Chapter 416 At The Aries Palace
The Second Prince's family lives in a villa called the Aries Palace. When Sara heard the name, she thought, "Is it named after the Aries zodiac?" But since there are no other palaces named after constellations, it must be a coincidence.
Knowing it was an emergency, the palace servants only exchanged the minimum of words as they led them to Princess Mathilda's private room. They were guided to the next room, and beyond that was the princess's exclusive private space.
Rihito started rummaging through a large medical bag. He kept most of his medical tools in a spatial storage. He had created an opening for the spatial storage at the back of the bag, so he never had trouble finding tools or medicine wherever he went. However, he had a habit of moving the tools he needed right before an examination to the main part of the bag for easy access.
After a while, they were called by the Second Prince's Wife, and the group was led to the princess's private space.
"Look up."
Waiting for the Second Prince's Wife to speak, Sara lifted her head and introduced herself.
"I am Sara Grandchester, the granddaughter of Marquis Grandchester. Behind me are Paracelsus and his assistant, Amelia."
Normally, she would want to introduce both of them as 'the pharmacist,' but it felt inappropriate to call them that in front of the Avalon royalty since they hadn't obtained their academy qualifications. There was a risk of being accused of identity fraud.
"I've heard about it for a while. Mathilda was very excited to go to your birthday party."
"I am truly honored, considering my humble status."
"I see, you're definitely Rebecca's student. Anyway, time is precious right now. Could you come with me to that child's bedroom right away?"
"Understood."
As they were guided, they entered Princess Mathilda's bedroom, where the palace doctor and the ladies-in-waiting were standing by the bed.
"How is Mathilda doing?"
"For now, the seizures have stopped, but she still has a high fever..."
At that moment, Rihito walked over quickly.
"Nice to meet you, I am Paracelsus from the Grandchester territory."
"Oh, you are!? You look quite young for that."
Sara stepped in to help with the expected reaction.
"Mr. Paracelsus has formed a friendship with fairies."
"And you are?"
"I am Sara Grandchester, the granddaughter of Marquis Grandchester. I heard it was urgent, so I came here as my grandfather's representative."
However, even this exchange seemed bothersome to the Second Prince's Wife.
"Let's save that kind of talk for later. Right now, we need to focus on Mathilda."
"Understood."
Rihito and the doctor bowed to the Second Prince's Wife and immediately shifted their attention to Princess Mathilda.
"When did the fever start?"
"This morning, she said she had a headache, so the lady-in-waiting took her temperature and found a slight fever. However, by noon, it had risen above 39 degrees (� 102�F). Just a little while ago, she had a seizure."
"It's likely a febrile seizure. Has it happened more than once?"
"No, just once. But I'm a bit worried that it lasted a little too long."
"How long was it?"
"About 10 to 15 minutes, I guess."
"It's hard to say if it's a simple case. Did the convulsions affect the whole body?"
"Yes, it did."
"Let's keep an eye on that for a while. Considering the rapid progression, I think it's probably a fever, but what do you think... um, I haven't asked for your name yet."
"Mr. Paracelsus is a bit embarrassing to call me, but my name is Pat Raidlow."
"Then, I'd like to hear your opinion, Doctor Raidlow."
"I also think it's a fever. However, I'm unsure if we should prescribe fever-reducing medicine."
"I have a relatively low side effect fever reducer with me, but considering the convulsions, I can't agree to use it. If the patient has enough strength, it might be better to just observe for now. They seem to be sleeping, but is there any disturbance in consciousness?"
"There are no signs of encephalopathy yet, but due to the high fever, their consciousness is a bit hazy."
Rihito turned to Amelia and instructed her to prepare oral rehydration solution. Rihito's bag was packed tightly with bottles of oral rehydration solution. Of course, he had pulled them out from the storage space in the waiting room and stuffed them in.
"Do you know about oral rehydration solution, Doctor Raidlow?"
"Of course, I know about it, but since it's not a medicine that cures illness, not many use it."
