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The Reincarnated Thirty-Something Woman’s Otherworldly Reform Life

The Flower that Praises the Goddess (From a Certain Sailor’s Story)

Translated by: ME

Treat me to a Ko-Fi to give me more motivation!!!

*****

Azenda changed. Or rather, it might be more accurate to say it was in the process of changing.

Until recently, it had been nothing more than an unremarkable little countryside territory... a single domain ruled by the now-famous "Demon General". It was a land that possessed no particular famous sites or local specialties, simply sitting there facing the sea.

Bordering the Marinase Empire and the Monteorona Theocracy, it was regarded by those from foreign lands as little more than a place to drop anchor and take a rest.

It was only starting from a certain period that food and sundries from the Ascald Kingdom became available there, and a slight exchange resembling trade began to take place.

However, this spring, a product appeared that made people doubt their own ears.

It was a food item said to improve or even prevent "Sailing Sickness".

The price was set surprisingly low, and to everyone's astonishment, it came with a small manual... a generous display that included a recipe to make the same product yourself and even warnings on how to avoid falling ill with Sailing Sickness in the first place.

If it were true, one would wonder if the person behind it was out of their mind.

When I asked the man selling the products, he claimed that he had overcome Sailing Sickness himself by putting this product and these precautions into practice. He had apparently been a sailor in a merchant fleet from the Kingdom of Ignis, but he decided to quit sailing and open a sauerkraut shop because he wanted to use his saved life to help others like him. He seemed to be a hired manager, though.

...It sounded like a convenient story to make a sale. A trick that smelled of a scam.

I could feel my brow furrowing involuntarily.

The manager—looking at the man before him, who was likely a sailor—smiled casually and held out a small jar of sauerkraut.

「Then, just buy one small jar. And if you run into trouble, try eating while paying attention to the instructions written on this card. If you don't trust what I'm saying, go to one of the Champery Trading Company’s ships from Ignis and ask. There should be others who recovered just like I did.」

...The price for the information was three medium copper coins. Thinking I'd been cheated, I decided to buy it anyway.

As it turned out, it was the best decision I ever made.

When I returned to the ship, things were in a chaotic bustle. I tilted my head in confusion.

「Hey, what happened?」

I grabbed a man running nearby. He blurted out words at a rapid-fire pace, looking panicked.

「It's Sailing Sickness! I'm going to find a doctor!」

I let go of him quickly, and he ran off as if tumbling away.

「...Is it for real...?」

I stared at the small jar in my hand and muttered under my breath.

Then, I started running toward the galley in the same way.

The symptoms of the disease known as Sailing Sickness are varied, but the most common involve bleeding. For someone living a life of long voyages, it is not someone else's problem, and having to watch your comrades slowly being eaten away... "painful" isn't a strong enough word to describe it. While it's said not to be contagious, everyone feels the fear regardless.

To make matters worse, perhaps because the financial situation had deteriorated, there was no ship's doctor on board this time. We had no choice but to go call a doctor from Azenda, but would they actually come...?

I rushed to the galley, told the person in charge of cooking about the strange shopkeeper, and showed him the small jar I’d bought.

He also stared at the small piece of paper with skeptical eyes.

「Can something like this really cure it?」

「...Isn't it just a type of magic charm or something?」

Another guy peeked in from the side and commented. An air of "this is ridiculous" filled the room.

「...Well, but we don't have any medicine anyway, so should we just give it a try...?」

Though they didn't drop their suspicious attitudes, everyone likely felt the same sense of clutching at straws.

Fortunately, a doctor came rushing over.

...In his hands, he clutched several fruits and vegetables. I found myself exchanging looks with those around me. In the midst of that, the doctor began barking out orders with a serious face.

「Someone, go to the Knights' station and tell them that Sailing Sickness has broken out!」

「Yes, sir!」

Snapped into action by the doctor's words, one of the low-ranking crew members ran toward the station.

...A short while later, the subordinate who was supposed to go call for help returned—for some reason carrying a basket full of oranges and kiwis on his back—accompanied by a knight holding a jar of pickled cabbage.

「We are the Azenda Knights' Western Garrison. Is there only one person showing symptoms?」

「Yes...」

「To prevent others from falling ill, please have everyone eat fruit for a few days. During meals, use this sauerkraut. For the patient, try to get them to take as much as possible—try making the fruit into juice or find other ways.」

「Yes...」

Whether it was a territory-wide operation or not, neither the doctor nor the knight wavered for a single second.

Though still half-skeptical, we followed the dietary therapy according to the manual and the doctor's instructions.

... ... ...

...Unbelievably, they recovered.

The sailor who had bought the small jar a few days ago came charging into the shop.

