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Chapter 148
-The place where the plague first broke out is the Red Rock Cliffs. Thank you again.
Upon revealing our intentions, Vagran told us the origin of the plague.
The Red Rock Cliffs.
That na didn't exist in the era when I played the ga.
According to Barundel, it was a rocky region at the outermost edge of Kazandur…
"I'll guide the way."
Fortunately, thanks to his extensive knowledge of the area, we didn’t get lost.
And so, we arrived at the Red Rock Cliffs.
"It's quite grand."
As the na suggested, the area was a rocky corridor flanked by reddish cliffs.
A warning sign was planted at the entrance, forbidding entry.
"It's one of Kazandur’s landmarks. Well… it's a place we designated as a landmark among ourselves, since outsiders aren't allowed here."
"I see. It certainly has the scenery to be called that."
"According to what my uncle told , this is where traces of demonic energy were detected."
Following Barundel’s lead, we walked deeper into the path.
Just as I started to feel that we had co quite far…
'Demonic energy!'
With my heightened vision from the [Elixir of Insight], I caught sight of it.
And not just a small amount—an overwhelming presence of demonic energy.
Gooooooh!
Dark mist, tinged with a faint bluish-green hue, was spread along the path like fog.
A deep instinctual warning rang through , and I imdiately halted the group.
"I think this is as far as we should go. It looks too dangerous ahead."
We still had no clear understanding of how this demonic energy was related to the plague.
If we carelessly approached it, we might end up getting infected ourselves.
'Both dwarves and elves have already been infected, aning there's a high chance humans can be affected too.'
Even if that weren’t the case, Barundel was a dwarf.
We had to exercise the utmost caution.
Barundel, who could also sense the demonic energy, seed to recognize the danger as well—he had instinctively kept his distance.
For now, I decided to search the surrounding area first.
"Barundel, is there a way up the cliffs? I’d like to start searching from a higher vantage point."
"Of course."
Barundel moved ahead and tapped on the cliff, pointing at a narrow path.
It was just wide enough for a single person to pass through.
From the ground all the way to the cliff’s peak.
Realizing that we would have to climb it, the group swallowed hard.
The first to speak was Kayla.
"Uhh… wouldn’t it be better if we searched down here instead?"
"Y-yeah, the lady’s got a point. There are four of us, and sticking together seems inefficient."
Thompson nodded eagerly in agreent.
I understood where they were coming from, but…
"It’s actually more dangerous to split up. We don’t even know what’s out there yet."
"B-but if we move in pairs, we can at least minimize the risk to so degree…"
"If one of us gets infected, that’s even more reason to stay together. From what I’ve heard, acting quickly gives the best chance of survival."
"…Fine."
Thompson reluctantly nodded.
Even after saying all that, their expressions were still uneasy, so they must have been quite scared of climbing the cliff.
'Though I don't really understand why.'
How many tis had I seen Thompson leaping into the air and falling?
Compared to that, this cliff seed like nothing.
But the person in question didn’t seem to think so.
As I was thinking that, Thompson cautiously asked,
"Are you alright, Mr. First Place? If you take one wrong step, you'll fall right down…"
"? Well, I…"
"That's our Mr. First Place for you!"
Thompson gave a thumbs-up, looking proud.
It seed he had misunderstood my words.
'…I guess I should just show them.'
Deciding that, I imdiately gathered my mana.
And at the sa ti,
"I'll be waiting up there."
"What? Waiting up there? What do you an…"
Poof!
My body, which had disappeared, reappeared midway up the cliff.
[Teleport].
It was a truly useful spell, as I had felt many tis.
To be able to climb this treacherous cliff without moving a single step.
I looked down at my companions, who were looking around in confusion, and shouted,
"Co on up! Quickly!"
My shout echoed back twice.
Finally, my companions turned their heads towards , and…
"…"
I couldn't help but see it.
The faces of Kayla and Thompson, contorted like rotten fruit.
It was the expression of soone betrayed by a trusted comrade.
'…Maybe I'm not wrong, though?'
***
Having reached the top of the cliff first, I waited for my companions while looking around.
"There's nothing particularly special…"
Towering rocks, a thick mist of demonic energy below.
And scattered demons.
That was all I could see.
There was no sign of anything that could cause a plague.
As I was looking around,
"Hup!"
Barundel, who was climbing the cliff path most skillfully, reached the top.
Soon after, Thompson and Kayla also arrived, panting heavily.
"…I thought I was going to die."
"Good job, Lady."
Having regrouped, we surveyed the surroundings together.
"Anyone find anything strange?"
"…Hmm. I don't see anything in particular, Mr. First Place."
"Sa here. Everything looks normal."
Thompson and Barundel didn't seem to see anything unusual either.
