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The Reincarnated Thirty-Something Woman’s Otherworldly Reform Life

[Let Me Explain]

Translated by: ME

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

*****

Before the words had even fully left his mouth, Servas cast a glance toward Hugo and gave a single nod. Receiving the signal, Hugo nodded in return.

「My name is Hugo Ducasse, Captain of the Western Garrison of the Gilmore Knight Order. Recently, we received a report that six cases of Sailing Sickness broke out on a foreign merchant vessel anchored in Crews. We immediately moved to verify the facts...」

From there, he retraced the series of events in Crews for the sake of those who were not yet informed of the treatment's details. However, the adults listening all tilted their heads in unison, their expressions clouded with skepticism.

「...Are you suggesting that Sailing Sickness, which has been called an incurable disease of unknown origin for so long, was cured through dietary therapy? And so quickly at that?」

Dominic, the Merchant Guild Master, spoke up as if representing the doubts of everyone present....Well, it was a natural question.

On Earth, those affected often see some improvement as early as the next day, and it was said to take about one to two weeks for a full recovery. Without supplements, it would likely take longer here than on Earth, but improvement would still be visible quite early on. In fact, Paul had shown significant recovery within just a few days.

「Indeed. We ourselves were greatly surprised. Among the six afflicted, one was Paul, a native of the Azenda Margravate.」

Upon being introduced by Hugo, Paul bowed his head, looking somewhat nervous.

「My name is Paul Moria; I live in Crews. ...Until recently, I was serving aboard a multinational merchant ship belonging to a company in the nation of Ignis. A few days before we made port in Azenda, a rash broke out, and the ship’s doctor diagnosed me with Sailing Sickness.」

Though he faltered occasionally, he spoke clearly about his symptoms, his condition at home, the treatment method provided by the Margrave’s house, and his subsequent recovery. Every time the words 'Young Lady' appeared in his explanation, the faces of the older men attending the meeting soured in an almost comical fashion.

This was a world with a distinctively male-dominated society. A female, a toddler, and a member of the ruling house to boot—in the world of commerce, where commoners were the majority, she faced a triple handicap. They likely felt a strong sense of rejection toward such a person attempting to enter their domain.

(Well, if someone told me a toddler cured a disease, I’d be scratching my head too. It’s a perfectly normal reaction. And without even saying a word, it’s painfully obvious that I intend to start a business related to it. If the roles were reversed, I’d ask myself if I were sane.)

「...Excuse me, but how exactly did the Young Lady know the method for treating this disease? Did she receive instruction from Lord Claude and simply act as his proxy?」

A man who was the head of the Butcher’s Guild asked tentatively.

「In the patht (Japan), I read a book (an online article).」

In a situation like this, it’s better to tell the truth without lying. A lie will eventually be seen through, and cracks will appear. ...Even if I don’t reveal every detail, it is best to convey the truth.

「Ah, my name ith Magnolia Gilmore. It ith a pleathure to meet you.」

At Magnolia's introduction, those who knew her offered a respectful nod, though they didn't hide their amused or troubled expressions. Those seeing her for the first time looked at her with prying eyes, unsure of how to respond.

「...Can the Young Lady read?」

The head of the Baker’s Guild asked suspiciously. Magnolia nodded and gave an "Aye."

—Not "Can you read books?" but "Can you read letters?"

The fact that they were looking down on her leaked out unconsciously. However, it was a natural reaction.

「If you doubt whether I can read letterth, thall I read the entirety of the documentth in your handth and explain the contentth? Or perhapth I thould compothe a poem in meter?」

She tilted her head slightly, as if she were the one asking a strange question. Internally, she was apologizing profusely.

(Sorry, old man! Your common sense is perfectly normal!!)

However, if she didn't do this now, the conversation would unfortunately never progress. She fervently hoped she wouldn't be punished for something like "disrespect." ...She vowed to herself that if by some chance he was reprimanded, she would have to intercede.

When she looked at Servas and Claude, they gave small nods. Shifting her gaze to Hugo and Ethan, she saw they had expressions that looked as if they were about to let out a sigh.

And there was one more person looking at Magnolia with an amused face. He was a brawny, red-haired man sitting next to the Merchant Guild Master, who remained expressionless but looked like he was inwardly swallowing a bitter pill.

(...Wait, why does he have a braided° pineapple hairstyle?)

Everything except the back of his head was shaved, and the remaining hair wasn't in a braid, but pulled into a tight ponytail from the root. The hair flared out energetically, looking exactly like the leaves of a pineapple. His clothing, too—how should I put it—was like a bandit or something out of the Arabian Nights, featuring a very flashy vest over his muscles. He was incredibly unique.

Amidst this group of serious older men, his appearance stood out as a total anomaly. Was he a maverick? Her eyes kept drifting back to his hair, but the aura he projected was the same as Gai’s.

(Another weirdo... Doesn't the old man next to him say anything?)

Magnolia averted her eyes from the dangerous person (probably).

「Regarding why my uncle dithpatched me ath a proxy dethpite him having the knowledge himthelf—I don’t quite under thtand why anyone would think that. Thith ith a matter of liveth; if it were pothible to go, my uncle would have gone himthelf, would he not? He the rve th the territory ath a knight; ith that the kind of perthon you think he ith? I wath given permithion to go becauthe it wath deemed betht that I be the one to go.」

The head of the Butcher’s Guild turned red, then blue, and now his face had lost all color and turned stark white.

(I'm sorry... I won't let you be punished, so just bear with it for a bit!)

