Why, Camus?
After you established numerous new treatment methods and gained renown as a genius...
Why did you...
Bruno, do you still not see it?
The beautiful truth of this world.
No matter how much healing one performs, people die.
But, you know, no matter how much dying takes place, people are born anew.
That's the reason you repeatedly conducted those gruesome human experiments?!
Neither people nor the world will be destroyed so easily.
And therein lies the beauty.
You understand,
don't you, Bruno?
Why, Camus?
Parallel World Pharmacy
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Lookie! My tummy is huge!
Oh, my goodness!
Father, are you tired?
I'm fine. I was just thinking back on something.
An old—
It's not important.
Master, a letter has arrived.
From Palle?
It's Tall Brother...
Oh, him.
That reminds me. Palle is coming home for a visit soon!
Speaking of which,
he's saying his visit will be delayed.
Oh my, it will?
I hope he's not working too hard.
And I do hope he's eating properly.
Is Tall Brother really busy?
I imagine he has his hands full with his college studies.
College...
Um, Nov... Nova...
Novavava...
Novalout College of Medicine.
Yeah! Novalt Medicine College!
It's the world's best medical research institution.
Master Palle is brilliant!
Though Master Farma is brilliant as well.
Tall Brother is amazing! Small Brother is more amazing!
Hip, hip, hooray!
Farma.
Yes, Father?
Come to my office later.
Next month, the capital is hosting the Saint Fleuve Fair.
That's the annual, large-scale wholesale event
that takes place over the course of a month, right?
Correct.
Merchants from all over the world will gather in the imperial city.
Thus, we must be cautious.
About what?
A strange epidemic broke out on Pante Island,
a colony of our neighboring country Nederland.
According to Palle's letter, the roughly 1,000 colonists there were wiped out.
A fatal disease...
Was it an endemic disease? Could it have been from a poison?
I don't know the details.
A top Novalout academic research team took back samples for study,
but then two people died there as well.
So then, it could be contagious...
The colonists' deaths ended the epidemic.
But Nederland merchant ships loaded with goods from the island are coming to the fair.
You're saying contaminated cargo might be coming to the city?
And the only port Nederland's merchant ships can use is Marseirre.
Marseirre is currently governed by the de Médicis family...
Are the remains of the infected researchers or their samples still available?
Everything was incinerated with fire Divine Arts.
I expect the samples are nothing but ash, and not even bones remain of the bodies.
That is certainly the safe measure to take.
Fundamentally, both viruses and bacteria are vulnerable to heat.
But that means...
the top authorities in this world judged the situation to be unmanageable...
The progress of the disease was clearly abnormal.
The first researcher suddenly developed a high fever, followed by headache and vomiting.
Lumps had developed on his neck and in his armpits.
Afterward, he fell into a coma,
and on the seventh day of symptoms, he perished.
For the second researcher, it was even faster.
Purpura developed all over his body, followed by necrosis of the hands and feet.
His skin is said to have turned dark black.
Their laboratory has been sealed off, and all travel to the island has been prohibited.
Necrosis and blackened extremities...
Could it be...
Father, is there any more detailed information?
A revolutionary device with an unknown inventor
was introduced as a tool to the College.
What device?
Why, your microscope, Farma.
It seems it's being utilized even in far-off Novalout.
There may be sketches from the samples taken in the investigation.
Could you ask Palle to send copies of those sketches?
I believe it's fair to say these numbers are truly revolutionary.
The number of deaths from disease in the capital
has actually decreased 20% compared to last year.
Truly remarkable results.
Yes. This is marvelous.
This must be due to Parallel World Pharmacy and the Compounding Pharmacy Guild.
The number of member shops is continuously growing.
Cosmetics that cause minimal harm to health, regular public health lectures,
efforts to increase the people's awareness of disease prevention...
His endeavors are spectacular.
If these achievements spread to the provinces,
the Empire's prosperity will be unshakable!
I remember you turning your nose up at chartering "a pharmacy run by a child."
So now even you commend him.
Your Majesty, I...
It is welcome.
Now, then...
Given this, I ought to grant Farma de Médicis some reward.
What about the rank of archduke?
Your Majesty, I'm afraid his status as a minor prevents that.
The granting of archduke rank to a minor is not recognized under imperial law.
I see. So it would be premature to do so.
Then let us table this matter for the time being.
Onto the next item.
Yes, ma'am!
Regarding the renovation of the Grand Écurie and the riding school,
which the Finance Minister has informally approved...
As I suspected, that boy must have been possessed by some being.
What I can do is provide ample support to make it easier for him to act.
I pray the Empire's prosperity continues on like this forever.
Good morning, Farma!
What's wrong?
I have something important to discuss.
A fatal illness? Oh, gods!
This is no time to be holding a fair.
It starts in just over two weeks.
It's too late to stop the cargo from Nederland.
Then what do we do?
Well, I have several ideas, but...
Begging your pardon, Master Farma.
A carrier pigeon has arrived from Master Palle.
Thank you.
It's as I feared...
That disease exists in this world, too.
What's wrong? What does it say?
Farma, do you know what that is?
It's a sketch of low magnification, so I can't say with absolute certainty, but...
This is Yersinia pestis.
You're ready to go ahead of us and get started.
We'll join you later, once we finish some things here.
Yes, Master!
Once you reach Marseirre, ask Adam, the acting governor, for instructions.
I have already conveyed the details of the quarantine stations and the rest to him.
Leave it to us.
