Chapter 41

"House of Ferguson, has arrived."

"Yes, House of Ferguson, 1."

"Your Highness, good morning."

"Hey! Drop the 'Your Highness.' Just call me Shin."

I greet the young lady of the House of Ferguson along with Seria.

"House of Remington, has arrived."

"Yes, House of Remington, 1."

"Good morning, Shin. What are you doing at the main gate..."

"Good morning, it's a bit of an investigation."

"Good morning."

I greet the third son of the House of Remington.

"Um, this one is a bit tricky. I'll go ask the coachman!"

"Yes, hold 1."

"..."

"..."

"What are you doing here?"

"Oh, Lady Eleena, it's been a while. Good morning. House of Stradivis, 1."

"What exactly are you doing, Seria?"

"It's a traffic survey. Please don't worry about it."

"..."

"Good morning, Student Council President."

Yes, at the front gate of the school, Seria and I are standing with clipboards, recording the students as they arrive. Many students pass by us with puzzled looks, but we greet those we know.

Just then, the absolute queen of the school, Student Council President Eleena Stradivis, arrives in a grand four-horse carriage.

A four-horse carriage to get to school alone is quite impressive for a duchess...

"Exactly what are you planning, Your Highness?"

"Nothing, just a favor. Seria, the Viscount Barbato, 2."

"Yes, Viscount Barbato, 2."

"I won't allow you to do anything without the Student Council's permission."

"This has nothing to do with the Student Council. I promise it won't be a bother."

"Is that so?"

"It's a volunteer survey."

The Student Council President is suspicious.

"Seria, Marquess Cornes, 1."

"Yes, Marquess Cornes, 1."

"You'll be late, Lady Eleena. Please hurry. Seria, Marquess Blanche, 1."

"Yes, Marquess Blanche, 1."

Lady Eleena, with a stern face, is seen off by her butler and walks through the school gate. Well, I guess she'll understand later.

After school, I visit Professor Spallutes' laboratory for the first time in a while.

"Have you managed to extract penicillin?"

"Pe...n...i...?"

Oh, I slipped up.

"I mean the antibiotic from the blue mold."

"Ah, I see... Indeed, since it can be extracted from blue mold, penicillin is a good name! I'll take it!"

The effectiveness of the smallpox vaccine has already been established with the help of the national army. Fifty volunteers from the national army received the cowpox vaccine, and none of them developed smallpox after receiving the additional smallpox vaccine.

Currently, with the cooperation of nearby farmers, cows infected with cowpox are being raised at the school, and a vaccination center will soon be set up at the main gate of the capital, the East Gate, to vaccinate everyone entering and exiting. Miss Jane is leading the preparations.

At the end of this month, by royal decree, the vaccination law will be issued, and all citizens will be required to be vaccinated within five years.

Due to this, the research team members have been dispatched to various places for education and guidance, and the laboratory is currently short-staffed.

"Extracting components from blue mold... The antibiotic component is water-soluble, and it definitely dissolves in water. When mixed with oil and water, it separates. However, it's too dilute. The challenge is how to concentrate it. We are currently trying to find a way to concentrate it using charcoal and acids, but it's very labor-intensive."

Hmm, I don't understand that at all. This is a tough one.

Seria is also thinking hard.

"We can't just boil and reduce it... It seems to be heat-sensitive."

Professor Spallutes is also at a loss.

"Professor Spallutes, do you know about freeze-drying?"

Seria's past knowledge is coming in handy!

"Freeze-dry...?"

"Do you know that hospitals are using vacuum pumps to make ice?"

"Oh! The one Celsus developed! It's revolutionary! A great idea!"

"In a vacuum, water boils and evaporates even at low temperatures. This can remove moisture from ice as well. So, it's possible to remove moisture from frozen objects."

"...Freeze-dry. I see..."

"Originally, it's a method for preserving food. You dry it completely and store it, and it returns to its original state when immersed in water. Can't we apply this method?"

"I'll try it! I'll ask Celsus to lend me the equipment!"

Seria, you're amazing! How did you think of that?

We might be able to establish a method to concentrate the antibiotic extracted from blue mold!

Later, after this happened.

"So, the name of this joint researcher, Jack, will also be on the list."

"My name? That's awesome!"

We are having lunch at the school cafeteria with Seria, Jack, and Silfa. We do this every day after the afternoon elective classes start. Other classmates, members of Seria's literature club, and Jack's friends sometimes join us, but the regular group is like this.

