There was much to do. Far too much.
Louis dressed, quickly washed his face, fastened his cloak, and strode into his office.
Before the door had fully closed, he spoke. "Send for Lambert."
The attendants immediately rushed off.
A moment later, Lambert hurried inside. Before he could speak, Louis issued his orders:
"Take a hundred Red Tide Knights and set an ambush outside the Red Tide Fief's main gate immediately. The enemy is a force of Snow Oath elites."
He narrowed his eyes, his voice cold and edged like a blade. "Choose your moment and overwhelm them with numbers. You may keep a few prisoners for questioning. Kill the rest without exception."
Lambert's heart jolted, but he answered without hesitation. "Yes, my lord!"
The second order followed immediately. "Summon three more Knights and two physicians. Have them take these guidelines and leave for the Cold Fir Fief at once."
An attendant picked up the handwritten pages Louis had tossed onto the desk. Even the handwriting was hurried and sloppy.
"The most important thing is isolation." Louis pointed to the first instruction on the draft. "Assign workers in the Cold Fir Fief and immediately start building small, sealed huts that can retain heat.
"Anyone showing symptoms of drowsiness must be gathered there under supervision and kept isolated. No wandering off, no hiding. Anyone who disobeys is to be killed without exception."
What he had just tossed onto the desk was the Health and Hygiene Guide he had hastily written.
For instance, everyone in the fief was to follow the rule of boiling drinking water. All drinking water had to be thoroughly boiled.
Everyone was to receive a piece of coarse grass-fiber cloth to cover their mouth and nose. However rough it was, they still needed to prevent transmission through droplets.