Chapter 59

Today, there is a welcoming party for a foreign delegation at the palace.

It’s Harfa! My sister got married there!

The delegation from the great nation of Harfa is visiting for the first time in three years. Usually, the Minister of Foreign Affairs leads the delegation, but this time, Prince Balter Britannia, my sister’s husband, is accompanying them.

It’s been five years since my sister got married...

She already has three children. I, in fact, am an uncle now. It’s complicated.

"Hey, you must be Shin. I’ve been looking forward to meeting you. The one next to you is Cerea, right? Your fiancée."

At the party, Prince Balter approached Cerea and me.

He is known to be extremely intelligent, capable, and a shrewd diplomat who is well aware of his country’s power.

"Pleased to meet you. It’s an honor to finally meet you. I’m sorry I couldn’t see my sister, but is she doing well?"

"Pleased to meet you. I am Cerea Colette."

"Nice to meet you. Saran is doing well. Unfortunately, the children are still young, and she is expecting a fourth, so they couldn’t come."

Such a loving conversation. The plan to fill Harfa with Midland blood is still steadily progressing, I see.

"Look, do you want to see?"

The prince took out a glass plate from his pocket and showed it to us. In black and white, it was a portrait of my sister, her four-year-old son, three-year-old daughter, and one-year-old son.

"Wow... This is amazing! It looks like a mirror reflection. I can’t believe it’s a painting!"

"It’s a photograph. A recent technology developed in our country, it captures the image directly onto a glass plate through a lens."

He smiled. As expected of a great nation, what impressive technology.

My sister looks happy surrounded by her children. That’s good.

Cerea was also delighted to see the glass plate.

"Saran... " She was tearing up.

"Magical technology. It’s wonderful."

"Our country is known as a great magical nation, but this isn’t magic. It’s science and technology."

"Remarkable development in every field. I’m envious."

"Not really. I heard your country recently eradicated smallpox. What kind of technology is that?"

The smallpox vaccine, you already knew about it, didn’t you?

We’re not hiding it, so we’re openly promoting it. We recommend that all foreign visitors to our country receive the vaccine when they enter or leave.

"We haven’t eradicated it yet. It’s a five-year plan. Have you heard of cowpox?"

"I don’t think so."

"It’s a type of infectious disease that affects cows. Humans can also get it, but those who have had it are immune to smallpox."

"Really!"

Prince Balter was surprised. Or was he just pretending? He must already know and wants to acquire the technology.

"We realized this because dairy workers who milk cows have very few cases of smallpox. Once you recover from smallpox, you don’t get it again, right?"

"I know."

"It has the same effect. The human body has an immune system that remembers diseases and prevents them from recurring. Since cowpox is very similar to smallpox, it also protects against smallpox. Cowpox in humans is like a mild cold and heals quickly, so we deliberately infect people with it."

"Ah, I see."

"The effect of cowpox vaccination lasts at least five years. Our country is implementing a five-year plan to vaccinate the entire population and completely eradicate smallpox."

Prince Balter looked surprised and suspicious.

"Shin..."

"Yes?"

"Is it okay to talk about this so freely?"

"In Harfa, smallpox is easily treated with healing magic. This level of medical technology is unnecessary."

"...You’re a hard one to read. Are you competent or incompetent? Are you kind or a rare strategist?"

"I’m just being honest."

"Kyaah! Spalutz-sama!"

Suddenly, a high-pitched voice from the party made me look over.

Ouch...

For some reason, a pink-haired girl was clinging to Spalutz!

"I didn’t expect to meet you here!"

He’s a target in the game. In the game, he’s a teacher at the school, so why is he here?

I walked over to Spalutz, who was struggling with the clingy girl.

"Rindon, this is a welcoming party for a foreign delegation. Please don’t cause a private disturbance. And why are you here!?"

"It’s Rins! R-I-N-S! I thought you’d remember this time!"

"Why are you here?"

"I came as a representative of my stepfather, Baron Blouver. Please be kind to me."

She curtsied politely.

Ugh...

"Please behave yourself. This could become a diplomatic issue."

"Understood!"

She saluted with her hand to her head. What is that...

"Spalutz, is that you?"

Prince Balter approached.

"Alcohol disinfection technology is very effective in our country. I hear the treatment method for diphtheria was your idea. It’s gaining attention in our country."

He shook Spalutz’s hand firmly.

"No, there seems to be a misunderstanding. The alcohol disinfection and serum immunotherapy were not my achievements. It was Prince Shin who promoted them."

"Shin...?"

Technically, it was Cerea’s achievement, but I’ll keep that to myself.

"As for the smallpox vaccine, I had nothing to do with it. It was all done by Jane here. She established the immunotherapy."

Spalutz took Jane’s hand, gently pulled her to his side, and placed his hand on her back. Despite her old-fashioned and dowdy dress, Jane is a beautiful woman. The pink-haired girl clenched her teeth for a moment.

"Surprising. Remarkable achievements."

The pink-haired girl whispered to Prince Balter.

"Wouldn’t it be a good idea to welcome Jane as a student to Harfa? In your country, she could conduct even better research. Don’t you think it’s a good idea?!"

Oh no, pink-haired girl, don’t say that!

You saw that Spalutz and Jane are in love and are trying to get rid of Jane! What a woman!

"Excellent. I would love to!"

