Parallel World Pharmacy - Volume 1 - Chapter 11

The careful treatment of Empress Elizabeth was moving favorably.
 Falma attended Ellen’s lecture in the morning, then he would go to the palace together with his father after lunch to make sure the empress was taking the potion. It had become a habit.
 It hadn’t been long but they had seen signs of improvement in the empress’ condition. Falma had been wary of any side effects like liver damage. Falma was monitoring diligently by taking test data since he couldn’t digitize a simple biochemical test. With the empress’ weak constitution, her usage of Divine Arts was affected, but no side-effects were seen. She was also progressing well as the blood in her phlegm had subsided. By the third month, the results of the tuberculosis in her body were almost non-existent.
 Falma advised all the courtiers who worked in the Royal Court to take the medicine as a preventive measure.
 This was because several court physicians, chamberlains, and the prince himself were infected, thus Falma made a schedule to start treating them. As for all of them, probably since they were nobles rather than commoners, no severe side effects were observed.
 Of course, he didn’t neglect his father who was his closest patient.
 
 Apprentice apothecary Falma’s clinical record amassed an enormous amount of records.
 It reached the point where Falma had to add new records using this world’s language instead of Japanese, so his father could read it. Every night after dinner, his father would shut himself in his room and would stay up late to read the clinical records that Falma acquired. Each morning after, his father would ask many questions about many details that Falma started wondering what his father was doing at that place.
 Also his father grasped each of the courtier’s living condition and medical history.This became Falma’s secondary source of information as they came to realize each other through information sharing.
 Falma was a busy 10 year old kid that was living his life to the fullest.
 Though he didn’t force himself to overwork, as Falma was trying to be healthy above all else.
 It was the lesson he learned from his previous life. This was to work at your best moderately while not stressing yourself out.
 
 Falma’s presence and his knowledge of pharmacology gained him favor from the Empress and started to be accepted by the Royal Court. The court physicians lamented on the limits of their existing medical treatments as Falma, the up and coming Royal Court Apothecary, taught them how to make simple microscopes to observe and confront disease causing germs and pathogens. They eagerly wanted to learn the unknown knowledge they thought Falma was monopolizing for himself.
 The information about the invention of the microscope was immediately known to all medical universities in the empire.
 
 One day, a certificate of commendation and commemorative plaque has been sent and addressed to Falma from the far off Nova Root Medical University.
 The Chief Court Physician, Claude, thought it was because of what he did that lead to this turn of events. It was because Claude bought the microscope Falma personally made for a huge sum of money. He then sent a personal letter, detailing Falma as the inventor, along with the real microscope to the medical university.
 The medical science of San Fleuve empire was seen as below a level compared to the world leading Nova Root Medical University. It seemed that the royal court physicians were restoring their honor with this new invention, but Bruno already knew the situation behind it.
 Falma was impressed or was rather amazed at this world’s great white tower.
 
 A delegation from the vice president of Nova Root Medical University had rushed to the San Fleuve Imperial School of Pharmacology.
 They requested from Bruno, who was the president, to disclose the recipe of the special medicine that Falma, who was said to be an excellent Royal Court Apothecary, had made and used to cure the Empress.
 Claude had omitted in the report that Falma was only a 10-year old apprentice apothecary.
 Also based on Bruno’s intuition, he did not let Falma meet with the delegation. It was obvious that Falma would be used as a tool in the political power struggle in the university.
 
 So the delegation from the vice president gave up and went back without meeting the rumored Royal Court Apothecary. Ellen talked to Falma, who was looking at a group of carriage from afar.
 “It seems that everyone wanted master Falma’s medicine. It’s the special medicine for the Fatal White Disease, right?”
 To Ellen, it was a miraculous medicine that was able to cure an incurable disease.
 “I can only produce four medicines for the Fatal White Disease for now.”
 “It is as I suspected. It is still hard for you to use that divine skill.”
 Ellen realized that it was probably the God of Medicine that dwelled within Falma that made it possible to use that divine skill.
 That’s why Falma hadn’t yet shown his compounding and synthesis process to anyone.
 Ellen wanted to ask him to teach her, but it might not be possible to do so.
 Thus, Ellen thought it couldn’t be helped.
 If there were lives to be saved by Falma’s divine skill, he had to continue on, as he was the only one who could do it. . . That’s what Ellen believed.
 
 Then Falma said,
 “Someday, I think I will be able to tell everyone how to synthesize it.”
 Launching a full scale research facility would mean it would be possible to synthesize organic compounds and support Falma.
 
