Episode 43
The portions where the plant’s roots had extended upward were all hardened and dried out, closely resembling the appearance of earthworms.
“Is this… the Worm Pest? Are you saying it’s that parasite?”
At Loki’s words, Alex shook his head.
“You make an interesting remark. These are not parasites, but parasitic plants. However, even without pistils and stamens, they do lay eggs on their own. Ah! I suppose they may be called parasites precisely because they lay eggs.”
“…….”
The Worm Pest Loki had seen had a moist, damp exterior resembling an earthworm. It was difficult to believe that this was the complete opposite of that.
“They look completely different.”
“After parasitizing a host, the Worm Pest sucks the host’s blood. Using the nutrients obtained in this way, it lays eggs—precisely, seeds. When the Worm Pest absorbs blood, its skin becomes tough, granting it resistance to physical attacks.”
“…….”
“They mainly gather in the heart, brain, and muscles. And they forcibly move the corpse of the dead. They themselves become the muscles, the heart, and the brain, creating a single false human.”
Alex paused for breath.
“A single drop of blood can produce hundreds of seeds, which take root and form colonies of thousands, tens of thousands, comprising a body… thus giving birth to a ‘Wight’ that ordinary people cannot stand against.”
Loki recalled the time he had killed a Wight.
When they burst and died, Worm Pests had poured out from their entire bodies. And inside those bodies had been completely hollow.
It was as if they were a giant earthworm in the shape of a human.
“These creatures are particularly fond of ‘humans.’ And they subsist solely on blood. That is why they are truly dangerous beings. A catastrophe of this magnitude is unheard of on the continent.”
“…You know a great deal. It must have been difficult to research a plague that appeared naturally like this.”
“…Naturally? Ha! Do you think nature birthed this creature?”
Alex wore an expression of disbelief.
His voice rose as if angry, and his face was clouded with fury.
“There are many mysterious and astounding things on the continent, but do you truly think a mere plant… possessing mana, could prey upon living beings?”
Alex ran his trembling hands down his face.
“For thousands, tens of thousands of years, could such a monstrous plant appear suddenly without any precursor? No. It cannot be! This… was artificially created!”
“Artificially…?”
“Yes! The Holy Church speculates that this Worm Pest was ‘created’ by someone. And the one who created it is none other than….”
Alex was too overwhelmed to continue. Then, glancing at Loki’s reaction, he opened his mouth with difficulty.
“The king of the great empire called ‘Harnes,’ who drove the continent into terror fifty years ago—the Demon Lord Kalib.”
“That’s not true!”
At that moment, Sallet shouted fiercely.
As if her quiet demeanor had been a lie, she clenched her fists and glared at Alex and Loki while shouting.
“It’s not! It’s not true! The ones who made this are….”
*You humans!*
Sallet made an expression as if she were about to cry, but could not spit out the words. Her chest felt suffocated, and her body trembled.
Loki placed his hand on Sallet’s head and gently stroked it.
Even though she was wearing a hood, Sallet grabbed Loki’s hand with both of hers and pressed it down on top of her head.
As if wanting to forget painful memories and receive comfort, she bit her lower lip and quietly sobbed.
After some time had passed, Sallet muttered softly.
“…I’m going to go for a walk.”
As if wanting to shake off her gloomy heart, Sallet left the laboratory.
Loki did not chase after her. He merely looked at Alex and continued speaking calmly.
“…Please continue.”
“Hmm? Ah, yes….”
Alex answered absentmindedly at the suddenly heavy atmosphere, and spoke of what he knew.
“The reason the Worm Pest is a plant… there is a reason for that. Since ancient times, trees have possessed the mystical ability to absorb supernatural power. That is why many people use wood to make tokens or statues. Likewise, it is the same reason mages or priests use wooden staves.”
Alex took a breath.
“Anyway, the church judges that this Worm Pest was born through black magic utilizing that very principle. Curiously, while the Worm Pest parasitizes non-human creatures, it only ever uses them as a means of transport to move hosts. That alone shows this was created solely to target ‘humans.’ Yes! That is why those children…!”
