Surviving As The 5Th Prince Of Hellman Kingdom [EN]: Chapter 74

074

『The Hamel Empire Seals Off the Johan Region』

『Johan, what’s happening there now?』

At first, it was news that didn’t receive much attention.

They were the Hamel Empire bastards who sealed off a village and carried out a merciless massacre because a child insulted the imperial family.

Did another kind Hamel Empire person make a slip of the tongue? That’s about what people were thinking.

But.

『Breaking News! The reason the Hamel Empire sealed off Johan is because of an epidemic!』

『The sky of Johan covered in black smoke』

『Was the prophecy left by Saintess Patulasit not about the Freeholoho incident, but the Johan plague?』

『The Pantheon should call it the Red Star Fever, not the Johan plague』

『The Hamel Empire announces it is effectively controlling the Red Star Fever』

It was quickly revealed that it was a plague with unprecedented infectiousness.

Countries around the world quickly began to strengthen border controls, but.

It was already too late.

The incubation period for Red Star Fever is up to two months.

‘Excessively long.’

By the time the first patient in the Johan region had a red star appear on their neck, it would have already spread throughout the Hamel Empire.

The trains and airships, which were credited with raising the continent’s civilization level dozens of times, would now be blamed for carrying the Red Star Fever around the world.

“Your Highness, we have a message from Senior Austin. Red Star Fever has started to break out in the northern border area.”

“Tell Ira to manage the inventory thoroughly so that there is no shortage of Generol being sent to the north.”

“Yes!”

Generol is a fever reducer that Schuetz created using Genesen.

As soon as it was made, they applied for certification after the minimum clinical trials required by the Pantheon.

Of course, they had received a response that they would be notified after their own clinical trials and long-term follow-up observation regarding side effects.

– So, when I asked when the clinical trials could start, do you know what that rat-mustached priest said? As early as three years? And he was smirking!

I remembered the complaint Ira, who was in charge of Generol’s production and distribution, had made to me after visiting the Pantheon. She had been thoroughly ignored.

‘It’s about time the Pantheon contacted us.’

Asnol and Reifen, who had a tight grip on the existing antipyretic market, were not effective against Red Star Fever at all.

The Pantheon would have been testing the antipyretics that had been on hold for approval and confirmed that Generol showed excellent performance.

As I was thinking that, I saw Fran walking outside the window.

She’s probably coming to see me….

‘What’s going on?’

She didn’t usually come to the main building. Especially since the excellent magic engineer Isabel had settled next to her lab.

I know that the two of them share research and gossip about me, and are getting along well.

‘Ah! Is it time for the White Demon King to appear?’

White Demon King.

Originally, it is another name for one of the 72 Demon Kings, the rulers of the demons. It is known to be an elf with snow-white hair and contrasting black skin.

In the ‘future,’ it also referred to elves who turned white-haired after the outbreak of Red Star Fever.

And it also means something else… but I don’t think it’s something to mention at this point.

The important thing is.

‘Elves are the most vulnerable race to Red Star Fever.’

Other races are almost immune to Red Star Fever if they can handle magic.

However, elves are easily infected even if they are stronger than 6 stars. Of course, those people cough for a day or two and then stop, but the problem is ordinary elves.

‘The aftereffects are also fatal.’

The aftereffects of general Red Star Fever are mostly invisible, such as loss of smell, weakened lung function, and chronic fatigue.

However, elves suffer from serious aftereffects.

Aging and white hair.

‘It’s ridiculous.’

The truth that ‘elves do not age,’ which has been passed down since the mythological era, was shattered.

As a result, the conspiracy theory that Red Star Fever was an artificial epidemic created by the Hamel Empire’s unethical experiments targeting elves has been constantly raised.

I think I can get closer to the truth if I use [Library]… but the RP [Research Points] to consume seems astronomical, and I can’t think of a situation where I can benefit from it.

They are the guys who consistently said, ‘No? Isn’t that manipulation?’ even when superpowers like the Aimen Empire presented plausible evidence.

There is nothing to gain from a prince of a small country like the Lionel Kingdom making a fuss about proving it.

It’s precious RP that I need to get the Titan’s blueprint. I have to save it.

