A few days later...
Early morning, near the Lighthouse lift platform plaza.
Many Dustfolk laborers hard at work, as well as busy Wilderness Hunters and the City Defense Force supervisors, were surprised to discover:
Ever since he had been badly injured and contaminated by the Scarlet Matter during the great chaos at the Lighthouse, New City Lord Charles had been absent from public view for a long time. There had even been rumors that he would soon die. Yet today, of all days, Lord Charles had appeared by the edge of the lift platform with Commander Jingnan, and the two of them were inspecting the gathering of Devouring Poles Beasts in the ruins beneath the Lighthouse.
Unsurprisingly, when the Dustfolk laborers saw that Lord Charles looked full of vigor, not at all like someone suffering from Red Sickness, they began whispering among themselves.
"Hey! Look, the city lord's out. How come he looks fine?"
"Wasn't he contaminated by Scarlet Matter?"
"I heard he was coughing up blood just a few mornings ago and was close to dying. Lots of people saw him. How'd he suddenly come out for a stroll today?"
"Bah!"
"Just look at him. He's perfectly fine now. Does he look like he's about to die?"
"Now that you mention it..."
"He really doesn't look like he's suffering from Red Sickness."
"But how did he manage that?"
"Yeah! Red Sickness is supposed to be a death sentence!"
"Listen, I've heard..."
"My roommate was moving equipment at the medical station the day before yesterday. He said a few more 'recovered' Dustfolk have turned up at Dr. Carrie's lab recently. They were cured, but now their blood gets drawn for research every day. They're nearly drained dry."
"Huh?"
"Is that true? They really can cure Red Sickness? Where'd they get