Mistaken for a Patron

"What do you think the student's proposed solution was? And what do you suppose our supplement was?" From beneath the shadow of his fedora, Julian's sharp gaze locked onto Ellie.

She asks quite an interesting question. Strictly speaking, it wasn't an incredibly advanced question. Julian was already well aware of insulin's side effects and had taken precautions long ago. He had already sent guidelines to the Healing Order, and the healers were currently using a supplement manufactured by the Merkur Merchant Guild to counteract those side effects. It had already been two years since that protocol was established. In other words, Ellie's question was, in a sense, outdated news.

Even so, she must have been paying close attention in class. Julian didn't forget that she was merely a high school student whose only sources of knowledge were her textbooks and the Academy.

Well, school curricula have to be conservative to avoid teaching errors. Textbook knowledge was notoriously slow to change. You couldn't teach unverified, cutting-edge theories to students who were still building their foundations. Even in his past life, where medical knowledge updated on a yearly basis, textbooks lagged far behind the front lines. In a world without even the internet, it was only natural that Ellie wouldn't know the cutting-edge answer.

If anything, this just proves how diligently she's been studying. Thus, Julian found Ellie's inquisitiveness rather endearing. There was only one minor issue: he was completely oblivious to the terrifying aura he was currently projecting.

Feel free to answer. Julian genuinely believed he was playing the role of a warm, benevolent patron—a "Daddy Long Legs." A mysterious, reliable adult who was always gentle with children and spared no expense to invest in their futures. That was the self-image he projected.

But to everyone else, the man sitting at the head of the table was someone entirely different. A genius half-elf director whose unfathomable depth of knowledge was hidden beneath the shadow of a fedora. No matter how much Julian tried to soften his tone and vocabulary, a question posed by such a figure to a mere high schooler could never feel light.

Ugh... I shouldn't have asked. Under the sharp (?) gaze of Director Shun piercing through the shadow of his hat, Ellie cast her eyes down toward the table. It wasn't that she feared Director Shun would harm her. Rather, it was that inexplicable, instinctual dread a student feels when put on the spot by a formidable professor.

But since I asked, I have to give the answer I prepared. Ellie stared down the white tablecloth for a long moment, gathering her breath. Steeling her resolve, she looked up and answered Director Shun.

"Digitalis..." Despite her resolve, her voice trailed off into a tiny squeak.

"It's a primary ingredient in the Elixir of Focus... It slows down the heart rate but increases the force of the contraction." Ellie recalled a recent lecture. In alchemy, there was a potion called the Elixir of Focus, used as a stimulant to help snipers or mages concentrate during spellcasting. One of its ingredients was the digitalis herb, which was used to slow the heart rate and strengthen myocardial contractions. It was also occasionally used in potions for elderly patients with weak hearts.

"So I thought... if an insulin overdose weakens the heart, maybe we could use digitalis to support the heart's contractions." Ellie waited anxiously for Director Shun's reaction. Director Shun remained silent for a moment. Ellie's fingers nervously fidgeted with the frame of her glasses again. Finally, Director Shun spoke.

"You have studied very diligently." Julian's voice remained gentle. Ellie's shoulders relaxed slightly.

"Logically, it is a sound hypothesis. If the heart is weak, use a medicine that strengthens the heart. It is an intuitive and rational approach."

"...Thank you."

"However," Julian's finger tapped once on the table and stopped. "Unfortunately, the mechanism behind cardiac arrest caused by an insulin overdose is a bit different."

"Is... is it?"

"Yes. The side effect of insulin doesn't cause the heart to stop because it simply grows weak. It stops because the potassium levels in the blood plummet rapidly." Ellie blinked. Potassium. As an aspiring alchemist who practically lived with the periodic table, she was intimately familiar with the element. However, connecting it to the heart was entirely new to her.

"Insulin draws blood glucose into the cells, and in doing so, it pulls potassium along with it. This causes a rapid drop in blood potassium levels. If you administer digitalis in that state..." Julian paused. He glanced around at the students' faces. Their blank, dazed stares were fixed on his hat. Beside him, Erika was even nodding off.

"..." A faint, wry smile played on Julian's lips. He was dealing with middle and high school students, after all. Some of them weren't even in fields related to medicine. Above all, this was a dining room, not a lecture hall. Realizing his mistake, he adjusted his explanation.

"Let me put it more simply. Insulin has a property that drastically amplifies the effects of digitalis. They are like oil and fire." A few students nodded. Most of them were the top students of departments that required long hours at a desk. The physically-oriented students, like Erika, clearly didn't understand but were just nodding along anyway.

