Princess's Struggle for Survival-Chapter 501: Villainess

The two secondary fortresses were located far apart. Combined with the extensive time required for back-and-forth speeches, by the time Astrid arrived at Siyak Town, the sun had already set.

Having received prior orders from Duke Charles, this logistical supply transfer town was firmly under military control. To prevent panic from spreading uncontrollably, they hadn’t used earth magic to erect high walls. Instead, they isolated the infected by guarding the town’s entrances and exits and controlling surrounding transportation routes. Without proper clearance, no one was allowed to enter or leave.

On the frigid, snow-covered plains, without warm carriages or sheltering buildings, no living being exposed in the wild could survive a single day. The harsh climate itself became a natural barrier, containing the spread of the plague beyond the town.

The moment she stepped off the carriage, Astrid softly chanted an ancient magical incantation in her mind. These ancient spells, cast using so-called Divine Language, were significantly more effective than ordinary magic. Considering the mastermind behind the plague was most likely Brennild, perhaps magic constructed from the same linguistic foundation might yield unexpected results.

At the same time, Elise walking beside Astrid also felt the magical enhancement. Facing her young mistress, the head maid offered no resistance, silently accepting the warm current that enveloped her entire body.

In truth, this precaution was completely unnecessary on Astrid’s part. If the plague within Siyak Town could affect a peak tier Master Knight-level expert, Brennild wouldn’t need to resort to such petty tactics as disrupting logistics to weaken the Valeria Empire. She could simply spread the plague among the garrison troops. Once the border defense soldiers lost their combat effectiveness, the entire empire will fall into the hands of the Kingdom of Velys.

However... feeling her young mistress’s concern, Elise said nothing, her expression calm as she followed her into the town.

Astrid set an example by showing her clearance permit, then passed through the military-guarded checkpoint. Her sharp heels sank into the fine snow, producing a faint, crisp crunching sound.

Night had fallen, and the wind carried light snowflakes to the ground. Inside the town, only a few feeble lights flickered. The surroundings were utterly silent, occasionally broken by patrolling soldiers carrying torches who saluted the obviously noble and distinguished Regent Princess, especially one with such a unique appearance of silver hair and crimson eyes.

The deeper they walked into the town, the tighter Astrid’s brows knitted. Her beautiful eyes, which had carried a hint of allure when teasing Lyra earlier, were now narrowed slightly, serious and focused.

The situation was grim. She had inquired for specific information from the soldiers she passed earlier. Two more patients had died from feeling "Cold."

In just half a day, new deaths had occurred, once again proving the fatal nature of this plague.

Initially, the symptoms were merely similar to a common cold, coughing and fever, and it was highly contagious, infecting a small portion of residents within a few days. Now that the spread was nearly complete, it was beginning to bare its fangs.

This wasn’t like the plague a century ago, the one that swept through both the Valeria Empire and the Kingdom of Velys. At least that plague had come quickly, killed quickly, and passed quickly, without such a prolonged incubation period.

Combined with the information she’d previously received, Astrid was now certain this was no natural coincidence. Someone was definitely manipulating events from the shadows.

Arriving at the center of the town, she found the hastily erected quarantine zone where numerous infected patients were sheltering. Alongside them were physicians dressed in specialized clothing and bird-beaked masks.

"Princess Astrid?"

Amidst the constant coughing, a muffled voice, as if filtered through a screen, reached Astrid’s ears.

She turned to see a tall figure dressed as a physician, their specific gender indiscernible.

"I am Physician Prester Ansius, the one responsible for treating these patients."

Seeing that Astrid wasn’t wearing any protective gear, Prester signaled to a nearby physician to prepare some. However, the silver-haired beauty in front of him simply waved her hand slightly, indicating it wasn’t necessary.

The filtering effect of wind magic was no worse than a bird-beaked mask. Besides, if she wore one, who would recognize that the visitor here was Astrid Calliste, the current Regent Princess of the Empire?

"Tell me the current situation, Physician Prester."

Upon hearing Astrid’s words, Prester nodded and gestured for her to follow him to a more private location. Astrid and Elise followed, and the trio entered the physicians’ rest room within the temporary quarantine zone.

