It was already at the end of autumn when I had my meeting with Corneille, Freche’s third son. The confusion and clean-up of the summer’s series of incidents had finally been settled.
We exchanged a few words and drank some tea before getting down to business in the Academy parlour, which had become the temple with what few personnel were left.
“Is this what you were talking about?”
He took out a crema-coloured lump nervously. I took it and handed it to Radka, who was standing behind me.
Radka smelled it to confirm that it was what it was meant to be and touched my right shoulder. That was the signal to tell me that it was.
“It seems so. Thank you for obtaining it, Corneille Freche. My business with you is now done.”
“That’s good. I feel relieved.”
He patted his chest in relief and looked anxiously at the lump in Radka’s hand.
“Umm, is it really alright? Because that’s… that, right? The thing that caused a big disturbance in the capital.”
“The addictive beeswax. That’s right.”
It was the rembia beeswax that Viscount Roguesia had been making.
“So, it is…”
I helped him break off the engagement between Feyria Roguesia and Gosta Agren in exchange for the beeswax. It was a drug, so he had to do some shady trading for it. I nodded, and he turned pale.
I shook my head, “It’s fine.”
“This beeswax will be allowed to be purchased and possessed as a ‘pharmaceutical drug’ from tomorrow.”
“Pharmaceutical, drug?”
“That’s right. You will need a prescription from a licensed doctor, but any noble will be able to purchase and possess a certain quantity of this beeswax. It will be treated as medicine according to the doctor’s prescription, and the patient will be responsible for its addictive side effects. Such medicines will be designated and controlled by the state.”
Arxia has laws and systems in place to control dangerous poisons and drugs, but all drugs that were deemed dangerous were all banned from production, sale and use even if they could be used for medicinal purposes. That was why there was little progress in medicine, and a high rate of death by illness despite there being a well-developed exam and licensing system for doctors… Although, the average life expectancy in this kingdom is higher than any of its surrounding kingdoms.
Noble children often go on to become doctors and everyone was concerned about the lack of variety and research for drugs. As soon as a drug is found to be toxic to the human body, it is subjected to regulation, no matter how effective it is in treating any disease. Drugs and poisons are two sides of the same coin, and because of that situation, technological development has been slow and ineffective.
… I didn’t do much. I just talked to the adults around me at the end-of-season ball about a vague idea I had for a system. I believe I talked a lot with nobles who had lost family members because of the drug restrictions, and with nobles from fiefs that were cultivating medicinal plants.
“Beeswax mixed with rembia juice can be addictive, but it’s on the mild side among the regulated products. It won’t affect you too much as long as you don’t use it every day. And it has a long history of use as folk medicine, especially for forest syndrome in the southern kingdoms… and in Rindarl.”
“What is forest syndrome?”
“… Forest syndrome is a disease that isn’t often heard about in the south. It is caused by inhaling the scales of the cotton butterfly, a monster that has a symbiotic relationship with the cypraeid trees, causing respiratory failure due to the inflammation of the bronchial tubes, and the lungs are also weakened due to the toxins. There are a lot of cypraeid forests in the north, and there are a lot of cotton butterflies too. Rembias works as a repellent for the butterflies, and the smoke from it has been shown to have a mild anti-inflammatory and detoxifying effect. The documents I prepared in advanced contained a detailed list of medicinal properties, which I have presented to your father, and he was the first to approve it as a pharmaceutical drug.”
I learned more about the medicinal properties of the rembia beeswax from Rindarl’s former slaves who are still staying in Arxia. They are people from the southern kingdom. Besides making tea with the petals, they knew that mixing rembia juice with sugar made a weak antidote and the smoke can be inhaled to smooth swollen throats.
Marquis Rettalgau confirmed with the peace ambassador that the information about rembias cultivated in the south of Rindarl being used as medicine, or drugs, in the north came from a neighbouring kingdom since the source of Agren’s information was Nordsterm. The peace ambassador wanted to give Arxia a good impression, so he immediately submitted documents summarising the effects of the medicine and the cases in which it was prescribed for. When it was included in the information that Earl Thelesia had gathered for me, I was surprised that the Prime Minister would be making a direct move.
“Eh, ah.” Corneille looked puzzled as his eyes moved around listlessly. I tilted my head and he lowered his gaze uncomfortably.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t understand half of what you said since there were many unfamiliar words.”