“Alfonso, open the door, Fran will be here soon.”

“Yes.”

A moment later, Fran appeared in the office.

“I got a call from the 7th Branch. Elves who were aging while suffering from Red Star Fever have appeared. Is this what you were talking about, the White Demon King?”

I nodded slightly.

“Is there a way to treat it?”

“Aging, that is.”

“What about white hair?”

“I’m not sure about that.”

“So, you’re saying that aging can be prevented?”

“Yes. If treated, it will probably slowly return to its original state.”

“What do you want from the elves in exchange for telling them how to do it? You’re not going to tell them for free.”

After bickering with me for almost a year, Fran has come to understand me quite a bit. I chuckled and opened my mouth.

“The Root Path of the 7th Branch. Tell them to let me use it once when I ask.”

“You… do you know what that means?”

“It means that you can instantly move to any place where the World Tree’s branch is located through the Root Path, which is the other world.”

In simple terms, it’s a warp gate.

One that a division-level force can move through.

I know that the Forest Keeper can only open it three times in their lifetime.

“Opening the Root Path is only done when the existing Forest Keeper guides the next Forest Keeper to the ‘Stem’ or when there is something to meet the Queen about!”

The Stem refers to the source of the World Tree that exists in the Root Path. The Queen of the Elves lives there.

“Besides, opening the Root Path is not limited to the 7th Branch! It’s something that all the other branches have to discuss!”

It’s a natural thing.

Because you can move to any elf forest and even access the Stem where the Queen lives.

“Why are you getting so worked up, Fran? Didn’t you not like elves very much? Just tell them that for now.”

“Such a simple… Ha… That’s right. It’s not my place to get angry. So, how do you treat it?”

“Ah, we need to make a cure. Tell them to bring a fruit. That’s the main ingredient.”

Fran stared at me, incredulous.

“Do you think the elves will accept your offer?”

“Not immediately, probably. But eventually, they’ll contact me.”

“Just pass it on.”

The contagiousness of the Red Star Fever is extraordinary, especially for elves. It’s potent enough to infect even the Queen’s successor, though I’m unsure how.

In time, the elves will develop a cure themselves by consuming all three existing fruits.

I’m not asking them to eat the fruits, but to use them to create a cure. All I need is for them to bring me just one.

Of course, I intend to make good use of whatever is left over.

“Ah, and tell them we’ll provide Generol [a fever-reducing medicine] for free, and they can pick it up from the Mairton Estate. Also, tell them that even if it doesn’t cure the fever entirely, it’s definitely effective in reducing it.”

If they try the free trial version of Generol, they might contact me a little faster.

***

『Red Star Fever Doesn’t Discriminate by Status: Even the Imperial Family of the Hamel Empire Succumbs』

『The Red Star Has Finally Risen in the Eastern Continent! The People of the Aimen Empire Are Petrified with Fear』

『Hamel Empire: Red Star Fever Actually Originated in the Aimen Empire』

『Lionel Kingdom’s New Drug, ‘Generol,’ Revealed as the Only Antipyretic Effective Against Red Star Fever』

『The Pantheon [a religious organization] Recommends Restraint in the Use of Generol, Citing Concerns About Unrevealed Long-Term Side Effects』

The Red Star Fever spread with terrifying speed.

Countries worldwide held emergency meetings almost daily to devise countermeasures.

The Lionel Kingdom was no exception.

An emergency cabinet meeting was convened.

The fact that even the king, who was rarely seen, attended was a clear indication of the situation’s urgency.

“5th Prince…”

“Really… predicted… plague…”

“…Generol is… effective…”

Everyone started whispering as they looked at me.

It was only natural, since I had predicted the outbreak of the plague. Two gazes, in particular, were intensely focused on me.

Of course, those of the 1st Prince and the 2nd Prince.

There had been a small incident not long after the quarterly cabinet meeting with the 1st Prince.

So…

Was it the day after I infiltrated Whyte County’s mansion through the tunnel dug by G-Dragon? He suddenly stormed into the Emerald Palace and demanded a duel.

“Evan, I heard rumors that you defeated Berok of the 3rd Knights in a duel.”

