◆ Silverwing Main Bridge ◆
“We have named the new virus ‘Divils.’ The incubation period is somewhat ambiguous, ranging from about one week to one month. Symptoms include fever, severe coughing, joint pain, and various others. The mortality rate is currently less than 0.001%, so it cannot be considered high at this point.”
“For now, let’s designate certain areas of the Royal Capital and all of Ikana Village for lockdown.”
“W-What do you mean by lockdown?”
“It means we will seal off the area to prevent the bacteria from spreading any further, Rua.”
Inside the airship docked on the outskirts of the Royal Capital, I was struck by the shocking news delivered by Genia. The mysterious illness that had spread through the Royal Capital and Ikana Village was caused by a bacteria known as Divils. It seemed that the bacteria had contaminated drinking water or something similar, leading to unknowing infections. When Genia mentioned the possibility that it could spread beyond just the Royal Capital and Ikana Village to the entire Kingdom of Avangarde, I was left speechless.
“The infection route is through drinking water, but we cannot completely rule out the possibility of airborne transmission. So far, there have been very few adult fatalities. However, the elderly and children with weaker immune systems are at greater risk. Although the death toll in the Royal Capital is still under a hundred, the number of infected is likely to be vast.”
“Isn’t there anything the Kingdom of Metallica can do about this?”
“This situation was not anticipated, you see. Harp, do you think identifying the source of the infection will be difficult?”
“Due to Vandalsia and his subordinates occupying the area, the sanitary conditions have worsened. I initially thought that might be the cause, but it seems that line of reasoning is weak.”
The woman called Harp looked familiar; I remembered seeing her on the Ballad Continent. She had been carrying documents related to the Babel Project, and I had accidentally bumped into her. Behind the serious-looking Harp stood an older woman with short-cropped hair, arms crossed. She wore square glasses and had pale blue hair that was almost white, accompanied by three mechanical dolls.
“Colin. We’re inside an airship, so there’s no need for Legion guards here.”
“Oh my, is that something a director of the Technology Development Bureau should say? How careless!”
“Genia, who is this person?”
“This is Colin. She is the system developer and administrator of our country’s information agency, ALEX. One of the top five in the Kingdom of Metallica, known as the Five Steel.”
Colin let out a short snort and began to scrutinize me from head to toe with curiosity. After a soft “Hmm,” she finally asked for an introduction.
“Nice to meet you, Rua. No need to panic. The Divils bacteria is indeed a new strain, but we have plenty of ways to handle it. The lockdown of your village is temporary; it will be lifted soon.”
“Really?”
“Right now, we simply lack sufficient quantities of medicine. If we can dispatch a medical research team from the homeland, that issue will be resolved quickly.”
“In that case, I want the medicine as soon as possible…”
Colin seemed to speak with confidence, but people were still suffering. If something were to happen to everyone, especially Kurinka, I would go to any lengths to obtain the medicine. I was that serious about it.
“Well, Rua, since you’ve helped me before… I’ll arrange for at least enough for the people of Ikana Village.”
Noticing my determination, Genia hurriedly offered some good news. However, Colin immediately wore a displeased expression. The crease in her beautiful forehead deepened slightly.
“The distribution of medicine will primarily go to the royal family and nobility, right? Samples have already been sent, and the medical research team should be developing a cure soon.”
“I will take responsibility for this.”
“Are you prepared to step down from your position as director of the Technology Development Bureau if something goes wrong?”
“That would be tough, but I think I can manage.”
“Genia, do you have some sort of weakness with this girl? Or are you perhaps afraid of her abilities? Hehe.”
“Silverwing Main Bridge here… Yes?”
Just as the atmosphere grew tense, Harp interjected, raising her voice. She was still seated, speaking into a machine.
“Director Genia. This is Sergeant Klein from the Royal Capital.”
“Yes, yes, yes. I wonder if something has happened. Yes, this is Genia.”
“This is Klein. Regarding the Divils bacteria, individuals from Noibranz are currently working on a solution.”
Genia spoke into the machine, conversing with someone named Klein. It felt similar to Lord Hast’s Word Soul magic, allowing communication over long distances.
“…I see, let’s switch the screen here. Harp, please switch to the main monitor.”
“Understood.”
“Hello, nice to meet you! Is that the important person from Noibranz over there?”
Suddenly appearing on the large screen was a plump woman. She wore a pink outfit reminiscent of a nurse from the Heal Center, with thick red lipstick. Purple lines adorned her eyes, making her appearance quite striking. The impact of her presence made both Genia and Harp lean back in surprise, while Colin remained calm, her eyes still fixed on the screen.
“And who are you?”
“I’m Natchu from the Ten Destroyers of Noibranz. I’ve surrendered to the Kingdom of Avangarde and am here to offer my cooperation, so no need to be on guard!”
“And what about a solution for the Divils bacteria?”
“Geez, you’re so cold! We have a medicine ready for the virus. If you stay calm, it will naturally eliminate the bacteria. I can’t say it compares to yours, but its effectiveness is outstanding!”
“I see, thank you for your cooperation. I will head over there now.”
“I’ll be waiting!”
“Now then…”
Genia stretched her back with a sigh, deep in thought. I understood her feelings; having a Ten Destroyer in the Royal Capital was unsettling. But if they had the medicine, and it could save Kurinka and the others, that was a blessing.
“Genia, I’m going too.”
“Yes, I intend to bring you along. With you here, we won’t need Legion guards.”
“Is that a jab at me?”
“Well then, shall we go?”
It seemed Genia and Colin didn’t get along well. I hoped they could cooperate without fighting.
◆ Central Street of Avangarde Royal Capital ◆
Just to be safe, I left Nemea outside the Royal Capital. I explained to the guards at the gate, but I felt guilty since she had trembled just from yawning. Kiki’s Pii-chan was similar, so it felt unfair.
