133: [Epidemic]
Everything changed in a single month.
The inside of the carriage, on my way to the Eustasia Royal Castle, was a rare moment of peace.
――Because I was alone.
With the epidemic spreading, many formalities had been suspended. The fact that I, the head of a ducal family, wasn’t accompanied by any servants besides the coachman, was one such change.
When an epidemic struck, people stopped trusting each other—anyone could be carrying the disease.
This epidemic, which had begun to spread across the continent, resembled a cold, but its rate of transmission, and its mortality rate… were far worse.
I could almost feel the atmosphere growing heavier, more oppressive. It felt difficult to breathe… as if the air itself were contaminated.
While there were theories about the disease being airborne, the oppressive feeling I was experiencing now was probably just my anxiety.
Looking out the carriage window, everyone was covering their mouths and noses with cloth.
It was a precaution recommended by the Medical Corps, based on the theory that the disease was spread through the air. While it was an old theory, it hadn’t been proven, so it was merely a preventative measure based on anecdotal evidence.
It was said that during a previous, even more devastating epidemic that swept across the continent before the founding of Eustasia, corpses lined the streets, the stench of decay filling the air. And those who covered their mouths and noses were apparently more likely to survive.
It was an effective measure, in the sense that anyone—even commoners—could do it.
It was better than nothing, as long as it was somewhat effective.
Even on the main street, there were few people.
And as we passed by the park Leticia and I had visited… the emptiness made my heart ache.
How fragile… everyday life truly was.
There were few people in the market as well… or rather, there were few stalls.
There were no calls from vendors. Both buyers and sellers spoke in hushed tones, their voices muffled by the cloth coverings.
And, most importantly, there were few goods.
Anyone who saw the state of the central market in the capital of Eustasia, one of the largest markets on the continent, would be shocked.
Trade was dying.
…And with the shortage of goods, the security situation had inevitably worsened.
Small gangs of bandits had started appearing, and caravans were avoiding long-distance travel, creating a vicious cycle that further reduced the flow of goods into the cities.
It was fools like these who killed more people than any epidemic.
In our kingdom, even the Royal Knights, led by Knight Commander Felix himself, had been mobilized to suppress bandits and protect caravans.
While the number of bandits had decreased as a result of this show of force, demonstrating our zero-tolerance policy… the flow of caravans hadn’t returned to normal.
Our kingdom was… relatively stable.
While each country had its own approach, some had closed their borders… even though, with international trade so prevalent, no nation could be truly self-sufficient.
We had made preparations, to the extent possible.
Increasing our reserves under the guise of preparing for famine, to be released ‘in case of emergency,’ had been a wise decision… though it was only a temporary solution.
The territory I loved, the country I tried to protect—the stability of the continent—was burning, like kindling thrown into a fire.
Even so, there was something I could do.
There had to be…
Arriving at the Royal Castle, the guards, in breastplates and helmets, greeted me as usual.
However, they were all wearing the same loose red cloth coverings over their mouths and noses. I was becoming so used to the sight that I almost thought it was part of their uniform.
The captain of the guard, with a red plume on his helmet, pointed at his own face.
I lowered the long white cloth I had wrapped around my face like a muffler, and he nodded.
I nodded in return, and the silent exchange, a form of identification and greeting, was over.
An attendant led me into the castle.
There was no gossip behind me.
…Perhaps that was a luxury, allowed only in times of peace.
“…Is there anything… we can do?”
His Majesty murmured after listening to my report in silence.
His Majesty, nearing fifty, looked young for his age. While it was putting the cart before the horse to say he looked like Konrad’s father, he was a handsome man, with his light, tousled blond hair and deep green eyes, the kind of man who would be more suited for the stage.
Of course, his strengths weren’t limited to his appearance. He was a capable king, bearing the heavy responsibility of ruling the nation, with the necessary gravitas and… a firm grasp of reality.
He was a year younger than my late father, and I sometimes wondered if my father, had he lived, would have been like him.
However, now, exhausted from steering a nation groaning and creaking under the weight of an unending epidemic, he looked ten, twenty years older, a weary old king.