"Is that why it hasn't spread much? That's too bad."
"Does it really work?"
"You're right, oral rehydration solutions themselves don't cure diseases. They are drinks meant to replenish fluids in the body. However, when someone has a fever, sweats, vomits, or has diarrhea, they can quickly lose body fluids."
"That's dehydration, right?"
"Yes. The water in the human body is different from regular water. Just giving someone plain water isn't very effective. Specifically, it's necessary to take in things like salt together."
"I see. So, the suitable fluid for dehydration is the oral rehydration solution?"
"Yes, exactly. If you notice symptoms like low urine output, having a fever but not sweating, or dryness in the mouth and lips, be careful. If dehydration worsens, it can be life-threatening."
In the next moment, Princess Mathilda let out a faint voice from the bed.
"My throat is dry..."
Amelia poured half a bottle of oral rehydration solution into a sippy cup prepared by the Lady-in-Waiting and also poured a little into a small glass for tasting. She had been informed about the tasting by Sara beforehand, so she was fully prepared to use the tasting glass offered by the Lady-in-Waiting.
After the Lady-in-Waiting confirmed that there were no issues with the tasting results, and with the final approval from the Second Prince's Wife, they were able to give Princess Mathilda the oral rehydration solution.
"I thought Paracelsus would perform some amazing treatments, but it turns out you do the same things as a regular pharmacist."
"I'm just a pharmacist who has lived a bit longer. I feel sorry that I can't meet Your Highness's expectations. But..."
"Is something wrong?"
Rihito glanced at Sara. Noticing his gaze, the Second Prince's Wife asked Sara.
"Are you hiding something?"
"It must be hard for Mr. Paracelsus to say this. I also hesitate to speak without my grandfather's permission, but I can't keep secrets in front of Your Highness. Actually, in the Grandchester territory, a cure for the fever is currently being developed."
"W-What!?"
The one who reacted strongly to Sara's statement was Raidlow.
"I've never heard of a cure even at the Academy. The common belief is that there is only symptomatic treatment for the fever."
"It's a new medicine that Mr. Paracelsus has been researching and developing for decades."
"That's right. The results of the clinical trials are relatively good, but some symptoms that seem to be side effects have also been confirmed. It will still be difficult to administer the medicine in places where a pharmacist cannot supervise."
As Sara and Rihito explained, Raidlow listened with great interest.
"Is Mr. Paracelsus planning to give that cure to his patients in the future?"
"I haven't fully thought it through yet, but if possible, I would like to create a system to provide the medicine to other pharmacists as well."
"Is it okay if the Sophia Merchant Guild doesn't have a monopoly on it?"
Sophia, the golem who had been standing like a statue near the door, nodded in response to Raidlow's gaze.
"What a noble ambition!"
While Raidlow was moved, the Second Prince's Wife pressed Rihito.
"Do you have that medicine with you right now?"
"I do, but..."
"Then, administer it to Mathilda. You brought the medicine because you were considering that possibility, right?"
"But Your Highness, this medicine hasn't been officially released yet."
Rihito himself challenged the order from the Second Prince's Wife.
"Paracelsus, can this cure really heal Mathilda?"
"With all due respect, I am a pharmacist. I cannot say for certain that it will 'definitely cure' her."
"I see. In a way, that's an honest answer. As a mother, I can't help but feel resentful."
"I am very sorry."
"But the chances of her getting better quickly are high, right?"
"Yes, that is correct."
"Then that's good. I will allow the treatment. However, until she recovers, you and your assistant are not allowed to leave the palace."
"Your Highness!"
Sara panicked. In her plan, she intended to talk to the court doctor briefly, introduce oral rehydration solutions, and only hint that they were in the process of making a cure for the fever. Of course, if things got serious, she thought Rihito could pretend to use magic while she supported him.