“I think having three heads is the real issue.”
“Is that really it?”
As we walked down Central Street, discussing this seemingly trivial yet serious matter, I realized I hadn’t seen Platiu. She hadn’t been around during our time on the Ballad Continent either.
“Genia, isn’t Platiu with you?”
“Platiu is currently adjusting new equipment. I do feel a bit lonely without her by my side.”
“New equipment? But she already has that mechanical armor.”
“Let’s just say it’s an upgraded version. Well, the details are a secret. But she is here, so we can meet her later.”
“She’s here?!”
“Yes, I believe she wants to see you too.”
Oh, I had thought she wasn’t here at all. But now wasn’t the time to be distracted; the villagers, especially Kurinka, were still suffering. I wanted to get the medicine to them as soon as possible.
“Over there. Sergeant Klein is also present.”
Next to a crowd, a person clad in silver mechanical armor stood with crossed arms, looking irritated. That must be Sergeant Klein.
“Sergeant Klein!”
“Oh, Director Genia! Look over there!”
“Those wishing to receive vaccinations, please line up here!”
The woman from the screen, Natchu, had nearly taken over Central Street, setting up impressive equipment. The array of devices rivaled those at the Heal Center, and people dressed similarly to her, likely her subordinates, were holding syringes. It was no wonder Sergeant Klein wanted Genia’s support with the chaos unfolding.
“Alright, over there! No cutting in line!”
“Hurry up! I can’t sleep at night with all this anxiety!”
“Someone check me! I might already be infected!”
“Wait, wait! You can’t just do this on your own!”
Despite the efforts of Captain Ritta, who was desperately calling out in the crowd, people surged forward with a sense of urgency. Even the soldiers of Avangarde shouted, but no one seemed to hear them. Instead, they were met with angry retorts.
“Rua! Long time no see!”
“There are so many people… Is this area still not under lockdown?”
“Yes, the lockdown is only on the west side. But how do you know that?”
“I’m with Genia. Genia, aren’t you distributing medicine to those in the lockdown?”
“Currently, a medical team in protective gear is in charge. As I mentioned earlier, we are overwhelmingly short on medicine, so this situation is indeed a relief, but…”
“Vaccinations are over here, over here! Don’t worry, it won’t hurt, and it’ll be over quickly!”
Natchu danced around, managing the line with an infectious energy. I couldn’t help but admire her agility, but Genia placed a hand on her temple, as if to say, “Stop acting on your own.” It’s true that the Kingdom of Metallica is working closely with the Kingdom of Avangarde, but I had no idea how things were going in the Nation of Noibranz.
More importantly, the medicine. If Genia is offering it, I want to accept. However, it only alleviates symptoms; it doesn’t cure completely. Natchu’s medicine, on the other hand, could heal me entirely. Logically, it would be best to get the medicine from Natchu, but for some reason, I couldn’t bring myself to do it.
“Genia, about the medicine…”
“Yes, we will prepare it for you.”
“Um, what about Natchu’s medicine?”
“What do you mean by ‘what about’?”
“I mean, how effective is it…?”
“I can’t say anything without analyzing the actual substance. But at the very least, it shouldn’t contain any poison.”
“P-poison…?”
Just as I thought, I still didn’t trust the people of Noibranz. They were helping so many people and receiving gratitude, yet I was the only one still suspicious. I wondered how Genia felt about it. Yeah, I decided I would ask Genia for the medicine. Once things settled down, I wanted to see Platiu again after such a long time.
“Genia, I want the medicine.”
“Understood. However, since I am in charge here, could you please return to the airship first? I think it will be fine if you tell Harp.”
“Okay, I’ll do that.”
“Hey now! Don’t say things like that!”
Natchu suddenly twirled into the space between Genia and me, almost making me gasp.
“You are the renowned Rua, known as the Flash Strike Girl! I’ve heard from His Majesty that you have become a bridge for peace! They say you are incredibly famous and strong in this country!”
“Y-yeah…”
“So, His Majesty has instructed me to repay you handsomely if you are in need. Therefore, I shall give you this medicine!”
“Th-this much?! Is it really okay? Others are waiting in line…”
“The line is just for vaccinations. If I handed out medicine one by one, the sun would set before we finished!”
“I-I see. Anyway, thank you for the medicine.”
“It’s a bit large, but just take one piece as it is. I think the effects will kick in right away!”
I was handed a basket filled to the brim with medicine. While I appreciated the generosity, something felt off. Why was she giving me so much medicine? It was as if she already knew my entire village was infected. And she mentioned being thanked by the king of Noibranz, but did I really do anything that warranted such gratitude?
“Th-thank you.”
“The entire Nation of Noibranz must come together to atone for our sins, you know. Though, our soldiers have been infected as well…”
“Is it… okay?!”
“There’s no danger to their lives. How sweet of you to worry!”
“Hey!”
Natchu was urged on by the people in line and hopped away, her plump body swaying as she skipped along, looking incredibly cheerful. Maybe I was overthinking it. She must genuinely want to help people. If this means everyone can be saved, I need to hurry back to the village. I felt bad for Genia, but I would use this medicine instead.
“Oh, Rua! This will be wrapped up quickly, so could you wait on the airship? I’ll take you back to the village.”
“I’m fine riding Nemea back. Besides, we need to hurry or…”
“You’ll be flying, right? If a strong wind blows and the medicine gets blown away, it would be a disaster. I’m not saying this to be mean, but please wait.”
“Y-you’re right.”
She made a valid point, and I reluctantly agreed, even though I was confident I wouldn’t make such a mistake. But since it was a special occasion, I decided to indulge myself and wait on the airship.
◆ Shin Report ◆
M-medicine, hurry up, ugh…