Chapter 85. The Imperial Missive
"The most important part of treating schizophrenia is pharmacological intervention. And right after that comes family support."
"Family... support, you mean?"
Bomba wiped at his dampening eyes and asked. I nodded.
"There's a high chance your family issues are tied to your grandson's psychological state. For example, something like the death of a family member."
"......"
"It's not just that. If he's under psychological stress, we need to keep counseling to figure out how to resolve it. In other words, we have to combine medication with other therapies."
"For life... for the rest of his life?"
Bomba's shoulders trembled faintly as he asked me. I could easily guess what he wanted to hear.
But as a doctor, I had to tell him the truth.
"We'll know more once we start proper treatment. For now, could you step out so I can talk to the patient alone?"
"Joseph, the baron wants to speak with you. Come here."
Bomba handed Joseph over to me and left the room. The real counseling session began.
Joseph said he constantly heard auditory hallucinations, and visual ones appeared occasionally too.
"Are you hearing them right now?"
"Ah... yes. Put it in the left pocket. Put the flower in the left pocket. Die. Die. Die. Voices like that... they keep going."
"That must be really tough, hearing that nonstop."
Sometimes, families of schizophrenia patients say things like, You have to tough it out—don't whine about it. Life's hard for everyone, so stop being weak.
Even Bomba admitted he'd said that to his own grandson. He just didn't know better.
But that's the worst thing you can say—it drives schizophrenia patients to the edge.
Untreated schizophrenia patients often hear hallucinations all day long, every waking hour. If a stranger's voice whispers "die" in your ears nonstop, no matter how strong-minded you are, you couldn't go to school or work.
Just like how strangers help you up if you fall on the street, we have to do the same.
No—we must. Mental illness can strike anyone.
"Director, the injection compounds are all mixed and ready."
After finishing with Joseph, Stella brought over the blended meds for today's treatment. Schizophrenia treatment requires mixing various components based on the patient's condition.
We should normally test oral tolerance first... but no choice here.
Standard schizophrenia meds are paliperidone or risperidone, available as pills or injections. Oral trials are recommended before shots to establish tolerance.
Old man Bomba's forgetful. Can't expect him to handle pills at home.
From mirror therapy and physical sessions at the Beauty Tower, I'd seen Bomba's forgetfulness firsthand.
Oral meds need daily dosing, but Joseph's anxiety makes inpatient care impossible, and he doesn't want it anyway. With nonstop hallucinations, he'd forget if he'd taken his pills.
And the biggest issue? Those Wind Tower bastards. Who knows when they'll show up at Bomba's to drag Joseph off again.
The Wind Tower crew was clearly retaliating pettily now that Bomba and the retired heroes had stopped protesting the Beauty Tower.
We couldn't lock Joseph in my hospital or Bomba's house, so injections were the only option.
I sterilized Joseph's arm and took the paliperidone injection from Stella.
"Joseph, we're starting your first treatment today with this shot. It'll sting."
Paliperidone shots come monthly or every three months. I chose monthly for today.
First-time administration for Joseph, so close monitoring over the next month made sense. Three-month shots often wane by the end anyway, so monthly was safer for stable management.
"Put the flower in the left pocket. The left pocket..."
I injected the treatment into the sterilized spot on his arm—hoping this first prick would be his last.
Retired hero Bomba and his grandson left the Beauty Tower.
I stayed alone in my office, savoring the solitude.
"......"
Savoring solitude while thinking of Joseph? No.
I was just listening closely.
To the sounds coming from my crystal orb, linked in speaker mode to George's.
'We got kicked out for fake heresy trials—that must be the rumor going around.'
'George is working hard.'
Josephine led the Jo family, but George held the highest rank among them in the Black Moon Church, so he was taking point on persuasion.
'Of course it's addictive. It's nicotine gum, not regular.
George beautifully packaged blood donations and nicotine gum, gaslighting away. Pride swelled in me.
The Jo family's full commitment—down to their veins as Beauty Tower members—continued the pitch.
Hours later.
A ding, and a message hit my crystal orb.
What thanks? I owed them more.
'Guess I should hit the territory office again.'
Weeks passed since the new hires joined the Beauty Tower.
Today was the 5th of May on the Ailene calendar. Mild spring weather, no warming spells needed.
Thud! Crack! Bang bang! Bang! Thud!
"Good morning, Director."
"Morning, Walter."
Construction boomed next door on the plot Marquis Ecna gifted for my mansion.
"Marquis Ecna sent plenty of workers, so it shouldn't take long. Kellogg's pitching in too."
"A house..."
"Not to your taste?"
I shook my head at Walter's subtle probe.
"No, just weird. Back home, today would've been Children's Day."
"Children's Day?"
"Yeah, kids play with parents or get gifts. Kinda surreal getting one at my age."
"Gifts never get old, no matter your age."
"Haha, true."
"Director! Directooor!"
"...?"
Cache came running, calling me.
"Cache? What's up?"
"Huff, huff, you gotta, huff, see this, huff!"
"What's this?"
Gasping, she thrust a letter at me. The seal was an ornate griffin I'd never seen.
"Wait, this is...?"
Before panting Cache could speak, Walter's eyes widened.
"What's wrong? Know who sent it?"
"...It's the imperial crest."
"Imperial? West Continent imperial family?"
Walter nodded. I inspected the seal closely—a griffin marking the Initium imperial house.
The imperials, to me? What's this about?
No duke status, direct from the emperor. No prior ties, so my heart raced wondering why. I'd poured everything into profits—er, treatments—since isekai. Guess my efforts reached the throne.
Like a kid with a Children's Day gift, I eagerly tore open the imperial letter.
"Good news, Director? They want your treatments? Or imperial physician? Whatever it is, it's awesome!"
"Seeing the director this tense, must be big."
Cache fidgeted beside me as I read; Walter chuckled.
"......Fuck."
"...Haha, that good, huh?"
Walter laughed heartily at my slip. I shoved the damned imperial missive at their curious faces.
"It's a mobilization order."
Suddenly, army-bound.