“That is exactly right, Master Lloyd. To begin with, it’s practically unheard of for someone to study abroad at such a young age. The fact that a boy only a year older than you is already tackling medicine—one of the most difficult academic fields—is truly extraordinary.”
“Still, compared to your other brothers, he seems like one of the more sensible ones. Medicine is certainly a challenge, but it’s a discipline where sheer effort pays off. It’s a world governed by memorization and focus rather than raw talent. That doesn't make his achievement any less impressive, though.”
Grimo and Jiriel both had a point.
Personally, I didn’t have much confidence in my own rote memory. I tended to forget things I wasn't interested in almost immediately. I had skimmed a few medical books before, but the sheer volume of technical terminology had been enough to put me to sleep. In that sense, they weren't all that different from Magic Books, but if I lacked the passion for the subject, I just couldn't make the information stick.
Of course, I could have used magic to force the issue, but my limited mental capacity was already entirely devoted to my magical research. There simply wasn't any room left for extraneous knowledge.
“We managed to get that far on our own, but we hit a wall—we haven't been able to concoct a treatment...”
“Hmph. I assume you lack the necessary ingredients? It isn't the right season to harvest the fruit of the Shigan Herb, after all.”
“Exactly. So I was thinking of heading out to find—”
“There is a substitute,” Rion said, cutting me off.
He reached into his pocket and produced a single pill.
“This is a general-purpose medicine for internal organs, specifically tailored for stress-related symptoms. Albert-niisan is the type of person who carries a constant weight of worry. I prepared this just in case, and I’m glad to see it might be needed. Administering three of these a day should see him through. Until he regains consciousness, you should dissolve them in his IV.”
“I see... Ren, what do you think?”
I handed the pill Rion had given me to Ren of the Poison Moth.
As a specialist who could manipulate poisons and medicines at will and who possessed an encyclopedic knowledge of pharmacopeia, Ren was the best person to judge its efficacy. She scraped a tiny bit off the pill and tasted it.
“...Lloyd, this is incredible! It looks like it’ll be extremely effective. It’s much more potent than anything you’d find on the market!”
“Hey.”
When Rion called out to her, Ren nearly jumped out of her skin.
Ah, we were being a bit rude. I supposed it made sense. Testing a pill someone just gave you was practically the same as saying you didn't trust them.
“Eek! I-I’m sorry! It’s not that I don’t trust you or anything...”
“It’s alright, Rion-niisan. She’s my personal maid and has a talent for these things. I thought everyone here would feel more at ease if we had a professional confirm how well it would work.”
Looking at our panicked reactions, Rion let out a soft laugh.
“...Why are you so flustered? No sane person would suddenly use a drug with unknown ingredients. Anyone would do exactly what you did. Even I would. You’re in the right.”
“Lord Rion...”
“Still, that is a fascinating ability. Is it related to mana? You, Ren—would you mind explaining the mechanism to me in detail?”
“Y-Yes, I’d be happy to! Actually, the way it works is—”
Ren began to explain her ability in exhaustive detail, and Rion listened with rapt attention. Before long, the two of them were deep in a passionate discussion about medical science. Since they were close in age, perhaps they simply hit it off.
“Technically, Master Lloyd is in that same age group too,” Grimo noted.
“And yet he doesn't seem to be listening to a single word,” Jiriel added.
I couldn't help it. I didn't have even a sliver of interest in medical theory. Still, as long as the two of them were enjoying themselves, that was fine by me.
“...But this is amazing. You didn't use Shigan Herb Fruit at all. To get this much of an effect by decocting common herbs in such a perfect ratio... There’s Remira Herb, Shojo Flower, Mintz petals, Lauris seeds... what’s the final ingredient?”
“Hmph. The final piece is the gallbladder of a Pygmy Mouse. When combined with the others, it provides a powerful detoxifying effect. By experimenting with various combinations, we’ve managed to diversify the ways medicine is produced.”
