Thanks to the use of masks and overcoats, the plague’s transmission rate dropped sharply.
With fewer people infected, the fatality rate inevitably fell as well.
Quarantine and treatment became much easier.
“Whew! We’ve dodged the immediate crisis at least.”
“I never expected it to work this well. Honestly, I was skeptical.”
Steward Miller Xavier wore a dazed expression.
It was understandable. There had never been a response like this before, so it was hard to believe.
Still, I wanted to praise him.
He had faithfully followed even somewhat questionable orders.
“Thanks to you, we overcame the crisis well. You’ve worked hard.”
“What have I done? I merely acted according to Your Grace’s instructions.”
“Many people can’t even manage that much. Let’s maintain the current measures for now and keep watching. No employees infected, right?”
“Yes, everyone is following the hygiene rules diligently.”
Increasing the supply of liquid soap must have helped.
Washing hands thoroughly could eliminate most germs.
But we couldn’t maintain this state forever.
Seeming to want to discuss exactly that, Steward Xavier carefully spoke up.
“The supply of liquid soap is severely insufficient. It was expensive to begin with, and production volume isn’t high.”
“Other nobles are buying a lot too?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
The government had been instructed to promote handwashing, and participation was surprisingly high.
Because no plague cases had occurred at all in the Carius Duchy and Midias.
So many people coming and going, yet everyone remained healthy?
It was clear proof that the hygiene rules were effective.
‘Of course, it’s not that no one got infected at all.’
It only looked that way because we used Vargas’s potions.
But the cure was not a fundamental solution.
The materials were so rare that production volume was very low.
As a result, liquid soap had become impossible to buy even if you wanted it.
‘It would be nice if Vargas could whip up solid soap instantly.’
Of course, I had already asked him in advance.
I told him to research a product to replace liquid soap.
But he wasn’t a goblin; he couldn’t instantly create something that didn’t exist.
Moreover, he was currently focused on the plague cure rather than soap.
“Unless we get lucky like in Delriat. We can’t just bring in an earth spirit out of nowhere……. Huh?”
As I muttered to myself, a certain person’s face suddenly flashed in my mind.
During the experiment to discover the cultivation conditions for cordyceps, hadn’t someone helped?
And coincidentally, that person was staying in the imperial capital right now.
‘Princess Eustia might be able to do it.’
She possessed the skill “One Followed by Heavenly Fortune,” after all.
But I couldn’t visit her recklessly.
It wasn’t desirable for someone about to be married to meet a man frequently.
Still, I was famous for keeping my personal life clean.
If it was for official business, strange rumors shouldn’t spread.
‘I’ll go after work today.’
Dropping by without notice would be rude, so I should inform her in advance.
I asked Steward Xavier to handle it, then headed to work with a light heart.
But a terrifying case awaited me at the court.
“Good morning.”
“It seems Judge Padiya is in charge of distributing cases today.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Could you place it here in front?”
“Of course. However….…”
As usual, I received the case files in advance, but Judge Josef Padiya hesitated.
As if he had something to say.
“What is it?”
“A troublesome trial has come up.”
“Aren’t all the troublesome ones supposed to come to me anyway?”
“This one will give you an even bigger headache.”
“Really? What’s the case that you’re hesitating so much?”
“The defendant is a priest, the second son of the Giovanni ducal house.”
“I see. Priest. Giovanni. That’s…… Hah! This isn’t a light matter.”
The words alone were enough to make me sigh.
Even separately, each would be a headache; now they were all in one case?
An ordinary judge wouldn’t even be able to touch it.
They would have to consider both the church and the Giovanni noble faction.
“Thank you for letting me know.”
“Not at all.”
Judge Josef Padiya smiled faintly and withdrew.
He had looked troubled at first, but now he seemed quite pleased.
‘Why is he like that?’
Surely he wasn’t happy because it involved crushing a member of the Giovanni faction?
No way. His character couldn’t be that twisted.
But through the closing door, I caught a glimpse of Josef’s movement.
Tap-tap-tap! Click!
“That guy really is something else.”
Why say that?
Because Judge Josef Padiya had started doing a short tap dance in the hallway.
I shook my head and focused on the trial documents.
‘Anyway, how do I handle this?’
I had to deal with both the Aramid Church and the Giovanni noble faction.
What kind of brutal case lands on a Monday morning?
I already felt like dying from Monday sickness.
“Ah! I just got to work, but I already want to go home. Is there anyone who can take my place?”
I muttered a sorrowful monologue carrying the wish of every office worker.
I summoned both the defendant and witnesses and completed the evidence investigation.
Grasping the facts wasn’t difficult.
Although it was a verbal contract, there were too many witnesses who heard the promise to treat.
On top of that, Priest Enrique Giovanni had frequently visited victim Braisen’s house.
If a priest visited a house with a plague patient, what did that mean?
