Chương 50: Information Briefing

Two-thirds of Averula's borders were coastline. If I had to make a comparison, the shape of Averula was somewhat similar to India on Earth. However, the gateway connecting it to the continent behind it was blocked by the Demon King's territory, and its coastline was far more jagged. The total land area was also significantly smaller. According to my memories, despite having a very long coastline, the majority of Averula's population did not live near the sea.

Fishing wasn't a widespread activity in every region either; the oceans here were far more dangerous than the primitive seafaring technology of this kingdom can handle. Our destination, Grasiva, was a small town located on a large peninsula. It sat beside a bay and is hemmed in by mountains, making transportation inconvenient. The population was less than a thousand people.

"Over twenty people have fallen ill within the past week. We've brought in local physicians, but none of them can diagnose the ailment." The head priest, a man named Thomas, wiped the sweat from his brow, looking deeply anxious. Lealia spoke up, "May I ask what their symptoms are?" Thomas hurried to respond, "I've had the physicians record all the symptoms here. Please, have a look." A cleric handed a sheet of paper to each Hero Candidate. Lealia tilted hers to the side so I could read along. Loss of consciousness.

Low body temperature. Excessive sweating. Pale skin. Veins and blood vessels clearly visible under the skin. Red nodules appearing in the eyes. In some cases, abnormal and rapid hair growth. Iris furrowed her brows and asked, "How long has it been since the first person fell ill? Has anyone's condition turned critical, or have there been any fatalities?" Thomas looked toward the other clerics for data. One stepped forward and said:"As of our visit yesterday, no one has died yet.

However, two individuals are extremely weak. It's uncertain if they will survive through the night." I chimed in, "Have you implemented a centralized quarantine?"

"... A centralized what?"

"Quarantine. Separating the sick from the healthy and moving them to a dedicated care facility. It's to make observation and treatment easier while preventing the spread to others." The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. I don't have extensive medical training, but I possess the basic understanding of pandemics common in the modern world.

A few years ago back on Earth, a massive global pandemic broke out; I had done my own research then and gained a fair amount of practical knowledge. The clerics looked at each other in confusion; clearly, the concept of quarantine the sick was foreign to them.

"The patients are still in their homes... But, none of their family members have fallen ill alongside them, so we didn't think such a measure was necessary." Hearing this, I suddenly had a premonition: this isn't a plague. However, it was just a hunch; I didn't dare jump to a hasty conclusion. Priest Thomas inquired tentatively, "You have all just undergone teleportation and must be exhausted. Would you like to rest for half a day before we depart?" Iris replied firmly, "Oh, heavens no.

Human lives are the priority. It takes another half-day to reach Grasiva by carriage, does it not?"

"That is correct. Once we arrive, I must ask that you Hero Candidates remain within the town; traveling back and forth to this church will not be feasible." Edgar chuckled, showing no signs of objection.

"Of course. We are here to help people, not on a leisurely vacation. As long as there is a place to eat and sleep, we are content." Thomas nodded in agreement.

"Well said. In that case, let us depart immediately." I took the opportunity to slip into the washroom to shed the dress I was wearing, revealing my male attire underneath. Only then did I dare discard the heavy cloak, feeling as though I had suddenly dropped three kilograms. Heaven only knows how sweltering it was sitting in that meeting room muffled under three layers of clothing. Stepping out of the church, I observed the surroundings: a rather deserted urban landscape.

The streets were wide and relatively clean, though passersby were few and far between. Even so, this place was considered significantly more bustling than Grasiva. That town, I presumed, would likely be little more than a well-kept village. Due to the accompanying church guards and the lack of facilities compared to the capital, the Hero Candidates could no longer enjoy the luxury of private transport. There were only three carriages for the total of fifteen people and their luggage.

Lealia and I were forced to share a carriage with Iris and her two assistants. The massive amount of luggage brought by the two girls consumed most of the space, forcing us to sit closer than usual. For reasons I couldn't fathom, I ended up wedged between Lealia and Iris. With the baggage strewn everywhere, switching seats would have been an utter nightmare, so I resigned myself to sitting there like a wooden log for the next three hours.

Iris's two assistants glared at me with "bullet-shaped eyes," as if I were a pile of dog shit defiling their jasmine flower, Iris.

"Are you alright, Asher? Should I scoot over a bit more?" Lealia asked with concern. I shook my head.

"It's fine. You have nowhere left to scoot unless you plan on climbing out the window."

"Could I...? This window is a bit small..."

"I was joking, haha." Throughout our exchange, Iris remained uncharacteristically silent instead of joining in. If I were the "me" from ten years ago, I would have been unsettled by this silence. It was such a stark contrast to the warm, friendly demeanor she usually reserved for "Asher Griffin." Back then, I had would have scrambled to strike up a conversation to soothe the tension. However, this silent treatment only worked on those who actually care about the person giving it. Now?

I had my eyes opened for a very long time. Want to see who's better at ignoring the other? Bring it on. I needed Iris to unleash her full potential during this mission so I could see how Lealia handled the pressure. So, by all means, Iris dear, fight with everything you've got.