The Magic Academy's Physicist

Chapter 62: Black Death (9)

Chapter 62: Black Death (9)

[The primary source of infection is the mosquito. As traces of flying insect bites are difficult to detect, all medical staff should determine if someone is infected based on symptoms such as headache, fever, chills, and bruising.]

[Additionally, the central government orders local restrictions on outings for citizens as of this time. Those who are not medical officers should stay in their homes. In the case that you must leave, please contact the nearest authority through the hotline.]

**Two weeks after the first case of infection.

Coals lined the streets. The country supposedly executed a first response but it didn’t seem like it.

When the situation became serious, the Academy turned into a field hospital. The school had also begun preparing for patient isolation, transportation, and provision of sickbeds.

The Academy was in the middle of the capital. It was close to the palace and also connected to the marketplace. In the case that the Imperial court fell, it was the best location to act as a second command post.

The hours from dawn until early evening mostly consisted of patient quarantine and transferring. Not that you weren’t allowed to leave during this time, but it wasn’t easy to obtain an outing permit.

“It’s almost time. Let’s go.”

“Right.”

Around 10 p.m., the hour when human activity dropped drastically, several students gathered in the large field. In the middle of this group was the disciplinary committee under the Student Council. Starting from the center of the Academy, dozens of people gathered one by one while maintaining a safe distance. Lotte and I also joined the crew.

“Thank you all for coming out today as well.”

The head of the committee, Shadiel Argana, greeted us.

Shadiel was wearing a black burqa, and she wasn’t the only one in such a ridiculous outfit. Everyone here was fully covered in cloth. This was to prevent being bitten by a mosquito.

Of course, there was always the risk of being infected even with this. But there was a reason why we had to be out here.

Falling sick was scary, but not being able to see family again was even worse.

To get back to Earth, I had to study even more magic here at Tilette Academy. And in order to do that, this pandemic needed to be taken care of first. My original goal would have to be put on hold until normal life resumed and school reopened.

Besides, food would also run out if things continued like this. The deprivation of necessities forced people outside. I’d long since let go of the irresponsible idea that I’d just stay in the dorms until everything settled.

“We will now begin the task of purifying the northern area. Please work according to the guidelines that were given last time.”

We were already short on help at this point. The students voluntarily gave up their rights to be protected.

“What was the name of this scroll?”

“It’s a pulse generator scroll.”

“I see, I heard that this is especially good for killing low-level beasts. Moreover, they said that the person with the patent made it available for free until the situation settled.”

Shadiel thanked that person as the representative of the Duke Argana family. One by one, we went up the back mountain with an EMP.

The quarantine process was simple.

The most mosquitoes were usually found near the waters. In this sort of area, a Fire Mage would set fire to the water and bring the whole thing to a boil. Fish surfaced belly-up, and lotus leaves wilted from being boiled like bok choy in sukiyaki.

Destroying the ecosystem? We didn’t consider that. No, we couldn’t.

“Ha, didn’t think I’d be using this here.”

[Advanced Water Magic ? Frozen]

Next, the hot water was rapidly cooled using freezing. This was with the assistance of Viscount Eliyev’s daughter who was famous for Water Magic. There really wasn’t anyone who could use the Ice Realm besides Iluka.

Probably.

[? The following scientific knowledge is required to apply this magic.]

[? Mpemba Effect]

“What are you, seriously...?”

“Who knows.”

Iluka asked, her eyes twitching. I could only give her a vague answer. Who’d believe I was pulling mana to use from a hardcover?

Hot water froze faster than lukewarm water. All the larvae in the reservoir would have died off from the rapid change in temperature.

“But is this really okay?”

Someone questioned, but no one had an answer.

We came down from the mountain, setting up scrolls along the way.

After freezing a lake, we collected fruits or bark from citronella trees nearby and returned. They weren’t for eating but for the transmigrator’s request.

This could be the cure.

The Black Death was apparently deadly enough to kill even the intermediate host. If citrus trees contained components that could cure the Black Death, and if some of the mosquitoes drinking the sap adapted to the disease, then everything made sense.

The lake was purified, and we brought what the transmigrator asked for. But that didn’t mean we were done. We then grabbed brooms from the storage room to clean around the Academy.

“Augh, there’s metal powder everywhere!”

The streets were simply chaos. The end of those who met an inevitable fate was starkly revealed.

The bodies that had turned black broke apart like lepers. Those pieces were pulled to the ground by gravity, then over time, they crumbled like a pencil being crushed. These necrotic, crumbly body parts were like ground bones after a cremation.

With the exception of the few students who were here to quarantine, there was nobody out in the school district. Charcoal pieces and powders, and metal chunks that were partly oxidized littered the place like garbage.

It was a calamity everywhere, maybe even more than that.

We held funerals throughout the night.

**How long has it been since we went to school? It didn’t seem like that much time had passed.

When the two of us ate together in our dorm, I couldn’t avoid seeing the thinning face of my roommate. The lovely face of a rich family’s daughter had become half of what it used to be in the span of a couple weeks.