"The smallpox vaccine, first and foremost, is thanks to the data Jack investigated. He is a great research collaborator. Thanks to his data, we can proceed with this national policy."

"Wow, I'm really happy. I didn't think it would become such a big deal..."

Thump thump thump thump thump! Bang!

"Your Highness!"

Oh, the Queen, Student Council President Eleena, has slammed her hand on our table with a terrifying look! Behind her are the Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary, the entire Student Council! What's going on?

"What is this 'Prohibition of Arrival by Carriage'!"

"Oh, that?"

I try to calm the explosive Student Council President by waving the paper.

"Here, in the cafeteria. Everyone is eating. Please be quiet. Read it carefully. It's not a complete ban. We are proposing that students use school-provided shared carriages."

"What do you mean!"

"The area around the school is congested with carriages during school hours, causing traffic jams. We have received repeated complaints from local residents over the years, and it has become a serious issue. Therefore, we are proposing that students who arrive by carriage use the school-provided shared carriages to alleviate the congestion."

"You want us, the nobility, to ride in shared carriages!?"

The President is furious.

"Yes. From our survey at the school gate, 42 students arrive by carriage, and 38 carriages come from various noble residences or secondary residences in the city. This congestion is significant."

"That's what you were investigating then!"

"Yes. We will prepare four 12-passenger carriages that will patrol the city in four blocks. They will pick up students from each noble residence in the morning and return them in the afternoon, with three runs in the evening due to different dismissal times."

"You are doing this without the Student Council's permission!"

The President is about to snap.

"We don't need the Student Council's permission. This is a city ordinance to improve traffic congestion in the city, not related to the school."

"City ordinance...?"

"The parents of students who are picked up and dropped off are also burdened. They are happy to cooperate, as it will be much cheaper. The cost of horses, carriages, and coachmen will be shared by the parents of the nobles and entrusted to the transport carriage association. It will be one-tenth of the original cost, and they have already approved it."

"You don't have the authority to make such decisions, Your Highness!"

"I don't have such authority, do I? I received approval from the King after getting the consent of the Minister of General Affairs, the Minister of Education, and all relevant parties at the Imperial Council. The ministers were also happy, as they have been avoiding the school on their way to the palace to avoid the traffic."

"My father would have opposed this!"

"I haven't seen the Duke of Stradivis at the Imperial Council for four years. What is he doing?"

"I won't allow it! As the Student Council President, I firmly oppose this!"

Bang bang bang! She slams the table. Oh no, she's exploded.

"Actually, I want to ask you, President, what authority do you have to oppose this?"

"Wh...what?"

"As the Student Council President, what authority do you have to oppose this administrative decision issued by the King?"

"..."

"Can you oppose it?"

The President is deflated.

"This matter is out of my hands now. Protesting to me won't change anything. Please read the notice carefully. If it is necessary, there is a clause in the Ministry of Education's approval that allows carriage commuting. You can discuss it with your father. It might be approved."

"Using the Prince's power so arrogantly..."

"I already explained that I don't have such power. Is it not arrogant to have the Student Council make tea for your classmates and to ride a four-horse carriage alone to the school gate every morning, blocking the passage of other students during the busy morning hours?"

"Your Highness"

The Student Council members, who were standing behind her, call out. They also look intimidating. Well, I have a tolerance for scary faces from Shrigan, so I'm not bothered by any face.

"Are you planning to become the enemy of the Student Council?"

Why would it come to that? Did you hear the conversation?

"I am an equal friend to all citizens."

"..."

The President looks up.

"I will hold a grudge."

"For this?"

When I proposed this at the Imperial Council, the King was unimpressed.

"You're doing such trivial work?"

It's not a big issue. It was approved unanimously.

This will reduce the students' commuting time from an hour and a half to less than half. They used to wait in line at the school gate for 20-30 minutes, which could be spent more productively. They can talk to their neighbors in the shared carriages, regardless of their status.

It won't be a waste of time.

When the Student Council left the cafeteria in frustration, the students who were there applauded. They found it amusing to see the queen cornered.

What? Is the Student Council viewed this way in the school?

That's a bigger problem.

"Amazing!"

A pink-haired girl runs over, very excited.

"To take down the Student Council members like that, you're truly the Prince!"

You were in the cafeteria, heroine...

"Shin-sama"

"..."

"You went too far."

"Sorry."

I can't win against Seria.

Next: "41. The Healing Expert"