A Genius Pharmacist Whom the Empress Is Obsessed With

Episode 1: Disaster Brought Upon Oneself

“How about it? You seem capable enough, wouldn’t you give it a try?”

The man sitting on the elegant green sofa spoke, the sunlight filtering through the large window.

“No. I will not do it.”

The apothecary, Iden, standing behind the sofa, answered without hesitation. Even though it was a cry only he could hear.

“Naturally, you should accept it. To become the Princess’s personal physician, how can I possibly refuse such a glorious opportunity.”

Despite Iden’s quiet plea, the director of the Estelon Medical Center readily accepted the man’s proposal.

“As weak as it is, I will do my best.”

“Yes, you will be of great help to the Princess.”

While conversing like old comrades, the Marquis and the Estelon director were meeting for the first time.

This morning.

A suspicious carriage without any patterns or decorations revealed itself at the back gate of the medical center.

The man riding in that carriage was none other than the Marquis, Peniad. He confidently presented a badge and a document bearing the royal seal, appointing the Estelon director as the Princess’s personal physician. And that cursed Estelon director abruptly accepted the proposal.

The Estelon Medical Center, where Iden works, was a small hospital located at the eastern outskirts of the Empire.

Initially, it was a very small clinic with only the doctor, the director, and the apothecary, Iden.

But as rumors of the Estelon director’s name spread, the scale of the hospital gradually grew larger.

To what extent, you ask? To the point where even the noble blue-blooded fops, notorious for their laziness, made an effort to visit?

However.

No matter how well-known the name became, the Estelon director was still a commoner.

And he didn’t have enough money to be considered wealthy.

The reason for this sudden statement…

It meant that the Estelon director had no power to cover up any scandals, no matter how big they were.

Becoming the Princess’s personal physician was indeed an honorable position.

The problem was that honor also came with risks.

Even a low-ranking maid who had never seen a noble’s face had to be monitored not only when leaving the palace but even after quitting her job.

Even the maid who handles simple chores would feel the same, so what about the personal physician who can be considered the closest aide to the noble?

Not only would it not be easy to quit the position of the physician, but if anything were to happen to the princess, the physician’s life would also be in danger.

“…This person must know that the princess is sick, right?”

Moreover, isn’t it suspicious to come all the way to this remote countryside to find a doctor?

Wouldn’t there be a renowned doctor even in the barren outskirts of the eastern region?

There must be plenty of doctors who come and go in the capital and its vicinity.

But why send a messenger all the way to this countryside to find a physician?

The doctors from the capital and its vicinity were already called long ago, and yet it was said that they still couldn’t cure the princess’s illness.

“But what will we do if the princess were to die?”

One last thing.

Just being in the palace itself meant getting involved in the headache-inducing power struggle.

Since the palace still doesn’t have an official heir, one may even be unlucky enough to be struck down by the enemy’s blind sword while walking along the palace corridor.

“The director wouldn’t think about those things one by one.”

Though they are called doctors,

the director was nothing more than an ordinary village bumpkin.

In the head of this excessively ambitious director, there would be piles of gold and people who looked up to him.

But he doesn’t even know what’s waiting for him beneath all of that.

“Ah! Director Estelon. How many bottles of digestive medicine can I take? Listen here, I heard that Estelon’s digestive medicine is that effective.”

“Digestive medicine? Marquis, do you feel any discomfort in your stomach?”

The director’s face brightened even more.

Without a doubt, he thought that this opportunity would leave a great impression on the marquis.

“It’s not always the case, but sometimes my stomach feels a little uncomfortable after meals.”

“If it’s alright with you, may I examine the marquis once? Since you’ve come all the way here, it would be better for the marquis to have a digestive medicine tailored just for him.”

“If you do that, I’ll be really grateful.”

From then on, while the marquis was talking to Moore, Director Estelon subtly turned his head and gestured to Iden.

Sensibly, it meant that he should leave now.

Iden also had no desire to watch this explosive drama any longer.

Carefully, he interjected into the conversation between the marquis and the director.

“I apologize for interrupting, but I will take my leave now. It would take a while to prepare the marquis’s medicine, so I would like to get ready in advance.”

“Are you the pharmacist of Estelon by any chance? I was just curious, but how long does it usually take to make medicine?”

“It takes at least two to three hours to steep the herbs.”

“Oh, it takes longer than I thought. I said I was going to prepare my medicine, right? Then let’s go.”

Idun politely exited the director’s office.

“Why is he bothering with that…”

As soon as the door closed, Idun tilted his head.

Although he hated him, it seemed like he had some affection for the director since they worked together for a while.

“Well, even if the director becomes the princess’s personal physician, he won’t last long with his skills,”

Even if the director becomes the princess’s personal physician, he won’t last long.

It was Idun’s power that brought this mediocre medical institution to this point,

And the director was just a typical clinic doctor.

Idun quietly walked to the dispensary.

***

“Try moving your foot. It won’t hurt anymore.”