Yet the girl didn’t lose her smile.

“At least I can do something in a time like this.”

When I asked what she was smiling about, she just repeated senseless words.

This thought suddenly came to mind.

Idiot.

There was no other word that could better describe Lady Saliere.

Three months of living together, three weeks of isolation. Was that enough time to grow attached?

I didn’t know. But I hoped that later down the road, she’d forget me before I disappeared from this world.

Shaking off these thoughts, I stuffed my head with things to be done tomorrow.

“Teach me today, too.”

“Aren’t you tired? You should take it easy.”

“I’m fine, so hurry.”

We sat together at a desk not even three meters long. Although our nights and days had switched a while ago, what with all the quarantine and cleaning, I didn’t feel like lying in bed at all.

I put books on one side and magic papers on another, then started the lesson. Time flew by the hour.

The number of Fire Magic Lotte mastered grew exponentially with the time we spent together. Let’s say that today she learned one, then it would be two the next day, then three, then eight the day after that. If estimated with a geometric sequence, the number of magic Lotte knew was already about 800.

I was running out of things to teach.

I realized this back when we were researching Flare together, but Lotte was quick at learning and applying. The two of us could be going our separate ways as we entered second year.

Then we’d naturally forget about each other. A brief memory of school days. It was a good meeting. Probably.

Anyway, I was glad we at least established a business relationship, since the only income I had at this moment was the money from Lotte.

“Okay, gotta keep my end of the bargain.”

As the disease continued, costs of living increased. Lotte paid more for tutoring to match the inflation.

But still, wasn’t this too much? Thinking that it went against my rule of give-and-take, I waved my hands in refusal. And as I did, Lotte opened her wallet even more and put silver into my hands.

“We have to see each other next semester.”

“I can manage the next semester myself.”

“Then until graduation.”

“... Why are you the one worrying about my tuition?”

I also had the gold from Miss Heerlein as an incentive scholarship. My marks weren’t bad, either.

I could graduate if only this situation was resolved.

“Things have changed. You won’t be able to work part-time like before.”

‘I still have the patent for the scroll. I can provide the money with that.”

Although I released the one for Flare, I’ve been selling the EMP scroll for a decent cost via the transmigrator.

“How much did you set as the production cost?”

“Two bronze pieces for a set of ten.”

It was what Professor Hasfeldt used to give me for my daily meals.

“As I thought, that won’t do. Take this.”

She forced another silver coin on me. I took that amount and placed it on the desk.

“If you’re in need of money, why won’t you take what others are giving you? You forfeit the patent for Flare, and no matter how many of those pulse scroll things you sell, it’ll only get you a bowl of soup a day.”

She wasn’t wrong.

One of my peers said that once. That I was a dumbass who lacked money sense.

Why wasn’t I taking it, that I should just accept it when offered.

“It’s fine.”

“Why.... is it because you’d feel indebted?”

“I got burned badly once for blindly accepting.”

I had no choice with Miss Heerlein, but I’d have to pay that back soon, too.

“So I don’t want to be owing you. If you really want me to have it, then we can go another hour.”

“... You don’t need to pay this back.”

Lotte smiled in a significant way. She looked at me, mixed with a bitterness like that of a child twisting their lips after biting into a lemon.

“However you live, everyone’s born empty-handed and they leave the same way. Nothing was ever yours, but neither was it ever mine. So wouldn’t it be fine if someone less desperate gave it to the one who needs it more?”

“That’s like what a communist would say. Are you really a noble?”

“Our family calls that ‘noblesse oblige’.”

“Huh.”

When I came to my senses, there were even more silver coins in my hand. It was an amount that could be exchanged for gold. My mind blanked, unable to bring up anything complicated like the Black Death or nuclear fusion.

It was difficult dealing with someone who had different values. Maybe it was because I’d only seen people who’d give and take away.

The majority of people I’d seen were the assholes who’d waste the money given on gambling, the incorrigible ones who’d go into hiding after crying that they’d die if you didn’t sign as a joint guarantee, and the fucking piece of shit motherfuckers who’d embezzle research funds through stipends.

I didn’t know how to respond in this case, so I stayed silent.

After tidying up the desk, Lotte lay down on her bed. They’d sleep four hours and then wake up to prepare for the next night.

I drew back the curtains and let in some outdoor air. There was the occasional wail from beyond the window of those who’d lost loved ones. It was going to be another sleepless night with these sounds of wretched weeping.

[It’s amazing that no one in the Academy has died.]

That’s what I’m thinking.

After a long wait, I discovered someone down below gesturing in this direction. It was hard to tell who it was as they were wrapped completely in black, but I knew even without seeing their face.

I made sure that Lotte was asleep, then headed downstairs with the calipers and citron while avoiding the prefect.

The afternoon of the 24th day after the outbreak of the Black Death.

Finally, the opportunity to put an end to this had come.