Chapter 008
I stared at Jin after his request, unable to hide my disbelief. I could practically read his mind—maybe his mind-reading ability was contagious after spending so much time together. He tilted his head slightly, looking at me with a look so feigned and innocent it was almost criminal.
‘Hmm? Doctor. I told you my arm hurts. Hurry up and feed me.’
It was so annoying! So exasperating! But looking at that beautiful face, I found it impossible to refuse. This is why people who know they’re handsome are dangerous; they weaponize their faces.
“And?”
I asked bluntly, suppressing the urge to shove the spoon into his mouth immediately. Jin lowered his eyelashes, cast his gaze down, and then slowly looked up at me. The sequence of movements was impossibly elegant.
“Feed me, Doctor.”
I let out a long sigh. Just a few days ago, you were saying you didn’t want to boss people around! Am I not a person? Am I some different species? I wanted to grab him by the collar and give him a good shake.
But fearing that shaking him might cause this “sunfish” to clutch his chest and drop dead, I grabbed the spoon instead of his collar.
“……Fine. Say ‘Ah’.”
As I spoke in a gruff voice, Jin smirked and opened his mouth. Ahhh.
Good grief, what a life. Come to think of it, is this how the original Astrid fell for him? By nursing him like this?
Jin is the one at fault here. How can someone who doesn’t know when they might die act so flirtatious……
Ah. I had inadvertently thought about him dying soon. If Jin knew, he’d definitely be hurt. I stole a quick glance at him.
However, Jin only had a faint smile on his lips. I suppose he isn’t a true psychic who can read every single thought. I sighed and blew on another spoonful of soup before putting it in his mouth.
But……
If I thought I saw a flash of bitterness in Jin’s eyes as he accepted the soup, surely it was just my imagination?
* * *
By the time I finished Jin’s lunch and returned to my room, I was exhausted. Just then, Rodent came scurrying over.
“Teacher Aubert!”
The adorable Rodent ran right into my arms. After a few days in a place with hot running water and three square meals, he had become remarkably cuter. He even seemed a bit chubbier. Who’s a good boy? My good boy.
Outside of his tutoring sessions with Jin, Rodent roamed around freely, but he loved sticking by my side most of all. Though he was likely following the Astrid he loved, not necessarily “me.”
“Brother Rick is looking for you. He’s waiting in the lab!”
Rick? Ah, finally! The medicines I requested must be finished.
Using the Encyclopedia of Herbs and Types and Uses of Alchemical Materials as references, I had devised a variety of medicines that might help Jin. Of course, they were essentially herbal concoctions made by matching ingredients with similar effects as described in the books.
First, an antitussive and expectorant—essential for Jin, who struggled to breathe due to constant coughing and phlegm. Then, an antipyretic for this fragile man who ran a fever at the drop of a hat. I also requested painkillers, digestive aids, and a special ointment for the bloodletting scars on his left arm that weren’t healing well.
“I should go to Rick. Rodent, isn’t it time for your lesson?”
I asked with a kind smile, and Rodent nodded vigorously. Ack, so cute. This is how a child should act—innocent and sweet.
I suddenly thought of Jin—who was five years older than me but acted like a spoiled child—and my expression darkened involuntarily. Fortunately, I hadn’t taken off my mask yet, so Rodent didn’t have to see my scowling face.
“Yes, Teacher! I’m going now!”
Rodent waved at me and pulled a mask out of his pocket. It was a mask I had designed to hook over the ears, similar to modern ones.
When I first told people to wear masks in Jin’s room, most used cloths like mufflers to cover their faces. Since that looked uncomfortable, I experimented with a new design, and soon everyone entering Jin’s room started carrying the same style.
What a good boy, our Rodent. Following the rules to keep the germs away from Jin.
I patted Rodent’s head with pride. His eyes crinkled into half-moons; he was definitely smiling happily under that mask.
After parting with Rodent, I headed straight to the lab. Since Rick was a genius, I had high hopes he’d followed my orders perfectly.
“Rick, I’m here!”
I shouted as I opened the door. Rick, who had been hunched over a table, stood up.
