The Max Level Hero Has Returned!-Novel

As silence enveloped the scene, all eyes were fixed on the unfolding spectacle. Among those present were Bernardo, sprawled helplessly on the ground; Baron Gorneo, who had fallen into shocked silence; Penicillin, the lead researcher; the lifeless body of a man; and the girl who clung to him, her desperate sobs piercing the air.

Within this hushed stillness, the only movement came from the enigmatic figure—a figure that left everyone with a chilling sensation as if they had been plunged into icy cold water.

"Yikes!"

"The ones who should maintain the utmost composure in a clinic are not the supporting alchemists, the priests, nor the patients undergoing treatment."

Speaking those words with an air of coldness, the enigmatic figure—whether a boy or a girl—jerked Bernardo up by the scruff of his neck. Despite Bernardo's considerable size, the slender figure effortlessly lifted him as if he weighed no more than a feather.

"It's the doctor who treats the patients. The moment the doctor panics, no one can properly treat the patient. Understand?" Davey's words were met with agreement, and a heavy silence followed.

"Baron Gorneo, who’s this person's mentor?" the enigmatic figure asked.

"I... I was. Bernardo was my student," Baron Gorneo replied, his voice filled with apprehension.

"I see. A doctor's mindset then..."

Silence lingered in the air as the conversation continued.

"First and foremost, a doctor must never waver..."

"Yes, I understand."

A charming smile graced Davey's face as he patted Gorneo's shoulder. Though his voice was now delicate for a male, it seemed reasonable to assume he was a woman dressed in men's clothing.

Lost in his thoughts, Bernardo suddenly felt a strange tremor from the hand he had been holding—the hand of the patient who had been pronounced dead. It was a pulse.

"Oh, no?! The patient!" Bernardo exclaimed in shock, quickly turning to assess the patient's condition, momentarily forgetting the ongoing conversation. His eyes widened.

Normally, the only way to revive a patient experiencing cardiac arrest was through forceful chest compressions. However, it was evident that the patient's heart had started beating again.

The sound resonated through the silent room, faintly echoing in everyone's ears.

"B-Brother?" the girl, overwhelmed with surprise and joy, placed her hand on her brother's cheek.

"Back off. You'll get infected. If you die, do you think your brother will feel better?"

The girl recoiled.

"From now on, I'll save all of you. Just worry about getting your treatment."

"Is it, is it really true? My brother and I...and everyone else here can be saved?"

"Yes."

"Oh… Oh... It’s a miracle... The Holy Maiden... You must be the Holy Maiden mentioned by the Holy Empire!!"

"…"

A firm answer often brought great relief to people.

"Damn it. It’s because of this hair that I don’t look like a man."

Davey’s face soured while everyone else finally felt a sense of relief.

* * *

The situation was a complete mess when Davey arrived. A patient had just stopped breathing. Fortunately, Davey was able to resuscitate them with shock therapy, but it was certainly a desperate move, relying on luck. That was how critical the situation was.

And what if it had failed? Davey would have done whatever it took to save the patient. He was not the kind of doctor who allowed a patient under his care to die needlessly. Meanwhile, he entrusted the soldiers with the care of the girl, who had likely fainted due to the sudden release of tension. Then, Davey turned his gaze to the three individuals who were looking at him in bewilderment.

"What are you all doing? The next patient is not human, right? You there, come forward and bring me the patient's medical report. Baron Gorneo, please provide a briefing on the current situation. And...who is this? Are you an alchemist?"

"Ah... Yes, I am the chief researcher, Penicillin."

"Oh, Chief Researcher. It's an honor to meet someone famous." Davey gave him a big smile.

When Penicillin blushed and stepped back, Davey added, "I am a man too, so please don't misunderstand."

"Ahem! Ahem!" Penicillin seemed flustered as if he had been caught making a major mistake. He soon composed himself and said with his head drooped low, "Well, then, make more sterilizing reagents."

What was it called? Sulking? Eventually, as Davey was about to leave, he heard Baron Gorneo's voice.

"Could you be... Prince Davey?"

"Yes."

His unwavering response brought astonishment to the faces of the other two.

"Prince Davey O'Rowane!"

"Oh my..." They seemed hesitant to believe.

"Rumors say you're an extraordinary warrior who can single-handedly slay an ogre..."

"Word is, you're a beast who can crush a knight's head with one hand..."

Davey couldn't help but wonder how his public image had become so exaggerated. He turned his head silently and looked at Baron Gorneo, who avoided his gaze.

"Well, I didn't lie. I am Prince Davey. It's just... The rumors are a bit exaggerated..."

It was not all fun to watch an old man like him at a loss for what to do. Davey sighed briefly and without hesitation, threw away a few sewing needles he was holding and picked up the medicine again.

"What's the name of this disease?"

"It's called the Black Death. The victims die from black spots all over their bodies."

"Similar to the melting acceleration virus?"

"Ah...yes. But the color is different, and the symptoms are slightly different."

"That's right. But you'll need to change the name. The name of the disease should reflect its symptoms."

At Davey’s calm words, Baron Gorneo's eyes widened and he asked, "Are you saying you know what this disease is?"

"I know. I've treated over 30,000 patients with this disease."

Davey was a member of the Coalition for Disease Control and had treated nearly 30,000 people. He was now a professor at the Medical Academy. It would be ridiculous to think that Davey did not know about the disease.