 “Isn’t it too valuable to spread the knowledge?”
 There are many apothecaries that keep their new medicine recipes away from prying eyes. They then sell licenses for it for large amounts of money.
 “It is the wisdom of our ancestors.”
 Falma answered her naturally in a cool expression. He was a pharmacologist, although he had become famous in his previous life for making so many new medicines, he always insisted that he would not be claiming the rights for the invention as it went against his beliefs.
 It should be wisdom that was to be gathered over the long history of mankind.
 
 Ellen thought it wasn’t a coincidence that the Medicine God dwelled within this unselfish boy.
 
 

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 While showing up in the Royal Court with his father everyday, Falma was entertained by Louis (6 years old), the Imperial Prince. Everyday, the prince would be following Falma around and admiring the person who became the savior of his mother’s life. Moreover, Falma was made to play billiards with the prince. It was only appropriate for Falma to let Louis win and be delighted about it.
 “It’s your win, your Highness. You’re really skillful, your Highness.”
 Louis was put in a good mood with the praise.
 “Yes, we’ll have another game again tomorrow, Falma. So, I will take my leave for today.”
 Falma sent off the prince to his equestrian practice. Falma was waving his hands happily.
 
 “That’s not good Falma, why don’t you ask them to take my job instead?”
 In the same way with Louis, Falma became friends with the 14 year old Noah who was the empress’ page. His work included guiding and transporting the prince, he was also the prince’s playmate. Since the prince was always following Falma after his work as an apothecary, there was an increased opportunity for Noah to talk to him.
 “Your job, huh.”
 “His Highness had been saying that he was tired of me being his playmate, and you would enjoy a nice break too.”
 Noah said so shamelessly.
 I guess so, playing billiards was fun too!
 When Falma went out to the playground,
 
 “Oh! Oh! I have good news. This is just between you and me, her Majesty is considering giving you a reward even though it’s too good, even for you. She promised some kind of a position as her Majesty’s personal Royal Court Apothecary. Damn, I’m jealous. I also want to succeed in life like you do.”
 Noah was a young noble from a famous marquis, serving the Empress since his childhood by the order of his father. He told me he was personally taking care the Empress and the prince. This boy maintained a behavior of full loyalty in the front of the Empress and although he was doing a very nice job at it, he was a potty mouth and stubborn when the Empress was not around.
 
 “It comes with some territory, huh? I-I’m just the second son, it’s fine as long it has something to do with pharmacology.”
 Even though it was called a territory, Falma didn’t really get excited about it. His face was so stupidly blank that it made his sharp expression during the time he was working as an apothecary seem like a lie.
 “Idiot! Is there a noble that isn’t interested in getting a territory!? It’s usually the second son who is more greedy than anybody else. I wonder why you aren’t interested at all?”
 Noah was a noble, all he ever thought about was getting a territory of his own. Falma on the other hand, was straightforwardly thinking about pharmacology. He however would be very interested if it was about researching new medicines.
 There was nothing really particular to pay him back.
 “This idiot, giving up on something he was receiving.”
 Still Noah was insistently asking if Falma had anything he desired or if he had any goals in the future.
 “Don’t you ever tell anyone what I am about to tell you. This is just between you and me.”
 Noah stepped in closer to Falma as he was gesturing to keep quiet. Noah was behaving like a good boy.
 
 “I want to open a pharmacy. For the commoners.”
 “For the commoners? In spite you being a Royal Court Apothecary, you’re a crazy idiotic person. A noble doesn’t deal with that kind of despicable business. That’s a job for the commoners.”
 Putting idiot every time he spoke seemed like Noah’s favorite phrase. Him having a sharp nasty tongue was probably a result of his life as a page to the Empress and the prince, which didn’t lead to a career or chance for advancement.
 Since he was a noble, he frowned when the topic of running a pharmacy was brought up. He advised Falma to become a teacher at the university and a scholar like his father.
 “Even so, Isn’t just a waste of time for you heal the commoners?”
 “Why?”
 “You’re such an idiot, commoners always get sick. Since they weren’t blessed by the divine power so their bodies are weak. It would be endless even if you were to use expensive medicine.”
 Falma refuted this in his mind as he knew this was more of a consequence of bad living conditions and poor hygiene.
 “I will be making safe medicine with lower prices.”
 “Hahaha, STUPID, IDIOT! How are you going to stock up on expensive raw materials? You’re going to go bankrupt even if you’re the son of a very rich Archduke, even your father’s financial power isn’t infinite.”
 Even though Falma had the skills and knowledge about pharmacology, it turned out he was still ignorant to the ways of this world, so Noah just scoffed at him. Falma was pretending to be thinking really hard and then responded.
 “Oh well, I might perhaps need a little bit of territory to cultivate medicinal herbs.”
 With Falma’s substance creation ability, he wouldn’t have to worry about things such as the price of raw materials, but there was a limit on creating complex compounds. Therefore he was considering developing medicines using medicinal plants and natural remedies.
 “By the way, what kind of territory are you going to get? Seaside? Mountainside? Or a plain, which is good.”
 “It would be seaside.”
 Falma answered without thinking anything in particular.
 “That’s good! I have certainly heard it now!”
 Noah’s eye was shining sharply.
 
