“So, I’m thinking about whether to have Alice try to purify the water source so the caravan can at least keep moving.”
Field’s concerns and considerations were quite valid.
A water source was a vital resource during long-distance travels for a caravan.
For a caravan of this size with so many people, not everyone carried their own private supply like Vidar’s group.
Everyone needed to drink.
If the water source was lost, the caravan would struggle to function, and some might even resort to violence over water resources.
If the next water point were nearby, the caravan could have forced a march to the supply point to rest and replenish.
But they had only recently set out, and the next source was still very far away.
If they couldn’t handle the water issue, the caravan would be in serious trouble.
Field even suspected that the poisoner wasn’t someone within the caravan, but rather nearby bandits or an assassin targeting a specific person.
Since poisoning the water affected the entire caravan, if the poisoner’s primary goal was to travel with them rather than commit robbery or murder, such an act—even if it didn’t poison the culprit themselves—would put them in a somewhat dangerous situation.
Field didn’t believe anyone could be that stupid.
In reality, Vidar was exactly that stupid—and malicious.
He hadn’t considered the distance to the next water source at all.
Relying on the fact that his men carried separate water, he had dumped the Purple Mist Vine into the caravan’s supply.
If the caravan remained unable to resolve the water issue, Vidar’s party’s water supply would likely be targeted by others, potentially triggering a series of events like arguments or physical brawls.
Vidar hadn’t considered any of this.
He only wanted to try and knock Liyakade and the others unconscious, step all over Field, and humiliate Liyakade.
However, that being said, having Alice purify the water source carried other risks.
The issue was Alice’s identity.
If Alice purified the water, how would Liyakade and the others explain it to the rest of the caravan?
Simply stating they found a way to purify it was one thing; whether people would believe it was clean was another.
More troublingly, someone might suspect their group was the poisoner in the first place.
The incident with Walter earlier proved that there were people in the caravan who thought this way.
If someone suspected everything was a self-directed performance by Field, it would be a disaster.
They could be accused of having the antidote from the start, choosing to poison the water to create chaos for some hidden secret, and then using the “antidote” to clean the water once their goal was achieved.
In the end, they would be seen as heroes for solving the problem while the real culprit remained “unfound.”
Therefore, if Field wanted to purify the water, she would have to reveal Alice’s identity as a Light Element Magic User.
This would provide a logical explanation for how they could purify the water and prevent suspicion.
However, revealing Alice’s identity was clearly not a good thing.
While Alice’s status as a Light Element Magic User made her the primary force for the Kingdom of Calderra to oppose the Demon Race in the future—the Savior of prophecy—there were always those who scoffed at the Demon Race and prophecies.
People hostile to the Kingdom might even target Alice because of it.
Thus, Field was now in a dilemma.
To keep the caravan running and purify the water, she needed to reveal Alice’s identity; to ensure their group didn’t draw more attention, she couldn’t take the initiative to purify the water.
“If we purify the water, Alice’s identity will likely have to be revealed to the rest of the caravan. Natalia, what do you think about this?”
Field turned to Natalia beside her, discussing the matter in a low voice.
“I’m worried that if her identity is revealed, Alice might be targeted by others.”
“Well… Master Feide, you’re right.”
Natalia replied after a moment of silence.
Although only the two of them were there, the caravan was currently in chaos with many eyes and ears around.
Someone might overhear them.
Consequently, they spoke very softly, and Natalia didn’t use Field’s real name.
However, after answering, Natalia offered a suggestion of her own, questioning Field first.
“Master Feide, do you mean Lady Alice can use the Light Element to purify these water sources?”
“Yes, but Alice’s Light Element is more concentrated and pure, which is why she can purify it. The Light Element released from your cross wouldn’t work, right?”
“Mhm.”
Natalia frankly admitted she was no match for Alice.
There was nothing shameful in admitting it; Natalia was just a Sister.
She was originally a Water Element Magic User, and her ability to use weak Light Element power relied entirely on the cross hanging around her neck.
“However, the other people in the caravan don’t seem to understand the power of the Light Element well enough. Perhaps we could have Lady Alice purify the water and then claim to the public that I was the one who did it?”
Natalia’s idea was quite good, but it would trigger a new problem.
“If you’re the one, Natalia, then wouldn’t you have to tell me you can’t even treat the poisoned victims? After you purify the water, what if others in the caravan need your healing? If you have the ability to purify the toxins in the water, why didn’t you treat the others just now? There would be too many suspicious points.”
After hearing Field’s analysis, Natalia felt the same way.
Everyone could see Natalia was a Sister.
As a Sister, if she had the ability to purify toxins but didn’t immediately treat the other poisoned victims, it would be far too strange.
“Then… Master Feide, what should we do? Do you have any better ideas?”
Since her suggestion was rejected, Natalia felt she was out of options.
It seemed only the two choices Field mentioned remained.
Field was now even more conflicted.
If these toxins caused further damage to the human body later on and she still refused to let Alice help, wouldn’t that be disregarding human lives?
‘In any case… I’ll go discuss it with Alice and Liyakade first to see what they think.’
Unable to come up with a solution, Field eventually filled a glass bottle with the tainted water and walked toward their carriage, intending to explain the situation and discuss it with the other two.