Chapter 44
Chapter 44
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 44
Chapter Title: Mad Alchemist of Madness - 2
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[You have achieved the Pharmacy Master accomplishment.]
"Ughhh..."
I looked down at those groaning in pain. Just moments ago, they had been perfectly fine, but now they were half-dead from the aftermath of the tests.
This was the result of continuously dosing them with poisons, hallucinogens, stabilizers, restoratives, and buffs and debuffs.
Until now, I'd only done this kind of work on the Demon King's minions or those who sided with him. Or on bandits and thieves. Or on volunteers through the Alchemist Guild. I'd thought it would take forever.
But this accomplishment had wrapped up quicker than expected. A truly joyous occasion.
This brought the path to my return even closer.
"Hmm... Hey, Sage."
"Yeah?"
"The tests you're doing now... they don't seem related to plague medicine."
Rotello, who had come to my private lab to assist, asked hesitantly. I nodded. Someone ignorant of alchemy or pharmacy might be fooled, but he knew a bit about it.
And I had no intention of hiding it anyway.
I'd already claimed the accomplishment, after all.
"You're right. What I tested this time is a schizophrenia treatment."
"Why that?"
"Got a problem?"
"No... Aren't you supposed to focus on plague treatments?"
"Making only plague cures wears me out too. I just needed a little refresh in my own way now and then."
"By experimenting on elves?"
"So what? They're not dead, and it's not like they went mad from side effects."
Of course, the process had been pretty agonizing, and they'd need at least a few months of solid rest.
But elves should understand that much, right?
"Hmm... This might cause problems later."
"Attack me over this? Nah, no way. They wouldn't if they had any conscience."
Of course, even if they did make an issue of it, it wouldn't matter.
I'd just fight back.
While developing the cure, the plague steadily eroded the elf forest.
In that process, the elves' forces and power weakened, and with the elf forest under control, other races' influences grew stronger.
Even if the plague was fully cured, the elves wouldn't wield continent-shaking power like before for a while.
They'd be busy dealing with the aftermath and recovering what they'd lost to the plague.
By the time that ended, I'd have achieved all the accomplishments or be at the final stage.
This wasn't some thoughtless stunt.
Until then, the human connections I'd diligently built would keep the elves in check.
"Hmm..."
"Alright. This should treat even elves with holy power."
I handed over the formula I'd compiled bit by bit during the tests. Rotello read it over and left. Soon after, Veronica entered and surveyed the elf test subjects.
"Sage. We caught more elves plotting to attack you."
"Oh. Really?"
"Yeah. This time, it was the ones who incited the elves in quarantine. Traditionalists."
I'd made the cure as a human and administered it to elves, and we'd clearly shown it working.
Most plague-stricken elves welcomed it, but the traditionalists rejected medicine from alchemists—especially humans, elves, and occasionally dwarves.
Of course, their consent wasn't needed, so we'd force-fed it to them, and that seemed to irk them plenty.
As a result, those slandering me and the researchers grew day by day.
Thanks to that, getting 'voluntary volunteers' became much easier.
Truly grateful.
"Ungrateful wretches."
Veronica clicked her tongue and muttered.
She glared down at one middle-aged elf who had insulted me right to my face.
He'd been a huge help in making the multiple schizophrenia and anxiety paralysis agents, and now he was out of it in detox and rest.
Veronica narrowed her eyes and reached for the mace at her waist. Her twitching fingers made it clear she wanted to smash his head in. I casually held her back.
I'd gone to the trouble of not killing him for the experiments. Killing him now would be a hassle.
"I'm fine."
"But."
"Really, I'm fine."
What I needed from him was done.
All that remained was mass-producing the completed cure and administering it to the elves in the forest.
In other words, I had no more business in the elf forest.
"You're something else... Quick to move on."
"That's my charm, isn't it?"
I winked. Veronica, who had been staring blankly, let out a small chuckle.
"Other races are getting restless. They all want to seize this chance. They're holding back because of you, but... if it keeps up, it might explode soon."
"Yeah?"
"Yesterday, beastkin and dwarves fought escaping elves and got injured."
Veronica mentioned it had given the priests work, and we left the private lab.
Outside was already bustling with patients.
Elves receiving plague treatments.
Priests healing the injured.
Other races growling at each other.
Watching all sorts of races doing their own thing, I smiled.
"Once the plague's sorted, interspecies issues will sort themselves out. War or elves bending—whatever. I think they'll bend, though..."
"But?"
"Even if they fight, it's none of my business."
"...Amazing. I thought you'd try to save the elves somehow."
"Me? Why?"
I looked at Veronica, and she smiled faintly.
"Because you're a good person."
