Chapter 174: |
Chapter 174
‘Usually, when the identity of the disease is discovered, the transmission route is also known naturally, but that is not the case this time.’
Thyroid storm is not a contagious disease that can spread from person to person.
‘So, we had to find out through epidemiological investigation why the outbreak occurred.’
‘Why on earth is there such a mass outbreak? Could it be a new virus that stimulates the thyroid gland?’
There is no virus on Earth that causes thyroid storms like this.
But this place, Laipentaina, is not Earth. It is a completely different world.
Because of the existence of monsters and subhumans, there are many more diverse and deadly infectious diseases.
‘Especially because of the ‘human monsters’ that are an intermediate stage between monsters and humans, infectious diseases that are difficult to imagine on Earth can appear. Diseases that are prevalent only among monsters can gain the ability to infect humans by passing through the bodies of human monsters.’
‘Is this really a new virus?’
But no matter how much he thought about it, it seemed unlikely.
First of all, none of the patients had respiratory symptoms.
It is unlikely that it was transmitted through the air.
‘A virus transmitted by secretions cannot spread so quickly and widely. So what could it be?’
Raymond looked at the map.
He had to find commonalities between the three estates where the disease had broken out.
‘Each territory has a different environment. The Lanson territory is a territory that mainly grows wheat on the plains, and the Kran territory is a territory that mainly grows special crops in the mountains. The last territory, Boyle, has a small mine.’
They had nothing in common at all.
Raymond, who was worried, contacted Ruin Castle through the crystal ball.
Just in case I can get some other information.
“Are there any new patients in our territory?”
-None yet.
But then Mevinson told an unexpected story.
-There are no new patients in our territory, but I heard another news. They say that the livestock in the Lyphon territory died en masse.
“… … !”
Raymond’s eyes widened in surprise.
‘The cattles? Why?’
Most viruses that are prevalent in humans do not affect animals, and vice versa. Occasionally, zoonotic diseases do occur, but they are rare.
‘What the heck?’
Raymond looked at the map and pondered.
‘Kran Estate, Lanson Estate, Boyle Estate, Lyphon Estate.’
Raymond was looking through the maps of the territories where the disease had appeared.
Raymond realized one thing.
‘’A line?’
If you connect all four territories, it forms a single line.
And that too in the order in which the diseases began to develop!
‘No, not a line! The Hale River flows along those estates!’
Hale River.
A small river originating in the Kennel Mountains, it was the source of drinking water for the domains.
Raymond looked like he had been hit in the head with a hammer.
‘No way? Is there something that causes disease in that river?’
A substance that causes thyroid storm!
It was something that could not happen according to medical common sense.
No such substance is known to any medical knowledge.
But one thing suddenly occurred to Raymond.
‘No. There is one possible cause: an endocrine disruptor!’
Endocrine disruptors, or environmental hormones!
Environmental hormones are not naturally occurring substances. They are toxic substances created as byproducts of chemical synthesis, and when they enter the body, they disrupt the hormonal system.
Representative examples include dioxin and DDT.
‘Of course, I’ve never heard of a disruptor so powerful as this that could cause a thyroid storm. But you never know, here. This is Laipentaina.’
Endocrine disruptors are also produced.
By magic!
‘Alchemy, high-risk magic using multiple reagents, crafting magical items, refining mana, and many other tasks often produce toxic substances.’
Magic is the use of mana to bend reality.
Therefore, toxic substances are commonly produced as by-products.
Depending on the magic, there are many different types, and in some cases, there are many cases where it is extremely toxic, so substances that cause thyroid storms like this can be created.
‘I have to check it out!’
The Hale River also flows through the Lanson Estate where he currently resides.
Raymond headed straight for the Hale River.
But there was nothing particularly unusual to see with the naked eye. He’ll have to send it to the magic tower for analysis to know for sure.
But Raymond shook his head.
‘In what, a year?’
It would take at least 7 days to wait for the results, and there was no time for that.
‘I’ll check it out now! Buy skill!’
[You have purchased the magic skill, ‘’Mana Detection!]
[150 skill points are consumed!]
[Mana Detection]
Category: Auxiliary Skill (Magic)
Magic Grade: Standard
Skill level: D
-You can detect mana!
-As your proficiency level increases, you will be able to explore more skillfully!
‘Most of Laipentaina’s endocrine disruptors are byproducts of magic, so they must contain mana!’
Raymond immediately used his magic.
His vision changed as if he was wearing special glasses.
The world became colorless, and only substances containing mana began to glow vividly.
And he was shocked.
Flash.
All over the river, heavy, dark colors were shining like the blood of a sword blade.
It was an endocrine disruptor containing mana.
The cause of the disease has finally been discovered.
* * *
They will have to analyze it to find out exactly what the ingredients are.
