Chapter 424 - Chapter 8: The Sixth Meeting
When we returned to Sertoria, it was the sixth meeting for measures against the plague and for the needy. The venue was the Royal Medical Research Institute, and the Queen of Finis, Aira, and Saxburg came with us. The main focus of this meeting was like a review of the meetings so far, and from Sertoria, the main report was the number of people dispatched from each country.
What was noteworthy was, as expected, Primordia. From Sianya, it was announced that negotiations for the acceptance of patients with Just a Disease transported from the continent had begun, and an interim report was given on the therapeutic effects of Anti-Sepsis in various parts of Primordia, which had been announced at the fourth meeting.
"At present, no effect has been confirmed regarding colds. On the other hand, an effect has been confirmed for diseases thought to be food poisoning..."
Detailed records seem to have been taken for various symptoms, and the possibility that there are diseases it works on and diseases it doesn't was pointed out. The conclusion was that recuperation through hot water baths using magic water is the most efficient, and at the same time, it was recommended to take measures for various symptoms by administering medicinal herbs. Also, the preventive effect of magic water for those involved, which has already been adopted in each country, is high, and the conclusion was reached that it is essential in recuperation facilities. In response to this, the Queen of Finis proposed that coordination between countries is necessary for securing medicinal herbs, and that the types of medicinal herbs said to be effective for each symptom and their processing and storage methods should be listed and information shared, and that convenience should be sought for distribution.
"Then, let's arrange it so for the prescriptions of medicinal herbs held by the churches and recuperation facilities of each country. However, it might be difficult to put distribution under the control of the state."
It was Magdalena-sama. Not only in Sertoria, medicinal herbs are mostly gathered by medicinal herb shops on their own. There would be many objections if they were put under state control, and on the other hand, if the state were to buy them up, the price would surely rise.
"Isn't it unnecessary for the state to manage the distribution of medicinal herbs? If there are medicinal herbs that are lacking in one country, I believe it would be fine as long as there isn't a significant price increase for those items. I believe such movements can be deterred by each country making public the market price of medicinal herb sales in their own country."
It was Miana. As expected of the manager of the fourth shop.
"Never mind making it public, wouldn't it be obvious if we could see the price list of the medicinal herbs handled by your country's Class of 175?"
The Queen of Finis was laughing.
"It was as you say."
Miana stuck out her tongue. It wasn't a very well-mannered gesture.
In actual fact, Mary should know the market price of medicinal herbs in all the participating countries, plus Regnentes and recently even Engrio. Unfortunately, she is not participating in the meeting. In any case, she is involved in the trade of medicinal herbs in the participating countries, but she shouldn't be overcharging. However, there are changes in the harvest depending on the weather. It's unavoidable that the price changes. Business is done to earn money.
"Then, how about this?"
It was Phillips-sama, the Head of the Royal Medical Research Institute. Since I only come once a month, he practically manages the institute by himself.
"It's impossible to arrange everything all at once. First, let's list the medicinal herbs that are effective against plagues with high damage. Then, for example, in our country, we will secure a certain number in a place like this institute. We can leave that to the efforts of each country. And if there's something lacking, the royal families will make a contract. Trade will be done according to the price at that time."
Hmm. Fortunately, the freight for the Class of 175's cargo is free. It won't become that expensive.
"In our country, as you know, we are proceeding with research on cultivation methods in the royal family's direct-control medicinal herb garden."
It was Saxburg. She has hired Alraunes and is doing research on cultivation methods for medicinal herbs. Soon, there is a plan to request cultivation tests from the Class of 175's main shop and the fourth shop.
"If possible, could you test the cultivation methods developed in our country in each of your countries? I believe our country can develop cultivation methods even for the important medicinal herbs Phillips-sama mentioned."
She's doing it with spirits. She must be confident.
"Hmm. A good proposal. If we're doing it, it would be good if each country had a facility where they could develop and test cultivation methods like Northern Gram's medicinal herb garden. What do you think?"
"It's wonderful. To call it national character, the types of medicinal herbs that can be collected are limited by the climate of each country."
In short, it would be fine if a cooperation system with Alraunes could be established, but for now, it's only being done in Northern Gram and Sertoria. Since Aira is there, Finis can also participate; the problem is Primordia.
"At present, there is no prospect in our country. Depending on the case, we might have to trouble Bishop Jeanne."
It was Sianya. However, there is a solution.