Prince Balter took Jane’s hand and shook it.

"Jane, what do you think? Wouldn’t you like to develop this technology in our country?"

Oh wow! What a bold move!

"We would welcome you as our chief researcher. We’ll provide you with many staff, a laboratory, and ample funding. Wouldn’t you like to study here? It would be a waste to keep such talent confined to the Kingdom of Rastel."

"I... I can’t leave now. The smallpox initiative just started, and I’m still researching new drugs."

"You can continue that research in our country. You could save many more people. Your name would be known worldwide. What do you think?"

He appealed to the audience.

"Having Jane study at our country’s leading research institute would be a joy for everyone. For the advancement of mutual medicine, wouldn’t you agree?"

This guy...

He’s openly trying to poach her, using his country’s power. Is that what it takes to be a prince? Diplomacy is like that, I guess.

He doesn’t care about the shocked looks from the audience. What a strong heart.

"J-Jane..."

"Teacher..."

Jane looked at Spalutz with pleading eyes.

"I... If you want to go, I... I..."

"Teacher, I don’t want to go. Please let me stay and assist you in your research..."

"But, Harfa is a great nation far beyond our own... I want what’s best for your future..."

The king, my father, couldn’t stand the silence and walked over.

He raised his hand to stop him.

The king was surprised and stopped.

"Are you idiots?"

My sudden outburst froze everyone.

"Spalutz, you like Jane, don’t you? You love her, don’t you?"

Spalutz was flustered.

"Jane also loves you. She doesn’t want to be apart from you. Why can’t you see that?"

Jane turned red.

"Why can’t you two see that you’re always together? You’re both so dense. That’s why scholars are... "

The audience laughed.

"Spalutz, tell her. Ask her not to go. Ask her to stay by your side. If you don’t say it now, she’ll probably be matched with a good man in Harfa and get married. Is that okay?"

Sweating profusely, Spalutz turned to Jane with determination.

"Jane!"

"Yes!"

"I love you! Don’t go anywhere, stay by my side forever!"

"Yes!"

"Will you... Will you marry me?"

"Yes!!"

Wow!

The audience applauded.

"Father! Mother!"

Called by me, the king and queen smiled and came over.

Calling them "Father" and "Mother" in public means this is a personal request from me.

"What do you think? As a reward for their dedication to the country, wouldn’t it be nice for them to have you as witnesses to their marriage?"

The applause didn’t stop.

"Archbishop!"

The king called the archbishop, who was attending the party.

"Can you hear their marriage vows here?"

A path opened up to the archbishop.

"Fine, but the marriage registration fee is two gold coins."

The audience laughed at the archbishop’s joke.

Cerea and I escorted the flustered couple to the front.

"Who was it again?"

The audience burst into laughter at the archbishop’s joke.

"Spalutz Lewis."

"Cough, you, Spalutz Lewis, do you swear to take this woman, Jane, as your wife, to love and cherish her, in sickness and in health, in poverty and in wealth, until death do you part, before the goddess Ranates?"

"Yes, I do!"

Spalutz answered clearly.

"Do you, Jane, take this man, Spalutz Lewis, as your husband, to love and cherish him, in sickness and in health, in poverty and in wealth, until death do you part, before the goddess Ranates?"

"Yes! I do!"

Jane answered happily!

"May the goddess bless this newly married couple."

The audience applauded. Amid the applause, the couple kissed. What a surprise, but no one would think badly of such a surprise. The applause didn’t stop.

"Shin, you got me."

"Thank you for being the matchmaker for these two, Prince Balter. Would you separate them here, or take them both with you?"

"I wouldn’t do that. Saran would be angry."

He glared at me and shook his head.

"Prince Balter, please send doctors to study here. There’s nothing to hide. We’re not trying to make money or gain an advantage over other countries. Excellent medicine is a common asset of humanity. We want it to spread worldwide."

He must think I’m a foolish prince. He probably thinks there are many ways to use this and that I’m incompetent for not doing so.

"Do you really have no intention of using this technology? Don’t you think it’s a great opportunity to gain a significant advantage over other countries?"

Prince Balter said sarcastically.

"I am worried. Some might try to make a fortune from the vaccine, or use it to discriminate against certain countries, or even as a weapon of war. That’s why it’s necessary to provide it to all countries without discrimination."

I made sure to drive the point home. Prince Balter’s smug smile didn’t budge. I made sure he had no response.

"We are openly sharing this technology with all countries. Doctors from three countries are already here studying the vaccine."

"Already?"

"Since there are precedents, if Harfa wants to send doctors to study, we will educate them. Please send young, ambitious doctors. We’re looking forward to it."

"Is this because you know our country has the technology to treat smallpox with magic?"

"Medicine should have no borders. Smallpox is a disease that only affects humans. Therefore, it’s the only infectious disease that can be eradicated by human effort. Since it doesn’t affect wild animals, eradication is nearly impossible. As a great nation, we expect Harfa’s cooperation. Thank you."

"...You’re quite a man. Are you trying to win the world’s favor?"

"Harfa’s established interests as a magical medical power will only be slightly reduced. Don’t be so stingy."

The pink-haired girl looked at the blessed couple with envy.

This means the all-conquest, harem ending is off the table. Well, with Cerea and me already married, it was impossible anyway.

Serves her right. Haha.

Next: "59. The Busy Prince"