Chapter 119: The Strange Disease, Once More
The next day, at Rose-san and the others’ request—since they said their living quarters were sufficient and asked me to teach them their jobs first—I took them to the Salt Maker.
“If you send Magical Power here, it will do everything to make salt.”
“Eh… Is that all there is to it, just sending Magical Power?”
No, no, the job includes getting the salt ready for shipping. I explained that their work involved measuring the finished salt, putting it into bags, and storing it in the warehouse.
After having them work according to my instructions, they ran out of Magical Power by noon and had to stop.
It seems ordinary people don’t have nearly enough Magical Power to work for a whole day.
I thought about training them in a Dungeon, but since they aren’t Hunters, I’d need to get permission from the country, and I can’t be going all the way to Belfast Castle for every little thing.
In that case, it couldn’t be helped. As a workaround, I took them Bloody Bear hunting.
That’s right, there’s no law saying ordinary people can’t defeat Monsters outside.
Since I, a Hunter, would be accompanying them, taking them outside wouldn’t be a problem.
With the legalities cleared, I had them hunt ten each. Of course, they activated the Magic Tools, and Yuri and I assisted in the subjugation.
I had them absorb the Magic Stones from those, and also bought some Magic Stones from town and had them absorb those too.
When I asked Ignat, he said that although there are individual differences, there’s generally no risk of Sclerosis up to about twice the amount of Magic Stones from the monsters hunted. So, I allocated about half that amount.
With this, their Magical Power has probably increased to at least several times what it was originally, so they should be able to work in the afternoon too.
“Well, full-scale operation will be after we’ve secured safety. The sea is dangerous too.”
“Come to think of it, I’ve heard there are Monsters in the sea as well.”
The woman acting as the children’s mother figure nodded at my words, showing her understanding.
Regarding that, we could surround it with an outer wall, or build a breakwater in the sea to prevent intrusion.
It’ll be tough, but until then, we can operate while keeping watch and posting lookouts.
With this, we can finally get things moving. I thought so and felt relieved, but…
“The workload is too small. It certainly requires Magical Power, but it doesn’t need enough manpower.”
“At this rate, the ones left over will have nothing to do,” the hardworking woman lamented.
“Um… Well then, how about having them help out where manpower is lacking?”
Yeah. Since it’s a developing village, there’s plenty of work.
I told them that if they wanted to work, they could try talking to the craftsmen.
“No, it’s troublesome if people are idle, so could you arrange things from the start?
If you prefer to assign specific people, we’ll have them pour in their Magical Power first and then send them out.”
“I don’t mind that, but you know you can use your free time to relax, right?”
I told her they’d be in charge of this village’s main job, but she looked troubled and said, “After being provided with delicious food and good beds, we’d feel too guilty doing that.”
“Then, for now, shall we try talking to the craftsmen in the construction industry, where demand is currently highest?”
Taking Rose-san, who eagerly agreed, I went to explain the situation to the carpenters from the Empire and ask for their help.
“――――So, that’s the gist of it. It seems they have too much free time and want to be put to use.”
“Well, that’s a great help! Our work is a mountain of miscellaneous tasks, so more hands are always welcome!”
“I’ve only ever worked in mines, will that be alright?”
“Haha! If you’ve got the guts to work in a mine, there’s no problem at all. Getting used to it is the basis of any job!”
And so, while I was there for the introductions, he immediately started explaining things and took her with him, so we left them to it.
“Oh. It’s really easy when you have good people.”
“Indeed. They do everything proactively.”
It’s a real help.
There’s also a rather urgent job I need to tackle next.
And so, we returned to the front of the Salt Maker.
Although we moved it some distance from the sea, it’s only about tens of meters.
We don’t know when Monsters coming up from the sea might attack.
If Rose-san and the others are to operate it by themselves, we have to make it safe.
“For now, shall we use that and see how it goes? It’s cheap and water-resistant.”
“Ah, Slime Jelly, right? Since you can manipulate it with Magical Power, it’s perfect for you, Rui-sama. However, I’m a bit worried about its strength. Why don’t we consult them before using it?”
Ah, you’re right. It’s better to talk to the craftsmen first.
We immediately headed to Ichirou and the others, but the three of them were so engrossed in the Magic-Powered Car that I somehow got roped into helping them make parts.
“That’s not what I came for! We’re going to start operating the Salt Maker, you know?”
I quickly explained the situation, telling them we needed to work on Monster countermeasures now, while also asking if there was a way to increase its strength.
