Chapter 10

Kazuki made his way to the town square at noon.

At the center of the Grand Palace, the entrance to the labyrinth is located.

Around the entrance, many people gathered to exchange information.

They talked about strategies for conquering the labyrinth, which monsters were on which floors, and so on.

Among these conversations, Kazuki approached a group discussing the Labyrinth Fever.

"Excuse me, I heard you talking about the Labyrinth Fever. Do you know where the infected people are?"

"Hmm? Oh, you must be a healer."

"Yes, that's right."

"I heard they're at the Bringle Inn on 3rd Street in the lodging district. They were preparing to challenge the labyrinth, but they caught the Labyrinth Fever right away."

"Poor explorer. Thanks for the info, I really appreciate it."

"No problem, but it must be tough for the healers. The number of Labyrinth Fever cases is increasing, so you'll have to run around the inns. We need to avoid catching it too."

"I don't mind if you catch it. I'll charge you a lot for the treatment."

"Cut it out. I don't want to be drained... "

The conversation had a touch of humor at the end.

With the information from the explorers, Kazuki headed south to the lodging district.

The city is roughly divided into four main areas radiating from the labyrinth: the noble district to the north, the commercial district to the east, the medical district to the west, and the lodging district to the south.

Each area is numbered, from 1st to 5th Street.

The closer to the labyrinth, the higher the prices, and the farther from the labyrinth, the lower the prices.

There are some exceptions.

At the far end of the noble district to the north, there is a castle where the king who governs the city resides.

The city's development is largely attributed to this king, who is known to be a capable person.

"My body still isn't in top condition. Walking is tough."

While grumbling, Kazuki arrived at the lodging district.

He headed for Bringle Inn on 3rd Street.

The accommodations on 1st and 2nd Streets were clearly luxurious, with elaborate decorations on the walls and an expensive atmosphere.

As he walked, admiring the surroundings, he sighed, "Wow, huh."

After about ten minutes, he finally entered 3rd Street, which offered mid-range accommodations.

He confirmed the sign and finally reached his destination.

The inn looked like a five-story stone business hotel.

Kazuki entered and made his way to the reception desk.

"Welcome. Are you here to stay?"

"No, I'm not staying. I have a question."

"Oh, are you here about the Labyrinth Fever treatment?"

"Ha ha, you're quick. Yes, could you tell me which floor they're on?"

"I understand. They're wearing white coats, so it's easy to spot. Please wait a moment. I need to get their permission first, as it could cause trouble later if I act without it."

"That's fine."

"Please wait a moment."

The receptionist left.

Kazuki sat in a chair in the lobby to recover his MP while waiting.

After a while, the receptionist returned.

Kazuki moved back to the reception desk.

"I'm sorry, but they refused."

"Oh, that's unexpected."

"They said they don't need a healer because they have confidence in their physical strength."

"Stubborn..."

"But the man seems to be doing better... the woman, however, is a bit worse off."

"Hmm? There are two of them?"

"Yes, I think she caught it while taking care of him. There are no masks or such things in this world, you see."

"Masks?"

"Never mind, it's my thing."

"Ah, I see."

Kazuki thought the situation had worsened a bit.

He pondered other options, considering that things had been too smooth up until now, and this might be a reaction to that.

Breaking in would cause trouble later, and finding other infected people would take more time.

While thinking, he glanced down and saw the guest register on the counter.

"Hmm? Ilga Orks? Is that old man staying here too?"

"Ah, do you know him?"

"Yes, he helped me. So, if you're asking that, could it be..."

"Personal information. I can't say anything."

The receptionist pursed her lips, indicating she couldn't speak.

Kazuki chuckled and asked her to tell the infected person that "Kazuki Kazuki has arrived."

The receptionist chuckled and nodded, saying, "Please wait a moment," before leaving the counter.

She returned after a short while, running back.

"You have permission to enter."

"Thank you, I'm sorry for the trouble."

"No problem. The room number is 206, at the end of the corridor upstairs."

"Thank you."

Kazuki went up to the second floor.

As he walked down the corridor, he thought about the disease.

Since the receptionist mentioned it was contagious, he needed to consider some preventive measures.

He reached the room, knocked on the door, and waited for a response.

When he heard a response, he opened the door and entered.

"I never expected Ilga to be a Labyrinth Fever patient."

"Don't look at me like that. I didn't catch it on purpose, you know."

"I understand that. So, Lirika caught it while taking care of you, right?"

"..."

Ilga lay quietly on the bed, seemingly at a loss for words.

Kazuki's first impression was that the disease resembled a cold.

Lirika was also lying on a nearby bed.

Kazuki approached her and observed her, noting that her breathing was more labored.

