A Benefactor's Grace
"Director Shun...?" "Of the Merkur Merchant Guild...?" "Did he really come in person?"
A low murmur filled the room.
Quinine. The miracle drug that had halted the devastating plague ravaging the Empire's southern front. To the public, Director Shun was famous as the brilliant mind behind that very medicine.
With such a legendary figure standing right before them, the students couldn't help but whisper in awe. Yet, not everyone shared the same reaction.
Why is everyone so shocked? Valeria tilted her head in confusion.
The benefactor had sent the invitation. The benefactor was hosting the banquet. Wasn't it only natural for the benefactor to show up? Beside her, Ayla wore a similarly puzzled expression.
"Sister, why is everyone so surprised?"
"I'm not sure," the sisters whispered, keeping their voices low.
It didn't take long, however, for Valeria to realize why the others were reacting this way.
"I never expected him to come in person."
"I thought for sure he'd send a representative."
"I was expecting a butler, honestly."
Valeria's ears perked up. A representative. Right. Come to think of it, in situations like this, sending a proxy was the norm.
She had seen it often enough during her time in the Academy's middle school. Nobles and wealthy merchants rarely deigned to meet commoners directly, choosing instead to conduct business through intermediaries. It was only natural for the students to assume Director Shun would do the same.
I didn't even think of that. The reason Valeria and Ayla hadn't considered it was simple. Before they left for the banquet, their mother had already worked herself into a frenzy of excitement. Oh, Mother... Realizing this, Valeria let out a wry inward smile.
The scholarship students' murmurs showed no signs of dying down. Director Shun waited in silence, patient and composed. Only then did the students realize they were being rude, and a hush quickly fell over the room.
Beneath the shadow of his fedora, the corners of Director Shun's lips curved into a faint smile.
"There is no need to be tense. As I said before, you are the guests of honor tonight. Please, feel free to speak your minds without reservation."
His low, gentle voice drifted into every corner of the room. The students' tense shoulders visibly relaxed.
Then, a boy tentatively raised his hand. "Um... excuse me, if I may..." It was Karl, the Swordsmanship Department student who had dropped his knife earlier. His eyes were fixed on Julian.
"If... if it isn't too rude, may I ask a question?"
"Of course. Speak freely."
"Then, by any chance..." Karl's gaze shifted away from Julian. He locked his eyes onto the red-haired girl standing beside him, who wore a tailored feminine suit coat draped over her shoulders like a cape. "May I ask how old your bodyguard is?"
"I'll answer that on the Director's behalf," Erika replied. "I'm only a year or two apart from you."
"Then, if I may, I would love to know who your master is. Your movements just now were absolutely incredible."
In the worlds of swordsmanship and magic, strength was synonymous with lineage. While some students built their foundations from the ground up at the Academy, true masters almost always inherited secret techniques passed down from master to disciple, or ancestor to descendant.
Because of this, the scions of prestigious martial and magical families often bypassed the Academy entirely, even through their high school years. This was also why it was not uncommon for a sudden, brilliant rising star to appear out of nowhere in the higher divisions.
With movements like that, she must be the prized disciple of a renowned sect, or perhaps the descendant of a legendary knightly house. Karl vividly remembered Erika's Battle Qi from moments ago. Unlike him, who had to concentrate with all his might just to manifest a spark, Erika controlled her aura as naturally as breathing. She was undoubtedly at a realm far beyond his own, even though he was the runner-up of the Swordsmanship Department. Naturally, Karl was dying to know who the master behind such a prodigy was.
"..." Erika tilted her head at Karl's question. She didn't have a master, nor did she belong to any sect. Well, she had learned aura from Wangcho, but did that make him her master? While she might consider Department Head Shen, who taught her magic, a teacher, calling a slum gang leader her "master" felt incredibly awkward. After debating with herself, she finally settled on a single word.
"...Combat."
"Pardon?"
"I learned through real combat, in the Limbus Pit."
It wasn't a lie. Wangcho's method of teaching aura was always trial by fire. He would throw her headfirst into gang turf wars, only stepping in to ensure she didn't actually die. Thanks to that brutal regime, Erika had reached a level where she could channel her Battle Qi as easily as drawing breath. However, her blunt answer left Karl utterly dumbfounded.