 

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 After continuing the treatment for six months, the Empress had almost completely recoverd. Falma and his father were officially invited to the palace as honored guests rather than apothecaries.

 There was a notice beforehand that stated for them to be fully dressed. Falma, along with his father, went towards the palace using a splendid carriage that the Empress had sent. This time Falma didn’t forget and brought his wand. It was something like a get well party, at least that was what Falma’s father told him.
 When they arrived at the palace, the aura of the palace seemed to be different from usual. The palace was decorated with colorful rare flowers, and they were welcomed by the chamberlains in full force in the hallway. Passing through the throne hall, on the 4th floor of the widely spaced domed atrium, a golden throne was placed on the marble staircase.
 Numerous nobles of the empire and courtiers sat around the hall.
 Falma sat down beside his father and straightened himself up as they waited for an audience with the Empress.
 
 “Her Majesty, the Empress, has entered the hall.”
 The courtiers and the lords stood up while a solemn anthem played. The Empress, who was wearing a long crimson robe, entered the hall followed by her entourage.
 
 The Empress of San Fleuve Empire, Elizabeth II.
 
 Wow. . . so beautiful. . .!
 Falma was amazed. He almost didn’t recognized her.
 Receiving the imperial crown, she sat on the throne with the Emperor’s Wand and glanced over the courtiers. She wasn’t the patient obediently followed Falma’s words, but regained the presence of a sovereign ruler. She was overflowing with dignity as the Empress. Rosy cheeks and eyes with lustrous silver hair. She was showing off a radiant beauty.
 
 She greeted all her vassals informing them that she had recovered, and the nobles stated their congratulations.
 Finally, the Empress received an imperial script from the head chamberlain and read it out loud.
 
 “Archduke and Chief Royal Court Apothecary, Bruno de Médicis.”
 “Yes, Your Majesty.”
 Bruno stood up, went up to the platform with graceful and precise manner, and bowed in front of the Empress.
 Only after his father was called, had Falma noticed that the ceremony for the conferral of honors had begun.
 
 “Thou, for working vigorously towards my medical treatment, as a reward, I entrust upon thee to govern the territory of Marseille. In particular, it will be used to grow and harvest the medicinal plants for the young nobleman.”
 The Empress pointed the tip of the Emperor’s Wand towards Bruno, and with him grasping the tip of it, signaled that the dominion of the territory was granted. It was a ceremony on conferring a fief. It was said that the territory of Marseille was a port city with prosperous trade. Rich farmland spread out along the gentle slope of the coast, it was a major producer of medicinal plants.
 
 “I, as someone who is a vassal to the monarch, will faithfully serve in the name of God, I devote to thee, my loyalty.”
 In reality, even though it was under his father’s name, it was good to say that the fief was given specifically to Falma. Of course Falma was watching his father’s delight like it was his own.
 “Royal Court Apothecary Apprentice, Falma de Médicis.”
 Huh?
 Falma was so surprised he became speechless.
 The courtiers became noisy and was making a stir. Not only was the father had been given a fief, it seemed that the son had a reward too, and so, the look of envy suddenly directed to him. Though, no one who disagreed with his achievements.
 
 “Thy conspicuous service was remarkable, thou have shown me outstanding knowledge and magnificent medical skills. It was precisely thanks to thee that I still have my life now.”
 Although Falma stood up and appeared before the Empress, he was standing upright and frozen. Warned by a courtier, Falma bowed his head while confused.
 “I have permitted for thou to be promoted from apprentice to Royal Court Apothecary. In addition, I will permit thou to specifically open a pharmacy in the imperial capital.”
 “Huh?”
 Falma became frozen now. He thought that the end of the apprenticeship was decided by his father and Ellen but…
 
 “Why art thou surprised? The permission for thy graduation came from thy teacher.”
 The Empress cast a radiant smile. Falma’s father had concluded Falma’s apprenticeship period for Royal Court Apothecary, and Falma wouldnow report directly to the Empress. He was now permitted to be a full fledged apothecary. That’s what it meant.
 
