Chapter 43

“Did you say a new drug?”

Alan Medoff asked, his voice lowered, with a stern expression on his face.

It was only then that Princess Victoria realized she had spoken too hastily.

Upon closer inspection, Alan was not in a state to have a calm conversation.

He wore a mask covering his mouth and nose, and beads of sweat formed on his forehead, indicating he had been laboring until just a moment ago.

‘I’ve committed a breach of etiquette.’

Of course, she was the princess of the strongest nation on the continent, and the eldest princess at that.

But she did not wish to pressure Alan with her authority. He had already done important work for the empire, after all.

The man who had brought peace to war-wounded soldiers, broken by their toil and dependent on opium and alcohol to soothe their pain, and the one who had healed the long-afflicted Empress Lianhua — this alone was worth commendation. It was only because of Alan’s own humility that he was never nominated for an award.

‘Have I burdened a man who has already done his duty with more work?’

Just as she was hoping to give him a moment to rest, the princess’s sudden appearance and pressure would indeed be surprising.

Still, she decided against apologizing.

Given Alan’s reaction, there was a high chance he would take even an apology as undue pressure. The best course of action would be to feign calmness and state her business immediately. To thrive as the empire’s princess, one occasionally needed to embrace a bit of audacity.

“Yes. A new drug.”

“Your Highness. With all due respect, I would appreciate more specific instructions. And I must request that you understand this as well. While I do possess a modicum of knowledge, I lack the skill to instantly produce a drug with the exact efficacy you desire.”

“I will explain everything. Shall we move to another place?”

“It’s fine. Please go ahead.”

Though his expression did not look entirely comfortable, this was an outcome of her own doing, and she would have to accept it.

Princess Victoria then plunged into the matter.

“One of the knights guarding me was a customer of the health syrup. He confessed right after Mrs. Chandler was arrested.”

“He didn’t take the syrup due to any ailment. Strangely, he consumed precisely five spoonfuls every day before training. When I asked him why, he replied that it seemed to improve his training efficiency.”

“While it could be an excuse, this knight was a seasoned veteran who didn’t indulge in gambling or drinking. Other knights’ testimonies suggested that his concentration did indeed improve during practice sessions. They also said he became bolder in the training ground.”

Perhaps, just perhaps, there was some merit to the health syrup.

This formed the crux of Victoria’s argument.

‘If I had explained this to an ordinary apothecary, he wouldn’t have understood.’

To talk about the positive effects of a drug banned by royal decree just days ago while asking for a new one would surely invite a response questioning if she wished to join the monastery.

But Alan would understand, she felt.

Her faith stemmed not from baseless assumptions but from his proven track record.

Fortunately, Alan lived up to her expectations.

“Yes, Your Highness. I roughly understand the sort of efficacy you’re hinting at.”

“Is that so?”

“Most likely, he felt a surge of vitality and confidence while his fatigue slightly diminished. The euphoria caused by opium and sugar could also be perceived as helpful for training, depending on the person. Though, in the long term, this is self-destructive.”

Victoria exhaled a sigh of relief, feeling this might not be a fruitless endeavor after all.

A new wave of anticipation began to rise within her.

If such properties could be harnessed correctly, it could be immensely beneficial for the military, especially the forces stationed across some border regions.

Fatigue and stress were historically the military’s most persistent enemies. If this problem could be resolved, subjugating their enemies would likely grow easier.

‘Surely, excessive use must be guarded against, much like with morphine.’

But wasn’t it a matter of regulating the dosage?

Victoria was not a selfish person who could look past the visible hardships faced by frontline commanders. Despite some risks, she was willing to take them on if it were for the good of the military.

“Sir Alan, I will now provide a more specific request.”

“Your Highness, I…”

“Just listen and then judge. In my estimation, the health syrup, or rather one of its particular components, appears to have highly beneficial effects for the military. It seems to reduce fatigue, boost morale, and alleviate fear against the enemy.”

“…”

“I would like you to create a drug that minimizes side effects while maximizing these benefits. Let’s call it a courage-enhancing drug. Is it possible?”

A courage-enhancing drug. That was what Victoria demanded, looking directly at Alan.

She was prepared to offer ample compensation if he agreed.

After receiving the specifics of the request, Alan felt somewhat relieved. When Victoria first mentioned drugs, his world turned dark, fearing she too might have developed an interest in narcotics. Though he knew she wasn’t that sort of person, one could never be too sure.

‘If Victoria falls into this, the empire is doomed.’

With her siblings already in a questionable state, if Victoria also dived into the drug trade, the risk of the empire, or even the entire state, collapsing amidst widespread drug use would skyrocket. Unlike Anaïs, Victoria wielded a formidable infrastructure, magnifying the potential harm.

