Chapter 147: The Fine Line Between Hero And Killer (2)
The downfall of Proxia was a foregone conclusion.
The Black Death quickly claimed the lives of more than ten thousand people.
Black spots, the result of rotting skin, covered bodies, and within days, many had perished.
Cold bodies littered the streets, turning the center of Proxia into a veritable image of hell.
No army, no matter how strong, could counter a pandemic.
This silent bacterial war spelled inevitable defeat for Proxia, which lacked medical knowledge.
Ray, turning his back on those dying from the epidemic, headed towards the elf village.
His backpack, filled with books presumed to be from the Age of Magic, was as big as a boulder.
Carrying this heavy load with ease, he ran at an impressive speed.
Two hours into his run, he arrived at the elf village, just as he had the first time he came to the Grensia Mountains.
He scattered mana around, as if signaling his arrival, and soon a group of elves appeared.
Ray, with a bow drawn from a tree and a sword in hand, spoke to the wary elves.
I have something to deliver. Listen and pass it to Chersi.
How dare you, human!
Insolent or not, listen up. Ill only say this once.
His attitude was quite different from that of their first meeting.
With a cocked head and a flick of his leg, his manner seemed almost designed to irk others.
Was it possible to be so utterly lacking in manners?
The sight of this reckless human made the elves feel the need to take action.
But for Ray, their reaction would be a welcome diversion.
Since coming to the Grensia Mountains, he had accumulated a lot of grievances with the elves.
He was shocked by their hostility disguised as greetings and their shameless requests for help when in need.
If they shocked him a third time, he was ready to turn everything upside down.
However, nothing surprising occurred.
Chersi, sensing his mana, had come to the entrance of the village herself.
Human!
Chersi descended from the tree, her emotions a mix of joy and bewilderment.
The elves, who had been so rude to him, now knelt easily before their dignified leader.
Chersi!
How did you come here? We will deal with this human as quickly as we can.
Chersi shook her head at the elves words.
Theres no need for that. Human, what brings you here?
I thought Id drop by.
As he rummaged through his backpack, he pulled out a smelly leather pouch.
Chersi, with obvious displeasure, asked, Whats that?
You wanted to ask me to treat the elves, didnt you?
How did you know that
Chersis frown deepened.
She couldnt fathom how he knew without her having said a word.
But for Ray, deducing such things was almost an instinct.
With just a few clues, he was able to predict Iriels whereabouts and track him, his sensitivity bordering on the stalker esque.
His predictions were hardly ever incorrect.
It was the same this time.
The fleeing Proxia soldiers had spread the Black Death to several nearby elves.
Chersi, unable to cure the disease with healing magic, must have recalled the human she first encountered, overflowing with divine power.
As it turned out, the one radiating that seemingly useless divine power was none other than himself.
Ray, having realized this, could already surmise the plea Chersi would make when she approached for help.
Despite his aversion to assisting them due to their previous insolence, he recognized his role in the spread of the Black Death.
Feeling a significant twinge of guilt, he felt compelled to offer the penicillin.
He had initially prepared it as a safeguard in case the elves contracted the disease.
Chersi eyed the leather pouch with hesitation.
I was seeking your divine magic, not this putrid pouch.
Stop complaining and look inside.
He extracted a piece of bread covered in green mold from the pouch.
The elves recoiled at the sight, visibly disgusted.
At first glance, the bread appeared so decayed it was beyond consumption.
Even a troll with a strong stomach would have suffered for days if it had eaten such a thing.
However, Ray, indifferent to the suffering of trolls and elves, explained nonchalantly.
See this green mold? Dissolve a fingers worth in warm water and have the sick elves drink it.
To feed them this rotting stuff?
Chersi grimaced as she asked, to which Ray casually shrugged.
Its your choice, but if you dont act fast, theyll die. Keep feeding them until they improve, and even if they seem better, continue for a few more days.
Ray relayed his instructions simply.
In this world, unlike the modern era, tailoring precise prescriptions was impossible.
Ideally, antibiotics would be administered to maintain a minimum blood concentration, but that wasnt feasible here.
