Chapter 3 Sierra Oliver
When the word "plague" was heard, the originally quiet hall was once again filled with faint whispers, and the atmosphere suddenly became depressing.
Zhu Yu's heart tightened when he suddenly heard the content related to the main mission, but he tried to maintain a calm expression on his face.
She lowered her head slightly and fiddled with her drooping hair with her fingertips, pretending to be uninterested in the whispers around her, but in fact she pricked up her ears secretly, afraid to miss any details.
At this moment, the white-robed wizard sitting next to Zhu Yu suddenly and slowly raised his right hand.
Zhu Yu turned his head and his eyes fell on her slender fingers - especially the uniquely shaped ring between her fingers.
It was a bone ring. The ring was made of white bone pieces with tiny gold wires wrapped around it. It looked strange and delicate.
Mrs. Janet noticed her action, paused for a moment, and then nodded:
"Sera, what do you want to say?"
"Janet," Sierra said coldly, "I want to confirm that your source is reliable."
As soon as she opened her mouth, a short memory suddenly flashed through Zhu Yu's mind:
[Sera Oliver is a necromancer who is also a member of the Secret Society. As a white robe wizard, she has a bad relationship with Elena and has clashed with her in public many times.]
This white-robed wizard is actually Elena’s mortal enemy?
Zhu Yu subconsciously tensed his back, lowered his eyelashes, and became alert.
Facing Sera's question, Mrs. Janet did not show any displeasure, but answered patiently:
"The news came from my Chamber of Commerce. A caravan was blinded by greed and took the risk to secretly bring plague-infected people into the town of Arce just to get a few gold coins."
Hearing this, Sera's eyes moved slightly and she said nothing more.
When the others in the hall heard this, they burst into angry discussions, and many of them were full of contempt and indignation towards those who would disregard the consequences for money.
"Are they crazy?"
"The plague will spread! Those people are simply playing with the lives of the entire town!"
"This is murder!"
At this time, a shrill voice overwhelmed the whispers of other wizards and asked with a hint of doubt:
"By the way, why didn't Lida come? She rarely misses meetings."
Madam Janet looked up in the direction of the voice, with a hint of solemnity on her face:
"That's the second thing I want to say tonight. The harm of the plague is far greater than you think. Don't think you can take it lightly just because you are a wizard."
Having said this, she paused slightly, and her gaze lingered for a moment in the direction of Sera.
The shrill voice sounded again, with a tremor in it:
"Could it be that...Lida has also been infected with the plague?"
Mrs. Janet nodded:
"Yes, she has been diagnosed with the plague and is currently in self-isolation."
The wizards present were in an uproar again. The whispered discussions quickly turned into an uncontrollable commotion, and many people showed expressions of fear on their faces.
"Lida is a gray wizard, how come her protective magic is ineffective?"
"The plague has become so contagious..."
Madam Janet looked at the panicked look of the crowd and gently raised her hand to suppress them:
"There is no need to panic. Lida is only in the early stages of infection and her symptoms are not serious yet. We have taken strict isolation measures and prepared several treatment options for her. As long as the right measures are taken, the situation can still be controlled."
Mrs. Janet's powerful words gradually suppressed everyone's anxiety.
Then, Mrs. Janet began to make detailed arrangements for the prevention of plague:
"First, we must strengthen patrols and monitoring of the town's borders, especially the entry of caravans and itinerant adventurers. Anyone with abnormal symptoms must immediately notify the Secret Society. Secondly, the town's wells must be tested every day, and the granaries must be cleaned up to prevent rodent activity from expanding the scope of infection..."
As the arrangements gradually came to an end, Mrs. Janet's expression suddenly became fierce:
"Finally, I would like to remind everyone to be cautious when taking actions and avoid being discovered by the security team or the court of justice."
After hearing these two names, the venue fell silent for a moment. Several gray-robed wizards showed obvious fear, while Sera beside Zhu Yu sneered disdainfully.
A gray-robed wizard raised his hand cautiously and asked:
"But...what if someone accidentally gets infected with the plague and becomes seriously ill? We don't know how to heal like those Knights of Light."
Lady Janet soothed:
"For those with mild symptoms, the condition can be controlled with medicine. I will send a caravan to find a pharmacist to purchase healing potions. As for those whose condition is so severe that there is no medicine to cure them... then we can only ask for help from the Knights of Light or the priests."
