I Became a Plague Doctor in a Romance Fantasy Novel

Episode 3. Quitting as the Princess’s Physician (3)

Episode 3. Quitting as the Princess’s Physician (3)

*

The academy was farther than expected.

The princess was fiddling with her hair. Overall, she had a doll-like impression. Her skin was as white as porcelain, and perhaps due to a long illness, her expression was mostly emotionless.

“I still don’t understand. Why do you insist on going to the academy? The real reason, not the nonsense you told me yesterday.”

What did I say yesterday?

“I think the medical practices in this world are outdated. I believe that with just a little effort from a few people, there is great potential for improvement.”

“Is that the reason?”

“Yes.”

“You don’t seem like such a dedicated person. Did something change your mind?”

“No, Your Highness. Pardon my words, but is that something someone who would have died long ago without me should say?”

“You insult the royal family as easily as breathing.”

“Is it an insult to remind you that I saved your life?”

“……”

Princess Mint let out a hollow laugh.

“Speak quietly. The servants will hear.”

“I’m sorry.”

“There aren’t many vassals who speak as bluntly as if there’s no tomorrow like you. If you were really only after money or power, you wouldn’t have left the palace on your own.”

“I think so too.”

“Shameless… You chose the wrong profession. Your sharp tongue is far more threatening than any medical skill. You would have made a perfect court jester.”

“Is that so? I should learn an instrument before returning to the palace. What do you recommend?”

“Madman.”

Mint’s mood seemed to have improved.

The carriage journey was longer than expected. It would take all day to reach the academy. The scenery of the zodiac unfolded outside the window.

“Your Highness. Have you ever been outside the capital?”

“Asterix. When we arrive at the academy, I will give you a parrot from the south as a gift.”

“Why?”

“Because it seems the teacher likes meaningless conversations. I hope you can talk to the parrot as much as you want. Don’t bother others.”

“Yes, well.”

If I stay quiet, she will surely get annoyed out of boredom. Even though she is a princess, she is ultimately a flower in a greenhouse. More so because she was sick.

“Tell me an interesting story.”

“I know nothing but medicine.”

I looked out the carriage window.

“Seeing the city reminds me of something. Virchow said that medicine is politics.”

“Who is Virchow? Your senior?”

Friedrich Wilhelm University, class of 1839.

Different university, but a senior by two centuries.

“Let’s say so. Anyway, Senior Virchow was sent to a region to investigate an epidemic. And he realized something.”

“What?”

“Senior Virchow put aside his epidemic research and detailed the inequalities and harsh conditions the people of this region were experiencing in a 300-page report submitted to the government.”

The princess tilted her head.

“What is it about?”

“Back then, they were revolutionary. Introducing democracy in plague-stricken areas, expanding roads, reducing taxes, establishing orphanages and poorhouses. Virchow believed that medicine could change society, and society-“

“Virchow, you say. A healer who doesn’t heal. An incompetent and presumptuous fool.”

Princess Mint waved her hand dismissively.

Virchow submitted the problematic report and joined the anti-Prussian revolution eight days later. As I spoke, I realized I had chosen the worst topic if I wanted to engage in small talk with the princess.

I apologize, Senior Virchow.

“Indeed, there’s no other b*stard like him.”

“…….A dull story.”

“Anyway, most diseases are caused by social factors. Malnutrition, polluted environments, lack of clean water, excessive labor. And these are not problems that a healer can solve.”

“Grandiose, but a person who spent six hours a day playing card games until yesterday sure talks a lot.”

I shut my mouth.

The carriage stopped a few minutes later.

“We’re near the academy. You must have had a hard time making idle talk to keep your superior entertained.”

“No, Princess.”

“Escort.”

“Yes.”

It seems high-ranking nobles do not travel alone in official settings. Whether it’s a maid or a bodyguard, they must have some sort of attendant.

By the way, this is different from a servant. Servants are usually commoners. Maids and bodyguards, though varying in rank, are considered nobles.

Honestly, it’s utterly pathetic. During my undergraduate days, I often ate alone. They seem so weak.

