Chapter 48

“Sir Pasis protected me.”

“…That’s a relief.”

Sir Pasis had risked his life to protect her. If it hadn’t been for him, she might have died. Since then, Edelis had stayed quietly and steadfastly by Lehan’s side for days. At least, while she was here, the guards could rest. She didn’t want to cause any more trouble. Fortunately, Lehan had sent doctors to the patients in the slums, but the guilt in her heart didn’t go away.

“Your Majesty, the Chancellor urgently requests an audience.”

“…Let him in.”

Lehan wanted to spend more time calming Edelis. Ever since the incident, he hadn’t left her side—and his presence felt endearing, lovely, and perfectly aligned with his heart. As the Chancellor entered, Edelis, who had been sitting on the couch in the office, rose to head to the study. But the Chancellor stopped her.

“Your Majesty the Empress.”

“Yes?”

Why is he calling me if he wants an audience with Lehan?

“It’s about the pharmacy established in the slums.”

“…Yes.”

The pharmacy that had been attacked. What was he bringing up now?

“You said it was to reduce the risk of infectious disease…”

“That’s right.”

“How did you know about the infectious disease?”

“…What are you talking about?”

“There’s a report that an infectious disease has broken out near the port of Behitan.”

Edelis was shocked.

‘It’s already started? I thought there was more time…’

The Chancellor placed the report he had received on Lehan’s desk. As Lehan and Edelis began to read it, the Chancellor summarized the key points.

“It’s highly contagious. It appears to be a new disease previously unseen in this country, and the fatality rate is high—death occurs within a week.”

This is it—the disease she read about in the book. The one that killed one in three citizens of the Empire.

“Also, reports show a higher infection rate among commoners and the poor, with the poor being infected at twice the rate of the commoners.”

“As expected, those without access to medical care are suffering the most.”

“Yes. We’ve quarantined the port of Behitan, but the disease is spreading to nearby areas. It’s likely to reach the capital.”

In the capital, the spread would be slower due to already-established pharmacies. If only they’d had more time to prepare, they could’ve set up facilities throughout the country.

“Still, there are already pharmacies in two or three major slum areas in the capital, so that should help a bit.”

“And what makes you say that?”

“I had been working with Count Reynold to prepare for something like this in advance.”

“Hm…”

The Minister of Finance looked skeptical. Understandably so—predicting a disaster of this scale was nearly impossible. And to have acted on it beforehand was even more unbelievable.

“Let’s hope it dies down. But for now, we’ll watch closely.”

Just as Edelis feared, the epidemic didn’t die down. It exploded. Carrier pigeons delivered reports to Lehan’s office describing the dire situation. While the nobles were less affected due to personal physicians, the poor and commoners were hit hardest. Some entire villages were quarantined and then burned. In some cases, a lone surviving child was left in a neighboring town after their entire family perished.

“Edelis, I have something to tell you.”

“Is it serious?”

Lehan’s cautious tone and the country’s dire state made Edelis’s face grow grim.

“Just now, in the Council, there was a proposal to request aid from the Holy Empire.”

“…Given the situation, it makes sense to seek help from the priests.”

“All across the continent, countries are reaching out to the Holy Empire.”

The priests often served as medical personnel during emergencies, so many would seek their assistance.

“Cronad Empire is stronger and larger than most, so the Holy Empire will likely pay attention, but even so, there’s no guarantee the Saintess herself will come.”

But Edelis was certain she would. Even if the story had changed, the Saintess’s interest in Lehan remained. So, as in the book, she would come.

“I think the Saintess will come here—not to any other place.”

Edelis disliked that thought. But for the Empire, the Saintess’s arrival would be a great boon. Not just her divine power, but also the capable priests who accompanied her. Their help would be invaluable.

“But… you’re uncomfortable with the Saintess, aren’t you?”

“…I am.”

So it was that obvious. She had tried so hard not to show it. Edelis glanced at Lehan.

“The Saintess…”

“Yes?”

“She’ll be a great help to the Empire.”

“That’s what many hope.”

In the book, the Saintess’s efforts moved the Emperor’s heart. Edelis hoped that wouldn’t happen again.

“What about you, Lehan?”

“I hope she helps, if she comes.”

Edelis felt conflicted. Should she speak plainly? Would Lehan misunderstand?

“What if she helps a lot?”

“I’d be grateful, of course. But I’d also worry about what the Holy Empire might want in return.”

‘What she wants is your heart!’

But Edelis couldn’t say that, so she spoke around it.

“…I think the Saintess likes you.”

“That’s just kindness, not affection.”

“No, it’s affection.”

Lehan chuckled at Edelis’s firm tone.

“Are you jealous?”

“Jealous?!”

Edelis scoffed in disbelief.

