Case 02:
Heat-Fatigued Gigas
SOME TIME HAD PASSED since Glenn’s examination of Lulala. The Lindworm city council had issued an official warning after the aquatic council members had also predicted a storm, and the town had been hard at work preparing.
As Glenn had anticipated, there did seem to be a connection between the water temperature sensed by mermaids and the weather.
I wonder if Lulala will eventually be able to predict the weather, too.
“Here it is, what you’ve been waiting for. Loose Silk Sewing’s latest product.”
Arahnia was visiting the clinic. Her four arms held a swath of thick, black fabric that seemed to soak up all the light.
Sapphee didn’t waste any time taking it from her.
“This is what?”
“Right. It’s heat-shielding fabric. If you use it as curtains, it can keep the room nice and cool. What do you think, Sapphee?”
“That’s…great, right?”
“I spoke to the atelier, and they’re going to start selling parasols made with this fabric…but I also wanted to bring you one as a present first, Sapphee.” Arahnia handed her a black parasol with an embroidered flower design.
The heat didn’t bother Sapphee, but she still had issues with sunlight, so this was quite the nice gesture.
“Thank you. Hopefully this will reduce the numbers of people passing out from the heat.”
“Don’t mention it. I’m always happy to help. Anything to reduce the Doc’s burden! Make sure ya think of Loose Silk Sewing for your next purchase, yeah?” Arahnia gave Glenn a sidelong glance.
Although she and Glenn were engaged, when she looked at him, it felt like a predator eyeing its prey.
I-I’m sure it’s all in my head.
Glenn loved Arahnia, but he couldn’t understand why she still wouldn’t be herself with him.
“Thank you for going to the trouble,” Sapphee said. “Sorry for always making such strange orders.”
“You mean Plum? What to do about that one, eh?” Arahnia crossed her four arms, clearly at her wit’s end.
The fairies were already hard at work hanging up the heat-shielding fabric.
“I need to do Illy and Plum’s physical examinations, but neither of them have come by yet. Not that there’s ever a way to predict when Plum will show up anywhere.”
“She comes to town, but it’s usually at night, so the clinic is closed. When I see her, I’ll tell her to stop by the clinic,” Arahnia said, then tilted her head. “Whether or not she’ll listen is a different issue.”
“Won’t she do it if you tell her, Arahnia?” Glenn asked.
“Respect and obedience are two different things. I can be more aggressive with her than anyone else, but that doesn’t mean she’ll obey me. Wasn’t she just here fighting? She probably feels awkward seeing you after that, Doc.”
“Of course.”
Arahnia spread her arms wide, splaying out a line of silk like a jump rope. “On the other hand, if you want me to bring her here by force…I’ll do it!”
“No, that’s fine. I’ll keep an eye out for her, too.”
“But don’t you have a deadline?”
“Well, yes.”
The day to decide on an ambassador was fast approaching, though the exact date hadn’t been set yet due to the approaching storm. Still, he needed to get Illy and Plum’s exams done.
“I’ve been telling Illy to come to the clinic, too. She hasn’t come around at all. She keeps telling me to wait a little longer. I wonder what’s wrong,” Sapphee pondered.
“They really are difficult.” It was just a health exam, what was she waiting for?
“Doc, you clearly have your hands full,” said Arahnia. “Let me help, too.”
“Thank you. Please take care of Plum.”
“No problem.”
Glenn smiled at his fiancée.
The fairies had switched out all of the curtains and were now folding up the old ones. The new fabric significantly reduced the amount of sunlight and noticeably reduced the temperature. Arahnia would likely sell a ton of it over the summer.
“Doctor! Doctor!”
A harpy with yellow wings rushed into the waiting room. Glenn was sure she was one of the young women who’d been trafficked.
“What’s wrong?” Sapphee asked the panicked girl.
“It’s terrible! The gigas!”
“Dione?”
The harpy nodded. “She’s passed out from heat fatigue!”