Chapter 141: Second Ending Spoiler (2)
“Winter of 1830. Vienna, Austria. Freezing winter. The freezing of the River Danube. And… cholera.”
Lloyd clenched his fists as the puzzle was completed in his head. And the answer was revealed.
Yes. That was it.
Lloyd gulped involuntarily, and Javier, who was beside him, cocked his head to the side.
“What is cholera?” asked Javier.
“Hmm?”
“You just murmured some things to yourself. Vienna, Austria. Danube River. Cholera. I think that’s what I heard.”
“Oh, those?” said Lloyd.
Lloyd had unconsciously murmured after his realization, but Javier must have heard him with his sensitive hearing. Lloyd smirked and quickly gave a vague answer.
“Those are the names of a long-forgotten ancient city and river,” said Lloyd.
“Ancient city?”
“Yeah, I came across the names in a book I read when I visited the academy to visit Julian.”
“But why are you saying them now-”
“Since it just dawned on me,” Lloyd explained, “that the situation of that city is akin to ours.”
“How so?”
“We both have an overcrowding issue.”
Thinking about it, he was right. Vienna of 1830 and Frontera fiefdom held similarities that went beyond their differing dimension and location.
They didn’t have any decent facility to manage bodily waste. But the city experienced a sudden increase in population.
In 1830, Europe was going through changes following the Industrial Revolution. Countless workers flooded into the city, and one of the cities that people moved to was Vienna, the capital of Austria. The deluge of workers led to a sharp increase in population in the city, posing a severe problem in managing human waste.
Duh. Prior to that, bodily waste was mainly used as fertilizers, and the rest was tossed in a river or on the streets. But when the population underwent a drastic change, such a method of disposing of waste didn’t work anymore.
Despite such a problem at hand, nobody came up with any measure, and winter arrived. Moreover, that winter was unprecedentedly cold, freezing the entire Danube River that cut across the city district of Vienna. But people didn’t mind at all. They innocently kept dumping bodily waste into the river just as they always had.
That was the start of the plague.
Originally, those massive amounts of human waste should have flowed along the river current and naturally decomposed by the host of microorganisms underwater. However, the Danube River froze up in winter, and that completely changed things. The waste no longer flowed downstream. It accumulated in the river, only to melt under the sun in the afternoon and freeze again at night, rotting in the process. Just like that, a large amount of rotten waste smeared deep into the earth, eventually contaminating the underground water in the area. The following spring, people who drank the water contracted cholera. The beginning of a large-scale epidemic plagued the whole city.
A similar thing is going to happen here soon. And the aftermath is what I had seen in the Ending Spoiler.
Lloyd realized what was happening. The Danube River froze, and the aftermath was the cholera outbreak. Lloyd modified some parts of the history and narrated it to Javier.
“I saw the record of how many people died in such fashion.”
“In an ancient city called Vienna?” asked Javier.
“Yeah, I believe the same thing could happen to us.”
Lloyd was certain about it. The situation here wasn’t much different. Vienna saw a wave of workers arrive following its industrialization. Here, refugees took shelter in this fiefdom due to the monster domino effect.
“Plus, we don’t have any waste disposal facility either. Just imagine what would happen if the upcoming winter is colder than expected and freezes the Prona River. The catastrophe that the ancient city went through will be repeated here, and the chances of it happening are very high.”
There was a force in Lloyd’s voice. The more he spoke, the greater his conviction became. He had seen how the infectious disease perished him through the Ending Spoiler. The future Lloyd had made the wrong decision at this point in time. He must not have come up with a proper waste treatment system in place and opted for the convenient way of doing things, which was dumping the waste in the Prona River. Now, Lloyd was able to wrap his head around what had happened. The situation was becoming clear and making sense to Lloyd. But not to Javier, who cocked his head to the side.
“Listening to your words, I come to think that it indeed may be the case. However, what is a waste treatment facility?”
“Hmm?”
“Is there a way better than digging a hole?”
“Yeah. Of course.”