We'll make sure the Black Death doesn't enter the Empire!
Be especially diligent when inspecting cargo from Nederland.
If a crew member should be infected,
immediately isolate the crew and begin treatment.
We will!
I hope they perform well.
We've done what we can do ourselves.
Now we need to move the higher-ups.
Father.
I need to speak with you.
Farma. And Eléonore as well.
It's about that unknown pathogen.
Based on the purple-black discoloration and the lymph node swelling,
as well as the rod-like appearance of the bacteria in the sketch,
I believe we ought to conclude that it's the Black Death.
I see. So you think so too.
Though I have only read about it in literature,
I, too, recognize the dreadfulness of the Black Death.
The last plague was 210 years ago.
The Black Death—
or plague—
is transmitted through fleas that are carried by rodents.
There were multiple large outbreaks on Earth,
and in the 14th century, it spread with such fury
that it's said to have halved the population of Europe.
The fatality rate of bubonic plague is 50-70%.
If pneumonic plague develops, it's 100% fatal.
It's a nightmare disease that has tormented humanity more than any other in history.
What makes plague so frightening is its persistence,
appearing to burn out and then repeatedly reigniting.
Cargo connected to trade on Pante Island
will be heading to the capital by land and sea.
Regarding that, as discussed,
I've sent Adam instructions to set up quarantine stations in Marseirre's port.
In addition, Farma taught the inspection method to some students of mine,
and we sent them ahead to get the process started.
Good. Well done.
If an outbreak occurs in the capital, it will spell the Empire's doom,
for there exists no method for us to fight against the disease.
No, Father. We can save the Empire!
I have already prepared a new medicine.
Truly?
It is called levofloxacin.
It's an antibiotic that is effective against the bacteria that causes the Black Death.
At this stage, I am the only one who can create this medicine,
but I sent the necessary amounts to partner drugstores to be packaged.
You already did all that?
I'm impressed. Truly.
Thank you, Father.
Nevertheless, the first line of defense will be to prevent infection from happening at all.
Quite right.
But the task is too big for a Royal Pharmaceutist to handle alone.
I see.
So your true aim today is...
Yes.
Let us head to the palace at once!
I see. I grasp your request.
I shall close most of the gates and limit the merchants' points of entry into the city.
We are grateful for your decision.
In addition, please allow me to set up cargo inspection points at the gates.
The pharmaceutists of the Compounding Pharmacy Guild wish to serve.
Of course.
Anything else?
The Black Death is spread to humans by fleas that feed in particular on rats.
In other words, we should eliminate routes of infection?
Precisely, Your Majesty.
I seek a proclamation instructing residents
to exterminate rats and fleas, and to boil their own clothes.
I shall issue an edict today on that as well.
Minister, make the arrangements at once!
Yes, ma'am!
I thank you for your swift judgment, Your Majesty.
Don't thank me, Bruno.
Protecting the lives of the Empire's subjects is my responsibility as empress.
And besides,
I place the very deepest trust in your bold claims.
We shan't allow this disease to wreak havoc on our nation.
Put your utmost into your efforts.
Yes, Your Majesty!
A microscope?
That's what this is?
Yes.
It's a compound microscope, comprising an ocular lens and a convex lens.
It allows greater magnification and a larger field of view.
Wow...
Most importantly,
it decreases the risk of accidentally touching samples to your eyes or mouth.
How go the preparations with the new medicine?
Without a hitch.
The material you provided has been powdered and turned to 1,000 patients' worth of doses.
I have had doses distributed to member shops and quarantine stations.
Thank you very much.
Let's hope we won't have to use them.
Should anyone be found to be infected, we'll provide treatment at no cost, as instructed.
If the bacteria infect the lungs,
the disease will spread quickly from person to person via airborne droplets.
Make sure to give the medicine to anyone who may need it, no matter who they are.
I'll give the pharmaceutists strict orders to do so.
Well then, I leave the capital in your hands.
We'll work as a team and stop the Black Death in its tracks!
Finance Minister,
how are preparations for the Saint Fleuve Fair proceeding?
Smoothly, Your Majesty.
The various guilds and merchants of the Empire
are fully focused on preparing their wares.
And more foreign merchants arrive every day.
The quarantine stations appear to be functioning normally.
I see. That is splendid.
I have reports that Bishop Salomon at the Imperial Temple
has gathered practitioners of wind Divine Arts and strengthened purification patrols.
A welcome precaution.
At present, rumors of a strange, unknown disease appear to be completely in check.
Good.
The Saint Fleuve Fair must be conducted according to thorough safety measures.
The standing of the Empire is at stake.
Considering the enormous effects on the economy—
Naturally, that is a factor.
However, the greater concern is this:
sudden chaos causes unrest and exposes weakness at home and abroad.
When faced with an unknown situation,
not everyone can make rational, logical decisions the way that boy does.
Do not squander the good fortune of having him in this moment.
Now, do what is required of you!
Yes, ma'am!
I sent word to the advance team that we would depart today.
Thanks.
I've only dealt with plague as a page in history.
Will I really be able to contend with it?
Don't worry.
Please, let Master Farma come home safe!
You've saved so many people.
Panactheos—no, Farma.
We all know the things you've done.
Master Farma! Work hard!
But don't overdo it! Work a healthy amount of hard!
You aren't alone, Farma.
I believe in you, too!
I'll do everything in my power.
Master Farma! Have a safe trip!
Onward! To Marseirre!
Ah, what beauty the world possesses!
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