Chapter 19.2

Kevin said worriedly, "If you accidentally press it while sleeping, will it be broken directly?"

Oswald's face turned green in an instant. He rolled his eyes and squeezed out a sentence through his teeth, "Don't worry, shut your crow mouth!"

The two were talking when the two guards who had gone to fetch the medical officer returned. The medical officer they were holding between them looked so old that he was about to grow old. He was thin and small, like a man with two slender legs.

The old medical officer, his legs like shriveled beans, was almost carried back by the guards all the way. His feet did not touch the ground until he entered the study.

He took a deep breath and sighed three times before saluting Oswald and speaking in a drawn-out tone. "Your Majesty—"

"Don't bother with the formalities," Oswald said, rubbing his temples. He simply placed Sinia's right hand under the old medical officer's nose.

He then briefly described the symptoms of Sinia and the fat servant and frowned as he waited for the old medical officer to speak.

The old medical officer, who seemed to have poor eyesight, almost touched the back of Sinia's hand with his nose as he examined it for a moment. He pondered for a moment, then moved tremblingly to a chair and examined the fat servant from head to toe.

"Have you seen anything?" Oswald asked impatiently.

The old medical officer nodded, then shook his head. "I don't know what disease it is, but I have seen it in a book."

"What book?" Oswald asked.

The old medical officer scratched his head, raised his head, and thought for a long time before saying, "I can't remember the title of the book."

Oswald was silent for a moment, his expression dark. If the old medical officer were younger, he would have ordered him to be executed.

"But I remember that part," the old medical officer said after taking a deep breath. "It was during the reign of Besseman, which would make him your great-grandfather's great-grandfather. The book said that there was a rat plague in the royal city that summer, and a strange disease suddenly broke out in the palace. Healthy people suddenly became unable to move, including Emperor Besseman himself, who also had an arm infected. The description of the disease seems to be very similar to the situation of Her Highness Sinia and this servant."

Kevin turned his head to look out the window. Sesame-sized black bugs were flying in all directions in the corridor, flooding the hallway. This was somewhat similar to what the medical officer had said.

Oswald also glanced at the flying insects and frowned. "What happened next? Is there any cure?"

"The book said that the disease was eventually cured, but it took a long time," the old medical officer replied. "The only way to prevent it is to get rid of the rats."

"Get rid of the rats?" Oswald repeated. "How?"

"I'm not sure," the old medical officer admitted. "The book didn't say."

Oswald sighed and rubbed his temples again. This was not good news. If the disease was indeed the same as the one that had occurred during Besseman's reign, it would be a major challenge to the kingdom.

"Thank you," he said to the old medical officer. "I will have someone look into this matter."

The old medical officer bowed and left. Oswald turned to Kevin. "What do you think?"

Kevin shrugged. "I don't know," he said. "But it sounds like we have a problem."

Oswald nodded. "Yes, we do," he said. "And we need to find a solution quickly."

The old medical officer sighed and continued, "Emperor Besseman was unable to find a cure, so he sought the help of the Spirit Race. The elders of the Spirit Race believed that the disease was not natural, but rather a form of witchcraft. They advised Emperor Besseman to visit the tomb of the God of Phae."

Kevin raised his eyebrows. "The tomb of the God of Phae?"

Oswald was also surprised. "The tomb of Phae, the god of light?"

The old medical officer nodded.

Oswald and Kevin both exchanged looks that said, "Are you serious?"