The imperial family sent four carriages today.

One for luggage, one for escort, and one for the servants. Princess Mint got off the carriage with my escort.

The spectators had already gathered.

“How far do we have to go together?”

“Well, just enough.”

The stares were more intense than I expected.

Even without listening, I could tell what they were thinking. Who is that guy escorting the princess into the academy?

Mint was dropped off.

I went to the assigned professor’s office. There was a bookshelf, a desk, and some equipment left by the previous occupant.

It’s been a while since I looked at a laboratory.

Although it was a bit old-fashioned, there were many recognizable items. Beakers, flasks, scales, tweezers, tablespoons, and the like. It’s a pity there were no microscopes or micropipettes. No, I might be able to make a microscope by combining magnifying glasses.

There were many things worth trying.

If I had a microscope, I could try Gram staining. Identifying bacteria would greatly expand the range of possible treatments.

So, what should I start with?

The first thing to do is to understand the level of the academy students and the academic community.

That way, I can plan what to research and what to pursue first. There is a lot to do.

Right. Come to think of it, there is something more important than everything mentioned before. To work in the hospital, I need to find residents, and to do research, I need to find graduate students.

Where do graduate students come from?

The Academy’s Healer Department.

They say it’s a place where the greatest minds of the empire gather. But the zeitgeist and the limits of collective knowledge are hard to overcome.

I have to start teaching in about a month. There’s a mountain of things I’d like to teach these medieval savages, except for magic.

Of course, there are practical considerations. How far can I persuade the academic world, and how much modern science can I bring here?

If I were to teach the healers of the academy, what should I start with? I pondered a bit. The first thing they teach medical students when they start their hospital practice is this:

Handwashing.

Well, it’s a bit too simple to just teach handwashing. If I add a bit more, I could also teach them how to make disinfectants or how to grow culture media.

First plan. Handwashing.

Soap shouldn’t be hard to get. And if it’s a hospital, there should be running water. The method of handwashing itself isn’t difficult.

Surgical handwashing takes several minutes with disinfectant, but that’s beside the point. This should be doable.

Second plan. Culture media.

Making the nutrient part of the culture media isn’t difficult. You could use things like soybean flour, sugar, and milk. But maybe not milk because of the lactic acid bacteria?

I’ll have to think about that.

The problem is agar. If you don’t know what agar is, it’s like the jelly used in making culture media.

It’s usually made from red algae.

But I’ve never seen red algae in this world. I don’t even know if there’s something similar. I’ve never eaten jelly either…

Can I substitute it with starch?

I could make tofu-like culture media with soybean flour and potato starch. There are Petri dishes in this lab, so,

Third plan. Disinfectant.

I think I can use alcohol as a disinfectant. I could distill vodka or baijiu to use as a disinfectant.

But I wonder if the cost would be feasible.

Wouldn’t it be a bit much to distill high-proof liquor into disinfectant? It’s something we need to use every day, and if it’s prohibitively expensive, that’s a problem.

Considering the alcohol content of spirits like vodka, they should be sufficient for use as disinfectants. But I have no idea how much vodka costs.

Istina, the apprentice healer at the academy, sighed. This life is definitely ruined.

I should have just endured and kept quiet.

Even if they dumped all the menial tasks on me and bullied me because I’m a commoner, if I had just endured a little longer, I could have quietly finished my graduate studies and apprenticeship.

What’s done is done. I can’t go back and apologize, and even if I did, nothing would change.

Running away from the academy… is impossible. I still have a degree to earn, and if I ran away now, I would have nowhere to go.

There’s only one solution.

I heard there’s a new professor coming in. Maybe I could work under the new professor?

Maybe there’d be less hazing, and they might be different from the other idiots at the academy.

Most importantly, if the new professor needs a graduate student, I might somehow be able to finish my graduate studies.

Please, just let me graduate, professor.

First, I need to make the first move.

I need to be the first to find the new professor’s lab and become their first graduate student. That was Istina’s plan.