Cutting her words short, she told Dean to hand the sketches and a few small portraits to the gentleman sitting at the end.

「The pictureth that will be path-thed around for you to thee depict the changeth in the thymptomth of the thailorth who were receiving treatment on the Ignith merchant thip. They were drawn for follow-up obthervation under the inthtructionth of the thip'th doctor. Pleathe lithen to what I have to thay while you look at them.」

In a book she had once read somewhere (in Japan), it was written that food contains essential components for the body, and that a lack or an excess of these can lead to ill health.

Hearing of Sailing Sickness, she thought about what would be lacking during a long voyage. There was dried or salted meat (though these were not without their own issues...), and fish could be caught if needed. Thinking of bread and porridge... she could surmise that fresh vegetables and fruits would be in short supply.

...Actually, she already knew the answer, but since that would be unnatural, she kept it to herself.

When she tried things that were said to be good for the body or the skin (to see if they worked for scurvy, or rather, Sailing Sickness), they fortunately proved effective. The fact that it wasn't a fluke could be demonstrated by the improvement of multiple people.

...That was how she explained it.

「In that case, we simply need to eat the vegetables and fruits that were effective, is that it?」

「That’th right. However, the fact that they are freth ith important for Thailing Thithkneth (becauthe nutrientth decreathe ath they deteriorate). During a long voyage, it may take many dayth until the next port. At thuch timeth, I with to thpread the uthe of thupplementary foodth.」

At Magnolia's words, the older men frowned. Thinking it was time to press the point, voices rose from all around.

「Has it been proven that this food is also effective?」

「Business is not something that can be done on a mere whim, you know?」

「In the first place, the House of the Margrave, being great nobility, has no need to seek further profit through trade.」

The objections came pouring out, one after another.

She looked at her grandfather next to her; his face was beginning to look a bit dangerous.

(Are these people going to be okay...?)

Behind her, she heard Lily and Dean catch their breath. Looking at Claude, she could see him considering whether he should step in to manage the situation.

Yes, yes, yes. You're right.

Magnolia nodded.

「Um. Now that we know a dith-eathe with a previouthly unknown cauthe can be improved, why are you tho negative about dithtributing a food that might thuppreth it?」

I get it~. You want to give me a piece of your mind, right?

You want to make the child and her guardians—who you assume are taking business lightly—say "I give up, I'm sorry," don't you?

When you imagine wealthy people gaining even more riches, it feels like they're monopolizing everything, and it leaves a bad taste in your mouth, doesn't it? You're jealous, aren't you?

And you've turned those unconscious feelings into "advice to make me reconsider my ways" out of "goodwill."

「You think I am an amateur when it cometh to trade, but have you forgotten that they are the oneth conducting the adminit thtration of the territory?」

In order to run a territory without issue, while there are differences, there is a certain correlation. So to speak, it’s microeconomics and macroeconomics. Magnolia wasn't very well-versed in this area, but she remembered that macroeconomics is the accumulation of microeconomics, and that learning a certain amount of microeconomics was essential for studying macroeconomics.

As they thought about this, the older men suddenly fell silent, remembering that behind the cheeky young girl stood the Lord and the next Lord.

「In the firtht plathe, are great nobleth not allowed to make money through trade? Why? If the territory becometh wealthy, wouldn't that inevitably benefit you, the people of the territory? Thpethifically, through thingth like tax cutth or new b uthineth opportunitiet h.」

When she met each of their gazes with her innocent eyes (*by her own estimation), they subtly looked away and frowned.

「The reathon you are all tho negative ith becauthe you don't want to thuffer a lot h, ithn't it? I underthtand.」

While many of the men shifted their eyes nervously, the braided pineapple-head man was smiling broadly.

(Ooh... he looks like he’s actually enjoying this...)

While sporting a lovely smile on her face that was on the verge of twitching, she said:

「Everyone, I think you thought you were called to the meeting to be athked for donationth or cooperation, but that’th not it. The funding wath originally intended to be provided by the Margrave'th h outhe. ...Of courthe, I had planned to allow thothe who thaid they wanted to participate after theeing the buthineth opportu nity to do tho, but thinth I have learned it ith not neth eth thary—Lily, pleathe make a note that their participation ith not required.」

Turning her face slightly back, she heard a voice say, "Understood," accompanied by the sound of a pen.

(The feelings of these old men aren't wrong, and they might even be normal. But, I can't quite get behind everyone ganging up to put a helpless little girl on trial.)

Among the guild heads, some were stunned and opening and closing their mouths like fish, while others just sat there with their mouths agape.

「The product ith intended to prevent the dith-eathe. And I want many people to be able to get their handth on it ath cheaply ath pothible. It would be pointlethth if it were expenthive. Why? Becauthe then not everyone could buy it. Thurely you don't think that becauthe we are wealthy, we thould dithtribute it for free? No matter how you look at it, we don't have the financial power to conthtantly dithtribute it to tho many people in tho many other countrieth.」

Someone whispered at Magnolia's words.

「Other countries...?」

「Yeth. There are people thuffering from Thailing Thithkneth in other countrieth ath well. I want many people to have it to prevent the dith-eathe, and yet make it a buthineth that benefitth the territory. That ith why you were thummoned—to tell you that there are a few thingth I would like your cooperation with to the exthent pothible. Even calling it cooperation, you won't thuffer any lot h; if anything, it’th a chanth to make a profit, even if it’th a thmall one.」

The guild heads were completely silenced by the young girl who spoke calmly and without anger.

*****

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