Greening

Alex's willingness to help had earned him even more respect from the villagers. He politely asked them to lead him to their village so he could assess the situation and gather information about the illness that had afflicted the townsfolk.

The village elder, a wise and respectful figure, stepped forward and addressed Alex. "Please wait a moment," he said respectfully, "We will fetch a horse for you to make the journey more comfortable."

Alex, ever the down-to-earth individual, declined the offer. "If all of you are walking," he explained with a grin, "then I'll walk too." He didn't mention his unspoken fear of falling from a horse and breaking his neck, which would undoubtedly be an embarrassing turn of events, as he never ride a horse, even he never saw a horse directly before.

The villagers were touched by Alex's humility and his desire to be treated as one of them. As they began their journey toward the village, they couldn't help but think, "As expected of a messenger of the gods." In their eyes, he was a divine being with a heart as noble as his status.

The journey to the village proceeded on foot, with Alex walking alongside the villagers. The scenery around them was filled with lush forests and rolling hills, a testament to the untouched beauty of this magical world. The villagers shared stories of their lives and their village as they walked, and Alex listened attentively, eager to learn more about this new world.

As they drew nearer to the village, the bustling sounds of life became more apparent. The village itself was a picturesque scene, with quaint cottages, winding cobblestone streets, and colorful flowers adorning every corner.

Nivea, who had been at his side since the beginning, couldn't hide her gratitude. "Thank you, my lord," she said, her voice filled with emotion. "You have brought hope to our village in our time of need."

Alex nodded, touched by their appreciation. "I'll do my best to help," he replied sincerely.

The village elder led the way to the center of the village, where a big house had been set up to tend to the sick. 

When Alex entered the house, he was met with a disheartening scene. The room was filled with villagers in various states of distress. Some were lying in bed, their faces contorted in pain, while others sat up, muttering to themselves incoherently. A few clutched their stomachs or heads, clearly suffering from excruciating discomfort, while others were vomiting. It was utter chaos inside.

The village elder approached Alex, his expression grave. "My lord, this is the dire situation we are facing," he explained, gesturing to the suffering villagers. "We have tried our best, but the illness continues to spread, and we do not know how to cure it."

Alex nodded, taking in the severity of the situation. "I'll need to examine the patients and gather as much information as possible," he said. "Can you provide me with any details about when the illness first appeared and if there have been any patterns or commonalities among those affected?"

The elder frowned, deep in thought. "The first cases appeared about a two days ago," he replied. "But it has been spreading rapidly. There are no clear patterns that we have discerned, my lord. It seems to strike at random, affecting both the young and the old."

Alex carefully considered the situation, realizing that providing medicine from his world would only be a temporary solution. Without identifying the root cause of the illness, it was likely to recur and harm more villagers in the future.

He turned to the village elder, his expression resolute. "I can help cure all of them," he stated, "but it's essential that we first determine the cause of this sickness. Otherwise, more people will continue to suffer."

The elder, filled with a mix of hope and gratitude, once again fell to his knees, his voice trembling with emotion. "Thank you, my lord," he said earnestly. "Your willingness to help and your determination to find a solution mean the world to us. We are in your debt."

Alex, feeling a deep sense of empathy for the villagers and their plight, knelt down in front of the elder. He extended a hand, helping the elder to his feet, and said with a reassuring smile, "Thank me later, once we've cured all the villagers."

The elder, deeply moved by Alex's genuine concern and humility, felt his heart swell with gratitude. He nodded, his eyes glistening with emotion, and replied, "You are a true blessing, my lord. We are fortunate to have you here."

Alex nodded toward the elder with smile "I'd like to visit the home of one of the sick villagers," Alex said, "to see if there are any environmental factors or specific conditions that might be contributing to their illness. This will help us better understand what we're dealing with."

The elder, recognizing the wisdom in Alex's request, nodded in agreement. "Of course, my lord," he replied. "I'll accompany you to the home of one of the patients. Please, follow me."

Alex, the village elder, and Nivea decided to make their way to Nivea's house, as her daughter had begun feeling sick just the previous day. The house stood out with its relatively larger size compared to the surrounding cottages, a testament to the family's standing in the village.

Upon entering the house, Alex turned to Nivea and requested, "Please guide me to your daughter's room."

Nivea nodded and led the way, taking him to her daughter's room. Alex carefully examined the space, searching for any clues or factors that might be contributing to the sickness. However, after a thorough inspection, he found nothing out of the ordinary.