「Hey! This is amazing!! He's cured! He’s actually cured!!」

At his thunderous voice, everyone in the shop turned to look at the sailor.

The manager nodded with a beaming smile.

「That’s wonderful. It seems it was of use to you.」

「I definitely want to say thanks to the person who thought of this. What should I do?」

「Hmm... Well, they don't really want to show their face. However, they'll be very happy to hear about the recovery. They said they want you to spread the information written on the instruction card so that no more people have to suffer from the disease.」

「What!?」

The sailor was speechless at the unexpected words.

Usually, wouldn't someone want to be praised? They want to spread the information on the card...? What will happen to the sales if people stop buying the product??

「Also, if you enter the port next time, we would like you to display a magnolia flower or branch on your ship. If you tie it with a ribbon, please make it pink... This isn't the inventor's own wish, but something being done by those who have been helped so far.」

「That's easy enough, but why?」

「It’s a flower that praises the Goddess of Wisdom.」

The shopkeeper smiled meaningfully and gave a small nod.

「And this is my own personal wish, but for the sake of everyone's health, I would appreciate it if you purchased some sauerkraut before you set sail.」

At the shrewd shopkeeper's words, the sailor let out a boisterous laugh.

「You've got it! Of course! I'll take a large jar, alright?」

Soon after that, bulk orders began pouring into the Cruz shop.

Similar incidents occurred here and there, and the rumors began to spread with an air of truth.

The awareness campaign for preventing Sailing Sickness in the Kingdom of Ignis, in particular, was incredible.

As expected of a country with the strong blessing of the Goddess of Trust. It seemed to be a national character that once a favor is received, they establish trust and repay it with sincerity.

The Champery Trading Company made it a rule to always sell sauerkraut whenever they docked at ports in various countries. This went hand-in-hand with the dissemination of information.

The "mutual aid" among sailors crossed borders, spreading not just in the port town of Cruz but occasionally through exchanges at sea and at other ports.

Along with the information, the story of the Goddess of Azenda was also passed on.

『There seems to be a merciful Goddess of Wisdom in Azenda who chooses to help people over her own honor or wealth. Those who have been saved by this information should display a magnolia flower or branch with a pink ribbon and praise the Goddess.』

Before long, the rumors began to take on the weight of truth.

As an undeniable number of people reached recovery, people truly began to feel that the blessing of the Goddess of Wisdom resided in Azenda.

Various ships decorated themselves with magnolia branches. Day by day, their numbers increased. Those who returned to their home countries passed the information to those setting sail in their place.

As a side note, the crew on that ship tried making sauerkraut themselves, but even when following the instructions, sometimes it worked well and sometimes it didn't.

...Therefore, they would buy it when they came to Azenda, and only make their own if the voyage was long and they ran short.

And frustratingly, for some reason, the ones they bought tasted better. Was it a matter of skill? Or was there a secret ingredient?

Magnolia saplings were being planted along the roads of Cruz. They were new saplings planted over the last few months.

Residents and farmers had begun planting them spontaneously to honor the young girl of the Lord’s family.

And to praise the tiny Goddess of Wisdom who had descended upon Azenda.

At the eaves of shops, and sometimes at the windows of houses. Ships at anchor, ships entering the port.

Vessel after vessel entered the harbor with pink ribbons tied to magnolia branches.

The blue sky and sea, the many blossoms of purple, white, and pink magnolias, and the pale pink ribbons fluttering in the sea breeze—it was a sight that could only be described as spectacular.

***

Magnolia was moved to tears by the sight, which was far beyond anything she had imagined. Before her ibis-colored eyes, countless flowers were being held high.

It felt as though the months she and everyone she had worked with had spent running recklessly had been rewarded. It felt as if she had been accepted by this world... Her heart felt full to bursting.

There were people whose lives had been saved. There were people who had been able to rebuild their lives.

Farmers, workshops, the Knights, the Church, and the orphanage. The Guilds and the people of the slums.

And all the others who had been involved...

Magnolia had nothing but the word "Thank you" in her heart.

「It seems to have spread rapidly, but the magnolia blossoms will be over soon anyway. I’m glad I could show you this sight.」

Adding that they were busy, Gai stared out at the sea with a triumphant grin.

The distinctive carriage of the House of Gilmore had come to a slow stop on top of a hill that offered a panoramic view of the town and the harbor.

「That was wonderful, Lady Magnolia.」

After stepping out of the carriage, Lily stood next to Magnolia—who was sitting on the coach box—and gave a thumbs-up with a bright smile.

「We did it, Magnolia!」

Dean, who jumped down from the footboard next, stretched out his small hands and gave his lady-turned-friend a spirited, smiling high-five.

*****

Note: Magnolia Cult growing inside and outside the country.

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