Chapter 39

An edict was issued by the Queen.

As Sir Walter Raleigh had proposed, gatherings of five or more people were forbidden within London. However, this applied only within London. The upper classes, who fortunately had places to retreat to outside the city, could still enjoy banquets and tea, conversing in other nearby towns.

And there, too, the topic of conversation was ‘that.’

“They say Sir John Hawkins is dead.”

“Good heavens, how did it happen?”

“There’s only one reason people are dying these days. They say it was the Black Death.”

“…Wasn’t it the Earl of Pembroke last time?”

“Indeed. It seems we hear of a death notice every other day.”

“…”

“…”

“…”

“Did not everyone flee to the outskirts of London at the appropriate time?”

“So they did. But I have no idea how it came to this.”

“Perhaps this gathering is not so safe either.”

“What do you mean, not safe?”

“Have you not all seen Her Majesty’s edict? It says that even after the foul air has seeped into one’s body, a person can be perfectly fine for several days. It’s possible that even among those who seem well here, there are some who carry the plague’s miasma.”

At those ominous words, the various earls and barons gathered there instinctively put some distance between themselves, clearing their throats. A sudden stillness fell over the gathering.

“No, I think differently.”

“Differently? What are you trying to say?”

“Don’t you all see it yet? That there is a commonality among the dead.”

“A… commonality?”

“I don’t see it.”

“The news is already rampant in London. They say it is the will of the Lord.”

“Well, people living and dying is all the will of the Lord. You shouldn’t be too swayed by the idle talk of commoners…”

“Weren’t they all men who coveted ‘that medicine’?”

“…Pardon?”

“About a week after they demanded the medicine, they began to fall ill, and many of them died. Only a few managed to rush to the clinic in time and were barely saved.”

“…”

“…”

“…”

“…Yes. Perhaps it truly is the will of the Lord.”

As an old noblewoman made the sign of the cross, the others glanced around before quickly doing the same. A question began to sprout in everyone’s heart.

Is it truly… the will of the Lord? Did they die by His will?

In any case, the rumor that had spread from London made its way to Richmond, Kingston, Oxford, and Reading.

“…So, nobles who died while coveting the ‘Lord’s Medicine’.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. It is a rather impious rumor, but it seems to be gaining great popularity among the citizens of London.”

“It would. Is it not a rather beautiful story?”

“…This is despite the deaths of Sir John Hawkins, the Comptroller of the Navy, and the Earl of Pembroke, who served as the Lord President of Wales. Neither man was particularly unpopular… perhaps the rumors should be suppressed.”

“No. Suppression is out of the question.”

And so it reached Queen Elizabeth, who was staying at Windsor Castle to avoid the chaos of London.

“Actively spread it.”

“…Pardon?”

“I have an idea, Lord Walsingham.”

And so, the fame of the ‘Clinic Blessed by the Lord’ soared with each passing day. The eyes of all of London’s citizens turned to the slums of Southwark.

 

October arrived before they knew it.

All public facilities in London were closed, and all assemblies, including even church gatherings, were forbidden. When the Queen’s accession day festivities, scheduled for the following month, were also canceled, the streets became completely deserted, and the city quietly awaited the end of autumn and the beginning of winter.

And.

“…The numbers are definitely decreasing.” Harriot, who had by now become something of an aide to Sir Raleigh, said as he handed documents to Eleanor and Margaret.

“What is?”

“The death toll. Except for when a few nobles and gentlemen suddenly died, the Black Death in London is subsiding. It’s been trending that way for several days.”

Death was receding.

In the areas where the wealthy lived, death had naturally come to a near halt. In the slums outside the city walls, like Aldgate and Houndsditch, and on the banks of the Thames in Southwark and other neighborhoods, the march of death was slowly coming to an end. As the weather grew colder, the season when rats swarmed was gradually passing. They had already reduced the number of rats significantly with traps and poison, so when winter came and the remaining ones froze to death, the plague’s momentum would diminish even further.

Eleanor lifted her head and looked beyond the tent. The entrances to the sick wards, which had been lined with long queues just last month, now looked quite spacious. The days when volunteers collapsed from heatstroke while working all day in their protective suits were over. They were finally able to rotate personnel in shifts.