"In... real combat?"
No academy, no prestigious sect, no legendary master. She had reached that terrifying realm solely through life-or-death battles. Karl's mouth hung open. He had held a sword since childhood, constantly showered with praise for his genius. Sometimes, he had secretly looked down on peers who, despite being born into far better environments, lagged behind him. But now, he was utterly speechless.
Erika had survived a far harsher environment, surpassing his level through blood, sweat, and tears. And at her young age, her strength had been recognized enough to earn her a place at Director Shun's side.
...I was being arrogant. Karl realized his own foolish pride. He had let himself get carried away just because Director Shun had taken notice of him. If he wasn't careful, that complacency would have stalled his growth.
I am so glad I came to this dinner today. Karl brought his hands together in a formal martial salute.
"Thank you for the profound lesson, elder sister!"
Erika blinked, completely baffled by his sudden dramatic reaction. Still, relying on the etiquette that had been drilled into her, she returned the salute.
"Uh, sure. I'm glad it helped."
Her spoken manners, however, were still a work in progress.
* * *
As their conversation wound down, Julian suddenly stood up.
"Please excuse me for a moment."
Every eye in the room instantly locked onto him.
"I have a brief matter to attend to. Please, make yourselves comfortable."
As Julian walked toward the door, Erika rose to follow him. At the threshold, Julian paused and looked back.
"I shall return when the appetizers are served."
With a gentle smile, the two stepped out of the room. The door clicked shut.
And then—
"Phew..."
Someone let out a long, shuddering breath. That single sigh broke the dam, and the students immediately began to chatter.
"Ah, I thought I was going to die of tension."
"Me too... I was barely even breathing."
"But he's not as scary as I thought. His voice is so nice, too."
The room buzzed with lively chatter. Now that Julian and Erika were gone, they finally felt like they could breathe.
"But is it really okay for us to make this much noise?" one student asked hesitantly.
Karl answered the boy's concern. "I've dined with nobles a few times, and usually, the host temporarily excuses themselves to let the guests relax and talk freely."
"Then how long do we have?"
"Probably until the appetizers are served."
"Whoa, is that noble etiquette? Where did you learn stuff like that?"
"The Swordsmanship Department has joint practical classes where we escort Political Science students. I picked it up there."
"Wow, so your goal is to become a knight?"
"For now, yes. Just in case, if anyone here isn't sure about table manners, I can give you a quick rundown."
Karl began to quickly instruct the students who were unfamiliar with formal dining etiquette. Though some were initially wary of his intentions, they soon warmed up to his cheerful voice and enthusiastic teaching. Naturally, Karl became the center of the group.
While several students received Karl's crash course in dining etiquette, Valeria mingled with a few others. Most of them were from departments similar to her own Diplomacy and Economics track—students who preferred wielding a pen over a sword.
"Wow, I can't believe I'm actually having dinner with Director Shun," a male student marveled.
Valeria recalled that he was from the Military Science Department, and at seventeen, he was the oldest among them, a second-year high school student. Built like a bear, he had shoulders broader than Karl's and a deep, booming voice. He looks more like a general than a mere officer, Valeria thought. While she was making this mental observation, the military student began to preach Director Shun's greatness to the others.
"You've all heard about Quinine, right?"
"Yeah. I heard it saved the southern front from collapsing. It's a legendary medicine."
But the military student shook his head, insisting they were missing the point.
"No, the medicine's efficacy isn't even the most amazing part."
"Then what is?"
"He cut the price of Quinine in half so that even the lowest-ranking foot soldiers could afford it. And he did that by giving up his own share of the profits."
The military student turned to Valeria. "You said you're in Economics, right? Do they teach you about the kind of revenue Director Shun gave up?"
"Of course they don't teach us that."
"But you can still estimate it, right?"
"Hmm..." Valeria murmured, doing some quick mental math.
A single dose of Quinine cost roughly 4,000 marks. Considering that patent royalties usually amounted to about four percent when sold to a merchant guild... "Well, there are too many variables to calculate it precisely in my head. But at a glance, he easily forfeited an amount equivalent to the average annual income of a barony."