"This is tough for both of them."

"Because I caught the Labyrinth Fever... could you help Lirika recover her strength first? I can wait."

"Don't worry, I'll take care of it properly."

Kazuki examined Lirika, noting symptoms different from Ilga's.

Her lips were blue, and she seemed to be shivering.

Kazuki thought these symptoms might have developed after losing strength from the Labyrinth Fever.

He decided to use the "Diagnosis" skill to quickly check the symptoms but wanted to rely on his own observational skills and intuition to some extent.

He approached Ilga first, thinking it would be easier since he already knew the disease.

"I'll start with Ilga. I think Lirika has a different illness."

"Different illness!!"

"The symptoms are clearly different, so it's probably a complication."

"Then you should start with Lirika..."

"Hey, be quiet. Listen to the doctor since you're the patient."

"Ah, yes."

"Since Lirika is important, just listen to me."

"...Yes."

From Ilga's words, Kazuki sensed that their relationship was more than just fellow explorers.

He chuckled, remembering a similar patient from the past, and placed his hand over Ilga.

"Diagnosis"

As he placed his hand on Ilga's forehead, a blue light enveloped Ilga's body.

Various pieces of information, such as the absence of pathogens in the bloodstream, flowed into Kazuki's mind.

He thoroughly searched for anything that shouldn't be in a healthy body.

The "Diagnosis" skill automatically provided the test results.

Kazuki's hypothesis about the infection matched the "Diagnosis" results.

"It's definitely Labyrinth Fever. The vector is a mosquito, and it spreads through droplets."

"Huh?"

Ilga's surprised reaction made Kazuki smile confidently.

His hypothesis was correct, and he felt a bit anticlimactic.

The Labyrinth Fever starts with mosquitoes that appear in the summer heat, which are the root cause of the disease.

These mosquitoes are specifically Labyrinth Mosquitoes that live in the labyrinth.

Explorers who delve into the labyrinth are the first to catch it, and when they return to the city, they develop symptoms.

Further, by coughing, they infect others, spreading the disease throughout the city.

"Let's investigate Labyrinth Fever more."

"No, Kazuki, aren't you here to cast a strength recovery spell?"

"Hmm? Oh, I'll do that too, but I'm here to treat the disease itself."

"Kazuki? It's generally believed that Labyrinth Fever can't be cured... people usually just try to survive it with strength recovery. Are you okay?"

"Please don't look at me like I'm some weirdo. Just watch and see. You don't understand, so leave it to the professionals."

"..."

Ilga decided not to argue further, thinking it was pointless.

He would follow Kazuki's methods, knowing he would get the strength recovery spell once Kazuki finished his investigation.

"Alright, let's use 'Analysis.'"

"Labyrinth Fever"

- Vector: Labyrinth Mosquito

- Pathogen: Carmine Clean

- Incubation Period: 2-3 days

- Main Symptoms: High fever over 40°C, nausea, chills, cough, sore throat, headache, etc. Severe cases can lead to death from strength loss and dehydration.

- Treatment: Consumption of "Rifanminado," strength recovery, high-nutrient diet, and hydration.

"Wow, this is new information. I didn't know much about the pathogen, so it's no surprise. This 'Rifanminado' is probably an antibiotic."

Kazuki opened the information from the analysis on his status screen and used "Analysis" on "Rifanminado."

"Rifanminado"

- Component: Oreganodine

- Side Effects: Drowsiness

"Huh? Just one component? No way... Well, I can't make medicine without knowing the components... I've never heard of an antibiotic with just one component. Must be because this is a different world."

While mentally critiquing, Kazuki gathered the necessary information for "Pharmaceutical Synthesis."

It had been a while since he did this, as it wasn't part of his usual work.

During his residency, Kazuki hadn't decided on a specialty, so he learned the knowledge and skills of various departments.

He used VR simulations to practice surgeries and diagnose diseases repeatedly, day after day.

Before completing his residency, a certain event led him to choose surgery.

Even when he was undecided, he received invitations from various departments.

Kazuki had reached a level where he could be immediately useful in any department from his residency days.

While he was seen as a genius by those who didn't know him, his peers recognized that he was more than just a genius.

His exceptional sense made him hard to categorize.

"Since I know the component, let's try making it. Oh, Ilga."

"Hmm? Are you done with your research?"

"Yes, I'm done."

Ilga turned to Kazuki, coughing, relieved that he would finally get the strength recovery spell.

"Pharmaceutical Synthesis—Rifanminado"

"Pharmaceutical Synthesis—Loxone"

Kazuki used "Analysis" to confirm the effectiveness of the synthesized medicine.

The composition was correct, and the effects were clear, so he felt relieved.