It wasn’t all over yet… but at least the end was in sight.

“I-It’s thanks to everyone… working so hard,” Margaret Lawrence said, her voice thick with tears. “Good heavens, I-I can’t believe we actually did it… We… finally…!”

“You shouldn’t celebrate just yet. Plague patients are still being found here and there.”

“They’ll be gone soon! At this rate, won’t it be contained within a month or two?”

It was an optimistic statement, but one that couldn’t be denied. Winter would be here soon. Margaret jumped up and down, saying she could finally get more than six hours of sleep a day, and Harriot, too, breathed a sigh of relief that the end of the disinfection work was in sight.

And… Eleanor… felt bewildered.

As the rumor that this place was under the Lord’s protection spread, the people who had already treated Eleanor and Margaret with a certain reverence began to act even stranger. They would mutter things like “It’s the Saintess…” whenever Eleanor passed by, or make the sign of the cross instead of greeting her. Patients would strangely try to touch the hem of her clothes, or those who made eye contact with her would hastily offer a prayer.

It was truly… uncomfortable and unnerving.

‘Could it be that Sir Nemo felt this way, too?’

…No way. He’s a real angel, and I’m just an ordinary person.

Eleanor shook off the absurd thought and refocused on the conversation between Margaret and Harriot. They were discussing whether it would be alright to shorten the sterilization cycle for the syringes and other equipment…

Flap.

Suddenly, the tent flap flew open. She turned to see who it was and saw a familiar face.

“Sir Raleigh!”

It was Sir Raleigh, who had by now recovered from the plague. He was still continuing the disinfection work in various places with his guards and servants. It had been difficult to see his face for the past few weeks.

“…Ah! You’re both here. It’s been a long time. It’s hard to believe we’re in the same city.” But Sir Raleigh’s face showed an emotion stronger than the simple pleasure of seeing old colleagues. He looked anxious, and rushed. Glancing around, he gestured for Harriot to step aside for a moment.

As Harriot and the others stepped out of the tent, Eleanor and Margaret were puzzled. What important matter was there to discuss that he would send out even his own friend, Harriot?

“Do you two have time right now?”

“…Pardon?”

“I asked if you have time, as there’s a place we must stop by. We may have to go outside of London.”

“Outside of London? What’s this about…”

“Don’t be so nervous. Just tell me if you have time or not. Will any of the patients die if you’re absent?”

“…”

“…”

The two of them shook their heads. A few weeks ago, when they were at their busiest, they wouldn’t have had a moment to spare, but now, a few days would be fine.

“Then, let’s go. The carriage is ready.”

“Where to?”

“Right outside!”

“W-We should at least tell the others that we’ll be gone for a bit…”

“Hurry!”

And so, without knowing the reason, the two of them hastily handed over their duties and boarded the carriage, which soon began to race through the streets of London. Bewildered, the two looked around as all sorts of scenery flew past the window. The carriage, too, was strangely ornate, with gilded decorations here and there.

“…I-I’ve never ridden in something like this before,” Margaret muttered.

“Me neither…” Eleanor replied.

Seeing this, Sir Raleigh clutched his forehead as if he had a long road ahead of him and said, “Both of you, when we arrive, do not walk ahead of me. Understood?”

“Y-Yes?”

“And do not speak unless spoken to, and don’t forget to preface your words with ‘Your Majesty’.”

“…Pardon?”

“Ah, did I not mention it in my haste? Ah… no. I deliberately didn’t tell you because I thought it would be a burden.” Walter Raleigh said it as naturally and matter-of-factly as if he were talking about going to lunch.

“We are going to see the Queen. Her Majesty has urgently requested to see you.”

“…Whaaat?”

“C-C-Can’t we get off?”

“Is it that surprising? Even after receiving a revelation from an angel.”

“Uh… uh-uh?”

For the next hour, Walter Raleigh explained all manner of etiquette and manners, until he finally realized that neither of them understood a single thing and fell silent.

And so the carriage stopped.

The carriage door opened.