"The news about Siyak Town being quarantined has not yet reached the ears of the infected patients."

"But as time passes, some patients with milder symptoms may demand to leave Siyak Town. Once the military rejects their requests, the fact of the town’s lockdown will spread rapidly."

Facing the supreme ruler of the empire, second only to the Empress and above all others, Prester honestly reported the current situation.

"Preventive actions will require close cooperation from the soldiers... Furthermore, the plague is extremely contagious. Anyone who has breathed in the same room as a patient has a very high probability of becoming infected."

"Additionally, it has an incubation period ranging from one or two days to as long as a week, making it difficult to guard against."

Astrid listened intently to Prester’s words, her hand lightly resting against her cheek. After a moment, she spoke in a gentle voice.

"Of the patients currently showing similar symptoms, who has the strongest physical constitution?"

Prester immediately replied, "Your Highness the Regent Princess, there is an early tier knight serving in the logistics unit, mainly responsible for transporting supplies to Liya Tower Fortress. His condition is much stronger than ordinary patients, only mild coughing, no fever, and this has persisted for many days."

"Because there are no more severe symptoms, we can’t even be certain if he’s a victim of this plague."

Medieval medical standards were limited, naturally unable to use precise medical instruments to analyze a patient inside and out like in her previous life. Prester included this knight in his observations and was already as cautious as one could possibly be.

"Besides him, are there any other patients with mental energy manipulation abilities?" Astrid asked.

Prester nodded. "At least, none have appeared in the recorded medical histories."

In other words, this plague outbreak in Siyak Town could at most affect individuals with the physical strength of an early tier knight. This indirectly confirmed Astrid’s judgment: Brennild’s current abilities weren’t sufficient to interfere with the front lines. All she could do was alter the texts, use faith as a sacred excuse to forcefully boost troop morale, and simultaneously use her plague authority to disrupt the empire’s logistics.

However, this didn’t mean Astrid could completely relax. Even if Brennild wasn’t powerful enough to be an unstoppable threat, a plague capable of killing ordinary people would still plunge the empire into long-term chaos. After all, over ninety-nine percent of the empire’s population can’t use mental energy manipulation abilities. If the plague spreads, the lives of these people will be at risk, and the empire will inevitably collapse from within.

The soldiers’ rations, their clothing, the swords they wielded, and the armor that protected them, these were all painstakingly grown and crafted by the lower-class commoners, not by the empire’s nobility who possessed mental energy manipulation abilities but did not engage in agriculture.

"Describe the detailed situation to me."

Having thought this far, Astrid gently massaged her temples.

"Include the conditions of patients using special attention, the general mood of the people, and the reserves of medical supplies."

"At once, Princess Astrid."

An hour later, having fully grasped all the information about the temporary quarantine zone, Astrid left the rest room and began inspecting the conditions of the various patients.

Coughing, fever, swollen limbs, bulging eyes, lungs feeling as if scorched by fire.

Charles’s and Prester’s descriptions were entirely accurate.

As one of the few people within the facility not wearing protective gear, Astrid and Elise became the focus of many people’s attention. Especially the former, whose innate noble aura made the patients realize her status was extraordinary.

Astrid didn’t hide her identity. Using the physicians as intermediaries to announce her title as Regent Princess while inquiring about the patients’ conditions, she ensured every patient present knew a member of the royal family had come in person and was showing such care for them.

Seeing a girl lying on a bed, her cheeks pale, Astrid knelt down and asked softly.

"Have your headaches shown any signs of easing?"

Hearing the direct concern from the Empress Regent, the girl seemed flustered, quickly wiping the fine sweat from her forehead with her hand.

Astrid acted first, using a medical cotton pad to gently wipe away the sweat, her bright red eyes intently watching the girl.

"A little..." the girl opened her mouth, her pale lips moving weakly.

"But... my lungs... they hurt..."

"It feels like they’re on fire."

The girl’s voice holds a hint of tears and a trace of fear of death. Seeing this, a flicker of pain appears in Astrid’s eyes, as if she shared the girl’s suffering.

"Remember to listen to the physicians, take your medicine on schedule."