He synthesized the same medicine for Ilga, Lirika, and himself, as he was also infected by being in the room.

"Here, Ilga, take this."

"What is it? A strength recovery item?"

"Um, yeah."

Explaining it to Ilga would be troublesome, and considering his previous behavior, it was better to wait until after they recovered.

This would also make Lirika's treatment smoother.

Kazuki didn't think Ilga would react with, "Oh, I see, let's use that."

"Yes, it's a strength recovery item. It's very effective, so take it without worry."

"I'm sorry, I owe you one."

"Don't worry. You helped me before, so this is nothing."

Kazuki remembered the Sazara Great Grassland and smiled weakly.

He poured water into a glass and gave it to Ilga, who took the two medicines.

"It's bitter... but I feel like it's working."

"It's all in your mind. Just rest."

"Thank you."

Ilga closed his eyes as if to sleep.

He asked Kazuki a question while still closed-eyed.

"Please take care of Lirika... she's a child I was entrusted with by someone important."

"Of course, leave it to me. I'll definitely help her, so rest easy."

Ilga fell asleep, having lost a lot of strength.

Kazuki took action.

"Recovery Magic—Full Strength Recovery (Apollo's Light)"

"Recovery Magic—Periodic Strength Recovery (Apollo's Blessing)"

He cast two recovery spells on Ilga.

Both were the highest-level recovery spells, which even the current High Priest couldn't use.

They were the highest-level strength recovery spells used by the previous High Priest, but Kazuki didn't know this.

These spells fully restored lost strength, improved self-healing, and periodically recovered strength lost to the disease.

If he had used these spells when Ilga was conscious, he would have been bombarded with questions.

"Alright, that's one part done. Now, let's take care of Lirika."

Kazuki approached Lirika's bed and spoke to her.

She was barely conscious, and her responses were weak.

"Can you hear my voice?"

"...Hmm."

"You're quite weak. Let's start with strength recovery..."

Kazuki cast the same two strength recovery spells on Lirika.

She seemed to feel better, and her expression relaxed slightly.

"I'm going to investigate your illness, okay?"

"...Yes."

Her response was a bit better than before.

From her blue lips and breathing, Kazuki suspected bacterial pneumonia.

He placed his hand on Lirika's forehead and used "Diagnosis."

The results matched his hypothesis.

"Of course. The bacteria must have entered while she was weakened by the Labyrinth Fever. It seems treatable if caught early, so there shouldn't be any consciousness issues."

Kazuki had been bracing for a worse condition that would require surgery, which would drain his MP and cause him trouble.

Surgery wasn't something to be taken lightly, as it caused significant damage to the body.

If the disease could be treated with medicine, that was the better option.

Kazuki considered surgery a last resort.

"Bacterial pneumonia... I'll use macrolide or tetracycline antibiotics. Plus, the Labyrinth Fever medicine. Let's see how it goes, Lirika."

"Pharmaceutical Synthesis—Azithromycin"

Kazuki made the medicine and offered water to Lirika.

She slowly turned her head towards him, looking much weaker than when he first met her.

Her red short hair was plastered to her forehead with sweat.

Kazuki wiped her forehead with a towel and gently helped her sit up.

"Can you drink it?"

"...Mm."

Lirika took the medicine with water.

Kazuki confirmed she had taken it and gently laid her back down.

After taking the medicine, Lirika closed her eyes and fell asleep like Ilga.

Kazuki synthesized a three-day supply of medicine for both of them, plus a few extra.

He put the medicine in bags and placed one by Ilga's bed and one by Lirika's bed, along with a hastily written prescription.

"Is this enough? I'll take some too, so I don't bring it back to everyone."

Kazuki took the medicine and left Ilga's room.

He walked down the corridor, descended the stairs, and reached the counter.

The receptionist was standing there with a smile.

"Sorry for the trouble. I'm done with the treatment."

"That's good. Thank you for your hard work. It will be tough, but please do your best."

"Yes, it will be. Oh, here, take this."

Kazuki handed the receptionist a medicine.

She looked at him in surprise.

"Is it okay?"

"If you don't want it, I'll take it back."

With a slightly mischievous look, Kazuki handed it to her, and she swallowed it, saying, "I have nothing to give in return."

Kazuki smiled.

"Work hard. I'll check on them tomorrow, so see you then."

"Sure, I'll be waiting."

The receptionist waved goodbye with a smile, and Kazuki waved back.

After leaving the inn, Kazuki realized he had more to investigate based on the information he had gathered.

He needed to find the materials for refining the medicine.

To do this, he needed to return to the Orbis residence and use "Analysis" again.

With this in mind, Kazuki headed towards the Orbis residence.

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