Where the Antidote Went 4
Bang!!
A loud noise rang out, and the door flew open. Seizing the brief
opening when Prince Elliot raised his body and turned his face toward
the door, I bit down as hard as I could on the hand covering my mouth.
「Please help me!!」
「Layla!? Are you in there?」
「Ashren-sama!?」
The moment I saw a figure running toward us, Prince Elliot's
figure disappeared, having been kicked all the way to a nearby shelf. Due to
the impact, the experimental tools placed on the shelf fell one after another
onto Prince Elliot's head, spilling the liquids inside them.
「A-Ashren-sama, why are you here?」
「I just finished everything and came back. But you weren't at the
separate estate, Layla, so I thought you might still be in the
laboratory. When I came here, I heard voices arguing... Did your face get cut?」
Wrinkles formed between the eyebrows of Ashren-sama as he helped
me up. Perhaps his eyes hadn't adjusted to the darkness yet, as he picked up
the lantern that had fallen to the floor and illuminated my cheek.
「...Any other injuries?」
When I answered by shaking my head at his chillingly low voice, he let
out a slight sigh of relief and enclosed me in his arms as if embracing
something fragile. The tension drained from my stiffened body at that warmth,
and I realized I had been pushing myself quite hard.
「Layla, can you explain this situation?」
「Yes. Prince Elliot was trying to steal the antidote recipe and
announce it as his own.」
「Oh, the recipe. He tried to steal it from this laboratory?」
The corners of his thin lips rose in a smirk, and a sharp light dwelt
in his eyes.
「That is something I was originally supposed to develop, not you!」
「So you admit you tried to steal it. By the way, I don't know what you
are misunderstanding, but I wasn't the one who made the antidote. Layla
did.」
「Hah!? Layla? But according to the guard knight, the two of you
were repeating experiments together...」
「I was making a fever reducer in case the antidote wasn't completed. I
gave a few ideas, but the one who deserves the credit is Layla.」
Prince Elliot had his mouth open in disbelief, but eventually,
he staggered to his feet and took a piece of paper from his breast pocket.
「I see, so it was impossible for you. Hahaha, so there are things even Ashren
can't do. But that doesn't matter. The recipe is in my hands, so all that's
left is to announce this. Let me tell you, if you interfere with what I do, the
Tarteria Kingdom will stop exporting coal.」
「I don't think the Tarteria Kingdom is that foolish.」
「Don't act tough. You know the coal mines are in my grandfather's
territory, right? My grandfather wants to make me his successor, so he'll
gladly go along with my plan.」
Prince Elliot is quite fixated on becoming the next King. He was
probably raised being told by his grandfather that he would make him the Crown
Prince if he left behind achievements. Fluttering the paper in his hand to show
it off to us, Prince Elliot offered his other hand to me.
「Layla, take my hand. You are wasted on this
country that is inferior to other nations. If you join me, you will be the next
Queen.」
「I decline. Besides, what you are holding is not the antidote recipe.」
「Wha-!? Haha, I won't be fooled by such a lie. No matter how you look at
it, what you're making here right now is the antidote. There's no way you could
make medicine without a recipe.」
「With all due respect, I memorize all the recipes I have created. I
thought that was just how things were done.」
Even though I should have stated something obvious, Prince Elliot
widened his eyes in disbelief and looked at me. Beside me, Ashren-sama
was chuckling in his throat.
「Prince Elliot, Layla has memorized all the recipes for
the medicines she has developed so far.」
「That's impossible. All of them, you say?」
「Yes. I remember them. Also, regarding the paper you have in your hand
right now...」
I pointed at the paper Prince Elliot was holding. Written on it
were notes about the types and amounts of plants extracted using steam.
「That is a perfume recipe.」
「Huh...?」
A dumbfounded voice echoed in the dim laboratory. Ashren-sama,
stifling his laughter at Prince Elliot's state, began to light the
candles on the laboratory walls.
As the number of lit candles increased, the beakers, test tubes, and
plants lined up on the desk came clearly into view. At the same time, Prince Elliot
seemed to realize it as well.