Furthermore, penicillin could cause fatal hypersensitivity due to allergic reactions.
A skin test before administration would have been ideal, but even blood tests were impossible here.
Chersi, listening to his explanation, nodded but appeared reluctant.
Although she would follow the instructions of a human almost akin to a god in terms of divine power, she was skeptical about curing the disease with just this rotten food.
Ray also gave other instructions.
Dont use more or less than I told you. If they develop a rash, vomit, or fever, stop immediately and wait a few days. Then, gradually reduce the dosage for those elves.
Chersi was overwhelmed by his rapid instructions.
After explaining everything, Ray picked up his backpack, ready to leave.
Chersi, in a panic, called out to him.
Wait a moment!
Now what?
I know its a lot to ask, but could you please take a look yourself?
The elves behind her reacted to her words.
Chersi! How can you allow this other race into our village!
Thats right! Inviting a human into our village is unprecedented!
Watching them rant like angry bulls, Ray smirked.
I have no intention of going. Goodbye.
He turned his back on them.
He had given the proper prescription.
What remained was whether the elves would follow his instructions.
Unlike Lady Airas village, these elves harbored deep mistrust and hostility toward other races.
It made sense, given their long history of conflict with the dwarves, now compounded by human involvement.
Even if it were the neighbors mischievous dog, one could still feel gratitude toward those who help.
But these elves seemed to regard his willingness to help as an honor, a puzzling attitude.
Perhaps there was a serious issue with their frontal lobes.
No thanks at all. Different from Aira, just a bunch of ungrateful elves. Eh, what a nuisance. Pfft.
Ironically, the one who had spread the Black Death had little right to criticize.
He left the elf village and headed toward the junction of the Grensia Mountains and the snowy mountain range.
Ray hoped for a teleportation spell in the magic books, as he detested crossing the snowy mountains.
Arriving at the forest in the Grensia Mountains, he quickly rummaged through his backpack for the magic books.
Excited at the prospect of learning new magic, his heart fluttered like a girl in love.
Hehehe. Just give me Fly. Please.
Licking his lips, he pulled out the books and opened one.
Or rather, he attempted to.
The lock spell on the magic book thwarted his effort.
The book remained shut, so Ray uttered an incantation.
Unlock.
A resonating sound of mana echoed as the unlocking spell manifested.
He tried to open the book again, filled with anticipation.
Yet, the magic book refused to open.
.
Ray examined the book from all angles.
Externally, nothing seemed to block it, except for the lock spell.
When he channeled mana into the book, the lock spell remained unbroken.
Unlock!
He tried again, channeling mana to cast the unlocking spell.
The mana signaled that the spell had manifested correctly.
He tried cautiously to open the book, but it remained shut as before.
.
His hand trembled.
Ray glanced back and forth between the book in his hands and the massive snowy mountain.
Failing to unlock the book meant he would have to cross the mountain again.
Unlock! Unlock! Unlock!
He funneled a substantial amount of mana into the book.
Yet, the magic books lock remained unyielding, like a fortress.
To make matters worse, a familiar tree approached from a distance,
greeting him with a smile.
Meeting again at this place. It must be fate, human.
The dryad from the snowy mountain approached him, creating a surreal collaboration.
Ray nearly tore the magic book in frustration but managed to restrain himself with superhuman patience.
Isnt it said that men cry three times? It seemed like the time for his second tear had arrived.
Zik was diligently performing the task Ray had assigned him, his eyes closed.
Holding the Aura Blade in his right hand, he was deep in an imaginary bout of combat, his thoughts on Ray.
Creating an opponent in ones mind and engaging in combat was no easy feat.
Even skilled Sword Masters struggled with such imaginary duels.
In his mind, Ray struck him with an unstoppable sword, its terrifying cutting power and the fear of death overwhelming him.
The sword he thought impossible to block.
Zik too believed it was unblockable, but then something unbelievable happened.
A new Aura Blade materialized in his previously empty left hand.
Clang!
The imagined Ray looked astonished at the blade that had knocked him away.
Zik then slowly opened his eyes.
I have finally managed to block it, my lord.
A mix of triumph and joy spread across his usually stoic face.
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