Lloyd nodded. Javier clamped his mouth shut as he noticed how confident he was.
“…”
Truly, this young master was weird. No, he was marvelous. Javier’s mind flew back to the afternoon.
I visited Master Lloyd to report something to him.
Javier had knocked at his doors, but there was no answer. But he did feel Lloyd’s presence inside. And since the report was to be given, Javier carefully opened the door and entered the bedroom to make sure that Lloyd would not be disrupted. When he did, he was shocked.
I couldn’t find him anywhere.
Lloyd was nowhere to be seen. He was gone. Javier searched every corner of the room, the table, under the bed, behind the curtain… He checked every possible spot Lloyd could have hidden, but it was in vain. The funny thing, however, was that he was able to feel the latter’s presence in the room.
I never experienced anything like it before.
Javier rummaged through the bedroom, but Lloyd was nowhere to be found. It was an inexplicable mystery to Javier, and all the more so because he was a sword master.
There is no way Master Lloyd can fool my senses.
Javier was right about it. And yet, Lloyd was nowhere to be seen or discovered. It was as though Lloyd had become a ghost whose presence could be felt, but not seen. Javier was flustered, so he left the bedroom, deciding to take care of other businesses that he was behind with. But when he returned later that night, Javier found Lloyd lazing around in bed as usual.
“…”
As he saw Lloyd, Javier wondered what had happened in the afternoon in this bedroom. He was curious what kind of trickery his young master resorted to disturb his senses. But there was no way of knowing. Even the abilities and knowledge Lloyd owned were beyond Javier.
Should I… doubt him? Or should I just be curious?
Javier wondered for a second, but the answer was simple.
I should just keep watching him for now with curiosity, nothing else.
The more Javier closely watched Lloyd beside him, he became more confident that something was going on with his young master. It must have been from the day Lloyd had constructed an ondol facility for the bar owner. Lloyd became a completely different person overnight. But Javier didn’t want to grow suspicious of him just because of that. Even if the latter held a secret and mysterious power, Lloyd gave every bit of himself to develop the fiefdom, devote himself to people around him, and save his family and countless others from destruction. Therefore, right now, Javier should merely remain curious. He should stop there without probing any further.
That’s my mission.
Javier chuckled. He was nothing but a loyal knight who pledged allegiance to the lord. So as long as Lloyd spent his efforts to develop the fiefdom, Javier had to do his best to protect this young master.
“Understood… Shall we go back to your quarters?” suggested Javier.
“Eh? Why?”
“Aren’t you planning on a new project?”
“You are right, but…”
“You will be up all night, thinking and planning, won’t you?” asked Javier.
“Probably?”
“That is why-”
“You will be keeping me company?” interrupted Lloyd.
“Yes. I will protect you,” answered Javier.
“What are you saying? You’re creeping me out.”
“…”
“Whew. That gave me goosebumps.”
“…”
“What, you will be loyal by working with me through the night?”
“Yes.”
“If you want, then by all means.”
“…”
“Let’s grab some midnight snacks then.”
A grin formed on Lloyd’s face. He had a lot of things to work on tonight. And just like that, the night of late work wore on.
The following morning, Lloyd revealed his plan to Count Frontera.
“What is that Lloyd? A large-scale sewage?” asked the count.
“Yes, my lord.”
“What is that?”
“It’s an underground tunnel that takes care of human waste,” explained Lloyd.
They were having breakfast. Nutty cheese, and fresh salad. Eggs and juicy sausages. All with a glass of warm milk, the meal was bountiful. Lloyd glanced at the table and spoke carefully.
“Hmm, if you wish me to discuss this project after we eat, I can come back next time,” said Lloyd.
“Not at all. I am fine.”
The subject of feces and urines truly didn’t suit the aromatic meal. Most would have furrowed their eyes, but not Count Frontera. He rather chuckled in amusement.
“It pertains to my fiefdom and the people living here,” answered the count, “and judging from your careful facial expression, I reckon that it is more significant than breakfast.”
“Thank you for understanding,” said Lloyd.
