MTLNOVEL Chapter 130: Flevance
The Kingdom of Flevance, located in the North Blue.
This country, also known as the "White City", was currently in a state of panic. The hospitals were overflowing with patients, and those who tried to seek treatment abroad were killed.
The borders were closed, the royal family had fled, and the citizens, suffering from an incurable disease, were terrified.
– It was into this chaos that a fleet bearing the Twilight Pirates' flag arrived.
"…This is…"
It was worse than she had imagined.
Even from the harbor, she could see panicked citizens everywhere.
With the royal family gone, there was no one to maintain order. The police force seemed to have collapsed as well.
"We just need to take Sukura to the hospital, right?" Kaie confirmed.
"Yes, I'll leave the details to you. I have my own task," Sukura replied.
He had already packed his medical bag and was waiting impatiently behind Kaie.
She was surprised by his eagerness, but his quick thinking was a blessing. They didn't have time to waste.
Kaie assigned a few guards to escort Sukura to a nearby hospital. They couldn't risk direct contact with the Amber Lead Syndrome patients until they had more information.
Kaie, tasked with assessing the situation, accompanied Sukura to the hospital.
"It seems the government has completely collapsed… This is going to be troublesome," Kaie observed.
"As long as they don't interfere with our treatment, it's fine. Glaring at us is the least of our worries," Sukura replied nonchalantly.
Sukura, wearing a mask and a white coat, observed the citizens as they made their way to the hospital. Most of them had white blemishes on their skin.
He clicked his tongue, then entered the nearest hospital.
The doctors inside were naturally confused and tried to stop them.
"W-who are you?! This is a hospital! It's no place for pirates!!"
"I'm a doctor. I was sent by the Twilight Pirates to treat the Amber Lead Syndrome. Show me your patient records," Sukura demanded.
"Twilight…? Why is a Warlord on this island?!"
"The World Government has already expelled this country. They've authorized us to take any action we deem necessary."
"What are you planning to steal…? There's nothing left in this country but the sick!"
"We're not here to plunder. We're here to find a cure."
The doctor was dumbfounded by Kaie's calm response.
Sukura, meanwhile, had already set down his bag and begun examining a patient.
He was impatient. He decided to start treating them himself rather than wait for the records.
The doctor tried to stop him, but Kaie grabbed his arm.
"H-hey! What are you–"
"As I said, he's a doctor. We're here to help. Would you mind lending us a hand?"
"…Did the World Government send you?"
"No, they've abandoned this country. Otherwise, they wouldn't have expelled them. We're acting independently."
She had to make it clear that they weren't acting on the World Government's orders.
They couldn't let the citizens of Flevance thank the World Government.
One of their objectives was to undermine the World Government's authority.
While Kaie and the doctor were talking, Sukura continued examining the patients, creating his own records. The doctor seemed troubled, but he realized he needed all the help he could get.
…He, too, was infected with the Amber Lead Syndrome.
"Kaie, come help me," Sukura called out.
"I'm a guard, not a doctor…"
"It's fine. It's a simple task."
Sukura put a mask and gloves on her, taking precautions in case it was contagious.
Kaie sighed, realizing he wouldn't listen, and began assisting him.
***
A week had passed since they arrived in Flevance.
They had confirmed that the disease wasn't contagious and had opened their hospital ship to treat the citizens.
However, there was little they could do at this stage. All they could do was conduct thorough examinations and prescribe painkillers.
They had to eliminate the root cause of the disease.
Kaie compiled the information she had gathered and contacted Kanata.
"…I see. Thank you, Kaie. You must be tired."
"Not at all. The medical team has been doing most of the work. I simply compiled the reports."
"Don't belittle your efforts. The medical team's work and your work are different. You can't compare them."
Kanata reassured her.
"This is quite a difficult situation. It's not contagious, but almost every citizen is infected. Only those who haven't lived here long are unaffected."
Amber Lead mining had been the country's main industry. People had moved here for work.
Many were living in fear, wondering when they would develop symptoms.
"There have been no cases of recovery, and there is no known cure. Can Sukura even treat this?"
"I trust him – Or at least I'd like to. But diseases caused by heavy metal poisoning are difficult to treat.!
This country was… strange.
Not only the ore, but the earth and even the plants were stained white… People called it a beautiful, fairytale-like country, but Kanata found it unsettling.
Amber Lead was a pure white ore, but if the earth and plants were stained white, it meant they were absorbing it.
The crops, the animals that ate the crops, and the humans who ate the crops and animals.
The toxins would have gradually accumulated through the food chain, and even a small amount of Amber Lead, normally harmless, would become toxic after years of buildup.
Kanata knew of a similar phenomenon – pollution.
'Sukura might be able to find a solution in the long term. But the patients might not be able to wait that long.'
"…Then what are we going to do?"
"We'll have to abandon Flevance."
Kaie's eyes widened. She had assumed they were planning to use Flevance as a base in the North Blue.
There was no point in treating the citizens if they were planning to abandon the country. It was too much effort just to spite the World Government.
