Chapter 22

Episode 22: Dispatch Duty as a Plague Doctor (5)

*Creak*

When I opened the door to my research lab in the morning and walked in, Imperial Princess Mint was sitting on my desk waiting for me. First things first, I closed the door.

“What is this? Am I seeing things?”

I opened the door again—it was still there. For some reason, Princess Mint was still sitting there, looking like she had complaints.

I need to choose my words carefully here.

Princess Mint has many nicknames. Socialite Doll, Moon of the Palace, Empire’s Finest Daughter. And today, she’s just an annoying girl with no real reason to be here.

“I came because I missed you, but you weren’t at your post. You’ve been gone for days. Where were you?”

She may look cute, but her tone lacks any charm. Figures.

“What do you mean…?”

“Where did you go?”

I was on a sudden business trip.

“Are you feeling unwell?”

“No.”

Then why should Mint even care where I went or didn’t go? After thinking briefly, I answered the princess:

“Ah, it’s nothing serious. There was an outbreak of plague in the Lapis Lordship, so I was urgently called as an epidemic advisor and spent a few days there.”

“Calling plagues ‘not serious’—you’re one strange guy.”

“The plague itself is serious. I’m just saying that my trip wasn’t a big deal. Your Highness, may I take my seat?”

Mint shook her head.

Since my usual spot was occupied by Mint, I had no choice but to sit across from her in the guest chair.

Cue Istina’s perspective.

“Next time, give notice before leaving.”

“Was that a joke or serious?”

Mint ignored my question.

“You went to stop the plague. How’d it go?”

Though her tone was indifferent, her face betrayed interest. I considered what to tell her:

“The scene was horrific. The deceased piled up so fast they dug massive pits to bury them all. But the solution was simple: we caught the culprit and brought him back.”

“What was the solution?”

“We poured distilled alcohol into the well.”

Mint looked down at me,

with an expression of disbelief.

“You dumped booze into a well?”

“Yes.”

“Talking to you always feels like this—I have no idea what you’re saying. What does that have to do with the plague?”

“Oh, cholera comes from bacteria in water. Alcohol destroys most bacteria, so pouring alcohol into the well mostly solved the problem.”

“Is that all?”

“Yes.”

“That’s ridiculous. Hundreds of cities and towns have been devastated by cholera. Was it really that simple?”

I nodded.

“Yes. The related research will soon be compiled.”

“It’s horrifying to think so many people died not knowing this.”

Mint stared off into space.

“Lapis, right? Isn’t that where that young regent lord is—Lord Rafplania?”

He’s not that young. In fact, he’s slightly older than Mint, isn’t he?

“Ah, yes, I believe so. I met him.”

“How was he?”

The princess’s reaction felt a bit odd. Does she dislike Lord Rafplania?

“Not sure about much else, but he cooperated fully with us. Thanks to that, we managed to turn things around within two days.”

“He must be thrilled to have handled this crisis smoothly during his regency period.”

Mint shook her head.

“Isn’t it troubling that the plague came?”

“No. While the plague is an unavoidable disaster, handling it shows leadership skills. From that perspective, it’s actually good.”

Thinking about it, that’s not entirely wrong. Is this how high-ranking nobles think? It seems rather inhumane to me.

“Ah.”

“He must be riding high now, Lord Rafplania.”

“Probably.”

This isn’t my concern.

“Do you dislike Lord Rafplania?”

“Not dislike, just… I know him, that’s all. We’ve met before.”

They must meet often in the imperial social circle. Makes sense since Lapis isn’t far from the capital or the academy.

“I heard he’s acting regent because his father is unwell.”

“The Lapis lord grandfather? He’s not unwell, just old.”

I’ve never met him personally, but the princess seems to have crossed paths somewhere in the imperial social scene.

“He also gave me a recommendation letter of sorts, asking if I’d consider working in his domain.”

“Oh? What did you say?”

A brief flicker of irritation crossed the princess’s face. Not sure what set her off, but I thought carefully before responding:

“Of course I declined. I came here to teach at the academy, and I can’t abandon that. I still have research to do.”

“Good. That’s reassuring.”

Mint nodded.

“Would you please vacate my desk now, Your Highness?”

“Nope.”

“Then stay there if you want.”

