Ting! Ting! Ting! The sound of a sword being forged.
In a room lit only by a campfire and the glow of lava, two men were busy with their own affairs.
To the north stood a blacksmith forging a sword. He had the appearance of an executioner, his muscular body covered in scars.
To the south was a man meditating. He had three stitches on his face, and a blindfold over his right eye. He wore a Plague Doctor-like outfit, black in color. He had long, blond hair, and icy blue eyes. To his left was a tawny Stetson (cowboy hat). To his right was a black spear with a Leviathan design on each end.
Ting! Ting! The blacksmith paused for a moment, then wiped away his sweat.
"How long are you going to keep doing this? Get some rest. You haven't slept at all since last night," said Lorenzo Marco Valentino.
"I told you, this is my only way to rest besides sleeping," replied Leonardo Caesar Michelangelo.
Leonardo glanced at the window. "Is it morning already?"
"Yes. Do you want to go out?"
Brakk! Leonardo kicked the door.
"What are you doing!? That's my only door. I bought it with great difficulty!" Lorenzo snapped.
"I'll replace it later. Don't worry."
Leonardo picked up his black robe from the hanging and put it on.
"Ha..." he sighed. "Where are you going?" Lorenzo asked with a tired expression.
"Of course I'm going to work."
"Work?" Lorenzo was surprised. "You've only been staying at my house for three days. Are you a ten-"
Leonardo replied, "I forgot to mention I'm a doctor."
"What?..."
Leonardo disappeared.
"Oh my..."
KINGDOM OF VENESIA, ITALY, 1346, MAY 15, 07:07
The Kingdom of Venice was the second most advanced kingdom in Italy after the Kingdom of Florence. Venetian civilization developed rapidly since the Renaissance. It encompassed not only technology but also various fields such as astronomy, philosophy, science, art, military affairs, education, economics, and more.
Since the golden age of the Kingdom of Elaria around 1521 years ago, all world governments began implementing a monarchy system in their territories. This included large nations like England, France, Spain, and Portugal, as well as smaller states commonly called kingdoms, such as Florence, Venice, Genoa, Milan, and others.
The Kingdom of Venice also had its own unique characteristics. Starting from: The Heart of Mediterranean Trade. Venice's merchant fleet was known as the fastest in Italy, combining modern navigation technology with the magic of the wind. Its sea routes connected North Africa, the Middle East, and even the borders of Asia, making it rich in spices, precious metals, and foreign knowledge.
The Grand Gallery of San Marco. A magnificent building exhibiting works of art from around the world, including paintings rumored to possess magical effects. Venetian artists often hid secret political messages in their works to criticize other kingdoms without inciting open war.
And the Venice Festival of Lights. An annual celebration where thousands of magical lanterns are released in the city's canals, it also serves as a forum for exchange of knowledge between academics, inventors, and magicians from around the world.
It is said that during this festival, ancient relics of the kingdom are secretly displayed for select invited guests.
All these unique features reflect the advanced and culturally diverse nature of the Kingdom of Venice.
"Aaaaaahhh..." he yawned.
Leonardo was seen walking through a trade market.
Wearing his Stetson, he said, "I have to adapt quickly to this kingdom." His stomach suddenly growled. "I think I need to fill my stomach first." He looked around. To the left was a small, sparsely populated osteria (food stall).
Leonardo headed straight for the osteria.
He opened the osteria's curtains. "Is this a place to eat?"
It seems that there is only one young woman who is a seller at this osteria. Her appearance was very charming, making Leonardo a little nervous.
"Oh, right. Would you like to order something?" the woman greeted with a warm smile.
"What do they sell here?"
"You can see the menu on the board."
Leonardo glanced at the menu. It stated that the osteria offered: pasta, ribollita (a typical Tuscan vegetable soup), polenta (corn porridge), salami, local cheese, bread, and wine.
"I'll have salami."
The woman replied, "Okay. Is there anything else? Or would you like a drink too?"
"Just salami."
The woman nodded and went to make it.
