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The Reincarnated Thirty-Something Woman’s Otherworldly Reform Life

[Scurvy and Sea Sickness]

Translated by: ME

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*****

「Scurvy...?」

Hearing a disease name they had never heard before, Claude and Sebastian tilted their heads in confusion.

Claude, guessing it was knowledge from the world she came from, prepared himself to listen quietly. However, it was inevitable that Sebastian, unaware of the circumstances, would look at Magnolia somewhat skeptically.

A toddler talking about a disease that even her uncle, a rare genius, didn't know—no matter how you thought about it, it was too strange.

For the time being, knowing it didn't seem contagious was a relief, and Dean's complexion improved a bit.

「Yesh. It ish a dishease called that in other countwies. Due to a long-term unbalanshed diet, a certain nutwient becomes deficient, and the body's tissues are destwoyed.」

Scurvy is a disease caused by a deficiency of Vitamin C.

She had heard that on Earth, it raged during the Age of Discovery, claiming the lives of millions of sailors.

Since she couldn't test for it, she couldn't say for certain, but judging from the symptoms she heard, it was almost certainly scurvy. Of course, there was a possibility of other diseases occurring concurrently...

—Medicine... she truly regretted the lack of at least supplements.

She wanted something that could reliably determine the nutritional components of food, but that would be impossible. The only way was to have them ingest foods similar to those on Earth.

...How much recovery could be expected from diet alone? How long would it take?

「Ish there an eshtablished cure for that 『Voyage Shicknesh』 here?」

「No... since the cause is unknown, there is only symptomatic treatment.」

「In that cashe, I will go confirm the medical condition, advish on tweatment, and help.」

Everyone in the room looked at Magnolia with surprised faces.

Sebastian spoke with concern, but clearly.

「...I cannot agree to that. Since it is not certain, I believe you should remain in your room for your safety.」

Sebastian was right. Especially since Claude was the next Margrave. His safety was also a duty. Also, they should not judge lightly and act cautiously. Preventing spread to the surroundings was also important.

(—Normally, moving around without understanding the situation is a no-go. One wrong step could cause a pandemic. But this isn't contagious. And I know a method that will likely contain it—)

「...Then, evewyone pleashe be isolated. I will go to Cruse.」

「It is dangerous.」

「....... Theshe are lives that might be shaved, you know?」

「Your safety comes first.」

It must be the pride of a steward who has served the Gilmore family for many years. He had no intention of backing down even a step.

Seeing his unwavering blue eyes, Magnolia nodded.

However, Magnolia also had not a speck of intention to back down.

「Sebastian ish cowwect as a shteward. Then, what ish the duty of the Margrave family... no, the Gilmore family?」

「To guide the territory and its people. For that, it is necessary to cherish your own safety and let the house prosper.」

「...That ish the duty of a genewal noble. Gilmore wefers to 『Those Who Pwotect』, does it not?」

It's borrowed knowledge from history books, though, Magnolia murmured in her heart.

Hearing Magnolia's words, Sebastian and Claude widened their eyes slightly.

—These were the same words Gerald said when he went to his first battle at sixteen.

Sebastian's father, who was the steward at the time, used every word to stop him from going to battle, but Gerald stubbornly refused to listen.

Sebastian spun the same words his father once did.

「...You could also give instructions from here.」

Magnolia's retort overlapped with Gerald's words from the past.

「In that cashe, we cannot move weliably when time ish of the essenche. If the shituation ish unchertain, instwuctions won't function pwoperly and might inshtead exposhe them to danger. Confirmation of the shituation and appwopwiate instwuctions are nechessary.」

—『In that case, we can't move immediately when time is of the essence. If the situation is uncertain, instructions won't function properly and might instead expose them to danger. We need proper confirmation and appropriate instructions once.』

「However, you will be in danger. Since you are of the lord's family, you must cherish yourself for the sake of your own duties.」

「When lives are at shtake, we can't be shaying such leisurely things. ...The lord's family has Big Bwother Claude. The main houshe has Father and Big Bwother Brian.」

—『When lives are at stake, we can't be saying such leisurely things. ...If it's an heir, there's Claude too.』

「Thoshe who can do it now, should do it. Pwotect weliably. Ish that not right?」

—『Those who can accomplish it now, those who are capable, should do it. Protect reliably. Is that not right?』

(Ah, the Young Lady is exactly the same.)

Sebastian recalled the still-slender back of Gerald, who was still a boy, whom he saw off as a butler at that time.

At that time, Sebastian's father remonstrated with his young master until the end, but finally, seemingly accepting something, he sent him off silently and devoted himself solemnly to logistical support.

Although some bad-mouthed Gerald's splendid victory in his first battle as a fluke, Sebastian's father acted as if he had known the victory from the start.

—A retainer must advise his master even on things difficult to say, even if punished. However, if the choice is not made out of mischief but out of necessity, one must follow to the end no matter how difficult.

So his father had said.

But should he really say yes to the words of the too-young lady in front of him? Sebastian was wavering.

In the Young Lady's extraordinary mind, the statement was likely based on proper thought and knowledge. He understood it was never uttered lightly. However. Was it right to let a young child shoulder lives and approve it?

(Lord Gerald was sixteen... Lady Magnolia is four, you know?)

...Leaving it to her would be insanity.

Although there wasn't as much danger as in Gerald's time, Sebastian's conflict was transmitted to everyone in the room.

Lily asked for permission to speak in a calm voice.

「I will accompany Lady Magnolia.」

「Lily... I don't think I'm wong, but there ish a chanche of 『what if』. Think carefully.」

To her small mistress who was surprised and trying to warn her, Lily smiled strongly.

