Bicken Territory (3)
Bicken Territory was now running exactly the way I wanted. Completely under my control.
“The mage Hicks is throwing a tantrum at the sewage treatment plant?”
“Yes.”
Who the hell was Hicks again…? The name refused to surface. Had I even known the man?
Leona seemed to read the blank look on my face and smoothly supplied the details.
“He was one of the mages originally attached to Bicken Territory.”
A snort escaped before I could stop it. Beta males… how utterly pathetic. They had abandoned the territory, yet still believed it would collapse without them, so they came sneaking back to spy. And the first place they ran to was the sewage treatment plant—the very facility that had paid them those bloated salaries. Did they honestly think I’d be tearing my hair out the moment they left?
Parasites who had done nothing but devour the territory’s food. How could any group be less productive than the damn army?
Ever since the mages had deserted en masse, the territory’s finances had reached their absolute peak. I was almost grateful to the fools.
“So they came to see how well the territory runs without them. Fine. Tell them they may enter.”
“Understood.”
Leona gave a small, elegant bow and left my private office—through the secret door that connected directly to the lord’s chamber next door, of course. Formally speaking, she had come to see Lord Ertia Bicken, not me.
The room itself had been quietly remodeled into one that officially no longer existed. If an Alpha Male like me stepped into the spotlight, the beta males would keep attacking no matter how much they stood to gain. Wellington’s case had proven that. And there were far too many of them to ignore.
In a world that pretended Alpha Males did not exist, I had to keep my identity hidden. I would place the females in front and remain in the shadows. Not because I feared the betas—simply because my personality was so flawless that I was graciously sparing their miserable lives.
I was preparing, step by step, to become the true puppet master of this land. Melania’s presence still prevented me from vanishing completely, but one day I would control everything from behind the curtain without a single soul knowing my name. With that pleasant thought in mind, I activated the spell.
“Master! Where are you going?”
The moment I stepped out of the secret passage after Leona, Ertia looked up from the novel she was reading and asked the question. Since I had taken over every single duty a lord was supposed to handle, it was only natural she had nothing to do but lounge around.
“To see Jemel.”
“Yes.”
Her complete lack of curiosity—despite supposedly being the lord—drew a sigh from me. This was exactly why I had gone through so much trouble during meetings, using magic tools to make her say exactly what I wanted.
“Loyalty!!”
I left Ertia, who never questioned anything I did, and stepped outside the office. The soldiers standing guard immediately snapped to attention and saluted. My official position was acting lord. To them I was the lord’s favored lover, but thanks to that title—even though I was a commoner like them—I received proper military courtesy.
Of course, this was only possible because they were women. Had they been men, jealousy would have made them curse me to my face.
“You’re working hard.”
“Th-thank you!”
I gave the soldier’s shoulder a light pat, letting my fingers brush across her chest, then turned and headed toward the health department where Jemel worked.
“Wow… he’s fucking gorgeous. She even got her tits touched. So jealous.”
“What do I do… I think he likes me…!”
The females’ cheeky whispers followed me, but the voices felt so refreshingly ordinary that I simply quickened my pace and let them be.
“Ah…! Lord Alpha.”
The instant I entered the health department, I saw Jemel buried in paperwork. The look in her eyes behind the plague doctor mask was one of pure relief, as if her savior had finally arrived. I opened my arms slightly. She was the perfect person to keep the proud doctors in line. From enforcing handwashing to the use of soap—she had played a vital role in forcing the skeptical physicians to wait for statistics and data before dismissing my methods.
On top of that, her administrative talent was outstanding. She was currently reviewing reports on contagious diseases that had no specific cures, much like the common cold, and preparing countermeasures. In short, she was doing exactly what the chief of the health department should be doing.
“The black death statistics have dropped into the 0% range. It was exactly as you predicted, Lord Alpha. Bacteria and viruses really do multiply in the streets where people dump their waste and spread disease…! The other doctors are beginning to accept your words as established fact, however…”
However. There was clearly a problem.
No wonder she had looked at me like a savior the moment I walked in. Perfect timing. I had come here to share new medical knowledge anyway.
“A strange illness is spreading through several districts. And because those areas had been washing their hands and bathing at least once a day, the doctors are starting to question the effectiveness of soap.”
“A strange illness? What are the symptoms?”
“Repeated vomiting and diarrhea. No fever or abdominal pain. In severe cases, victims die within hours.”
The symptoms were close enough, and the fact that it was localized to certain districts made it almost certain. Ninety-nine percent chance it was cholera. A disease contracted by ingesting food or water contaminated with the cholera bacterium. In most cases it spread through tainted wells rather than food. Soap would be useless here. In fact, scrubbing with soap and then rinsing with contaminated well water would only make things worse.
“Gather every doctor and carry out my instructions exactly.”
“Yes.”
Cholera demanded immediate action. Carriers expelled the bacteria through vomit and diarrhea, causing it to spread like wildfire.
“First, isolate the affected area and seal every well in that district. No one is to use the water.”
“The wells? But then the people will have no water for drinking or washing.”
“Have them use the purified water from the sewage treatment plant.”
“Lord Alpha… you’re not trying to use this as an excuse to sell water, are you?”
Jemel—no, Gemini—stared at me with open suspicion. This insolent little female…
It was common knowledge that I had removed both the finance minister and the administrative minister. Of course, the rumor went that I could only do so because I was the lord’s lover. Because of that, Jemel clearly thought I was trying to politicize this crisis.
No one was watching. If I wanted, I could throw her down and ravage her right here and no one would dare say a word. Even if Gemini Bais removed her mask and revealed her true identity before me, she would still be powerless. I wanted to fuck the arrogance out of her immediately.
But an epidemic waited for no one. People were dying while I hesitated.
“The wells are the source of infection. The bacteria multiplied in the water. They drank it and washed with it. That is how they fell ill.”
“……I will trust you.”
Gemini nodded.
“Will you not be coming, Lord Alpha?”
“Leading the doctors is your role as Jemel, not mine. I will wait here.”
As I had said, the task of explaining the situation to the physicians had to fall to Jemel. To become the true shadow ruler of this territory, I needed to gradually reduce my visible influence. It was enough that my power extended only to the females who governed the land.
“Once you finish explaining to the doctors, come to Helen Wagner’s laboratory. I will be preparing the medicine.”
“!!”
At the word “medicine,” Jemel’s eyes flew wide. She was always sincere about saving lives. She already understood that my measures could only prevent the disease—those already infected could not be saved. That was why her reaction had been so lukewarm. And why she had been suspicious.
“I will return quickly. That medicine… please, you must teach me about it too…!”
Jemel dashed off at a run. The long robe she wore to hide her gender fluttered wildly, briefly revealing her slender ankles. She didn’t seem to notice.
The moment she was gone, I headed straight for Helen’s laboratory.
“Eek♥ M-Master…!”
The laboratory was filled with countless beakers and flasks, strange solutions bubbling away. The instant I entered, Helen abandoned her work, pressed her massive breasts against my arm, and began rubbing against me like a bitch in heat. But there was no time to play with her now.
“Enough. I’ll let you enjoy yourself to your heart’s content soon enough.”
“What is the matter?”
Helen spoke with the arrogance of an untamed female, not even trying to hide her disappointment.
“Bring me clean water, sugar, and salt.”
“Here they are.”
As expected of an alchemist, the materials were prepared in seconds. Who would have thought these simple ingredients could cure the terrifying disease known as cholera? If Jemel found out, she would be utterly stunned.