Insects, Lumberjacks, and Pirates [Part 4]
“No, Your Highness. Everyone should have more awareness and knowledge of diseases. This is because it will prove to be helpful in times of need.”
“So it’s like that. Emma is kind indeed.”
…No, Your Highness, she just likes insects to the point of madness. George muttered in his heart as he witnessed the Prince steadily turning to a terminally ill patient.
“According to the Empire’s Book of Medicine, you need to dry the insects, grind them into powder, and drink it after dissolving it in citrus juice.”
“Citrus?”
“Yes, because the powder smells peculiar, people take this medicine by mixing it with sour fruits to neutralize the smell.”
“I see… While we are on this topic, have there been any outbreaks of this disease in recent years?”
If there is anyone out there in the Kingdom who is currently suffering from the disease, then let’s be honest and return the tailless whip scorpions. It was a bitter decision for Emma to make.
“No, there have been no reports of any outbreaks in the last few years.”
Emma unconsciously patted her chest in relief. But…
“It has just never reached your ears, Your Highness.”
Joshua had turned up at the Stuarts’ house in high spirits today too, but when he heard from William that the Prince was currently sleeping on Emma’s lap, he couldn’t sit still and immediately came to the drawing room to attack.
Joshua made a quick bow, then felt relief when he found that the Prince’s head was not on Emma’s knees.
“Your Highness, even now, there are people in the Kingdom’s slums and port cities that have contracted that disease. The precious cure can only be consumed by those of the aristocratic class, and the people can never drink it.”
If you have enough free time to lie down on Emma-sama’s lap, how about learning more about the situation in town? Joshua warned the Prince sharply.
“…So there are people who caught this disease… I understand that it is likely for the disease to develop in the unhygienic slums, but port cities? Is it because the disease was imported from other countries?”
Emma, who was now feeling down, looked sad as she asked Joshua.
“To even show her kindness to commoners… Is Emma… an angel?” The Prince muttered when he saw that face.
“Emma-sama has always been an angel since long, long before she met Your Highness, though…” Joshua said in a low voice, so only the Prince could hear it.
“Emma-sama, the disease you mentioned earlier has also been talked about amongst merchants. One of the pieces of information is that it is especially common among sailors. Although there have been a low number cases in the last few decades, before then, when ships had a lower performance than now and each sail would take months, a lot of sailors suffered from this illness.”
Joshua being Joshua. He had already done thorough research on the tailless whip scorpions before he came to visit the Stuarts again.
Joshua would always check up on anything that Emma was curious about in a detailed, in-depth manner.
That’s why the three siblings called him “Mr. Goo*le” behind his back.
“…Hm? …Sailors… Eh?”
Something seemed to flash through Emma’s mind when sailors were mentioned, but she couldn’t make out what it was immediately.
“At that time, and even now, merchant companies in the Simmons territory have repeatedly sent a petition to Sir Lance, requesting him to give them the insects (cure), but the outrageous price he charged has troubled them greatly…”
Joshua didn’t know of this matter before, because the Rothschild Company had always used ships with the latest technology. But less profitable companies had no choice but to sail with outdated ones.
There was a plausible rumor in port cities that one’s infection rate increased along with the duration of one’s voyage.
Unprofitable companies wouldn’t want to spend that much money to buy the insects (cure) for the sailors, which for them, were dispensable employees. The poor commoners could only lament their fate.
There were times when everyone succeeded in raising money, yet many companies ended up bankrupt because it came at an immense cost to buy the portion of medicine needed for recovery.