 Falma suddenly made eye contact with Noah who was respectfully attending beside the Empress. Noah seemed to be grinning and chuckling in amusement. Noah silently moved his mouth with the word, idiot.
 I told him to keep this between us! But… I should be thankful.
 Falma was convinced that the reason why Noah was persistently asking him was because the Empress suggested to research the reward that would be given to him.
 
 To open the first imperial sanctioned pharmacy.
 It was a reward the Falma had hoped for, nothing more and nothing less.
 
 If Noah didn’t leaked it to the Empress, he thought he wouldn’t have been granted it.
 
 Besides,
 Ah, perhaps, is he also to blame for why father now has the Marseille territory?
 Falma intuitively came to a conclusion. This probably wasn’t a coincidence that this occurred after he had been casually answering Noah’s question saying that he was okay with a seaside territory.
 
 The Empress held out the Emperor’s Wand towards Falma, who was surprised.
 What do I say at a time like this?
 Falma’s head seems like it was about to burst from thinking too much. It’s probably because he was too confused that he did a salute like in some historical play.
 “I- I-, I am very thankful and grateful. Your majesty.”
 Like with his father, Falma grasp the tip of the Emperor’s Wand. That was the ceremonial grant.
 The Emperor’s Wand was emitting a tinge of red light. Though as soon as Falma touched the wand, the jewel that was attached on the Emperor’s Wand immediately gave off a white radiance.
 
 Ah, Damn I got careless! I should have not touched it!
 The Emperor’s Wand seems also to have a function as a divine power meter.
 
 “Hmm?”
 Although the Empress’ expression froze for a moment, Falma immediately released the wand and quickly went back and sat beside Bruno.
 The Emperor’s Wand was shining for only a second, so Falma was convinced that it wasn’t seen clearly. Even after the party for conferral of honors, the Empress called Falma nearby but she was acting normal like nothing happened. He did not know if the Empress read the atmosphere, or if she just overlooked it, or if she hadn’t seen anything.
 Many nobles had gathered around Elizabeth, he peeked the Empress well being. The ornate design of the Royal Court had unfold.
 
 “At this rate, the royal family still has much to do to achieve peace.”
 Bruno, who only drank water, was drinking a high class wine today which was very rare, and ate with relish, the cuisine prepared for the Royal Court. It looked like a huge burden was relieved from him.
 
 “Dear father, your last job seem to have finally come to an end.”
 When Falma thanked his father for the work he done, his father check the new golden badge of the Royal Court Apothecary which Falma was wearing on his collar. It was what the Empress gave Falma.
 “It looks great on you.”
 “Is it really ok?”
 Falma wondered if it was ok for his father, who was his mentor, to permit him to be a true apothecary. That’s what he thought, but such concerns were unfounded.
 “There’s no more I could teach you in pharmacology. This is better.”
 Now that Falma was a full fledged apothecary, his father was looking forward to it. His father picked up a new glass of wine and said.
 
 “Cheers.”
 Falma, who had a glass that contains juice for children, gave a toast to his father.
 “To Her Majesty.”
 “And the birth of a new apothecary.”
 With the Empress’ recovery, the political situation in San Fleuve would stabilize.
 Falma together with his father felt relieved.
 
 But on that same day, Falma received a personal letter addressed to him.
 “Who is it? A high class sealed letter…”
 
 Thou who had a huge amount of divine power, someone unparalleled since the dawn of history. Once thou have come of age and mastered thy Divine Arts, it will be good if thou were to apply for a duel and seek to divest me of the throne. It will not be a fair fight if thou are not yet an adult.
 
 Empress of San Fleuve Empire, Elizabeth II

 It was maybe because her health had completely recovered, the muscle-brained Empress felt motivated.
 “I give up…”
 
 The throne is safe.
 This is true, but I have to apologize.
 I am only interested in pharmacology, and you’ve also given me a permit to open a pharmacy, so please continue being the Empress.
 That was the gist of his reply, Falma indirectly responded to her by writing a letter with the highest degree of honorific language.