“… Ah, no. That’s my fault for not being considerate enough.”
Medical science is specialist knowledge in this world and the technical terms used in medical science aren’t commonly known. Even words that were commonly known to people in the memory of my previous life are not often included in the education for nobles.
Lately, I’ve been talking only with nobles who have knowledge about pharmaceutics and medical science, so I forgot about that… It was my fault for using words that he wouldn’t understand.
“Simply put, rembia is very useful as medicine for certain local diseases in the north. It’s easier to use when it’s processed as wax since the smoke can be inhaled.”
“You’ve simplified all that quite a bit.”
“You should ask your father about this more since you’ll be deeply involved with this in the future.”
After all, this was the main industry of the land his bride-to-be will inherit. I’m certain the Earl Freche will make sure that Corneille, of all people, learns about it.
“That’s true. ――― Well, that concludes our business. Thank you for your help, Earl Kaldia.”
“No, thank you.”
I knocked on the door.
“Enter,” I heard Maya, the maid, reply.
“Excuse me, Elize-dono.”
“Eliza-sama!”
Elize smiled like a blooming flower and called my name. She was sitting on her bed with the windows closed and her complexion didn’t look good. She seemed to be feeling under the weather today.
There were no cotton butterfly scales in the capital, and yet she was this weak because the poison from the scales had already accumulated in her lungs.
“I’m happy that I get to see you often these days. But aren’t you busy?”
“I also want to see you as much as I can when I have time, Elize-dono, just like how you always come to see me.”
Elize widened her eyes in surprise, then she closed her eyes and laughed in embarrassment.
“I can’t bear to hear that you’ve been bedridden. I wanted to see you healthy… So…”
I suddenly felt heat around my face as if blood had rushed to it.
… What? It’s so embarrassing.
“What are you embarrassed for?”
Radka stood behind me and shook his head. I see, am I embarrassed?
“Hmm, ahem. Elize-dono, there’s something I want to give you today. Can you accept it?”
“Yes? What is it?”
She tilted her head, then widened her eyes in surprise even more when a person of indeterminable gender and age in a white robe peeked out from behind me.
“… Oh, it’s this girl?”
As the priest was about to approach Elize with a curious look, Radka, who was further behind, plucked the hem of her veil and stopped her.
“This is Priestess Faris, a licensed national doctor. She has come here today as a doctor. I’ve already informed your father and uncle about this, so don’t worry.”
“A national doctor,” Elize said in a quiet voice while stunned.
There aren’t many national doctors. The huge amount of knowledge and money required for the exam narrows down the participants, and it is said that only half of the doctors who take that exam pass.
The national medical license was established as a qualification to become a doctor for the royal family, and there was little need for it at a non-governmental level.
Such doctors will probably increase in the future as the demand for handling pharmaceutical drugs rises, but there are less than fifty national doctors at the moment.
“I heard you have forest syndrome. Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?”
“Ah… yes.”
Elize was puzzled by the suddenness of the situation, but she immediately relaxed when I nodded my head.
“Please take care of me.”
Priestess Faris asked Elize how she coughed, how often she had seizures and how long they lasted. Elize answered the various questions and Maya occasionally commented as well.
After questioning Elize, Priestess Faris wrote on the card that served as a permission slip for the medicine, ‘Burn the rembia beeswax for 15 minutes every day, and when the seizures decrease, then only burn it when she has seizures,’ and handed it to me. “Aren’t you glad?” she said.
“Coughing from the forest syndrome can become a habit. It can eat away at your strength even more than being weakened by the poison. But you must persevere. The day will come when you can go where you want to go and touch what you want to touch as long as you have the medicine. Have hope, and rest assured.”
She spoke in a very priestess-like way. Just listening to it was enough to give one a sense of security.
“Okay.”
Radka and I watched in silence as Priestess Faris patted Elize’s shoulder in comfort.
“Thank you very much… Eliza-dono.”
Elize’s eyes were moist with happiness.
Priestess Faris slipped out of the room without making a sound. Radka and I walked over to Elize’s bed.
“It’s something I’ve been wanting to give you. I hope you’ll accept it.”
I said and Radka gently presented Elize with the beeswax box in his hand.
“What is this?”
“It’s rembia beeswax, the medicine for forest syndrome. It has legal restrictions on its usage, so you have to follow what Priestess Faris said, but the poison will clear from your lungs in a few years.”
