This BL Novel Is Ruined Now [Book 2]

148

Contrary to her concerns, it was easier to quarantine the remaining patients at the temple. This was due to the thorough supervision of the knights of House Chantra and House Jehardt.

“There are still some patients who are seriously ill, but overall, they are improving.”

“Yes. And just as Your Eminence has said, it seems like they’re getting better because they’ve been quarantined in a room with much better ventilation.”

After Reina had been recognized as a saintess, the people of the temple started listening to what she had to say.

And fortunately, Reina’s advice was proving to be effective. The patients were improving more than what was initially expected. Thanks to that, her sermons on the importance of hygiene were also gaining considerable credibility.

“That’s a relief. Then…”

Reina, who was examining one of the sleeping patients, stood up from her perch and looked at all the rest who were lying down around her.

There weren’t enough cots to accommodate such a large number of people, so most of them were lying down on temporary beds made of straw and cloth.

But the groaning people who were, in fact, laying on the available cots could not readily say that they were ‘fortunate’.

‘Haa… There’s still a long way to go.’

Still, it was a feat in itself that most of the people here have recovered enough that they could go to the comfort room and take care of themselves on their own or with minimal help.

“Hello. How are you feeling?”

Stepping closer to the person on the next temporary bed over from the patient she had just examined, Reina crouched down to sit on her knees and made eye contact with the patient.

“It hurts… I can’t wait to go home…”

The patient couldn’t open his eyes properly and instead weakly floundered one hand in the air. Then, the priest standing next to him quickly brought over a full wooden ladle to the patient’s lips.

As he gulped down the liquid, a pungent scent brushed over the tip of Reina’s nose.

“Why is the water like that?”

“Ah, it has enca tea leaves, Your Eminence.”

“Enca tea leaves?”

It’s what she heard about at the village during her rounds the other day.

“Yes. The water from the eastern part of the village is said to have a bit of a fishy taste, so the villagers have made it a habit to infuse it with enca tea leaves.”

The priest explained thoroughly. He continued.

“Even though they’re feeling sick now, they still keep looking for the taste, so the villagers from the eastern end send their water to the temple for this reason.”

After hearing this, Reina recalled what she heard from the young wife.

“All the villagers in Launcer draw water from the well. The water tastes a little fishy, so we make do by drinking it with enca tea. But… It’s the same for all the other families, too. Right, Honey?”

“I wasn’t aware that these circumstances were limited to the eastern side…”

Moreover, she knew that there were many people afflicted by the illness from the eastern part of the village, but she didn’t think that the water was connected to that.