The Max Level Hero Has Returned! Chapter 361: Monochrome Calamity

Surprised gazes poured in from all directions. The nobles from the Pallan royal family who sided with Sullivan were filled with surprise and puzzlement at Davey’s arrival, as he seemed to offer a solution to Sullivan’s ongoing concern. It was indeed amusing that he had come to make this proposal at such an opportune time without fully understanding the situation.

Eventually, one noble couldn’t hold back his doubts about Davey and started to speak. “However…”

“Enough.” Crown Prince Sullivan rose from his seat, cutting the noble off with a single hand. He then said, “Finance Minister Grunui. If we accept the prince’s offer, what will be the state of our empire’s finances?”

“That, well… If the quantity Prince Davey spoke of arrives on time… We will have enough to navigate through the situation, yes.”

Grunui seemed to share the same sentiment as the noble. There was no such thing as a free lunch. Davey had come bearing medicines and pharmaceuticals worth a small country’s budget. It was only natural to harbor suspicions.

Trying to grasp Davey’s intentions, Grunui attempted to read his expression, but Davey kept his smile intact and said, “Do you doubt me?”

“No, not at all…”

“Well, I wouldn’t blame you. Suddenly receiving such substantial aid is laughable,” Davey said indifferently and met Sullivan’s gaze. He added, “But as I said earlier, there are only two reasons.”

Given the Heins territory’s current state, Davey could not afford to let the Pallan Empire show signs of weakness or instability to other countries and disrupt the flow of peace. If war had broken out, the situation would have taken precedence and necessitated drastic measures. However, there were always alternatives if not for war.

“If the Pallan Empire wavers, the Heins territory will also take a significant hit. This matter has already been discussed and decided with His Majesty Krianes O’Rowane of the Rowane Kingdom. And the second reason is, again, does one need a reason to help another person?”

Surprise spread across some of the nobles’ faces at Davey’s words.

“We will not refuse your aid. We will not forget your help. For the peace of the continent, which my father had wished to preserve, the Pallan Empire will remain a steadfast guardian nation and strive to maintain continental peace in a neutral manner.”

“Thank you very much, Prince Davey.” Sullivan stood up, hurried to Davey, took his hand, and grinned.

“Is that so?”

When Davey smiled, Sullivan’s face hardened for a moment.

“Then, remember. The favor…”

Davey spoke so quietly that only Sullivan could hear what he would repay the favor with. Upon hearing his request, Sullivan’s eyes widened in surprise.

“The medicines and pharmaceuticals have already been summoned to the royal warehouse. I will now head directly to the quarantine area where the patients are isolated.”

“Ah! We will lend you our royal Griffin. With a Griffin, you can get there quickly…”

“No need.”

Davey stated that he would simply use spatial transition. Crown Prince Sullivan, who did not seem to understand Davey’s words, tilted his head, but Davey finished speaking and hurriedly left the conference room.

And then, in a place where no one could see, Davey took a quick breath and scrunched his face in annoyance.

Clink!

And as if on cue, the thin mana shield wrapped around his body shattered. Simultaneously, his field of vision lowered, and he caught sight of his annoyingly greasy, rapidly growing hair that seemed to sprout endlessly no matter how many times he cut it.

It had been almost two weeks since he had assumed this form. The remaining time felt like an eternity, even though it wasn’t much.

His body was unable to alter its appearance with illusion magic. So, what if he utilized other tools to externally conceal it? The outcome proved successful, but the duration was too short. Without uttering a word, he reached for the necklace and extracted the shattered magical artifact crafted from precious mana stones. Not merely a mana stone, but a mana crystal, hundreds of times more potent.

Despite utilizing the entire mana crystal for the illusion magic, it could not endure for more than a few minutes before shattering into pieces.

“Ah, goodness…”

The impact of the magic was undeniably potent. It had been proven that enveloping his physical form with illusion magic was not to be taken lightly.

“Rinne, how long did the transformation last?”

“Exactly 7 minutes and 28 seconds. I consider that quite impressive.”

“It’s no easy feat to maintain.”

That was the duration that Davey’s costly illusion artifact, crafted with an investment of magical gemstones, managed to sustain.

Davey gently caressed Rinne’s head, finding solace in the gesture as he let out a brief sigh and pressed forward. “Let’s continue. After all, my form will change again in a few days.”

Feeling a twinge of irritation, he quickened his pace, determined to overcome whatever obstacles lay ahead.

* * *

“Uh… Ugh…”

“Oh… Ah…”

The scent of death permeated the air, accompanied by the agonized moans of the dying. Was this what hell looked like? With the conclusion of the war, the Tionis continent was engulfed in the cries of suffering. The epidemic, which had erupted simultaneously in numerous cities, surpassed the realm of a mere post-war issue.

“He has…passed away.”

“Damn…”

Baron Gorneo, a former member of the Coalition for Disease Control, who had dedicated himself to teaching aspiring medical students, uttered a rare curse. Before him lay a patient whose half of their body had turned an ominous shade of black.

“Medicine…is meant to heal the sick, not to bring the dead back to life, isn’t it, Bernardo?” Baron Gorneo questioned, as the young doctor approached him with a perplexed expression.

“Yes, my lord.”

“Good. How long has it been since you started learning from me?”

While observing the disfigured face being covered with a cloth and the patient being taken away, Baron Gorneo slowly walked out of the tent, roughly placing a medicinal cigarette in his mouth and lighting it.