Idun released the girl’s ankle, which he had been holding onto his knees, and said.

“Really, it won’t hurt?”

The girl with large eyes sniffled and replied.

“Yes. If it hurts, I’ll give you this candy.”

At Idun’s urging, the girl cautiously moved her legs.

“Huh? It really doesn’t hurt?”

“How is it? Am I right?”

“It’s the first time I got better so quickly!”

On the face of the girl who was frowning just a while ago, a broad smile appeared.

“You need to be more careful in the future. Since you have weak ankles.”

“Do I have weak ankles?”

“Yes. And just in case, if something like this happens again. Press down firmly here.”

Idun pressed the spot right in front of the outer malleolus.

“Then you’ll recover much faster.”

“Oh, I see. Thank you!”

The girl jumped off the bench and ran away happily.

Even while running, she seemed extremely joyful that her ankle had completely healed.

“…Be careful.”

Well, if the child understands everything at once, then she wouldn’t be a child.

Idun brushed the dirt off her apron as she stood up from her seat.

It had only been about 20 minutes since Idun had discovered the girl.

As always, with nothing to do while waiting for the Count’s medicine to take effect, Idun took a stroll in the garden.

As nobles began to frequent the Estelon Medical Center, the director started dedicating efforts to the landscaping as well.

After all, as important guests arrived, the exterior had to receive just as much attention.

At first, Idun wondered if it was necessary, but…

In reality, Idun herself would often take a walk in the garden multiple times a day.

Contrary to the director’s expectation that visitors would enjoy it, there were hardly any visitors in the garden.

Because of that, she could comfortably relax and enjoy the beautiful garden, away from others.

“It should have been the same today.”

There was an unexpected guest.

The girl who had just run over was that guest.

“Uwaaah.”

Cries that could be heard shortly after starting the stroll.

Idun quickly looked around and could see the girl lying on the walking path, crying.

“She looks about seven or eight years old, did she trip while walking alone?”

Idun skillfully supported the girl and sat her down on a nearby bench.

“Miss, let me help you. Can you tell me where it hurts?”

“Here, it hurts a lot here.”

The girl pointed to her own ankle.

Underneath her white lace socks, her slender ankle was swollen.

It seemed like a sprained ankle.

“I’ll take a look. Please bear with it even if it hurts a little.”

“I need to confirm exactly where it hurts first.”

Idun carefully touched the girl’s ankle, focusing her mind.

Although the girl said her ankle hurt, she could have grabbed her wrist incorrectly when she fell, or she could have hit her head or shoulder.

Unfortunately, most physicians found it difficult to accurately assess where and how much a patient was injured without directly examining the inside of their body.

But.

It was a completely irrelevant story to Idun.

Because Idun was not a human, but a being.

Idun had already lived for over five hundred years.

In his very childhood, the moment he struggled in hunger, an unknown power was embedded in his body. Thanks to that power, Idun became an immortal being and experienced many things.

Among them, the most important event was the meeting with the beautiful dragon, Adrian.

“You have a power that cannot be borne as a human.”

The beautiful dragon, Adrian, appeared before Idun, who had thrown himself into the icy lake.

Adrian bestowed many things upon the wandering Idun.

Not only sharing knowledge and wealth, but also helping Idun to properly use his power.

“As Adrian said, what is embedded in me is infinite vitality.”

Perhaps because he had such vast vitality.

After a little practice, Idun was able to read the life force of others and could also infuse his own life force to aid in their recovery.

Idun quickly read the girl’s energy.

“With this, I just need to treat her ankle,”

Since the diagnosis was over, all that was left was to help her ankle recover quickly.

Idun pressed his life force while suppressing the front of the ankle and the collapsed blood flow.

Thanks to that, the girl’s sprained ankle could be quickly recovered in just over 20 minutes.

“…I’m a little tired.”

Idun sat down on the bench and pressed his right temple.

Seems like it’s the price for freely using vitality.

Reading the life force of others,

Using his own life force,

Mental fatigue rushed in like crazy.

And also.

He directly felt the pain of the patients he read,

And to prevent any unforeseen situations, he had to live wearing only white clothes.

“…But will she be okay?”

Idun suddenly became anxious about the fact that he exerted his power on an unknown child.

He had treated children before, but he had never had this concern even once.

Whether children speak ill of Idun, there will be no adult who hears it.

But now the situation was different.

Isn’t the royal envoy at the hospital? Under the pretext of bringing the royal physician for the princess.

“… If that girl is the viscount’s offspring.”

So if today’s events were to be revealed to the viscount privately.

There could be a possibility that Idun would be called to the palace along with the director.

From the perspective of the aristocrats, having one commoner as a tool is nothing.

“… No, it’s probably unnecessary worry.”

Who in their right mind brings their own child along to handle the affairs of the palace?

Only an old fool.

As he grew older, he felt like he became more fearful.

Idun shook off the ominous thoughts that kept coming to mind and continued walking.