However, the Second Prince's Wife had expectations of Paracelsus that went beyond Sara's predictions. In this world, the fever was a life-threatening illness. If something happened to Princess Mathilda, Rihito and Amelia would not escape unscathed either. Yet, both Rihito and Amelia smiled at Sara. It seemed they had anticipated this outcome from the very beginning.
"Of course. My assistant and I will stay by Her Highness the Princess Mathilda's side until her fever goes down."
The two deeply bowed in front of the Second Prince's Wife. Sara couldn't help but feel her own weakness. Amelia walked over to Sara and spoke to her.
"Miss Sara, please don't worry. Mr. Paracelsus will surely cure Her Highness the princess's illness quickly."
"Amelia... I'm sorry. I forced you to come with me."
"Hehe. I'm also a bit of a pharmacist. When I heard that Her Highness the little princess was suffering from an illness, I couldn't just stay away. By the way, Miss Sara, aren't you going to give that bear to Princess Mathilda?"
"Oh, right!"
Sara turned around to face the Second Prince's Wife and asked for permission to place Musashi near Princess Mathilda's bed.
"Is that bear Lady Sara's toy?"
"Yes, it's Musashi, who is always with me."
"Musashi?"
"Your Highness, have you heard about the golems from the Sophia Merchant Guild?"
"Yes, I have. I heard they are artificial beings made with advanced alchemy. They say they can speak fluently, but is that true?"
"This bear is made with golem technology, so it can move on its own and talk too."
"Oh my!"
"I'm sorry, but since this is a prototype, I can't give it to you. However, I thought it might help distract Her Highness the Princess until she recovers, so I brought it. Musashi, come here."
When Sara called out, Musashi stood up and walked over to Sara's side.
"Wow, it really walked!"
Musashi bowed slightly to the surprised Second Prince's Wife and began to speak politely.
"Nice to meet you, Your Highness."
"I heard you talk!"
Not just the Second Prince's Wife, but also the Lady-in-Waiting and maids, and if you looked closely, even Raidlow and his assistant were surprised.
"As you can see, Musashi is a stuffed toy. Its body is soft, and it can't carry weapons or anything. It's a pet toy made using golem technology. However, it requires a lot of magic stones, so it probably won't be available for sale to the public."
Golem Sophia explained about Musashi with a "false" explanation on behalf of Sara. This had been discussed in advance with Magi. Of course, Rihito and Amelia were also aware of it.
"I think Mathilda won't want to give Musashi back even after she recovers."
"I'll prepare a brand new one of the same type."
"Hehe, with that wording, it sounds like you won't actually give it to me."
Even the Magi find it hard to just give away an expensive stuffed animal. If they were to sell a golem stuffed toy that becomes a Magi's device at the Sophia Merchant Guild, it wouldn't be surprising if the price was not just 1 million Dallas, but even ten times that. The selling price is based on the magic stone, so the cost might not be that high, but since Sara has to make each one by hand, it can't be cheap.
"Sophia, it's fine to offer it. The Grandchester family will pay for it."
"Understood, Miss Sara."
"It seems like a very luxurious toy."
The Second Prince's Wife sounded a bit exasperated, but she didn't say "I don't want it" or "I'll pay for it." She probably couldn't imagine it being as expensive as her annual budget.
However, without caring about that, Musashi walked over to Princess Mathilda's bed and jumped right on it.
"Mathilda, are you okay?"
"Who are you?"
"I'm Musashi. I came to visit Mathilda."
"I see. Thank you."
Princess Mathilda gently placed her hand on Musashi's hand.
"Hey, Paracelsus, Mathilda's hand is hot."
"She has a fever."
"She seems to be having trouble breathing. Please do something for her."
"I'm going to give her medicine now, so please wait a moment."
"Got it."
It was a truly strange sight. Musashi was peering into Princess Mathilda's face, placing a hand on her forehead and gently patting her stomach.
"What a gentle bear. It's a really nice stuffed animal, but is a new one just as gentle?"
"Of course. Musashi is a prototype, so he can be a bit rough around the edges, but the new one will be adjusted to speak in a way that's suitable for the princess."
