Goddess Kaleidoscope

"It's alright now. I'm just a little sleep-deprived."

"But you suddenly fainted this afternoon!"

Recalling the events of the afternoon, Romian didn't believe that her most respected mentor was simply "sleep-deprived." She had been right beside Luther and witnessed him suddenly clutch his chest without warning, then collapse to the ground unconscious.

Seeing this, Romian hurriedly stepped forward to help Rude up, and then used a basic Holy Healing spell on him without hesitation. As a result, Rude's complexion only improved slightly, and he did not wake up immediately, which frightened the dragon girl quite a bit.

Fortunately, Lude's unconscious state lasted less than two minutes, and he finally regained consciousness, but he was very weak. He struggled to get up several times, but could not stand up. Afraid that her mentor would fall again, Romian could only hug Lude tightly from behind, so that his head could rest steadily on her chest.

After that, the medical team arrived on a stretcher and transferred Lu De to his current private ward. Out of concern, Romian stayed by her mentor's side the whole time.

What made Longniang both admire and feel sorry for him was that during this time, priests from other churches came to try to use their divine magic to heal their mentor, but the mentor politely declined them all, asking them to save their divine magic and prioritize treating those seriously ill patients.

Thanks to the health bureau's policies, urban residents have seen a glimmer of hope for survival. In the past few days, the number of infected people who have voluntarily come to the isolation area has surged. Among them are many critically ill patients who have been hidden away by their families. The total number of such people is over a thousand, which has forced the red zone to be expanded further.

The surge in patients made Lud even busier than usual, with him sleeping less than three hours a day. His constant running around made him seem like a saint sent by a goddess to save the world to all the staff and patients in the isolation ward.

Therefore, when Ludwig suddenly collapsed, it touched the hearts of everyone.

Just then, Winnipeg entered from outside, his brow furrowed as if deep in thought. Seeing Romian in the ward, the old dwarf hesitated for a moment before speaking softly to the dragon girl.

"Girl, I have something I'd like to discuss with your advisor alone. Could you please step outside for a moment? Don't worry! It'll only be a few words, it'll be quick."

Seeing that Ludwig nodded, Romian placed the soup on the bedside table, then got up and left. After he left, Winnig spoke to Ludwig with a serious expression.

"Old buddy, do you know you've been poisoned?"

"I felt it, but it wasn't fatal, and the dose wasn't large, so by the time I realized it, it was already a bit too late."

"Nan Ding has figured it out; it was a slow-acting poison in your lunch. There's definitely a mole in this quarantine zone!"

The mention of the traitor flashed a murderous glint in the old dwarf's eyes; he hated traitors more than anything. But Lud shook his head, advising him not to spread the word.

"Buddy, right now, internal stability is paramount! Don't let the news of my poisoning get out; just say I'm just overworked. Don't rush to investigate the mole either; wait until the epidemic is under control."

"But what if they pull these kinds of tricks again?"

"Just assign reliable people to keep an eye on them. The fact that they only poisoned me shows that they are quite sensible."

"I was wondering why you..."

"Alright, let's leave it at that for now. My fainting today wasn't entirely due to that tiny bit of poison. I'm sixty-eight! Humans aren't inferior to you. At my age, anything can happen."

Seeing Lud's calm and composed expression, as if he had already "accepted his fate," Winnipeg let out a sigh. Although he was almost two hundred years old this year, he was still in good health. If he took good care of himself, he could live another fifty or sixty years without any problem. Humans over fifty years old can be considered old, and those who can live past one hundred are extremely rare.

Thinking of this, Winnig couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness. He and Rudd had known each other for less than a year, yet they had become fast friends. It was Rudd who had introduced him to the Pantheon and helped the dwarves find a god more suitable for their faith. For this kindness alone, Winnig felt that repaying it with his life would not be too much.

End of this chapter

After resting in bed for a day, Ludwig disregarded the advice of Romian and the other students and got up to return to work the next day.

Inspired and motivated by his actions, the enthusiasm of all the staff in the isolation ward was ignited, and the patients receiving treatment were also grateful after learning about this, which in turn transformed into a continuous stream of faith that flowed into Aina's body.