As the two of them, completely frozen, scurried after Sir Raleigh, a huge door opened. After passing through splendid corridors, past splendid doors and people in splendid attire, the two of them succeeded in turning completely into stone statues.

When Sir Raleigh stood before the final door.

Creeeeak.

“…Walt, you’ve come?”

“Your Majesty.”

“…”

“…”

They came face to face with the monarch of England. While Raleigh naturally bowed to the Queen, the other two were horribly frozen, moving stiffly like machines.

“Ah, so these are… the ones from the rumors…”

“They are, Your Majesty.”

Both of them had memories of cheering and waving when the Queen’s carriage passed by from a distance. They even seemed to remember making eye contact with her for a fleeting moment. But this was different.

“Both of you… from whom did you learn the art of medicine?” the Queen asked, approaching them.

Eleanor felt like she was going to faint. “We have n-never learned it, uh…”

“…Your Majesty.”

“Your Majesty.”

When Sir Raleigh corrected her, Eleanor quickly added the honorific to the end of her sentence. When Elizabeth smiled at the sight, Eleanor and Margaret awkwardly smiled along with the Queen. Only Raleigh slapped his forehead as if he knew this would happen, and Elizabeth quietly whispered to him, “…They’re adorable. Two young maidens.”

“One is a widow, Your Majesty. She has a daughter across the Atlantic.”

“Ah, is that so?” The Queen nodded slightly and said, “So, I hear you have developed a cure for the Black Death?”

At those words, Eleanor almost blurted out, “Pardon?” She remembered that this was the story they had agreed upon before coming to England. “Y-Yes. The two of us were gathering medicinal herbs near the colony when we found a sick person, so we boiled the herbs to make medicine, but we thought it would be better to inject it into the veins, so with the help of the natives…”

“Can it be made in England?”

“Pardon?”

“If I give you the patent rights, can you make and sell it in England?”

Startled, Eleanor looked at the Queen, and the Queen’s eyes turned into those of a viper for an instant… then relaxed in the next. “I-It would be impossible… Your Majesty. The ingredients only grow in America…”

“Is that so?”

“…Yes. And it was very difficult to obtain the ingredients, so we had to receive help from the natives.”

“…”

“…”

In the silence, the Queen stared at Eleanor, Margaret, and Raleigh before continuing. “…Two uneducated women, with the help of the natives, created a medicine that just so happened to be perfect for the Black Death? And just as you brought that medicine, the Black Death started to spread in England?”

“Your Majesty?”

“Do you know what the world calls something like this? They call it a ‘miracle’.”

“…”

“…”

“…”

In an instant, the air in the room turned cold. The Queen gestured to Eleanor with her chin and said, “Show me the instrument you use to inject that mysterious medicine into the veins.”

Trembling, Eleanor glanced at Margaret and Sir Raleigh before holding out the syringe. Elizabeth examined it meticulously, then put it down and said, “To create such a thin needle… no, such a thin tube.”

“That is correct, Your Majesty. The people of the American land, though they may not know the Lord, cannot be called savages. Now that they know the Lord, they are our equals, or even superior.”

“Hmph.”

“Now that you have such allies in your hands, Your Majesty, driving out the Spanish hegemony from the Atlantic can now be easily achieved…”

“Walt.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“I do not wish to discuss an alliance with people I have not yet met. Is that not a story for a time far from now? I wish to focus on the miracle before my eyes.”

“…”

“…”

“…”

Did the Queen notice something strange? Could it be that the Queen…

“An angel.”

“…!”

Now, Eleanor couldn’t even breathe.

“An angel brought this to you, did it not? Telling you to go forth and save London.”

Eleanor almost burst into tears. Her Majesty the Queen knows everything. Now Sir Nemo will have to convert the Queen, and if he can’t…!

“…How about we announce it as such?”

“…Pardon?”

“Hmph, it seems this story was too difficult for you. Sir Raleigh?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. Uh… I believe that is a most excellent plan.”

“You do not look well. You seem to be sweating a great deal. You’ve only just recovered from the plague; has your health not yet returned?”

“Ah, no, Your Majesty.”

“Hmph. Then it is settled.”

Eleanor nearly collapsed from relief. Margaret was still trembling.

