Princess's Struggle for Survival-Chapter 495: Plague

"A certain plague?"

Hearing Charles’s words, Astrid slightly furrowed her delicate brows, instantly flashing back to a particularly exquisite face, along with the accompanying dark thoughts sinking deep within her.

That dark-haired girl who attacked her and Lyra in the Monster Mountain Range, the mysterious existence Lady Gemini called "Brennild."

[She is the forerunner before the gods’ descent. Death, Plague, and Darkness are the authorities she holds.]

Of these three authorities, the first, Death, Astrid had already seen in the farms and wilderness. Those undead creatures were one of the signs of mastery over the Authority of Death. As for the last, the deep, night-like dark element surrounding Brennild that briefly suppressed the Sword of Light in Lyra’s hands, its rank was undoubtedly no lower than the Holy Sword. Clearly, this too was an Authority.

Now only the third remained, one Astrid had never seen with her own eyes.

Sensing the doubt in Astrid’s tone, Charles nodded, gesturing for his attendant to hand the relevant documents to the Regent. His deep voice carries a subdued tone.

"I’ve lived all my life on this cold, arid land. My understanding of the terrain and climate far surpasses that of others."

"By all logic, this isn’t the season for common colds or fevers. The sudden outbreak among civilians is highly suspicious. Moreover, judging by the symptoms, it doesn’t resemble any ordinary cold or influenza."

"A week ago, the first group to exhibit coughing and fever began coughing up large amounts of blood. Severe breathing difficulties emerged, and even their nasal discharge was mixed with blood threads."

Astrid lowered her hand from her chin, elegantly crossing her smooth legs as she slowly flipped through the parchment before her.

The documents Charles provided listed the various symptoms shown by the first group infected. Following that were the physicians’ diagnoses and medication records.

"Persistent high fever, limbs too weak to move. Patients constantly feel cold, yet sometimes suddenly feel intense heat.

"Administered large amounts of cough-relieving herbs and calming incense decoction, supplemented with warm-stove flower roots to alleviate cold symptoms. No significant effect, fever remains unbroken."

Diagnosis: Uncommon cold. Suspected novel illness.

Seeing Astrid continue reading, Charles spoke at the right moment.

"Two days ago, more patients and more severe symptoms began appearing frequently."

"First came widely lung-burning pain. Then, limbs feeling cold developed a stinging sensation, as if ants were gnawing. In more severe cases, limbs began swelling, eyeballs protruded, and skin along the spine became heavily congested, manifesting as patch after patch of red rashes."

"And last night... two deaths occurred."

At the same time, Astrid reached this section. Her already furrowed brows tightened further, her crimson eyes carrying a cold glint.

"People have died. The nature of this illness has completely changed," Astrid said.

Charles nodded in affirmation. "Your Highness’s thoughts align perfectly with mine."

Siyak Town was located in a strategic vital position. Such a problem would inevitably affect the nearby Liya Tower Fortress and two secondary strongholds. Should it lose transport functionality, logistical supply would become extremely strained.

If the civilians were only temporarily incapacitated, without the disease threatening their lives, then this situation would still remain within Charles’s control. But this sudden epidemic had already revealed its lethality.

Forget its inherent destructive potential, the sheer panic spreading among the people alone was enough to give Charles a massive headache.

"When the plague first emerged, we didn’t immediately implement the highest-level epidemic prevention measures. By the time we realized, a large number of civilians were already infected."

This couldn’t truly be blamed on Charles’s negligence. The initial symptoms did indeed resemble a common cold. He had strictly followed the new imperial law, providing free treatment to those affected.

But no one could have foreseen its transmission speed being so rapid, or its subsequent harmfulness so severe.

"It was on the day of lung-burning symptoms that I chose to isolate these patients, preventing contact with others."

"But beyond them, there were still many with milder symptoms. Too many. Even after isolating everyone, the plague’s advance hasn’t stopped."

"The best solution now might be to quarantine Siyak Town."