“It has been two years.”

“Tsk tsk, such a young man fearlessly walking into hell.”

“Hell? There’s no better battlefield for a doctor than this,” Bernardo declared firmly, prompting Baron Gorneo to chuckle.

“Do you truly believe so? You could succumb to that diabolical disease at any moment, you know.”

“More precisely, I am here to rescue those suffering in hell.” With a determined gaze, Bernardo met Baron Gorneo’s eyes.

The baron took a deep drag from his medicinal cigarette, infused with the pungent scent of herbs, and let out a brief cough. “Keh… Keh… I can’t quite get used to these medicinal cigarettes.”

“If we don’t have the blessed leaves, we doctors treating the patients may not survive either. Didn’t two of our colleagues, who neglected their own well-being, end up bedridden just a few days ago?”

“Aren’t you afraid?”

“My lord, no one is without fear of dying on the battlefield. Yet, everyone picks up their weapons and fights.”

Bernardo’s words prompted a sigh from Baron Gorneo.

This was not the first time Baron Gorneo had experienced such a situation where a disease defied all divine power.

‘Yes, it’s similar to the time in Ordem territory.’

The terrifying disease that had plagued the Ordem territory, causing people to melt to death, was aptly named the Melting Acceleration Virus. The current situation presented a mixture of improvement and deterioration compared to the past. During that time, Prince Davey, an entirely unexpected variable, had emerged and showcased miraculous medical techniques. However, in the present situation, there was little to rely on.

“My lord.”

Thanks to the simple and convenient wristwatch created by the Rowane Kingdom’s youngest princess, who was barely ten years old, there was no need for complex procedures to check the time.

“My lord, it’s almost time for the central meeting.”

* * *

Honestly speaking, the conference room had been in complete disarray just five minutes ago. The doctors, who should have been focused on saving patients, showed no signs of motivation. Perhaps it was only due to the swift response of the Pallan Empire, where most of the patients were located and quarantined, that the disease had not spread significantly.

“The contagion is extremely high. If we make even a small mistake, this damned wave of death will sweep across the entire continent in a matter of months.”

Even with these words, the doctors and nobles attending the meeting appeared distracted.

“Do you hear me? This disease is truly dangerous. We don’t know the transmission route, making it difficult to respond and prevent. And in this situation, there is no clear solution…”

The murmuring grew louder and louder.

“Hey, when will the shift change?”

“Your Excellency, you are scheduled to switch shifts with Count Populis in three hours. Then, your allocated time will be over.”

“Why should I care if those filthy peasants are dying of disease…? I can’t believe I studied medicine just to save those kinds of people.”

Indeed, such individuals existed too.

“Endless debates without any solution. I would rather spend my time acquiring more valuable slaves, which would be more economically beneficial.”

“Oh, Count Baltis, I heard you have been collecting beastfolk slaves lately.”

“Ahaha, is that so? Actually, I recently purchased a catfolk sex slave. She’s quite exquisite…”

Meanwhile, Baron Gorneo calmly continued his briefing. “Currently, we believe the virus is transmitted through water and birds. The symptoms that appear shortly after infection include vomiting, seizures, abdominal pain, hallucinations, and so on. We have seen countless cases like these. The skin becomes filled with blood, causing black spots all over the body, and in severe cases, the entire body turns pitch black…”

“So, what is the conclusion?” Impatience filled one of the nobles who had been idly chatting.

These were medical aristocrats, not just members of the Coalition for Disease Control. Their status was not low, so even Baron Gorneo, a former member of the Coalition for Disease Control, had to calmly and patiently explain everything.

“Please request assistance. This is not a disease we can defeat quickly. We have reached this stage of the outbreak, and we still haven’t found the exact cause. We need to report to the Tri-Imperial Majesty and secure more manpower and funding…”

“Do you know how much money is being invested in the Coalition for Disease Control?!” an enraged voice resounded in the room.

“You there! Aren’t you even sorry to His Majesty the Emperor, who generously funds even an incompetent council member like you?! Huh?! What exactly are you doing? You can’t even find the cause of this minor epidemic, yet all you do is complain.”

At the outburst, council members who supported Baron Gorneo attempted to shout back, but he stopped them and said calmly, “You’re right. With our current knowledge, it is nearly impossible to eliminate this disease quickly. However, that does not mean we give up on the patients. So, I implore you. If it is too challenging to provide immediate manpower and funding, please seek help from Prince Davey from the Heins territory.”

Baron Gorneo’s expression revealed wounded pride. If possible, he did not want to rely on that man’s assistance. Relying solely on one person was never the right approach. Unfortunately, the situation was so dire that he had little confidence in resolving it without him.

“Ha! Prince Davey O’Rowane, Prince Davey O’Rowane. What’s so special about that brat…”

“That’s right. What can that little prince do against a disease that even divine power

cannot cure?”

“Could it be that he’s been diverting funds allocated to the Coalition for Disease Control to bribe him?”

“Come to think of it, Baron Gorneo did visit the Rowane Kingdom before and had a meeting with him.”

“Hmm…”

“You people! If you plan to squander the imperial treasury on useless endeavors, I will personally beat you and that Prince Davey you conspired with to death on the spot! Do you understand?!”

Baron Gorneo was taken aback by the accusatory glare directed at him. Beat to death? Who was going to beat whom?