Chapter 19
Chapter 19
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: Mold
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"Mold...?"
Pelliana's expression twisted.
It was the same face she'd made when I asked for hallucinogenic snail mucus.
"You're like this even during the day... You really like harmful stuff."
"It can be medicine if used right."
"Yeah..."
She tossed out a quip like it was a joke.
"There's no law in the empire saying mold can't be used as medicine."
That's clearly something I said.
Looking back, I really sounded like a madman.
Telling a professor that...
When I can't even cook rice without burning it...
"Ahem. Where do we get that blue mold?"
"No need to get it from anywhere else. Just one loaf of bread is enough."
Blue mold... no, penicillium, tends to grow in places rich with organic matter. Leave bread at room temperature until it spoils, and you'll meet it easily.
But we're planning to make antibiotics as fast as possible.
My classes aside, the disease spreading through the slums is more serious than I thought.
"I brought the bread."
"Do you happen to know decay magic, by any chance?"
"...I'm from the Alchemy Department."
No helping it, then.
'System, can I use magic too?'
'Skip the basic explanation. I just need to know I can do it.'
Of course, 'can do it' and 'do it right now' are different things.
I haven't properly learned magic yet, and decay magic is high-difficulty to begin with.
Even if I got a lecture from the system right now, it'd take at least two days to use decay magic.
Does that mean there's no way?
"I'll give it a try."
"Magic?"
"Something like it."
Actually, it's not like there's no way at all.
It's just a hypothesis for now, but there's a way to use magic without knowing the calculation formula.
By leveraging my major.
"I can make circuits on the spot now."
After midterms, I'd completely mastered knowledge on 'Magic Engineering circuits.'
I drew the circuit in my head. Designing complex magic made my head hurt, but the system would handle the rest now, so no problem.
Right after the system message.
I could see the circuit I'd designed gradually converting into a 'formula.'
It was a formula I'd never seen before, but I knew it was the calculation for decay magic.
I immediately shifted my gaze to the bread. The appetizing loaf began to decay in Pelliana's hand.
A stench rose, it turned ugly, and something dull turquoise covered it.
Penicillium acquired.
"Got it."
The basis of magic is 'understanding.' Even if you solve the calculation formula, if the user doesn't fully comprehend it, the magic won't activate. That's why I said it'd take over two days.
But I designed the circuit myself and watched it reinterpret into a formula.
Since it was my circuit, understanding it was easy.
"Using magic once is tough."
Others just cast it casually, but I have to go through all this... It made me a bit down.
Mediocrity is hard everywhere, huh.
"That's impressive... I'm not even surprised anymore."
Pelliana stared at the rotted bread for a moment before setting it on the desk.
I worried she'd panic if the mold spread suddenly, but she was far calmer than I expected.
"What're you staring at? I'm an Alchemy Department professor, you know. I won't scream over a little mold on my hands."
"Cool."
"...Quiet. Tell me the next step."
Professor.
Feels good to get praised, right?
It's obvious.
I hid my smile and explained the next procedure.
"We need to maintain proper humidity and culture it."
With no proper facilities, we have to borrow magic's power for humidity control too.
System.
Please.
The air around the bread shifted slightly. Perfect humidity for the mold.
No matter how I think about it, this can't be ChatGPT.
It's too versatile.
"You're so talented. Honestly, I want you."
"Don't say scary things."
"Scary? Want to join our lab?"
"..."
"Kidding. How could I steal His Majesty the Emperor's chosen talent?"
She said that, but...
There wasn't a hint of joking in her eyes.
"Of course, if you came, I'd treat you right."
See?
She was hiding dark intentions.
"Not planning to use you as an assistant or anything... Just think of it as me helping you become a professor."
"I don't really want to be a professor yet."
No grad school.
No master's or PhD...
"Moving on. The remaining steps are a bit complicated. Lots to prepare, and we might hit some trial and error."
"Tch..."
"Focus."
I explained the rest of the process to Pelliana. It was pretty boring and uninteresting, so the explanation dragged too.
Still, she listened properly. A glimpse of her determination.
"Culture medium, plates... Yeah, complicated. Need rapeseed oil too? Where'd you get that?"
"I leave it to you."
"If it fails after all this..."
She has a lot riding on this research. Probably because it gets her a big step closer to her goals.
"Then I'll go collect the bacteria."
I left Pelliana and exited the lab.
Time to head back to the slums.
Collecting bacteria wasn't hard. The slums are full of infectious disease patients, so a light skin scrape gets it easily.
I leveraged Pelliana's connections for the residents' cooperation.
Pelliana was pretty surprised to see me back in under an hour.
"I haven't even finished half the prep..."
"Let's do it together."
Prep went smoothly.
Grow the penicillium, culture the collected bacteria. Hope it's the right bacteria I have in mind...
"Now we wait."
"And that's it?"
"No, there's more after. We've only cultured them so far. Extraction is another issue."
Prep needed for extraction too.
"Got it."
"Good. Shall we call it here for today?"
"Yeah. Sun's still up."
"Oh, it really is."
Sunlight streamed through the windows.
Time flew by already?
Well, we made most of the equipment ourselves, so it took time, naturally.
"You have great handiwork. Whittling away at this and that like a pro."
"Thanks."
Idle chit-chat flowed, and we yawned in unison.
Deep dark circles. Bodies begging to lie down. Yet the mood was refreshing.
Is this the fun of research?
"Time to sleep."
"Yeah. There's more to do, but... I'll handle it after waking up."
The lab building had several simple beds. We each grabbed one and lay down in separate spots.
No more talk once down. We were out in about a minute.
Tiredness meant long sleep, and we didn't wake until afternoon.
"..."
Skipped class today too, in the end.
This'll be the routine until we finish the antibiotics. Less sleep, more work.
And penicillin isn't the only antibiotic I need to make.
"Professor."
"...Why professor again."
"You only allowed it for a day."
"What now... Just call me by name."
Half-asleep Pelliana grumbled endearingly.
"Pelliana."
"That's right."
I quickly corrected and got to the point.
"There's an extra room next door. Mind if I use it?"
"What, live here?"
"No, just to make something."
"Here too?"
"Yes."
Proper research needs way more equipment.
Equipment that doesn't exist in this world yet.
"Could you get me some materials?"
Suddenly, I wondered why I was going through all this trouble.
Not that it matters now that it's done.
"Pelliana."
"Yeah?"
"Stop staring at the microscope and get up."
"...Yeah."
Gather the equipment.
Various forms of antibiotics.
Several types of syringes for injection.
Medical tools for diagnosis.
I mobilized every magic trick to finish as fast as possible, completing all production in three weeks.
"Today's the day, finally."
"Yeah."
Pelliana had worked as hard as me.
She handled material procurement and always helped build machines.
After the microscope, she took on observer duty.
"What if it doesn't work? I'm getting nervous..."
Still, Pelliana seemed worried.
"We finished all the tests."
Last, we confirmed stability with human trials.
The subject was me, of course.
"It'll definitely work."
I said confidently and opened the door.
"Let's go save some people."