Hearing this, Astrid recalled how last night, Duke Charles had chosen to stop the carriage at the outermost edge of Siyak Town, likely to avoid her coming into contact with the infected.

"Quarantining Siyak Town..." Astrid murmured softly.

"That means our supply lines must be rerouted."

Rerouting meant taking a longer path, which meant higher transportation costs.

"Correct."

Charles confirmed, then spoke quietly.

"My opinion is, we should quarantine Siyak Town as soon as possible."

Had it been yesterday, Charles might have hesitated slightly, pondering whether to take such action. But now, with deaths confirmed, quarantining Siyak Town has become nearly inevitable.

In the history of the Valeria Empire, every plague outbreak meant massive loss of the lower classes, and that, in turn, meant the empire would fall into an extremely prolonged period of weakness, its national strength severely diminished.

This was a critical juncture during the war. If the plague spread unchecked, the consequences would be unthinkable.

"We’ll proceed as Duke Charles suggests," Astrid replied softly.

Knowing Brennild’s authority included Plague, Astrid couldn’t afford to relax.

Yet, in the original novel, there had never been any mention of either the Kingdom of Velys or Valeria Empire’s prolonged war being plagued by epidemics.

Was it because the conquest had been too smooth, rendering such methods unnecessary for Brennild? Or had this storyline actually been delayed?

Recalling how Kingdom of Velys’s cavalry breached Valeria’s defenses, charging from the freezing tundra straight into the warm heartlands, leaving behind a trail of corpses, severed limbs hanging everywhere, a scene resembling hell on earth. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

They always said war and plague were twin siblings. Suitable temperatures provided breeding grounds for pathogens. Unburied corpses were perfect nutrients. And with the later backlash from the little tyrant, whether Kingdom of Velys or Valeria Empire, both were ideal breeding grounds for disease outbreaks.

Could it be, this was actually Brennild’s primary reason for instigating the war between the two nations?

Blades clashing claimed countless lives. The scent of death began spreading across the two human empires. Corpses left exposed in the wild became Brennild’s tools for casting spells. Flesh became the breeding ground for plague. Bones became vessels for undead. And death itself was the nourishment allowing her to regain divine power.

Just as she was still a Shadow, hiding outside the capital city, using death to nourish herself, no matter who won or lost this battle, the only true victor would be her.

"...Your Highness?"

A deep male voice snapped Astrid back to reality. The woman straightened her posture once more, her expression calm. Her midnight-blue high heels tapped against her calves, slightly indenting the silk-covered skin.

"The contingency plans I submitted to Her Majesty, have you reviewed them?" Charles asked.

Astrid nodded, her breath light and fragrant.

"Of course."

Those contingency plans cover a wide range, defensive actions in case Liya Tower Fortress fell, rational planning of strategic depth, specific coordination of various protective magic arrays.

Naturally included were changes to the logistics convoy routes, as well as multiple temporary countermeasures.

"Though Her Majesty is far in the capital, unable to receive firsthand information or issue immediate decrees, I, as Imperial Regent, hold equal authority to the Empress and may exercise the same powers."

Had Astrid not been present, the Northern Territory would have been Charles’s domain alone. But with the Regent here for inspection, these matters naturally require her opinion and approval.

"I will personally issue the order, directing transport teams to reroute as planned, and simultaneously quarantine Siyak Town."

As soon as she finished speaking, Astrid looked toward the middle-aged man nearby, her voice smooth.

"I suppose Duke Charles has already prepared personnel, merely awaiting my confirmation?"

Quarantine operations rely on speed. Before even discussing it, Charles must have already made preparations, there was no way he’d deliberate points one through five before sending people into action.

Charles slightly bowed his head in acknowledgment, his tone respectful.

"Your speculation is entirely accurate."

After observing Astrid’s performance over the past day and night, Charles no longer viewed her as a mere young descendant of his generation. This Imperial Regent possessed exceptional governance skills and political talent. Now, decisively handling such a critical issue, she faintly resembled the Iron-blooded Emperor’s demeanor when he first ascended the throne.