Elize stared at the box on her lap in surprise.
Of course, the medicine was expensive. Rembia beeswax, a pharmaceutical drug, is probably the most expensive drug to be prescribed. That was why it was obtained through the black market.
“Why don’t you come visit Kaldia when you’re no longer having seizures? The new feudal lord’s mansion stands on a hill by the river… it’s not as beautiful as the Golden Hill, but the water glistening in sunlight is very beautiful. I would love for you to see it.”
I felt very embarrassed. I could feel heat gathering in my face.
“I want to see it. I’ll definitely visit. Thank you very much, Eliza-sama… I’m very, very happy.”
Elize burst into tears. Radka and I were startled by her tears and quickly comforted her. She cried like that for a while.
“… Thank you very much.”
I first bowed to Faris, who was waiting in front of Elize’s dormitory.
“It’s alright. Are you done with your visit?”
“I’m only here to see how she’s doing.”
“I see.”
“Yes.”
The conversation ended for a moment. It’s impossible to have a friendly conversation with Priestess Faris after all.
“How is Earl Thelesia―――?”
“He’s fine. He can go home soon.”
She had settled the matter quickly.
Earl Thelesia, who had collapsed in battle, had taken shelter at Sheen Temple and was recuperating. I knew that he hadn’t died, but it seemed that he had recovered successfully.
“It looked like he pushed himself too hard. It would have been dangerous had he fallen ill or something, but I have no intention of letting him fall ill on my watch.”
Earl Thelesia had collapsed because he was lending power to Faris, who was using magic in that battle. He had said that he was using the power of two people for the high-powered spell, but he had run out of power first and collapsed.
――― Magic. Well, it’s true that Faris, who is called the Eye of God, has an insight beyond human comprehension which can be summed up in one word: magic. I’m still unsure about whether the lightning battle of that day can really be summed up as magic… but well, the opponent was a magic beast. If a magic beast can use magic, then it wouldn’t be surprising for a human to use magic.
It is said that Faris is a priestess of the temple because of her power, but I don’t know if that’s true or not, since I don’t know how the other magicians are living. It was only at that battle that I became aware that magicians existed.
“Don’t tell anyone about this.”
“Of course not.”
I agreed sincerely. Information about people who can use magic was best kept away from the public.
“… I don’t want to become someone who returns goodwill with evil.”
I vowed to take this matter to my grave because of the debt of gratitude that I owe both Faris and Earl Thelesia.
Faris laughed abruptly, put her hand on my head for a moment and then left.
… What was that? Was she going to pat me on the head? I’ve always wondered if those two aren’t good with children.
Winter arrived before long. I went back to Kaldia when the Academy was on break and became completely used to living a peaceful life.
There was a thick layer of snow from the heavy snowfall yesterday outside as usual. Since this morning, dust-like snow had been falling noiselessly onto the ground and the pile of snow on the ground will probably get even thicker.
When I went down to the dining room to have breakfast, Claudia was talking with Madam Marechan. They greeted me cheerfully when they noticed that I had entered the room, “Morning!”
I returned their greeting and asked Nathan, the chef, to prepare my meal before taking my seat.
By coincidence, Oscar and Madam Hortensio arrived, then Radka, Thiele and Rekha, who had started living in the mansion as apprentice maids, also turned up.
The dining room, which was supposed to be more spacious than the one at Golden Hill, was filled to capacity when a lot of people gathered at once. Isn’t this the first time so many people have gathered here?
“… It’s really interesting to see how many people of different origins live together in this mansion.”
Oscar, a relative newcomer to the group, grumbled and I agreed with him.
Bellway, Madam Marechan, Claudia, Oscer, Madam Hortensio, Radka, Thiele and Rekha.
Before I knew it, there were more people living in this mansion than the number of family members who I had poisoned and killed.
… It was quite an emotional experience when I thought about it.
I followed Rashiok, who was excitedly rolling around in the snow, under the dim snowfall sky.
The snow, which had fallen this morning, was soft and smooth, making it difficult to walk on. My thick woollen cloak was also annoying. It was heavy already, since it reached my knees, but it became even heavier with water as the hem reached the snow.
I really don’t think I’ll ever like winter, I thought.
