Upon returning to the plane of the Moro continent, Ina immediately sought to hand over the ghost vine powder she'd procured from the ancient god ruins to Professor Derick. She wanted to analyze its composition. Concerned that introducing the ghost vine might spell a new calamity for the Moro continent, she abandoned her initial plan of bringing a portion of the vine, settling instead on just the dried and crushed powder.
Ina suspected that the ghost vine powder did more than just stave off hunger. While the ancient god ruins were largely devoid of magic, dragons couldn't readily absorb magic from their surroundings. Yet, despite a potential delay, magic could indeed regenerate. She speculated that the ghost vine powder might play a role in this to some extent.
When she went to see Professor Derick, she learned that he had just returned from the town of Bena, one of the areas affected by the recent epidemic. Rumors had it that the infected lost their sanity and became highly aggressive.
"They've contracted some bizarre madness," he began, the weight of his experience evident. "One moment, they'd be eating, walking, or resting as usual. The next, they'd lash out violently, attacking anyone close by – be it, beloved family or complete strangers. They act like wild beasts, mindlessly assaulting anyone near them."
Professor Derick's face darkened as he continued, "Even if you restrain them, tying their hands and feet, they'd find any way possible to inflict harm, even biting like animals. But whereas beasts kill for food, these frenzied individuals might kill purely for the thrill of it."
Hearing this, Ina asked with deep concern, "Has the situation been contained? Do we know the cause of their affliction?"
"Fortunately, there are signs before the onset. Their gaze becomes vacant, and their limbs occasionally act uncontrollably. They're hypersensitive to sound. Those affected are isolated, and even the unaffected must keep a vigilant watch over their loved ones," he replied.
With a weary shake of his head, Professor Derick said, "This is no ordinary disease. We're convinced that someone, or some organization, masterminded this catastrophe. Bold as it might seem, I suspect the various different outbreaks across the empire might be the doing of the same culprits."
"As for the affected," Professor Derick sighed, "we're faced with a dilemma. Do we see them as pitiable victims or violent murderers?"
This reminded Ina of the ethical quandary during apocalyptic events – should zombies be killed? If zombies could be reverted to humans, is there a difference between killing zombies and people? Should a person be held accountable for killings committed while transformed?
"How are they being dealt with now?"
"Since the disease remains contained, our main focus is on accelerating drug research. We're fortunate that the Knights arrived in time; they've managed to stabilize the situation. The priority now is to develop a remedy for this ailment. If it spreads unchecked, the outcome would be catastrophic," Professor Derick explained.
"what brings you here, Miss Ina?"
At this point, Ina hesitated that give ghost vine powder to Professor Derick. She shook her head, "Nothing in particular. I just wanted to learn about the recent epidemic in the empire."
"Yet, from what I gather, it seems you were unaware of my visit to Bena before coming here," he observed keenly.
Ina's small deception was quickly noticed. "It's just a minor matter. Perhaps I should seek someone else's help."
Dismissing her concerns, Professor Derick reassured, "If it's a minor task, I can handle it quickly. Please entrust it to me."
Only then did Ina hand over the ghost vine powder. "If you have time, could you examine this powder? I suspect it might be related to magic replenishment."
---
To teleport back to the ancient god ruins from the Moro continent, a day's cooldown was required. Anticipating this, Ina hung a 'closed tomorrow' sign outside her cave. Ahkti, seeing the cave empty, would merely assume she'd gone on a stroll elsewhere.
Regarding teleportation between the two locations, besides the cooldown, Ina discovered she couldn't teleport with ordinary people as she did on the Moro continent. The teleportation crystal leading to her branch store couldn't access the ancient god ruins either. While Ina had no plans to bring anyone like Dusì or anyone else to the dangerous ruins, prone to falling rocks and molten lava, this meant she couldn't take anyone out of the ruins either.
Ina had hoped to teleport several people at a time, with dreams of someday returning them all to their homelands. It appeared she'd need to find another way.
Next, Ina planned to visit Thunder Fort Farm, the food base of the Dragonflame Company. Initially, the farm housed two massive granaries. After Ina employed fertilizers to accelerate the growth of the wheat, the harvest not only yielded more produce but also at a quicker rate. The original granaries soon proved insufficient, prompting the construction of three more of the same size, which now were nearly full.
When Ina arrived at the farm, Old Quint and the other Reez people had just finished irrigating the fields. The recent weather had been relentlessly hot, with not a drop of rain for weeks. Fortunately, Ina had met some alchemists through the Magical Pragmatism Society of Lusen. At her request, they crafted a comprehensive irrigation system for the farm. Though costly, it proved highly effective. Once activated, underground pipes supplied water that erupted from nozzles protruding from the ground, perfectly dousing a circular area.
After finishing their work, Quint and his team began their afternoon tea break, a testament to the exceptional employee benefits provided by the Longyan Company. Free meals and afternoon tea, flexible job assignments, generous compensation, harmonious working relationships, and occasional company-paid vacations were the norm. Whether it was the vibrant Silverleaf Forest, the enchanting Midnight Marsh, or the perennially warm coastal city of Neranka, getting there was easy and could even be instantaneous, saving the troubles of travel.
On this sweltering afternoon, after attending to the farm, Quint washed his face and joined the others under a white wax tree, enjoying watermelon. Thunder Fort Farm cultivated more than just wheat; it had substantial plots for various fruits and vegetables.