‘It’s probably a substance that stimulates thyroid receptors. Since it contains mana, even a very small amount would explosively stimulate the receptors. That’s probably why the thyroid storm occurred.’
Raymond guessed what the contaminant was.
Anyway, now that he had identified the cause, the solution is simple.
“Stop drinking the water from the Hale River immediately!”
People tilted their heads at the instruction.
This is because, in this day and age, it was difficult to understand how drinking river water could cause illness.
People usually believed that epidemics were caused by the air, impure air, curses from heaven, or sin.
But no one refused the order.
Because it was Raymond’s instructions.
‘I’m sure Raymond knew the right thing and gave the right instructions.’
‘Because Raymond is the light of our Rafald!’
Before they knew it, the people of the Rafald region were calling Raymond their light.
“Please convey this news to the lord of Boyle Estate.”
Among the three estates where the epidemic broke out, there was one that did not ask Raymond for cooperation until the end.
It was a Boyle Estate.
He was a nobleman who was fiercely loyal to Lemarton and refused Raymond’s help until the end.
So, in the case of Boyle Estate, Raymond only brought the patients to where he was and treated them. The Lord of Boyle Estate did not refuse for him take the patients and treat them.
But then unexpected news arrived.
“The lord of Boyle Estate died a few days ago.”
“What?”
“They say he became ill. He got worse rapidly and died before he could see the Count. They say the entire family died together.”
“….”
Raymond was speechless at the unexpected news.
“Since the entire family has passed away and there is no one to inherit the land, the authority over the land from now on belongs to you, Your Highnees, no, Your Majesty.”
The Lord of Lanson Estate addressed Raymond as ‘Your Majesty’.
Your Majesty.
It was a title of honor given to those who held the highest position among the nobility.
This includes military commanders, prime ministers, feudal lords, and counts.
That is, the lord of the Lanson estate called Raymond his lord.
‘It is obvious that Count Penin will become a lord, having achieved the merit of solving this terrible epidemic. I must show myself well in the future.’
The lord of the Lanson estate swallowed hard.
He was already in a position where he could not disobey Raymond because of the 1.5 million penas he owed.
So, since it had come to this, it was better to obey Raymond thoroughly.
‘My future depends on Count Penin. I will do my best!’
Meanwhile, Raymond glanced at the lord of the Lanson estate.
‘Anyway, remembering how you ignored me… When I see you like that…’
Raymond thought.
‘… It’s not bad.’
Raymond cleared his throat.
Seeing someone who had previously ignored him flattering him…didn’t feel bad.
Because he is not a saint who has lost his temper.
‘Is this the power that a lord would enjoy? Hehe.’
Up until now, he had only received looks of contempt, so hearing such flattery made him think, ‘’I have finally achieved this much success!’
But Raymond didn’t forget about image-making.
To be more successful as a healer or as a lord, I must always give people a good image.
‘Don’t be intoxicated by a little success and become complacent. My goal is not just this.’
Raymond pretended to have a stern look on his face.
“Your Majesty. I think it is too early to say that. The situation has not yet been completely resolved.”
“Your Majesty, Count.”
“Right now, the priority is to care for the patients and the people, rather than such talk. Please keep that in mind.”
It was only natural that Lord Lanson and others were greatly impressed by that statement!
Anyway, it’s true that the work wasn’t completely finished.
They had to find out where the endocrine disruptors were coming from and prevent further outbreaks.
‘I have one guess.’
Raymond looked at the map.
The Kennel Range, from which the Hale River originates, was visible.
‘The Kennel Mountains are deep and wide, untouched by human hands. But there is one place where people live.’
Raymond’s eyes grew heavy.
‘This is Borison’s territory.’
Borison Estate!
This is where the magic stone mine was discovered!
‘Endocrine disruptors are byproducts of magic. It’s possible that the toxic substances were produced in the magicite mines in Borison’s domain and flowed into the river.’
There have been similar cases in the past.
This was not the case in the Kingdom of Houston, but rather, while mining magic stones in the ‘Iron Empire’, something went wrong and a terrible disease broke out in the surrounding territories.
The timing was perfect.
This is because mass outbreaks began after the mining of magic stones began in the Borison Territory.
Moreover, there was one more suspicious matter.
‘The magic stone of Borison’s territory, the white crystal, seems to have a lot of impurities mixed in strangely.’
In the past, Raymond tried to receive the Borison Estate as a reward for his military service. That’s what he heard then.
‘Unidentified impurity. Could it be that an endocrine disruptor was released during the processing?’
Raymond thought about it that way and a chill ran down his spine at the thought that occurred to him.
‘Wait a minute. If it’s true that this incident happened because of the magic stone mine in Borison’s territory, then wasn’t I almost ruined?’