I didn’t find it as difficult to walk as I used to, maybe because I’ve grown, but I don’t like the feeling of my movements being impeded.
I buried my face in my scarf and followed Rashiok in silence as he occasionally stopped to look at me.
We descended the hill and crossed the completely frozen Sera River and came down to the newcomers’ village. The village is usually bustling with activity, but today, because of the snow, all the houses in the village were quiet as if they were trying to catch their breaths even though their lights were on.
Hibernation was usually like this. They stay indoors, huddle with family and enjoy the fire while trying not to consume too much energy. They don’t particularly sleep, but they spend winter almost as if they’re hibernating.
I warmed my fingertips with a glass bottle of hot tea and watched the stillness for a while. Rashiok jumped around happily on the snow, which didn’t have a single footprint on it, in the plaza in the centre of the village.
I went to the village chief’s house and briefly asked him if there was anything troubling the village. He answered, “Nothing at the moment,” and I told him, “I’ll check on the village again when it isn’t snowing so much,” before heading to the next village.
I rode on Rashiok’s back as we went from village to village. Travelling from village to village in the silent winter, when only the shadows of the trees remained under the cover of snow and darkness, is almost impossible for humans even in the fief where they were born and raised.
But if one had a draconis, then it was possible for humans to travel through winter on their backs.
I patted Rashiok’s right shoulder, which had a gaping hole in it. When I laid down and put my cheek against his wound, his remaining wing opened a little as if he thought I was cold, and the wind against my face disappeared.
I don’t know how it works, but it seems that draconis can use their wings to manipulate wind. Oscar knew this and told me about it before I fought Deiferais in the capital. I was able to create a wind by waving his wing because I was using the magic power that was left in his clipped wings.
Just as phosphorescent powder from phosphorescent moths can be crystallised into light, some of the materials obtained from the bodies of magic beasts contain magical power. They can’t be used forever, and like battery-operated tools, they will eventually become useless.
Rashiok’s wing had lost their supernatural power to create wind and have now been embalmed and stored in the warehouse. The light and strong coating of a draconis can be incorporated into armour that I will make after I stop growing.
I intended to use my draconis’s wing, which had to be cut off, for as long as I could. I believe I have the duty to do so.
“Rashiok…”
I’m sorry. Thanks. Both were words that rose to my throat, but eventually dissipated before they could be voiced.
His long, snake-like tail moved and gently stroked my almost motionless left shoulder.
We understand each other better than anyone else even though we were a human and a beast.
I’m glad you’re here.
I’m so glad I didn’t kill you.
I remembered the day when we walked through the snow like this and felt very sentimental.
I couldn’t get rid of the ghastly thoughts that haunted me as if my body was being chopped up little by little at every opportunity, or as if I’m being forced to cut myself down.
I can’t believe I’m finally able to think thoughts like, I’m glad you’re alive and I’m glad I didn’t kill you.
I sighed and laughed at myself at the same time.
Why did I end up in a world that seemed like the setting of an otome game? … I can’t believe I’ve come to feel that it’s normal to have such gloomy thoughts. Why?
The suffocating emotions slowly swirled in the back of my chest like piling un-melted snow.
I let out a long sigh until my lungs were empty with my face down on Rashiok’s back.
“――― Tsar.”
His large palm stroked my back gently.
“Are you sick? Wandering around out in the cold like this, are you stupid?”
I saw the Golden Hill when I looked up. Rashiok was happily rubbing his tail against the person who was standing beside him, and I recalled that I hadn’t told him where to go next. He probably chose to go to a place he wanted to go since I hadn’t told him our destination.
“Well, it’s cold, but I’m not sick.”
“Alright, alright.”
“Another blizzard is going to start soon. I won’t be able to deal with any problems that arise if I don’t go around the villages before that.”
“I get it. Let’s go inside.”
He urged and Rashiok went through the front door.
It had been a while since I had been here, and the Golden Hill mansion seemed quiet and empty, probably because there were hardly any people here.
“――― Can I take you over there today?”
I asked and the back of the man walking in front of me turned around.
“Okay. It’s cold here after all. But why?”
“I don’t want to leave you in this cold, lonely place.”
It almost seemed unbearable compared to the morning bustle.
“So, let’s talk. ――― Let’s ask each other all the questions we want to ask. Okay?”
A smile appeared on his burnt face.
Kamil replied, “Okay,” to that as well.
