The next day, May started to go to the country of Sandanj with Posehay and others. Once she went to the research institute in Agartha, she went to my office, where she put up the warding before going to Sandanj. On the way back, he would stop by my office, and after releasing the warding, he would return to the institute and then to his residence in the capital.
Because May has to raise her children, her attendance at Sandanji is naturally rotated. We should be grateful to Zhuang for reducing May's work schedule as much as possible.
Six days after May and her family started going to Sandanj, Chi-wan and three other Poseidonians reported to us that the number of patients with Kirisurae was on the increase in Sandanj.
"In the past month, the number of patients suffering from chilis lei has exceeded twenty.
"Zhuang, is that a lot?"
Yes. The average number of people affected by Chilisray in the country of Sandanj is about 30 per year. The king says that it has not happened in decades that more than 20 people have been affected just this year.
"I see... If the number of patients continues to increase at the current pace, it will exceed 200. That's not good.
"Yes. We have checked where the patients got the disease and found that almost all of them live in different places and have different occupations. And the date and time of onset. It is beyond our ability to determine the route of infection. Therefore, Mr. Rinos, we would like to ask you to come with us to the country of Sandanji and evaluate the patients who have contracted the disease.
"Please take me with you."
Mei beseeched me with a serious look on her face.
"I see. If it's all right with me, I'll help you. You can come with me. Just... just wait a minute.
I make Zhuang and the others wait and open the window of the office. Then I call Sadakichi.
<<>
After a while, Sadakichi appears.
.
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With these words, Sadakichi disappeared again.
"Perhaps they're coming with earth magic, making their way in the lead..."
May looks at me with a worried look on her face as I mutter this.
"Don't worry, Mei. The Irbezi River will rise in spring. Then the road they made will be useless. We'll see what they do. Let's teach this to Mato and the others and then head for Sandanj.
With these words, we were transferred to the room where Matkal and the others were, and after that, we set up a ward on May and headed for Sandanji.
We were transferred to a hospital-like facility.
"This is where the patients are kept.
"A place like a hospital, huh?"
I couldn't help but let out a squeak as Chi-wan explained the situation. Chi-wan and the others said it was unnecessary, but just to be safe, we put up disinfectant wards on everyone. Chi-wan then leads me into the isolated building. There were beds lined up and dozens of patients in a comatose state.
"These are the people who have developed Kirisurae in the last few days.
"I see... There are people of all ages, young and old, men and women. There are children too..."
"I checked the circumstances of all of them at the time of the onset of the disease. 11 of them developed the disease inside the house, and 19 of them developed it outside. Some of them collapsed suddenly."
"Are they all asleep?
Yes. For the moment, yes. Some of them had convulsions, but they have calmed down now.
"May I have a word with you?"
Loni interrupts.
"I and May... well, Maytharma and Lasseeth have checked the family structure of the affected patients and it is quite varied," she says. Incidentally, there are five people who are in contact with Canine and Wesen, but they live in the same neighborhood and do not seem to have a close relationship with them.
"I see. This alone should tell us that Klimiana's theory is a lie.
I look at my patients.
"Now, let's evaluate them one by one, shall we?
"Yes, thank you very much."
Chi-wan bows to me. I nodded at him. First, I appraise the mature man who is sleeping in front of me.
"...A happy family. The innkeeper. ...You stepped on the tail of the dog in front of the butcher shop... ...and got bit. Bad luck. You like to drink. Well, you're a hard worker. ...The guy at the grocery store where you always go to buy groceries is a Dog-Beastman."
I talk to myself, and Ziwan, Roni and the others take notes on my appraisal.
Since it would take a long time to appraise the lives of all twenty people, I focused on the time before and after their deaths. Then, a middle-aged lady, a young man, a young child, and so on, one after another.
"Whew!
It was long past noon when he had finished examining all the patients. After three hours of continuous evaluation, I was feeling a little tired after a long time. I was very tired. When I finished the evaluation, I collapsed into a chair, exhaling heavily.
"Thank you for your hard work.
May immediately takes care of me. For a moment, I wanted to fall asleep in her arms, but I managed to keep myself together.
"Thank you, Mr. Linos. Are you all right?
Chi-wan thanks me, his voice bubbling over.
"No problem. It's just that my head is a bit dizzy from the long hours I've spent on the job for the first time. I'll be fine after a short rest. So, what did you find out?"
"One moment, please."
Chi-Wan is talking with Roni, May and Lasseeth, looking at a piece of paper on which I wrote down what I said during the evaluation.
"Wait a minute!
Loni raises her voice.
"Look, this one, and this one, and this one, and this one, and this one. Here, here. It's a match."
"Mr. Roni, this man, this man, and this girl... match."
May explains, pointing to her notes. Then, she takes a piece of paper and writes something on it while mumbling something.
"May, Roni. What did you find out?"
"Master Linos, Master Mei is wonderful! You did a good job. This document you've put together is really easy to read. It's wonderful!"
Chi-Wan praises May with open arms. May is embarrassed and puts her hands in front of her face, waving them in a small gesture.
"Chi-wan... I think it was Roni who found it first..."
"Oh, Roni gets carried away when I give him too much praise. A doctor should be able to recognize such things.
"That's harsh, Chi-wan..."
Roni twitches his ears and takes a swipe at Chiwan.
Mr. Chiwan, I thrive on praise. If you keep putting me down like that, I'll lose my ambition!
Chi-wan looks at Roni with cold eyes.
"Grow with praise? That's why you're so weak in the face of adversity.
"Ggh!"
Loni is fainting in agony at the response.
"Well, it's true that Roni found me first. "Well, it's true that Roni found me first. Thank you, Roni. I don't think Zwan is saying this because he hates Roni either. There are three kinds of evaluations of a human being."
"Three ratings, sir?"
Roni is looking at me with tears in her eyes.
"Ignore, praise, criticize. The ones who don't have a chance don't get taken seriously, so they're ignored. Those with a little potential are praised and motivated. And those who I think have potential, I give them a hard time and make them think and improve their skills. If Chi-wan is criticizing Roni, he thinks Roni can be a good one. Right, Chi-wan?"
After a moment's pause, Chi-wan nodded broadly. After that, she finally got into a better mood when he offered her a week of meals at his residence in the capital.
"This is King Agartha. If you had told me you were coming, I would have organized a welcoming ceremony.... Thank you for coming all the way.
King Nike of Sandanzi was seriously surprised to see me in the audience chamber of the royal palace. When I told him that I had been asked by Posehay to come here with them, he looked at me sharply for a moment.
"With them, you can carry an army in an instant.... This means that we can never be at enmity with Agartha..."
"No, my king, we, the Poseidonians, can only transfer one person with us. There is nothing to worry about.
"No, my Lord Zhuang... don't be modest... no, no..."
Nike is shaking her head with a sharp look in her eyes.
"No, King Sandanji, I have come here to tell you that I have a clue to the source of the Cirithrae infection that is afflicting your country. In order to prove whether our prediction is correct or not, your country's help is indispensable. That is why, as King of Agartha, I have come to you to ask for your help."
"What do you say, King Agartha, nothing like that. We are the ones who have asked you to exterminate the Cirithrae. It is I who should come to you. You have my word. I will be happy to help."
I'm glad to hear you say that. Actually...
I tell them my prediction of how the Cirithrays were infected and what to do about it. At that moment, Nike's face becomes distorted. A moment of silence follows. Then, Nike opens her mouth gravely.
"That... is something that our country cannot cooperate with.... I am sorry..."
Silence reigned once again in the audience chamber.