He took a small red borsa (money pouch) from her pocket. "I hope there's some left." he opened it. Inside, there were five soldi coins (Italian Renaissance currency).
A few minutes later, after she was finished, the woman returned with the still-warm salami on Leonardo's table.
"Thank you very much," Leonardo said.
"Please eat. I hope you like the dish," she said warmly.
Then, the woman went to wash the dishes.
"What the hell is this? Are all the women in this kingdom beautiful? Maybe this kingdom is a fallen paradise with some angels."
Leonardo ate some salami.
He surveyed the osteria as he chewed. "This osteria is quite simple. But judging by the accessories on display, is it possible that it's only run by one person? Moreover, a woman?"
She whispered. "Are you daydreaming?"
Leonardo was startled and choked.
"Drink."
He took it and drank.
"Why are you suddenly beside me?" Leonardo asked.
"Are you a doctor? Judging by your attire, it seems so."
"Hmm, your instincts are quite good, even though I'm wearing a robe. What's your name, if I may ask?"
"Charlotte Fiore."
Leonardo's face fell slightly. He seemed to be reminded of a bitter past.
"What's wrong?"
"No. Do you need something?"
"So, here's the thing..."
LORENZO'S HOUSE, MAY 15, 7:49 AM
At his house, Lorenzo had finished repairing the door Leonardo had broken.
"Finally finished."
"Hurry! We don't have much time!"
From a distance, villagers were rushing somewhere with anxious and panicked expressions. Behind them were four horse-drawn carriages, each occupied by a Plague Doctor.
"Did something happen?"
Lorenzo grabbed one of the passing villagers.
"What the f*ck you doing?!" the man asked angrily.
"What's going on, sir?"
"The Black Death has reached Italy! Come on, I don't have much time with you."
The man left.
"Black Death, hm...? I think I'll have to move countries," Lorenzo thought to himself.
CHARLOTTE'S HOME, MAY 15, 8:00 AM
After Leonardo finished eating, Charlotte closed the osteria and invited him to her house for an important matter.
Charlotte opened the door. "Come in."
Leonardo entered.
A few seconds after Leonardo entered Charlotte's house, a pungent stench enveloped the entire room—like the stench of a pile of corpses.
Leonardo covered his nose. "Oh my... you're amazing at being able to endure this smell. Now, where is she?"
"In her room. To be precise, on the second floor, in a corner by herself. I can't go in because I don't have Anti-body magic. But I was hoping you could cure her."
"Okay."
Before Leonardo rushed to the second floor, Charlotte told him something.
"Leonardo," Charlotte called out.
"Yes?"
Charlotte's face grew serious, as if expecting something. She placed her hand on her chest. "If your magic doesn't work... I still have an alternative."
"Hmm, I'm counting on you."
Without thinking, Leonardo headed straight for the room.
He arrived in front of the room.
He circulated his antibody magic throughout his body.
He opened the door.
"Excuse me."
From inside the room, an elderly woman was staring at Leonardo, her physical condition dire. She had a large black lump on her neck, bluish skin, and rashes or spots on several areas.
"Umm... excuse me. What are you-"
The woman interrupted, "Come in, I can still speak."
Leonardo entered. He saw numerous plates and drinking glasses scattered about, as if they hadn't been washed.
"Are you a doctor?" the woman asked.
"Yes. I am a doctor."
"Her condition is this severe, but she can still speak clearly. She's truly an extraordinary physique."
"Take a chair over there and sit down," she ordered.
Leonardo immediately took the chair, brought it over to her, and sat down.
"I am Mrs. Charlotte. It's been five days since I contracted the Black Death and was confined to this room. I've become extremely lonely and often hallucinate about being in heaven with my late husband. I can't stand it any longer—Doctor," she pleaded, her eyes sparkling. "Can I still recover?"
"Of course. All illnesses can be cured with proper treatment. First, I want to know how you contracted the Black Death. Considering it hasn't reached Italy yet. Second, have you traveled far? Or… interacted with anyone who recently came from an infected area? I need to know every detail."
