Chapter 44
A Changed Reaction
“It’s not something useless…”
Gyeom glanced sidelong at Danseol’s bold face. Her hair was disheveled, her clothes a mess, and her appearance quite ragged—but somehow, she looked prouder and more radiant than ever.
Did I hit my head?
He calmly searched his memories to see if he’d taken a blow during battle. Otherwise, he couldn’t make sense of the situation.
“Well, let’s hear what it is first.”
Having failed to recall anything useful, Gyeom began unfastening his armor, which was still stained with blood.
Danseol forced herself not to be distracted by the firm body revealed beneath the armor as she spoke.
“I think I’ve found the cause of the epidemic spreading among the soldiers.”
At that, Gyeom’s hand froze.
According to the reports, Suwi Han Judan and the other physicians had not yet identified the cause of the outbreak. They had only arrived two days ago and had been too busy tending to the most critical patients. Had they investigated first instead of treating, they might have found the cause sooner.
Yet Danseol had managed to discover it while caring for the sick.
“What is it?”
“Contaminated water and food.”
“Explain.”
Gyeom stopped what he was doing entirely and sat down, signaling for her to continue.
Encouraged, Danseol began to share what she had learned.
“While caring for the wounded, I noticed something strange. Most of those with severe injuries did not contract the disease.”
Ordinarily, epidemics strike the weak and ill first. The healthy have some resistance, while the frail are far more susceptible.
Yet oddly, most of the soldiers who could barely even swallow water had not fallen ill.
“On the other hand, those with only mild injuries were the ones who mostly got sick.”
“So the difference lies in whether they could eat or drink.”
“Yes. My observations are brief, so it may sound like a leap in logic—but those who could take food or drink by mouth became ill, while those who could not, did not.”
“But that alone isn’t enough to conclude it came from water or food.”
Her reasoning was logical, but Gyeom found it too circumstantial—possible, yet not definitive.
“You’re right, Your Majesty. That’s why I sought to find the causal link—and I did, though it was by chance.”
Danseol’s discovery had indeed been a stroke of luck.
If I hadn’t gone for water that night, I might never have realized it.
Late one night, while tending to patients, she had gone to the water storage area to quench her thirst—and there, she witnessed something unexpected.
“They were filtering the water.”
“Yuldo has a different climate from Hwangseon—it’s hot and humid. There are more swamps than streams.”
At his words, Danseol nodded. To supply enough water for the army, they had no choice but to use swamp water.
“I believe the epidemic originated there. Swamp water contains many impurities and can be contaminated by animal waste.”
A waterborne disease.
Such illnesses are transmitted through contaminated water, causing fever, stomach pain, vomiting, and diarrhea—gastrointestinal symptoms.
The moment she saw the soldiers drinking swamp water, the idea had struck her like lightning.
“Upon further inquiry, I learned that a soldier with mild symptoms had been assigned to food preparation.”
“So secondary infections spread through the meals he cooked?”
“Yes. That’s likely why the disease spread so quickly among the troops.”
“But then why did others remain unaffected? Even the wounded, though they didn’t drink, would have touched the water while cleaning their wounds.”
If her theory was correct, any contact with contaminated water should have infected them as well. Yet the reinforcements—including Gyeom and his men—remained untouched.
“The wounded used boiled water for disinfection. That process would have purified it.”
Boiling drinking water would have been ideal too, but in hot weather, boiling large quantities daily was impractical. They must have reserved boiled water for wound care and for nobles’ consumption.
“And when we reinforcements arrived, most of us were healthy and had our own cook. For the first day or so, we drank clean water carried in our personal flasks.”
“I see.”
After hearing her out, Gyeom stood and took up a brush. He neatly summarized her findings and drafted new orders to address the epidemic.
“Lieutenant, are you outside?”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
When the lieutenant entered and knelt, Gyeom handed him the scroll.
“Deliver this to Suwi Han Judan at once and ensure every word is followed.”
“Yes, sire!”
“With that, the epidemic is settled.”
As the lieutenant left, Gyeom resumed undressing.
“Now, I should finish what I started.”
His broad, battle-hardened muscles flexed as he stripped off the rest.
Danseol quickly turned her head, unsure where to look.
Why is my face heating up?
Her neck and cheeks flushed. She had seen men’s bodies before while tending to the wounded—so why did only his affect her like this?
Perhaps it was because his body seemed almost indecently alluring—dangerously magnetic.
“Didn’t you insist earlier that we finish what we started?”
Bare-chested, Gyeom strode toward her. Danseol instinctively stepped back.
Thunk.
Her back hit the tent wall—nowhere left to retreat. Yet he kept closing the distance.
“Wh-what are you doing?”
She raised her hands defensively. Her palms pressed against his bare chest.
“I—I’m sorry!”
Startled, she snatched her hand away, but Gyeom caught it midair.
“You touch other men so easily, yet flinch at touching me?”
“Other men…?”
“The soldiers.”
“Oh…”
Realizing what he meant, she flushed an even deeper red.
Looking closer, she saw his torso was marred with cuts and bruises—fresh from battle.
“Please wait here. I’ll fetch cloth and medicine.”
This time, Gyeom released her without protest. She slipped out of his arms and hurried outside.
“Does it hurt?”
“I’m fine.”
When she returned with supplies, she began cleaning and dressing his wounds. They were not serious—nothing like the injuries of her patients before.
“Wouldn’t it be better to have the royal physicians look at you?”
“I heard your skill surpasses theirs.”
He brushed aside her polite refusal, cloaking the command in praise.
There was no escaping it now—she had to treat him herself.
“It’s nothing remarkable, just minor skill.”
Feigning composure, Danseol cleaned his wounds and applied ointment. His large frame made the work slow.
Calm down. This is no different from treating any other soldier.
Yet her fingertips trembled as they brushed his firm muscles. Her breath grew shallow, heat rising through her chest. The plum-blossom mark etched on his skin drew her gaze again and again, unsettling her heart.
All her efforts to forget it suddenly seemed meaningless.
Still, she forced herself to act calm, detached—so Gyeom wouldn’t notice her reaction. So she could deny it herself.
“It’s done.”
When she finally lowered her hand, a sheen of sweat glistened on her forehead.
“Keep the area ventilated, and don’t lie down until the ointment has absorbed.”
She began gathering her things.
“You could have someone else handle cleanup.”
“No, I need to organize the medicine myself.”
Her reply came too quickly—almost like an escape. She left the tent in haste.
“Haah…”
Outside, she leaned against a tree, breathing hard.
Her heart pounded violently in her chest—and refused to calm down.
