Capítulo 183: 8-Day Plague and Mass Migration
It was on the first day of snow when the first sign of the plague came to Fermion. Standing on the battlements, Will saw a refugee caravan three kilometers long slowly walking to Gadreel.
Even before the arrival of the caravan, Gadreel had risen 300% in population over the two months. Albanians' migrants fled their homes trying to escape the pandemic.
As the pandemic ravaged the port cities to the capital, Tiana, Albanians fled farther and farther north, until they crossed the border in Friendship Valley.
Fearing a mass exodus, the Albanian government set up checkpoints at the border to defer border crossing. Losing hundreds of thousands of people meant losing a country's workforce. The Albanian Kingdom knew if these people left, they may never return. How would they ever recover from such a loss?
Yet as the 8-Day Plague pushed further north, the anxious refugees increasingly found ways to cross. When the plague arrived in Korce, Albanian's northernmost city, the border checkpoint collapsed. Even more embarrassing for the government, was the defection of many border guards and their families.
The cobblestone road Will built for his trade route, was now used by refugees to travel northward.
Not all refugees wanted asylum in Gadreel, many continued to migrate northward. Will felt sorry for those, who falsely believed they could outrun this plague.
The guard fort across the river from Gadreel was charged to let the migrants pass peacefully. Will made no effort to harass or take advantage of these people.
However, King Remus Albus had no desire to admit unregistered Albanians into Fermion. Crown Prince Roland Godwin tripled the soldiers at the large military base outside Friendship Valley. Soldiers were ordered to build palisades and chevaux de frise outside the valley.
As for Will, he tasked his soldiers to work around the clock to process identification paperwork for asylum seekers.
As the line of refugees increased, Bubba increased the number of guards in the small fort.
As the cue outside the fort kept increasing, Kurosawa ordered the guards to process the refugees in four lines: single men, single women, orphans, and families.
While the refugees nervously awaited their registration papers, Gadreel's citizens became increasingly fearful and hostile to the new arrivals.
To address the palpable public fear, Will had Kurosawa announce new civil immigration measures. First, the city gates were ordered shut. Second, refugees had to 10 days in isolation before allowing for citizenship. Third, Will activated the golems on the bridge to help support order.
After the new immigration policies were announced most refugees decided to move northward. As migrants flowed in Fermion, the worker shortages disappeared.
To Will's delight, the king canceled his debt slave reimbursement policy. Although a few hundred golds were much for Will, he was happy all the same to get rid of that punitive arrangement.
As winter progressed, Will also warned citizens to avoid mass gatherings. He had Miles close the casino, racetrack, and theatre. The auction, cafe, and the general store remained open, but with reduced hours.
The citizens were aware of the greedy nature of their city lord, thus closing his businesses meant he was willing to forgo coin for safety. Believing their city lord, wise many followed is advice to avoid large gatherings.
The new year was approaching quickly and sat in his office late at night reading the latest report from Albania. According to the crown prince the mortality rate in Durres, Albania's largest port, was estimated to be in the high hundreds of thousands.
According to the report, the plague arrived during Durres spring Pontus Celebration. Throngs of people parade, mixed and mingled around the city. Unknowingly, this supplied the perfect conditions for an outbreak.
A month time the plague spread through almost the entire city. Before the Albanian kingdom could grasp the severity, the plague was already at a pandemic. By the time the kingdom rallied soldiers Durres and Vlore were in chaos.
Will sipped his whiskey. He never thought he experience this sort of thing in this life. It was almost surreal. Back on Earth, plagues were related to the past. Modern medicine put a stop to most worldwide infections and diseases, except for cancer.
Will stared out his window, he watched the white snow falling against the night sky. As he watched the snowfall, he only had one thought, 'why was it snowing in Gadreel?'
The kingdom of Albania lay just below, what Earth referred to as the Tropic of Cancer. Southern Albania almost touched the equator. Friendship Valley sat just above the tropic zone. In ten years, it had never snowed once. Now he was forced to deal with sultry winter weather and a plague.
As Will thought, Michael entered his office and spoke, "Master, I brought you a blanket and the letter you requested has arrived. Another letter has also arrived for you, it's marked urgent."