Lude had to admit that densely populated metropolises were indeed impressive! The entire Oyster Harbor had a population of about 160,000 within the city itself, and another 30,000 to 40,000 in the surrounding towns. The population density was quite considerable, and if Lude were to unleash the full power of the primordial fire within him, he could completely cover the entire city.

As Lud's deeds gradually spread throughout the city, the Medicine God Cult also gained popularity among the people, almost becoming a symbol of hope.

In this city still shrouded in the shadow of the pandemic, almost everyone has unknowingly become a follower of the Medicine God, contributing their own share of faith. Coupled with the atmosphere of this special period, the number of believers, thirty times that of Pine Tree Town, is almost a hundred times greater, and there is clearly still room for further growth.

But Aina had been struggling these past few days, often appearing mentally dazed and even more foolish than before. Rude, through touch, sensed that the divine power within her was condensing, a sign of an impending transformation and evolution.

Ludd had heard of the possibility of gods being able to ascend long ago from Hume.

Once a deity has absorbed enough faith, there is a certain probability that they can break through their own limitations, significantly improve their strength, and awaken new divine characteristics.

Many deities are stingy with their followers, unwilling to share their power, because they hope to accumulate a large sum for a future upgrade. However, focusing solely on cost-cutting while neglecting to generate new resources leads to the decline of their sects by preventing followers from witnessing miracles or experiencing the presence of the gods.

The three strongest beings currently—the Holy Lord of Light, the God of War, and the Goddess of the Four Seasons—have all broken through eight times, placing them among the "upper-level gods." Hume, on the other hand, has broken through five times, placing her among the "middle-level gods," somewhere in between. If she wants to break the God of War's curse of having his hands chopped off, breaking through a higher level is probably the most likely way to achieve this.

According to Lude's observation, barring any unforeseen circumstances, Aina is very likely to experience her first breakthrough in her "divine life" soon. The divine power within her body has condensed from a cloud of mist into a near-liquid substance, but she still needs the final push to achieve the breakthrough, otherwise she will remain as foolish as she is now for some time.

So Lude came up with a plan and decided to "create" a miracle in Oyster Harbor!

Having made a pledge to the lord to completely resolve the epidemic within sixty days and restore the port to normal operation before the June monsoon arrives, the health bureau led by Lud is putting in its best efforts!

They first spent five days conducting a city-wide census, using the characteristic of black blood in infected individuals to screen nearly 160,000 people. The tools used for blood collection were silver needles. To avoid potential cross-infection, each needle was boiled in boiling water for five minutes after use, then removed, dried, and soaked in high-concentration alcohol.

The city's residents did not resist the census, not only because of the health bureau's preferential policies, but also because the lord had ordered that those who refused to be inspected would be convicted, so no one said they would avoid it.

The results of the large-scale census ultimately showed that the total population of Muli Port city was 148,000, with more than 18,000 infected people found. If we include those in the surrounding towns and villages, as well as those who have died from the disease, the total number is definitely over 30,000.

This number is quite terrifying, considering that the total population of the entire Viscountry is only around 200,000. In the three months since the outbreak, nearly one-sixth of them have been infected. If Lud has not intervened forcefully and the epidemic has been allowed to spread freely, Oyster Harbor will have no healthy people left after at most two more months! The neighboring Earldom of Ramley will also be hard-pressed to escape.

Lud showed the Viscount the data he had speculated, but the Viscount couldn't utter a single word for a long time.

After the screening was completed, the surge in patients instantly overwhelmed the quarantine area, and the entire East Street was almost overflowing with people, with the population density reaching the level before the outbreak.

Ludd approached the Viscount, hoping to designate another plot of land near East Street to establish a dedicated isolation area for patients with mild symptoms. Ludd set his sights on a vacant lot on the north side of East Street, hoping to temporarily transfer this land to his use.