「Lady Magnolia is a person who takes responsibility for her words. I believe in you. And I am Lady Magnolia's maid. If I don't accompany you now, when will I!」

「I-I too... I will go too! I am Lady Magnolia's footman!!」

Dean raised his voice with a look of determination.

His eyes, a mix of blue and ink, were clinging to Magnolia and Sebastian.

「Dean... Wegarding you, I cannot shay yesh. I have confidenshe that I will be fine, but I cannot pwove it with cuwwent technology. Sho, if by mishtake shomething happens, I might not be able to take weshponsibility for you and your pawents. The wight to decide the tweatment of a minor like you lies with your pawents.」

「.......」

Dean looked troubled and angry for a moment, but looked at Magnolia challengingly again. Magnolia quietly shook her head. However, Dean did not back down.

「Then, what can I do to be taken along!」

「...Even if you shtay here, there ish no pwoblem. It ish normal for childwen to shtay behind, you know?」

「What can I do to be taken along!」

「...Then, pershuade your pawents yourshelf and get their approval. If you do that, I will take you. There ish not much time.」

「Understood... Excuse me.」

Dean bowed as a retainer, greeted Claude, and left the room.

He was probably going to explain to his family.

Claude, for his part, was carefully scrutinizing the situation in front of him.

There had been many cases of people with similar symptoms before, but there were no cases of infection to those on land. Unless it was an unknown disease with extremely similar symptoms, the disease would not spread this time either.

Sebastian proposed isolation, but it was really just customary, something done just in case.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have been waiting outside; he would have already shut himself in his room to prevent spreading the disease.

...From Magnolia's demeanor, there was likely a similar disease in the world she came from, and she knew the cure.

However, it could be seen that she was slightly hesitating because she didn't know the differences between the original world and this world. Also, since she couldn't openly talk about the strange story of her background, she was struggling to deal with the suspicious Sebastian.

(However, she is knowledgeable... Her range of knowledge is wide. Yet she lamented not having deep specialized knowledge... Just what kind of places are 『Chikyu』 and 『Nihon』...)

If there was a high possibility of saving lives and no danger of contagion, they should act without hesitation even if it might fail.

But. What stuck in his mind was her youth.

Even if he believed what she said... no matter how adult she was on the inside, she looked more like a toddler than a child. It would be difficult to demand responses from those around her and move them like an adult.

(She herself must find it the most frustrating, though...)

「...I will go with you...」

「You cannot.」

Just as Claude started to speak, Sebastian interrupted.

「The safety of the heir must be ensured.」

He wanted to say 「Is this the time for that?」, but to someone who didn't know Magnolia's past, it would only seem like a reckless gamble.

According to conventional wisdom up to now. That was the standard response. He swallowed a sigh.

「But Magnolia is still small. Aside from instructions, she will need an adult for negotiations and dealing with people.」

Moreover, to proceed with uncertain things, a certain amount of authority is necessary.

「It's okay. Inshtead, could you wite a document... a Lord's Writ, perhaps? Shomething showing delegated authority to entwust it to me.」

「...Understood. Anything else?」

「Pleashe inform the knight order in Cruse by fasht horse that shomeone will be coming to deal with the dishease. I will need them to act as my hands and feet.」

Claude nodded, wrote it down swiftly, and held it out to the escort knight sitting with bated breath.

「You. Sorry, but take this and ride with all speed to the western garrison.」

「....... Yes. Understood...」

The pitiful escort knight swallowed his words of denial and immediately opened the door and left.

(...Sorry, Mr. Escort Knight...)

Magnolia put her hands together in her heart. Today must surely be his unlucky day.

「Big Bwother.」

「What is it?」

「Voyage Shicknesh is a dishease where one can loshe their life, wight?」

「That's right... with the proviso that it's only if it gets quite severe.」

Magnolia moved her eyes left and right several times, seemingly scrutinizing thoughts in her head busily.

「...In foreign countwies... in countwies that had shtalls, or mawitime nations like the Marinase Empire, are cures or pweventative methods unknown?」

「I haven't heard of any... Likely, if they existed, they would be the ones wanting that information.」

Magnolia nodded slightly several times, then stared into Claude's eyes.

「...Undershtood. Then, I apologize for the twouble, but pleashe allocate a budget to plant cabbage and papwika sheeds or sheedlings in the idle farmland near the tewwitorial capital. Also, as many glass jars and pottewy jars with lids as posshible, and if there are few, a budget to make them. Purchashe of shalt and chili peppers. If posshible, caraway sheeds and bay leaves too.」

「...Just what do you intend to do?」

「Pleashe also account for permission to ushe and enter the church kitchen, and labor coshts to hire people fwom the shlums. The more people, the better.」

「Wait. What are you really going to do!」

Claude called a stop while creating a canyon between his brows as if he had a headache.

Magnolia smiled fearlessly.

「It's a 『pwesentation』 to Gwandfather. I will shettle all the pwoblems at onche.」

Being told it would be a major project, Claude sighed.

(Why does it become such a big deal...)

Complaints, grumbles, and questions were about to burst from his mouth, but now it was better to finalize the discussion than to argue.

「...I have a mountain of things to say, but for now, understood. I'll make estimates for the documents. Take this.」

Claude knelt and crouched down in front of Magnolia. He removed something like a pendant from his neck and put it on Magnolia's neck.

「...This is?」

「The seal of the acting lord. When you must move something forcibly, show this. It will be a mark showing you possess the same authority as Father. Of course, do not use it for mischief... You understand the meaning, right?」

Magnolia gasped quietly and stared intently at the object shining in silver. The Gilmore family crest engraved with a sword, a shield, and a wing.

After a while, she quietly whispered her understanding.

「...Undershtood. I will bowwow it.」

*****

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