Alex shouted, veins bulging on his forehead as if excited, but soon seemed to realize he had lost his composure and stopped speaking.
“…Whew. I got too worked up.”
Loki was feeling quite interested.
An old man in such a remote backwater had conducted research to this extent? His demeanor showed an obsession that could hardly be seen as mere curiosity or interest.
“You said it only infects humans… Are there no reports of it infecting monsters or other plants?”
“Hmm? Ah, yes….”
Alex took a deep breath to calm himself. Then, as if a question had suddenly occurred to him, he echoed Loki’s words.
“…Did you not know? That the Worm Pest only infects humans?”
Alex was bewildered. With this information alone, a certain amount of chaos could be prevented on the continent. And yet such a fact was still unknown?
“I have not taken an interest in the Worm Pest for very long.”
It was not just Loki; in truth, almost nothing was known about the Worm Pest on the continent. The healers and herbalists currently on the continent were researching the Worm Pest, but almost no one knew what could or could not be infected.
Even if such rumors spread, they would be buried before long.
Because unless it came from the ‘Holy Church,’ it was difficult to believe.
‘Did the Church not announce it?’
Alex closed his mouth.
Fifty whole years had passed since the plague spread. Yet while the Holy Church had produced holy water, it seemed they had not disclosed detailed information.
‘…Is this the Holy Emperor’s doing? How far has that human fallen?!’
Perhaps they had kept it secret to increase the Church’s influence.
Alex ground his teeth.
Driven by the thought that he had to make this known, he spoke of what he knew.
“…If you embark on a journey, please spread this tale. This Worm Pest infects only humans and does not infect animals. Moreover, even demi-humans such as elves or dwarves, who have similar appearances to humans, are somehow not infected. Not even if they are half-bloods.”
“…You are telling me quite a lot of detail.”
“This has nothing to do with monopolizing information. A dangerous plague like this must be faced by everyone joining forces.”
Alex was furious that even such basic information had not spread across the continent.
This was clearly a fact the Holy Church had uncovered fifty years ago.
*Whatever scheme is at play, I will make this known! I shall write a letter to His Holiness the Pope tonight! The Holy Emperor could be plotting something!*
Loki looked at Alex, then at the books in the cabin.
“Those are….”
“They are the records of my research.”
“May I read them?”
“Of course. However….”
Alex hesitated.
“Would it not be better to read them elsewhere, as this place is dangerous? Of course, that glass is magically reinforced…”
“Is there a possibility it could break?”
“…It will not break unless someone intentionally causes it to. The Worm Pest cannot even pierce orc hide.”
“Then I shall read here. There are so many materials that moving them elsewhere would take too long.”
“Hmm? But….”
Alex glanced at the carpet-covered floor, gauging Loki’s reaction.
*It should be fine. He won’t find it.*
The underground laboratory he had created weighed on his mind.
Even if Loki found it, the darkness would prevent him from even thinking of entering.
“Yes, it is fine. There is also an herb storage warehouse, so please take your time.”
In the end, Alex consented.
Having lived alone in a remote place for decades, he had longed for the warmth of another person.
That was how lonely he was, and how narrow his perspective had become.
“Then… let us stay one more day.”
At Loki’s words, Alex felt uneasy, yet a sense of relief lingered in a corner of his heart.
***
[The Worm Pest cannot pierce the hide of creatures with tough leather or hard shells. …(omitted)… This cannot be said to have arisen naturally. It was created as a single ‘weapon,’ a thing of ‘design.’ And the one who designed it is one of two. Either the Demon Lord Kalib, or ]
“……?”
Loki, who had been reading the research materials, crossed his arms and stroked his chin.
The important part of the book was not written.
Had he forgotten to record the content? Or had he been reluctant to write it? Or perhaps it was content he intended to write in the future.
In any case, it seemed Alex speculated that the Worm Pest had been created by someone.
