The Prince of Dung Beetles (6)
Ever since I began researching the smallpox vaccine, my entire train of thought had been fixated on a single form of 'Black Magic': the creation of the vaccine.
"So, you are asking me to help you modify the curse of a plague... so that it is neither too strong nor too harmful?"
"Yes, that is correct, Master."
"Hmm... Very well. I, too, am curious to see what you will create."
In principle, the concept of creating a vaccine is relatively simple, but the time and effort required are anything but. It takes years to analyze a pathogen and design the state in which it should be weakened to remain stable. It takes years more to test the resulting vaccine on animals to ensure its safety. Finally, it takes years to test it on humans. If you add it all up, fifteen years pass in the blink of an eye. No matter how much magical assistance one has, there is a limit to how much that period can be shortened. Fifteen years was more than enough time for my youth to simply vanish.
In the midst of all this, the Great Sage, who had lived for a thousand years, had suddenly asked to enter into a master-disciple relationship with me. This might eventually become a noose around my neck, but there was no option to refuse.
"Master. How is it? Is such a curse possible?"
"Julian. As you know, this is not an easy task, even for me. Your request is like asking me to create a fire that does not burn."
Naturally, the answer was that it was a difficult request even from the Master's perspective. A curse of disease that does not cause the disease, yet makes the body feel as though it has experienced it. And a curse that prevents an egg from rotting. That was the nature of the curse I had requested of him. It was no different from asking for a sword that cuts nothing, a fire that doesn't burn, or ice that isn't cold.
"By any chance, do you have any knowledge or symbols you've conceived to create this spell?"
"Yes. I have prepared to some extent."
I wasn't so irresponsible as to come empty-handed. I had organized the necessary knowledge to some degree so that the Master could construct such a curse. Of course, it was impossible to make him understand the principles of germs or immunity all at once, so I explained it as much as possible in line with existing knowledge.
"The more one is exposed to a curse weakly for a long time, the more resistance one has to the curse... I see. Indeed. It is a well-founded argument."
"Then, Master, will this knowledge be of help to your magic?"
"Julian. There is no knowledge in this world that is useless. I built the cornerstone of Earth Magic while observing the process of a stone by the roadside turning into soil."
It wasn't only the Master who gained knowledge in that process. I, too, was passed down vast amounts of knowledge regarding magic from him. In that process, a dialogue such as this also passed between us.
"Julian. It is truly strange. The hypothesis you brought contains an astonishing insight that pierces the logic of disease, yet you are as blank as a sheet of paper when it comes to the formulas to implement this into magic."
"That is because I am still a child who hasn't even reached the level of an apprentice in magic."
"But usually, an alchemist or scholar would be ashamed of what they do not know, and would try to hide it or pretend to know. Yet you acknowledge your ignorance and accept the knowledge."
"That is because that is knowledge."
"Since we are on the subject, let me ask you. Julian. What exactly is knowledge to you?"
I pondered his question for a moment. What would be the most appropriate, cool, protagonist-like line to say here? After much thought, I borrowed the definition of an expert from 21st-century modern society.
"True knowledge does not come from knowing. It comes from knowing what you do not know, and knowing where to find the answers to the parts you do not know. I believe that is what knowledge is."
Modern medicine is so vast that a single genius doctor cannot master the knowledge of every department. That is why hospitals have a system of collaborative care, and why countless medical journals and research databases exist. Sometimes, people distrust doctors who look things up, but in reality, the ability to perform that search correctly is the very qualification of an expert. Of course, I don't know if this is a definition that fits this era, where romance is still alive and search engines do not exist. But I think it wasn't a bad answer to the Master's question.
"Huh..."
The Master blinked blankly, and a sigh escaped his lips. I smiled brightly at him.
"I do not know about curses or magic. But I know very well whom to ask for that knowledge. If so, am I not also a great mage?"
"Keuk."
Laughter leaked from the Master's lips. Soon, he burst into a roar of laughter as if he couldn't hold it back.
"Yes! That's it! Hahahaha!"
The Master slapped his knee repeatedly and burst into hearty laughter.
After laughing for a long time, he wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes and opened his mouth.
"If the fellows who lock themselves in the Magic Towers and act all high and mighty heard this, they'd be clutching their necks and foaming at the mouth! When a disciple asks something for the first time, they don't think to teach them, they only blame the disciples for their laziness! If they're going to be like that, why do they even bother with the title of 'Master'? I wish I could let them hear your words!"
"I... I didn't mean it in that way."
"I know, Julian. You aren't the type to go around badmouthing others. I'm just an old man muttering nonsense, so don't mind it."
He wore a pleasant smile as he organized the knowledge I had prepared.
