Ch.244Chapter 244 – Repairman! It’s You Again!

The Glesius Academy strictly prohibits entry to outsiders.

However, exceptions exist everywhere.

All supplies needed by those who live and eat at Glesius Academy come from outside.

In other words, merchants who provide necessary goods are granted limited access to the academy.

“Count Severio. I’ve brought all the spices that were marked for disposal, as requested by the Chancellor.”

And merchants bringing spices destined for disposal, needed for manufacturing medicine, were also temporarily granted access.

“It’s still a bit chaotic as we’re unloading from the wagons, but roughly speaking, there are about 2,400 wooden crates and approximately 3,000 round wooden barrels.”

“That seems less than I expected.”

“We’re just the advance party. For now, we’ve brought the spices from the harbor that were in such poor condition they were marked for disposal.”

According to the merchant’s explanation, unloading of spices was still actively ongoing at the harbor.

With the seas becoming more stable, trade ships could travel much safer routes than before, increasing the volume of trade.

Apparently, the empire had imported about 20,000 wooden crates and 60,000 round barrels of spices this time.

Since about half of those were considered unusable… what had been delivered to the academy was merely one-tenth of the total.

However, even though it was just one-tenth, the amount of spices the merchants had brought by wagon was enormous.

A temporary warehouse had been built on vacant academy land to store the spices, and it was already half full.

“Perhaps we need to build more warehouses…”

The fact that the warehouse built to store ingredients for the plague remedy was already more than half full meant that even more spices would be stored at the academy in the future.

It seems twice as large as the warehouse attached to the production factory of the company I worked for in my previous life…

Anyway, that’s not what’s important right now, so let’s move on.

“But what do you plan to do with all these spices? To us, they’re nothing but unusable garbage.”

One of the merchants asked why spices in such poor condition that they needed to be discarded were being moved to the academy.

Even those who had been in commerce for a long time didn’t seem to understand this situation.

“Are you aware that a plague has begun spreading throughout the empire recently?”

“Yes, we are. Many people are searching everywhere for a cure, but…”

“These very spices are necessary for manufacturing the remedy for that plague.”

“What?”

The merchants showed disbelief, as if hearing this for the first time.

“I’ve heard that the Eastern Continent experienced a similar plague in the past. For the sake of the empire’s well-being, I obtained the formula for the remedy. And I’ve already confirmed that the manufactured remedy actually cures the plague.”

“I see! Then, how do you plan to distribute the remedy?”

“I’ll have to discuss that with His Majesty the Emperor. After all, the more people afflicted with the plague, the more vitality the empire loses.”

The merchants nodded in agreement with my words.

After confirming that all goods had been unloaded from the wagons and stored in the warehouse, they bid me farewell and left the academy.

Before using my ability, I opened one wooden crate to check the condition of the spices.

“Ugh.”

The moment I opened the crate, a sour and nauseating smell rushed out so suddenly that I almost dropped the lid.

The condition of the spices inside the box couldn’t be described as good, even as a polite lie.

Though there were no insects, I could tell without touching that they were soggy and slimy due to moisture.

I closed the lid again, but the smell that had already spread didn’t easily dissipate.

Stepping outside the warehouse, I understood why the merchants called these things garbage.

Even when ships are loaded with goods, if more than half rot or spoil like this, they’re literally nothing but trash.

“Phew…”

I’m truly grateful that Epitrina gave me the ability to fix everything.

Otherwise… we might have had to make many sacrifices in dealing with the demon cult.

I wouldn’t have been able to heal Sister Regina, nor the Heavenly Demon… and the world would have fallen into chaos because I couldn’t solve the problems of countless people.

And now, spices needed for manufacturing the plague remedy continue to be secured.

“I don’t know who spread the plague… but things won’t go as smoothly as you planned.”

I muttered to myself as I swung my hammer toward the warehouse building.

After striking the warehouse wall about three times, a brilliant light burst forth from inside.

I suppose the large quantity of spices turned what would have been a faint glow into a brilliant light.

After the light faded, I entered the warehouse and reopened the first crate I had checked.

“Just as I expected.”

Inside the crate I opened after using my ability were fresh spices that looked as if they had just been harvested.

Whether it was pepper or nutmeg, I couldn’t tell, but the sweet and tangy aroma that stimulated my appetite indicated success.

I sent a message to Sister Regina using my terminal, and she immediately teleported here after seeing it.

“So, all of these can be used to manufacture the remedy?”

“Yes. I fixed all the garbage, making them as fresh as if just picked. How many doses of the remedy do you think we can make with this amount?”

“Let me think.”

Sister Regina was calculating how much remedy could be made.

After a moment:

“With this quantity, we could treat about 100,000 people.”

“That many?”

“Of course. The concentrated extract is diluted with water to make the remedy. The secret manual also specifies that the extract must be diluted with water before drinking.”

“Hmm.”

I wasn’t aware that the extract needed to be diluted with water.

After all, it was the professors from the Alchemy Department who made the remedy and distributed it to the students.

“I’ll summon the Alchemy Department professors right away. The sooner we make the remedy, the sooner people can be freed from the suffering of the plague.”

“I’ll leave that to you.”

“Don’t worry. The professors were actually happy to be able to use their knowledge to help people after so long.”

Hmm… is that genuine happiness, or are they just pretending to be happy because the Chancellor ordered them to…

If Sister Regina says so, they must be genuinely happy.

…Probably?

Anyway, I handed over all authority regarding the use of the spices stored in the warehouse to Sister Regina and returned to my quarters.

I hope the plague disappears from the empire as soon as possible.

And as a bonus, I’d like to see the ones who created the plague get thoroughly annoyed when they see it being cured.

◈◇◈◇◈◇◈◇◈◇◈

Underground in the Abandoned Land.

Eldran, the ruler of this demon race stronghold, was openly displaying his displeasure toward the demon prostrating before him.

“What did you just say?”

“I-I humbly report… that the remedy made from the spices that entered Glesius Academy is… working effectively…”

—CRASH!

With the sound of breaking glass, the demon prostrating before Eldran trembled violently.

This was because Eldran, unable to contain his anger, had thrown the wine glass in his hand.

“Haah… Are you certain you tampered with the spices?”

“O-of c-c-course! I definitely tampered with the spices heading to Glesius Academy!”

“Then why is nothing happening?”

The prostrating demon could not answer Eldran’s question.

He was certain he had approached the merchant caravan’s spice boxes bound for Glesius Academy and tampered with them.

“Tsk, did that damned repairman interfere again…”

Eldran believed that Patos was responsible for preventing deaths from the plague remedy.

Since all his previous plans had been thwarted by him, he assumed this time was no different.

“So… this is the only way left.”

Eldran decided to take drastic action as the repairman kept interfering with his plans.

“I’ll have to step in personally. With my own hands, I will take the head of that so-called repairman.”