“You’ve arrived, Teacher,” Rick greeted bluntly. He was always a bit prickly, but I knew this was his way of being welcoming. I went to smile back at him, but Louis’s pouting voice cut in.
“Teacher Aubert! I’m here too!”
I couldn’t help but chuckle. I had rarely been welcomed so enthusiastically in my previous life. This was all thanks to the “Angel of Aube Street” image Astrid had built.
I greeted Louis warmly and then turned to Rick.
“Rick, you were looking for me? Are the medicines ready?”
“Yes, Teacher. Would you like to see?”
Rick led me to the table, which was lined with colorful medicine bottles, each with a neat label.
“This is the antitussive expectorant. As you requested, I made it taste like strawberry. This is the antipyretic, orange-flavored.”
Rick explained each one. Asking for sweet fruit flavors was my idea—Jin was such a picky eater that if the medicine tasted bad, getting him to take it would be a nightmare.
“And this is the ointment. The previous one was okay, but as you suggested, using Tarandrus fat instead of egg yolk seems much better for wound recovery.”
Rick’s eyes sparkled as he showed me the ointment. He was usually reserved, but he came alive when talking about alchemy.
Tarandrus—a monster the size of a bull that could change its fur color like a chameleon—had fat that was apparently miraculous for healing. When I mentioned it to Richard, he bought a massive supply. We were keeping it frozen with ice-attribute mana stones.
“Thank you, Rick. You really are a genius.”
When I patted his head, Rick’s ears turned beet red. He was only seven years younger than me, but he felt so much like a child. He grumbled about not being a kid, but I just smiled.
“I finished everything you asked for too! Praise me as well!” Louis said, pouting. I hurried over to her, delighted. The humidifier I had asked for was complete.
Convinced Jin had a respiratory ailment, I knew I had to control the humidity in his room. Even if a high-tech humidifier was impossible, I had asked for a simple steam version.
When I pressed the button, the device immediately began emitting a steady stream of water vapor.
“Louis, this is incredible!”
To create this in just a few days was a feat. Louis grinned sheepishly and asked, “Is there anything else you need?”
A thought suddenly occurred to me: a stethoscope.
Now, it’s not like I’d actually understand the “wheezing” or “crackling” sounds doctors talk about in medical dramas, but it would surely be better than nothing.
“Do you have paper and something to write with?”
Louis excitedly brought over paper and charcoal. I sketched a stethoscope, grateful for Astrid’s artistic talent—my drawings in my past life were mostly stick figures.
“So…… if you press this part here…… the sound travels through to this part. Can you make it?”
I didn’t actually know the physics of a stethoscope, so I gave a vague explanation. Louis was a genius; she’d figure it out.
“Wow, Teacher! Where do you get these ideas? This is amazing! I’ll make it right away. Anything else?”
I felt a bit embarrassed receiving such praise for a centuries-old invention from my world. And as for what else I needed……
There was one thing I really wanted, even if I wasn’t sure how useful it would be: a diagnostic penlight.
You know—the one shaped like a fountain pen that doctors use to check light reflexes or look into a patient’s throat.
I’m embarrassed to admit it, but watching medical dramas as a kid, I always thought, ‘Wow, I want one of those!’
“Well…… there is one more thing, but……”
I felt the back of my neck grow hot and hesitated. Louis nudged me.
“Tell me, Teacher!”
Unable to resist her persistence, I finally confessed my secret wish.
“When you press a button…… light comes out of this tip. It shouldn’t be too bright, or it might hurt the eyes.”
I explained the penlight bashfully. Louis nodded eagerly.
“Hmm, if I use a small fragment of a light-attribute mana stone, it should be possible. This won’t take long at all. I’ll have it ready soon!”
I almost let out a scream of joy. A long-held dream was becoming a reality. Finally, I would have my very own penlight!
I could have bought one in the real world, but what use would it be for someone who wasn’t a doctor? Now, even if I was a quack, I was a doctor in name.
“Louis, Rick……! Thank you so much.”
I said, filled with emotion. These two were indispensable. My medical knowledge was essentially at the level of a child playing “hospital,” but these geniuses were turning that play into reality.
