Chapter 175. Enrique’s jealousy2021.10.05.
way back to the castle. Enrique and Aidan mounted their horses and moved while guarding the sides of the emperor’s chariot. Behind them, invisible escorts followed. Enrique recalled what had happened at the Donovan mansion.
‘His Majesty favors Count Aserad.’
It was a fact I already knew. There was nothing surprising. When he attended another family’s party, the rich people would talk about him. However, there was a big difference between what I saw with my own eyes and what I only knew with my head.
“Be careful, Aidan. Don’t go near that aura.”
Mabel’s gesture of pushing Aidan away with a nervous face still lingered in my mind like an afterimage. sigh. It felt as if my heart, not even knowing the subject, was tightly clamped. Since the emperor had been by his side as an escort since he was a baby, it was only natural that they would be close. I understood enough in my head, but my heart couldn’t follow.
‘I could barely understand what the three of them were talking about.’
Especially when the story of Abelardo came out, Enrique just listened to their conversation in silence. However, there was a sense of stability in the three people talking with serious faces. Intimacy unique to people who have shared the same space and time for a very long time. So Enrique couldn’t mix with them at all. It was like being in another world. or impurity. smart-. Enrique slowed down slightly at the sound of a hand gesturing from the carriage window. Not long after, the carriage window opened slightly and Mabel peeked out.
“Your Majesty, it’s dangerous if you stick your head out like that.”
“It’s okay, Enrique is by your side.”
Even as she said that, Mabel tilted her head slightly. Through the small window, Mabel looked at Enrique and smiled lightly. It looked like a portrait painted with a frame called a window. Even then, the pretty smile faded slightly.
“I’m sorry Enrique.”
It was an unexpected apology.
“I have no reason to apologize to Your Majesty.”
“no. You didn’t pay attention at the Donovan Mansion earlier.”
“ah.”
Enrique panicked as if he had read his thoughts for a moment. However, the excitement was quickly erased.
“If you don’t care so much about me as an escort-”
“It’s not just an escort.”
“yes?”
“How is Enrique an escort?”
The slightly furrowed eyes clearly revealed Mabel’s discomfort. Enrique was taken aback this time too.
“If my words hurt your feelings, I apologize.”
“Not that!”
Mabel took a deep breath as if frustrated and stared at Enrique again. A blond young man with blue eyes like the summer sky was filled with it.
“Enrique is more than an escort to me. Am I just an object to escort to Enrique?”
“It can’t be.”
“I don’t think of Enrique as just an escort. So, next time, don’t put yourself down.”
“Then…”
Enrique hurriedly closed his mouth, which moved spontaneously at the moment.
‘Then what kind of existence am I?’
I almost shamelessly asked. Without the courage to listen to the answer.
“I can’t tell you the details right now, but I will tell you someday. So don’t be too sad, Enrique.”
“Your Majesty.”
It was a strange thing. Until recently, he had been digging into the ground due to a sense of alienation, but Mabel’s comfort made his negative emotions disappear like snow. Enrique stared at Mabel in the window singing birds.
‘As expected, I’m glad I came as an escort.’
thinking like that
***
While returning to the imperial castle, I gathered tweets to get a rough idea of the situation. Since there is no food right now, I was able to listen to the information only after I promised again and again that I would come back and give me food after I calmed down and calmed the chirps who were trying to peck me to death.
[Jaek. Humans are down. Tit. It hurts.]
[Gu. The skin is pitch black. Goo-goo.]
[Twitter. I couldn’t even breathe!]
[I vomited Moi again, Guu. It’s a waste.]
Dyspnea from shortness of breath, vomiting, darkening of the complexion?
“Where? How many people?”
[It’s west.]
[There are a lot of humans lying down.]
Based on the tweets, there was only one conclusion that could be drawn.
‘…Epidemic?’
***
On that day, an unexpected government meeting was held. All the nobles of the council who were absent from him gathered at the conference hall. Duke Donovan, who was away, was also included. The ones that suffered the most damage were the estates of the Marquis of Gardenia in the west. Even so, the Marquis of Gardenia with a calm expression opened the door to the meeting.
“I received the first report an hour ago, Your Majesty. Considering that the distance between the territory and the capital was so great that communication could not be reached immediately, the epidemic must have started circulating long before then.”
The area where the epidemic was reported was the area bordering the western kingdom of Bargata. The cause of the epidemic is unknown. It was not a situation that could be accessed easily, but the situation was delayed even further.
“We don’t know how long the incubation period is because it is not yet known what kind of infectious disease it is.”
“How are your symptoms?”
“Abdominal pain, fever, vomiting, diarrhea, shortness of breath. According to reports, yes.”
Mabel touched her forehead at the Marquis of Gardenia’s answer.
“…isn’t it a very comprehensive set?”
“yes?”
“No, Marquis. How is the damage situation?”
“The death toll is said to have exceeded 2,000. The affected areas are spreading quite quickly.”
It’s only been an hour since I heard from the emperor. But the death toll was already two thousand. The fatality rate of the disease was expected to be quite high.
‘Even at this time, someone will lose their lives.’
I couldn’t waste my precious time on desk discussions. Mabel immediately gave instructions.
“Personal hygiene is important. Wash your hands and feet thoroughly from time to time. After prohibiting movement between regions, set up a relief post in the territory with the largest damage and dispatch a relief team to take care of the sick. If you are judged to be infected during your life, you should set up a separate place to isolate and watch for symptoms.”
Mabel’s instructions were clear and precise. But not everything went as planned.
