I Became A Hidden Powerhouse Of The British Empire [EN]: Chapter 210

< The Great Plague (3) >

With Nightingale already having shut down the pumps of the two water companies, there wasn’t much to do immediately.

However, because the pumps weren’t shut down through a more formal process, the companies likely had grounds for complaint.

After notifying the committee that I would check on the patients’ progress tomorrow, I went to the site to assess the situation.

And when I arrived…

I shouldn’t laugh, but I can’t help but chuckle.

“…You really destroyed them?”

“I am merely stating the facts.”

“No, I assumed it was a figure of speech. Or that you had only broken the valves.”

When I actually went to the locations of the Southwark & Vauxhall and Lambeth pumps, the pumps were completely smashed in the most spectacular way imaginable.

Just then, the president of Southwark & Vauxhall, having come to survey the damage, approached me, his face etched with dissatisfaction.

“Your Highness! I understand the water supply needed to be cut off, and I assured you we would consider it. But to suddenly destroy everything like this—do you realize the extent of the damage to our company?”

“So, you feel wronged?”

“Of course, I feel wronged!”

“Didn’t those two explain that these pumps are the primary source of the cholera outbreak?”

“Their investigation is flawed. How could such a terrible disease spread throughout the city simply by drinking water from the pump? It’s difficult to accept the assertion that only our company’s water is spreading the disease.”

In truth, this drastic measure was taken because Nightingale acted impulsively, bypassing protocol, so they had a valid point.

Originally, I intended to offer words of comfort, provide reasonable compensation, and appease them.

But hearing them insist that their pumps had nothing to do with cholera extinguished those thoughts.

“Then tell me what you want.”

“First, I demand a public apology from that madwoman who smashed the pump with a hammer. Too many people witnessed this, and the company’s reputation has been severely damaged…”

“I ordered those pumps to be completely destroyed.”

“…Pardon?”

The president of the water company, as well as Snow and Nightingale, who were observing from behind, stared at me, wide-eyed.

“Your Highness… that’s…”

“As a member of the royal family, responsible for the safety of the British Empire’s citizens, and as the temporary head of London’s health policy, I couldn’t allow those pumps to remain operational.”

“If that’s the case, you could have simply locked them…”

“Didn’t they tell me that when these two went to explain the situation, you dismissed their concerns as nonsense and kicked them out? Therefore, I instructed them to destroy the pumps to get your attention. Legally, during an epidemic, the authorities have the right to take even somewhat coercive measures. Do you have any objections?”

“But there’s no definitive proof that this is the cause of cholera. What if it turns out to be a mistake?”

Then I’ll be embarrassed, and I’ll end up paying for the water companies’ damages and compensating them for the loss of their image.

“Let me ask you the opposite question. I don’t understand your stubbornness. Do you grasp the gravity of this situation?”

“…Yes?”

“Do you believe I would ask you to shoulder this loss based on a mere possibility? Currently, over 500 people have died in London, and more than 2,000 are infected. Ultimately, the death toll could exceed 1,000. If your company’s pump is the cause, what will you do? Shouldn’t you be preparing a contingency plan?”

Of course, ignorance isn’t a crime, and the two companies were, strictly speaking, simply unlucky.

In any case, all the water supply companies in London were in a similar situation, the only difference being the source from which they drew their water.

However, regardless, the damage has already been done.

“If it turns out that our pump is the cause of cholera… are we liable?”

“I don’t believe you’ll be held legally liable. However, if a thousand citizens die, and the cause is clearly linked to your company, the government will struggle to contain the public’s outrage and assign moral responsibility, correct? Of course, if this isn’t proven, I will compensate you with at least twice the amount of your losses, so please don’t worry too much about that.”

If they had agreed to fully cooperate, I would have asked Nightingale to offer a suitable apology, but things unfolded differently.

My unexpectedly cold and forceful demeanor visibly paled the water company representatives, who bowed hastily and fled.

I suspect they’ve gone to convene a meeting to prepare for the possibility that our suspicions are confirmed.

Somehow, it seems I completely shielded Nightingale.

Nevertheless, we must address the procedural issues to prevent similar incidents in the future.

I roughly assessed the situation and returned to the conference room to summon Nightingale and John Snow again.

“I stated my position out there, but you both know that I can’t condone what you did this time, correct?”

“…Yes.”

“…I’m reflecting on my actions.”

Oh? I expected Nightingale to defend her actions, let alone John Snow, but this is unexpected.

“Since you’re reflecting, can you explain what you did wrong? Let’s start with John Snow.”

“I failed to stop Nightingale. Even knowing that I had Your Highness’s permission, I should have verified it again.”

“No. Even if you had tried to verify it, Nightingale would have smashed the pump while you were doing so, right? Right?”

As soon as I finished speaking, Nightingale nodded vigorously.

She claims to be reflecting, but she clearly doesn’t believe she did anything wrong by smashing the pump with a hammer.

“See? Since Nightingale had already targeted the pump, there was no way you could have stopped her. So, what should you have done?”

“…Report it?”