The hand wearing a black silk glove gently held the girl’s hand. Astrid bent her knees, allowing the night-sky-colored skirt to cover her legs wrapped in sheer black stockings. She pursed her lips and spoke softly.

"I will do my utmost to provide medical supplies and aid for the patients here."

"It will get better."

Hearing this, the girl looked at the hand Astrid was holding, seeming to sense the sincerity in her words. Her eyes glistened with tears as she gave an almost imperceptible nod.

"Thank you... Princess... Regent Princess..."

And all of this was witnessed by the other patients observing the scene.

They said nobles didn’t care at all about the lives of commoners, but this Regent Princess, with her outstanding appearance and bearing, seemed to be an exception.

Perhaps... she really could save them...

After speaking, Astrid softly chanted a spell in her mind. An arcane magic was cast upon the girl in front of her, temporarily alleviating her pain.

Let’s test it, whether magic chanted in the Divine Language is effective on these patients.

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

That night, after leaving Siyak Town, Astrid removed her black silk gloves. A thread of mental energy ignited a flame, which continued burning until the glove that had touched the girl turned into ashen-gray ash.

Wind magic could block coughing, but it couldn’t handle bodily fluids transferred through physical contact. As a precaution, it was better to burn the gloves after touching patients.

Gazing at the ash suspended close by, held aloft by wind, Astrid controlled her mental energy while idly wondering: if someone saw her doing this right now, wouldn’t it easily confirm the accusation of the Regent Princess staging a performance?

The villainess princess, putting on a show to win public favor and appease public opinion, how utterly hypocritical.

If the witness were the past Lyra, she might really start overthinking in her heart, yet still dare not confront her about it.

But this was normal. After all, eighty percent of the reason Astrid did this was indeed for show, to soothe the patients’ emotions. However, to claim her heart was completely unmoved would also be inaccurate.

Seeing the young girl on the bed, her face pale, Astrid herself felt uneasy. The promise to provide medical aid was not a lie, but the truth.

Yet from Astrid’s perspective, she couldn’t possibly lift the lockdown on Siyak Town because of one individual or one group.

If no solution could truly be found, the girl’s fate would be the same as all other plague victims.

To die painfully and helplessly.

The carriage wheels rolled over the snow. Astrid’s fingers lightly tapped the seat, her long legs slowly straightening, pressing her heels against the carriage wall.

The ancient magic obtained through chanting ancient incantations could not erase the plague. Whether it was light magic, skilled in purification, or water magic, skilled in healing the body, the effects were dismissed.

As for magic released using the common human language, it showed not even a hint of alleviation.

Could it be... my strength isn’t high enough...

The translucent, slender light blade suddenly flashed through her mind. Astrid fluttered her eyelashes a few times, pondering silently.

The [Sword of Light] in Lyra’s hands was a being of the same rank as Brennild. Perhaps she could use the holy sword as a medium to release purifying ancient magic.

But the problem was, Lyra was also a person born in this world and this era. Even if she was the destined heroine, she was still bound by the will of the world and unable to chant ancient incantations.

In other words, the person who could chant ancient incantations lacked the equivalent rank, while the one with the equivalent rank couldn’t chant ancient incantations.

They were stuck right here. It would be perfect if the two of them could combine their abilities.

Returning to Liya Tower Fortress, the private residence arranged for the Regent Princess by Duke Charles, Astrid entered the washroom. She removed her dress and stockings, standing completely naked under the magical energy showerhead, letting the flowing water wash away the dust and any possible pathogens.

Liya Tower Fortress also had some soldiers below the knight rank. Just to be safe, it was best to clean thoroughly.

After finishing everything, Astrid changed into casual clothes and sat at her desk, meticulously recording the intelligence she had gathered that day. Then she glanced at the clock, confirmed there was ample time, and turned to leave the room.

Charlotte’s bedroom was also located in the core area of the fortress. Following the location Charles had told her earlier, Astrid hesitantly, deactivated the defensive magical barrier, and gently knocked on the door.

After all, she had only been on the path of magic for a few years, her experience was limited. Perhaps Charlotte, who had long been submerged in the study of magical circles, could offer her some assistance.