Chapter 1496
Is Chapter 1496 a superfluous explanation?
Lorona is preparing medicine in the alchemy workshop.
The alchemical flames glowed a soft, bluish-green, carefully licking the bottom of the large bronze cauldron. Inside, a thick, purple liquid bubbled slowly and rhythmically, each burst releasing a thin wisp of smoke infused with the scent of wormwood and moonshine. The workshop was crowded and cluttered. Long tables were piled high with various colored crystal powders, bundles of dried herbs, sealed fairy dust, and crystal bottles containing unidentified liquids. The shelves on the walls were crammed full of oddly shaped vessels and heavy ancient books, their original colors almost unrecognizable. A complex aroma filled the air: the bitterness of herbs, the coldness of minerals, the stickiness of dust, and a faint, persistent sickness that no amount of ventilation could dispel.
Outside the window, leaden-gray clouds hung low, almost touching the edge of the Cloud Whale Sky Island. Further away, torrential rain poured down, nearly causing a flood. Lorona was a mirror spirit from the deep sea, accustomed to the storms and giant waves of the sea. However, this rain came unexpectedly and was unusual. Its terrifying force even made her somewhat afraid. She wondered how many lives would be swallowed by the torrent, and how many oases and canyons would be filled in by the tide.
If the Atoliga Wasteland were to turn into a swamp overnight, it would surely be a miracle that even the gods could hardly replicate, but it might not necessarily be a good thing.
Cloud Whale Sky Island, in coordination with the Holy War Army's new mech units, launched a fierce attack on the Dragon Fang Legion's garrison stationed in Yeshan Fortress. Lacking the support of demigod-level powerhouses, the enemy had no one to withstand Cloud Whale Sky Island's overwhelming force, and the battle was progressing smoothly. However, the torrential rain plunged both sides into the mud. Although Cloud Whale Sky Island was protected by Ieta, preventing the rain from penetrating, the towering clouds and the oppressive canopy still made it difficult to breathe. Yeshan Fortress, the main battlefield, was in even worse shape. The torrential rain surged like a tidal wave, threatening to flatten the towering fortress and flood trenches and ravines. Both sides suffered heavy casualties and were forced to temporarily halt their offensive, waiting for the rain to recede before launching another attack.
However, he never got to have that opportunity.
As the old saying goes, a great disaster is always followed by a great plague, but at this moment, no one could have imagined that the two could occur simultaneously. Amidst the torrential rain, the disease silently swarmed, infecting both the creatures on the Cloud Whale Sky Island and the armies of both sides on the ground, plunging them into a life-or-death situation. For those in the know, like Rorona, this disaster meant much more.
On one hand, this means the battle at the Feather Mine has finally reached its climax. Cheryl, leader of the Holy War Army, successfully completed her mission of stalling for time. However, Ovira, wielding both the Fairy Sword and the power of the Nibelungs, seems unable to bring the battle to a timely and satisfactory conclusion. At this juncture, the Plague Witch Perec, like the Dark Witch Carabosse before her, has, under the pressure of clashing ideals and reality, rediscovered the missing part of her soul. The complete Plague Kingdom has returned from history, and this great plague sweeping across the entire Mirror Star is both a prelude and a proclamation.
On the other hand, it also reminded Rorona of some unpleasant memories.
Unlike many who panicked and almost doubted the end of the world when faced with the plague, Princess Haiqi remained calm and composed, because for her, it was a very familiar feeling.
That weak pulse lurking deep within her blood, rising and falling with the tides and the phases of the moon, and the profound sensitivity to illness that had been with her since childhood. In the crystal-clear palace corridors of the deep blue city-state, while other mirror spirit children chased and played with the cold light of coral, she could often only lean against the viewing window, gazing at the eternally flowing ocean currents and luminous jellyfish swarms outside, a lingering sense of stagnation and a faint stabbing pain in her chest.