"See? That's the kind of man he is!" the bear-like student exclaimed passionately, continuing his sermon on Director Shun's greatness. "He developed Insulin, and even vaccines!" His voice grew heated with admiration. "The fact that we are sitting at the same table as him is nothing short of a miracle!"
At the oldest student's grand speech, the others nodded in agreement.
Then, a quiet voice chimed in.
"B-but... the Director probably didn't make those medicines entirely on his own."
The students' gazes instantly shifted toward the source of the voice. Sitting there was a girl wearing glasses—Ellie, the top student of the High School Alchemy Department. Feeling the weight of everyone's eyes on her, she shrank back slightly.
"Oh, no, what I mean is..." Her fingers nervously fidgeted with the frame of her glasses. "Quinine is definitely his. Director Shun developed it himself. There are research papers, and the manufacturing patent is under his name. That's how he grew his company."
"Right."
"But..." Ellie's voice grew softer. "It's... hard to believe he created Insulin and the vaccines entirely by himself."
The military student's eyebrows shot up, looking as if his personal hero had just been insulted. "What are you trying to say?"
Ellie shrank back even further, but she didn't stop speaking. "P-please don't misunderstand. I'm not saying Director Shun stole someone else's research."
"Then what?"
"It's just... alchemy isn't that simple." Ellie kept her eyes glued to the table, finding it difficult to make eye contact. "Quinine is for infectious diseases. But Insulin is in a completely different realm—blood physiology. The fields are entirely separate."
"..."
"For one person to develop breakthrough drugs in such vastly different fields simultaneously... while not theoretically impossible, realistically..." Her voice trailed off.
A heavy silence fell over the table. Ellie's shoulders slumped. Ah... Regret washed over her. The atmosphere had been so pleasant. There had been no need for her to butt in. But in her desperate desire to fit in, she had forced herself to speak. I shouldn't have said anything. She peeked over her glasses. The military student's face was stiff, and the other students looked incredibly awkward. Ellie's fingers nervously twitched against her glasses frame again.
Just then, Valeria spoke up, coming to Ellie's rescue. "She's right. I think so too."
Ellie lifted her head. Valeria took a sip of her pre-dinner drink before continuing. "Do you know how rapidly the Merkur Merchant Guild has grown over the past few years?" Valeria's voice was calm and measured. "Developing a single new drug usually takes years. Yet Merkur has been releasing multiple new medicines simultaneously every two to three years. I heard he even publishes physiology papers in his spare time."
"...Y-yes, exactly." Ellie's eyes sparkled. While Director Shun was famous for his medicines, in the Alchemy Department, he was legendary for his groundbreaking research. It was only natural, considering one couldn't create a drug without first proving its underlying principles. Hearing a student from a different department acknowledge this filled Ellie with an immediate sense of kinship.
Reading Ellie's expression, Valeria offered a gentle smile and continued. "This isn't something one person can do alone. He must have a team." Valeria tapped her finger on the table. "Director Shun likely used the funds from Quinine to recruit top-tier alchemists. He directs the overall vision and sets the course, while his team handles the detailed development. That's how large-scale research works."
At Valeria's explanation, the military student's expression softened, and he stroked his chin. "Ah... I suppose the military is the same. A general doesn't win a war alone; they have a general staff."
"Exactly. That's how all large organizations function. That's what you meant, right, Ellie?"
Ellie nodded vigorously. Seeing her reaction, the military student's gaze turned much warmer. "Ah, so that's what you meant."
"I-I'm sorry. It doesn't change the fact that Director Shun is an incredible person."
"Of course. No matter how brilliant the staff is, it doesn't diminish the greatness of the commander."
The tension melted away, and the atmosphere grew warm once more. Ellie stole a glance at Valeria. ...Thank you. Though unspoken, her eyes were filled with gratitude. Valeria gave a light shrug.
Then, another student raised a question. "By the way, how old do you think Director Shun is?"
"Hmm, who knows? He must have graduated from either the Alchemy or Healing Department..."
"His way of speaking sounded even more experienced than our instructors."
"But he looked quite young."
"Maybe he's an elf or a half-elf?"