“But Your Majesty. It will cost a lot of money.”
“Wouldn’t it be better to control the movement after giving up the territory with a lot of damage?”
Mabel firmly answered the claims of some nobles.
“Are you saying we should give up on the people because there is no hope?”
“That side is more realistic-.”
Mabel stopped talking.
“There is no money more precious than life.”
“…”
“I do not abandon my people. never.”
At least there was no one there who could refute the emperor’s resolute reply. Everyone was overwhelmed by Mabel’s will. That’s how the last fight against the plague began.
***
The epidemic spread near the border with the western kingdom of Bargata, so it did not affect the lives of the people of the capital. Rather, it didn’t feel real at all, so it was more carefree and leisurely. Even today, aristocratic parties were held all over the capital.
“I’m really sorry. I heard that people die every day…”
“Rumor has it that there is no place to bury the bodies, so they are scattered all over the street?”
“Oh, how terrible!”
The lady frowned and covered her face with a fan. It’s something I’ve never experienced, but the words alone made me feel terrible. Then someone smiled carefree and reassured the others.
“Don’t worry too much.”
“But how can I not be worried?”
“It will be all right since His Majesty is in the capital.”
your majesty. As soon as the entity entered the conversation, the nobles’ expressions became more relaxed. God’s Seed will protect them, so they won’t have to worry about anything. As always, their wise emperor, His Majesty, will triumphantly overcome the crisis.
***
Two days after the epidemic. Reports of the spread of damage came in every 10 minutes. As the reports accumulated, Mabel clutched her head and suffered from a headache.
“Why?”
Even the quarantine rules were announced nationwide, but to no avail. As the days passed, the range of damage gradually expanded and even spread to the Bargata Kingdom.
‘It’s going to spread all over the world like this.’
I had to stop it somehow on the Ermano line. In addition, it was said that all the relief teams dispatched were infected and lay in bed. Rather, the number of infected people increased.
“The relief team must have blocked all of their respiratory systems, but they got caught. Isn’t the source of infection an airborne virus?”
For a common virus, washing your hands well and covering your respiratory tract would be the primary solution, but if it was completely useless, a different approach was needed. Enrique asked Mabel who was worried.
“Is it a problem that cannot be solved with His Majesty’s healing power?”
“You can’t heal that many people at once.”
The problem that Mabel had been hiding so far has been revealed. Mabel is one. Not all problems could be solved. In my mind, I wanted to squeeze my divine power to the limit and save even one more person. But it didn’t work.
“There might be a riot.”
“Why?”
“Change your stance and think about it, Enrique. The Seed of God appeared in the next village and healed all the villagers. But they couldn’t come to our village. What do you think?”
“…understand.”
Enrique was genuinely amazed. I thought it would be okay to simply heal because it has the power to heal, but Mabel looked ahead to that.
“They will blame me for the lives I saved, asking why I didn’t save them and their families first. It’s better not to create a cause in the first place.”
“A wise choice.”
“Wise. It is a selfish choice.”
“yes?”
“Aren’t you ignoring your dying life because you want to avoid responsibility? With the ability to save…”
Mabel laughed bitterly. It was not like the emperor who was always bold and decisive. The crouched back felt somehow small. The two escorts kept quiet behind Mabel, who was in trouble. Mabel closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
‘Let’s stay calm.’
Epidemics won’t just happen. There must be a cause. However, it was impossible to find a solution just by sitting in the office like this.
“Eight!”
Mabel put aside her worries and jumped up. Aidan asked softly.
“Where are you going?”
“Dad!”
. . .
“dad.”
“no.”
Although he hadn’t said anything yet, Esteban expected what his daughter would say. Given Mabel’s personality, it wasn’t too difficult to predict.
“You know what I’m going to say?”
“Isn’t it supposed to say that we are going to the Bargata border?”
“Similar but different.”
“…hmm?”
Esteban stared blankly at Mabel at the unexpected answer.
“I don’t go to areas where the epidemic has spread. I will go until then.”
“What are you going to do?”
“I have to use my abilities.”
The power of fairy tales.
***
Esteban had no choice but to let Mabel go. The emperor’s absence was kept secret, as the people of the capital would be uneasy if it were known that the emperor had vacated the capital.
“Your Majesty… What if I go and get an infection? scary!”
“Then why did you say that Larimar would follow you?”
“That’s right, since His Majesty is worried!”
When Larimar said he was going, Zabi naturally followed.
‘I can’t send my unrequited love to a dangerous place.’
Today, my stocks are healthy. Hehehe. Mabel smiled secretly and looked back and forth between Larimar and Xavier. In the meantime, the wagon was getting closer and closer to the border of Bargata Kingdom by using a moving magic tool. There were too many people to move, including an escort. The movement of the wagon stopped only when a huge amount of magic tools were consumed.
“Mrs. If you go further from here, you say it’s an epidemic-stricken area, right?”
The owner of the voice outside was Casey. As Mabel’s most trusted wizard, I joined him in this stealth. Mabel opened the carriage door and took Xavier’s hand to avoid any potential conflict. Mabel looked around and let out an impression.
“It’s a forest.”
“Yes, it is said that the damage has been done to a village that is about an hour’s walk away.”
“good. I want it here.”
After biting all but Aidan, Enrique and Casey out of sight, Mabel closed her eyes. And within-. fluff. Aidan accepted Mabel’s falling body as if it were natural. Enrique widened his eyes.
‘…what did I see?’
Enrique was shocked by the fact that Aidan, who did not panic even when the emperor had fallen, and how natural he looked.
