Chapter 77: The Magician (2) (1/2)

Chapter 77: The Magician (2)

One day passed, then two, then five – and the Southern arns of movement They quietly sustained this standoff without so le arrow shot

Alfred could not understand their intent no matter how much he mulled over it, not that there was a particular ardless

It was then that Alfred received a peculiar report

“Some of the men have fallen ill, you say?”

“Yes, that is so It’s not a lot yet, but quite a few troops are showing sy, sir”

“How many men have contracted this sickness?”

“There are currently around 30 men, sir They have been isolated under quarantine protocol to be safe”

Alfred nodded at his aide’s report

“Be sure that the quarantine measures are abided by and keep an eye on the men’s condition”

“Understood”

The situation had not yet reached its tipping point With barely 30ill, Alfred assessed that this h if they only abided by the quarantine measures

However, Alfred’s face turned pale at the report he received the next day

“Captain, the nurown Several hundred patients are raising complaints with the same symptoms”

“How could… was the quarantine protocol observed for certain?”

“There’s no mistake that allthe sa in locations that have no connection to the first infected”

“……”

Alfred bit his lips

It was more than certain by this point that an infectious disease was circulating the army, and it had to be now of all ti worse that could happen?’

Though Alfred’s coths, even he could not stay calue spread while they were in a standoff with an eneht thehly isolated Announce that all water is to be boiled before consu all the patients of this outbreak!”

“Yes, understood”

Alfred hastily issued his co that this disease would not spread any further

Three days later

Despite Alfred’s earnest hopes, the disease ruthlessly continued to ravage the soldiers

There were yet to be any deaths, but considerable nu Any efforts to isolate were futile, and all they could do was focus on creating the most sanitary conditions possible in a wartime situation

They could not rid theress to be had, it was that their epideation uncovered the root cause

It was the food

The soldiers that were falling ill had specifically eaten the rations that they had protected throughout the ene snapped inside Alfred

“These dogs dare to mess with food?”

Alfred muttered under his breath as he clenched his teeth

In the stricken fields of here it was kill or be killed, it was nonsensical for one to refrain froround his teeth not because he did not know this, but because he had been backed into this corner

There was nothing that changed fro the cause of this outbreak after it already happened All the affected rations had already been consu by the dozen

If this disease was not natural and instead deliberated by the enemy, it meant that they would also be aware of this situation that was unfolding

Alfred now understood his ene their tith Alfred needed to e

His first choice was to take the army outside the fort’s walls in their present condition and win in an orthodox battle However, their prospects of winning were almost non-existent When one saw the eneed for coht – it was clear that they aiting for the defenders to tire out and leave the stronghold

Over half of his men were incapacitated already If they chose to strive for a head-on battle at this point in ti victorious were likely less than 5 percent

The issue was that they would be defeated without sothis along and the troops’ condition did not stabilize regardless

The second option was to continue staying entrenched and last it out

Over half the troops were not fit for service, but there was yet for any deaths to arise Alfred did not knohat kind of poison the enemy used, but in the first place it would be difficult to poison such a large quantity of foodstuff and reach a lethal dose Seeing as there were no deaths thus far, there existed a possibility that the troops would recover in due tih healthy troops to operate a functional defense despite the great reduction in their strength

The caveat was that this was only made a valid option by the presupposed speculation that the troops’ condition would indeed recover with time If by chance, it worsened instead…

Then they would be bitterly holed up in this fort until they withered away and died

In this dilemma with two completely distinct options, Alfred carefully ’

Their prospects of victory in a head-on battle were too remote Moreover, the ene the Republicans to leave their fortified position and coht path to take, he was not about to move in the direction that the enemy wanted

‘We’ll endure hatever means possible’

Alfred steadfastly set his mind on defense

However, that resolve would not last more than a day

The next day

Ato Alfred, who had momentarily come down fros

“Captain, the enemy… the ene had happened, seeing as thehaste to inforun?’

Two thoughts flashed by Alfred’s mind

So they finally come

Come as you may

He had already steeled himself to some extent as this outcome was to be expected

However, what caer was completely beyond Alfred’s expectations

“The ene”

“They’re what?”

Alfred thought he was hallucinating now – either that, or the one nuts

“Hold it, the eneer brightly grinned as Alfred tried to process this information

“Yes, it is true”

‘The enemy withdrew? The enemy…’