LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 75
Episode 75: Hold Me Tight
***
An experiment room somewhere in Witbye Academy.
This was one of the symposium’s schedules—a kind of workshop conducted with researchers from other universities. Since there were few participants, it was much less chaotic than the main symposium.
About ten people or so.
“Alright then, let’s begin the workshop.”
I glanced around the lab. Nine researchers from Witbye Academy were seated, and Teacher Hedwig stood at the back for some reason.
“Everyone seems to be here, so we’ll start. Today’s workshop topic is about cultivating blue mold and its potential applications.”
The gathered attendees nodded.
“Firstly, cultivating blue mold. It grows best in cool, dry environments. If it’s too humid, insects or other molds might grow instead. For this, I used bread.”
“Secondly, verifying its sterilization power. In my lab, we inoculated petri dishes with bacteria near the blue mold. If the mold culture has sterilizing properties, you’ll notice that bacteria won’t grow nearby.”
“Thirdly, selective cultivation of blue mold. Blue mold is far more complex than bacteria, so I used a medium made by mixing soybeans and sugar.”
Hedwig raised her hand from the back, apparently having been taking notes.
“Does it also grow in liquid mediums?”
“Yes.”
“Regarding the purification process for penicillin’s medicinal components… as of now, it’s only been handed off to alchemists, so I can’t provide detailed information yet.”
Hedwig tilted her head.
“Is the purification process really necessary?”
“Penicillin needs to be consumed in doses of about half a gram per day to be effective, typically over the course of a week. To produce just half a gram of penicillin, you’d need a bathtub-sized amount of mold.”
“Ah.”
“Drinking tea brewed with blue mold doesn’t really hold much practical value.”
Then moving on…
The issue of penicillin’s applications.
“Fourthly, how to use it. The most important application I envision is preventing gangrene in surgical patients, trauma victims, or those with deep wounds.”
Penicillin is an antibiotic that kills Gram-positive bacteria. Simply put, it targets the most common bacteria found on hands and food.
However, penicillin doesn’t cure all infectious diseases. Food poisoning or diarrhea caused by bacterial toxins are difficult to treat, and viral infections like the flu cannot be treated at all.
Even though it’s a bacterial infection, tuberculosis isn’t treatable with penicillin because tubercle bacilli lack peptidoglycan cell walls.
Its bactericidal effect on Gram-negative bacteria is also weak. Modern bacteria often develop antibiotic resistance, which is another factor.
The lecture hall buzzed slightly.
Still, producing enough for animal experiments shouldn’t be too difficult even now. Verification should be possible. Another professor spoke up.
“Professor Asterix, how many years do you estimate until commercialization? It still feels quite distant.”
“Animal testing is already feasible. Producing quantities for test rats is relatively easy right now. As for commercialization…”
Though I don’t know exactly, judging by the reactions of the alchemists I met recently, commercialization within a few years seems plausible.
Luciana also seemed confident that it would succeed, so a breakthrough is likely coming soon.
“I conservatively estimate five years. But it depends on how much funding we receive and how much interest the academic community shows.”
“That makes sense.”
Five years. While it may seem long, it’s actually a very short period considering what’s at stake. The gathered researchers nodded.
***
Hedwig scratched her head.
How does he already know the appropriate dosage for a medicine that hasn’t even been created yet? she wondered but decided not to press the matter.
If Professor Asterix is correct, there’s only five years left until we discover the Holy Grail of medicine. Can he really pull it off?
Well, he’s succeeded every time so far—bacteria, the transmission process of epidemic dysentery, even white blood cells…
Asterix keeps proving things that once seemed impossible. Would last year’s discussions even have been possible?
***
It’s time to head back to the academy.
I had planned to ride a wyvern back due to time constraints, but apparently the plans changed. Mint was waiting by the carriage.
“Ah, did you wait long?”
“Not really.”
Mint shook her head.