"Are you sure? We won't profit from this."
"It's a setback, but it's not a significant loss. Was there anything left in the royal castle?"
"No, it was completely empty… There was some spare change, but that's all."
"I figured. They knew the Amber Lead was poisonous, but they still forced their citizens to mine it. They must have seen this coming."
They had taken all the valuables, including precious metals, gems, and money, with them. The government evacuation ships had left recently. They must have missed them.
"…Well, it doesn't matter. I've already taken care of it."
The problem was, where would they relocate the citizens after abandoning Flevance?
Twilight had bases in the North Blue, but they were mainly for trade.
They didn't have the capacity to accommodate an entire country's population.
And considering the food and water were contaminated with Amber Lead, they had to relocate them quickly. But Twilight's operations were vast. The resources they could allocate to this operation were limited.
They didn't have enough ships to transport everyone, and they needed a large amount of medical equipment.
Kanata pondered the situation, and Kaie, seeing her troubled expression, suggested calling back later.
'I'd prefer not to rely on them, but…' Kanata sighed, then made her decision.
'We'll use Germa.'
***
Germa 66.
Their name was widely known as the villains in the story of "Sora, Warrior of the Sea", published by the World Economic News, but they weren't a fictional evil army. They were a real organization.
Germa 66 was the scientific combat force of the Germa Kingdom, a seafaring nation. They were also known as "Warmongers".
As a seafaring nation, they possessed several large ships, which served as their territory.
They usually charged a hefty fee for their services, but Kanata decided to use them as transporters and a temporary medical facility.
"…I never thought you would call."
"I didn't want to rely on you either. But if it can be solved with money, then that's the best option. Most of the country's citizens are sick. We'll need proper facilities to treat them."
"I see, that's a reasonable decision."
Vinsmoke Judge, the king of Germa, nodded in agreement.
He was a scientist himself, so they had plenty of medical equipment. Their facilities would be perfect as a temporary hospital.
He was charging a hefty fee, but he seemed willing to negotiate with Kanata. He didn't seem to be in a hurry to end the call.
"Using our medical facilities, our ships for transportation… the cost will be substantial."
"I'm aware of that. How much?"
"But I have the authority to offer you a discount."
"…What do you want me to do?"2
Kanata, realizing Judge's intentions, shifted her mindset from a simple transaction to a negotiation.
"I want you to train my soldiers and serve as my sparring partners. And I want access to your latest technology."
"…Very well. I'll leave the training to my subordinates. I'll need some time to prepare the technology. Is that acceptable?"
"Yes. And… you have skilled doctors, don't you? – I want you to treat my wife."
"…I'll inform Sukura. He'll treat her between the Flevance patients."
"…Thank you."
Judge, after informing her that he would send her the final cost later, ended the call.
He seemed exhausted from the negotiation. He removed his golden mask and wiped the sweat from his brow.
He took a deep breath to calm himself, then left the empty room. A young woman was waiting for him outside.
"Reiju. Based on your observations, can your ability be used to treat the Amber Lead Syndrome?"
"Yes, most likely. But it's different from the biological poisons we've been training with…"
"Take your time. That witch wouldn't go through all this trouble without a reason. We'll benefit from showing her our gratitude."
Judge didn't know much about Kanata, but he couldn't imagine her suddenly engaging in charity.
He assumed she had an ulterior motive. Repaying her favor would be beneficial in the future.
Germa was the name of an empire that had once ruled the North Blue.
After their 66 days of glory, they had been driven from their homeland, and Judge sought to avenge his ancestors.
His daughter, Reiju, and his sons, born a few years ago, were all tools for his revenge.
They hadn't treated any Amber Lead Syndrome patients yet, but they had obtained the records. If Reiju could extract the poison, perhaps they could use it for their own purposes. It was best to be prepared.
"This is our chance. We'll need that witch's power to achieve our goals. We can't let this opportunity slip away."
Judge's heart was filled with a desire for revenge. That was the reason he was born, the reason he lived.
Even his wife, Sora, who opposed his methods, couldn't change his mind. His desire for revenge took priority over everything.
He would do anything to achieve it.
…Even if it meant saving the wife who opposed him, knowing it would be pointless.
***
"Hey Big Sis! I finished the job! They had a ton of it! Jewels, metals, stacks of cash! Zehahahaha! I feel like a rich man!"
"Did you do it without being noticed?"
"Of course I did! I used the Den Den Mushi jammer, and there were no witnesses!"
"Don't talk about the details over Den Den Mushi, okay?"
"I used a White Den Den Mushi for anti-eavesdropping measures. We're good!"
"I have another job for you…"
"Huh? Another job? You're working me too hard… The Ope Ope no Mi? With Barrels?
"So you've lost your patience and are resorting to human wave tactics? Zehahahaha! But are we sure it's in the North? It could be in other seas too, right?"
"…We're searching the North first, then the other seas? That's… ridiculous… Fine, I get it. I won't complain."
"It's a pain in the ass… But I know it's important. I just hope we find it soon."