Chapter 793 - Chapter 7: Expedition to Southern Liber ⑧
After returning home, I accompanied the Henry Party for their report to the King. The fact that I went further south than South Liber is, of course, a secret. It was only reported that I confirmed the magic water was effective, wore an epidemic prevention suit, and participated in the treatment. It's not a lie.
"Bishop Jeanne. In other words, while it has not spread at this point, there is a great possibility that occurrences will be confirmed in South Liber or West Liber in the near future, is that right?"
"Y-Yes."
I want to hope for Ancelotti-sama's success, but reality is not something that consists only of hope.
"As a measure to protect our country, what should we do? Let me hear the view of the Vice-Director of the Medical Research Institute."
I thought he would consult with the Henry Party, but he asked me. I hardly ever show my face, so I had forgotten, but I was the Vice-Director.
"Um, first, we should strengthen coordination with the West Liber nobles mentioned in the Henry Party's report and quickly prepare for the mass provision of magic water for Black Rot Disease through the Duchy of Naonent. Currently, Primordia alone is providing it, so I think we should secure Finis's cooperation and realize an increase in production volume through the Secret Art of the Sphere."
"Is there magic water for Black Rot Disease? What kind of thing is it?"
Ah, I hadn't said it. I forgot.
"Um, as one of the routes for humans to be infected with Black Rot Disease, the Henry Party reported the possibility of being bitten by fleas or ticks."
"Yes, I heard."
"Therefore, I think we should take measures by combining conventional magic water, which has a healing effect on epidemic patients, and magic water made by casting Repellent, which has an insect repellent effect."
"Hmm. Do you mix them?"
"Yes."
It's magic water with insect repellent effect. The ratio seems to work at half and half. So we just need to mix equal amounts simply.
"After that, I think it's better to have people entering by land, the livestock they bring... carriages too, and luggage wait over a water tank filled with insect-attracting magic water to remove fleas and ticks. I am sorry, but since there is a Vow of Silence, I cannot talk about how to make it. However, I believe this can be created by multiple people, not just me."
It's Attract. It's like a moth to a flame, but for dangerous fleas and ticks, we'll have them drawn by the insect-attracting effect and jump into the water. However, since Attract is dark magic, it's forbidden magic. Cadogan-sama said he would issue an opinion to the Grand Archbishop and request that Attract be removed from forbidden magic as soon as possible.
Incidentally, Attract can be used by the Wetlands Priestess and Germana. Perhaps that guy called Selvetus can use it too. Unfortunately, Wilson-san cannot use it.
"Hmm. Insect-attracting magic water. Is there a need for our country to report that to Medioland?"
"No, I think a report from the Western Church, which is the source of this request, will be fine."
Even without reporting, the moment I said insect-attracting water, the Grand Archbishop, Price-sama, and even James-sama will probably notice.
"That's true."
Judging by the King's smile, he seems to know something. I haven't said anything, but the shrewd old couple probably noticed everything. He must have heard the two's story.
"Is it enough for our country to just support other countries?"
"I think countermeasures in our own country won't be too late even after we see the spread situation on the continent. However, just in case a trading ship comes directly from the continent, I think it's better to set port entry restrictions. Landing is prohibited until bathing with magic water with insect repellent and purification with insect-attracting water are finished. At this point, land routes can remain as they are."
Sertoria is on the side far from the continent. Since trading ships for the continent also seem to pass through Primordia, let's first have Finis, Northern Gram, Morandine, Engrio, and Primordia, which have that coastline as territory, do their best. Next are the countries on the opposite shore. And finally, the final point where magic water can be transported. The Duke of Naonent and the three nobles have no choice but to hold their ground.
"Fortunately, our country, along with Medioland and Regnentes, is in the place furthest from the continent, so I think for now we need to support places close to the outbreak countries and make an effort to stop it there rather than our own country's affairs. Besides, even if it does break out, we can cure it if we have magic water."
"That's right. Let us also request the Northwest Coast Treaty nations to actively support the prevention of spread on the continent."
"Please do."
Among the countries on the opposite shore, Sertogne, Germania, and Roland should be fine. The rest is West Liber. If they don't stop the war quickly and take measures, I don't know what will happen.
After the report was over, I returned to the Ghost Mansion for the first time in a while.
"I'm home."
"Ah, Jeanne! You're back."
"Welcome home."
Fiona and Germana, who were minding the shop, were there.
Germana has started to actively help out, wanting to learn how to mind the shop. The reason she stayed behind this time was because she didn't want to go to the continent, saying it was too far.
After talking for a while, Fiona pointed to Matilda's workshop.
"Go take a look."
The two of them are laughing, but did something happen?
"Yo! Good to have you back. Good work."
Matilda wasn't in the workshop, and for some reason, an old man was there.
Um, who might you be?
"Eh? Have you forgotten me? That's harsh. We fought Revenants together, didn't we?"
His back is rounded, and he's laughing with an "ehehe."
This unreliable-looking feeling. Could it be, from the Town Guard workshop...
"Ah, it's Jones. Once again, nice to meet you."
He straightened his back with a snap and changed into a reliable-looking old man.
Come to think of it, he was hiding his identity as a Royal Special Guard. Even so, isn't the atmosphere changing too much?
"Since I'm marrying Matilda, I decided to help out here too. I heard from Matilda. You're going to make your own town, right? Impressive. I'm actually quite good with my hands. I think I can be of some use."
Are your main job and cover okay?
"Yes. A junior is coming to the workshop, so it'll be fine. As for the other side, I'll handle it with business trips, so it's the same as before."
The weak-looking cat-back laughs with an "ehehe."
Busy, aren't you? Which character are you going to use?
