EPISODE 14 – TARGETED SAN FLUEVE IMPERIAL CAPITAL (PART 1)
「Do not forgive any smuggling vessel! Sink all of those smuggling s.h.i.+ps to the bottom of the sea without mercy!!」
Admiral Jean put out his battles.h.i.+p, and patrolled the coast. Also, he ordered to strengthen the coast security by sending several messenger seabirds, using the branch offices of the East Idun Company in the places across the Empire. Because captured crew members and workers got sick, he sent out messenger seabirds carrying medicine.
Offsh.o.r.e, continuously drifting large sailing s.h.i.+ps that are registered to Nedale was also found with a disastrous situation. It is what Falma could not find out. It was very unexpectedly out of the ocean.
Crew members who were inside the s.h.i.+p, they were inflicted by the black plague, and they were collapsed here and there, some lost their strength and died. They probably tried to return to Nedale Country, but they could not steer the s.h.i.+p properly anymore.
「Is this that smuggling s.h.i.+p?」
Admiral Jean towed the wrecked s.h.i.+p further offsh.o.r.e, loaded a large amount of gunpowder, and blew off the s.h.i.+p itself. He sank the s.h.i.+p to the bottom of the sea.
「If you have obediently received the quarantine, most of you were probably saved. You fools」
“It is not a quarantine to steal the freedom of the merchants, but a quarantine to save lives”, Falma said. They were too ignorant and pathetic.
The mast that raised the flag of Nedale Country tilted greatly, and finished its long journey through the sea.
Admiral Jean took off his hat on the deck, and gazed intently at the origin of the epidemic, making a whirlpool on the sea.
And just around that time, Ellen who was left behind at the quarantine in the Port of Ma.r.s.eille was continuing the quarantine together with her disciples and the flame divine arts users carefully. She compared the quarantine results that were raised by the technicians, each sample that was collected from the s.h.i.+ps.
「Everyone has pa.s.sed, until number 20 can dock」
「Master, you have already become accustomed to the quarantine huh」
Ellen’s disciple who was following her was impressed. Ellen took a breath, wiping her gla.s.ses with a cloth.
「We don’t know about that, we might have let some of the escape. I do not have special powers like Falma-kun, so I cannot see through them perfectly」
Each one of the s.h.i.+ps, even if the inspection would take time and make it later for them to dock to the port, to not let anything escape. They continued to follow the inspection method that Falma had taught them, and inspected each sample of the cargo. When an infected person is found, they would be isolated and given medication. The ones who were administered during the initial stage were saved, but those who were already in severe conditions were not saved. However, that is what the black plague is. It is impossible for everyone to be saved 100%, so let’s do what we can, Falma said.
The quarantine with Falma’s special ability was quick, but the discovery rate of the black plague pathogens did not differ a lot with Ellen’s manual inspection.
「Master Falma’s medicine, it really has effects」
「Just as you can see, although we are wearing protective suits, we are not getting sick although we have physical contacts with the patients after all. It is very frustrating but, from the past up until now, I have never felt my life being so protected by a single medicine just like how I feel right now」
「Master Falma also said that it is possible to extract things with the same effect from microorganisms」
「Yes, that also makes me very interested. Let’s do our best, I could finally see the end」
There are only 6 remaining vessels.
「Falma-kun is doing his best after all……I wonder if that boy is okay」
Ellen was worried about Falma who went to the village infected by black plague by himself. She could not help herself be frustrated, being unable to leave this place. However, Ellen was able to do something for them.
At that day, the Lord’s deputy Adam and Ellen heard about the miracle that happened in the Esthark Village.
「I also want to be treated like that」
Ellen strongly felt her lack of ability and helplessness as a pharmacist. After all, recently, she was all reliant on Falma’s newly developed medicine, and his knowledge that could only be described as otherworldly. And because of that, there was a huge burden on Falma by himself. He is trying to do everything by himself. Even though the situation became like this, Ellen could not do anything for him.
「I need to, I need to learn the basics of the basics from Falma-kun’s pharmacology, I need to be able to support him」
Ellen thought of that once again. Before, Ellen was Falma’s pharmaceutical and divine arts master. Just because she had the standings as her master, she could not step forward and ask him to teach her.
That is probably the same with Bruno. Bruno has his own status, and it is hard for him to tell Falma “Please teach me”.
(After the crisis of the black plague leaves, I can only learn as an innocent student)
And once again, Ellen realized, that spreading his teachings not only within the Empire but also to the pharmacists from different countries, is a job that she can also do.
Knowledge is power（Scientia est potentia）。
That is the school lesson engraved at the main gate of San Flueve Imperial Pharmacy School.