Jealous? That’s absurd! I just… if the Saintess likes Lehan, and Lehan likes her…

It wasn’t because she feared the same fate as in the book, because Lehan clearly loved her now. Anyone could see it. So why did it still bother her that the Saintess might help? Why did her involvement feel unpleasant?

She soon found the answer.

‘I’m afraid of losing Lehan.’

Edelis averted her eyes. If fearing that Lehan might be taken away wasn’t jealousy, then what was?

“So, are you jealous? I’d be happy if you were. Just thinking that you might be makes me feel good.”

“What’s there to be jealous of?”

“Sir Pasis. Johannes Frache. The guards. The patrolmen. Every man you encounter.”

Edelis gaped as he listed them.

“Pasis makes sense, but why the others?”

Pasis had openly confessed his feelings, straining his relationship with Lehan. She kept her distance for Lehan’s sake, but couldn’t disregard someone who’d risked his life for her—especially someone said to play a vital role in her survival.

“I dislike all men around you.”

“……”

“I think I dislike women too. I wish there was only me in your world.”

“That’s impossible.”

“It’s not impossible.”

Lehan smiled like he was asking, “You think I can’t do that?”

“I could hide you deep in the palace, surround you with multiple layers of guards, reject every visit from the Marquis of Brill and Lady Eliana… and make it so you see no one but me.”

His hand, which had been brushing her cheek, slid down her back to her waist, pulling her gently into his embrace.

“But you’d hate that.”

“Correct.”

“So I just quietly get jealous.”

Lehan smiled, but it felt oddly cold. Still, Edelis found that coldness lovable.

“I get jealous too.”

“Really? Not just because I said it first?”

“Of course not.”

Edelis wrapped her arms around him.

“It’s great that the Saintess is helping the needy, but… I don’t want you to like her.”

“That won’t happen.”

“I hope not.”

“And if she wants something else in return, anything but you.”

“Yes, anything but me. But what if she doesn’t even want me, and we’re worrying over nothing?”

“That’d be perfect.”

Edelis buried her face in his chest and giggled. Maybe the Saintess wouldn’t want Lehan this time. She might have been worrying for no reason.

‘But she definitely liked Lehan in the book.’

Still, Edelis vowed to stay on guard—while savoring the moment.

After the last attack, Edelis had been confined in the palace and didn’t know the outside situation, but Lehan did. He had received reports: the pandemic was sweeping the continent, leaving immense casualties. The Empire, thanks to its pharmacies, clinics, and shelters, was faring better than others. Elsewhere, one in two—or at best, one in three—died. In the Empire, one-tenth of the population died; slightly more had been infected.

“Among nobles, the infection rate is similar to other nations. But for commoners and the poor, the rate is significantly lower, especially closer to the capital.”

Count Reynold, who had taught about infectious diseases at the Academy, attended the national council. He was the Empire’s foremost expert.

“Why is that?”

“I believe it’s thanks to the medical support programs initiated by Your Majesties.”

“But those were only just established. Isn’t that an overstatement?”

“There’s a clear difference in infection rates between areas with and without pharmacies.”

Thanks to Count Reynold’s support, Edelis’s prestige rose. That was a relief. She could now hold her ground when the Saintess arrived. In the book, the Empress and Saintess had been worlds apart.

‘Maybe the Saintess won’t come at all…’

Edelis relayed a treatment recipe from the book to the pharmacies. But it hadn’t been scientifically proven, so she withheld it from other nations.

Then, an unexpected issue arose.

“Your Majesty, there’s no herb supply for the pharmacies.”

“What? That herb wasn’t commonly used—there were plenty before.”

In the book, there had been so much of it that people tripped over it. Now it was gone.

“It’s been disappearing from the market for some time.”

“That’s impossible!”

“Except for a few grown under Your Majesty’s orders…”

The book didn’t record every event, so Edelis hadn’t prepared for this. If only she’d started stockpiling earlier!

“Find them—even from foreign countries. Cost doesn’t matter. Just do it quickly.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Soon after, they discovered the cause: someone else was buying up the herb.

‘But it’s not even a well-known one…’

Suspicious, but with no better option, Edelis bought every bit of it, even at 10 or 100 times the original price. As rumors spread, more people began cultivating it, and supply increased. Every time herbs arrived, she had court pharmacists make the medicine. Though its efficacy was unproven, the pharmacists obeyed the Empress’s orders, albeit with doubt.

That made Edelis even more hesitant to share the recipe with other nations.

‘If the medicine or herbs run out, we could be at risk of war.’

So, she quietly secured as much as possible and directed its use for the most serious cases. But the demand still outpaced supply.

“What do I do? At this rate, even the Empire is in danger…”

While Edelis wracked her brain in despair, aid arrived from the Holy Empire—

Twelve priests and the Saintess herself.