"Actually, Jeanne, I have a favor to ask."
The snapped-straight one said. A request from a Royal Special Guard is quite scary. What should I do if he asks me to cooperate in spy activities?
"Could you teach me marble dyeing?"
"Pardon?"
Jones-san says he wants to acquire a skill for when he marries Matilda. What is a man who was in the Town Guard workshop saying?
"No, that won't do."
"Why is that?"
"Bonnie and Matilda handle small items like accessories. We don't need three people, do we?"
I see. They indeed compete. However, isn't it proactive to want to learn marble dyeing because of that?
"I've heard from Matilda. You're making a town in the Eastern Plains, right? Then you need earnings. I hear that the only ones doing marble dyeing at the main shop are Jeanne and Fiona."
Actually, that's how it was. Everyone became busy. Now, the main ones are those made by gathering people for measures for the destitute, and the number of those done among friends has become small. Villagers do it at Shop No. 2, shop assistants at Shop No. 3, and Miana at Shop No. 4. Even if Shop No. 5 and Shop No. 7 are of a different nature, the young mothers trained by Mary should be doing their best at Shop No. 6. The main shop... lately, I've been on expeditions all the time, so I've been leaving it all to Fiona.
"Even if I say I'll help, I'm a man. I can't stand in the shop. In that case, I thought I'd at least make some Green Marble. Don't worry, Mary and Beatrix handle the designs. I think even a man like me can make them."
It might be good. His manual dexterity and the neatness of his work were proven by his favorite neck guard. If the shop manager Matilda is OK, there shouldn't be a problem.
"Could you keep it a secret from Matilda? I want to surprise her."
Hoho. As expected of someone who made even that Matilda admit defeat. He understands, doesn't he?
Apparently, he has consulted with Fiona. Then it's no problem.
"I understand. Then let's have you do your best. First is for men, which is popular with hunters."
"Sorry. I owe you one."
I'll be busy for a while too. I need to prepare honey wine. Since he'll eventually go to the Eastern Plains with Matilda, it's just right.
When I went to the farm in the Flatlands, Miana jumped at me. She has to spend the year-end and New Year at the royal palace. She was apparently worried that she wouldn't be able to see me within the year.
"I made a new sweet with the recipe Jeanne gave me. It's incredibly popular."
I got recipes from around the Inner Sea. Of course, there are some ingredients that can't be obtained, but there were some that could be made within the range of what's available. Of course, since on the surface I'm not supposed to have left Naonent, the fact that the Henry Party got them directly on-site is a secret from the King. Since there are also ones I got from the three nobles, they should all be lumped together.
"I'm jealous. I wanted to go too."
If she had gone this time, she would have been taken back to the royal palace at the end. Even the Henry Party would have been scolded terribly if they had been found out. Probably by Price-sama too. Ah, that's me.
"You can go to Sertogne."
After all, it's a land connected to the First King.
"Ehh, if I'm going, I want to go to the south of West Liber. The Inner Sea is so lovely, isn't it?"
It's absolutely forbidden right now.
Since Keira is also there, I asked her about the parasites that stick to wild mice.
"Disease? Human?"
"Right. Parasites that stick to mice bite humans too, don't they?"
"Yeah. I think they bite. When I was living with the Priestess, we regularly gathered wild mice, and the Priestess would cast Attract to gather the insects. She said they bite the Priestess too..."
Just as I thought. Fleas and ticks carrying the source of the disease must have been transported by mice. Those guys are in dirty places where there are lots of sources of disease.
"What did the Priestess do with the parasites she gathered?"
"Um, I think she burned them with Fire Ball. Not just parasites. She burned wild mice too."
"Wild mice too?"
"Yeah. Wild mice raid food stores, right? So she made traps and caught them. I also killed and burned them after possessing them. There were times when I used Charm to control and catch a lot. So, eventually, I ended up only possessing rabbits. Besides, she said wild mice sometimes carry diseases. So we caught wild mice around the house."
"Come to think of it, I've heard there are people who get sick from being bitten by animals. I've heard of it."
"Yeah. The Priestess said those are scarier than fleas and ticks."
"Scarier than fleas and ticks?"
"Yeah. You see, fleas and ticks suck blood, right? The ones that sucked the blood of a sick mouse bite humans too. It's dangerous, right? So we killed fleas and ticks too. But she said the root might be the mice."
The root is mice... It's not just fleas and ticks that are bad; the root might be mice... Then, we have to kill not just parasites but mice too.
After returning from this expedition, the Henry Party gave me a magic circle for sending letters too. It's so we can contact each other at any time. I take out that magic circle. Since there's a pattern of the Class of 175 on the margin, it must be a product of Shop No. 7. If I'm going to use it, now is the time. I immediately contacted them about what I learned from Keira. There was a contact from Eleanor-sama saying she understood, and after a while, there was a contact saying the King had added it to the letter he was sending to Medioland. Since she also told the King of Primordia and Price-sama, it will eventually reach Sertogne too.
Having done this much, I thought for a moment. Is it okay to continue mouse extermination as before? If there are cats, mice disappear. Basically, they become monsters in such places, but even if there were some that hadn't, they would be eaten by much larger cats. If we exterminate those cats, mice will increase, so fleas and ticks will also increase. Won't that create an environment where Black Rot Disease spreads?
"I wonder? I don't know about Black Rot Disease or whatever."
I couldn't tell even after asking Keira.
"You should ask Grandmother."
Miana told me, so I asked Eleanor-sama using the magic circle for sending letters.
After a bit, there was a reply.
(No need to worry. We are breeding cats here. I am more worried about Jeanne becoming depressed, so please enjoy mouse extermination with peace of mind. From Eleanor)
Is she misunderstanding something?