The woman answered in a weak but clear voice. "Five days earlier, I received a visitor… a strange man dressed as a priest. He came from the east, he said, from the Novgorod region. He only stayed one night at my house because it was raining, and by morning, he was gone without a trace. After that, many strange things began happening to my body. It was like I had contracted an unusual disease." Her eyes were glazed over, as if remembering something she was trying to forget. "I started coughing on the second day. But the strangest thing was… the night after the man left, while I was trying to sleep… there was a whispering voice outside the window. I couldn't understand the language, but my body was shaking. From then on, my blood felt heavy. It felt like something was pressing down from within."
Leonardo thought, "A man from Novgorod?" he asked, "Can you describe him?"
The woman replied, "He was very tall—probably 197 centimeters. He wore a Stetson and a black robe. His hair was long and wavy. In each hand, he carried two weapons shaped like enormous claws. I don't know if he was a hitman or not. But... during his stay in my house, there were no signs of any attack or anything."
Leonardo became cynical for a moment, then returned his gaze to the woman. "Now, I will try to heal some of the severed areas. I will try to find a way to eliminate the disease as much as possible."
Leonardo began. He cast several healing spells on the affected areas.
Done. Almost all of the body's conditions had been cured.
"I have healed some areas. However, because this is a relatively new disease, I don't have a spell to cure it. But don't worry. Your daughter told me earlier that she found an alternative that might help."
The woman felt much more relieved. Her previously exhausted expression began to brighten, as if a heavy burden had been lifted from her shoulders.
Leonardo got up from his chair. "I'll go see your daughter."
"Wait..." the woman called out, as if wanting to ask something.
Leonardo turned.
"What's your name, young man?" she asked.
He answered. "Leonardo... Leonardo Caesar Michelangelo."
The woman thought. She felt like she'd heard that name before.
"Okay. I'll go first." She closed the bedroom door.
In the living room, Charlotte was anxiously awaiting the results.
"Charlotte."
"Ah... Doctor. How did it go?" Charlotte asked curiously.
"I've healed some of the severe areas. However, since the Black Death is a new disease, I don't have a spell to cure it. You can care for your mother as usual. And remember... wash your hands after you finish delivering food or drink."
"At least I can feel a little better. As I said earlier. I'll show you an alternative route."
Leonardo was on his way home from Charlotte's house.
"That monster—does he have to use this method to lure me out?"
"Come on, hurry! Do you want to let your family die!?"
Leonardo was surprised by the panicked attitude of the villagers. "Has something happened?"
"Hey, Leonardo! There you are!"
Lorenzo called from a distance.
He approached Leonardo.
"What's wrong?" Leonardo asked.
"The Black Death—it's spread to Italy!" Lorenzo exclaimed in a panicked voice.
"What?!"
BLACK DEATH CAMPS, MAY 15, 8:47 AM
Fog hung low, shrouding the shabby barracks of tarpaulin and rotting wood. The stench of decay and herbal medicine filled the air, stinging the nose more sharply than fresh blood. The ground was muddy and dark red, mixed with bodily mucus and the morning's rain. In the distance, soft sobs could be heard… or screams muffled by the rags covering their mouths.
Long tents lined up like makeshift graves, separated only by rough ropes and small black flags planted at each entrance. Inside, dozens of patients lay motionless, some raving in high fevers, others simply… waiting. Their bodies were wrapped in dirty rags, their necks blackened, their hands swollen with boils filled with thick, greenish fluid.
Plague doctors—clad in jet-black robes and bird-beak masks—moved like shadows among the suffering. There was no sound. Only the rustling of cloth and heavy footsteps on the wet ground. They did not speak, merely gesturing to fellow doctors and assistants. Some carried incense burners, swaying them slowly, wafting smoke from dried flowers, rosemary, and sulfur.
One of the largest tents was filled with child patients. Their cries were muffled by the sound of violent coughs and vomit. A young plague doctor shivered, his fingers trembling as he checked the pulse of a patient who had turned blue. He turned to his senior and received only a slow nod. Wordlessly, he pulled a white cloth over the boy's face.