“That’s easy. The caterpillar’s fluid… no, how about mixing in that Abyss Spider’s thread?”
“Heh, that dangerous adhesive fluid, huh? That’s an interesting idea. However, it doesn’t dry easily. It’ll take quite a while for the jelly’s moisture to evaporate… Ah, right, we can forcibly remove the water.”
“So, you mean to further solidify the Slime Jelly with the adhesive fluid. Let’s try it.”
Going along with their proposal, we conducted experiments at the research lab with the other Magic Tool Craftsmen, and we ended up creating something like hard, unbreakable reinforced plastic.
“This is hard and light. It seems like it could be used for various things.”
“Indeed. But if we’re sinking it into the sea, there are problems. Buoyancy and the difficulty of anchoring something so light.”
“We won’t know until we try, but if we solidify the bottom with paving material and it sinks, I don’t think it’ll be a problem, right?”
We decided to try it out, made a single pillar, tied a rock to it, and sank it into the sea. It seemed to be fine.
So then, needing quantity, we went to the neighboring town to buy Slime Jelly.
However, even buying out their stock wasn’t nearly enough, so in the end, we decided to procure it ourselves.
I had Kai-san help too. Yuri and Kai-san took turns pulling the Cart, while I took on the role of relentlessly killing Slimes and collecting them. We managed to secure a considerable amount, but it still wasn’t enough.
We dungeon-hopped through Slime-spawning Dungeons along the mountains, and finally gathered enough to say, “This should be about right.”
“But to think you’d try to bring even the sea under your control. As expected of the man Shuperu-sama is so taken with…”
“No, it’s not about bringing it under control, just preventing Monsters from entering the beach, you know?”
If we do that, we might even be able to go into the sea and play.
While discussing such plans, we returned to the village, and it seemed the Magic Tool unit members had researched and determined a better mixture ratio for us.
It also seemed they had a lot of Spider thread stored in liquid form, so by using that and mixing it, we reached a state where we could begin.
“Alright, let’s do it!” I said, about to get started, but the adult craftsmen stopped me, saying, “Why don’t we think about it a little more?”
They seemed to be thinking that if we build a breakwater with rocks and paving material, and then use the Slime Jelly to create a net, we could enclose a fairly deep area.
They said that way, we might even be able to catch sea fish.
Technically, fish are also classified as Monsters, but the small ones are generally weak, and most aren’t poisonous.
Since there are few places to catch them, they’re classified as high-class ingredients. Sea fish even more so, apparently.
If that’s the case, there’s no harm in doing it, so we finalized the plans.
What we need to do is simple. Collect rocks, pile them up to make a path, and then solidify it with paving material.
Just like with the Slime Jelly, the paving material should also harden easily if we magically remove the water.
And so, we got the civil engineering craftsmen involved and diligently worked on building the breakwater.
The task is simple. Just collect large rocks using Storage and release them into the sea.
After flying around the vicinity for a bit, I found a rocky area where I could easily collect them, so I brought a whole load from there.
By using those to make a path, a rock path was completed on top of the sea.
Right now, it looks rather disappointing, like we just made a mountain in the sea, but if we cut it into a square shape when we solidify it with concrete, it should look more like it.
Next, we went to the Ignat Territory to buy materials for the paving.
This time, it was just Kai-san, Yuri, and me. We finished our shopping in an instant, but Kai-san seemed concerned, saying something felt off about the town’s atmosphere.
It’s true; there were considerably fewer people on the streets than last time, and it lacked vitality.
“Excuse me, may I go and ask around a bit?”
Since he asked, I agreed. He entered a shop where he seemed to know someone and started asking questions.
We followed him in and listened from the back. It seemed an epidemic was spreading, and they had closed the checkpoints. However, many people used their authority as a shield to enter, and finally, cases had appeared in the Ignat Territory as well.
It was said to be a highly contagious Strange Disease that invariably led to death.
“It’s said to be an incredibly terrifying disease. Tentacles supposedly sprout from the whole body, and the victim is eaten from the inside by the affliction.”
Eh, isn’t that what Prince Riley had…?
Ah… so it was the Empire’s doing.
“So, how is Shen-sama responding to this?”
“Well, I wouldn’t know that much…”
Realizing there was no more information to be had from the shopkeeper, Kai-san became lost in thought. When I suggested that Shen-kun might have already headed to Belfast, he looked startled.