She’s not a kid… Or is she?

Let her have her way.

*

If the princess insists on occupying my desk, there’s nothing I can do about it. Should I grab her collar and drag her out?

And yet, I can’t just stop working.

I had no choice but to sit down and shuffle through papers. What needs doing again? Few patients in the ward, so research or writing is next.

I handed the cholera study over to Istina, but I still need to progress on it. With luck, I might manage to stain and observe the cholera bacteria itself.

More fundamentally though,

we need to disprove spontaneous generation, prove that bacteria spreads via contact, air, water—all specific contamination sources—and establish the necessity of hygiene in daily life and clinical settings before modern medicine can truly begin.

My schedule has shifted.

I’ll start by presenting John Snow’s map to the academic community, then Pasteur’s experiments disproving spontaneous generation, followed by Lister’s work.

“Your Highness, don’t you have classes?”

“None today.”

So she plans to camp out here all day?

“Have you eaten lunch?”

“Why do you care?”

“Just polite small talk.”

Mint glared suspiciously at me. If you’re going to sit in someone else’s lab, don’t act like a brat and then accuse them of being crazy.

“Right, Your Highness. Could you help me find another graduate student? One person is too slow.”

“Return to the palace. Then all ten or so royal healers would be your assistants.”

Who, the royal healers?

They’re all gamblers, alcoholics, and smokers, aren’t they? Plus, they lack patients, access to prior research, or proper facilities…

No wonder I fled that place.

“Guess I need to watch my words around Your Highness.”

“Normal people are careful speaking before a princess. You’re just clueless.”

“Would you enjoy attending a lecture?”

“That’s too obvious a topic change.”

Mint pondered for a moment.

“It’s listenable. Not too difficult. Though it’s true the academy doesn’t seem to care about high-ranking nobles.”

“Isn’t the right to rule something earned? Still, glad you find it worthwhile. Worthwhile teaching you properly.”

“You’re really good at irritating people.”

Huh? I didn’t say anything!

*

I started feeling it was time to leave. Kill me if you dare. I pinched Mint’s cheek and shoved her off my seat.

“Time to go now.”

“Ow! How dare you! Don’t push me!”

“Ouch.”

The princess fidgeted around for about thirty minutes before finally leaving the lab. She can be such a bother sometimes. Watching her go, she really acts like a little kid.

“Finally, she’s gone.”

Mint had just left when Istina entered.

“Wait, why isn’t the princess leaving?”

“I’m curious too. Go ask her.”

“I wanted to come in once she left. I waited a while, but she wouldn’t budge. She was sitting on the floor reading a book outside the door.”

I nodded.

“You must’ve waited long.”

“The princess glanced at me as she left. Like, ‘Who are you, sitting on the floor reading books?'”

That made me chuckle imagining it.

Istina squatting on the floor reading while waiting, only to be silently scrutinized by Princess Mint passing by without comment.

“Anyway, how’s the writing coming along?”

“Actually, that’s why I came.”

“Hmm, okay.”

“So, the fecal-oral transmission means the cholera epidemic is due to contaminated drinking water from human waste, right?”

Logical conclusion indeed.

Once you understand cholera spreads via microscopic particles, considering its symptoms leads to one answer.

“Cholera causes diarrhea, which becomes the infection source spreading it further. As I keep saying, bacteria are living organisms too.”

“Ah.”

Structure and function are closely linked. A disease’s characteristics cannot be separated from its pathological mechanisms—same goes for cholera.

“If a disease causes sneezing, it’ll spread via phlegm or saliva droplets. Cholera causes diarrhea, so it spreads through feces. Get it?”

“This reality is kind of gross.”

“Tell me about it.”

Istina jotted down what I just said.

“Professor, can you recruit more grad students?”

“I wish. About ten would be ideal. Managing research, the clinic, and lecture prep leaves no room for breath…”

Disciples—or slaves—are always better in larger numbers.

“Why not hire more?”

“No one wants to come. Honestly, there are more professors than grad students applying. Getting even two is tough.”

Istina sighed.

“That makes sense.”

The original plan was to leverage Princess Mint’s influence to attract grad students. I subtly hinted at this to Mint, but all I got was confusion in return.

Fair enough. It’s already a bonus she’s not causing trouble.

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