"Oh, that makes sense! We have an instructor like that at our school. He's really short and always brags about how he's 'only ninety-six years old.'"
"So he might be much older than he looks?"
The speculation about Director Shun's age continued. Valeria noticed that the older they guessed him to be, the more disappointed Ayla seemed to look. She couldn't fathom why.
Just as the students were settling on the compromise that Director Shun was likely a half-elf in his eighties, the door clicked open.
"Apologies for the wait."
With that smooth, gentle voice, Julian and Erika stepped back into the room. A line of waiters followed close behind. Atop their silver trays sat clear, golden soup and tiny blinis. As the dishes were placed before each guest, a man in a pristine white uniform stepped forward. He appeared to be the head chef.
"Tonight's appetizer is a black truffle consommé. We have simmered beef broth at a low temperature for twenty-four hours, infusing it with the rich aroma of this year's first harvest of black truffles..."
The students held their breath. Though they barely understood half the culinary terms, they could tell this was an extraordinary dish.
"The blinis are baked with buckwheat flour and yogurt. Enjoying them alongside the consommé will elevate the flavors even further."
The chef bowed politely and withdrew.
Valeria carefully picked up her spoon. The steam rising from the golden broth carried a rich, harmonious blend of earthy mushrooms and savory beef. Valeria's eyes widened. "Whoa..." Beside her, Ayla let out a soft gasp of admiration. For sisters who had grown up on simple meals of oats, pigeon, and cheap sausages, the depth of flavor was overwhelming. It was hard to put into words, but... So this is what truly fresh ingredients taste like... Valeria could confidently declare it the most delicious thing she had ever tasted. She slowly took a second spoonful.
As the meal progressed, Valeria's gaze naturally drifted toward Julian. At first, she had only glanced over to match her dining pace with the host, as etiquette dictated. But once she looked, she found herself unable to turn away. Julian's hand moved with effortless grace as his knife sliced through the blini. Even after he took a bite, the food remaining on his plate looked pristine. Though the chef's original plating was gradually changing, it maintained an elegant, structured beauty.
Valeria looked down at her own plate. Her half-eaten blini was already a messy, unrecognizable heap. The caviar she had nudged with her spoon was scattered everywhere. It was the same for the other students; the more they ate, the more chaotic their plates became. Valeria had assumed that was simply the nature of eating. But looking at Julian's plate, she was forced to reconsider. Is this the true disparity between us and the high nobility...? Even as his plate emptied, the remaining food somehow looked even more refined. It was a manner of dining that was only possible if one perfectly understood the chef's artistic intent behind the presentation.
Valeria stared blankly, her spoon suspended in midair. Was it his etiquette that was beautiful? Was it the atmosphere? Or was it a seamless blend of everything? One thing was certain: her benefactor was a far more perfect individual than she had ever imagined. I want to...I want to belong to that world, too. A small, quiet yearning began to blossom in Valeria's heart.
Once the meal was well underway, Julian spoke. "Shall we have a comfortable chat?" He dabbed his mouth with a napkin. From behind it, his gentle voice flowed. "No need to be formal. If you have any questions, please ask."
The students exchanged glances, wondering who would speak first. In the midst of the silence—
Now's my chance. Ellie took a quiet breath. Her fingers fidgeted with her glasses frame, a habit that always surfaced when she was nervous. I have to ask. Her earlier conversation with Valeria flashed through her mind. Director Shun's specialty is infectious diseases. He likely had help from other alchemists to create Insulin. If I ask a highly technical question about Insulin, he might not be able to answer perfectly.But even so... Ellie didn't want to let this opportunity slip away.
Insulin. A miracle drug for patients suffering from wasting disease. However, recent academic papers in the Alchemy Department had cautiously reported cases of patients dying of sudden heart attacks after receiving insulin. Ellie had heard about these cases in class, and several questions had formed in her mind. Though they were still just her own hypotheses, if she could get them verified by Director Shun himself... This is my chance to make him remember me.
To be honest, she was being calculating. An opportunity like this might never come again. To stand out among the ten scholarship students, she had to speak up now. She needed to ask a question, engage in dialogue, and leave an impression. Even if Director Shun couldn't give a perfect answer, it didn't matter. In fact, that would be more natural; there was no shame in showing limitations in a field outside one's primary expertise. What mattered was the question itself—demonstrating her dedication as the top student of the Alchemy Department. ...Let's do this. Ellie raised her hand.
