I Became a Plague Doctor in a Romance Fantasy Novel

Episode 4. I Quit Being the Princess’s Physician (4)

Episode 4. I Quit Being the Princess’s Physician (4)

I need to think more about how to conduct the research. I should reconsider the development process of medical history that I learned during my undergraduate days.

How should I persuade the academic community? While I was deep in thought.

Knock, knock.

I lifted my head from the paper I was reading at the sound of knocking. No one was supposed to visit. Even the academy headmaster hadn’t come by yet. Who could it be?

“Yes, come in.”

It was someone I had never seen before. Judging by the armful of books they were carrying, they seemed to be an academy student. Did they have some business with me?

The question was soon answered.

“Um, are you recruiting graduate students by any chance?”

“Shit, of course I am.”

I slipped up. The student who had just entered my office looked puzzled, tilting their head. I cleared my throat to cover up my slip of the tongue.

“Excuse me?”

“No, I mean, we are recruiting graduate students.”

The word “graduate student” instinctively triggered the professor’s soul within me, but I needed to hear what this student had to say.

I looked at the student who had come to see me.

They still had the unmistakable look of a student. A round face with light brown hair tied in a ponytail, slightly dark blue eyes.

And they looked extremely tired. Well, it made sense, considering they had come to the graduate school on their own accord.

They were wearing a white shirt with a bow tie and a black robe. That must be part of the academy uniform.

I think I heard something about that before.

Apparently, before modern times, doctors’ gowns were usually black. It’s similar to the plague doctor outfits you see in popular media. Unless there’s something special, they probably wouldn’t need to wear that beak mask.

“Oh, that’s a relief.”

“Well, have a seat.”

The prospective graduate student sat down in front of my desk. To think they came to the graduate school as soon as they arrived at the academy.

I was lucky.

“Ah, yes. I am Istina Ivyheart, an apprentice healer affiliated with the Imperial Academy Hospital. Nice to meet you, Professor Asterix.”

I nodded.

“I heard that a professor who worked at the royal palace has newly been appointed, so I came to see if I could seek your guidance.”

That’s all good. It’s good, but…

I pondered Istina’s words for a moment. Istina looked around nervously, unable to keep her hands still.

It’s still early in the year, the academy hasn’t even properly started yet. Is there a reason to be knocking on research lab doors already looking for an advisor?

There must be a story behind this.

“You’re from the academy, right?”

“Yes!”

“Teacher Istina. If you’re from the academy, there must be professors you know or studied with. Why did you come to me first?”

“Well, that’s…”

Istina rolled her eyes nervously. It was obvious without looking. She must have caused some trouble at some point. There might be issues with her reputation or skills. Istina briefly avoided my gaze.

Well. What should I do?

Of course, I’m newly appointed, so I’m not in a position to be picky about graduate students. I’m grateful that there’s a student who comes to me without knowing anything. But still, a complete disaster would be troublesome.

“What kind of trouble did you cause?”

“Uh…”

She realized she was caught.

Istina hesitated for a moment before speaking.

“It’s nothing major. I had a disagreement with a senior. But the story got twisted in a bad way. And… I also lack the background and connections.”

I hesitated a bit.

“A week.”

“Sorry?”

“Since the semester hasn’t officially started yet, let’s work together for just a week. After that, I’ll decide whether to keep you or not.”

“Oh, understood. Thank you.”

Istina bowed her head.

“What should I start with?”

Well, obviously.

“How much is this vodka?”

“Excuse me?”

Hmm, maybe not the best topic for a first meeting. People might start thinking I’m a drunkard.

“Next time, bring some alcohol. The highest proof and the clearest you can find, as much as possible. I’ll pay you later.”

“Uh, what kind of alcohol do you like?”

“It’s not for drinking. Just get the clearest, highest proof you can find. I’ll use it for research.”

“Understood.”

She seemed a bit hesitant.

“Why, is there something else?”

After a moment, Istina spoke.

“I’ll get the alcohol as soon as possible. Do you have any instructions regarding the classes? Like the ones starting from the new semester?”