"How about having Cadogan-sama consider it once? After that, if there's anything I can help with, please do speak up."
In short, it's about Alraunes, and for that, it's about finding a Dryad's Forest. Since it's a country of the descendants of ancient people, there will surely be such legends. That luxurious mansion I went to once could be made into a dedicated facility. The Ancient Priestess would surely be happier that way too.
The next meeting was decided to be held in Northern Gram in December. The purpose is to exchange information between countries for wintering and measures against plagues like colds and fevers that are prevalent in cold seasons, just before entering full-scale winter.
After the meeting ended, we toured the facilities under Phillips-sama's guidance. To be honest, I didn't know much about it either, so it was just right. The topic of the girls' party after the closing was suddenly the Behemoth subjugation.
"With this, three Demon Realms in our country have been resolved. We are truly indebted to Sertoria."
"No, it's Jeanne. The previous king also said it could never have been accomplished without Jeanne."
When praised to my face by the royals of two countries, I become embarrassed.
"I heard Jeanne even became friends with boars. She embodies the teachings of the Goddess. She subjugates monsters in each country, embodying the heart of the War God as well."
"Truly. How on earth can such a thing be done? It's mysterious to me."
Even Saxburg got involved. I wish they'd stop praising me to death with formal language.
"Our country has also been greatly helped by Jeanne. Her way of life is exactly coexistence and co-prosperity itself. If you go to the farm Jeanne and the others manage, you will understand."
Sianya started saying something subtle.
"It's the farm of Jeanne that is famous in rumors. I have never visited it."
"Surely you will be invited. Of course, us too. Because Jeanne is truly kind."
If you want to go, why don't you just say you want to go?
In the end, including the Queen of Finis, the royals of four countries decided to participate in the banquet. Magdalena-sama of my own country is one thing, but it's the first time for the queens of other countries. As expected, the bandits' vigilance was extremely strict, and more people than usual participated. Surely, bowls are flying too. Honestly, I don't know what they're usually doing, but they can really gather in an emergency.
General introductions have already been finished. The only one who is a first-time meeting is the Salamander.
"Are you Sir Salamander? I have no words to thank you for acting as a mediator with the Fire Dragon."
"I didn't think that guy would hunt with humans. But it's a good thing you're getting along."
"I heard his spear skills have also improved considerably."
"Wahahaha, that's good to hear."
Since he's talking happily, I decided to leave it to him.
On the other hand, for my part, I definitely want to hear the spirits' views on the Behemoth.
"So it was such a large Magic Stone."
Mel chimed in. After all, it was enough for one bowl's worth for an ultra-high-level magic user.
"Yes. The boars guided us, though."
"So, a bull monster affected by a Magic Stone set by the Demon Race eats boars and becomes a Behemoth."
"That's completely imagination. But if you put together the boars' claims and the village legends, it seems it would be like that."
"But bulls eat grass, right?"
The problem is there. How does a bull become able to eat boars?
"Bulls don't only eat grass."
According to Keira, very occasionally, they eat small living things. Of course, it's when they are forced by necessity, and normally they only eat grass.
"Is that so?"
Eleanor-sama is staring wide-eyed. It's not just Eleanor-sama. Everyone is.
"Yeah. Even rabbits eat bugs sometimes. They eat if there's no food or if it's scarce. But isn't it just because it became a magic beast?"
"What do you mean?"
"Magic beasts are mostly carnivores, right? Boars are omnivores. Why is that? Because even if a herbivore becomes a magic beast, it's not that strong, so in the end, it's targeted by strong carnivorous magic beasts and doesn't remain."
I understand that. The reason rats spread in the sewers is also because there's nothing stronger than them. In the forest, only animals with a certain level of strength that have a territory are confirmed as magic beasts.
"Then, as a result of the bull becoming a magic beast, did it start targeting boars?"
"I don't think it's just boars. But in terms of being numerous and large, aren't boars the top?"
"In other words, it stands out because it's being preyed upon the most."
"Yeah. I think so."
Does that mean... if they become magic beasts, do they all become carnivores?
"That might be true. For example, there are moths, right? Their larvae eat up grass and tree leaves, but if they become monsters, they're not really like that. They crawl on the ground and eat living things smaller than themselves."
It was Renata. She's probably the only one who has experienced her entire forest being covered in dense magic power.
"What does Alex think?"