“I see... As expected of the medical powerhouse of Assembla. They’re so far ahead!”
Ren beamed at him, causing Rion to look away in a sudden flurry of embarrassment.
“...Ahem! Regardless, the efficacy of the medicine has been confirmed. Shall we begin the administration?”
“Yes, right away!”
With that, the treatment for Albert began. Ren watched the process with a lingering trace of anxiety.
“Do you think it’ll work?”
“You’re the one who gave it the green light, aren't you? Have a little more confidence.”
As I gave Ren’s head a reassuring pat, Rion spoke up from beside us.
“If the medicine takes hold, he should be up and about in three days. He’ll likely need to keep taking it for a while, but he should show gradual improvement.”
“Thank you. It’s all thanks to you, Rion-niisan.”
Rion froze at my words.
...? What was wrong with him? He had suddenly gone completely silent. I wondered if I’d said something odd. As I tilted my head in confusion, he abruptly turned his back to me.
“Yessssss!”
He let out a tiny, stifled cry of victory, pumped his fist, and then began muttering rapidly under his breath.
“Yes! Yes! I was so cool! Stage one of the ‘Restore My Dignity as an Older Brother’ operation is a total success! Lloyd has been a freak of nature since he was a baby. He’d read impossibly difficult books and never play with other kids; he used to make me cry all the time. But I realized things couldn't go on like that, so I went to study abroad in Assembla. My years of hard work have finally, finally paid off! I’ve regained my pride as an older brother! ...But I can't let my guard down yet. Somewhere along the line, he hired this cute maid, and he’s gotten taller. Most of all, there’s that unfathomable ‘something’ I feel radiating from him...! It’s dangerous to celebrate now. I have to keep my cool, or I’ll revert to being the pathetic little brother again...!”
I really wondered what was going through his head. It was a little creepy. As I watched him with growing suspicion, he turned back around and flicked his bangs with a flourish.
“...Hmph. I merely did what was expected of an older brother.”
Seeing Rion like that, Grimo and Jiriel both looked utterly exasperated.
“How should I put this... the prince is a bit of a piece of work, isn't he? He’s kind of a letdown... or maybe just a total kid.”
“Well, he is technically a child... it’s only natural for him to want to act superior to his younger brother.”
They could say what they wanted, but I genuinely thought he was impressive. I had learned a little bit about pharmacology while supervising Ren’s training, and I knew that medicine was incredibly difficult to handle. The dosage, the concentration, the ratios... it could change entirely based on the slightest factor.
Medicine was delicate. If handled poorly, it wouldn't just be ineffective—it could become a lethal poison. To create something that surpassed existing remedies out of a near-infinite number of possible combinations was a feat of extreme difficulty. One could only achieve it through the kind of experience and knowledge of poisons that Ren had.
I reached out, took Rion’s hand, and offered him my sincere admiration.
“Really, Rion-niisan, you are truly amazing.”
“—!?”
“You are my pride. I truly respect you.”
“...T-That... well, of course! Hah! Hahahaha!”
Rion was suddenly a flustered mess. His face turned bright red, though I wasn't sure why. ...Well, it didn't really matter.
“...Good grief, pull yourself together, Rion di Saloom. The day you’ve finally earned your brother’s respect has arrived; don't ruin it by acting like a blushing schoolboy. ...Though, honestly, it does feel quite good to have his trust.”
He started muttering to himself again, but I needed to use Appraisal to make sure the medicine was actually working. While I didn't have the medical knowledge to understand the drug’s chemistry, I could use Appraisal to observe the minute changes in the body and see exactly how much progress was being made. Through my daily work with magic and my various experiences, my control over my spells had become incredibly precise.
...Hmm. It was slow, but he was definitely getting better. At this rate, he’d be back on his feet soon enough. It looked like my work here was done.
Conveniently, I had just finished my current Magic Book, so it was time to go hunting for something new. Leaving the still-grinning Rion to his own devices, I quietly slipped out of the sickroom.