The sea's physicians concocted countless remedies for her, attempting to save this tiny life, always pushed towards the abyss by the tides, using the cold springs of the deep sea, the essence of moon coral, and even the marrow of ancient sea beasts. But the effects of these remedies always came and went like the tides. Illness, like an uninvited hermit crab, clung to her frail body, sucking away the energy that should have belonged to running and laughter. Countless nights, she awoke alone in her silent palace, listening to her rapid heartbeat and labored breathing, feeling the silent, long, endless, tiny war raging within her body. She knew every symptom of discomfort intimately, able to clearly distinguish whether the ailment originated from the stinging pain in her lungs, the numbness in her joints, or the restless heat stirring deep within her airways. This precise judgment surpassed even the most experienced healers, yet it was all in vain.
During that time, even her alchemy, which she had been proud of since childhood, was of no use. Only the time spent with her family and friends could bring her some comfort. Her mother's meticulous care, her teacher's worried gaze, and the promise she made with her sister when she was young, which she had mentioned countless times since then: "Lorona, when you get better, we will go to sea to watch shooting stars!"
People often say that a heart ailment requires a heart remedy, but her illness was clearly physical. Had it been declared incurable beforehand, and thus the disease, in its generosity, offered a small measure of solace to her heart? Rolanda refused to give up, instead igniting a fighting spirit. Her sickbed became her earliest desk and laboratory; pain became her first teacher, helping her understand the fragility and preciousness of life. She knew better than anyone how disease could slowly erode hope, and how it could be temporarily repelled with the smallest care and the most appropriate effort. This experience made Princess Haiqi independent at a young age, even living alone in a human city for several years against the wishes of her family and friends, unharmed. Even after learning it wasn't an illness but a curse, this belief remained unchanged.
For her, neither illness nor curse mattered, as long as it wasn't her fate. No one is born destined to be plagued by disease or to struggle on the edge of despair, living in constant fear, as if it were predetermined by fate.
It is merely an enemy that can be defeated.
Lorena dared not say that she had completely defeated this enemy, but at least she would continue to strive, from temporary victory to complete expulsion. And if it decided to make a comeback in the process, as the princess of the sea and the one who created the monarchy, she would have countless reasons to resolutely throw herself into this battle, without needing any reason, and without caring about success or failure.
Because she was always prepared for battle, Rorona was among the first to react when the plague kingship awakened and the plague swept across the land. Without hesitation, she changed her plans. One moment, the alchemical cauldron was brewing war and death, weapons of murder; the next, it could be a beacon of hope, a source of salvation. For this alchemist, the latter feeling was far more familiar than the former, so familiar that she didn't even need to think; her body reacted before her consciousness.
The flames were still boiling, and Rorona's face was paler than the moonstone on the table. Fine beads of cold sweat trickled down her forehead, sticking a few strands of her crystalline blue hair to her brow. Her hands gripped the materials steadily and swiftly, but her knuckles were bluish-white from the excessive force. An occasional itching sensation in her throat made her want to cough, but doing so reminded the girl of her past experiences. Coughing was always the earliest symptom of any illness, just as the body needs to vocalize to alert the outside world to its condition. But how could this be? Since landing on Cloud Whale Sky Island, her curse had rarely flared up, and it hadn't even occurred once since entering the Eastern Continent. So, it was probably just her imagination.
Just then, the workshop door was gently pushed open, letting in a waft of damp steam. Medion rushed in, skipping the pleasantries, and went straight to the workshop owner, saying, "Sister Rorona, new symptoms have appeared at the inn. This time, the infected are all fairies, including Sister Siesta and the others..."
The pink-haired girl's tone was rather somber, and her mood was even more dejected, because her good friend Shemi was also among the infected people.
“Even the proprietress—” Lorena paused, lost in thought, “...only diseases affecting the fairy race? Then I have a general idea. Leave it to me, Medien. As long as we know the specific symptoms, concocting the corresponding potion won't be difficult.” Princess Haixi is an expert in this field; even the most learned sage in the magic school, or the most experienced physician in the Royal Northumbria Medical College, probably cannot match her understanding of the world's diseases.