A cold snort suddenly sounded from the corner:
"I would rather die than ask those hypocritical people for help!"
Madam Janet turned to look at the wizard:
"Sophia, I understand your anger, but please remember that our first priority is to save our lives. This is not about bowing to them, but for our survival and future."
These words gradually calmed the emotions in the room and the meeting was immediately declared over.
Everyone got up and left one after another, but Mrs. Janet called Zhu Yu.
She took out a record sheet from the table and waited until everyone else had left before reminding them:
"Your aid quota for this month is still zero. Honey, you have to hurry up."
Zhu Yu’s heart skipped a beat. A place for assistance?
She quickly searched through the information provided by the system, but found nothing.
In desperation, she remembered the second trick of role-playing: when you don't know the specific situation but have to answer, the best way is to repeat the other person's last sentence and show approval at the same time.
"Yes," Zhu Yu nodded, "I have to hurry up."
Seeing Zhu Yu's sincere attitude, Mrs. Janet patted her shoulder with satisfaction, took out a neatly folded note from her sleeve, and stuffed it into Zhu Yu's hand.
"I know you've been recovering from your injuries this month and haven't been able to spare the energy to select the right person to help. If you still can't find a suitable person, then try the date and place written on this note. Although it may be troublesome, I believe you are capable enough to handle it."
"Okay, thank you."
Zhu Yu took the note and put it in his arms.
Mrs. Janet smiled and raised her hand to extinguish all the candles in the hall.
The moonlight cast a dim light through the broken stained glass windows. With this little dim light, the two of them slowly walked towards the corridor outside the hall.
"My dear," Mrs. Janet sighed suddenly when they were halfway there, "I know you are still worried about that matter, but her death has spread among the secret society."
Zhu Yu paused and turned his head to look at Madam Janet, who had a deep gaze and a serious tone:
"Did you see the way Sera looked at you when she left? She has always been dissatisfied with your identity as a white-robed wizard like her. She believes that you have no magical power, are not a real wizard, and are not worthy of joining the Secret Society. You also know that if she was not afraid of the support of the person behind you and the intelligence value brought by the Golden Cup Tavern you run, she would have found a way to kick you out long ago."
Mrs. Janet paused, her tone becoming more serious:
"But that person is dead, and I heard recently that Sera's strength has improved a lot. If you make any mistakes at this critical moment and she catches you, she will definitely take the opportunity to tear you down from the position of white-robed wizard. I'm afraid it will be difficult for me to protect you then."
These words stirred up waves in Zhu Yu's heart. She clenched the fabric at the cuffs of her sleeves and tried to remain calm.
Lady Janet noticed her pale lips and asked with concern:
"How is your injury? How is your recovery? Will it affect your ability to complete the rescue mission?"
Zhu Yu finally found something to say, nodded, and said seriously:
"Don't worry, I will complete the task on time and won't give Sera the opportunity to use this matter to threaten me."
"Very good. I believe you."
Madam Janet curled her lips, with a barely perceptible worry in her eyes:
"Also, your accident this time was too sudden. I suggest you deal with those people in the winery as soon as possible, or simply move them to a more hidden place. Don't let other people notice it, especially the people from the Inquisition. Their noses are always as sharp as hounds. If they smell blood, they will bite and hold on even if there is no evidence, forcing you to have nowhere to retreat."
"OK."
Zhu Yu responded dryly and quickened his pace.
When the gate of the monastery came into view, she could not help but breathe a sigh of relief.
The carriage stopped quietly outside the monastery in the moonlight, and the horses flicked their tails gently.
Madam Janet stopped and watched Zhu Yu get on the carriage. Finally, she gave him a warning:
"Be careful, and if there is any emergency, remember to inform me in time."
"good."
After saying goodbye to Mrs. Janet, Zhu Yu turned around and got into the carriage.
*
After returning to the mansion, Zhu Yu summoned all the servants and informed them about the plague.
As soon as the news came out, everyone looked nervous and started talking in low voices.
Some people's hands were shaking as they held their aprons, some exchanged glances quietly, but no one showed any panic.
Zhu Yu raised his hand and made a soothing gesture, saying softly:
"Don't worry too much. As long as we follow the rules and pay attention to hygiene, the chance of being infected is extremely low."