Eleanor-sama asked Alex, who was just listening. Usually, he's the first to jump on this kind of talk, but today he's quiet.
"I started a ranch for slugs and earthworms, right? What I found out from that is, maybe bugs and magic beasts can't maintain those huge bodies unless the environment is dense with magic power. But there aren't that many environments dense with magic power. That's why magic beasts in the forest are small. But even so, they're huge. As a result, they might become carnivores."
To be honest, I don't really understand. Why do they insist on being carnivores when they need magic power?
"Being a carnivore is efficient. You can maintain your body with a small amount of food."
Is that how it is? I didn't know.
"After that, as Serena usually says, if the grass and trees of the forest are gone, the land itself will die. Maybe some great force is at work."
Serena nods greatly, but the reason Alex was silent was probably due to that. It's ambiguous.
"It's as Alex says. For example, if a Demon Realm is gone, humans might cut down the trees and turn it into fields. However, the types of living things that live in fields are limited. It can also be said that Demon Realms play a certain role in maintaining the balance of the island's living things."
In other words, the cause lies with humans.
I was asked by the Demon Lord. The reason why humans kill monsters. And that answer bounced back as the reason why monsters kill humans.
"Understood. I will convey Serena's words to His Majesty and Price of Medioland. It means that just conquering Demon Realms is not enough."
"That's right. The places called Demon Realms in this country, including the one Gigant moved out of the other day, are made so that humans don't enter, and for the Northeastern Forest, it was decided that humans' entry is only up to the river furthest to the west as a dwelling for spirits and monsters. If there's such consideration, coexistence and co-prosperity might be possible."
"It's as my sister says. In this Flatlands too, the suppression of the immigrant population has been successful, and a certain balance is maintained. Please continue to not break the current state in the future."
Is that so? Originally, a plan to migrate a thousand farmers was supposed to have been made, but now there are only four hundred people, mainly those who fled from Engrio. From that, if you exclude those working around the silica mining site and business people like us, the farmers are in the two hundreds. The land to be reclaimed is simply one-fourth.
When I looked at Eleanor-sama, she giggled.
"Was I found out? Actually, as Serena said, we suppressed the population of this land as a national policy. It's also a fact that there were no applicants for pioneers because of the war, and the plan went significantly awry. However, as a result of consulting with Serena and the others before drafting the re-plan, we changed it to a testing ground. I'm sorry to Jeanne and the others, but the eastern part will be left as an undeveloped area just as it is. Instead, we will practice the methods thought of by Lyudmila and Flora here on a national scale and aim to increase production on limited farmland."
In short, it seems to be in order not to bring the fact that spirits are involved to the surface. They used the fact that people didn't gather as a justification for population suppression. No wonder the story suddenly changed.
"Before, when I got the mushroom spores for spider extermination from Serena, I was told, right? Living things that have increased too much are prone to dying all at once due to natural effects spreading rapidly. For example, the rapid spread of a plague. Such a situation must be avoided."
Serena looks satisfied. It's probably because what she said was incorporated into national policy.
"This entire Flatlands is a great testing ground for achieving coexistence and co-prosperity."
In fact, the area that was cut down is very small. In the boundary with the north where wild Orcs live, in the mountain range surrounding the Flatlands, the forest continues from the foot. It's because the trees were moved. Of the west, center, and east, the east, which accounts for one-third of the total, has only one highway and one waterway running through it, and is almost untouched forest. The rest is wasteland and is currently being reclaimed. Since forests are left here and there in the western and central parts, considering the original concept, the farmland itself might have decreased to about one-fourth.
Probably, the reclamation plan to be done in the west of the Northeastern Forest will be the same. Except for highway construction, they won't cut down trees, and Little Serena is moving the trees.
"Our country was founded, so to speak, by the uprising of the lower classes. We might have rushed the reclamation too much in an attempt to escape from poverty. Fortunately, we obtained silver mines and a coastline. For roughly two hundred years, we can say we have secured a certain amount of food production in preparation for famine, in preparation for plague, and in preparation for invasion from the south. As a result, we have acquired a certain amount of economic power, and families with many children, who had to secure a labor population, have decreased. And now, thanks to Jeanne and the others, we have secured the cooperation of the spirits, and further efficiency is expected. If we are to shift our policy, now is the chance."
Hmm. It's too grand for my head to keep up.
"It's what Jeanne said when she bought the land here."
Dune strokes my head. In other words, it's going well for now. That's good.