"Therefore, if administered together, the digitalis will actually trigger a cardiac arrest. Instead of helping a weakened heart, it stops a perfectly healthy one."

"I... I see. I was being presumptuous..."

"Not at all. It was an excellent question." The lower half of Director Shun's face curved into a warm smile. "There is no need to fear asking questions, nor is there any need to apologize. In fact, that curiosity is the hallmark of a true scholar."

"..."

"Besides, as I mentioned, this is material taught in the university department of healing. It is only natural for a middle school alchemy student not to know it. The fact that you even reasoned that far is highly impressive." As he spoke, Julian glanced toward the entrance of the dining room. He was checking to see if the next course was coming out. Seeing that there was still some time before the next dish arrived, he continued.

"And to give you the correct answer to your question, we use a supplement called Hartmann's Solution."

Hartmann's Solution. In Julian's original world, it was an intravenous fluid created by a physician named Alexis Hartmann. Naturally, the name came from the creator's surname. In this world, however, Julian was the one who had formulated it. When he first created Hartmann's Solution, he had considered naming it "Schnabel's Solution." But just as he hadn't renamed quinine to "tinin," he decided to stick with "Hartmann's Solution" simply because changing the names of things he already knew would only confuse him.

Come to think of it, Ringer was also a person's name... Shoving his stray thoughts aside, Julian explained Hartmann's Solution to Ellie.

"It is an intravenous fluid made by mixing potassium salts, sodium, and lactate."

"An... IV fluid?"

"You know what an IV fluid is, correct?"

"Yes... we do." Ellie from the Alchemy Department and Ayla, the aspiring healer, nodded. IV fluids were also among the medical supplies distributed by the Merkur Merchant Guild. Primarily used to treat patients suffering from excessive blood loss or dehydration, it was a fundamental treatment taught from the middle school level.

To think such an IV fluid existed... The Director truly has thought of everything. Of course, the middle school curriculum had not yet covered Hartmann's Solution. Thus, the revelation that an IV fluid could mitigate the side effects of insulin was incredibly novel to Ellie. Director Shun gave a sheepish smile at the students' reactions and said:

"It is not that extraordinary of a supplement. Still, you have studied remarkably well. I look forward to seeing you grow into an even greater alchemist in the future..." At that moment, Director Shun abruptly fell silent.

"..." The students exchanged puzzled glances. The man who had been speaking so gently just a moment ago had suddenly frozen. What was wrong? Tensing up, the students carefully watched Director Shun's expression.

"Director...?" Erika called out cautiously. He didn't answer, his gaze locked onto an ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠empty spot in the air.

"...Hmm." He let out a low hum of contemplation before finally speaking again.

"Speaking with you has made me realize we can actually utilize this mechanism in reverse. Why didn't I think of this before...?"

"Pardon?"

"Insulin could be used to protect the heart muscle." Julian pulled out his notebook. *Scratch, scratch.*

It was a modified application of insulin that Julian had frequently used in his past life. Why did I forget about this? He had forgotten it simply because it was too obvious. Just as a fish forgets it is in the ocean, GIK therapy was so second-nature to Julian that he hadn't even thought to publish it. To ensure the memory wouldn't slip away, he even placed a bookmark in his notebook.

"..." The students stared blankly at Julian. One student froze with a spoon halfway to their mouth. Another stopped mid-chew on a blini. A third held a water glass suspended in midair. The legendary tale of the genius archmage who ran naked into the streets after receiving a sudden flash of inspiration in the bath naturally came to their minds. A bizarre silence enveloped the room. Beside him, Erika pinched the bridge of her nose, looking exasperated. Having finished his notes, Julian looked up once more.

"Thank you, Miss Ellie."

"Y-yes... Did you perhaps think of a new medicine?"

"Not quite. But thanks to you, I've realized a new application for insulin. There is no need to invent anything new; we simply need to add a new set of guidelines to the medicines our guild is already selling." Julian slipped the notebook back into his breast pocket.

"A heavy snowfall is expected soon, so I should send these guidelines to the Healing Order via telegram then. It will be of immense help to patients with winter-onset cardiac diseases." At this rate, it might become a standard emergency procedure by next spring, Julian thought, offering a gentle smile.

"This has been a truly wonderful time." Ellie's heart hammered against her ribs. It wasn't the flutter of youth. It was the pounding heart of a scholar who had just contributed to a historical breakthrough. The other students looked at Ellie with eyes full of envy. At the same time, quiet whispers began to ripple through the group.

"What just happened?" "I don't know... They were talking about insulin, and then suddenly..." "I get that he came up with a new treatment method." "But just from a casual conversation?" "Is that even possible...?"