From a distance, Lorenzo and Leonardo were observing the scene at the Black Death Camps.
"What a terrifying scene," Lorenzo said anxiously.
"Heh, so you can be scared too," he said with a grin.
"When it comes to death, who wouldn't be afraid?"
Leonardo took a deep breath.
He stepped forward.
"Where are you going, Leonardo?"
Leonardo remained silent, not answering Lorenzo's question. He continued walking. Then, he stopped right in front of the entrance.
"Hey! What are you doing? We're very busy today. If you have anything to do, come back tomorrow," said one of the guards dressed as a Plague Doctor.
Leonardo ignored the guard. He then shouted at the top of his voice. "All of you! Plague Doctors and the victims!
Listen to me!"
"Are you crazy?!" the guard growled.
"What is he doing in there?" Lorenzo muttered to himself.
Leonardo clenched his right fist, raising it upward. His eyes were wet with determination. "I can cure you! I know how!"
There was a moment of silence.
From above, a drop of rain fell. Dark clouds began to cover the clear sky. Soon, heavy rain soaked their clothes.
Leonardo stepped forward, his voice echoing. "I know where the most advanced medicine to end this plague is. In a village near Lake Ladoga... that's where everything will change. I will find the root of this plague—I swear by your gods, by the lives you risk tonight!"
He looked at each of the victims' faces, who slowly began to turn their heads despite their weakening bodies.
Leonardo became louder but remained firm. "You are not a curse! You are victims! And I will not let history write you down as forgotten numbers!"
His voice cracked, but it didn't lose its strength. "Wait for me... and don't give up yet... Because hope isn't dead—not yet!"
Their expressions changed from exhaustion and despair to excitement at the glimmer of hope.
"Young man. Are you sure about what you just said?" the guard asked sarcastically.
"Take this," he handed the scroll containing a spell. "Read this to the victims. It won't cure them completely. But it will soothe their pain."
"Yo-yo-you?... are you serious? If I may ask... who are you?"
"My name is Leonardo Caesar Michelangelo. Like you, I'm a doctor. Take this... with this, you can restore the faces of those who have been destroyed and filled with hope."
With a trembling body, the guard took the scroll. It was clear from his demeanor that he was extremely exhausted and had only just recovered from the hope Leonardo had given him.
LORENZO'S HOUSE, MAY 15, 9:00 AM
"Are you sure about this, Leonardo?"
"As long as my heart still beats. As long as my eyes can still see. As long as my ears can still hear. As long as my mouth can still speak. As long as my nose can still breathe. And as long as all my limbs can still function. I will always solve the problem no matter how difficult—No matter what class they come from, if they are forced to feel guilty by the world... they are still creatures I must help—they are my patients. As long as the eclipse still burns, I will continue walking, even if I have to traverse the most extreme terrain."
"Hah... no matter what, I have no right to stop you from leaving. I'm not as knowledgeable as you. I'm just a blacksmith who's spent half his life crafting weapons. Whatever happens to you in the future... I can only hope you return with that promise. In one piece, of course."
"It seems that kindness comes from your father. We only met three days ago. It's strange that someone would offer temporary shelter to a stranger like me. Well... it was a brief meeting. I have only one message: Don't let people like them make you naive."
Lorenzo replied, "I understand."
Leonardo picked up his spear.
He turned to Lorenzo.
"Stay home while I'm gone. Don't worry, I won't be long... my friend."
"Very well!..."
Leonardo continued on his way. Now, he had embarked on his final adventure, which would symbolize his escape from the outside world.
"In Russia. In a village near Lake Ladoga. There is an antidote in the form of a healing spell. They told me in very detail and clearly. They also gave me the existing evidence. Showing that the antidote does exist. I don't know why the antidote seems to be hidden. But believe me. I'm not that stupid. I'm very sure—this must be true. I would risk my whole life for you if I was wrong."
Act only according to principles by which you can at the same time will that they become universal laws.
CONTINUED