‘Either he deliberately didn’t treat or he lacked the ability to cure.’
The victim’s family claimed that Priest Giovanni had demanded an extra 200 goldens.
Saying he couldn’t proceed with treatment unless they paid.
If that was true, it would simply be the former, and he could be punished accordingly.
But there was no need to agonize.
The latter would also constitute murder by implied intent.
Contracting to treat a plague when he lacked the ability meant he had no intention of taking any measures.
Therefore, there was sufficient foreseeability that the patient might die.
“Easy. Just punish him and be done.”
However, even for me—who judged solely by facts regardless of who the opponent was—there were difficulties.
The first was, surprisingly, Duke Diandre Giovanni.
“I apologize for visiting so abruptly.”
“It’s fine. It wouldn’t make sense for imperial dukes to have no contact at all.”
“Thank you for saying so.”
I had clashed lightly with this man a few times before.
Not direct disputes, but a somewhat awkward relationship.
By moving the Corrections Headquarters director, I had prevented Skyler Sierre’s punishment.
Ultimately, there wasn’t much damage, but…….
‘It left a bad taste. A bad taste.’
Of course, I had no intention of showing personal feelings.
A dagger hidden is most effective when it strikes decisively.
“I can guess why you’ve come, but nothing you say will change anything.”
I drew a firm line from the start.
Why would a heavyweight like Duke Giovanni show such humility?
Either he was hiding ulterior motives or he had a favor to beg.
Seeming to sense his intentions were exposed, Duke Giovanni’s expression stiffened slightly.
It quickly returned to normal, but he clearly felt uncomfortable.
“What are you saying…… I simply thought since we’ve been so distant, we could build some rapport.”
At the end of “rapport” would only remain unjust requests and bribes.
Naturally, such nonsense wouldn’t work on me at all.
“We’ve continued like this all along, so suddenly becoming close would be strange, wouldn’t it? Especially right before Enrique Giovanni’s trial.”
“Ahem!”
Duke Giovanni gave a big fake cough and closed his eyes tightly.
When he opened them, they were filled entirely with sorrow.
As if he might burst into tears at any moment.
‘Why is this uncle acting like this?’
Since persuasion didn’t work, was he resorting to an emotional appeal?
Anyway, I decided to hear him out first.
“I trust Your Grace the Duke of Carius understands how succession works in the Empire.”
I was an only child, so I hadn’t experienced it personally, but I wasn’t ignorant of societal norms.
Most imperial nobles passed titles and assets to their eldest son.
Dividing inheritance evenly among children would diminish the family’s power.
In an agrarian society, most income inevitably came from land.
That was why all but the eldest son took other paths such as knight or priest.
“The second son has always been a painful finger for me.”
From what I gathered, Enrique Giovanni was the family’s black sheep.
He lacked the ability to become head of the house and didn’t even get along well with his elder brother.
If Duke Giovanni died and succession began, it was obvious he would be kicked out empty-handed.
So he had paid under the table to secure the priest position.
“Yet I can’t bring myself to cast him out coldly because he resembles me so much.”
His son, like his own alter ego, was in trouble. How could he not act?
I could fully understand Duke Giovanni’s heart.
But I couldn’t judge while considering everyone’s circumstances.
“I will take the situation into account during the trial, but don’t expect too much.”
“……Thank you.”
He said he understood, but that wouldn’t change my judging method.
I must rule strictly based on evidence and facts.
I quickly sent off this overly emotional uncle, then immediately donned my court robes.
A neat purple robe.
Unlike flashy outfits, it felt somewhat calming.
It was time to head to the courtroom.
But suddenly, someone knocked on the office door.
Knock knock.
‘Why are so many people visiting today?’
It might be important, so I didn’t pretend to be absent.
“Who is it?”
“Ah, it’s been a while. I am Bishop Braulio.”
It seemed the Aramid Church had also sent someone.
And of all people, it was the one who had irritated me before with talk of prophecies.
‘Surely he won’t spout nonsense again this time?’
With that thought, I welcomed the guest.
Sure enough, Bishop Braulio repeated a story similar to Duke Giovanni’s.
He went on about how devout Enrique was and so on, but honestly, I didn’t believe a word.
If he were truly that devout, he would have cured the patient immediately.
“I understand, so please return.”
“Yes, then I leave it in Your Honor’s hands.”
The words “offer your faith to the Aramid God” rose to my throat.
I sent the bishop away with an awkward smile, my mind swirling with complexity.
‘Don’t these people have any learning ability?’
What kind of rulings had I made so far?
I had never once yielded to external pressure.
I strode firmly toward the courtroom.
Teeth clenched.
But the moment I stepped onto the bench, I faced a slightly perplexing scene.
A person who resembled Duke Giovanni was waddling toward his seat.
‘Wait a minute. Does Enrique Giovanni…… have a disability?’