"I see. Since Musashi is like a boy, please make the new one a girl."
"Understood."
As Sophia spoke gracefully and moved elegantly, Sara felt a bit defeated. She was aware that she was emotional and understood that she often acted impulsively. She thought it was because her body was still that of a child, but she sometimes messed up even when she saw Sophia.
If she thought about it, it was just part of her personality. Golems powered by Magi might mimic emotions, but they don't act on feelings--or so it seemed. Lately, though, they looked happy when gathering information, so maybe Magi did have some emotions after all.
Thus, Rihito, Amelia, and Musashi stayed in the Aries Palace, while Sara and the golem Sophia headed back to the Grandchester estate.
Sara stepped into the next room and handed Rihito a new voice communication device, linking it to Magi. In case something happened, she planned to connect to the palace and rescue Rihito and Amelia.
"Thanks. But you don't need to worry so much."
"I'm not worried about you; I'm worried about Amelia."
"I'll protect her. Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to face Mr. Alexander."
"Please do that."
Meanwhile, Edward, who had rushed over after receiving the message, was waiting in the next room.
"I'm sorry for the trouble caused to Mr. Rihito and Amelia. It's because of Sara that they got involved."
"Don't worry. Things in Grandchester have settled, and both the Pharmacist and Alchemist Guilds are acting. Mr. Alexander's team is making the special medicine. We recently finalized the process and are preparing to present the recipe to the royal family."
"Aren't you sharing it with the Pharmacist Guild?"
"We'll inform them that the medicine is done and the recipe is being presented, but the decision to publish it is up to His Majesty."
"If it's made public, the royal family can't keep it secret. Mr. Rihito, you're quite the strategist."
"...Actually, it was Lady Chloe's suggestion."
"My daughter?"
"She said she wants to 'do a favor for the royal family'."
"She just wants to be thanked by the prince, doesn't she? It's ridiculous how politics can mess with a maiden's first love."
Edward shook his head and sighed. Then he turned to Sara.
"Sara, His Majesty already knows about the cure for the fever. Just now, my father was called."
"I figured as much."
"If Princess Mathilda recovers, the production of the cure will likely become a national project. It will probably be hard for the new Sophia Merchant Guild to get involved. Even if they are lucky enough to join, they will be at the bottom of the list."
"I already understand that. I'm not so greedy that I want to take all the profits for myself."
"...You really can say you're not greedy?"
"It's true. It's better to pass on things I can't handle to someone else. In the meantime, I can make money in other ways."
"Okay, okay. Well, let's go home for now."
"Sounds good."
With that, Sara was carried home by Edward. However, leaving Rihito and Amelia at the palace made Sara feel like she had swallowed a heavy weight.
'I hope Princess Mathilda recovers safely...'
Realizing her own powerlessness, as there was nothing left to do but pray, Sara felt tears welling up as she regretted involving Rihito and the others.
* * *
Meanwhile, Rihito, who stayed behind at the palace, was deepening his friendship with Raidlow.
"By the way, I recognize the name Doctor Raidlow. Is your father Lord Lobby de Raidlow?"
"Yes. Did you know my father?"
"I've met him a few times. He is a very skilled pharmacist, and I've read several of his research papers. Actually, there are copies of Lord Raidlow's papers at the research facility in the Grandchester territory."
"I'm sure my father would be happy to hear that. He is still doing research at home."
Raidlow looks to be in his forties or fifties, so his father is probably in his seventies. It's quite impressive for someone who hasn't formed a friendship with fairies.
"I would like to meet him again. Although, he might not remember me."
"If you're talking about the pharmacist named Theofrastos, who once went by Paracelsus, my father still remembers it. He repeats the same stories when he's had a drink."
"Haha, that is truly an honor."
Rihito and Raidlow exchanged smiles.
A few hours later, Princess Mathilda's fever began to go down.
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Donate me
Support Me with USDC
(ERC20)
Support Me with XLM
(Stellar Lumens)