"Um..." Her voice came out softer than expected. Every eye in the room turned to her. Ellie's shoulders shrank slightly, but this time, she didn't back down. "May I ask a question?"
Julian nodded. "Of course. Please, go ahead."
"It's about... Insulin..."
"Ah, yes. Preparing a question about Insulin at your age? You must be studying very hard."
"Hehe..." No, wait. Focus. Ellie's fingers twitched against her glasses frame again.
"I heard in class that there have been recent reports of patients dying of heart attacks after receiving Insulin. B-by any chance..." Ellie took a sharp breath. Julian waited patiently, giving her the space to compose herself. Thanks to his consideration, she managed to continue. "May I ask if you are aware of this side effect... and if there are any plans to address it?"
A heavy silence descended. Ellie waited for Julian's response. Since Insulin likely wasn't his primary field, she expected one of three typical answers: "I will check with my team," "That is an excellent point," or "It is currently being discussed within the company, so I cannot give a definitive answer." Usually, unless someone had absolute control over the entire project, they wouldn't be able to answer so easily.
However, the response they received shattered all expectations.
"That is an excellent question," Julian said, his voice as smooth as ever. "For an Alchemy student to keep up with discussions in the healers' domain... I believe that is well outside your curriculum. Most impressive."
"Hehe..."
"To answer your question directly: yes. I was aware of it, I anticipated it entirely, and a countermeasure has already been prepared. In fact, we have already published the updated administration guidelines."
"...Pardon?"
The top student of the Alchemy Department stared at Julian blankly. Julian looked at her with an amused, almost paternal warmth before continuing his explanation.
"Let me explain the background first." Julian lightly wiped his fingers with his napkin. "It is true that cases of heart attacks following insulin administration have increased. However, the root cause is not a defect in the medicine itself."
"...Then what is the cause?"
"It is a matter of patient non-compliance."
Ellie blinked. She had heard in class that the alchemy professors were still desperately trying to figure out the cause... yet Julian spoke as if he had diagnosed the issue long ago.
"When Insulin was first introduced, it was a miracle to those suffering from wasting disease. People who had been forced to avoid sweets their entire lives were suddenly told they only needed to take this medicine."
"..."
"So, what do you think happened?" Silence. Julian didn't wait for an answer. "They trusted the medicine and began to binge eat. They thought, 'Since I have Insulin, a little bit won't hurt.' The result was sugar shock—ah, rather, an acute worsening of their wasting disease. In their panic to save the patient, healers administered massive doses of insulin, which ultimately triggered cardiac arrest."
Ellie's mouth fell open. It was such a simple, logical explanation. But... why had no one else figured this out? And how did Julian, whom she had assumed was not a specialist in this field, know it so thoroughly? Meanwhile, Julian continued his explanation.
"Therefore, as long as the dosage and instructions are strictly followed, the side effect rarely occurs." Julian nodded. "Of course..." He tapped his finger lightly on the table. "Side effects can still happen. There are emergency situations where a high dose must be administered, and unexpected reactions can occur depending on the patient's constitution."
"..." Ellie was utterly speechless. Before she had even asked her question, everything had already been prepared: the analysis of the side effect's cause, and the countermeasures for unavoidable emergencies. ...It's perfect. Hearing his answer, she had no choice but to accept the truth. Julian was in complete, absolute control of every medicine, including Insulin. He was a genius far beyond anything anyone had imagined.
Just as these thoughts were taking over Ellie's mind, Julian suddenly snapped his fingers.
"Ah."
Ellie looked up.
"From here on, it enters the domain of the Healing Department's higher division, so there is absolutely no shame in not knowing. Still, I shall give you an opportunity."
"...Pardon?"
"Since you harbored such questions, you must have formulated your own thoughts on the matter." Julian's gaze locked onto Ellie. "What was your hypothesized solution? And what do you think our adjuvant is?"
Beneath the shadow of his fedora, a gentle yet piercing gaze seemed to lock onto her.