Magi had already selected a ripe watermelon, its deep green rind patterned beautifully. After chilling in cold water for hours, it was perfect for eating. As his blade just nicked the rind, a soft "crack" sounded; the ripe watermelon eagerly split open, revealing its deep red, juicy flesh.
Mori, carrying a large bucket of cold, bubbling soda, walked over. The clinking of the ice cubes against the bucket's sides produced a crisp sound.
It was at this moment that Ina arrived. She frowned at the heatwave that greeted her, feeling as if the very air she breathed was both scorching and sticky. That discomfort lifted the instant she sipped the refreshing, ice-cold soda, allowing her to breathe freely again.
Quint asked if Ina was there to see Dusì. Unaware that Dusì was also at the farm, Ina responded, "No, that's not why I came. But since Dusì is here, why haven't I seen her?"
"The Vice President is here, over there." Magi pointed southward, where Ina spotted Dusì approaching on a small motorcycle. Ina had founded the Dragonflame Company and held the title of President. Dusì, having contributed the most amongst all employees, naturally held the position of Vice President. For Dusì's convenience, Ina even allocated her a griffon for longer journeys and a motorcycle for shorter distances.
After parking her motorcycle, Dusì hurriedly approached, grabbed a slice of watermelon, and took a big bite. Only then did she notice Ina under the tree, "Miss Ina, what brings you here?"
Ina held a clear glass cup, condensation droplets forming on its surface, "I heard there's been no rain here for days, so I wanted to check in."
Wiping the sweat from her brow caused by the scorching sun, Dusì agreed, "Indeed, it's been unusually hot."
Ina advised them, "In such blistering afternoons, you shouldn't work. Beware of heat strokes."
Quint and the others chuckled in agreement. Hailing from the perpetually chilly Frozen Tundra, they rarely encountered such sweltering temperatures. Thankfully, they had watermelon and chilled soda.
After sitting for a while, Dusì suddenly brought up some news, "Vilanthe's father has passed away."
The monarch of the Orlan Empire is dead? Ina was taken aback, having not heard this from any other sources.
Seeing her surprise, Dusì added, "Vilanthe informed me. The news hasn't been disseminated by the church yet."
If the demise of the Orlan Empire's monarch was widely publicized, the church would have to elect the next monarch. The present choices are both undesirable for the church: the defiant Vilanthe, who would undoubtedly challenge them, and the frail Joshua, who can't even endure a coronation. Either choice presents its own set of challenges.
"You've met Vilanthe? When did she come?"
Dusì shook her head, "She never came here; I went to meet her. Recently, there's been an outbreak in Flemington, and Vilanthe ordered a large number of boiling stones and other goods from us. For convenience, we opened a general store in Flemington." Boiling stones, capable of easily producing clean boiling water, became one of the most popular items during this outbreak. The alchemist who mastered the boiling stone recipe, to meet such high demand, reportedly set up a small workshop. Other alchemists, hearing of the profitability of this seemingly insignificant formula, have been even more eager to collaborate with the Dragonflame Company.
"How is Vilanthe doing now?" Ina asked with concern. Vilanthe's relationship with her father was not exactly close, especially with the shadow of her mother's tragic death looming between them. However, when Vilanthe had to escape the capital, her father ensured she had an exit strategy by giving her control over Flemington. It wasn't as if he had no concern for his daughter.
"Vilanthe probably has no time to grieve," Dusì said. "The church is trying to blame the outbreak in Flemington on her. However, she exposed that similar outbreaks have appeared in other regions of the Orlan Empire, which the church had suppressed. Now she has to guard against the church and handle the epidemic. She has no time for other thoughts."
"By the way," Dusì suddenly mentioned, "Miss Ina, perhaps we should bolster the defenses of Thunder Fort Farm. With the political instability and unusual weather conditions, the price of food has soared. Thunder Fort Farm has a huge stockpile of grain, and with the disorderly state of the Doman Duchy, I fear someone might set their sights on the farm."
"You're right." Thunder Fort Farm was vast, with only a handful of people tending to it. Even with the mechanical worker bees and guardian golems, it wouldn't fend off other forces' greed. Especially now that Ina traveled between the Old God ruins and the Moro continent, any incident would mean she wouldn't get there in time. "Let me think about how to strengthen the guard or maybe just move the grain. The Silver Empire should be more stable than the Doman Duchy."
Thunder Fort Farm was just too vast. Proper guarding would require a large group of people, and these guards might not be trustworthy. Aside from Elvys's knight order, Ina didn't trust mercenaries or anyone else.
"Vilanthe mentioned to me once that she was interested in buying the farm's grain, willing to pay a high price," Dusì added.
"Vilanthe needs grain?" Ina recalled that Vilanthe controlled the Harlop Duchy privately, so its grain output should suffice for Flemington's residents. But given the current situation of constant natural and man-made disasters and shifting political power, Ina seemed to understand Vilanthe's intent to purchase in bulk.
It appeared Dusì had guessed as well, hence mentioning the Orlan monarch's passing before bringing up Vilanthe's proposal.
Indeed, the grain silos at Thunder Fort Farm were nearly full. With the imminent harvest, Quint had even suggested building a new silo. Ina made a decision, "Transport half of the farm's grain discreetly to Flemington. We don't want gold but an unrestricted promise for the Dragonflame Company in the territories controlled by Vilanthe in the future."
Dusì looked at Ina, realizing she wasn't making a business deal but placing a bet. "I'll personally oversee the transport."
"I might also take some of the remaining grain. The exact amount will be recorded in the stock in-and-out logbook by Quint." Removing farm produce required meticulous recording, and Ina was no exception.