Chapter 116
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 116
Following the Spiritology exam, I knocked out a few more liberal arts tests.
Thanks to the power of the System Encyclopedia, the liberal arts exams weren't particularly difficult. Using the encyclopedia was essentially like taking an open-book test; for subjects that relied on simple memorization, I boasted a near-perfect score. When you have the answer key spread out before you with a built-in search function, it would be more of a surprise if you couldn't get the answers right.
If there was one minor hiccup, it was the listening portion of the "Understanding Classical Music" exam, where we had to identify pieces by ear. Fortunately, I had prepared for this in advance, so it didn't pose much of a problem.
Classics are classics for a reason. The theory might be tedious, but the music itself is a pleasure to listen to.
As I listened to the beautiful melodies played by the instruments of this world, the names of the pieces came to me naturally. I made a mental note to get the gramophone in the Student Council office fixed soon; playing some music would set a nice mood.
In any case, with most of the liberal arts exams cleared, the only major hurdle left was Intermediate Introduction to Magic. The week-long midterm exam period was finally drawing to a close.
"Hoo."
I feel a bit more at ease now.
I hadn't thought I was particularly worried about the exams, but it seemed the pressure of needing to maintain an A-grade average had tensed me up more than I realized.
I let out a small sigh and checked my watch.
It's almost time for my appointment.
I had to meet someone today, so I headed toward the Eredor territory before it got any later.
The sky was already settling into a deep sunset.
I arrived at a small botanical garden near Eredor's Hall of Truth. As I entered the translucent, dome-shaped conservatory, I was greeted by the distinct scent of damp earth and fresh air.
The garden had everything: aquatic plants growing near an artificial stream, massive flowers the size of a person, and even pitcher-like carnivorous plants. This botanical garden housed rare medicinal herbs and flora that couldn't survive in the Voltimir territory or required specialized care.
Following a well-maintained path, I soon came upon a building that looked like a log cabin. It was the Pharmacology Club room.
I stood before the door and knocked gently.
Knock, knock—
After a moment, a male student wearing glasses opened the door and welcomed me.
"Ah, you're here, Roen."
He was a kind-faced boy, about my height, wearing a white lab coat.
Legion Pastel.
I raised a hand in greeting. "It's been a while."
"Yes, please don't just stand there. Come in. I've prepared some tea."
I followed Pastel inside, taking in the interior.
Unlike the other buildings in Eredor, the inside of the Pharmacology Club room was designed to be in harmony with nature. Tree trunks and vines wrapped around the log walls. On the opposite side, however, were magical tools for various experiments and advanced mechanical equipment, creating a strange, slightly awkward space where nature and magic melded together.
After looking around, I sat comfortably on the sofa and enjoyed the tea Pastel had prepared.
It was a deep, dark brown. Taking a sip, I realized it wasn't ordinary black tea or coffee, but a medicinal tea—similar to a herbal infusion. It was sweet yet bitter, a pleasant taste that felt inherently healthy. It also sent a gentle warmth spreading through my body, which would be perfect for the winter.
I set down my teacup and asked, "This is good. What's it called?"
"It's a medicinal tea made with Flame Grass, palm bark, and Job's tears, among other things. It doesn't have a specific name. I prepared it thinking it might help with your constitution."
"It certainly does."
I nodded slowly.
A medicinal tea made with ingredients possessing yang properties, like Flame Grass, would surely help neutralize the cold energy of my constitution. It might even create a synergistic effect with the magic orb inside my body.
However, as I was not purely human but a half-demon, I needed to be cautious about the long-term effects of drinking this tea.
"Pastel, if you don't mind, could you tell me the ingredients and the ratio you used for this tea?"
Pastel nodded readily.
"Of course. I made it for you, after all. As an alchemist, you should be able to brew it without much difficulty. I'll give you the recipe before you leave."
"Thank you."
Once I had the recipe, I could process it into a form better suited for my body, creating a tea with no side effects and even greater efficacy.
After expressing my gratitude, I took out the bag I had brought with me and placed it on the table.
Thud—
"This is a token of my gratitude for your previous help. Ten ginseng roots, each over a hundred years old, just as you wanted. Please, check them."
Ten ginseng roots from the Sea of Trees, procured through the black market. All of them were at least a century old, and according to the appraisal, one was over five hundred years old.
Pastel took the bag I offered and expressed his thanks.
"There's no need to check. I'm sure you've prepared them perfectly. Thank you so much, Roen."
"Don't mention it. I'm the one who should be thanking you."
I waved a hand at Pastel, who was bowing his head deeply.
He was the apothecary who had helped create the new medicine to treat Josephine's younger sister, Joshua, for her rare disease. He was, in a way, the hidden protagonist who had led us to victory in the territory war against Jerome.
I had been too busy to find the time until now, but I had finally decided to visit to deliver the ginseng he had requested.
But that's not all.
I watched silently as Pastel put the bag away with a bright expression.