“So, a way to dispose of waste? I believe you brought it up because there is a need for it?”
“Certainly,” said Lloyd.
“Could you explain it to me?”
“Yes.”
From then on, Lloyd proceeded to narrate the same story he had shared with Javier the previous day to the count. As the story progressed, the count’s face darkened.
“Can infectious disease really happen in such fashion?”
“Yes. It appears so. It’s a fact recorded in history.”
“Then, are you suggesting that a similar thing can happen in the fiefdom?”
“It is likely,” said Lloyd.
“And that is why we need a large-scale sewage system?”
“Yes.”
Lloyd nodded, for it was his conclusion. At first, he thought about dumping the waste in a place far away from the fiefdom. But there wasn’t a suitable location for that. The east had a mountain range, and disposing of the waste there could contaminate the underground water and water supply system. Dumping in the south, Lacona viscounty, was equally problematic.
And the outbreak there will eventually spread to our fiefdom in no time.
The west was out of the option, too, because it belonged to the palace. That left Lloyd with the north, but the mere thought of dumping massive waste there stifled him. The reason was simple.
There is just too much waste.
Honestly, it wasn’t rocket science. Considering that each individual let out about 7 ounces a day…
Multiply that by the number of refugees, and it’s about 9 to 10 tons of waste every day. A month, and it’d reach about 300 tons.
300 tons of human dung in just one month. 3,600 tons in one year. In ten years, the amount would be…
Tsk. Let’s stop here.
His stomach churned in nausea as he imagined it. Anyway, whatever means Lloyd would employ to transfer the waste, be it by carrying it in buckets or carts, the sheer amount of it would make it difficult to transport. Moreover, the Frontera fiefdom never saw its population grow over thousands before the arrival of the refugees, so it wasn’t like Cremo city and the royal palace, whose systems and infrastructure were well-established. So, Lloyd decided to refer to a similar case to deal with the waste disposal issue.
So I must refer to Vienna, Austria. The method they employed will help me greatly.
Lloyd made up his mind to set the Viennese case as his role model. He would figure out a way to prevent the fiefdom from being plagued by an infectious disease, and referring to Austria’s response to their situation showed him the solution to their own.
From 1830 to 1835, the city built 4.9 x 6.5 feet sewers parallel to the River Wien. What was it called? Cholera Canal?
There was more.
Later, from 1890 to 1910, they constructed sewers that were larger than what they had already built. They were 49 ft x 26 ft. And the city connected the Cholera Canal and the sewage system together.
People at that time dug hard and built up a well-functioning sewage system. Thanks to that, at last, the cholera outbreak ended.
I need to learn how to do that.
Having organized his thoughts, Lloyd spoke.
“Actually, the concept is simple. I’m going to make all the feces, urine, and other waste in the fiefdom flow through a different underground path, that is, completely separated from the existing river water and underground water.”
“I suppose that will allow us to prevent the contamination of the river water and underground water. Is that right?” asked the count for confirmation.
“Yes. You are perfectly right. So, I have a favor to ask.”
Lloyd had set the right mood for the construction of the great sewer, and the count understood the necessity of the construction. The timing to push ahead with the work was now. They couldn’t hesitate. Similar to pulling out a splinter, they had to act in one clean stroke.
“I need a lot of manpower. As such, I was wondering if you could put out an official paper.”
“What is the need for that?” asked the count.
“To recruit people,” explained Lloyd as he looked at the count filled with curiosity. “It will be a large-scale construction that covers the entire fiefdom. The manors, villages, refugee camps, and apartment complexes… Almost all residential areas will be dug to install sewers. But that is not the end of it.”
“What else is there?” asked the count.
“The wastewater needs to flow smoothly to the deserted land in the north. And, of course, we will have to dig the ground there as well,” added Lloyd.
“The construction will be huge.”
“Yes, my lord. Therefore, I need as many workers as possible.”
Lloyd was speaking the truth. He needed more than the existing engineering corp. What was more, they were already busy building up the apartment complex, which was a priority. The same went for the elf rebar workers and orc warriors.
