A Foul Odor and the Saintess's Arrival
I'd slept deeply for the first time in ages, and my body felt wonderfully refreshed. After a quick wash, I headed out for breakfast. But as I passed the doorway to my room, Pel suddenly let out a low growl.
[Grrr.]
"What's wrong?"
Pel crouched low to the ground, alert and wary, sniffing the air intently. He wrinkled his nose and replied.
[There's a foul smell.]
"A foul smell?"
I sniffed around after him, but as a mere human, I couldn't detect whatever disgusting odor Pel was picking up on.
"Where's it coming from?"
[Hmm...]
Pel twitched, one ear folded back, then pressed his nose to the floor. He rarely acted like this unless the stench was truly vile. I trailed after him. At first, I didn't think much of it, but as I realized where he was headed, my face hardened.
I ran smack into Paul bursting out from the entrance.
"Gasp! L-Little Duchess!"
"...What's going on?"
At my stern question, Paul looked flustered. The place he'd come from was the ward for the wounded.
Pel kept growling irritably, insisting the smell was coming from here.
[Here. Master. The smell's coming from here!]
I glanced at Pel and pressed Paul.
"Has something happened to the wounded?"
"Ah, well... I was on duty today bringing meals, and suddenly everyone..."
I shoved Paul aside and flung open the door. Inside, soldiers groaned on their simple cots.
"Ugh... urk..."
"Hic, heave."
"Grk, ngh."
The symptoms varied. Some dry-heaved, others panted with fever, and a few writhed as their wounds swelled painfully.
I whipped around and shouted at Paul.
"Fetch Teacher Xavier and Agni!"
"Y-Yes, ma'am."
With no healers here yet, we'd have to tend to them ourselves. As I moved to approach, Pel grabbed my hem in his teeth and held me back.
[Don't go near.]
He growled softly, still scanning the surroundings.
"Why?"
[The stench is too strong. And it's the scent of a monster.]
"A monster?"
I startled and looked around. No monsters here—just soldiers wounded by them.
I frowned and asked,
"So you're saying the soldiers are poisoned by monster venom right now?"
[Yes. Some venoms have a latency period, so it might just be kicking in. The way it's spreading through the air means it's contagious.]
"Contagious..."
I pinched my nose and stepped back. Fortunately, the base stocked various antidotes for monster poisons, given how many soldiers got hit in battle. But whether they'd work here was anyone's guess—each monster's venom was unique, so we brewed fresh antidotes every time.
"Damn it, I didn't think of poison."
No one had shown symptoms before, so we'd let our guard down. And with a latency period? Monster venoms were as varied as they came.
I clicked my tongue and turned to Xavier and Agni, who had come running.
"Huff huff, what's happened, Abigail?"
"Looks like everyone's hit with monster venom."
"What?"
Xavier's eyes widened in shock.
"But there were no symptoms yesterday..."
"Pel says some venoms have a latency period."
"...Ah, that could be."
Xavier nodded and prepared to examine the wounded. Agni immediately started cordoning off the area. I covered my mouth with a cloth and followed Xavier inside.
"What do you think?"
"..."
After checking each patient, Xavier turned to me with a grim expression.
"We can't use the base antidotes. Symptoms vary too much between patients. Wrong one could cause side effects..."
He trailed off, his eyes bitter. I felt the same helplessness.
"...So what now?"
"First, take samples from each and brew targeted antidotes. Once the healers arrive, it'll go faster. Until then..."
"The patients have to hold on."
"Yes."
We discussed our scant options out of earshot. Then a familiar voice cut in.
"Little Duchess, what's going on?"
"...Your Highness."
I turned, flustered, to face the crown prince. Right—training with the imperial knights started today. He'd come looking when I didn't show.
"Your Highness, it's..."
I gave a quick rundown on the monster venom. He nodded gravely.
"I see."
"Yes."
He'd lived south all his life, so monsters were probably foreign to him.
"We'll handle the poison. Please don't worry and head back."
"But..."
"You could catch it if you stay."