...................

Thirty minutes later, Astrid left the guest chamber where Duke Charles was staying, returning to the private room the Grand Duke had prepared for her.

Last night, she had stayed over in Lyra’s bedroom and hadn’t had time to settle into her own room. Fortunately, Elise had already taken care of everything, transforming an ordinary room into the perfect bedroom for Astrid.

Sitting at the desk, carefully pondering Charles’s earlier words, Astrid took out paper and pen, methodically listing points.

The plague began half a month ago, earlier than when she boarded the mana energy airship.

At that time, it coincided exactly with the Church Knights’ critical moment of reassembling their forces. Everything seemed too coincidental, like someone was manipulating events behind the scenes.

With the original novel as reference, and the memories of the first king hidden within the Imperial Scepter, Astrid, now empowered with vast useful information, could affirm with certainty that the true mastermind inciting the Church to launch a holy war under the guise of spreading faith, thereby triggering the Siyak Town plague, could only be the Forerunner, Brennild.

She, or rather, It, had committed sins even graver than the Pope and the King. If Astrid ever had the chance to destroy her, she would spare no effort.

But now... She was hidden behind layers upon layers of human constructs. Even if Astrid wanted to seize her, it wouldn’t be easy...

Furthermore, with her and Lyra’s current strength, they might not be able to defeat Brennild, who could chant ancient magical incantations.

The immediate priority remains winning the war, settling the score with war criminals, and then digging deep to uncover Brennild.

As for the plague, according to Charles, he had dispatched another group of soldiers with middle tier knight capabilities to manage logistics, filling the gaps left by the reduced transport team.

After all, facing the same disease, knights with stronger physiques and mental energy had far greater resistance than civilians lacking mental power. One could say their life tiers differ significantly due to whether or not they could manipulate mental energy.

As for mages, although they lacked the knight’s robust physique and abundant vitality, the very act of using mental energy to sense elements meant they were communicating with the natural world. Once detecting anomalies, they can immediately draw arcane particles to neutralize threats, making their disease resistance no less than that of knights.

Moreover, in Astrid’s view, if this plague truly manifested as one of Brennild’s authorities, high magic resistance might prove more useful than high physical resistance. Mages might thus handle the plague even better.

"..."

Ultimately, usable information remained too scarce.

Before leaving, Astrid had secretly told Charles she would grant him full authority, while also requisitioning the most renowned physicians across the empire to diagnose and seek any possible cure.

Even if the chances were slim, someone had to try. Otherwise, if quarantine fails and Brennild’s power proved stronger than anticipated, affecting towns further southeast of Siyak Town, more and more transportation hubs would fall, increasing logistical pressure further.

There was even the possibility that the plague might travel along the supply lines all the way back to the imperial capital.

Merely contemplating this possibility made Astrid’s eyelid twitch involuntarily.

The capital was like the heart. If a person’s heart malfunctioned, the blood it pumped would carry the virus throughout the body. At that point, the entire empire might fall under the shadow of plague.

Ordinary people without mental energy were so fragile against such invisible forces.

The plague must be contained, whether through human isolation or by discovering an exact cure.

As she pondered, a rhythmic knock sounded at the door. Astrid paused, then casually asked.

"What is it?"

"Reporting, Miss. Miss Philice has come to visit."

Philice... Duke Charles’s daughter, Philice...

What did she want with me?

"Let her in."

For a moment, she thought it might be Lyra or Charlotte.

A faint trace of disappointment flickered in her heart, unnoticed even by Astrid herself. The silver-haired, red-eyed Imperial Gem adjusted her dangling slippers, elegantly straightening her posture, her black-stockinged legs demurely pressed together.

Half a minute later, the door opened. A brown-haired girl wrapped in a fluffy coat entered, bowing respectfully upon seeing Astrid seated at the desk.

"Your Highness, it is an honor to meet you."

Turning to face the bright-eyed brown-haired girl before her, Astrid nodded, her voice calm.

"Good afternoon, Miss Philice."