Chapter 433 - Episode 416: The Epidemic
There is a disease that periodically breaks out across the Adleon continent.
Normally, this disease lies dormant within the world. Occasionally, mild cases appear, but such infected individuals typically recover fully within one to two weeks, and because they are often isolated during that time, infection of others rarely occurs.
However, roughly once every ten years, this disease sees a major outbreak. As if remembering its own ferocity, it rages, causing an explosion of infections in a single region, and in some cases, across an entire country or its neighboring nations.
In such cases, the infected suffer miserably. They are tormented by extraordinary high fevers and coughing that feels as if it is crushing their throats. Depending on age, physical strength, and the presence of pre-existing conditions, one in ten infected—or in severe cases, one in five—will die.
Hundreds of years have passed since this disease was discovered. The mechanism behind these strange explosions of infection remains unknown, and one theory suggests that the disease itself is a type of ancient, evil magic.
Its name is "Herzgenheim Disease." In the distant past, when the disease had just been discovered and systematic countermeasures had not yet been established, it took its name from a great city that was wiped out by the illness.
The most recent time this disease broke out was from the beginning of the year to spring in the year 205 of the Royal Calendar in the Kingdom of Lodenberg. The affected areas were primarily the eastern part of the Kingdom of Lodenberg and the western part of the Pallas Empire.
Approximately ten years later, a relatively small-scale outbreak occurred in a group of small nations further west than the Kingdom of Lancel.
And then, in the year 224 of the Royal Calendar, nineteen years after the outbreak in the Kingdom of Lodenberg, Herzgenheim Disease sprouted its ferocious buds in this country once again. The location was the southern side of the eastern edge of the kingdom's northeastern region. It was a city within the County of Nordlingen.
"Your Excellency, a detailed report has come in from the territorial army stationed on-site. At this moment, about fifty people are showing symptoms, centered around the slums within the city. It is reported that there have already been several deaths. Currently, the territorial army has blockaded the slums, and treatment of the infected by physicians and clergy has begun."
"Hmph, of all places, that my territory should become the starting point for a Herzgenheim Disease outbreak. What rotten luck... However, it is a blessing in disguise that the outbreak began in a small city on the outskirts of the territory that isn't particularly important."
Count Nordlingen, having been informed by a Baronet who was one of his close subordinates, spat out the words while grimacing.
"Blockading the slums alone is lukewarm. Dispatch a unit of fifty from the territorial army immediately and blockade the entrances and exits of that city. Proclaim that while entering the city is free, no one, regardless of who they are, shall be permitted to leave. Anyone who attempts to escape the city in violation of this proclamation is to be killed."
The House of Count Nordlingen was known as one of the most militant families in the kingdom's northeast, and the current Count Nordlingen, like the heads of the house before him, was known as a man who was—for better or worse—"typical of a conservative kingdom noble."
In other words, he took it for granted that he was born into the ruling class, believed that precisely because he was a ruler he had the right to handle the people as he pleased, and was a person who acted according to that belief.
He was a fierce general who displayed unparalleled strength and bravery in war, and a hero who achieved great results as one of the generals under King Oscar III in the previous Betumia War, but it would be difficult to call him a kind lord to his vassals or people.
Indeed, his current order was a harsh one, as he did not hesitate to cast aside an entire small city under his control.
"The one serving as the captain of the stationed unit on-site is Hariel-sama, but is it acceptable to blockade the city along with the stationed unit?"
"Of course it is. I just said that no one, regardless of who they are, shall be permitted to leave. Summon the soldiers quickly. I will write the proclamation."
Even when the name of his second son, who belonged to the territorial army, came from the Baronet's mouth, Count Nordlingen answered immediately without a shred of hesitation.
"...As you wish."
He was harsh to his vassals and people, but he was even more relentless toward his own kin and himself. Because of this, the Baronet saluted and left the room, as Count Nordlingen commanded a solemn respect.
Once alone in his office, the Count leaned back violently against the back of his chair. The expensive chair creaked as it was struck by the Count's sturdy physique.
"Tch, in the first place, if one could suppress an infection just by blockading a single city, there would be no struggle."
Spoken with an expression as if he had chewed on a bitter bug, the Count's words were a complaint and a sign of weakness that he would let no one else hear—neither his vassals nor his family.
Even the Count did not make the decision to blockade a small city where nearly a thousand territorial residents lived without feeling any pain. Both the city and the residents were precious assets inherited from his ancestors. He believed that choosing the act of abandoning those assets, even if only a part of them, was not a commendable decision.