After finding no apparent clues in the bedroom, Alex decided to broaden his search. He turned to Nivea and the elder and requested, "Could you please take me to the toilet?"

Nivea looked puzzled by the request. "Toilet? My lord, we don't have such a thing in our house."

The elder chimed in, offering an explanation. "Indeed, my lord. Only the rich and noble have toilets within their homes. We, as humble villagers, tend to our business outside the village or in the river."

As they explored the house, Alex couldn't help but feel that the kitchen might hold the key to understanding the cause of the mysterious illness. He turned to Nivea and inquired, "Could you please show me the kitchen?"

Nivea nodded and led Alex and the elder to the kitchen. The moment they entered, Alex's eyes widened in recognition, and he couldn't help but think, 'Is it this easy?' when he spotted something green amidst the kitchen supplies.

The elder and Nivea exchanged glances, clearly curious about what had caught Alex's attention. With a sense of urgency, Alex approached the green object and examined it closely.

Alex held up the greenish-brown object he had found in the kitchen and turned to the elder. "Do all the people in the village eat this green and brown thing?"

The elder nodded. "Yes, my lord. It's a staple in our diet. The merchants sell them at a cheap price because of their abundance during the harvest season, so we purchase them in large quantities."

Alex's curiosity deepened. "And does it have this green color when you buy it?"

The elder frowned, thinking back. "I can't say for certain, my lord. We purchase them in bulk, and we don't inspect each individual item."

Nivea, standing nearby, couldn't contain her curiosity. She asked, "Is there something wrong with that potato you're holding, my lord?"

Alex let out a deep sigh as he examined the green-tinged potato. "There's a big possibility that this potato is the cause of all the villagers' misery," he concluded.

The elder couldn't help but express his doubt. They had been consuming potatoes for as long as anyone could remember. "My lord, we've eaten these potatoes for years, and we've never fallen ill before."

Alex nodded, understanding their skepticism. "You see," he began to explain, "if the potato remains brown without any green patches or sprouts, it's safe to consume. However, when it starts to show these green signs, it can cause various symptoms and make people sick."

Concerned for the source of the issue, Alex turned to the elder once more. "Did the place where you store these potatoes by any chance have a hole in the roof, or did they get exposed to water?"

The elder nodded solemnly. "Yes, my lord. Just last week, we had some heavy rain that caused a few holes in the roof of our storage room."

Alex's suspicions were confirmed. "I believe that's the cause of the problem," he stated. "When potatoes are exposed to sunlight or moisture, they can produce a toxic compound called solanine, which causes the symptoms you described. It's fortunate we found the source of the issue."

The elder furrowed his brow in confusion. "Solnen? What's that?" he asked, having never heard of the term before.

Alex tried to simplify it for them. "In simpler terms, it's poison," he explained, hoping that would make it easier for them to grasp the concept.

Nivea, upon hearing Alex's explanation, fell to the floor in shock and guilt. Tears welled up in her eyes. "I... I poisoned my daughter? After she got sick, I kept feeding her poison," she lamented, feeling responsible for her daughter's illness.

Alex, trying to console her, knelt beside Nivea. "Calm down, Nivea," he reassured her gently. "Now that we know the cause, we can also find the cure."

Turning his attention to the elder, Alex made a request. "Elder, could you please inform the other villagers to stop eating any potatoes that have turned green? It's crucial to avoid further illness."

The elder wasted no time in responding to Alex's request. He immediately nodded his head, gratitude filling his eyes, and then swiftly exited Nivea's house. His departure was so abrupt that it left Alex stunned, feeling as though the wind had brushed past him.

Nivea, still trembling with worry, grasped Alex's hand and implored him with tears streaming down her face. "My lord, please save my daughter. I'll give you everything I have, anything you want. I'm even willing to be your slave if that's what it takes."

Touched once more by the depth of Nivea's love for her daughter, Alex remembered a quote from his own world: "A mother's love is unconditional and everlasting." With a warm smile, he reassured her, "I promise, I'll do everything I can to cure your daughter."

Alex offered Nivea a helping hand, assisting her to her feet as she wiped away her tears, still overwhelmed with gratitude.

In his mind, Alex sent a message to the system, urgently requesting, "System, take me back to my world now."

Ting

"I can't do that, Host," responded the system.

Alex couldn't help but mutter under his breath, "This system is going to be the death of me one day."