Julian ignored the students' whispering. It had been a while since he had received such a shower of praise, and he had to actively fight to keep the corners of his mouth from twitching upward. To think they're reacting like this over a simple IV fluid. To him, IV fluid was the easiest thing to make out of all the medicines he had introduced. Honestly, calling it a "medicine" was almost embarrassing. It was just purified water created with magic, mixed with potassium chloride, sodium, and a few other basic compounds. It had taken him exactly one week to develop. He could confidently declare that there would never be an easier invention in his entire life. Yet, these students were reacting to the combination of IV fluid and insulin as if it were the discovery of the century.

At this rate, even I might start mistakenly believing I'm a genius. *Creak.* The sound of the door opening snapped Julian back to reality.

"The main course is ready, Director. Shall we serve it now?"

"Ah, please do, Chef." The chef nodded and snapped his fingers. Soon, ten staff members filed into the room carrying silver platters.

"Today's main course is Beef Wellington." Julian focused on the chef's explanation, thinking to himself that playing the part of a genius in this world was far too easy.

Civitas Square. In front of the boarding house where the sisters Ayla and Valeria lived. Under the glow of a streetlamp, a woman paced back and forth. It was the Female Priest, the mother of the two girls. She kept glancing down the street, waiting for the carriage carrying her daughters to arrive.

They'll return safely, right...? Naturally, she couldn't help but worry. Even if it was a dinner hosted by a scholarship foundation, keeping middle school children out so late was unusual. Had something happened? Was this Director Shun actually a bad person? Her anxieties spiraled.

Just then, the clatter of carriage wheels rolling over the cobblestones echoed through the quiet street. The Female Priest snapped her head up. A carriage was emerging from the darkness at the end of the road. Upon spotting the emblem of the foundation emblazoned on its side, her heart began to race. The carriage pulled to a stop in front of the boarding house.

"Mom!" Ayla cried out, leaping down from the carriage. Valeria followed her, stepping down at a more measured pace.

"..." The Female Priest scanned her daughters' faces, anxiously checking if they were hurt or if they had experienced anything frightening. Fortunately, both girls looked radiant. If anything, their complexions seemed healthier and more vibrant than before. A wave ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of relief washed over her, and the tension drained from her shoulders.

"Let's head inside quickly. It's cold out here. Thank you for bringing them home safely, coachman."

"Have a good night, ma'am!" With a warm, friendly smile, the coachman clicked his tongue, and the carriage melted back into the darkness of the street. The Female Priest ushered her daughters inside.

Inside their cramped, rented room on the second floor of the boarding house, the Female Priest sat across from her daughters at the small dining table. "How was it? What was Director Shun like...?"

Ayla beamed, as if she had been waiting for the question. "The food was absolutely delicious, and the Director was so kind!"

"Is... is that so?"

"Yes! He even knew that I love growing flowers!" The Female Priest's eyebrows arched. This reaction far exceeded her expectations.

Turning to her eldest, the Female Priest asked, "And how was it for you, my dear?"

Valeria wrapped her hands around her teacup and nodded. "...He wasn't a bad person. In fact, it felt like he genuinely cared about each and every student. Just as Ayla said, he already knew what our interests were."

"I see..." The Female Priest's expression softened. Fortunately, it seemed Director Shun was not the villain she had feared.

Just then, Ayla's eyes sparkled. "Oh! And Mom, I learned so much today!"

"Like what?"

"Insulin and IV fluids... Uh... well..." Ayla rolled her eyes toward the ceiling, trying hard to recall. "What was it again? Potassium? And glucose... If you use them together, it protects the heart..."

"...What?" The Female Priest's eyes widened.

"And he said that if you pre-treat with a certain IV fluid before administering insulin, you can reduce the side effects!"

"..." The Female Priest was temporarily struck speechless. What on earth did he teach a middle schooler? "That... that is material taught in the university department of healing..."

"Right! The Director said the exact same thing! He said I didn't need to know it yet!"

"..." The Female Priest found it absurd, yet she felt a strange sense of relief. At the very least, he didn't seem like a dangerous man. Someone trying to harm children wouldn't bother teaching them such advanced medical concepts. At the same time, she caught a glimpse of Director Shun's more human side.

Director Shun... A complex swirl of emotions washed over her. He wasn't a bad person. That was wonderful news for both her and her daughters. However, it weighed slightly on her conscience that the reason she had crossed paths with him in the first place was born of a rather unfortunate incident.

