Chapter 112 – The Refugees

“Bilan, Bilan, wake up, wake up……”

Bilan faintly heard someone calling her, but she couldn’t respond. Right now, Bilan felt as if she were in an endless lake, continuously sinking, sinking into eternal darkness.

“Bilan, wake up quickly, please, wake up quickly……”

“That voice again…”

Bilan struggled to gather her scattered consciousness. She wanted to wake up, she wanted to respond to that urgent call.

Under the girl’s willpower, she felt herself gradually stop sinking further, her body slowly rising toward the water’s surface, until finally…

“Bilan, thank goodness, you’re finally awake, this is wonderful!”

Bilan’s blurred vision swayed between shallow and deep focus as she saw a tearful profile gently calling her name.

“Dichiduo…”

Bilan weakly moved her lips, only then realizing she was lying on Dichiduo’s back, being carried by the young man.

Bilan’s first instinct was to ask Dichiduo to put her down, but she felt an unprecedented weakness in her body – even moving a finger required great effort. Helpless, Bilan could only blush and pretend not to know about the situation, quietly asking:

“Where are we? What happened to me?”

Dichiduo didn’t notice the girl’s embarrassment and quickly explained the current situation to Bilan:

“You suddenly fainted and developed a high fever when we were in the White Tower this afternoon. Just as I was at my wit’s end planning to rush out of the White Tower to find medicine, Knight Kaiskaser happened to lead his soldiers in dispersing those fanatical believers. Now plagues and cults have broken out in almost all the villages and towns around Doleiz City. The Knight Commander is rescuing uninfected refugees. We’ve joined up with refugees from three other towns and are heading toward Doleiz City.”

“What about that child…”

Bilan immediately thought of the little boy she had helped and eagerly asked Dichiduo.

“He… got sick…”

Hearing Dichiduo’s vague response, Bilan fell silent. She already knew what had happened to that child. In Faerûn, the most merciful treatment for commoners with infectious diseases was to confine them in remote areas to fend for themselves.

Dichiduo carried Bilan, walking unsteadily some distance from the main group. Both fell into silence until Bilan realized another question.

“Dichiduo, why did I suddenly faint?”

Bilan was puzzled by her sudden collapse. As a fourth-rank apprentice mage, her constitution was definitely not as fragile as it appeared on the surface. In theory, she shouldn’t have collapsed from exhaustion just from fleeing.

But Dichiduo remained silent for a long time. Lying on the young man’s back, Bilan clearly felt Dichiduo’s body trembling slightly.

“Dichiduo…”

“Bilan… you… have also fallen ill!”

Hearing Dichiduo’s quiet response, Bilan felt her consciousness go completely blank. As a professional, she should theoretically be immune to all common diseases. So the first word that surfaced in Bilan’s mind was—magical disease.Magic diseases, what terrifying existences they are! Powerful magic diseases are truly dreadful killers that strike without a trace, feared even by many formidable professionals who turn pale at the mere mention of them!

Bilan suddenly realized how close she was to Dichiduo. If she were to transmit the terrifying magic disease to him…

“Dichiduo, quickly put me down…”

Bilan twisted her body with all her might, trying to get off Dichiduo’s back.

“Bilan, Bilan, it’s alright. I’m already immune to this disease. They say about one in a hundred people might develop antibodies, and… and no matter what, I would never abandon you, Bilan.”

Dichiduo spoke to Bilan with utmost seriousness!

“Dichiduo, you… fool!”

Bilan felt tears welling up in her eyes and had to turn her head away to avoid Dichiduo’s gaze.

Silence fell between the two once again.

To distract herself, Bilan, who had finally calmed down, began observing their surroundings. The large refugee group was now being led by a small squad of City Guard along the “Nielan Trail” toward Doleiz City. Among the refugees were many elderly, weak, sick, and disabled, trudging forward numbly with limping steps, their faces filled with confusion and despair. The occasional cries of children echoed across the wilderness, particularly heart-wrenching.

“Dichiduo, didn’t I contract the disease? Why was I allowed to join the refugee group?”

Bilan suddenly thought of this question. Logically, her family held no influence in such major events, and as someone infected, shouldn’t she have been “abandoned”?

“That… you’re that lord’s disciple! The Knight Commander specifically ordered to bring you along. This plague spreads through contact, so as long as we keep our distance from the other refugees, it should be fine!”

Dichiduo spoke these words frankly. In his view, taking sick people along was the natural thing to do – abandoning civilians because of disease was unacceptable.

But Bilan fell silent. She suddenly realized why those people had been looking at her with expressions mixed with disgust and fear.

“In their eyes, I must be like a dangerous alchemical bomb?”

Bilan thought dejectedly.

“And I’ve dragged Dichiduo down with me too.”

Watching Dichiduo sweating profusely as he walked through the grass away from the main path, carefully carrying her on his back, Bilan felt for the first time how strong and tall this boy’s figure appeared, and how weak and powerless she herself was.

As Mila and Chikasa gradually sank below the horizon as usual, some commotion suddenly erupted within the refugee group.

Soldiers rushed into the crowd, dragging out dozens of elderly people who had difficulty walking.

“No… you can’t do this!”

“Grandpa! Grandma! Where are you taking them?”

“Stop it! Are you mad?”

Seeing the burly City Guard members roughly throwing the elderly onto the grass and threatening them with spears to prevent them from rejoining the group, desperate wails and cries rose from the refugees. Many young people even had reddened eyes and appeared ready to seize the soldiers’ weapons.

Witnessing this scene, Dichiduo also frowned and prepared to go stop the soldiers’ brutality.

But just then, a short-statured officer stepped forward and shouted at the agitated refugees:”Enough! Anyone who breaks discipline will be executed without mercy.”

The booming voice remained awe-inspiring even across the prairie.

“It’s a professional…”

“It’s a professional…”

Only when a professional stepped forward did the chaotic crowd gradually quiet down with fearful unease.

“I have unfortunate news to share with everyone!”

The officer declared gravely:

“Since our remaining provisions can only last three days, we must reach Doleiz City within that time. Otherwise, we’ll all starve to death together. Therefore… we must make sacrifices, unless you all wish to perish in the Wasteland!”

The officer’s words left the refugees speechless. Dichiduo, who had been about to intervene and stop the soldiers, froze in his tracks.

The officer was right. The speed of five or six thousand refugees – the elderly, weak, sick, and disabled – couldn’t possibly match that of horse-drawn carriages. Normally, it would take ordinary people about three days to travel from a town to Doleiz City on foot. If they slowed down for these elderly people, the journey could take up to a week. Yet their supplies would only last three days!

“Dichiduo, there’s no other way. We have no choice!”

Bilan gently placed her small hand over Dichiduo’s clenched fist. Though her heart ached as well, reality was this cruel.

“You’re right, Bilan. We have no choice.”

Dichiduo softly patted Bilan’s small hand, indicating he had come to terms with the situation, then lowered his head sorrowfully and continued walking forward.

(End of Chapter)