“At the least, I can employ the White Cavalry,” explained Lloyd, “but the number is still severely lacking. So, I need the help of the people in the fiefdom and refugees.”
“Hmm, so that’s why you want to take volunteers,” said the count.
“Yes.”
Actually, Lloyd pondered for a second about mobilizing them by force. After all, the Frontera fiefdom had been promoted to a county, and it granted Lloyd and the count a host of powers. So, it wasn’t a challenge for Lloyd to mobilize the people in the fiefdom and refugees by force. But he didn’t feel like doing it because he still had a chip on his shoulder about his days in South Korea.
I worked my butt off but never received any payments on time… It was so awful.
He had broken his back in those days to make a living. But the world wielded violence against him. Overlooked. Ridiculed. However, that kind of treatment was actually nice compared to the real issue. What really gutted Lloyd the most was his delayed payments.
Money. I worked my fingers to the bone while my nose bled for that alone.
But his supervisors just apologized and said that there was nothing they could do. They told him all is well that ends well and promised that they would be paid in full after a few days. They were smiling and comforting him, so Lloyd had no choice but to reluctantly agree. But afterward…
I never saw them keep their promise and pay in full.
One late payment delayed the following ones as well. It was strange, but that was the case. And so, Lloyd became a bundle of nerves at times when he feared that he wouldn’t be able to pay rent. He grew so self-conscious around the rental room manager that he couldn’t eat properly.
Shoot. Thinking about it pisses me off to this day.
And he was still frustrated by what happened. The strong emotions he felt then remained with him.
Thus, I will never ever put people to work by force and for free.
Lloyd didn’t wish to do the same trashy things to his people. So, he decided to never resort to such. That was his limit, even though he already was a cunning man. Plus, from the practical point of view, mandatory labor didn’t look like a sound choice.
The people will grow discontent.
Of course, Lloyd could always silence their complaint. But it could break their trust, and it would be difficult to restore the broken trust.
I’ll be just making people turn away from me. From then on, people won’t volunteer for the projects I do. They’ll think among themselves that joining a construction project is a waste of time for them, that the work will harm their bodies without any reward in return…
If that happened, then Lloyd would be in a pickle. So, he quickly decided to never make a myopic choice, wherein he would exchange a long-term asset for a short-term benefit. With that determination in mind, Lloyd spoke.
“That is why we need the official document. To legally write a legal contract. But I’m guessing that there won’t be many volunteers,” said Lloyd.
“I believe so as well. After all, the harvest season is coming soon.”
The count nodded, and he was right. The spring was coming soon, and the entire fiefdom, including the refugees who recently received pieces of the reclaimed land, were getting ready for harvest.
“And yet, I have no choice. I must receive volunteers first and contract experts from Cremo city to make up for any lack of manpower afterward. That is, even if it costs money.”
“I see. Okay, I will write up an official document.”
“Thank you, my lord.”
The official document was written up in no time, and it spread fast and wide across the fiefdom. Lloyd didn’t get his hopes high about any volunteers because the conditions were very different from the time they constructed the terraced fields.
People went wild at that time because I promised them they would receive land if they joined the reclamation project. But it’s different this time. I can only offer them a regular wage this time. It will not appeal to them much when they’re already busy working their land. So, I should hire people from Cremo.
Thinking such, Lloyd flung himself on the bed.
“Whew.”
Drowsiness rushed through him. Lloyd wondered if it was because he had pulled an all-nighter the night before or moved around busily all day.
I should get some sleep first.
It was time to get some sound sleep. His worries could wait for the next day. Just like that, Lloyd drifted off to sleep with his shoes on. And soon…
Ding Dong.
[Your accomplishments and the compliments you have received until now are bringing about a comprehensive effect.]
[The majority of people in the fiefdom and the refugees who have read Count Frontera’s official document “strongly” yearn to pay off their debts by helping you.]
A miraculous message, which Lloyd never ever expected, started to appear in front of his eyes.