Then, at that mont.
"Doesn't that look a bit strange?"
For the first ti, Kayla offered a different opinion.
Her finger was pointing down the cliff…
"Demons?"
What Kayla was pointing at was none other than the demons.
[Demon Rock Snakes], [Demon Golems], and various other creatures were wandering around.
But that was all.
There was still nothing particularly special.
"They're just demons? What's the problem?"
"No, look closely."
"Hmm."
At Kayla's words, I looked at them again.
More carefully than before.
Finally.
"Wait a minute."
I realized what Kayla was trying to say.
"Strange, isn't it?"
"Indeed…"
For so reason,
Stagger, stagger—
So of the demons were swaying slightly.
As if they were bewitched by sothing.
No.
'It's not bewitchnt.'
It was more like they were sick.
In the current situation, such behavior could only lead to one possibility.
"…The plague is spreading to demons too?"
"What?"
"…Is that really true?"
Thompson and Barundel asked, incredulous, but it was clear.
They were definitely infected with the plague.
If that were the case…
"I think we have sothing to verify."
There was sothing we could try.
"This way."
I led my companions to a cliff as close as possible to the demons.
Then, we waited quietly.
Until a healthy demon and a sick demon t.
Soon, that mont ca.
[Demon Golem] and [Demon Rock Snake] passing each other.
The golem was sick, while the rock snake was crawling along the ground, perfectly fine.
However.
"Shriek!"
Less than a minute after passing each other, the [Demon Rock Snake] suddenly started twisting its body.
Then, a bluish-green demonic energy swirled around its body, and from that mont on, it crawled unnaturally.
In that short ti, it had caught the disease.
Without any direct contact, simply by passing by.
"Barundel, you said this was the origin of the plague, right?"
"Indeed."
"And the first infected was a dwarf who was hunting demons here."
"…Could it be?"
I nodded in response to Barundel's question.
Of course, it wasn't certain yet.
But it was a very plausible possibility.
I shared my thoughts with my companions.
"Perhaps the demons are the ones spreading the plague."
"You an the plague started with the demons?"
"It's just a possibility for now. They could have contracted it from sowhere else. But…"
A particular individual ca to mind.
A being who raised corpses and spread all kinds of diseases.
'The Plague Legion Commander, Bune.'
For so reason, it seed he was involved in this.
***
"You're saying the Legion Commander spread this plague?"
Vagran, after hearing my theory, was taken aback.
"…That's impossible. A Legion Commander? There hasn't been any sign of that."
Like the others, he seed incredulous.
Well, as I said before, it wasn't certain.
But there was enough evidence.
"A 90% fatality rate across all races, strong contagion even without direct contact. To explain this, that's the most likely scenario."
Bune's power was 'Disease Propagation'.
He had the ability to spread very potent infectious diseases among living beings, and the fatality rate was extrely high.
Also, to cure this disease, a power as strong as his own was needed.
For example, an item imbued with divine power, or sothing with strong vitality.
Like the 'Antillian Leaves' Vagran ntioned.
'Antillian Leaves are plants imbued with very strong vitality.'
There's a reason they're called 'Life Herbs'.
They were unmatched in vitality compared to any other plant.
And such Antillian Leaves would be enough to cure Bune's disease.
All the pieces were falling into place.
"So, what do you think we should do?"
Vagran asked, his face pleading for an answer.
He seed even more serious than before.
It turned out that…
"…We're trying to isolate them, but the number of infected is increasing. We don't have enough Antillian Leaves to treat even half of them."
"I see."
The disease was spreading rapidly among the dwarves.
Ti was of the essence.
I proceeded with the assumption that Bune was behind this and gave him the most helpful advice I could.
"First, we need to slow down the progression of the disease. That will naturally reduce its contagiousness."
"Slow down the progression… How can we do that?"
"The most reliable way is to lower the temperature."
Crack!
A small ice crystal blood at my fingertip.
At the sa ti, a cool chill began to circulate around us.
"I can help with that."
"Phew… that's a relief."
Vagran sighed in relief, then continued, as if realizing sothing.
"But that won't solve the problem, will it? Unless we make more of the cure…"
"That's right."
No matter how much we slowed down the disease with ice magic, it wouldn't be a fundantal solution.
We needed to secure more of the cure.
But that wasn't easy in the current situation.
After all, the elves, the owners of the Antillian Leaves, weren't being cooperative.
Fortunately, there was more than one solution.
"There's another way."
"What is it? We dwarves will do anything we can."
"That is…"
I looked directly into Vagran's eyes and opened my mouth.
The thod was simple.
"Before the situation gets worse, we catch Bune."
If we captured the one who caused this situation in the first place, it would solve everything.
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