"Good. Since my disciple is trying to use me like this, I cannot disappoint him. I will complete that curse you desire."
From then on, we spent our time modifying the plague's curse. Three years passed just like that.
"Julian."
"Yes."
"Now, as far as Black Magic is concerned, you have risen to a position almost equal to mine."
"...No, sir. I am still very much lacking."
When I came to my senses, I had accumulated knowledge almost equal to the Father of Magic himself, at least in the field of Black Magic. Black Magic. The more I studied it, the more I realized it was just medicine. Originally, Black Magic refers to the entirety of magic that can insult the lives of others. Necromancy, which insults dead bodies. Hypnosis, which insults the minds of others. Curses, which insult living beings. Black Magic is a catch-all term for these things. But in the end, the developed form of this knowledge was medicine.
'No wonder. It was so easy to understand.'
It was easy to understand because I grafted Necromancy onto surgery and Curses onto internal medicine. For reference, I couldn't learn hypnosis. Psychiatry is a field I don't know much about either.
'I shouldn't be disappointed...'
I'm a man, so I was a little disappointed. Still, I'm the protagonist. Let's have a drink. Anyway. The knowledge of Black Magic I learned after shaking off the temptation of creepy hypnosis had reached a level comparable to the Master's.
"There is no need to be humble, Julian. Originally, Black Magic was also a magic I founded a thousand years ago, but I haven't studied it much since I founded it. It is no wonder you caught up."
He says that, but the Great Sage's knowledge of Black Magic is by no means shallow. Calculating by years, his level was that of a 40-year veteran Black Mage. There's no way I, who studied for only 3 years, could catch up to that, right?
"I still have much more to learn, Master."
"Hmm... As expected, that attitude still hasn't been fixed. They say arrogance is the enemy of truth, but I think this is a bit excessive."
Anyway. Still, according to the Master, my knowledge of Black Magic was at a level where I could have a smooth conversation with him. In other words, I had reached the level of an associate professor. Thanks to that, the end of that long and boring research finally began to appear.
"Let's change the catalyst from lead to silver."
"Shall we change the symbol of death to a snake's skin, Master?"
"vestigium = verus, inscriptio = falsus. Let's insert this conditional statement as well. I think it will misfire, though."
In the end, we were able to create it. A curse that does not cause disease.
"...We finally succeeded, Master."
Because of the character 'Julian', I couldn't bring myself to cheer. But I couldn't hide the trembling of my voice through acting. Should I say it was fortunate? The Master also seemed too moved to notice my voice trembling.
"I, is that really true?"
"Yes."
I carefully lifted an egg with my trembling hands. In the past, when I injected failed curses, the inside of the egg was horrific. Either dark red blood clots were clumped together, or the entire contents had rotted and were sloshing around as black, murky water. It was because the small embryo inside the egg couldn't handle the toxicity of the curse and died.
But the sight reflecting under the magic lamp now was completely different.
The thin Chorioallantoic membrane wrapping the inside. Blood vessels were stretching out clearly like spiderwebs over that transparent membrane. Inside, the embryo was beating minutely without losing its vitality. And, white, opaque spots were blooming all over the membrane. Those spots were the proof of success.
"Finally..."
"Then, is the medicine you speak of now complete?"
I shook my head. We have only taken our first steps. Now we have to culture the weakened virus inside this egg, and go through countless experiments to see if the cultured virus is safe. However,
"Master. Now we do not have to fear the plague."
If starting is half the battle, and this is half of the remaining half, then we have almost arrived. The joy was brief. I remembered the first thing I had to do, and carefully set the egg down.
"Master."
And I bowed my head toward the Master.
"Thank you."
"..."
"If it weren't for you, Master, this would have been an impossible achievement. If it were just me, I wouldn't have been able to make it even if it took 20 years."
I must not be mistaken. I only took the knowledge the Great Sage had accumulated over 1,000 years, gobbled it up in 3 years, and used it to create this magic. Even the magic wasn't created by me alone. Therefore, I must not forget to give credit to the Master.
"It is all thanks to you, Master."
"Hoho. It is not something for you to be thankful for, Julian."
The Master waved his hand. "I only moved your idea into magic. You are the one who thought of the concept of this medicine."
"But you were the one who executed it, Master."
"You were the one who thought of the idea. Let's stop the debate here. It is an achievement of both of us, so wouldn't it be funny to argue about who came first?"
I nodded. Because I know well the weight of the idea the Master speaks of.
"I understand."
"Now, shouldn't we prepare for the next step? You said animal testing, right?"
"Yes. I must ask Wangcho... Hex."
"Yes. Go and prepare. I will clean up the rest today."
"Thank you, Master."
I bowed my head once more and left the laboratory. On my way to Wangcho, my steps felt light today.
***