「Roses? Lilies? Citrus peels? These kinds of things aren't used for
medicine.」
「That is why I said I am not making an antidote. You might not have
noticed because your nose isn't working due to the side effects, Prince Elliot,
but right now, this laboratory is full of the scents of various flowers.」
That was the reason why Flora-san and Tick went out of
their way to make the aroma candles in the Pharmaceutical Department. Because
the things I was making also had a strong smell, we changed locations so
they wouldn't mix.
「Perfume, you say? Why would a researcher be making such a thing!?」
Ashren-sama burst out laughing as if he
couldn't hold it in any longer.
「Through the flow of a conversation with my brother, it was decided that
Layla would make a perfume using Monitares flowers for Her Royal
Highness Princess Stira's birthday party.」
It's true that normally, you wouldn't think a researcher would be
making perfume. Thinking about it that way, it makes sense that Prince Elliot,
whose nose wasn't working, misunderstood. Lined up on the desk were beakers,
test tubes, and equipment used for steam distillation, all of which are
normally used for making medicine. Prince Elliot crumpled up the recipe
and threw it on the floor.
「Up until the part where the components of the Monitares flowers are
extracted, the method is the same as the antidote, so you misunderstood, didn't
you.」
If his nose hadn't been stuffed, he might have noticed something was
off even in the dark. Because there is no way we would make medicine while
surrounded by such a floral scent.
「It seems your scheme, Prince Elliot, was to announce the stolen
medicine recipe first, and seal any counterarguments from me by dangling coal
in front of us. However, that is no longer possible.」
Ashren-sama floated a smile with his two-faced
nature on full display. It seems everything went well.
「Impossible? That's not true. If I return to my country right now and
tell my grandfather...」
「I have already reported the antidote to the King of Tarteria.」
「Hah? Don't lie! You were researching the side effects in the Hadren
territory the whole time, weren't you!!」
Even as Prince Elliot pointed at Ashren-sama and argued
back, spitting as he spoke, the person being pointed at remained completely
composed. Rather, by intentionally showing composure, it looked as if he was
provoking Prince Elliot.
「Fortunately, the side effects were not a big deal; it was an allergic
reaction to the Monitares flowers. When we gave the patients a slightly
improved version of the hay fever medicine that you, Layla, and my
mother completed, their symptoms immediately settled down. That was two days
after Layla left the Hadren territory.」
That was what was written in the letter delivered by the servant of the
Hadren Earl's family who chased after me on a fast horse during my
return trip. And the end of that letter concluded with, "I am heading to
the Tarteria Kingdom as planned."
「Then, the reason you didn't return was...」
「Because I crossed the mountains from the Hadren territory, went
to the Tarteria Kingdom, met with pharmacological researchers, doctors,
the Prime Minister, and His Majesty the King, and informed them that the
antidote for Bareinurake disease had been completed.」
Normally, the formal procedure would be to announce the research
results domestically and then publicize them to other countries, but he
forcefully skipped those steps and marched directly into the Tarteria
Kingdom.
「As a result of the negotiations, in exchange for exporting the medicine
made in the Kanista Kingdom to the Tarteria Kingdom, I secured a
stable supply of coal. With this, the Kanista Kingdom's resource problem
is solved for the time being.」
Even though it's a medicine that hasn't undergone sufficient clinical
trials, it's still certain that it was effective against the Bareinurake
disease. The memory of him telling me with a fearless smile after kissing my
cheek that he intended to propose a deal while explaining that there is room
for improvement is still fresh in my mind.
「It seems our country's pharmacology is recognized in neighboring countries more than I thought. His Majesty the King of Tarteria also knew about the uproar in the Jilgista Kingdom last year. Initially, the negotiations were facing difficulties, but when I mentioned that Layla was involved in this research, the winds changed.」
-----
Thank you for my Patrons !!
[Platinum]
-
[Gold]
B random
Nepheos
[Silver]
Corey Hicks
Creris
Frédéric Bertrand-Hudon
Jake Seagraves
Matthew Fraser
Tbaum56
Baelee
Christopher Feliciano
Ctdela
Curious Panda
nick nasca
SD Fox
Taylor King
Z
Read Advanced Chapters only on my Patreon
-----