“I have already spoken to Lord Walsingham. His agents will soon spread the rumor throughout London. Then, all you have to do is act your parts accordingly. Understood?” The Queen, though she seemed to sense that something was amiss, couldn’t bring herself to imagine a ‘real angel’ and laughed it off.

Eleanor, with a bewildered expression (this was not an act), replied to the Queen’s words. “B-But… isn’t that a lie?”

“It is not a lie. It is a little spice sprinkled on a bland truth.”

Though the truth is not at all bland.

“If you do not wish it, then it cannot be helped. But if you are loyal to the authority given to me by the Lord, then you should rightfully follow.” The Queen’s face hardened into a serious expression. “We are now in a state of war with Spain. Your existence will unite the hearts of the devout English subjects and prove that the Lord’s holy will lies with our English victory.”

“…”

“Therefore, you must have received a revelation about the London plague from an angel. How about it?”

—“And soon, Catherine de’ Medici, the Queen Mother of France, dies in 1589. From 1592 to 1593, a plague spreads in London… Ah, was Descartes born in 1596?”

Those words she had heard when she met the angel for the second time still echoed in her mind. She still had no idea who this Descartes was. Ah, he must not have been born yet.

Eleanor glanced over at Sir Raleigh. Sir Raleigh, too, signaled to her with his eyes. ‘Do it.’

“I will do it. For my country and for the Lord!”

“Good. A most excellent decision!” Elizabeth smiled with satisfaction at the two of them. “I never did like that self-proclaimed saint of France, the witch Joanna!³ Now we have something similar! And two of them, no less!”

“…”

“…”

“Ah, I don’t mean to say you are witches. I mean that you will become saints. What do you think, Walt?”

“The French witch was captured by our army and burned at the stake under a just trial, so she must have been a fake. But these two, unlike that witch, were given a revelation to save people instead of killing them, so they are many times greater.”

“Indeed… you are of the same opinion as I.”

Clap! Elizabeth clapped her hands and declared, “Margaret Lawrence, Eleanor Dare.”

“Yes?”

“…Yes.”

“You are now Saint Margaret and Saint Eleanor of London.”

And so… it came to be.

***

1. “W-We were gathering medicinal herbs near Croatoan Island, on the eastern coast of the New World. On that day, there were many herbs, so we were offering a prayer of thanks to God.”

When the Saintesses went to gather herbs in the depths of Croatoan Island and were satisfied with their day’s harvest, they offered up a prayer unto the Lord.

1. “That’s when Margaret suddenly opened her eyes during the prayer and said she heard a strange sound from over there.”

1. And Margaret opened her eyes during her prayer and spake, saying, “O Eleanor, dost thou not hear a curious voice from the depths?”

“So we went over there to see.”

1. And the two daughters of man were greatly afraid and also marveled, and they went forth to the place whence the voice came.

“And then suddenly, with a flash, the angel…!”

1. And the two saw and heard again, and the angel had six wings, and with every movement of the wings, he stirred up all manner of winds and storms, and his body floated in the air, and his radiance was purer than the sun.
2. And he ceased not to say, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.”

1. And in one hand he held a radiance, and in the other, he raised a sword that could cleave a well-forged mass of iron.

“…Anyway, it was amazing.”

And the two, with hearts of awe, knelt and worshipped.

1. “So the angel pointed his sword to the east and said, ‘Go! Go and save England!’ and then he disappeared. And after that, the method for making the medicine suddenly came into my head…”
2. And they asked of the angel, saying, “Why dost thou reveal thyself unto us?”
3. And the angel raised his great sword and pointed to the East, saying, “Thou, Eleanor, and thou, Margaret, go forth and save thy country and seek the will of the Lord as a thirsty man seeks a spring.”

And when the form of the angel vanished without a trace, the two spoke amongst themselves, saying, “This is not the work of man, but a miracle of the Lord. Thou shalt grind the herbs, and I shall press the juice, and we must make haste to the land of London to defeat the vile pestilence.”

…

…

…

“Uh… are you writing down exactly what I said?”

“Of course, Saintess Eleanor. Please, continue.”

“…Are you really, truly writing down exactly what I said?”

He was not.