As long as I keep my mouth shut, everything will be fine. In the medical and healing community, Director Shun was now a titan comparable to high-ranking priests or cardinals. Even the director of the Capital Infirmary had to bow his head before him. To use a military analogy, it was like a common foot soldier catching the personal attention of the Grand Master of the Knights. Thinking about it made her stomach churn with anxiety, regardless of ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠whether Director Shun was a good person or not. The Female Priest resolved to stop by an alchemy workshop on her way to work tomorrow morning to buy a stomach-soothing potion.

While the Female Priest was lost in thought, Ayla spoke up again. "Mom."

"Yes?"

"I want to become a healer just like Director Shun."

At those words, the Female Priest froze. "...Is that so?"

"Yes! I'm going to study really hard so I can help as many people as the Director does."

The Female Priest gazed at her daughter's face. It was bright and innocent, entirely ignorant of the harsh realities of the world. To begin with, simply graduating from a seminary was not enough to become a healer. A priest who graduated from a seminary was just an ordinary priest, not a healer. To become a healer, one had to graduate from a seminary and awaken Holy Power. And awakening Holy Power was not something that could be achieved through bloodline or sheer effort. It was a realm governed entirely ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠by luck.

I only became a healing priest because I awakened mine late in life. Furthermore, even if one did awaken Holy Power, not everyone could become a healer. Just like a mage, a healer required a vast amount of academic knowledge. There was a reason even low-ranking healers were treated with the same respect as master artisans.

And even those healers can't hold a candle to Director Shun... Director Shun was a figure so lofty that even those elite healers wouldn't dare compare themselves to him. Oblivious to this reality, Ayla was blindly declaring her dream to become just like him. Looking at her daughter's face, a bittersweet smile touched the mother's lips.

"...Of course," the Female Priest said, gently stroking her daughter's hair. "I'm sure you can do it, Ayla."

Ayla was still only fourteen. Surely she was still at an age where she was allowed to dream. With that thought, the Female Priest gently wiped a smudge of sauce from the corner of Ayla's mouth.

Meanwhile, Julian was currently in a carriage heading back to his manor. *Clack-clack.* With every bump and sway of the carriage, a mass of dark red hair shifted on his lap.

"Hehehe..." It was Erika. The girl who was supposed to be his bodyguard was fast asleep, using her employer's lap as a pillow. She was even snoring softly, looking completely at peace. Since this was hardly the first time, Julian let out a quiet chuckle and opened his notebook.

There's a lot to memorize... He intended to organize his notes on the students he had met today while his memory was still fresh. His fountain pen began to scratch against the paper.

Julian paused his pen. Only the sisters remained.

To be honest, he couldn't quite read this girl. She had been quiet throughout the entire meal. Was she introverted, calculating, or simply nervous? He would need to observe her more in the future.

Based on her looks alone, she seems like she'd fit right in as a disciplinary committee member... No, let's not. I'm not a physiognomist. He briefly considered guessing her personality based on her appearance, following the classic tropes of web novels. According to those tropes, Valeria looked like she had a rather strong, sharp personality. However, making such assumptions would only create unnecessary bias. In the end, Julian left Valeria's section mostly blank. And finally, the last one.

Julian's pen hovered in the air. A specific detail about Ayla's profile came to mind. —Extremely skilled at gardening. Before the meal, Julian had committed that detail to memory and asked her about it during dinner.

— "I heard you enjoy growing flowers, Miss Ayla."

— "Yes! I love growing flowers! When I become a healer like my mom, I want to grow my own medicinal herbs!" In the process, she had accidentally revealed that her mother was a healer, briefly leading the other students to mistakenly assume the sisters were from a wealthy family. Regardless, Ayla had added:

— "I'm even growing sunflowers right now!"

Sunflowers... Remembering this, Julian's eyes narrowed. Sunflowers. Flowers that literally chased the sun. In fact, they were plants that absolutely could not grow without sunlight. Yet, what was the state of this world? It was a world where sunlight was choked out by demonic smog. It was rare to see a clear sky within the city walls, especially in middle-class districts like Civitas Square. Even in Sanctum Hill, sunflowers were highly prized ornamental plants, to say nothing of the astronomical cost required to maintain them.

Growing sunflowers in a place like that? There was no way a child whose family was poor enough to require a scholarship could afford to cultivate them through sheer financial power. In other words, this meant Ayla possessed something extraordinary. Julian fell into deep thought. If Ayla had truly managed to grow sunflowers... and without any sunlight...

...Perhaps. The corners of Julian's mouth curled upward. His fountain pen began to move once more.

Hmm... Julian tapped the pen against his chin, lost in thought. He began to seriously consider whether he should skip the dinner next time and take them on a factory tour instead.