Who knows. Wrong read.
I'm not that good.
"Hyunwoo!"
As Veronica and I locked eyes, staring for a moment, Claire's shout rang out. She'd rushed over quite urgently and panted lightly before speaking.
"Seongya's awake!"
"Oh, really? Guess I should go. Veronica, handle the rest."
I patted Veronica's shoulder lightly and turned.
Seongya awake. That meant plague treatment was entering the final phase.
Entering the plague ward, a familiar face greeted me. It was Rudhi, who had acted like my assistant alongside Rotello after recovering from the plague.
And standing before her was... Huh? Evangeline? Why's she like that?
Oblivious to my entrance, the two elves with strikingly similar looks stared silently.
But the atmosphere was oppressively heavy.
Rudhi looked somehow confident, while Evangeline shrank before her, shoulders slumped.
I lightly tapped the wall beside me. Startled by the sound, they turned to me.
"Sage."
"...Hyunwoo."
"What're you doing? Rudhi, I heard Seongya's awake. Not ready?"
"Oh. Right away."
Rudhi finally moved, heading down the hall. I turned to Evangeline. She fidgeted, avoiding my gaze, then took a hesitant step forward.
"...Um, Hy-Hyunwoo."
"Yeah?"
"...Why... why save the elves? You must hate them because of me... And saving Rudhi too..."
"You're misunderstanding. That has nothing to do with you."
"...Huh?"
"Someone had to do it, and that someone was me."
"Ah... You're... still the same..."
A shadow fell over Evangeline's pale face. Not satisfied with my answer? Who knows.
Didn't really matter.
"You look rough. Why not grab some nutrients? The ones I just made the recipe for are good. Tell Rotello, he'll give you some."
"...Okay."
Evangeline nodded faintly but neither advanced nor retreated.
She just stood there, rooted, staring at me.
I passed her, then glanced back. Like a statue, she trembled as our eyes met.
"Just like I did my job, shouldn't you do yours?"
"My... job...?"
"Yeah."
"What... should I do?"
Evangeline spoke weakly, and I gave her the reality.
"You'll have to figure that out yourself."
I left the frozen Evangeline and went inside.
Inside, Rotello and a few alchemists were checking Seongya's condition.
"Oh. Sage, you're here?"
"Seongya-nim's condition is a bit..."
"A bit what?"
"Her holy power's weakened a lot. And stamina too. The plague's influence has diminished, though."
Constant meds had lowered resistance. Unavoidable. Then Rudhi entered with the new medicine, which I administered and checked.
"Saintess. How do you feel?"
"Hmm... I can feel the death energy inside me fading bit by bit."
The death energy—source of the plague—fading meant the plague was being cured.
"Will your holy power recover?"
"Give me a moment..."
Holding the Divine Mark, Seongya began praying. For a saintess, the faint holy power that settled on her was weak. Moments later, she opened her eyes and nodded.
"But it'll take a lot of time."
The variant plague had cost her much holy power. Confirmed: skill levels had dropped significantly.
But Seongya didn't seem bothered. Holding only priest-level holy power instead of saintess... yet hopeful.
I liked that.
Not giving up.
And not clinging.
"And after all your suffering, demanding more would be... shameless."
She flashed a warm, hearty smile. I smiled back. Not very elf-like.
"This much holy power won't keep you as a saintess."
"Probably. But... it's okay."
"Really? Glad to hear."
No shock over lost power. Unlike other priests who despaired.
When saved ones whined about their missing power, it pissed me off enough to want to smack them.
Of course, I'd beaten them unconscious and sent them to my private lab.
"Won't Chief Suhwi get mad seeing these results?"
Rudhi, now beside me, chimed in. She glanced at me, then continued softly.
"I'm an elf too, but... elves are often the type to demand your bag after pulling them from drowning."
Rudhi paused, staring intently.
What?
"...Like someone."
That someone probably wasn't who I thought. Was the bad vibe with Evangeline earlier because of this?
As I met Rudhi's gaze, Seongya sighed heavily.
"Mother isn't like that."
"Hope so."
Sane people wouldn't.
Anyway, no accomplishment popping after treating Seongya meant I had to treat the rest.
I let Seongya rest more and headed out.
Business here done. Leave once plague's over. How much left?
"Rudhi. How many patients remain?"
"Hmm... About fifty? Plague patients, that is... The rest are."
The rest what?
Then rough shouts erupted from outside.
"Uwaaak! My arm!"
"Aaak! You damn elf bastards!!"
"Kwaaak!! Cocky dwarf! Aaak!"
More from interspecies fights, carted in injured.
Rudhi glanced and sighed softly.
"Just injuries from racial brawls."