“Yes. Regardless of whether I granted permission, Nightingale is your assistant, isn’t she? As the supervisor, you should have immediately informed me of your assistant’s actions and how she destroyed the pump. Of course, I understand the immense pressure you’ve been under recently, so I’ll leave it at that. From now on, remember to report such incidents immediately.”

“Yes! I will keep that in mind.”

In any case, John Snow’s only fault in this situation is his negligence in his supervisory role.

But in the first place, if the subject of supervision is Nightingale, wouldn’t asking John Snow to control her be an impossible task?

Therefore, I simply hope that he will report to me promptly from now on.

“Next, Nightingale. You said you were reflecting; can you tell me what you’re reflecting on?”

“Yes. I said I would act first and report later, but the report was somewhat delayed. I acknowledge that I was wrong in that regard.”

“Then why was the report late?”

“I was preoccupied with compiling the data that Your Highness would use today. I intended to report afterward, but I misjudged the priority. From now on, even if I act first, I will report immediately.”

Her response is too perfect; there’s nothing more to say.

In fact, even if she had smashed the pump with a hammer, I would have simply laughed it off if she had informed me immediately.

She’s radical, but she’s always been that way, and I believe that’s what made her a great figure who will be remembered in history.

I have no intention of forcibly changing that tendency.

I simply hope that she will report to me quickly to avoid straining my nerves.

“But you managed to bring a hammer and considered destroying all the pumps. It would have been sufficient to simply lock the valve, so can you explain why you chose to destroy them?”

“I believed people needed a shock. According to the data compiled by Professor John Snow and myself, it was an established fact that the pumps of those two companies were spreading cholera. Demanding scientific evidence is merely a way to evade responsibility. It’s like experiencing an upset stomach after eating spoiled food; I want to dispose of the spoiled food, but they’re asking me to write a paper on the factors that cause spoiled food to cause an upset stomach.”

“So, you were angry and broke it?”

“No. I simply didn’t believe that merely locking the valve would make a lasting impression on people. If you only prevent water from flowing from the valve, some people might attempt to reconnect it and use it again. I felt it was necessary to demonstrate to everyone that this pump was indeed problematic and should not be used.”

So, she brought a hammer in broad daylight and smashed the pump in front of everyone.

It would have been impossible not to become a sensation when a gracefully beautiful young lady suddenly appeared with a hammer and smashed the pump.

Naturally, people would have no choice but to discuss why she did that, and the information that the water from that pump was spreading cholera would have spread more rapidly.

From the perspective of saving even one more life, it can be considered the most effective method.

“So, you’re saying that you would do the same thing without hesitation if a similar situation arose in the future.”

“Yes. But I will report to Your Highness immediately after committing the act.”

“I understand your intentions, but you’re aware that this country has laws and procedures, correct? The act of smashing the pump with a hammer itself may be subject to a fine. The court may determine that simply locking the valve would have been sufficient.”

“Then I will pay the fine with my salary.”

Nightingale nodded calmly, making it clear that she would repeat the action in the future.

John Snow, witnessing her resolve, shook his head and covered his forehead, but what could he do?

The fully awakened berserker can never be restrained by a scholar like John Snow.

Unaware of this fact, he looked at me and attempted to dissuade Nightingale.

“No, no, Nightingale. As a fellow medical professional, I admire your dedication to saving lives, but Your Highness may face difficulties because of us. We must be mindful of our actions. In fact, we could have simply locked the valve this time, or if we had waited one more day, Your Highness would have closed it himself…”

“Professor, there’s one thing I haven’t mentioned. One of the reasons I didn’t lock the valve is because there was a high probability that the water company would reconnect it immediately, even if I locked it. And the reason I didn’t wait a day is because I estimated that the number of people who would be sacrificed during that one day would be close to several hundred.”

“That’s… that’s right.”

“If you tell me to pay a fine for acting slightly excessively, that’s acceptable. But considering the increasing number of patients, if I hadn’t broken the pump immediately, there would have been at least 200 more deaths and 1,000 more patients in that one day. If you weigh the lives of 200 people, the loss of reputation of the water supply company, and the fine on a scale, the decision is obvious. If something becomes an obstacle to saving lives, I will not hesitate to break it. If you believe I am unqualified as a medical professional, you can ask me to resign.”

Overwhelmed by the conviction of the pure white berserker, John Snow could no longer speak and simply sighed.

But I was rather pleased to have properly confirmed her true character this time.

“Don’t worry too much. Considering your noble purpose of saving lives, I can endure some hardships. However, I will impose a corresponding penalty on this matter to emphasize the importance of reporting. No complaints, right?”

“Yes.”

“I understand.”

“Good. Rewards and punishments must be clear; it’s natural to reward those who have merit and punish those who have faults. However, in this instance, the merits and faults are evident, so I will announce the follow-up measures accordingly. First, let’s observe how the number of cholera patients changes tomorrow.”

If the outcome is positive, the faults can be partially offset, but it’s not wise to give the impression that everything is acceptable if the result is favorable.

Finding the right balance is crucial, and resolving this situation effectively is paramount.

And as expected, the day after the two companies’ drinking water pumps were shut down.

For the first time since cholera began to spread in earnest, the number of newly infected individuals decreased.