Amazing Village Building

“Is that medicine really going to cure this disease…? I’ve heard no medicine has worked against it so far…”

“Just going outside and traveling here has drained me…so…it better work…”

“It’s none other than the Divine Emperor who called us here today. Surely, that means it’s effective against the epedimic.”

The afflicted gave off the impression that they were dubious of the cure we were offering. However, when the first few people nervously drank the cure potions…

“All my warts are gone…!”

“M-mine too!”

“The pain’s gone too!”

Thanks to the cure potions’ fast-acting effects, the others saw the ones who drank the potions be rid of the disease in the blink of the eye. As such, their impression on the potions changed.

“It really works!”

“There’s not even one trace of the warts!”

“Oh thank goodness! If there were traces of the warts even after I’m healed, I don’t think I’ll be ever be able to get a bride!”

The others then quickly drank their potions and were cured as well.

“We have another patient at home! They couldn’t move anymore, so we had to leave them home but…!”

“Then, please give this to them.”

“Ahh, thank you very much!”

By the way, people had also gathered in the other shrines all over the city and had similarly been given cure potions. Our group and Gai-san’s family had been working hand in hand to facilitate this event, but even then, we lacked manpower. For that reason, I deployed my body doubles as well.

Just to be on the safe side, I should make everyone in our group drink a cure potion as well. Coming into close proximity with these many patients gives them a pretty good chance of catching the virus as well. My body doubles don’t get sick, so there should be no need to worry about them though.

“Luke and company, you have done us a great service. Through your efforts, our nation has eradicated the epidemic. As the representative of my people, I thank you deeply.”

After the epidemic has mostly been vanquished thanks to the cure potions, we had an audience with the Divine Emperor, the nation’s ruler.

I wasn’t able to see them directly, but the voice I heard from the other side of the wooden blinds was clearly feminine.

It would seem the one known as Divine Emperor Meisei was a woman. I wasn’t sure of her age, but she sounded quite young.

“I only did what anyone would.”

“Still, I can’t imagine preparing such a large quantity of the medicine to have been an easy feat.”

“It certainly wasn’t easy, but…”

“Then, I must offer you some reward. Unfortunately, ours is not a wealthy nation. I know not if we could grant it, but please state your wish.”

“I see…”

To be honest, this country didn’t have much in terms of fascinating local specialties. However, given that Edou and Osaku—who sold us rice and fish—were already connected to us via the railways, it might lead to international issue if Kyou found out that they were the only one excluded from such a thing.

But then again, Kyou was a rather conservative nation, so it might not be so simple to get the permission to build our railways here…

Well, there’s no harm in asking, I guess.

“A Reyl road can make travel from here to the west take only an hour, you say…”

The Divine Emperor asked so, sounding bewildered.

As for the officials around us, they made faces that said it was preposterous to build something so dubious. In the end, the decision was postponed for later. They said I would be contacted when any decision was reached.

After the group from the west left the audience chamber.

“Your Majesty, one from their group wanted you to give this a read…”

“What is this? ‘The Legend of Luke-sama’?”

Divine Emperor Meisei was handed a suspicious-looking book. Despite looking like that though, the Divine Emperor flipped through the pages one after the other. The Divine Emperor couldn’t believe what was written in it.

“Unceasing war, grave famine…and an epidemic…it is said that a merciful bodhisattva shall walk among us when the world has entered the age of degeneration of the law…Luke-dono’s acts as they are written here mirrors that almost exactly…”

The Divine Emperor, a firm believer in the teachings of Buddha, said so with her voice quivering.

“There were also the reports that stated he was in every shrine all at the same time…such a feat couldn’t be accomplished by any ordinary individual! There can be no mistake…! That person is the Maitreya Bodhisattva who would save us from this age of degeneration!”

TL note: Meisei likely refers to Emperor Akihito of Japan who ruled during the Heisei era (1989-2019).

As for Maitreya Bodhisattva, they are said to be the one to be the next Buddha or the next one to gain enlightenment. I really don’t know anything about Buddhism, so I advise you to google it yourself. I opted to use the actual word to make it easier to research.

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