My Lord Who Is Being Prudent! [EN]: Chapter 95

§ 95 – The Saint of the South (1)

The plague that broke out in the South was relentless.

Despite the deployment of priests, its momentum did not subside and continued to spread.

This wasn’t just confined to the Holy Empire.

Across the continent, including the Charlotte Empire, there had been no similar outbreak.

It was truly an unprecedented plague in history.

This was why Xian was worried.

However, he had also located Muriel’s ruins.

And with Aria by his side, he felt confident he wouldn’t die.

That was the feeling with which he journeyed to the South.

However, after Xian directly assessed the plague,

it proved to be quite different from the plague Ellie had described.

At first, it was simple curiosity.

To be precise, it began with a nagging feeling that something was off.

So, he decided to investigate.

He also held onto the belief that Aria’s presence would protect him.

But little did he know.

*Ting!*

[Progress rate of Demon Soul Control Method: 14.01% (+0.01%)]

That was the result.

“What is it…?”

Xian exclaimed without thinking.

He had subdued one complete seed of the plague…

So, the percentage reflected the increase after subduing the plague seed within a single patient.

A whopping 0.01%.

In some ways, it could be considered a negligible amount.

But Xian didn’t see it that way.

The Demon Soul Control Method had been stubbornly resistant to progress.

He diligently performed tasks and trained every day without fail.

He refined the highest-grade mana stones whenever he found the time.

And even while undertaking the Demon Soul Asura Sword task, he channeled magical energy through the Demon Soul Control Method.

Yet, the progress he had made so far was only 14%.

While Xian had managed to raise the Demon Soul Control Method by 14%, he had fully completed the entry requirements for the Demon Soul Asura Sword.

And he had increased the progress rate of the Demon Soul Asura Sword Beginner to an impressive 91%.

That was the reality of the 14% progress rate.

But now.

Xian gained 0.01% by subduing a single plague seed.

And there were so many patients lined up before him.

Roughly, hundreds were visible.

If you included those out of sight, there were likely thousands.

Assuming there were approximately 1,000 people and 0.01% per person.

‘10%!!!!’

That was a staggering 10%.

“Crazy!!!”

Xian shouted involuntarily.

But he quickly regained his composure.

No matter how crucial the progress rate of the Demon Soul Control Method was,

he couldn’t justify using people’s suffering as a means to an end.

Xian lowered his gaze silently.

He focused on the patient from whom he had just subdued the plague seed.

Xian calmly concentrated his mind.

He confirmed that there was no longer any trace of the plague’s energy within the patient.

Nevertheless, the patient’s face remained disfigured.

The face, which appeared to be covered in mold, was grotesquely distorted.

Rotten flesh and pus oozed down the face.

It was a natural consequence.

What Xian had done was not ‘healing’.

He had merely subdued the plague seed that had taken root in the patient’s body and absorbed it into himself.

Xian was not a priest.

Therefore, he couldn’t undo the wounds or alleviate the pain that had already been inflicted.

However, the patient’s face seemed much more relaxed.

The groans that had escaped from the mangled lips were no longer audible.

Only soft, gentle breaths could be heard.

Because the plague seed that had been tormenting the patient had vanished.

With proper nourishment and rest, the patient would recover on their own.

With the aid of a priest’s divine power, recovery would be even faster.

You wouldn’t necessarily need the divine power of a saintess-level healer.

But that was just Xian’s assumption.

“Excuse me. Just a moment.”

Xian called out to a passing priest.

The large beak of the bird-masked priest turned towards Xian and nodded a few times.

“What is it?”

The priest asked as he approached.

Xian pointed to the patient from whom he had just absorbed the seed.

A face that looked like it was covered in mold.

The beak nodded again.

“What’s wrong with him?”

The priest asked Xian.

He didn’t seem to understand what Xian was asking him to observe.

After all, ordinary priests couldn’t sense the energy of the plague.

To be precise, only Xian possessed that ability.

Moreover, the priest was not a healer.

So, he lacked extensive medical knowledge.

He simply emitted divine power, and the patient was healed.

There was no need for in-depth understanding.

Consequently, he couldn’t accurately assess the patient’s condition.

This highlighted a clear limitation of divine power.

“Could you use divine power on this patient just once?”

Xian made a different request to the priest.

The priest’s beak nodded again and then shook up and down.

It was an unexpected request from Xian.

But the priest didn’t voice any objections.

The priest extended his hand towards the patient’s body without making contact.

Soon, divine power erupted in a brilliant light.

The patient’s distorted face began to improve noticeably.

“Huh?”

“It’s getting better?”

The priest’s body, which had been emitting divine power, froze.

Perhaps unable to comprehend the situation, the bird’s beak kept nodding.

And again.

“Wh, wh, wh, wh, what is this…!”

The priest exclaimed in astonishment.

The bird’s beak, which had been facing the patient, swiveled towards Xian.

The beak was trembling.

Xian smiled at the sight.

As expected.

“Oh, this is honey [a Korean slang term for something amazing or great].”

There was no need to hesitate.

#

Aria was puzzled by the unfolding scene.

The priest was in shock.

And the beak was shouting “honey”… no, Xian.

His face was hidden behind the crow mask.

But Aria recognized the voice as Xian’s.

The voice was familiar.

And Xian was the only one who would utter such frivolous words.

So, Aria wondered what was happening.

Starting with the meaning of “honey.”

Why was the priest so shocked?

Above all, why was Xian among the plague patients?

Even though he was wearing protective gear to prevent infection, it was still dangerous.

He should be staying back like Lahir.

For some reason, Xian was right in the thick of it.

“What is Xian doing?”

Laura also asked, equally perplexed by the sight.

At that moment, Xian slowly rose from his position.

And he approached another plague patient.

Then, he placed his hand on the patient’s body?

“······!”

“······!”

Aria and Laura both widened their eyes in unison.

The plague was exceptionally virulent, almost unparalleled in its severity.

A highly contagious disease that spread through mere contact.

Furthermore, it rapidly deteriorated the host’s condition.

Aria understood this better than anyone, having experienced it firsthand.

Of course, Aria was unaffected.

The body of a saintess was immune to all poisons and diseases.

But Xian was not.

Xian was just like any other ordinary person.

If he contracted the plague, he would be bedridden like those people.

He would suffer and eventually die.

Naturally, Aria would never allow that to happen.

But that didn’t mean he could act so recklessly.

“Hey!!!”

Aria screamed in horror.

She leaped from her seat and rushed towards Xian in an instant.

And she grabbed Xian’s wrist, the one that had touched the patient’s body.

“What are you doing!!!”

“Huh? What?”

Xian’s beak turned towards Aria at her sudden touch.

Aria examined Xian’s hand.

Sticky pus was smeared on it.