Chapter 20:

Chapter 20:

“The plague? Infected with the plague?”

“Yes. I saw Lord Gebel setting up quarantine lines.”

The fact that the inquisitor who entered the monastery was infected with the plague spread quickly. It was obvious, given that Gebel was setting up barriers to restrict entry and Evhar was preparing a prayer meeting for the treatment of the plague.

To a modern person, the idea of treating the plague with a prayer meeting might sound like nonsense. But in this era, it was a natural response and even considered the most effective treatment.

However, whoever had spread the plague in the monastery had been preparing for a long time, and it was doubtful whether prayers would be effective.

Evhar, aware of this, was preparing bloodletting treatment. The monks had their own methods of dealing with the plague, albeit rudimentary, like rubbing dried herbs on their faces or hanging chicken feet around their necks.

Although many of these practices were unrelated to the Codex of light, it was evident that even the most devout monks were subtly influenced by superstition.

But there was one thing that Isaac could not accept.

“...All the leeches are dead?”

“Yes.”

Evhar, who was performing bloodletting on Isolde, was flustered. They had planned to first draw blood and then treat her again, but now all the leeches were dead.

The monastery’s basement had a tank of leeches for such emergencies. But now, instead of leeches, there was only black water sloshing around.

“How did this happen?”

‘I can’t exactly say that the tentacles ate them.’

Isaac decided to fib a little.

“When I put the blood-fed leeches in the tank, they all dissolved and disappeared overnight. Maybe it’s because of the plague? The wolves and bears were also infected, so why not the leeches?”

Surprisingly, this excuse worked. In the biological understanding of the time, leeches were more like a liquid than an animal. In reality, the tank contained remnants of leeches that the tentacles had eaten and absorbed the plague from.

[You have devoured the ‘leeches’.]

[Devouring bonus: Increased efficiency in bloodsucking.]

[Minor improvement in health recovery ability.]

Although he received an unexpected and unintended devouring bonus, the rapid digestion of leeches meant it probably wouldn’t be of much help.

Evhar groaned at the news of the leeches’ demise.

“It’s difficult to find leeches in the middle of winter... should we draw the blood ourselves?”

‘Oh no, these people are serious.’

Before Evhar could commit to any harebrained medical practice, Isaac quickly intervened.

“Abbot, may I offer some assistance?”

Evhar looked at Isaac with surprise.

“You mean you?”

“Yes. I’ve read some foreign medical texts in the past. Gebel and I can handle basic nursing and chores, so the monks and you, Abbot, can concentrate on the prayer meeting without worrying about other things.”

It was a simple division of labor.

The monks trying to treat the plague themselves would only be a hindrance. However, as the prayer meeting was not ineffective, they should focus solely on that.

Isaac intended to focus on quarantine and treatment, the so-called ‘chores’.

Evhar stared at Isaac for a moment and then nodded.

In an era where holding a saint’s hand for healing was believed more effective than a doctor’s diagnosis, and where miracles existed, such belief was not entirely misguided.

The plague was already spreading among the monks. The children were isolated to prevent infection, and even Gebel was showing symptoms of the plague.

However, Isaac, who had carried Isolde, showed no signs of the plague or even a cough.

Evhar, not so much trusting Isaac’s knowledge as believing he might be blessed by God, consented to his actions.

“Very well. We will focus on the prayers, and trust the rest to you.”

***

In a world of magic, gods, and miracles, it wasn’t far-fetched. The issue was whether patients, especially Isolde, could endure until such purification.

He couldn’t rely on miracles.

Isaac’s duty wasn’t to pray, but to act.

Ensuring he was alone, he brought out his tentacles. They slowly crawled over Isolde’s body.

‘It feels strange.’

It felt wrong, but it was necessary.

The tentacles began to scrape the rotten and festering parts of Isolde’s wounds. The many teeth quickly carved out the infected flesh and devoured it. It was a method of removing only the harmful parts.

Despite his resolution not to consume humans, this was a delicate boundary.

‘So it’s sort of like leech therapy, right?’

Isaac shook his head at the irony of performing the bloodletting he once considered foolish. Isolde twitched every time an infected part was removed.

Soon, fresh blood flowed from Isolde’s wounds, but the infected parts were gone. Without access to antiseptics or alcohol for cleaning, this was the best he could do.

Isaac then utilized the devouring bonus of the leeches.

[Devouring bonus: Increased efficiency in bloodsucking.]

[Minor improvement in health recovery ability.]

His tentacles exuded fluid over Isolde’s wounds. These were created from her own flesh and blood. Although temporary, the healing-imbued fluid covered her wounds, helping them heal.

‘I’ve done as much as I can.’

Isaac wiped the sweat from his forehead.

However, he couldn’t stop there. This was just defense.

Even though the Codex of Light might soon strike a big blow, Isaac didn’t intend to sit back and hope for divine retribution.

“There should be some progress soon.”

Isaac muttered, heading to a corner of the room. A rat lay there, seemingly dead.

It was a rat paralyzed by the ‘Parasite from Beyond’. Isaac activated the ‘Offspring of Chaos’ bonus on it.

[Offspring of Chaos / Requires ‘Parasite from Beyond’ bonus. The parasite rapidly consumes its host, transforming into an ‘Offspring of Chaos’.]

As Isaac exercised his power, the rat convulsed violently. It burst open with a pop, like a water balloon.

From the gruesome remains, something crawled out, turning inside out.

It began to take shape, absorbing the rat’s skin, bones, flesh, and fluids.

At first glance, the creature resembled a rat, but upon closer inspection, it was clear that tentacles, chaotically moving in all directions, awkwardly mimicked the shape of a rat. This was an offspring of chaos.

“Master.”

A brief and blunt message reached Isaac. It was from the offspring of chaos. Perhaps because it had used a rat as a medium, all the chaos offspring could only use short and simple words.

Isaac shared a piece of Isolde’s flesh with the chaos offspring.

“Find the source of this plague. It must have started somewhere in these mountains. We need to know who is trying to fool us.”

The chaos offspring, its tentacles writhing, snatched the flesh Isaac offered. It swallowed the flesh with an unseen mouth and scurried into a rat hole.

Isaac hoped for the results of the measures he had consistently taken since the outbreak of the plague.

***

[The Nameless Chaos watches over you.]

That night.

“Master.”

Isaac’s eyes snapped open at the sudden message.

[Plague. Origin. Found.]