He was one of the essential talents I had to recruit—a genius with outstanding intuition and ability in pharmacology. Destined to one day be called the "Medicine King," he would also contribute to the development of the legendary potion, the Elixir. Along with Trish, he was someone who could help advance my own alchemy to the next level.
If Trish specializes in the transmutation, transformation, and creation of matter, Pastel specializes in combining existing substances and uncovering the mechanisms of how they apply to the human body.
His was a talent literally perfect for mastering pharmacology. He was skilled enough to develop a cure for Joshua's supposedly incurable disease just by hearing a description of the symptoms. Even with my help, it was an absurd level of talent.
Of course, one might ask what use an apothecary is in a world with divine magic that can reattach severed limbs.
...But the divine magic of this world has clear limitations.
While divine magic, at its peak, could—with some exaggeration—even bring the dead back to life, it couldn't cure innate constitutions or chronic diseases. A priest of Elena's caliber could treat such things by eliminating the cause itself—physically removing the problematic area and regenerating a new one—but that was a testament to the priest's individual skill. It was a far cry from an apothecary who develops and distributes medicine tailored to a disease's symptoms and a patient's constitution, curing countless common folk.
In that sense, Pastel's existence was like that of a savior who could rescue innumerable lives.
Furthermore.
Pastel is one of the few who can stand against Pluegel of Black Death, one of the Twelve Honored Ones.
To face an enemy who wields the Authority of Plague, Pastel was a talent that absolutely had to be nurtured.
For me, there was no reason not to recruit him.
"So, have you thought about my offer?"
"Yes, the conditions were very good."
The offer I made to Pastel was the same as the one I'd made to Trish's Alchemy Club: a monthly sponsorship of tens of millions of crone and procurement of necessary research materials, in exchange for prioritizing my requests. Of course, it wasn't to the extent of sticking by his side and supporting a business to help him make a fortune.
That was also an apology for Roen's past misdeeds that ruined the Alchemy Club.
I didn't owe Pastel any such debt, so this offer was more than sufficient.
Pastel spoke cautiously. "I'm grateful for the offer, but I'm worried I might cause you trouble, Roen. I'm sure you've heard the rumors about me, haven't you?"
"I've heard them all."
I glanced around the empty Pharmacology Club room and shrugged.
Even the failing Alchemy Club had five members, yet this club, with its fine room and attached botanical garden, had none.
There was a reason for that.
There are rumors that Pastel conducts human experiments.
I looked at the kind-faced Pastel and frowned slightly.
The rumors weren't entirely baseless. He did have a history of testing his concoctions on other students and test subjects multiple times. It wasn't as if he kidnapped anyone; it was all done with mutual consent, and no one had died or been seriously harmed in the process.
However.
...The term 'human experimentation' is sensational enough to ignore such facts. It's generally a taboo subject.
Even I was followed by the tag of having conducted human experiments with alchemy, which said it all. And yet, it was an indispensable process to understand how certain ingredients act upon the human body and what effects they produce.
In any case.
If rumors spread that Pastel was receiving my support under these circumstances, it would only worsen both our reputations. Vicious rumors would surely spread—that birds of a feather flock together, that it was to be expected, that we were sharing test subjects.
I gathered my thoughts and spoke.
"You don't need to worry about that. The reason I visited so late was to limit information. If no one knows, no rumors can spread."
"A private sponsorship, then."
"Yes. Wouldn't that be better for both of us? Until the day... they understand your true intentions."
"..."
Pastel closed his eyes at my words. A moment later, he drained his teacup, then nodded with a smile.
"Very well, Roen. I accept your offer."
After my meeting with Pastel, I arrived at the Student Council President's office late at night.
I had told Ciel in advance that I wouldn't be eating dinner out, so she had prepared a packed meal for me.
Inside a tiered lunchbox was fluffy rice and delicious side dishes that paired perfectly with it: a soup similar to kimchi jjigae, Vienna sausages coated in a sweet and savory ketchup-like sauce, and a savory rolled omelette.
These weren't dishes that originally existed in this world, but when I described how to make them, Ciel found suitable ingredients and cooked something quite similar. Her natural dexterity was so great that even with different ingredients, the taste was remarkably close.
"This is delicious."
It was good enough to sell. Eating side dishes that recreated the taste of my hometown for the first time in a while felt deeply nostalgic.
As I was finishing my dinner and having some tea, Ciel spoke to me.
"By the way, a pile of letters arrived for you, Roen."
"Don't those come every day?"
The mailbox outside the Student Council office was always stuffed with them. Of course, the number of letters filled with vitriol or demands for my resignation had decreased recently. Instead, there were more letters from minor academies asking for help, like during the Izelin affair, or inquiries about the tram construction. The mailbox was usually full every day.
For Ciel to mention it like this, these must be different from the usual mail.
"I think it would be best for you to read them yourself."
Ciel opened a box and poured the letters onto my desk.
Rustle—
They were all blue envelopes of the exact same size. I picked one up and examined it.
The same words were engraved on every blue letter.
[Letter of Challenge]
At last, the curtain had risen on the competitive matches.