Oh, I see. I stood up.

“Alright. Is there an empty classroom nearby?”

“Ah. There are plenty.”

“Let’s go to an empty classroom first.”

I arrived at an empty classroom with Istina.

“First of all, Istina. There are two main topics I will teach in the new semester. One is an introduction to clinical medicine, and the other is a physiology lab class.”

“Ah, yes.”

We need content that is practically useful and helps academic development.

“First of all. Academically speaking, this is my goal. The former is to train healers who are immediately useful, and the latter is to correct academically misunderstood facts.”

Istina tilted her head.

“Misunderstood facts?”

“Istina. Do you know what bacteria are?”

“Bacteria?”

Anyway. I nodded.

“I don’t know where to start explaining. The first thing to do is to prove the existence of bacteria and the necessity of hand sanitization.”

Istina nodded.

“I will do my best.”

“Then. Let’s have a brief lesson. What bacteria are. Bacteria are tiny, bug-like organisms that cause various diseases. They can also spoil food.”

“Well. Most diseases are caused by environmental factors such as lack of sunlight or poor surroundings, rather than by encountering specific bugs, aren’t they?”

I shook my head.

Miasma theory.

The theory is that diseases originate from unclean or contaminated environments, especially bad air.

Of course, it’s not entirely wrong. But it overlooks the fact that the cause of disease might not be something abstract, but rather a specific pathogen.

“It’s different for each disease, but infectious diseases are indeed caused by bacteria. Like pneumonia, you know?”

“Ah, I see.”

“Anyway, most bacteria die when they come into contact with alcohol. The same goes for soap. That’s why hand sanitization is important to prevent disease. Especially for us who frequently come into contact with illnesses.”

Istina had a look of incomprehension.

“Uh, think of it this way. You’ve seen an open wound, right? It’s problematic if the wound gets contaminated.”

“Right.”

“The issue is that the wound can get infected with bacteria, causing it to fester or swell. By sterilizing the items used in surgery and washing hands before surgery, we can prevent the wound from getting worse.”

“So, are you saying that pouring alcohol on a wound can cure it?”

I shook my head.

“While it might kill the bacteria, pouring alcohol on a wound does more harm than good. However, by sterilizing the area around the wound and the tools used in surgery, we can minimize contamination.”

Istina nodded.

“Although there weren’t many surgeries in the palace, whenever I led a surgery, I sterilized all the items used, including my hands.”

“Ah… I understand.”

I wrote down what I had just explained with chalk.

“Now, Istina. What do you think is needed to prove what I just explained?”

“If we could see those tiny bugs, that would be proof. Preferably from a wound.”

I nodded.

“Exactly. A magnifying glass would help in the research, right? Since the bugs might be transparent, having a means to stain the bacteria would make them more visible.”

Understanding finally dawned on Istina.

“Do you understand what you need to study now?”

“Yes. First, we need to argue for the existence of bacteria, then prove their existence visually using dye and a magnifying glass, and finally, use alcohol as a means to eliminate the bacteria, right?”

I nodded.

“Correct.”

Istina was a smart student.

“For now, let’s study the topic we were just discussing. Tomorrow, we’ll buy the alcohol and continue our discussion on how to prove the existence of bacteria and how to kill them.”

I planned to plagiarize the papers of academic predecessors in this world. There are so many scholars related to bacteria alone.

Pasteur, who discovered bacteria, Lister, who systematized hygiene, and Gram, who classified types of bacteria. This time, I will follow the scientific development process of the original world without trial and error.

“Alright, I understand for now.”

Istina sighed.

She had grabbed the last straw, even though it was already ruined. This person seemed a bit strange. Asking her to buy alcohol out of the blue.

The talk about bacteria made some sense, but it was ultimately an opinion that differed from the current academic claims. Is it really okay to believe this?

“Just wait and see, Istina. Before I graduate, I’ll make you a master of the imperial medical science.”

In other words, it meant she wouldn’t be allowed to graduate from graduate school until she became a master of medical science. Istina sensed she was doomed.