you really going to become my slave?”

“Do you think I agreed to the bet as an empty promise? When I think about that time… haah.”

I let out a small laugh. Rude as he was, he seemed to keep his promises.

“Actually, I don’t need a slave. You’ve apologized for your past rudeness and I’ve accepted it. And… you’re showing it through your actions now.”

He shrugged and tidied the cloth and basin of water he’d brought.

“I’ve thought about it before, but the Chancellor is truly generous. Turning a cleric into a slave is unprecedented. It’s a great opportunity—don’t regret it, will you?”

“I saw your tears, so I know your sincerity well enough.”

Nora’s face flushed, perhaps embarrassed by the memory. I chuckled and continued.

“You’re even warning you’ll regret it—what a shame. Then how about this? A sort of ‘neglected slave.’”

“What is a ‘neglected slave’?”

He grumbled.

“You do your own work. If you go on living like that and eventually meet me, you do as I ask without complaint.”

“The freest slave in the world, then.”

“You’ll have to avoid me well. I only give difficult requests.”

“I’ll do my best to run away.”

Perhaps because that great conflict had been resolved, we became much more at ease with each other. Most quarrels only seem settled on the surface, but not with Nora the cleric. It was an unfamiliar experience for me as well.

“Slowly but steadily, you’re recovering. It’s going smoothly.”

The senior cleric smiled with satisfaction, though his gaunt face remained.

“This is nothing short of a miracle. Thank you.”

I sat propped on the bed and drank the revised treatment. The medicine kept changing between meals as they tweaked the ratios—final, final-final, truly final, final-final-final—until they found the best blend. I had become an unintended clinical subject, but I was grateful nonetheless.

“Among the minor cases, some complete recoveries are starting to appear.”

“Really?”

The news made my eyes widen. They said that if patients’ physical strength could be bolstered, even severe and critical cases could improve faster.

So it’s ultimately a food problem.

Prince Raven stood right in front of me, so I didn’t voice it, but looking at the meal menus made the situation clear. If the Chancellor’s meals were this basic, other patients surely weren’t getting proper food.

We couldn’t wait any longer.

We needed to request support from the surrounding nobles before supplies ran completely dry.

“W-wait. Who are you! This ward—!”

A commotion rose outside. The murmurs grew louder.

“What’s the matter?”

Prince Raven shouted toward the door. Before anyone could answer, a man barged into the ward without hesitation, and everyone gaped.

“Supreme Justice?”

“Duke of Ariadne?”

“Duke, how did you get here…?”

While everyone stared, he ignored them and strode straight toward me, as if he saw nothing else.

“…Ren?”

Even though the hives hadn’t gone and must look awful, he hugged me without a hint of embarrassment.

“Careful! Don’t come here!”

Startled, I pushed him away, but he pulled me into his arms all the more, as if smothering me with his embrace.

“How am I supposed to live without you? Why did you try to leave without telling me? Are you really trying to drive me mad?”

His words were grand and passionate, but I couldn’t stop my eyes from flicking to the horrified expressions of the people behind him.

There are people here… Is it really okay to make this so public?!