How the Villainous Consort Avoids His Death Ending - Chapter 55.2
It was certainly unusual that none of us were affected while so many sailors had collapsed with the same symptoms. It did not seem like a simple coincidence. After all, diseases do not discriminate by person or social status.
“……It might be the same problem as last time, so I will inspect the ship.”
A voice, already half-hoarse from disuse, came quietly from behind. I looked back at Tristan with concern. His gaze followed me with a pained expression.
I thought for a moment and shook my head.
“This is a newly built ship. I inspected it thoroughly before launching, so it cannot be the same problem as before.”
“That is true. Perhaps the provisions have gone bad, given how long we have been at sea.”
“Then it would be better to check the kitchen.”
I agreed with Tristan and stood up. It did not seem like a case of food poisoning, but one never knows. Since I am not a doctor, I thought there might be other clues to find, so I headed to the kitchen below deck with Tristan.
Pushing open the kitchen door, the smell of old grease mixed with the damp scent of wood pressed by sea wind hit my nose. Even on a new ship, it seemed inevitable after so long at sea.
The cook, wearing an apron soaked in sweat and soaking salted meat in water, jumped up and bowed deeply at our approach.
“Your Grace, Grand Consort. Wh-what brings you to this humble place?”
“We came to inspect briefly. It is nothing serious, so pay it no mind and continue your work.”
I gestured to calm the flustered cook, but he could not help being nervous. He followed Tristan and me with hunched shoulders and a tense expression.
I circled the storage area and opened one of the water containers stacked in a corner. The drinking water, supplied from Hezekia port several dozen days ago and carried throughout the voyage, had a flat taste and even a slightly stale smell.
“This is still acceptable. We cannot expect fresh water.”
Tristan tasted it first and lightly furrowed his brow as he commented. The taste was unpleasant, but it was not in a state to cause serious illness.
Next, I checked the barrels of beer stored nearby. Since the water tasted increasingly brackish with the length of the voyage, beer or rum was distributed every morning to mask the taste. Some sailors, refusing to drink the water, depended entirely on the alcohol. In that sense, it might have had even more influence than the water.
“It is rough and cloudy, but…… nothing seriously wrong.”
I muttered, and Tristan nodded in agreement.
“The food also seems fine……”
Looking through the shelves yielded no answers either.
Hardtack preserved tightly, dried salted meat, and old grains. All typical provisions for a long voyage. In this era, it was impossible to obtain fresh vegetables in the middle of the sea, so it was natural……
I suddenly froze.
“There are…… no vegetables at all? Have they all run out? Ah, they must have all gone bad by now.”
Muttering to myself, I suddenly realized something. Until this morning, there had still been a few green vegetables visible on Tristan’s and my table.
The cook quickly waved his hands in response.
“Oh, it is not like that. Vegetables are hard to store, so we made a small planter in a corner of the deck. Even if it is modest, it allows us to use some.”
“That is a very small amount, isn’t it?”
“No problem. There are some root vegetables, and we use leafy greens little by little. It is enough for Your Grace, Grand Consort, Constantine, and the knights to eat.”
That was not what I was asking. I had a feeling I knew the answer, but I wanted to be certain and asked the cook again.
“But for distributing to the sailors, even a single day’s portion would be hard to provide, right?”
“Eh? The sailors…… Do you mean?”
A look of panic crossed the cook’s face.
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