Contagions were terrifying. Pel's nose didn't lie—the toxin was airborne. I had to keep the crown prince far from here. Like it or not, he was a male lead I had to protect.
But he ignored me, poking around.
"Little Duchess, let me..."
"Abigail!"
Someone came panting up behind him.
"Ren?"
"I heard."
His beautiful silver hair was tousled like he'd just woken up. His eyes flicked to the barred ward door.
"I'll help Xavier too."
"What?"
Ren the mage hadn't warmed to the knights much, but he'd bonded with research geek Xavier. Fine by me, but...
"It could be dangerous if we don't handle the poison right..."
Aerosol infection unprepared was a disaster. Better if those of us used to it—like Xavier or me—handled it.
Ren wouldn't budge.
"I've gone to plague villages with my master before."
"Oh, really?"
The Magic Tower researched diseases too? My ears perked up.
"Do you know any spells to cure poison, then...?"
"Purification magic is high-tier, even for priests..."
"I see."
I'd gotten healing magic from Benjamin once, so I'd hoped. No such luck.
I sighed and gave Ren strict instructions.
"Cover your mouth and nose tight, wear gloves touching patients, don't get too close..."
"Got it, Abigail."
"..."
I felt like a nagging mom, but I couldn't help it. Remembering his younger self made me overprotective.
After sending Ren in, I approached the crown prince, still standing blankly.
"Your Highness?"
"...You're quite close to that mage, personally."
"Pardon?"
His sudden words left me baffled. He eyed me warily.
Ah, maybe. Checking to keep the ducal house from getting too cozy with the Magic Tower? The imperials had watched us closely since Benjamin at the Magic Festival.
Made sense. I thought casually.
"Yes, Ren joined the Northern Magic Festival. That's how we met."
No need to mention curing Father's curse with him and Benjamin. I kept it light, but the crown prince's face stayed stiff.
"...Met, huh."
"...?"
His lip curled oddly upward—a smile he rarely wore, unlike his usual gentle mask.
"Don't forget we're still engaged."
"...!"
Why bring up the engagement here? Stunned, I stared, but he stayed brazen.
Proud you won't annul it? Once he falls for Yurina and begs, I'll laugh in his face.
I ground my teeth inwardly.
"Of course I haven't forgotten. You made sure of that, Your Highness."
"..."
My pointed words seemed to choke him. As he awkwardly hemmed, I asked,
"So why haven't you left?"
"Ah."
Seemed he'd remembered why he'd lingered. Then he made a shocking offer.
"What if we tried the imperial antidote?"
"The imperial antidote?"
"Yes."
I caught on quick. The imperial panacea, miracle cure blessed by the gods for any ailment. From the original story, he'd used it to save a key side character.
"How could we use something so precious..."
I swallowed hard. I'd love it if he offered—but it might derail the plot. That side character was crucial.
"Think nothing of it. Aren't they the empire's valued citizens? It's my responsibility too."
"Hm."
Clueless to his own future, he spoke easily. What to do? Couldn't tell him to save it for later.
As I grew flustered, Paul from earlier approached, calling me.
"Huff huff. Little Duchess!"
"Ah, Paul."
I blinked slowly at him. Running all over the place.
His sweat-slicked face made me tsk inwardly.
"Sweating buckets again—what now?"
"Uh, well, some people at the wall want to see you, Little Duchess."
"Me?"
"Yes."
Paul nodded, then gasped.
"Ah, they said to show you this."
"..."
He handed me a small pebble-like stone. It glowed pure white at my touch.
"This is..."
The holy knights' marker I'd seen hunting the twins in Volta. Eyes wide, I grabbed Paul's shoulder.
"You said they're at the wall now?"
"P-Pardon? Yes."
"Open the gate—no, I'll go myself."
"Eh? Little Duchess!"
I ignored his call and bolted. Had to be a priest from Yurina.
I raced straight to the wall. As the gate opened, the dismounted visitors stared in surprise.
"...Yurina?"
"Abigail!"
She threw back her hood with a bright smile, cheeks flushing as she hurried close.
"I missed you, Abigail!"