“Excuse me, would you permit me to focus on handling things over here for a while?”
Kai certainly isn’t considered dead.
He’s treated as someone who left his suffering behind when his master died.
So he can operate in the Empire, but…
“I don’t mind, but Ignat is a Marquis family, right? Wouldn’t the leadership think about it and handle it themselves?”
“Yes. However, matters involving other factions require the military’s intent.
With neither Shuperu nor Shen-sama present, they must be quite unsettled.
An epidemic can become a disaster if the response is delayed…”
He explained with a bitter expression, “There’s hardly anyone who can firmly refuse the words of nobles from other territories head-on.”
Therefore, unless they scatter letters everywhere stating that anyone passing through in the name of the Marquis Ignat Family, unless it’s by imperial decree, will be eliminated by force, the situation won’t change, or so he says.
Kai is worried that with Shen-kun away, they probably can’t go that far.
He says that now, when they’ve lost Ignat and are likely being whispered about as being on the decline and eyed by the central nobles, they can’t afford to be reactive.
“Got it. Is Ignat needed?”
“No, Shuperu can’t show his face, so I’ll handle this.”
“Alright. That Strange Disease can probably be cured with a combination of Light Magic and Healing Magic if the organs aren’t damaged, so tell me if you need it.”
If it’s the same one I know, I told him, and he froze with a look of “Eh…?” utter astonishment.
After prefacing it with, “This isn’t some scheme of ours, okay?” I briefly told him about Prince Riley’s case, and Kai made a sour face.
“So something like that was happening in Lestall…
Then it’s likely the work of a newly risen noble family, I suppose.
I’ve heard rumors of merchant nobles conducting horrifying human experiments.”
I see. If we identify the Imperial nobles connected to the Listol Count Family or the Marquis Hestia Family and then investigate the merchant nobles around them, finding the culprit seems relatively easy, but well, I don’t really have a strong reason to do that myself.
While thinking that, I shared the information with Kai as well.
“For now, I’ll head back and tell Ignat too. When and where should I come next?”
“Thank you for your trouble. Then, two days from now, at noon, at the Magic Tool shop from before.”
Finally, he bowed deeply, said his thanks, and then ran off.
“Well then, shall we head back, finish our report, and then continue what we were doing?”
“Yes. It’s a pitiful story, but we can’t get involved any further.”
And so, Yuri and I returned to the village, and first, I called Ignat over and explained the situation.
“Huh, an epidemic, you say…?”
“Well, it’s less like a disease and more like a parasitic Monster. The fact that it spreads easily through contact is troublesome.”
When I told him about His Highness’s case, he furrowed his brow.
Apparently, Ignat had also received various reports that were merely suspicions, and he showed a bitter face, saying, “So it was true…”
“How foolish…
The administrator probably found out their master died in this war and fled.”
Ah, if something like that came to light, the administrator would be executed too.
So it was abandoned, and the Tentacle Monster escaped… They should have at least disposed of it before fleeing.
Well, it’s a relief that even if it spreads here, a treatment method has been established.
Ah, I should tell the pale-faced Ignat about it too.
“For now, the treatment is mostly the same as with Natalia-san, so there shouldn’t be a problem.
However, since the inside of the body is still in a devoured state, it needs to be regenerated with Healing Magic.”
“Which means it will be an incurable disease in the Empire, then.”
“That’s right. I can’t very well hand over Light Magic Tools to people from the Empire.”
At those words, he nodded, saying, “That’s only natural,” and then added, “However, if this allows us to deal with it completely, and others take enough damage that they can’t bother with us, that would be appreciated.”
Having lived in the Empire, it seems he doesn’t say naive things even about his own country if it’s not his own kin.
“So, yeah, that’s about it.
I’m willing to lend Kai a Magic Tool, so don’t worry too much.”
“Eh…? Didn’t Kai go to have the infected executed?” Ignat showed a dumbfounded face, to which I strongly replied, “No, that’s wrong. I told him I’d lend it to him. You guys are our people, right? Though, I won’t allow you to lend it to someone else.” He then narrowed his eyes happily and bowed his head in silence.
“So, anyway, I’ll be working on the embankment as planned until the day after tomorrow, so let me know if anything comes up.”
“Isn’t this great, Shuperu?”
“Yes, since that day you got better, I feel like everything has been taking a turn for the better…”
No, is it really turning for the better?
While feeling such doubts, they were in their own little world, so I left them to it.