She succinctly relayed the main arrangements of Mrs. Janet's meeting. From isolation measures to reducing contact with the outside world to checking people coming and going, each item was clearly organized.
After listening to this, Mrs. Gwen said:
"Miss, your arrangement is very appropriate. I will follow your instructions immediately. If there is a shortage of manpower, I will personally select suitable helpers to ensure that everything is in order."
Seeing that she was so capable and reliable, Zhu Yu felt relieved and proposed a new arrangement:
"By the way, Madam Janet recommended me a good candidate for bodyguard. He used to serve in the military and is said to be good with knives, especially kitchen knives. Let him take care of kitchen affairs and help with some security issues."
After she said this, all the servants present did not show any doubt or strange look, and it was obvious that they completely obeyed her every decision.
Only Mrs. Gwen asked softly:
"Miss, where are you going to arrange for the new guard to live?"
Zhu Yu thought for a moment and said, "I remember the attic upstairs is still empty, right? Clean it up first and let him move in. He should be here to report tomorrow morning."
Mrs. Gwen nodded, bowed slightly and replied:
"Okay, I'll arrange for someone to sort it out right away."
Seeing everyone moving quickly and methodically, Zhu Yu secretly breathed a sigh of relief. The unidentified identity problem of 996 was finally solved.
However, because the information and clues she obtained tonight were too much and too complicated, and she had spent a lot of energy trying to play the role of Elena well, Zhu Yu decided to put all the problems aside for the time being, have a good sleep, and continue to sort out her thoughts after she recovered her energy tomorrow.
*
The next morning, Zhu Yu woke up from the soft bed yawning.
She had just changed her clothes and was about to go downstairs when she heard Maggie reporting outside the door:
"Miss, the new guard you mentioned arrived early this morning. He went to the kitchen first and seemed to be preparing breakfast."
Zhu Yu raised his eyebrows, thinking that this guy was quite proactive.
She turned and walked downstairs to the dining room and sat down at the head of the table.
In front of her was a bowl of creamy pumpkin soup sprinkled with crushed herbs, and next to it was a basket of freshly baked buns with soft crust and a dish of golden butter.
What attracted Zhu Yu most was a plate of thinly sliced baked apple slices, with a layer of crispy caramel melted on the surface, exuding a rich fruity aroma.
While Zhu Yu was enjoying the pumpkin soup, he dipped a piece of bread in butter and put some baked apple slices in it. When he felt tired of it, he drank some sour and sweet lemon honey water.
Compared to last night's unappetizing dinner, this breakfast was a real treat for her.
Before she knew it, she had cleared all the food on her plate.
Standing behind her, Maggie and Mrs. Gwen were exchanging surprised glances.
"It seems that the young lady's poor appetite before was not due to illness or worry," Maggie finally reacted and whispered to Mrs. Gwen, "It was because of the chef!"
Zhu Yu couldn't help but chuckle when he heard Maggie's whisper, and then ordered:
"Go get someone to prepare a carriage. I'm going to visit the Cold Wind Mercenaries."
Before breakfast she opened the note which Mrs. Janet had given her the night before, which gave an address to an unknown village.
Since it was still early and there was still some time until the time on the note, she decided to go to the Lingfeng Mercenary Group first.
Yesterday, Mrs. Janet's words hinted that Elena had a close relationship with the leader of the Cold Wind Mercenaries. Perhaps this visit would allow her to find more clues.
Elena's connection with the Cold Wind Mercenaries was openly displayed, so the carriage for this trip was quite luxurious, with four spirited black horses and the body of the carriage inlaid with the emblem of the Draka family.
There were also many servants and guards following him. Among them, 996 was wearing a light chain mail shirt with dark brown leather armor on the outside and a short sword on his waist, which made him stand out in the crowd.
Zhu Yu turned his head and winked at him, then stepped gracefully into the carriage.
The interior of the carriage was much more comfortable and spacious than yesterday, and the soft cushioned seats and velvet curtains revealed an aristocratic elegance.
Maggie sat down opposite her, and as soon as she steadied herself she spoke:
"Miss, the body in the cupboard has been dealt with."
Zhu Yu suddenly recalled the exceptionally gorgeous flowers in the garden, as well as the winery that Mrs. Janet mentioned last night—Elena seemed to have imprisoned a group of unidentified people in the manor.
Help! The way she acts, it seems like she is not a good person!
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