To be honest, Ludwig was somewhat surprised when he first noticed the vacant lot. In the bustling commercial port of Oyster Harbor, land was incredibly valuable, and East Street had been a slum that was almost overcrowded. But just across a drainage ditch less than ten meters wide was a vacant lot of about the same size as East Street, overgrown with weeds.

Therefore, Ludwig wanted to borrow the vacant land temporarily, but Viscount Maupe awkwardly told him that he couldn't make the decision about the land because it belonged to the Church of the Four Seasons. And the Church wasn't a commoner; he couldn't simply order someone to obey any command unconditionally.

According to the Viscount, three years ago, when Evanrus arrived in Oyster Harbor to assume the post of Bishop of the Northern Diocese of the Cult of the Four Seasons, he used sweet talk to the Viscount, saying he wanted to build a garden that would last for all four seasons within the city. This thing should be considered a "religious wonder" in a sense, a garden blessed with divine magic, so that it would simultaneously present different scenery in all four seasons.

If this thing were actually built, it would not only enhance the city's appearance but also attract pilgrims and tourists, significantly boosting the local economy.

Therefore, the city lord granted Evanrus's request and sold the land, which originally belonged to East Street, to Evanrus at a very low price, making it the property of the Church of the Four Seasons.

Three years have passed, and apart from clearing out the local residents and razing all the houses to the ground in the first year, the Church of the Four Seasons has yet to produce a single brick of the promised Four Seasons Garden. On the contrary, the price of the land has been soaring, more than five times the price when Evanrus acquired it.

The lord had a vague feeling that he might have been tricked, but unfortunately, this land was now the property of the Four Seasons Goddess Church, and it would not be so easy to get it back.

In light of this, Viscount Maup expressed his helplessness. As a local lord, he had limited ability to control religious forces, and the other party was the Church of the Four Seasons, a top-tier sect with influence spanning three continents. Without other reliable support, he could refuse Evanrus's proposal, but dared not forcibly reclaim the land.

After learning about the situation, Ludwig understood the lord's predicament. He pondered for a moment, then smiled and spoke to the viscount.

"In that case, I'll go and talk to him myself!"

End of this chapter

Because of Evanrus's hesitation, the Church of the Four Seasons in Oyster Harbor is now in a very awkward situation.

Other religious groups have already joined the health department and are now enthusiastically participating in the fight against the epidemic, rapidly increasing their local prestige and snowballing their recruitment efforts. Meanwhile, they can only watch helplessly as their followers rapidly leave.

Some monks and lower-ranking priests complained privately about this, believing it was a miscalculation on Bishop Evenus's part, which put them in a very passive position.

In fact, Evanlus himself was also in a difficult position. His pride prevented him from accepting Ludd's invitation in the first place, and now that he wanted to go in, he would inevitably have to bow down to Ludd, which made it even more unacceptable to him.

So even though it was painful, Evan Ruth was determined to stick to his stalling tactics. He firmly believed that the public was ignorant and foolish, and that these guys were currently grateful to the health department. Once this epidemic was over, he had plenty of ways to fool them all back.

It's like playing cards in a casino. It's okay if you can't control yourself for a moment, since the other side still has seventeen cards in their hand. Are you going to kill them instantly?

However, just as Evanrus was hiding in his fortified temple, oblivious to the world around him, Rudd suddenly came to visit.

To be honest, Evanrus initially wanted to refuse to see Lud, but then he remembered the "poisoning rumors" from a few days ago and felt that avoiding Lud at this time would easily lead to people saying he was guilty. Left with no other choice, he opened the door and invited Lud in.

The two met in the temple's reception room. Evanlus noticed that Lud had come alone, without any attendants, not even his two beautiful and busty female apprentices. He wondered what the guy was up to.

Although Evanlus secretly hoped that Lud would die immediately, he wouldn't just die anywhere; he couldn't afford to be on the verge of death.

When rumors first surfaced that someone had poisoned Ludwig, Evanrus immediately became a suspect. And precisely because no evidence could be found to prove his involvement, suspicion only grew. After all, the Church of the Four Seasons was incredibly powerful; they might have even enlisted some unparalleled masters.