Fortunately, Victoria was not interested in business.

Still, it was too early to relax.

“Did you say a courage-enhancing drug?”

“Names matter little. If it improves battlefield efficiency, that’s enough.”

This was yet another perplexing request for me. I hadn’t anticipated her thinking of military applications upon hearing about the health syrup.

I did not consider Victoria inherently devious for coming up with this idea.

‘Rather, this stems from being a soldier adhering to her identity.’

A soldier forgetting fatigue and fear marching forward against the enemy. A soldier who acts swiftly and without complaints. Every officer would be drawn to such an ideal.

The difference in degree aside, almost no military in the world doesn’t rely on stimulants. From betel nuts to coca leaves, chocolate, and even mulberries, originally painkillers and stimulants were the military’s closest friends.

“Sir Alan, is it possible?”

Looking at Victoria’s expression, she seemed to already believe that I could craft the desired drug.

There’s no point pretending ignorance now; I should just be honest in my response.

“Yes, Your Highness. It is possible.”

“Truly?”

“I can produce a drug with better efficacy than the health syrup. Though the process is more complex than with morphine, it’s merely time-consuming, not impossible. And… with a small sample, I might be able to show you within two days.”

“Ah!”

Victoria’s face noticeably brightened.

Perhaps, she saw a shortcut to building a powerful army. One could sense her genuine commitment to the military.

In reality, there was nothing that couldn’t be made if attempted.

Even with the current production facilities at my disposal, I could extract ephedrine, though it would be costly and labor-intensive, but charging accordingly would fix that. Much like I delivered one gram of morphine for a thousand talers.

Ephedrine alone should improve combat efficiency, and when coupled with large doses of caffeine, the potential effects could be magnified. Physical performance genuinely would increase, and doping elite knights before a mission would surely energize their performance.

However, I couldn’t simply agree to Victoria’s wish.

Not because of concern over the military, but because I didn’t want to add more work tasks.

Between producing morphine and cultivating psilocybin, I was already severely overworked. Although I delegated routine tasks to employees like Bono, I still had to personally handle the sensitive ones.

Moreover, the dangers of ephedrine were genuine, even without combining it with other drugs.

Long-term use could literally be a gamble with life — its harmful effects on health were even more severe than steroids.

Even elite athletes under careful guidance sometimes succumb to death using it. How much worse might it be here?

Using ephedrine (or some stronger variant) just to enhance combat efficiency wasn’t worth the heavy toll of potential side effects.

“Your Highness, there is something you should be aware of.”

“Speak.”

I began honestly explaining the expected adverse effects to Victoria.

As you said, taking an appropriate dose short-term is fine, but to achieve the desired military effects, that dosage wouldn’t suffice. Overdosing could lead to sudden death and has a high probability of creating addicts.

“Is it truly that dangerous?”

“It’s too dangerous to distribute simply for the sake of obtaining stimulant effects.”

With this response, Victoria’s expression hardened, likely accepting this truth.

Having explained this much, wouldn’t she understand and back away?

I learned from the morphine situation that Victoria genuinely cared for the military. She was the kind of person who even used her personal funds for critically ill patients. Surely, she wouldn’t risk feeding dangerous drugs to those already exposed to peril.

She wouldn’t, would she?

“Sir Alan, your concerns are valid. Even morphine causes problems due to its addictive nature. However…”

However?

“Sir, while you’re a brilliant knight, you lack an understanding of the battlefield realities. Recently, clashes at the Great Forest border have become increasingly frequent due to the intensified attacks from the elves. We suspect one of their clans has taken independent action.”

“Were you sent here because of that?”

“It’s a significant factor. Of course, we must guard against side effects and distributing the drug to every soldier is out of the question. But there are undoubtedly soldiers who could benefit from a drug that alleviates fear and fatigue. War is a harsh reality.”

“…”

“I’m not like Anaïs. I plan to proceed cautiously and hope for your cooperation.”

Given the turmoil caused by Anaïs and the escalating conflicts at the elf frontlines, she clearly felt a sense of responsibility. She must have come seeking my help, feeling compelled to contribute somehow.

‘So, her sudden demand for drugs wasn’t random after all.’

Princess Victoria gazed at me with determined eyes, her lips tightly pressed, waiting for a response though I hesitated.

It wasn’t out of disrespect but for another reason.

The sudden rise of the hardline elf clan, the increasing clashes at the Great Forest border, and the deteriorating relations between elves and humans — these were contents of the original story I had momentarily forgotten while living my life.

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