As a parent, it could not be that it wasn't painful to lock his son in the midst of an epidemic.
And, most likely, even by taking such merciless measures, it would be impossible to completely suppress the infection.
From past records, it is believed that Herzgenheim Disease has an incubation period of about one to two weeks before symptoms appear after infection. Even at this point, the demon of disease has almost certainly extended its reach outside the city, and if things go poorly, perhaps even to this territorial capital.
Still, he had to reduce the number of people leaving the point of infection as much as possible. Furthermore, so that he would not be pointed at by other territories with claims that "the disease spread because of your lack of planning," he had to leave evidence that he took the swiftest and harshest measures possible.
He had to create a situation where he could proudly declare that the House of Count Nordlingen had exhausted every possible means, and that the spread of the infection was an unavoidable natural disaster.
While hating himself for resorting to such calculating and excuse-driven behavior, even if it was to protect his house and territory, the Count took up paper and pen to put the city blockade proclamation into writing.
.....
"...It is bad news, Noein-dono."
Mid-February of the fifth year of the Public Calendar, which was the year 224 of the Royal Calendar.
Noein, who had visited the mansion of the House of Count Koenitz with his wife Clara and their two children, was told this by his brother-in-law Frederick Koenitz, who was serving as the acting lord.
While watching Clara and the children, as well as Frederick's wife Renette and son Samuel, interacting in the well-maintained courtyard of the mansion, Frederick's expression was somewhat grim.
"Did something happen?"
"Yes. To put it simply, an outbreak of Herzgenheim Disease has begun in the northeast of the kingdom."
Hearing that, Noein also grimaced.
"Herzgenheim Disease... that's a nostalgic name. It's a name I would have preferred to remain forgotten for the rest of my life, if possible."
"I see, Noein-dono was from the southeast of the kingdom. When it broke out within the kingdom before, you were in the midst of it, then."
"Yes. Fortunately, I myself did not contract it... but I saw those who contracted it and died."
Noein remembered a mother who suffered from high fever and died while muttering resentful words, taking her frustration out on her own child. It was a memory from nearly twenty years ago. Now, even the mother's face had become vague.
"If it's the northeast of the kingdom, is it not yet in this northwest?"
"For now. The source of the outbreak is also the County of Nordlingen at the eastern edge of the northeast. I hear the city where the outbreak first occurred has been completely blockaded, so it can be said that the initial response was successful."
"I see... however, Herzgenheim Disease has a long incubation period. Even if they blockade the source, the infected have likely already leaked outside the city."
At Noein's opinion, Frederick nodded in agreement, his face remaining grim.
"Yes, I think so too. In fact, it seems that infected individuals are already appearing sporadically outside that city, and even outside the County of Nordlingen... There are many merchants who travel between the northwest and northeast of the kingdom. It's only a matter of time before the infection spreads to the northwest."
"...The northeast and southeast of the kingdom may be able to achieve a certain level of rapid containment, having learned from the previous outbreak. But as for what will happen in the northwest..."
"Just as you say, I hear that the noble territories in the northeast and southeast have already restricted or blockaded passage at their borders in some early cases. I hear they have issued proclamations to keep movement between cities and villages within their territories to the absolute minimum. Even if infected people appear, an outbreak as terrible as the last one likely won't occur. However, as for Herzgenheim Disease breaking out in this northwest... according to records, I believe that was over a hundred years ago... I wonder how many people still know the knack for dealing with it."
There might be some, such as elven physicians, who have experience dealing with Herzgenheim Disease, but the problem was the small absolute number of them. Among the various noble territories in the northwest of the kingdom, the lands possessing such talent probably fit within the fingers of one hand.
"In the first place, there are likely few heads of noble houses who correctly recognize the horror of Herzgenheim Disease... Does that mean we should prepare from now, treating a certain level of outbreak as unavoidable?"
"That's how it will be. In addition to the procedures for blockading the movement of people with other territories, you should also establish response methods for when infected people appear within the territory... in your case, within the country."
Noein leaned back in his chair and let out a sigh. As if prompted by that, Frederick also exhaled.
"In preparation for war or social unrest, I've made preparations to endure for a certain period even if the country is blockaded, but I never imagined I'd be using them to deal with an epidemic."
"I understand the feeling. My territory has also been advancing preparations for emergencies since the Betumia War, but I never imagined that the first thing I'd face as acting lord would be Herzgenheim Disease."
While Noein and Frederick felt gloomy thinking about when the outbreak reached the northwest of the kingdom, they confirmed that they would cooperate with each other to deal with it when the time came.