Especially after the incident, Lu De, as the primary victim, tried his best to downplay the situation and suppress its impact, which made the matter all the more intriguing to some people with ulterior motives.

In short, this mess has put Evan Ruth in a very awkward position. He can't explain it to the outside world, and he can't not explain it at all. He's caught in the middle!

Now that Ludd had suddenly come to visit, Evanrus was even more nervous than Ludd himself, who had come alone. What if this old geezer suddenly died on his own turf? How was he supposed to explain that to the outside world?

Good afternoon, Priest Rudd.

"Good afternoon, Bishop Evanrus, cough cough..."

Compared to his energetic self when they first met, Rude's current state is more like that of a normal elderly person in this world, standing there swaying precariously like a candle in the wind.

However, this weakened state was clearly abnormal for a priest, especially one who was said to be a high-ranking priest chosen by God.

Those who can become priests not only borrow power from the gods, but also receive blessings that significantly enhance their physical condition, making them stronger and healthier than ordinary people.

In the case of the recent plague outbreak in Oyster Harbor, although some monks from various religions contracted the disease, the priests who frequently came into contact with patients remained healthy. It is said that some of these individuals even engaged in inappropriate relationships with young and beautiful female patients under the pretext of providing free medical treatment, yet they were not infected.

However, being strong and healthy and not prone to illness does not mean being immune to all poisons. Some cults produce drugs that can poison priests.

Unfortunately, Evanrus had it! If this thing were exposed, his life as a bishop would be over.

Worried that the frail Ludwig might fall while standing and talking, Evanlus took the initiative to invite him to sit down at the table. He even had a luxurious armchair brought over and arranged two nuns on either side of him, treating him like a grandfather in case anything happened to him.

"Thank you for your hospitality...cough cough...I'm almost...cough cough...I'm flattered...cough cough..."

He spoke haltingly, coughing several times, which caused Evanlus's eye to twitch involuntarily. He then gestured to the nun beside him to pour Rudd tea.

If the scene were different, and Evanrus saw Ludwig in this vulnerable state, he would definitely be unable to contain his joy and his lips would unconsciously curl up. But right now, he couldn't feel happy at all; he only felt a chill run down his spine.

"Um... High Priest, no! Master Lud, what brings you here all of a sudden? Don't hold back, just speak freely!"

"It's like this, as you probably know, the city has just completed a census, and all the patients have been identified. However, there are nearly 20,000 cases, and the current space on East Street is already insufficient. So, I was thinking of converting the nearby vacant land to the north into an isolation hospital. But upon inquiry, I learned that it was originally church property of your church. Therefore, I have come here specifically to earnestly request that Bishop Evanrus, considering that many of the patients are members of your church, temporarily lend this land to the Health Bureau. What do you think, Your Excellency... cough cough..."

"This……"

Upon hearing that Lude had come to borrow land from him, Evanrus's first thought was to refuse. What a joke! He had been holding onto that land, which he had tricked from the lord, for almost three years, and its value had increased more than fivefold since he acquired it. He could only sell it when he was about to leave office.

If this were lent to Lud, used to build an isolation hospital for patients, the price would immediately drop, and it would be Evan Ruth who would lose money.

Seeing his hesitation, Lude suddenly spoke.

"Your Excellency, I know for certain it wasn't you..."

"Priest Lud, what... what did you just say?"

“I said, I know it wasn’t you.”

He deliberately spoke slowly and deliberately, and the two stared at each other silently for five seconds. Evan Ruth's expression suddenly became somewhat subtle.

"Why do you say that? Do you have any evidence?"

"There is no evidence, but precisely because there is none, many people immediately suspected the bishop. However, these people's judgment is only at the first level. I believe it is not because you did it, but precisely because there is no evidence."

"Then why are you telling me this? Our relationship can hardly be described as friendly, can it?"

"Heh, whether we're friendly or not is irrelevant, but I need that land to build wards to house thousands of patients, while you need to silence those rumors. Why don't we each get what we need? I need that land, and even your priests, and preferably some urgently needed supplies for the quarantine area. This will let the entire city see your love and benevolence, Your Excellency, and the believers will thank you!"