*Is it possible to create such a creature through magic?*
Since undead composed of bone and soul could also be summoned, it was not such a mysterious thing.
Loki continued reading in Alex’s laboratory until late evening.
“No.”
*These things have nothing to do with Helga at all.*
He had wondered if the Angel of Death was causing the plague. However, the avatar of Helga that Loki had created, while possessing cursing skills, did not have the ability to produce Worm Pests like these.
Helga.
Her true name is Hel.
Even in Norse mythology, she is known as the ‘Goddess of Death.’ And the skills set to match that Goddess of Death were mostly of the ‘Curse,’ ‘Darkness,’ ‘Summoning,’ and ‘Healing’ categories.
*Helga’s skills cannot create Worm Pests like these. Then does Helga have no relation to the plague at all? In that case, by contrast, what of the rumor that she cures the plague…?*
The likelihood that that rumor was true was high.
She was Helga, who possessed death-related skills. Therefore, of course she had healing skills, and above that, a skill to revive the dead—the skill called ‘Resurrection.’ It was a skill that turned the target into her vassal once they died and were resurrected.
However, they would be resurrected not as undead, but as living beings, naturally becoming her vassals.
It was an extremely powerful skill, but its drawback was that it had many restrictions.
The target must have died within ten minutes. Upon using the skill, the caster is restricted from moving for three minutes. Lastly, the skill’s cooldown is as long as thirty minutes, and its mana consumption differs by several tens of times compared to other skills.
*Come to think of it, Helga is more like a real god than I am.*
Reviving the dead? That was indisputably the deed of a god.
Even Loki could not revive the dead.
Moreover, because it was a skill that made the resurrected recognize Helga as their master, it created a powerful relationship of subservience.
Before coming to the continent, he had heard from Aum Rinia.
That there were quite many who followed her.
Most likely… there was a high possibility that those followers were influenced by the resurrection skill.
“This… is a headache. I have no idea where to start.”
Without proper clues, all he could do for now was continue pursuing this plague.
*…I lack information. I should contact Asgard, the Frozen Land.*
They likely did not have exact information either. But since the scope had narrowed to the Kingdom of Ronia, he would be able to obtain some measure of information.
*…Boring.*
Sallet looked at Loki, who sat in a chair with his back to her.
He had been reading for hours on end.
She had tried to go outside again to soothe her heart, but outside was nothing but darkness after sunset.
Moreover, since it was near a graveyard, the sinister atmosphere made Sallet reluctant to step out.
There was only one thing she could do….
“…The combination is strange.”
Namely, mixing medicine.
Sallet took out the medicinal ingredients from the laboratory. And looking at the medicines Alex had made, she let out a sigh as if pitying them.
*These are clearly made by complete beginners. Even elves who have not come of age could make something better than this!*
She took out the ingredients, ground them, and mixed them.
Elves studied pharmacology from a young age. Especially since she was of ‘royal blood,’ her education had to be different from others.
*Done!*
Sallet smiled upon completing the medicine.
There were many medicinal ingredients here that were difficult to obtain even in the forest, so she had been able to make quite a good potion.
There were various kinds: medicines to treat wounds, medicines to relieve fatigue, and so on.
*I’ll take them! I might need them later!*
Just as she was about to swipe the concoctions, a voice reached her.
“Do not take another’s belongings without permission.”
“…I made them.”
“But they belong to that monk.”
Turning her head to look at Loki, Sallet felt disappointed.
“That monk said to look around, not to take things. Respect his words.”
“…Understood.”
At Loki’s firm, low voice, Sallet felt her strength drain.
She had made them with such effort….
Sallet looked again at Loki, who had turned his back. And as she tried to place the concoctions back where they were, her hand finally slipped.
With a loud noise, the medicinal ingredients scattered on the floor.
“……?!”
Startled, Sallet scraped together the spilled ingredients from the floor, only to discover something strange.
Through the gap in the plush carpet covering the floor, a small space was visible.
“……?”
When she lifted the carpet, she discovered a handle along with an iron door.