Chapter 137: A Shield Against the Plague
Missgancia, with its climate similar to Northern Europe, has long winters.
By the end of October, the temperature drops sharply, and by year’s end, snow is almost certain to fall.
And when it snows, economic activity mostly halts, and everyone starts holing up in their homes.
Naturally, traveling merchants can’t operate under these conditions. The already narrow roads get buried in snow, making travel difficult.
Shops in town are generally closed too. Distribution stops, and without materials, they can’t offer any goods.
The only places open during such winters are the Infirmary and Apothecary shops frequented by the sick, taverns—one of the few places for enjoyment—and inns, perhaps. Though business is reduced, the Bakery is open too.
Everything else is basically closed or significantly scaled back. It’s just not weather you can work in.
But this year, the busyness was less severe…
That’s simply because the number of Apothecaries increased.
Ralph-kun, Granny Mary’s grandson from the Emerald Covenant, returned at the beginning of this year after finishing his training in the Royal Capital.
The wife Ralph-kun brought back was an Apothecary from the Royal Capital.
Additionally, Ralph’s younger brother also returned after completing his Apothecary training.
With more Apothecaries, their capacity increased, allowing Granny Mary’s shop to handle many more patients.
So, the only ones coming to my place were the few townspeople who couldn’t be seen there, and those Slum dwellers who could afford to pay.
There were busy moments, but the idle times were longer.
Besides, when it comes to examining or caring for the Slum folks, I can have Tris help out.
Townspeople might tolerate buying medicine from her at the counter, but they dislike being examined by a Mazoku.
So, with the epidemic having subsided, I was taking a break…
“U-um… excuse me, Dru-san?”
However, an emergency patient arrived, so I responded.
It was an acquaintance—no, my lover, Kaede.
Her complexion is pale… Does she have a cold?
Her temperature is… Whoa, this has to be 40°C?! How can she even stand and walk?! This girl really is strong!!!
I quickly had her lie down on a bed in a patient room.
Of course, not in the cheap ward where the Slum paupers are currently sleeping, but in a private room.
“Ah, uh, I’m happy to see you… Ehehe…”
“Is this really the time for that???? You’re seriously ill, so just lie down, okay????”
She’s just pushing through with her ridiculously high stamina and pain tolerance; her condition is actually quite bad.
Huh? Can’t I heal her with magic?
Well, there is magic like “Purification” that can eliminate viruses, but using it seems to wipe out beneficial bacteria and even face mites.
It might be fine for an interesting creature (Changeling) like me, but doing that to a normal human would be disastrous.
That’s why viral illnesses are quite tricky…
Ah, no, if a specific type of virus is causing the trouble, it seems I could target it with the incantation for “Instant Death.” But that’s scary, so I’d rather not do it.
Anyway, she has the stamina to walk here alone for about thirty minutes one way, even with a 40°C fever.
For now, symptomatic treatment should work. If she takes some Antipyretics and painkillers and gets some sleep, she should recover.
In Kaede’s case, it seems like a vitamin deficiency…
Recently, due to strong requests from some members of the “Blue Comet,” I started sharing rice with them. That’s probably the cause.
“Let’s stop binge-eating white rice, okay…?”
“But it’s delicious…”
For the time being, I brought her that Banana Yogurt Smoothie and had her drink it.
Kaede recovered after sleeping for one night.
She’s so tough it’s almost funny…
Her physical strength is incredible.
It must be due to her birth.
Kaede was born a samurai—that is, into the noble class.
Having eaten her fill since childhood, she’s bigger and stronger than the average person in this world.
Her muscles aren’t overly bulky, but she possesses lean, strong muscles like an athlete.
As an aside, female Striders have rock-hard abs and muscular arms.
This world has Magical Power as a boosting factor, but aside from that, there’s no reason why those who trade blows with Monsters wouldn’t get ripped!
I haven’t mentioned it specifically, but Katrina, for example, is over 180cm tall with ripped abs, arms thicker than a man’s, and probably around 15% body fat. Since her muscles are huge, she might weigh around 90kg?
Shio also has visibly defined muscles…
Not the “lean muscle” type you see in light novels, but proper muscles, enough that her shoulder and arm muscles bulge, creating definition between them.
Her glutes are also tightly toned and raised, perhaps lacking in feminine softness.
But, well… it’s really, really nice! Muscular girls are great! I won’t say where, but their tightness and all!
Besides, if I want to hold someone soft, there’s Annemarie and Mirei.
That’s why Kaede’s body, born into a warrior family and raised as a warrior, didn’t succumb to the illness.
In fact, just giving her a little nutritional support made most of her ailments disappear…