We were in a relatively private drawing-room, near the King’s private chambers, within the Royal Castle.
It was a suitable location for confidential discussions, and I was often brought here, unless it was a formal audience.
He sometimes offered me refreshments.
While I had known him since I was a child, he often treated me more like a friend’s daughter than the head of a ducal family.
Even during our first meeting in this room, after I inherited the title of “Coldhearted Vanderwaals,” he had offered me the highest-grade refreshments served to foreign dignitaries at the Royal Palace (according to Vanderwaals intelligence), saying with a smile, “I hope you enjoy them.”
While it wasn’t always the highest grade, he seemed to know my preferences well, to the point where I wondered if it was a subtle message, implying he had access to such information even without relying on the Vanderwaals.
…I didn’t know what his relationship with my father had been.
I had never been allowed in this room until I became the head of the family. I didn’t even know what they had discussed.
However, of course, our meetings weren’t just about enjoying refreshments; he also consulted with me on matters of state, and he trusted me… I assumed.
Especially in a situation like this.
While the Royal Medical Corps was the first line of defense against an epidemic, they couldn’t do it alone.
Our family’s information network and our knowledge of poisons were both valuable assets in times like these.
I had declared that this wasn’t a man-made disaster. It was a disease, not a poison, something beyond human control.
…If it weren’t for the knowledge from [Moonlight Liberium], I would have initially considered the possibility of it being a deliberate act.
There were those who would use an epidemic as a weapon—our family had been one of them.
And we had a history of choosing to eradicate diseases, deeming them uncontrollable, rather than trying to cure them.
Therefore, our efforts were focused solely on the disease itself.
“Your Majesty, while I cannot say for certain at this stage…”
I paused and met his gaze.
“There might be… a solution.”
“Truly?!”
His Majesty’s face lit up.
“I cannot say for certain.”
My source was the scenario of [Moonlight Liberium]… a romance story.
While a part of me hoped fate could be changed, another part of me wanted it to be immutable.
Because if fate changed in some unpredictable way…
If the [Epidemic Event] occurred, but the solution was different, or if it didn’t unfold as smoothly as in the story…
…the consequences would be catastrophic.
“…However, my sister… mentioned something… that might be helpful. A past case that might be relevant.”
Actually, my sister hadn’t mentioned anything.
Not yet.
In the scenario, I would hear about it later.
…But it was best to lay the groundwork.
“Your sister? The one you’re supposedly so close to?”
“Where did you hear such rumors?”
Where did that rumor even come from?
“Never mind that. So, what is this case?”
Never mind… it wasn’t ‘never mind,’ was it?
Indeed, as His Majesty said, there were more pressing matters.
“While I haven’t fully investigated it yet, she is a Vanderwaals. Her words might be worth considering.”
I subtly promoted my sister, boosting her credibility.
His Majesty smiled faintly.
“It’s reassuring to have both sisters working for the kingdom.”
No, it wasn’t a package deal. Leticia was a solo act.
“Then, Your Majesty, I will take my leave.”
“Very well. I await good news.”
His face, now revitalized, was like a light in the darkness.
I hoped I could meet his expectations.
And by doing so, my sister’s position would be secured.
…However, something I hadn’t thought about while following the scenario suddenly bothered me.
His Majesty had known my father his entire life.
They were like me and Konrad, except I had never heard of them being on bad terms… I had even heard they were close friends, perhaps due to their similar ages.
Perhaps it was simply a public display of his favor towards the Vanderwaals.
I, simply his daughter, hadn’t had a proper conversation with His Majesty until I became the head of the family.
Even so, I had served him as his vassal.
While it was difficult to be compared to my father, who had twenty years more experience, I believed I was a valuable asset.
His Majesty in the scenario of [Moonlight Liberium]…
What had he been feeling when he told me I was to be executed?
And the man before me now…
What would he be feeling when he told me?
And I, who had found his trust… comforting…
――How would I feel… when I heard the judgment, the condemnation, not described in the game?
