ASAHI NO NISHISEI - Rising Sun Goes West (2)

Part 5: Crossnellyard Empire | Guest Character

June 4

Japanese Concession, Margraviate of Beginteria's Capital, Southern Crossnellyard Empire

The Seal Trump, a container freighter operated by the Japanese company Shosen Santen, is anchored at the port of Beginteria, located on the southern coast of the Crossnellyard Empire, the world's largest empire. Containers were being unloaded one after another from the cargo bed of the Seal Trump, which had finally arrived at its final destination after a 21-day voyage from Miket Tirith. On board, one of the passengers, Jindo, was preparing to disembark from the ship. He slung his Boston bag over his shoulder and bid farewell to the room where he had spent 21 days.

And at the end of the ramp being lowered into the harbor, he saw Riyoshi and Lily, who had already disembarked from the ship.

"Good morning, Jindo-san."

"Good morning!"

"Ah, good morning..."

The three exchanged morning greetings. Compared to when they first started their journey, Riyoshi's attitude toward Jindo had softened considerably. The feelings she had for Jindo had changed from contempt to respect after the incidents in the Ephoroi Republic and the Johan Republic.

"Where is senpai—I mean, Sergeant Hiraide?"

Rubbing his sleepy eyes, Jindo looked around. He could not see Hiraide.

"Yes, I don't think he's come out yet."

Riyoshi, too, had not yet seen Hiraide. He had not yet gotten off the ship.

"That's unusual... maybe he overslept?"

It was unusual for Hiraide, who usually acts a step ahead of them, to be late. With this in mind, Jindo, Riyoshi, and Lily waited for him to come down.

However, after about 20 minutes had passed and the check-out time had passed, he still had not come down. Just when Jindo and Riyoshi are beginning to think that something is wrong, a Seal Trump crewman appeared at the top of the ramp, out of breath.

"Um! You are Michinari Hiraide-sama's companions, aren't you!?"

"Yeah... yes, we are," Jindo replied.

The sailor seemed to be in a great hurry. He told the three people, who were wondering what was going on, what they needed to know.

"Senpai... has a fever!?" Jindo exclaimed in shock.

When the ship's crew became suspicious that he had not come out of his room by check-out time and could not be reached by extension phone, they used the master key to open Hiraide's room and found him groaning with a high fever.

The three immediately went back on board and headed for Hiraide's room. When they opened the door to the infirmary, they found Hiraide suffering from a high fever.

"Senpai... are you all right!?"

"...Y-yeah. Sorry, I've caused you so much trouble."

Jindo immediately rushed to his side. He was breathing heavily and had a red rash on his hands and feet.

"Sensei, what is this...?"

Riyoshi inquired about Hiraide's condition from Saichi Dojima, a member of the medical staff at Seal Trump.

"The results of the blood test indicate that he may be suffering from some kind of infectious disease. But we don't know the details yet..."

Although Dojima is the ship's doctor, he does not have a medical license, so he could not give a detailed diagnosis. In the first place, the ship's medical facilities are not enough to determine the cause of the illness that has struck Hiraide. Dojima was at a loss. Soon after, he made a suggestion.