I Became a Plague Doctor in a Romance Fantasy

The goldfish carcass ended up in the flowerpot next to my desk. Maybe it’ll reincarnate as a water lily in its next life.

We just succeeded in purifying penicillin! It would be great if Istina could appreciate the grandeur of the experiment we just pulled off.

“It’s not black magic, Istina.”

“But you sacrificed the goldfish as an offering, right?”

She doesn’t seem to get it at all.

“No, I used the goldfish to evaluate the acidity of the acetic acid buffer solution.”

“What’s a buffer solution? And what’s acidity?”

I thought about how to explain it further.

A mixture of acetic acid powder and acetic acid solution creates a situation where the acetate ions from the powder capture hydrogen ions released by the acetic acid. This reduces fluctuations in hydrogen ion concentration, which is why we call it an acetic acid buffer solution. Since we can’t measure pH here immediately, I used the goldfish to verify that the solution was mildly acidic.

There was another reason for using the goldfish too. The threshold at which the goldfish dies might indicate the limit of what’s safe for humans to consume.

At least, that’s what I think.

Since we don’t know what impurities are in the chemical samples, and since mixtures lethal to goldfish could also be dangerous to humans, we need to stop at the point where the goldfish dies.

There’s also the issue that penicillin degrades under high acidity. To sum it up, there were three solid reasons to kill the goldfish.

Istina still looks confused.

“Alright, let’s just call it black magic then.”

“Hmm.”

Judging by Istina’s reaction, I shouldn’t expect much from the Alchemy Department.

The other researchers who took the Penicillium strain probably won’t be much different. Even 20th-century America took 20 years to achieve commercial mass production.

People unfamiliar with the subject won’t be able to produce results quickly. Even though they know penicillin exists, they lack the necessary background knowledge.

It seems like there’s no foundation for penicillin purification here. The problem isn’t alchemy or crystallization magic.

I thought about it some more.

“Maybe writing a paper isn’t enough. We might have to produce penicillin ourselves.”

If we publish a paper but no one understands or replicates it, it won’t help anyone.

“Istina, what do you think?”

“Is that even possible?”

“We can secure funding, but scale is the issue. To help many people, we need to make a lot of penicillin. How much money and manpower will we need?”

This is something worth pondering.

Still, haven’t we roughly figured out the process for purifying penicillin? Filter carefully to remove solid materials and mycelium, then add ammonium sulfate to acetic acid solution to form a precipitate.

We just succeeded, after all.

We have plenty of options. Asking for facility investment instead of research funds might complicate things, but asking Prince Imperial, Mint, or Violet should work out eventually.

With our current progress, we have enough to write a paper. The question is this:

Can healers in this world, who don’t fully grasp acid-base reactions, realistically produce results?

It doesn’t look promising. So, the important thing now isn’t that—it’s whether we should take matters into our own hands if we want penicillin produced quickly.

“Istina, listen carefully.”

“Yes.”

“Penicillin is a protein macromolecule, so it denatures under high temperatures and strong acids. That’s why we couldn’t boil it and had to manage the acidity within an appropriate range. That’s why we used the goldfish too.”

“Yes.”

“It needs to be safe for human consumption.”

“I still don’t get it.”

Istina extended her finger.

“I understand penicillin is the substance we’re extracting, but I don’t know what proteins are, what strong acids are, or what acidity means.”

It’s not that the terms don’t exist; Istina just hasn’t grasped the concepts clearly yet.

“Everyone else might not know, but you need to understand.”

“Yes.”

“Think about it more. There’s nothing I can do.”

From the periodic table to the physics of electrons, there’s so much beyond Istina’s comprehension. Far more than what’s visible.

***

I returned to my desk in the lab and picked up a pen to send letters. Let’s start with him.

– To the esteemed Prince Imperial,

– I have recently developed a new drug capable of treating most infectious diseases.

– However, it’s difficult to produce, and its principles are extremely complex. Despite presenting it at a large symposium, there hasn’t been much progress.

– Therefore, I wish to gather funds to establish facilities for the production of this drug and mass-produce it to widely benefit the empire’s citizens.

– Sincerely, Professor Asterix.

This should suffice for the prince.

To Violet…

– Violet, invest if you have money.

– Sincerely, Professor Asterix.

That should cover the letters.

***

Now I need to inform Professor Wolfram from the Alchemy Department. Come to think of it, I’ve never met the professor in person.

Last time, I only saw Luciana, the graduate student. She looked a bit pitiful.

“Good day, Professor Wolfram.”

“Good day.”

Professor Wolfram was indeed the old grandfather-like professor I’d heard about. His hair wasn’t white, though.

On second thought, he might not actually be that old. Could arsenic consumption make him look aged?

“A few days ago, I spoke with Teacher Luciana. We’ve created a new drug, and I came here to discuss refining it into pill form.”

“I’ve heard about it.”

“On our side, we’ve successfully refined a very small amount. We’d like to share information and prepare for mass production.”

Professor Wolfram nodded.

“Luciana will handle it.”

“What about you, Professor?”

“If Luciana can handle it well and you’ve already succeeded in purification, I’m not sure if my involvement is necessary. I’ve been quite busy lately.”

I paused.

He wouldn’t say that if he knew what we’re making. It’s ridiculous to not participate when there’s so much money to be made!

“Are you really not participating?”

“Yes.”

“Uh… Alright.”

If peace and gratitude aren’t appreciated, that’s fine too.

I slowly stood up.

“Ah, what a pity. I’ll consider this project as Teacher Luciana’s personal assignment then.”

“Professor Asterix, thank you for your hard work.”

Professor Wolfram… Something unsettling must’ve happened to that guy. Either he’ll regret missing his chance to make history or, more mundanely, losing a big money-making opportunity.

I left Professor Wolfram’s lab.

I’ll talk to Teacher Luciana or other alchemists later. There must be someone more helpful.

***

The next day after sending the letters, a reply from the imperial palace arrived promptly. It’s not that far from here anyway.

– This is an official letter from the Imperial Palace. Handle with care.

The document bore an official seal with warning text. A letter from the Imperial Prince.

– I was surprised to receive such a polite letter from you. Did you reduce me to wallet status now? You’re up to all sorts of antics.

As usual, the prince started off prickly.

– When you left the palace, some bureaucrats thought we lost a valuable talent. But others appreciated that you’re still thinking of ways to benefit the empire outside.

– Some acquaintances are positively reviewing your proposal. Come next month to discuss. I’m not sure if you’re asking for research funding or investment capital, but it doesn’t seem like regular research funding will cover it.

Our intention wasn’t solely about asking for research funds. To efficiently produce and distribute medicine, we need more than just research—we’re considering setting up a company.

It’s uncertain if they’ll cooperate to that extent.

– Are you suggesting setting up a government-backed company? Might as well open a hospital instead of making drugs, right?

– Anyway, good job. By the way, when you come to the palace, think of a way to properly explain your discovery to the bureaucrats.

I closed the prince’s letter. Though there was some cursing at the beginning, he did mention positive consideration.

Violet is currently at the palace, so her letter must’ve arrived together. I opened and read her response next.

– This is Violet.

– Is this an investment proposal? Not asking for research funds through the palace?

– I’ve got plenty of money these days. Sure, I’m in!

I closed Violet’s letter with a strange feeling. She’s always unpredictable.

How does this person have so much money?

Violet does bizarre things often, so I worry about anything she says. Did she hit it big at a gambling house?

Well…

I need to see her face-to-face. Not trusting someone this much is problematic. Her salary isn’t low, so maybe she’s been saving diligently?