Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 189: I Want to Go Home, but I Can’t
We returned to the townhouse shortly afterwards, and I immediately began writing a letter to Lady Fabienne. Naturally, I included the magic-potion recipes, but that alone wouldn't do. If I wrote only to ask her to make medicine, I'd be nothing more than a rotten man using her for my own ends.
First, I needed to tell her that Princess Chloe's prospective engagement had been decided and offer my congratulations. That would publicly demonstrate that I wasn't romantically interested in Princess Chloe.
Then I'd mention that I'd made a new male friend. I should also tell her how dreadful the royal capital's icehouse was. Since I planned to improve it, I could offer to make one for House Ambert after I returned to the territory. That would make it easier for her to ask.
Oh, I'd nearly forgotten. I also had to tell her to send the potions she made to House Heine, since our family would take responsibility for selling them. In that case, I'd have to report the arrangement to Father as well.
Writing letters was a tremendous amount of work.
"You're certainly applying yourself," Brother Alex said.
"Brother, please don't tease me. I'm being completely serious."
"Sorry, sorry."
Despite his apology, Brother Alex continued watching me with an amused smile. Had he already finished his own work?
I truly was serious. If I made a mistake, I'd have to rewrite the entire letter from the beginning. I desperately wanted correction fluid.
"A letter from Father arrived a short while ago," Brother Alex said. "Colds haven't begun spreading through the territorial capital yet, but he believes it's only a matter of time. If we prepare now, we'll have more than enough time."
"What will happen in the other territories?"
"…The epidemic will probably reach them eventually."
Hmm. Was it right for only the Heine Margraviate to receive preferential treatment? It didn't feel particularly fair, but I was the developer. If people wanted easy-to-drink cold medicine, perhaps they would simply have to purchase it from our territory.
We could turn cold medicine into a local speciality.
No—why stop there? We could make magic potions themselves a speciality of the Heine Margraviate. I should think about that for the future.
"Brother, shouldn't we teach the Magic Pharmacists' Guild in the territorial capital how to make the cold medicine and the potion for lung disease?"
"The cold medicine should be fine, but perhaps the other should wait. It's an unknown potion, isn't it? If people use it incorrectly, it could cause confusion—or worse."
"That's true."
It was entirely possible. The potion for lung disease slightly damaged the lungs as a side effect. If that damage accumulated, the patient might permanently lose part of their lung function.
We needed someone capable of teaching people how to use the potion safely. No such system existed yet.
"Then we'll have to rely on Lady Fabienne for a while longer. Brother… may I return to the territorial capital?"
"Have you taught the Corps how to make the Panacea?"
"No. We haven't begun yet."
Brother Alex fell silent in thought.
Of course. I still hadn't completed the task His Majesty had given me. Besides, the epidemic hadn't actually begun spreading in the territorial capital yet. I had no justification for returning home.
"Don't look so dejected, Julius. As soon as the illness starts spreading through the territorial capital, I'll send you home. Until then, I want you to concentrate on the assignment you've been given."
"Understood. Thank you."
Good. I'd secured his promise. All I had to do was complete my responsibilities in the royal capital. In my letter to Lady Fabienne, I'd write that I would return as soon as colds began spreading through the territorial capital. That should reassure her while she handled matters in my absence.
The next day, I went to the royal castle as planned.
Incidentally, Brother Cain hadn't returned home the previous night. Instead, we'd received a letter saying that he and Lady Meeka would visit together later to thank us properly.
That settled it completely.
Congratulations, Brother Cain. I was delighted to be gaining an adorable sister-in-law. Princess Daniela was royalty, so it was a little difficult to act spoiled around her. I would spoil myself with Sister-in-law Meeka instead.
That outrageously ample chest was simply unacceptable.
"Julius-sensei, we've been waiting for you!"
"Has something happened?"
The entire Royal Magic Pharmacists' Corps crowded around me the moment I entered their workroom. What in the world was going on?
According to them, His Majesty had ordered the Corps to make the potion for lung disease as quickly as possible.
Ah. I understood what had happened.
Brother Alex must have sent Princess Daniela an urgent letter about the medicine the previous day. Princess Daniela had informed His Majesty before the day ended, and His Majesty had immediately issued instructions to the Royal Magic Pharmacists.
Unfortunately, none of them knew how to make the potion. That was why they'd been waiting for me.
"Have you prepared the venomous moth scale powder I requested yesterday? It's the main ingredient."
"We have, but it has hardly ever been used before, so we possess only a small quantity."
"I've asked Brother Alex to secure more through the Adventurers' Guild. We should have enough before long. I'll teach you the method now, using the ingredients already available."
The Royal Magic Pharmacists nodded with grave expressions. At some point, I'd apparently become the true person in charge here. I wondered whether Commander Giovanni resented that.
When I glanced at him, however, he was watching me with shining eyes. Those weren't the eyes of a jealous man. They were the eyes of someone worshipping a god.
I felt like the leader of a suspicious cult.
That presented its own set of problems.
There wasn't enough material for every pharmacist to work individually. Even so, by pairing them up, I managed to teach everyone. As an added benefit, they gained experience creating a potion collaboratively. That would become an extremely valuable asset.
The Panacea I would eventually teach them was difficult for one person to make because its compounding process took so long. I could forcibly shorten the time with my Laboratory skill, but no one else could. They had no choice but to use the proper method.
That meant working in shifts to complete a single potion. Ideally, each team should consist of people with roughly equal skill. That would allow them to maintain a consistent level of quality throughout the process.
To form those teams, I needed a detailed understanding of everyone's abilities. Today's collaborative work was the perfect opportunity. Naturally, I paired the people whose skills appeared closest, and the results looked excellent.
The Royal Magic Pharmacists had been highly motivated from the beginning, so I hadn't expected any problems. Still, I was pleased to confirm it.
"Look, Julius-sensei! Wouldn't you say this is high quality?"
"Yes, it's wonderful. It's every bit as good as the one I made. Patients will be glad to drink this."
Everyone smiled at the completed pink potion. During our time together, they'd clearly developed a firm understanding of what a real magic potion should be.