Davey smiled broadly at Gorneo's expression of disbelief. "So, will you trust me? Or will you doubt me like last time?"

"I have to believe! Of course, I believe!"

Davey's smile deepened as he explained further, "This disease is initially caused by the influence of solar wind and ultraviolet rays, not black but white, so there are many misunderstandings. The treatment method is the same, though."

When Bernardo and Penicillin looked at Baron Gorneo with surprised faces, the man nodded without a shred of doubt. Baron Gorneo then said, "I will take immediate action. And Prince Davey."

"Yes?"

"Thank you... Really thank you for coming."

"There's no need for a doctor to hesitate when it comes to saving people."

Of course, Davey did not have a continental doctor's license. Even though Davey called himself a quack doctor, none of the doctors here could call him one.

* * *

"Is it similar to the Black Death?"

"Black Death? If it's the Black Death from your past life..."

"It's similar, but the nature of infection is slightly different. And compared to the real Black Death, the transmission speed is a bit slower," Davey said calmly, glancing at the patient who had been frothing at the mouth until a while ago and had now stabilized. He then added, "It takes quite a bit of time to treat. You must stay here for at least a month."

"What about the treatment medicine?"

"I have to make it. However, this damn disease that has spread all over the continent varies according to the time. So, after figuring out the disease here, I have to make medicine to match it," Davey said calmly and went inside the tent.

There were several nobles and Baron Gorneo there.

"Oh... Prince Davey O'Rowane. It's an honor to see someone as famous as you on the continent. I am..."

"Prince Davey, I am Count Geliman. I'm glad to meet you here. I've never seen such a beautiful prince. You are a true work of art."

"They used to ignore and look down on Prince Davey…" Bernardo mumbled.

Ignoring Bernardo's mumbling, Davey shook hands with them and smiled broadly. "Pleased to meet you. But shouldn't you let go of my hand? I've just been dealing with a patient."

"Tsk." Briefly clicking his tongue, Davey passed by them indifferently.

Someone was muttering behind Davey, but he could hear it all. Without hesitation, Davey summoned dark magic and delivered a swift slap to the back of the person's head.

"Ugh!"

Something invisible hit the back of the person’s head and blew him out of the tent, causing several people to scream and run toward him.

"I've prepared a map as you asked... A map that reveals all the terrain of the region..."

Baron Gorneo still seemed puzzled about why Davey’s appearance had changed in such a manner.

While Davey was reviewing the meeting materials he had prepared, he pointed to a specific place on the map, where there were symbols representing the quarantine areas. "Do you see this spot?"

"Yes... It's the quarantine area where the disease broke out across the region."

"By examining the map, you can discern the cause of the disease and the route of infection."

"The map?" Baron Gorneo appeared intrigued.

"Baron, take a look at this river. See where this river originates."

Baron Gorneo looked perplexed, then shook his head. "On the Formark Plains... Ah!"

At that moment, his eyes widened.

"That's correct. The Formark Plains is where demons, vampires, and the allied forces waged war. It was the site of a great victory, where Heroine Reina led a small army and vanquished the enemies..."

"The bacteria that originated there could have traveled all the way here on a single life form. Hence, the territories adjacent to this river are in this state."

Baron Gorneo gave a silent nod.

"But in such a case, why hasn't it been noticed until now?"

"You should consider all possibilities, Rinne."

Just then, a silver-haired little girl entered the tent, barefoot.

Most of the people present were wearing protective clothing and equipment to safeguard themselves from bacteria, but Rinne and Davey had none of that. They looked as if they were going on a picnic.

"Davey, I've collected the freshwater fish you requested. Rinne highly regards her fishing abilities."

As she spoke, Rinne flapped the wings on her back. The feathers on her wings were damp. It seemed to have taken longer than expected...

"You should have caught it with your hands instead of fooling around."

"But Rinne's wings are excellent at attracting freshwater fish."

"Tsk."

What could Davey say to her as she argued with sparkling eyes? Davey took the freshwater fish, which was about tens of centimeters long, and smiled brightly at the puzzled Baron Gorneo.

"This little guy is the culprit."

"Isn't this a freshwater fish called Janar? Its shell contains many substances that boost antibodies, so it's often used as a medicinal ingredient."

Davey nodded. "Yes, indeed. The shell is effective in blocking bacteria. That's why this disease occurs. The virus causing this Monochrome Malady disease is highly susceptible to other viruses. Therefore, it concealed itself within this fish and multiplied, preventing other viruses from infiltrating."

The shell of this fish was highly nutritious in terms of immunology. In other words, once the Monochrome Malady virus safely entered, it thrived and resisted other viruses.

"But how did the virus…?"

Davey pulled out a small knife nearby and sliced open the belly of the fish as he spoke. Without hesitation, he reached in with his hand and pulled something out.

"Ew!"

Everyone around Davey looked astonished, because he was now holding a large parasite that was approximately 5 centimeters long.

"Ew!" The nobles openly grimaced at the grotesque sight, and some even ran away, trying to control their gag reflexes.

However, Baron Gorneo didn't avert his gaze. "It's a Niberin parasite. I know it's a harmless parasite, but..."

"That's correct, but…"

As Davey burned and destroyed the parasite with a flame, he brushed off his blood-soaked hand and said casually, "Have you ever heard of a story where two non-toxic liquids meet and suddenly become highly toxic?"

"Is, is that possible?!"

"Why not? It's right in front of you. This is it."