Lorena stood up, rummaging through the new materials she needed, and pushed the medicine that had already been prepared on the table to the pink-haired girl, saying, "This batch of vitality potions is for you. Give them to the stone spirit guards suffering from withered grass disease. Remember, give them three doses, thirty minutes apart each time. If the symbiotic vegetation on them recovers its vitality beforehand, then there's no need to continue giving them the potions. The rest can be given to the magical plants in the inn. Once the stone spirit guards recover, let them help you with some of the work. Medine, you have to look after so many locations by yourself; you're bound to get tired."
"Okay." The pink-haired girl took the medicine and nodded gently.
This devastating plague almost instantly annihilated the remaining forces on Cloud Whale Sky Island. Even the fairy landlady and others were infected, leaving only a handful still able to move. Aside from the young Queen, the not-so-robust Medien remained unharmed. Perhaps due to spending so much time with Medien, Sister Livia also escaped the disease's reach. Currently, she and Alice are mediating the war on the ground, distributing medicine to the sick, regardless of friend or foe. After all, the plague makes no distinction; if they ignore the enemy, it will eventually reach their own side.
There was actually another way: if they killed all the enemies, they wouldn't have to worry about them becoming sources of infection. But no one could bring themselves to say it aloud, not even Alice. After all, she had personally participated in this war and knew better than anyone that these were living, breathing people, not just data in a game console. Fortunately, the defenders of Page Mountain Fortress seemed powerless against the plague and could only rely on medicine provided by the enemy to save their lives. Therefore, at least until the turmoil subsided, they wouldn't cause any trouble without cause.
It's absurd that a plague could bring about a brief period of peace.
Besides the two of them, Ieta was still in the windmill tower, doing her best to maintain the outer defenses of the Cloud Whale Sky Island, while constantly stirring up storms in an attempt to disperse the torrential rain and sweep away the invisible disease agents in the air. Although she didn't know if it would be effective, she was working very hard, even to the point of being stubborn. Gloria was still missing; her whereabouts had been mysterious lately, and no one could find her. However, she was also a young princess, so she was probably not in any danger.
Lorona was tasked with crafting medicine to combat the plague in the alchemy workshop, while the management and arrangements on Cloud Whale Sky Island fell entirely to Medien. Fortunately, the pink-haired girl had matured considerably during this period of hardship, and far from panicking, she managed the limited manpower and medical resources with remarkable efficiency. If Ling Ge had witnessed this scene, he might have remarked that the naive girl who used to consult her brother first and always relied on and followed others had gradually transformed into a composed adult.
Unfortunately, he won't be able to see this scene for the time being. Besides, Medine didn't grow up to prove herself to her brother. Perhaps she always harbored a great goal that no one knew about? For this goal, the girl was willing to accept all the trials of the world, regarding them as an inevitable path, including the current disaster.
Before she left the alchemy workshop, the busy alchemist seemed unable to bear the itching deep in her throat any longer and coughed lightly twice. Medion immediately stopped, turning to look at her with concern: "Are you alright, Sister Rorona? Perhaps you should rest?"
Of all the people who have been busy since the outbreak of the plague, Rorona is definitely the most exhausted. After all, her alchemy is essentially the power of royalty, but creating royalty is not a complete form. If she uses her power without restraint, she will surely suffer a severe backlash.
“It’s alright.” Lorona smiled gently and shook her head at her. “My curse hasn’t acted up for a long time, as you should know, Medine. So, there’s absolutely no problem.”
The pink-haired girl watched her quietly for a while. The latter smiled, unmoved. Medien then sighed helplessly, said goodbye, and turned to leave the alchemy workshop. Before closing the door, she couldn't help but think that she had only suggested that her sister Rorona rest, but had never mentioned the curse.
She explained almost impatiently.
Perhaps even Rorona herself didn't realize it?
Sometimes, the harder you try to prove something, the more you fear it. (End of Chapter)