Chapter 92 A Great Wave of Disease

　It seems that commoner patients are beginning to appear here and there.

　After Victor gave them my potion, they recovered without any serious symptoms. “The potion is extremely effective,” he reported.

　Days like this continued for a while, so I thought, “Maybe the epidemic will calm down if this continues.”

　But one day, as if he had been waiting for the seven o’clock bell to ring, Victor spoke to me through the pendant.

“It’s Victor. Sorry to bother you so early in the morning. Since last night, the Guard has been receiving reports of a steady stream of patients.. In no time at all, all the houses taking in the sick are full.”

“What are they doing with the patients who couldn’t get in there?”

“They have no choice but to sleep at home.”

“When I bring in the potions to the guard, could you distribute them to those homes as well?”

“Of course. Thank you very much.”

　I quickly cast transformation magic on the store table to make a cart. I also used transformation magic to move the barrels of potions stacked in the basement to the cart. As long as I have medicinal herbs, I can make as many potions as I want, so I decided not be stingy and bring two barrels with me. However, a barrel full of potions is heavy. Will the cart be able to carry hundreds of kilos? Will I be able to pull it?

　I have no choice but to pull the cart!　Just as I was preparing myself, Victor came over. He was surprised to see a barrel labeled “red wine.”

“You have portions in these barrels?”

“Yeah. One barrel holds enough for about 1,100  people, if they are allowed to drink from a cup.*

“A barrel of potions… Enough for one thousand one hundred people.”

　Although he looked like he wanted to say something, he didn’t ask any questions and just pulled the cart by himself.

　That day, whenever Mr. Victor contacted me, I prepared potions and gave them to him in barrels. Five barrels in total, for 5,500 patients.I shuddered at the sheer number of patients.

　At eight o’clock the next morning. Mr. Victor came to pick up the potion again.

“All the patients who took that potion are recovering rapidly. The early patients had not taken the potion, so it took quite a few days for the fever to scab over. But the patients who were given Mai’s potion got better and began to recover rapidly from the very first day. It was incredibly effective.”

“I’m glad it worked.”

　Heaeing this made me feel better, but Victor’s expression did not brighten.

“Is something worrying you?”

“Yes. All of the family members of patients who developed symptoms in the early stages of the disease developed the disease within ten days to two weeks. It is highly contagious.”

“It’s inevitable that family members will get infected.”

“That means there will still be more outbreaks. But there’s one more thing. Rumors are spreading that the potions handed out by the guards will quickly cure any illness. People are flocking to the guards from far away, asking for a share of the potions.”

“Please give them as many as you can. I’ll make as much as you want. You can even give them a whole barrel.”

“The problem is, we are beginning to see a mixture of people who have obviously been ordered by nobles.”

“Since illness has nothing to do with social status, why not just share it?”

“That’s ……”

　Victor explained in detail.

　Up until now, the country has not distributed potions from the magic department to commoners. Should we say that they could not distribute them because there were not enough wizards?

　It has always been the same response in past epidemics.

　It was a common occurrence that commoners would get seriously ill or even die because they couldn’t drink the potions, and the commoners had given up, saying, “There aren’t enough wizards or potions, so it can’t be helped.” That is where my potions, which work well, came in.

“Not a few of them were angry when they saw the errand boys from noble families waiting in line to receive potions.”

“Are you saying it’s unfair for a noble to receive potions meant for commoners?”

“That’s right. Until now, commoners have only been able to watch their families fall ill. No one has forgotten that. But now that Mai’s potions have appeared, the nobles want them too. It’s only natural that commoners would want to complain. Servants can only get potions as commoners, so even if the same person tries to get two or three servings, they’ll be refused.”

　

　The magic that was meant to make people smile was creating conflict.

　The nobles were getting potions from the magic department, so as expected, they  couldn’t bring themselves to say to the guards, “Give us the potions for the commoners,” and so they lined up their servants. I haven’t heard anything about this from Mr. Henry.

“I explained that, in my judgment, ‘a well-meaning wizard is providing them for the commoners,’ so the commoners assumed that it was for their exclusive use.”

“I understand the situation. Please give me some time. Please give me some time and I will come up with a solution as soon as possible.”

“I am sorry for bothering you after you helped us.”

　As Victor-san leaves, pulling a cart loaded with barrels, I immediately call out to Henry through my earrings.

“Did you hear that?”

“Yes, all of it. I knew it.”

“Did you expect that?”

“Yes. Even though the state distributes potions to nobles, Mai’s potion works better than the castle’s. That kind of information spreads quickly. “

　Henry quickly came up with a solution.

“Unless the nobles use force, they will not be able to get Mai’s potions, so let’s just wait and see. However, I will ask the nobles in His Majesty’s name to convey the idea of the state to the nobles. If we confirm a double take of potions by the nobles, we will not give them any potions from the castle from next time.”

“What if a noble directly asked a commoner to sell them a potion?”

“From that point on, it is up to the commoners to decide. The guards keep track of who they give them to, so they can’t get more than their family members. However…”

　After a short pause, Henry continues quietly.

“The question will be who the wizard who made the potion is. I have already given my thoughts on that to His Majesty, and he has given his approval.”

　Henry’s voice lowers a little.

“The only purpose of a household that persistently sniffs around the creator can only be to keep Mai-san in its lap. To such a household, I will write a polite message stating, ‘If you try to keep a well-intentioned wizard in your household, prepare yourself that no matter what epidemic comes in the future, your household will not receive potions,’ and send it to them with His Majesty’s signature.”

“Ah, …… indeed.”

“This incident has made me realise that His Majesty is quite devious. In reality, he was even more nasty in his words. Fufu.”

　Henry, laughing as he says this, also exudes a dark side, doesn’t he?

　

　Since it will likely be some time before the epidemic subsides, the store has reopened for delivery and take out only.

　I sell soup by having customers bring their own pots. I asked Albert and Sandor, who had been on standby at home, to return and work as delivery staff.

　Since Karin-m and Dion’s work is not regulated, Sophia comes to my house every day to dig holes and bury her favorite branches and bones in the holes she digs. I couldn’t help but speak out my thoughts in front of Sophia.

“I think we need more delivery people. We don’t have enough delivery people at all.”

“Fee-chan, I’ll go.”

　Illustration (By Mitemin)

“You’re going to make a delivery?”

“Yeah!”

“I can’t ask you to do that. I’ll ask you when you’re older.”

“Come on, Fee, I’ll go!”

　Sophia-chan wouldn’t budge, saying she would go to the delivery too, but I told her, “Maybe when you’re older.”

　Then an unexpected helper arrived. He was the one who had been running around on the outermost side of the dog-type group when they were trying to capture the group of monkey-type beastmen. Now in human form, he had black hair and brown eyes. His name is Claude, and he has an imposing physique and a bold face.

　I think when he transformed into a dog, he looked like a German shepherd. He was cool in appearance and in the way he acted.

　Illustration (By Mitemin)

“It’s been a while. Do you remember me? I’m Claude. I saw a young man running around with a backpack with the name of this store on it. If you are short on staff, would you be willing to hire four of us as delivery boys? My place of business is a standing bar, so I don’t have any goods to deliver. My friends and I have no source of income and are in trouble.”

　Without thinking, I gripped Claude’s hand with both of mine in a grueling grip.

“I’ve been waiting for you, Mr. Claude. By all means, please be our deliverer.”

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