The imperial princess climbed aboard first, extending her hand down to me. I grabbed Mint’s hand and boarded the carriage alongside her.
“Oops, sorry about that.”
“No need to apologize.”
I sat next to Mint.
She interlocked her fingers with mine. There was no shaking her loose anytime soon.
I expected her to be annoyed or upset for waiting, or maybe for boarding the carriage ahead of her, but she simply smiled brightly.
“I thought you’d be busy again today. I figured you wouldn’t have time for me.”
“Actually, it was planned from the start that I’d accompany Her Imperial Highness. So, it was unfounded worry.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
Mint released my hand.
She looked at me with an intriguing gaze, almost condescending, before slowly speaking.
“You usually don’t talk much, do you?”
“What is it?”
“Just… thank you. Even when I’m bothersome or irritating, you’re always patient.”
There have been such times, haven’t there?
“Sure have.”
“Honest, aren’t you… Anyway.”
A brief silence.
Mint stared at me intently before suddenly hugging me tightly. Her hair obscured my vision, and a lavender-like floral scent enveloped me. I momentarily forgot how to breathe.
“Eh…?”
“Please take care of me going forward.”
“Excuse me, Your Highness.”
I tapped her back in surrender, but Mint didn’t let go easily.
“What’s wrong, teacher?”
“Nothing.”
Mint rubbed her cheek against mine while holding onto me tightly. When I tried to pull back, she followed.
“Hey! Asterix! Do you even know what surrender means? If you’re surrendering, you should just stay still…”
I was pushed all the way to the opposite wall of the carriage. Mint faced me, our foreheads touching, her eyes meeting mine—deeper and bluer than any ocean I’ve seen. Maybe it was the dilation of her pupils making them appear so vast.
Mint’s eyes sparkled.
“Are you uncomfortable?”
“Not exactly, but—”
“Why?”
Silence speaks volumes.
“Didn’t you say it’s okay for me to bother you sometimes? You’ve told me that countless times.”
“Yes… I did.”
Ah, I’m getting dizzy.
I massaged my temples.
“This is my first time hugging anyone. If you act like you dislike it, I might feel hurt.”
“I apologize. That wasn’t my intention…”
Did I hurt her feelings?
I awkwardly patted Mint’s back again. She finally loosened her grip—not completely letting go, but stopping the tight embrace.
“One last thing.”
“What is it?”
“Hug me properly once. Then I’ll let go.”
Mint stepped back fully before extending her arms toward me, urging me to hurry.
I wrapped my arms around Mint’s waist, and she draped hers around my neck. She smiled softly and locked eyes with me again.
“Joke. Keep going.”
I sighed quietly.
Mint chattered on for a while after that. Casual small talk—what we’d do upon returning to the academy, how many cookies were left, etc.
***
Mint seemed to have calmed down somewhat.
“Did I inconvenience you a lot?”
“Yes.”
“Are you mad?”
“No.”
Mint reluctantly released me. I tried to let go as well, but the arm around my waist held firm.
Mint rested her head on my shoulder.
“I wish we could stay like this forever.”
“Uh…”
Mint winked at me. My mental fatigue was mounting, so I reluctantly embraced her waist again with one arm.
“Shall we?”
“Hehe…”
“Hmm… What were we talking about earlier?”
“Don’t remember.”
It probably wasn’t anything important. Mint leaned heavily against me. I looked at her face again.
“You seem rather dependent.”
“Huh?”
“Your Highness seems to overly rely on memories of your time in the palace or the people you knew back then. It’s a bit disappointing.”
“Since leaving the palace, I’ve never felt anything lacking or unsatisfactory. Nothing has made me think things needed to change.”
“Still…”
“Seems like unnecessary concern to me.”
I simply nodded.
“After we return to the academy this time, will you spend time with me as usual?”
“Of course.”
Mint sighed in relief before resting her head on my shoulder and closing her eyes. I still couldn’t figure out what reaction she wanted.
Maybe she just wanted to see me flustered?