That was something I had thoroughly kept under wraps.

I was relieved that it hadn’t spread for almost half a year. When I checked through [Library] on the spot, it seemed someone had overheard Berok muttering to himself after getting drunk.

He probably doesn’t even realize he leaked it himself. I pretended not to know, thinking I could smooth it over.

“What nonsense are you talking about? I’m only at the 3-star level now. Sir Berok is a 5-star knight who skillfully wields swords. Well, if you still want to spar with me, you’re welcome anytime. Please take care of me.”

I put on a performance, struggling at the level of a 3-star knight. At the end, I bit my lip to show my frustration.

I remember the 1st Prince turning away with a suspicious expression. I think I acted quite well, but he seemed to sense a subtle incongruity.

The way he looks at me now is full of suspicion.

‘Well, I don’t care.’

Revealing myself completely, that’s…

At least, I’ll wait until I’ve completely absorbed the forces of the 2nd Prince, who’s looking at me with eyes that seem like he’s going to eat me alive from the opposite side of the 1st Prince.

Thinking that, I glanced at Clian. He nodded slightly with a blank face.

It was like showing how to act. No one would ever imagine that Clian was preparing to abandon the sinking ship that was the 2nd Prince.

Clian’s joining must happen at a crucial moment, at a time when even those who support me can warmly welcome him.

That way, a rolling stone…

Come to think of it, there are hardly any embedded stones, so it probably doesn’t matter when. Still, it’s best to join at the moment when you can stab the 2nd Prince in the heart.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The king struck the gavel, and the noisy conference hall immediately fell silent.

“It seems everyone is here. Let’s begin the emergency cabinet meeting. Minister of Health and Welfare, report the current situation in detail, without any lies.”

The Minister of Health and Welfare rose from his seat. His aide unfurled a large map of the Lionel Kingdom.

The territories painted in red seemed to be the areas where the Red Star Fever had broken out, and there wasn’t a single place that was unscathed. However, there were a few places painted in light red.

These were the areas that had prepared after listening to my advice:

* Prepare enough cloths to cover your mouth and nose in advance.
* Drink warm tea often to boost your immunity. In particular, tea made using Jenesen [a medicinal herb] is effective.
* Wash your hands and feet thoroughly.

…

Above all,

These are the areas where Generol was initially supplied.

As the saying goes, ‘Give one more rice cake to the pretty one,’ I had experimentally distributed Generol to the territories that had heeded my advice.

“In fact, it can be said that the Red Star Fever has spread throughout the kingdom. In some areas, even healers and priests have collapsed.”

“5th Prince! Generol! We need Generol! I received news that my wife and daughter, who were living in the territory, have also been infected with the Red Star Fever.”

“Us too! Our territory also needs Generol!”

“At least you still have healers walking around! We’ve lost all our priests and healers!”

The Minister of Health and Welfare had only just begun, but it quickly devolved into chaos. It was hard to tell whether this was a conference hall or a pharmacy.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

“Silence! Be quiet!”

The conference hall finally calmed down at the king’s words.

It seemed like I had to step in. I rose from my seat and approached the map that the Minister of Health and Welfare had unfurled.

“We are producing Generol day and night to distribute it domestically. Soon, my merchants will distribute it in order, starting from the most urgent areas. First of all…”

The moment I was about to point to the map to indicate the order of distribution.

“I heard that the Pantheon has not yet completed the verification of the side effects! Are you planning to conduct clinical trials on the entire kingdom!”

The 2nd Prince’s challenge came.

The eastern region had relatively less damage from the Red Star Fever since many areas originally used Jenesen as a spice.

The situation was completely different from the southern region, which had begged me for Generol a little while ago. For him, it was more profitable for the Red Star Fever to rage on.

That was just opposition for the sake of opposition.

For a moment, I felt annoyed.

It seemed like it would be better to shut the 2nd Prince’s mouth first and then continue speaking.

“Damian, Brother, please give me the promised merchant fleet quickly. How long has it been since I asked for the merchant fleet that was in charge of the magic stone trade with the Aimen Empire after the Red Star Fever broke out, and I haven’t heard anything yet?”

Like magic, his mouth shut tightly.