"Thank you, Michael, it is chilly by this window," Will said accepting the blanket and letters.
A few weeks ago, he paid Samuel to spy on Korce for up-to-date information.
Will slowly opened the letter from Samuel and read, "Korce has been overrun by rioters. Half the city is dead or fled. Riots are happening across the country. Even the capital is under attack by rioters. Several lords have barricaded themselves in their capital estate. Many are seeking shelter abroad from the rioters."
The letter was brief but informational. Albania is under siege by its peasantry.
Then Will read the second letter, "Greeting Viscount vont Ballard. Several lords would like to book passage out of Albania on your airship. If you evacuate and shelter the lords, they've promised to give you half their wealth. Sincerely, Duke vont Khan."
A risk-reward proposition, of this size, does not come often. This recuse operation would have to be done quickly and concealed. Too bad he didn't have an army unit that specialized in quick surgical renditions.
Extraordinary renditions are quick kidnappings. On Earth, government militaries used extraordinary renditions to kidnap suspected terrorists or defecting double agents.
Will quickly summoned back him into the room, "Hurry, wake up Rupert, Bubba, and the airship captains! Send them here quickly."
By the 24th bell, everyone had assembled in his study.
"Is possible to covertly fly an airship to Tiana?" Will asked looking at Rupert.
"We've never attempted something like this before. The trip to Tiana is five days. To fly covertly, the airship would have to fly higher than we ever have!" Rupert explained.
"Is it possible?" Will asked.
"How many passengers? And what the cargo load?" an airship captain asked.
"I don't know?" Will replied truthfully.
"Will, there are a lot of unknowns in this scenario. Are you sure, you want to explore the feasibility of a plan?"
"Yes. You would only have to fly undetected to Tiana. On the way to Gadreel, you may fly normally," Will said.
"This is a bad idea Will!" Rupert said cautiously.
"I'll give 25 gold to any pilot who accepts this mission. I'll even pay a bonus if the mission is a success," Will said enticingly.
"Two ships. We can do it with two ships, and a skeleton crew," said the oldest airship captain.
An hour later the evacuation plan was completed. Although Rupert remained stoically against the plan, he was the plan's architect and logistic coordinator. Rupert's analytical brain and attention to minute details gave the plan a 40% chance of success.
That was enough for Will, with the pandemic and cold winter winds the airships were grounded. Airships were costly expenditures, especially when grounded. Even when grounded Will still had to pay for maintenance, operations, and staffing.
Will knew it was a risky gamble, but the payout was too attractive. If he had a 40% chance to make millions in gold, he would take that gamble every time.
A two-weeks later, on New Year's Eve, Michael entered Will's study to hand two letters.
After exhaling, he opened the first and read, "Dear Viscount William vont Ballard. Our spies tell us the estimated death toll in Albania is between 1 to 1.5 million dead. To stop the spread, burn infected people upon death.
The Alchemy Guild in the capital also reports there is no cure, but bathing in tree resin, rose soap, and aloe oil decreases the likelihood of infection. Please contact your senior clerks and direct them to increase the production of rose soap. May God Aether have mercy on us all.
Crown Prince Roland Godwin, Regent."
Will facepalmed. Their solution to the plague was bathing. At least that was a good first step.
"Micheal, summon Kurosawa and Bubba," Will shouted.
"Right away Master Will," Michael bowed.
Soon Kurosawa and Bubba stood in his office.
"I've received a letter from the Regent. The Alchemy Guild believes bathing with tree resin, rose soap, and aloe is the solution, please spread the word.
Second, Kurosawa announced a 10-Day quarantine. Bubba, while people are off the streets let's take this opportunity to reduce our rat population. I've purchased rat poison from the Alchemy Guild, spread it around the city and farms.
All rats are to be picked up with shovels and burned in a blazing pit, this order is absolute. Failure to comply shall result in a penalty of imprisonment for 30 days," Will said decreed.
While Kurosawa had never seen Will this resolute before, Bubba reminisced about seeing Will like this during the war.
Both men bowed and at once set out to implement Will's goals.
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